Shopping Time

The next day Ark woke up early. He washed his face, brushed his teeth, and took a quick bath to freshen himself. After dressing in his servant clothes, he stepped into the hallway. The mansion was already buzzing with activity—workers rushing in and out of rooms, chefs preparing ingredients, and the butler giving sharp instructions.

When Ark entered the kitchen, one worker stopped him. “Ark, please, today you go to the market and buy groceries. We are running low on vegetables, fruits, wheat, and rice. Here’s the money pouch and the list.”

Ark nodded. “Understood.” He took the leather pouch, heavy with coins, and glanced at the long list. “This will be a busy day.”

He left the Valkart mansion and walked toward the town’s market.

---

By the time Ark reached the square, the market was already full of people. Stalls stretched in long rows, and merchants shouted their goods. The air smelled of fresh vegetables, ripe fruits, and grain sacks opened for display.

Ark checked his list. The first item: vegetables.

He walked to a stall piled high with carrots, potatoes, and onions. The vendor, a cheerful middle-aged woman, waved him over.

“Welcome! Fresh vegetables, just harvested this morning! What will you buy, young man?”

Ark looked at the carrots. “I’ll take ten bundles of carrots.”

“Ten bundles? That’s a lot,” she said, then smiled. “Three bronze coins each.”

Ark thought for a moment, then answered politely. “How about two bronze per bundle? I’m buying in bulk.”

The woman tapped her chin, then laughed. “Fine, two bronze each. But remember my stall next time.”

Ark handed over the coins and packed the carrots carefully. Then he pointed at the potatoes. “I’ll take twenty potatoes as well.”

“Twenty potatoes, two bronze for all,” the woman replied.

“Deal.” Ark added them to his bag.

Next, he moved to another stall filled with onions, cabbages, and leafy greens. The vendor there, an older man with a calm voice, greeted him.

“Looking for onions? They’re strong and fresh. Perfect for cooking.”

“Yes,” Ark said, checking the list. “I’ll take fifteen onions and two cabbages.”

The old man nodded. “That will be three bronze.”

Ark paid him, placing the onions and cabbages in his bag. His bag was getting heavier, but there was still more to buy.

---

The next section of the list was fruits. Ark walked to a colorful stall where baskets of apples, grapes, and pears were stacked neatly. A young vendor stood behind the stall, smiling brightly.

“Apples! Sweet and juicy! Grapes fresh from the vine! What would you like, sir?”

Ark pointed at the apples. “Two dozen apples.”

The vendor counted quickly and placed them in a sack. “Four bronze coins.”

Ark paid and shifted the weight to his other arm. “And grapes—give me a big bunch.”

“Of course. Two bronze.”

Ark nodded and added them. Then he noticed pears and pointed. “Five pears as well.”

“Two bronze,” the vendor said.

Ark completed the purchase and packed everything tightly in his cloth bag.

---

The last items on the list were the heavy ones: wheat and rice.

Ark walked to a stall where sacks of grain were stacked as tall as a person. A strong-voiced merchant greeted him immediately.

“Looking for the best wheat and rice? You’ve come to the right place.”

Ark showed him the list. “I need one large sack of wheat and one large sack of rice.”

The merchant whistled. “That’s a heavy order. Do you have help to carry it?”

“I can manage,” Ark said simply.

The merchant chuckled. “Very well. A sack of wheat, five silver coins. A sack of rice, four silver coins.”

Ark opened the pouch, counted the coins carefully, and handed them over. The merchant gestured to two workers, who lifted the sacks and placed them near Ark.

Ark tested the weight and managed to balance them into his bag. His shoulders strained under the load, but he adjusted it carefully.

---

By the time he had finished, the sky was already turning orange with evening light. The market was beginning to slow down, vendors packing their stalls, children running home with bread in their hands.

Ark walked back toward the mansion, each step heavy but steady. The bag was filled with vegetables, fruits, wheat, and rice—everything on the list. His arms ached, but he felt satisfied.

When he reached the Valkart estate, the guards nodded at him, and he carried the load into the kitchen. The same worker who had given him the task earlier came running.

“You’re back! Did you manage to get everything?”

Ark set the heavy bag down with a sigh of relief. “Yes. Carrots, potatoes, onions, cabbages, apples, grapes, pears, wheat, and rice. All bought and packed.”

She checked the items and smiled brightly. “Perfect! This will be enough for many meals. Thank you, Ark.”

Ark rubbed his shoulder. “It was quite a haul, but the job is done.”

She laughed softly. “The market can be tiring, but you handled it well.”

Ark gave a small smile, then excused himself. He went back to his room, collapsed onto the bed, and closed his eyes. His body was sore, but his mind was calm.

“This servant life is harder than I thought,” he murmured to himself, drifting into sleep.