Chapter 95: At Eden International

Chapter 95: Chapter 95: At Eden International

Rowan summoned a sturdy, high-grade wooden crate bearing the stylized Eden International leaf emblem, its interior neatly lined with a thick layer of soft cloth. With practiced care, he transferred a full batch of glistening Ancestral Peaches from his spatial inventory into the crate, setting it down gently beside the dining table.

"We’re launching a new product listing on the store today, Mom," Rowan said, wiping his hands as the sweet fragrance filled the kitchen once more. "List these Ancestral Peaches at 15 gold coins each."

Martha nearly dropped her communication slate. "Fifteen gold?! Rowan, high-court lords in the capital would gladly bid thousands in platinum at an imperial auction for a single one of these!"

"Which is exactly why we aren’t putting them up for auction," Rowan replied, his voice calm and unyielding. "And there’s a second condition: strictly one peach per customer. No bulk orders, no exceptions."

Martha paused, looking between the glowing peaches and her son’s clear, grounded eyes beneath the brim of his straw hat. She immediately caught the brilliance—and the heart—behind his strategy.

By setting a strict limit of one per person and keeping the price accessible, Rowan was blocking massive merchant syndicates and greedy aristocrats from buying out the entire stock to hoard or mark up on the black market.

"Equality," Rowan explained softly. "Whether someone is an archduke from the capital or a local farmer who saved up fifteen gold to help heal a sick family member, everyone who joins the queue gets an equal shot. The earth doesn’t discriminate when it gives life, Mom. Neither will Eden International."

A wave of profound pride washed over Martha. "You really are something special, Rowan," she whispered, her smile radiant.

Without a second thought, she tapped her slate, setting up the new product entry and locking in the hard limit of one per buyer. The instant Martha hit ’Publish’, the online storefront’s notification arrays began to chime frantically, signaling the start of a legendary rush.

***

Setting off from Sunny Vale toward the heart of Sol-Aethel, the family carried the wooden crate of Ancestral Peaches together. Between his intense training at the Sol-Aethel Academy, clearing Tower floors, and competing in the capital’s exhibition tournament, Rowan hadn’t stepped foot inside the flagship Eden International storefront for weeks. He felt a deep, quiet excitement at the thought of reconnecting with the townspeople who had supported their humble farm from the very beginning.

When their transport pulled up outside the shop, Rowan was greeted by an astonishing sight. A peaceful, winding line stretched across three whole city blocks. Commoners, local artisans, retired adventurers, and even lower-tier guild members stood shoulder-to-shoulder, chatting excitedly about the sudden storefront update on their slates.

The moment Rowan stepped out of the vehicle carrying the wooden crate, resting his hand casually near the Hoe of the World-Tiller while wearing his signature Enchanted Straw Hat, a wave of breathless murmurs swept through the queue. The Golden-Red Imperial Dragon Badge pinned to his chest caught the morning sun, heralding the unexpected appearance of the empire’s newly crowned champion.

"It’s Master Vance!" "Look, the Champion is actually working the floor!"

Rather than hiding behind a private office, Rowan stepped right behind the front counter, working side-by-side with Martha and Arthur. For hours, he personally greeted every customer in line, handing them a heavy, fragrant peach wrapped in soft parchment while taking the time to ask about their families, their crops, and their daily lives.

When an elderly, weathered farmer handed over fifteen hard-earned gold coins with trembling hands—hoping the fruit might soothe his bedridden granddaughter’s illness—Rowan gave him a warm, reassuring smile. "This fruit carries the pure vitality of uncorrupted soil," Rowan said gently, placing the heavy, glowing peach into the old man’s hands. "It will help her recover her strength."

The crowd watched in profound admiration as the continent’s top young cultivator treated every single person with equal warmth and dignity. When a few pompous merchants tried to bribe their way to the front of the queue to buy out the entire crate at marked-up prices, Rowan turned them away with a calm, unyielding look, reminding them that at Eden International, no amount of gold could purchase privilege over a neighbor’s equal right.

By mid-afternoon, as the last peach was handed out and the crowd dispersed with bright, hopeful smiles, Martha leaned against the counter, looking at her son with immense pride. Rowan adjusted his hat with a grounded smile, feeling far more fulfilled serving his community than he ever had standing on any grand tournament stage.

Rowan didn’t turn down a single request. For hours, he stood beside the shop counter with an easy, grounded smile, patiently posing for pictures with local families, aspiring young cultivators, and long-time Sol-Aethel residents. Tipping the brim of his Enchanted Straw Hat or standing beside the Hoe of the World-Tiller, he made sure every customer walked away feeling valued, regardless of how humble their purchase was.

By 4:30 PM, the final basket of spirit-grain was handed across the counter, leaving the wooden display crates wiped completely clean. Every single crop—led by the historic debut of the Ancestral Peaches—was officially sold out.

Arthur flipped the sign on the front glass to CLOSED, pulling down the heavy linen shades as a lingering, appreciative chatter echoed from the street outside. Martha leaned back against the counter with a long, happy sigh, pulling up her primary communication slate.

The instant she unlocked the screen, her feed exploded into a relentless waterfall of notifications.

Photos taken with Rowan throughout the afternoon were spreading across the empire’s communication networks like wildfire. Social feeds and regional spirit-arrays were flooded with candid pictures of the imperial champion laughing with local elders, placing fruit into the hands of working-class farmers, and handing signed receipts to wide-eyed kids. Thousands upon thousands of posts were tagged with #Champion, #Rowan, and #EdenInternational, driving the enterprise’s public reputation to unprecedented heights.

Comment sections were filled with overwhelmingly glowing praise. Netizens and common citizens alike marveled at Rowan’s humility, pointing out how the continent’s top prodigy spent his day off working a storefront counter rather than entertaining aristocratic offers in capital estates. ℯ

The strict one-peach-per-person policy was hailed as a legendary move of genuine equality, cementing Eden International as a business rooted in integrity rather than corporate greed.

"Look at this, Rowan," Martha whispered, turning her slate so he could see a post featuring a picture of him smiling warmly alongside the elderly farmer from earlier. "You haven’t just expanded our store’s reach today. You’ve earned the trust of the entire nation."

Rowan adjusted the brim of his straw hat, looking at the glowing screen with a quiet, satisfied glint in his eyes. "The people are the true heart of what we’re building, Mom. As we scale up production across Sunny Vale, we’ll ensure these high-grade resources stay within reach of everyone who needs them."

With the shop packed away and a record-breaking ledger locked into their spatial ring, the Vance family headed back toward the peaceful fields of Sunny Vale, ready to turn their focus toward the grand expansion of their land.