I got 50 gold in my pocket, this is fucking awesome.

Now, where do I spend all that?

I could always go to a thrift shop and get so much stuff.

Nope, I got bigger plans.

Still, I can't help myself but hum slightly as I make my way through the city.

I am looking for something very specific.

A bakery with an owner that looks older.

Why?

Do I have a case of gerontophilia?

Obviously not.

Ah, target acquired!

There is a man that looks to have suffered from the vicissitudes of life.

[Hey there old man. How are you doing?]

"Youngster if you are here to place a big order you may as well go to another place. I don't have the energy I used to haha."

[Say, old man, who is going to take over your bakery once you retire?]

"Is this the first thing you ask an old man? Are you eying my business?!"

[Well, not yours particularly. I'm looking to acquire a bakery.]

"I'm not looking to sell one so you may as well leave right now."

[Gotcha, any idea who would be willing to sell? I have gold.]

"Please, you think gold is everything in the world?! You think I still operate this place because I'm broke?! I'm still here because this is my life! Go away you prick!"

This old man is spicy haha.

[What about you, old man? You think I want to buy a bakery because I am loaded?! Don't look down on me!]

"Oh? Who would you even have work in this place?"

[Please I'd be the only one working.]

"You would invest in this place only to toil and sweat in it? Are you crazy?!"

[What do you mean crazy! You know nothing! Baking pies is a way of life!]

He glares at me.

"Son, why do you wish to own this place again?"

[To build a pie empire.]

"*Sigh* In any case I wish to remain here until the day I die. Retirement is not one of my plans at all. I truly don't know anything about the other shops either."

This old man is pretty dedicated it seems.

[How about this? I'm looking to buy a bakery, but I don't have any employees. How about you stay here and help?]

"You'd take this old man? Are you looking down on me! I'm an experienced baker!"

[You can have parts in the business haha.]

"You said something about pies?"

[This will be the first step of my phenomenal expansion plan. Customers will soon fight over who gets to take home one of my delicacies. No, one of our delicacies if you wish to remain.]

"I'm mostly used to baking bread. This is what sells the best in the area."

[Perhaps. All of it doesn't matter. A diamond doesn't have to fear not shining.]

"You mean to say your pies are so good people will travel across the city just to taste them?!"

[Indeed. Not to brag, but recently I baked one for some guy and he instantly fell in love with me.]

"What?! Was he starving?!"

[Hehe, not only was he not starving but he was a baker himself you see.]

"Stop bullshitting me!"

[*Smirking* I am serious here. You could even ask him directly. Ah, but maybe he would be embarrassed a bit.]

"Ah, fine whatever. We'll know soon enough. How about you cook one right now?"

[Sure!]

Time to showcase my godly skills again!

I get to work.

Eventually, a steamy pie is sitting in front of the old man.

He looks at it unimpressed.

Then he takes a bite.

[Delicious, isn't it?]

"If I had to say it is plain."

[Plain?!]

"Indeed. It is nowhere near the level it needs to be for that plan of yours."

This is the first time I've gotten such feedback.

Was I delusional this whole time?

That's when I see Wolfie happily gobble up what remains of the pie.

"That wolf of yours looks so expressive. Why is it following you around?"

[She's my companion.]

"Also your pie taste tester it seems."

[Yep.]

"I see the issue. As a beast, she may be more used to strong flavors. Humans are pickier in general."

Wolfie is looking at him like he is an idiot.

I feel like she would disagree with that evaluation.

"In any case your pie has potential. I feel like you just need more experience. You don't actually cook that often, right?"

[How did you know?!]

"When you were working you seemed to be reminiscing. Clearly working diligently but you had to remember how to do it."

[Ah, I see.]

"One can truly become masterful through countless repetitions. It needs to become your life."

[I understand! That's why I want to buy my own place. This way I'll be able to cook whenever I please.]

"I see that is understandable. Tell me youngster how much are you even willing to fork over for such an endeavor?"

[50 gold coins.]

"Make it 60!"

[Eh, I only have 50.]

"You gotta get used to bartering. When selling people are going to want to pay less and receive more."

[Aren't prices always the same?]

"Nope, you want to set-up the price slightly more expensive. Then you allow people to barter it down a bit. This way they feel good about themselves."

[That is…such a waste of time!]

"Perhaps, but the richest don't care about paying a little bit more. The poorest need to eat too. Also no matter the wealth of an individual everyone is happy to save."

[This is so complicated!]

"Alright, I've decided. Young man, let's do it this way. You can leave your gold as a deposit and live here."

Here comes the but.

"The way I see it you are not ready to be an owner just yet. Work here for a little while. Once you are ready I will pass this shop over to you."

[So you want to test me?]

"This place is my life's work. There is no way I will trust just anyone with it."

[I understand.]

"So do we have a deal?"

[How does the deposit thing work exactly?]

"Usually we would go to the city hall and make it official. Right now it is getting late. We can head there tomorrow. For now, we can do a soul oath."

These can be broken, but it isn't that easy either.

The old man looks reliable enough.

I mean if he wants to steal the money he would have to run too.

That would mean leaving the shop behind.

If he is abandoning his shop either way, it would make more sense for him to directly sell it.

Let's try this.

[Alright, we have a deal. From tomorrow the pie legacy shall begin haha!]