Aiko Takanashi's Arc

Chapter 1 of 2

Aiko counted the copper coins on her counter for the third time that morning. Her trading post sat quiet, the wooden shelves half-empty behind her. She wanted to build the biggest merchant hub in the entire region, but right now she barely had enough stock to fill one corner. Her red fingers drummed against the wood as she watched the empty doorway. The problem was simple. She needed goods to sell, but the nearest suppliers were three towns away. Walking that distance would take days, and she couldn't close her shop for that long. She needed a way to bring more inventory back faster. A wooden cart sat outside her trading post, catching the morning light. Aiko had bought it yesterday from a traveling craftsman. The wood showed detailed carvings along its sides, and when she touched it, a faint glow pulsed beneath her palm. The craftsman had promised it would make her journeys easier. She loaded her remaining coins into a pouch and tied it to her belt. Today she would test the cart's magic. If it worked as promised, she could reach those distant suppliers and return with enough stock to fill her shelves. Her trading post would finally have what customers wanted. This was the first real step toward her dream.