In the bustling center of a nearby town, a noble girl named Elira sat with a few friends under the shade of a wide tree. The spring market was busy around them, filled with noise, colors, and scents. Merchants shouted prices, kids ran past with sticky hands, and music floated in the air.
Elira wore a pale blue dress and carried herself with the quiet grace of someone used to being watched. She was the daughter of a local baron, not royalty, but important enough that people made room when she walked.
Her friend, Lira, passed her a small cloth pouch.
"You have to try this," she said. "It's candy. From the countryside. I don't know who made it, but everyone's talking."
Elira raised an eyebrow. "Candy?"
"It's different. Not like the usual sugar lumps. Taste it."
She took one from the pouch—a small, round piece that smelled faintly of berries and honey. She placed it in her mouth.
The flavor bloomed right away. Sweet, but not too much. It tasted real. Like someone had gone into the forest, picked the berries themselves, and made it with care.
"This is… good," she admitted.
"Told you," Lira grinned. "I've already bought three pouches. They sell fast."
"Where is it from?" Elira asked, tasting another.
"No one knows the maker's name. Some small shed outside Haresh, I think. But people are calling it Hollow Candy because of the stamp on the back."
Elira opened the pouch and found it—small letters pressed into the paper. "Warden's Hollow."
"That's what it said," Lira nodded.
Elira didn't say anything right away. But her mind was already turning. She had tried sweets from all over the region. Imported chocolate. Golden sugar cubes. Nothing had tasted like this.
Simple. But made with heart.
Back in the forest, Sylas was busy again. He had gathered berries early in the morning and was now boiling a fresh batch of syrup in his shed.
The scent filled the air. Sweet and warm.
Selene helped him pack the candies into pouches. She tied the strings while he placed them on the shelf.
"How many are we making today?" she asked.
"Fifty pouches," Sylas said. "We've got orders."
"From who?"
"People in town are asking for more. Mira says someone is selling it near the market."
Selene smiled. "Told you this would grow fast."
He nodded, feeling that strange mix of pride and pressure. He liked building. He liked seeing people enjoy what he made.
But part of him wondered how far this could really go.
He looked outside. His crops were growing. His shed stood strong. He had silver in his pouch. A slow, steady start—but real.
Back in the town, Elira sent a servant to gather information. She didn't want to draw too much attention yet, but she was curious. Her name carried weight, and she used it carefully.
That evening, the servant returned with news.
"There's a man named Sylas," he said. "Lives near Haresh. Built a small shed. Sells candy made from wildberries. People like him."
Elira stood by her window, staring out at the moonlit road. "Bring me there tomorrow," she said.
"Yes, Lady Elira."
The next day, Sylas heard a knock at the shed door just before noon.
He was surprised to see two guards and a well-dressed girl step forward. She had golden hair tied in a ribbon and eyes sharp as glass.
"Are you Sylas?" she asked.
"I am."
"I'm Elira. May I come in?"
Sylas nodded, a bit unsure. She stepped inside and looked around the small shop.
"You made this?" she asked.
"Yes. I cook here. Grow the berries, make the candy, sell it all."
She picked up a pouch and opened it. The smell made her smile. "You're very good."
"Thanks," he said, unsure where this was going.
"I've tasted sweets from many places. Yours is special. It's not fancy, but it's real. I want to know—are you selling only here?"
"For now," Sylas said.
She looked at the counter. "If you had a bigger space, more help, could you make more?"
"I think so. Why?"
"I might be interested," Elira said. "In helping this grow."
Sylas blinked. "Helping how?"
"I don't want to take over. But I know business. I can bring more people, tools, space. You keep your name. I just want to be part of it."
Sylas looked at her closely. She wasn't joking.
This girl, rich and proper, was serious about candy.
He glanced at the pot still warm behind him, the wooden shelves lined with wrapped sweets, the coin pouch now too full for just one belt.
He had built all this with his hands.
And now a noble wanted in.
The system blinked in his view.
[New Quest: Consider Elira's Offer]
Option 1: Accept her help – Begin rapid expansion
Option 2: Refuse and grow slow and safe
Option 3: Propose a partnership contract with limits
Reward: Varies by choice
Sylas took a deep breath. This was it.
A turning point.
And he'd have to choose.