The news of Lin Gui opening a post office in New Covenant City was like a massive boulder tossed into a calm lake, instantly whipping up a thousand waves, spreading through the small city-state with astonishing speed.
“Have you heard? On the main street! Mage Lin Gui, the messenger, opened a shop!”
“A post office? What's a post office?”
“It's a place that helps people send letters! A flat rate of seven copper coins per letter!”
“Seven copper coins?! For real? Sent where?”
“It's written on the plaque! Caran City, and some Fortress City of Shield... all the way to that place called Avalon!”
“Heavens! To send a letter so far for only seven copper coins? How is that possible!”
“Would Lord Mage Lin Gui lie? He made it back alive from Caran City last time!”
The news spread like wildfire through taverns, markets, and street corners, causing a massive sensation.
A price of seven copper coins to send a letter to another city was so low it was practically free.
Especially since the destinations included distant city-states that usually only existed in rumors.
It completely shattered everyone's common sense.
Before long, the brand-new wooden door of the 【7-Copper Post Office】 on the main street was nearly burst open by the sheer volume of people.
The shop instantly became overcrowded, packed shoulder to shoulder.
The air was thick with the smell of sweat, cheap tobacco, and various body odors.
The sheer noise was loud enough to lift the newly built roof off its beams.
However, a closer look revealed that not everyone in the crowd was there to mail a letter.
A significant portion of them were purely there to watch the spectacle.
They squeezed around the entrance and windows, craning their necks to peek inside.
Pointing and whispering, they discussed the simple decor and the massive map on the wall.
“My goodness, he can really deliver letters that far?”
“Look at that map! It looks so realistic!”
“Seven copper coins? Isn't this a scam? What if he runs off with the money?”
Even more people, especially the young bachelors and lads, had caught wind of the rumors and arrived with a clear goal: to catch a glimpse of the legendary, beautiful elf.
Theia was incredibly busy.
She was in charge of maintaining order and handling the initial registrations.
Her breathtaking face, her silver hair, and the occasional display of immense strength that contrasted sharply with her slender frame—such as effortlessly pushing away several burly men who crowded too close—made her the most eye-catching attraction in the room.
“Miss Elf! Look at me! Look at me! I want to mail a letter!”
“Elf Sister! Give me an autograph!”
Voices like these rose and fell, throwing the shop into even greater chaos.
Although Theia felt a bit embarrassed by all the staring, she reminded herself she was helping Lin Gui, so she did her best to keep a smile on her face and handle inquiries as efficiently as possible.
Naturally, with such a massive crowd, a mixed bag of people gathered.
It was inevitable that some unsavory characters with bad intentions would try to take advantage of the chaos.
A slovenly, shifty-eyed man used the crowded space as an excuse, pretending to lose his balance.
He reached out a filthy hand, aiming stealthily toward Theia.
However, before his hand could even touch the hem of her clothes...
his wrist was gripped tightly by a cold, slender hand that felt like an iron vise!
“Ah!”
The man shrieked in pain, feeling as though his wrist bone was about to shatter.
The smile instantly vanished from Theia's face, a cold, sharp glint flashing in her emerald eyes.
She didn't even give him a chance to beg for mercy. With a flick of her wrist, she yanked and twisted!
Crack!
The distinct sound of cracking bone echoed through the room, accompanied by a squeal like a slaughtered pig!
Immediately after, Theia's other hand moved as fast as lightning.
Grabbing the man by the collar, she channeled strength from her waist and threw him in a clean, swift shoulder throw!
Thud!
The man slammed heavily onto the ground like a sack of potatoes.
Kicking up a cloud of dust, he passed out instantly without even a groan.
This sudden turn of events instantly brought a brief silence to the room.
But Theia was not done yet.
Expressionless, she stripped the unconscious man of his shirt and pants with practiced ease.
Leaving him in nothing but his undergarments to cover his modesty.
Then, she grabbed a bundle of spare rope from nearby and tied a sturdy lasso.
She looped it around his ankles, took a deep breath, and hurled him upward!
Under the dumbfounded gazes of the crowd...
the nearly naked man was hung upside down right outside the post office entrance.
Swaying gently in the breeze like a dried fish.
The bruises on his body and his visibly twisted wrist...
told the story of the agonizing price he had paid for his offense.
The entire area fell deathly silent; one could hear a pin drop.
Theia clapped her hands, as if she had just done something completely trivial.
She scanned the crowd, her face once again wearing that sweet yet subtly warning smile, her voice clear and crisp:
“Does anyone else want to 'accidentally' trip? Our shop offers a free 'wall-hanging' service~”
Every man watching, especially those who had harbored similar indecent thoughts just moments ago, felt a sudden chill down below and instinctively squeezed their legs together. They all took a step back, their eyes filled with deep reverence and fear, no longer daring to harbor any inappropriate thoughts ever again.
Order was restored almost instantly.
Lin Gui was squeezed behind the counter.
Before him sat a pile of newly received, sloppily written letters and small mounds of copper coins.
He felt a massive headache coming on.
Earlier, he had been worrying that he wouldn't be able to collect many letters in just half a day.
Now, he was complaining that there were simply too many people!
His ears were filled with all kinds of questions:
“Lord Mage! How long will it take for a letter to reach the Royal Capital?”
“Is it guaranteed to arrive? My brother is waiting for my news!”
“Is this enough money? I can add more if it's not!”
“Can you bring some goods too? Just a small package of local specialties!”
He mechanically collected the money, registered the entries, and struggled to decipher and record the recipient details dictated by the senders.
At the same time, he repeatedly raised his voice to shout:
“Line up! Everyone line up! If you're not sending a letter, please make some room! I can't find someone with just a name! It's best if you can describe what the recipient looks like and roughly where they live! We don't take cargo, only letters!”
His voice sounded somewhat powerless amidst the immense clamor.
Looking at the bustling, chaotic scene—now complete with a 'human decoration' outside—Lin Gui had incredibly mixed feelings.
To entice commoners to mail letters, he had adopted a low-price strategy.
He had expected it to attract people, but he hadn't anticipated it would reach this level.
Among them, there were genuine feelings of longing that needed to be delivered.
There was a frenzied pursuit of low prices.
And there were those who were simply joining the crowd for fun or to stare at a beautiful woman.
It seems... this 'post office' idea definitely has potential, but the management... is a real issue.
Lin Gui thought to himself as he hurriedly organized the copper coins and the vaguely described 'letter commissions' that relied entirely on physical traits for identification.
For the post offices he planned to build in the upcoming city-states, he would need to plan them out properly.
At the very least, he would have to hire a few literate people to help with registration and organization.
He would also need to establish some rules. It would be best to design a simple form so senders could write down the recipient's personal details and physical characteristics as clearly as possible.
For now, however, he could only bury himself in this happy headache.
Doing his best to gather as many letters as possible before setting off tomorrow.
Rate on N.U.
