Weapon seller in the world of magic

She was about to order, but then an idea popped up in her head as she noticed a group of high schoolers around her age standing nearby, chatting and laughing as they waited for their order.

”Excuse me,” she said, making sure her tone was polite but playful as she asked, ”Is it too spicy?” Her words were smooth, but the strange Siberian accent in her voice was enough to catch their attention.

The high schoolers exchanged glances, a bit taken aback. One of the boys, named Wang Jun, cleared his throat, trying to suppress a smile as he replied, ”Ah, umm... It’s okay... not too spicy.”

Another one, a girl with a ponytail, chimed in, ”It could be a little spicy for those who can’t handle spice. Depends on your tolerance levels?”

Vera flashed a sheepish grin, her face flushing slightly with embarrassment., ”I... can handle... spicy? Little... to medium... ok.” Her pronunciation wasn’t perfect, but she made it seem like she tried speaking in a local dialect, her eyes wide with innocence.

Wang Jun couldn’t help but smile again, clearly amused by her attempt and also attracted to her beauty. ”It’s not bad. Just give it a try.” He handed her a napkin as if to say, Don’t worry, you’ll be fine.

Vera nodded and turned to the stall owner, who was busy preparing the next batch of tteokbokki. ”Excuse me,” she asked again, ”Can I try one? One piece?”

The owner smiled warmly at her request, pausing for just a second before handing over a piece of tteokbokki, smiling knowingly at her.

”Here you go, try it,” the vendor said with a smile.

With anticipation building, Vera picked up the piece, her eyes glittering in excitement. She popped it into her mouth, and the moment the spicy sauce hit her taste buds, her expression lit up. ”Wow, it’s just superb. Nothing like, back at Kitezh...”

The stall owner laughed softly, clearly charmed by Vera’s joyful reaction. ”You are adorable,” she said, shaking her head with a grin.

Nearby, Wang Jun chuckled, exchanging amused looks with his friend. Her enthusiasm was infectious, and it was clear she was genuinely enjoying the experience.

Vera beamed, enjoying the taste. After a few more moments, she turned back to the vendor. ”One tteokbokki, please!” she said.

The vendor carefully handed her a freshly prepared serving, still grinning from Vera’s reaction.

”Enjoy,” she said, and Vera took the dish gratefully, a happy smile on her face as she dug into the steaming plate. ”Thank you.

The stall owner handed over Vera’s tteokbokki in a clear food container, steam fogging up the plastic lid as the thick red sauce clung to the rice cakes. She added generous toppings—fish cakes sliced on the bias, and a neatly halved boiled egg that rested on top like a final touch of care. She then passed her a pair of disposable wooden chopsticks and a wrapped plastic fork.

With a small smile, the vendor asked, ”Are you alone?”

Vera blinked, catching the meaning. She hurriedly shook her head, ”No, I’m not alone. My dad... um... is at church. I... don’t like church.)

The vendor chuckled gently at her accent and awkward phrasing with the Southern Wu nation’s dialect, nodding in understanding. ”(I see~)” she said, still smiling as she waved her off with a casual gesture.

Vera stepped aside, finding a quiet spot along the sidewalk beside a stone planter. Meanwhile, Wang Jun couldn’t help but continue to glance at her, every once in a while.

There, she stood—not squatting or sitting, but tall and poised, the container in one hand and the chopsticks in the other. The crowd bustled around her, but she carved out her own bubble of calm amid the movement.

With careful grace, she picked up a piece of tteokbokki, blew gently on the steamy morsel, and took a bite. ”Mm~”

The spicy-sweet flavor lit up her senses again, but she remained composed, chewing slowly and elegantly.

From a short distance away, a man with a DSLR camera was snapping casual street photos—vendors, signage, food, and shoes hanging from stalls. But as his lens panned toward Vera, he froze. His finger instinctively pressed the shutter. Once. Twice. Then again.

Click. Click. Click.

He brought the camera down, peered at the preview screen, and his brows lifted. The composition, the lighting, her posture—it all looked like something he’d see in a high-fashion spread. Natural. Effortless.

He smiled to himself and muttered under his breath, ”That’s a great shot.”

Without wasting another moment, he slung the camera strap around his neck and approached the food stall, careful not to startle her. When he reached within polite speaking distance, he gave a courteous bow.

”Excuse me,” he called gently.

Vera turned her head, still chewing. She blinked, slightly surprised.

The man offered a business card with both hands. ”I’m sorry to bother you,” he began. ”I’m a fashion photographer. My name’s Song Taehyun. I work with Xcess Agency.”

Vera wiped her mouth again with her napkin and accepted the card, her expression cautious but curious.

”I was taking some street shots earlier,” he continued, ”and... well, I accidentally took a few photos of you. You looked incredibly natural—your posture, your presence, it was striking. I know it was without consent, and I truly apologize for that. But I just had to come over and tell you... You have a remarkable presence.”

Vera blinked in surprise at the photographer’s words of praise. ”Me?” she repeated, her voice laced with genuine curiosity.

With a soft chuckle, Taehyun raised his camera again, showing her the photos he had just snapped. On the screen, Vera saw herself—mid-bite of a tteokbokki rice cake, her posture still elegant and graceful, her expression serene, though she had never expected a food stall moment to turn into a photo shoot. The portrait mode photos looked even more polished, capturing her in soft lighting with the perfect balance of casualness and poise.

Despite the simplicity of the scene, the shots were undeniably good.

Vera tilted her head, then nodded slowly, acknowledging the quality of the images. ”It looks... good,” she admitted, glancing at the screen again. The photos were indeed striking, but she hadn’t expected to appear so composed while eating street food.

After a moment of thought, she asked, ”Can you send these to me?”

”Of course.” Taehyun smiled and quickly transferred the images to her phone via Bluetooth. As the files were sent over, he added, ”If you’re interested in exploring youth modeling, you can contact me at Xcess Agency. Just let me know.”

One of the girls in that group of four that conversed with Vera earlier gasped in surprise. They had been quietly observing the exchange and were now witnessing something unexpected: an actual talent scout from Xcess Agency. A girl whispered to her friend, ”Did you just see that?”

Vera, sensing their excitement, glanced at them and asked, ”Is the company good?” She didn’t know much about modeling agencies; she only knew about idol agencies.

The girl nodded enthusiastically, a sparkle of excitement in her eyes. ”Yes, it’s a very good company! They produced a lot of great artists! Have you heard of Galaxy? They’re from Xcess!” she said, pointing to her friend for added emphasis.

Vera’s eyes widened. ”Galaxy?” she repeated, a sudden flash of recognition lighting her face. She’d heard of Galaxy before—back in Kitezh. They were incredibly popular there, with songs that were often on repeat in her playlist.

”Galaxy is from here?” she asked, genuinely surprised.

The girl nodded proudly, confirming her words. ”Yes! They’re one of the biggest groups under Xcess! You should check them out!”

Vera’s mind raced for a moment. She had always been a fan of pop songs from Zhonggou, but she hadn’t connected the dots between the agency and the groups she admired. Galaxy’s popularity was huge, not just in Southern Wu but internationally. The thought that she could somehow be connected to such a group was both exciting and overwhelming.

With the photos now on her phone, Vera turned back to Taehyun. ”Thank you,” she said with a warm smile, a flicker of curiosity still present in her eyes. ”I’ll think about it.”

As Vera began to walk away, lost in thought, the photographer turned to leave as well, but just as he stepped onto the pavement, his phone rang. Pulling it from his pocket, he answered with a quiet, ”Hello?”

He listened for a moment before responding, ”Mm-hmm. No need to try convincing me, Hyung. I agree to shoot with those actresses.”

There was a slight pause as the voice on the other end spoke.

”Let’s say I’m in a good mood today,” Taehyun continued, a smile tugging at his lips as he glanced back at Vera walking off in the distance. ”Anyway, tell them that I’ll accept the shoot. Have them get back to me with the concept details.”

Ending the call, he put his phone back in his pocket and walked away while humming.