The following morning, Adrian woke up earlier than usual.
He had spent most of the previous night thinking about his first business.
The system’s mission was straightforward. He needed to manufacture a commercially viable product, sell at least twenty units and generate five silver coins in profit.
It sounded simple.
However, he understood that there was a considerable difference between knowing how something worked and successfully manufacturing it.
He couldn’t simply announce that he wanted to establish a factory and expect everything to fall into place.
He needed money, materials, equipment and workers.
Most importantly, he needed to understand the limitations of the technology available in this world.
After washing his face, Adrian left his room.
The morning streets of Westbrook were already crowded.
Merchants were opening their shops, farmers were transporting vegetables, and several workers were pushing wooden carts towards the marketplace.
Adrian headed towards the eastern section of the market.
Unlike the central marketplace, where finished products were sold, this area was filled with vendors selling raw materials.
He stopped at a stall displaying several containers of animal fat.
“How much?”
The merchant looked up.
“Depends on the quantity.”
“How much for one kilogram?”
The man laughed.
“Young fellow, nobody measures fat in kilograms here.”
Adrian almost forgot himself.
Right. Different world.
“Then how much for this container?”
“Eight copper coins.”
Adrian examined the contents.
The fat was relatively clean, although it contained some impurities.
“What about wood ash?”
The merchant pointed towards another stall.
“Ask that fellow.”
Adrian thanked him and walked away.
After spending nearly an hour examining different materials, he had a rough idea of the local prices.
Animal fat was readily available.
Wood ash could be obtained from charcoal makers.
However, the alkaline material required for soap production presented a challenge.
He needed to obtain a suitable lye solution.
Fortunately, the world wasn’t completely different from Earth.
The fundamental principles of chemistry remained the same.
He could work with the materials available, provided he understood their composition and concentration.
Adrian purchased a small quantity of animal fat and approached a charcoal merchant.
“Do you sell wood ash?”
The merchant nodded.
“Of course. What do you need it for?”
“Production.”
“Production of what?”
“Soap.”
The merchant laughed.
“You’re planning to make soap?”
“Is that strange?”
“Not particularly. But most people who make soap don’t earn much.”
Adrian smiled.
“Perhaps they’re doing it incorrectly.”
He purchased a sack of suitable ash and returned to the workshop.
Gareth was standing near the furnace when he arrived.
“Where have you been?”
“Buying materials.”
“With what money?”
Adrian hesitated.
He had used the small amount of money Adrian’s previous body had saved.
“Mine.”
Gareth looked at the sack.
“Don’t bring unnecessary rubbish into my workshop.”
“I only need a small corner.”
“For what?”
“An experiment.”
Gareth frowned.
“Experiments don’t pay wages.”
“Neither does standing around arguing.”
The workshop became quiet.
Thomas, who was hammering a piece of iron nearby, almost dropped his tool.
Gareth stared at Adrian.
For a moment, Adrian wondered whether he had gone too far.
Then the blacksmith snorted.
“You have three days. If your experiment damages my equipment, you’ll pay for it.”
“Understood.”
Adrian carried his materials towards an unused corner.
He wasn’t planning to manufacture large quantities immediately.
First, he needed to produce a sample.
He spent the next several hours preparing the materials.
The process required careful handling.
He knew that concentrated alkaline solutions could cause severe chemical burns. Without proper protective equipment, the operation could be dangerous.
He improvised basic protective coverings, selected suitable containers and began testing the ash-derived alkaline solution.
His first attempt was unsuccessful.
The second was worse.
By the third attempt, he had obtained a solution that appeared suitable for further testing.
He then prepared the animal fat.
The process was slow, and he had to maintain suitable conditions throughout the experiment.
Several hours later, he finally obtained a small batch of crude soap.
It wasn’t perfect.
The colour was uneven, and the texture needed improvement.
But it worked.
Adrian washed his hands.
The result was noticeably better than the soap he had purchased the previous day.
He smiled.
“Finally.”
A notification appeared.
[Potential Quest Objective Identified.]
[Product development progress: 1/3.]
Adrian examined the small batch.
He still needed to improve its consistency, produce a larger quantity and find customers.
But the first step had been completed.
From the other side of the workshop, Thomas approached.
“What are you making?”
“Soap.”
Thomas picked up a small piece.
“That looks different.”
“Try washing your hands with it.”
Thomas hesitated before following the instruction.
A few seconds later, his expression changed.
“That’s… actually good.”
Adrian smiled.
“Would you buy it?”
“How much?”
“Three copper coins.”
Thomas looked at the soap again.
“Three?”
“Yes.”
“Then I’ll take one.”
Adrian handed him a piece.
The first sale.
It wasn’t much, but it was a beginning.
He looked at the remaining pieces.
The system had given him a task.
He intended to complete it.
And if everything went according to plan, Westbrook would soon discover that an ordinary blacksmith apprentice had entered the soap business.
[System Notification]
[Product Development: Completed.]
[Quest Progress: 1/3.]
[Remaining Objectives:]
Sell 20 units.
Generate 5 silver coins in profit.
Adrian wiped his hands and began planning the next stage.
He needed a proper production space.
And he needed customers.
Lots of them.