Ethan spent the next three days gathering data and visiting every merchant within the village. He spoke to miners who worked the mountain caves. He interviewed hunters who gathered magical beast parts. He took notes on potion makers whose mixtures changed price depending on who asked. Lyra followed him everywhere filling page after page.

By the fourth morning Ethan had a full map of the village’s magic economy. It was small chaotic inefficient and ready for disruption. He stood in the middle of the market square staring at an empty stone structure that had once been a storage hall. Lyra tilted her head. Why are we staring at an old building
Ethan pointed. Because that building will be the first magic auction house
Lyra blinked. Auction house
Yes Ethan said. A place where people bring rare magical items and buyers compete by offering higher prices. Transparent competition fair value discovery
Lyra muttered slowly. Transparent competition
Exactly

She laughed. You speak like you are summoning something
Ethan smirked. I am summoning a market

They received permission from the elder to use the hall for three days. Enough time for Ethan to clean it set up benches and create a simple platform where items would be displayed. Lyra helped hang lanterns. Miners brought crates. Merchants peeked in with skepticism.

Ethan stood on the small platform. First we need rules
Lyra lifted her parchment eagerly. What rules
Ethan started listing
Items must be inspected
Starting price must be based on mana metrics
Bids must increase steadily
Final sale is honored by both sides
Nobles get no special treatment
Lyra choked on a laugh. That last one might get you stabbed
Ethan shrugged. Fair markets require fairness

When the hall opened for the first time the villagers poured in out of curiosity. Most had never seen an auction. Some thought it was a theater show. Others thought Ethan was opening a cult. Ethan ignored the whispers and began organizing items into categories. Fire stones. Beast claws. Spell scroll fragments. Even a cracked crystal wand that hummed when held.

Lyra whispered. Are you sure this will work
Ethan whispered back. Information creates confidence. Confidence creates markets.

As the crowd settled Ethan stepped onto the platform. Welcome everyone. Today we start something new. A place where magic has a voice and price is discovered by open choices not by noble orders or wild guesses
People nodded
Ethan held up a fire stone. Grade A. High output. Starting bid five copper
A man in the back raised his hand. Six
Another man. Seven
A miner shouted Eight

The energy shifted. People leaned forward. The stone finally sold for twelve copper. Four times its usual value. The miner who had collected it looked shocked. Ethan saw the spark in his eyes. Hope. Fairness. Possibility.

Next item a beast claw with stable mana residue. Starting price two
Sold for nine
A potion flask
Sold for five
A cracked wand
Sold for seventeen

Every sale was higher than what merchants normally guessed on the street yet everyone felt more satisfied because the bidding was transparent. No one was cheated. No one was bullied. No one was guessing blindly.

Lyra whispered. Ethan this is changing everything too fast
Ethan whispered back. Good

But the nobles noticed. They stood in a corner watching with cold eyes. And Ethan felt their gaze like a weight. He knew they were calculating. He knew they understood that his system threatened their old power.

When the final item sold Ethan stepped off the platform. The crowd cheered. The elder clapped. Merchants lined up to speak with him. Miners shook his hand. Lyra looked at him with shining eyes.

You did it Ethan. You created a new market
Ethan exhaled.

A noble approached. Tall. Robed. Annoyed. outsider You have caused quite a rumor in the capital. Auctions are forbidden without noble oversight
Ethan kept his tone even. Then give them oversight
The noble narrowed his eyes. You speak boldly for someone with no mana
Ethan lifted his chin. Because markets do not need mana. They need logic
The noble hesitated. This outsider had confidence. Dangerous confidence.
We will be watching you
Ethan replied calmly. Please do

After the noble left Lyra sighed. They will come stronger next time
Ethan shrugged. Markets grow because people want them not because nobles approve. The auction worked. That means the model works. Next we scale it

He looked around at the excited faces the chatter the clinking of coins the spark of order blooming in chaos. For the first time since arriving in this world he felt like a piece had clicked into place.

Lyra watched him closely. Ethan Mercer. I think you were born to build markets
Ethan grinned. I think this world desperately needed one

As night settled over the village Ethan sat on the steps of the auction hall breathing the cool air. He mapped the next steps in his mind. Evaluate mana flow. Create standard contracts. Build storage vaults. And then the bigger idea the one that made his pulse race

Mana insurance

He whispered the words to himself and smiled.
Tomorrow the next disruption begins.