The next morning Mila arrived pale and anxious She said that while buying vegetables she overheard two vendors whispering about a new shop nearby A shop trying to copy their menu Evan straightened instantly Copycats had arrived much sooner than expected

He asked where the shop was Mila pointed toward the north side of the market Loras volunteered to investigate Evan hesitated but agreed instructing him not to reveal any information Mila insisted on going with him for safety Evan stayed behind preparing for lunch service while imagining the worst

When they returned their expressions were tight Mila explained that the new shop had a sign reading Magic Fast Meal They sold a product called Mystic Burger suspiciously similar to the Arcane Burger The smell outside was strong but not consistent Evan closed his eyes because he had seen this before Copycat brands often rushed to imitate without understanding quality Then they collapsed and created distrust for the entire category

He knew he had to act but not with aggression He needed strategy

He first asked Loras to describe their operation Loras said the shop used a wild fire spirit to cook The flame changed every few seconds The burgers came out burnt then raw then mysteriously edible The customers looked confused not satisfied

Evan said that inconsistency would ruin them long term but the danger lay in short term confusion Customers might think both shops were connected If the copycat shop served bad food it could hurt the Arcane Flavor brand

Mila asked if they should confront them Evan shook his head explaining that strong brands never attacked weak imitators Instead they raised standards until the imitators collapsed naturally But he needed to differentiate the brand

He and Mila brainstormed ideas They could add a new menu item They could promote flavor guarantee They could offer magical delivery The last idea sparked something in Mila She said teleportation circles existed but required stable coordinates and trust bound signatures Evan asked if she could create a delivery portal that connected the shop to a limited radius She said yes but it would require new runes

He liked the idea A magic delivery system would be impossible for copycats to replicate And it would make their brand unforgettable

He wrote the plan on parchment
Arcane Delivery Circle Project

They worked on the circle outside the stall marking the ground with chalk Mila carved guiding runes Rinna arrived again unexpectedly carrying tools She asked if they needed help Mila explained the plan Rinna studied the sketches then nodded saying she could stabilize the circle frame without interfering with spell flow Evan felt thankful again because Rinna seemed to appear whenever they needed her most

Together they constructed the frame Mila cast successive layers of guiding light Rinna hammered rune infused nails Evan followed the diagram exactly The circle slowly began to glow

Mila warned that teleportation circles were dangerous if untested She said unstable energy could randomly launch food into rooftops or even into other towns Evan decided they must test safely Loras volunteered to be the first receiver Mila shook her head horrified Evan agreed and used a wooden dummy instead

They placed a test burger on the panel Mila activated the runes The circle hummed light spiraled upward The burger vanished leaving only a faint shimmer

Loras ran outside to check the receiving point He returned holding the burger in perfect condition not a scratch Mila gasped Rinna crossed her arms impressed Evan felt triumphant They had created the world’s first magical delivery service

They added the delivery feature to the menu and customers swarmed Even nobles arrived curious to see food teleport in front of them They screamed with delight when the burger appeared in a flash of warm light The copycat shop could not hope to match that

But word spread fast too fast Because by evening Varos from the Merchant Guild returned His expression was sharp He asked about the new teleport feature Evan confirmed it Varos asked if they had registered the delivery circle with the Guild Evan asked if registration was necessary Varos said a powerful magical tool used for commerce must be logged by the Guild or it would be considered a rogue magic structure

Evan realized this world had its own form of regulatory control

He asked how to register Varos said they must present the circle to a Guild inspector or face penalties Evan agreed because transparency would protect them Varos nodded but warned that the Guild would soon examine every part of their business

When he left Mila looked worried She said Guild regulation was strict They could shut down shops if they felt threatened Evan said regulation existed in every world and he had dealt with worse on Earth The key was compliance and preparation

They closed the stall late that night The delivery circle glowed faintly like a promise of expansion Mila whispered that their brand was evolving faster than anyone expected Evan nodded The copycats would not survive long but the Guild was becoming their real challenge

He looked at Loras the first franchisee already learning speed and discipline He looked at Mila crafting runes that would change food magic He looked at Rinna shaping equipment that could support hundreds of stores He felt the future rising around him

Tomorrow the Guild inspector would arrive
Tomorrow the rules of the game would shift
Tomorrow the fate of the entire franchise movement could change