Phoenix Rising: From Heartache to Heroism novel Chapter 136

The shop owner stroked his beard and said, "You're too naive."

He stepped out from behind the counter, and his scholarly aura was in full display. "My pens are unparalleled in the country! No one would dare claim otherwise."

Wow!

He had confidence!

"Many people want to buy my pen, but I only sell it to those who can truly write. If they can impress me, I'll give the pen away for free."

Sophia responded, "That's great! Hand me the pen and ink. I'll write for you!"

Violeta observed the situation sceptically. From her perspective, it was clear that the pens the shop owner brought out were exquisite. Those were handmade pieces, certainly not comparable to ordinary ones.

They also appeared to be stamped, but the seal was too small for her to read clearly.

Such bold claims—could this man be a renowned master hidden in the small town?

"Sophia, can you write with a quill pen?"

Sophia nodded confidently and said, "Of course. I've practiced calligraphy for six years. Let me try."

A young assistant emerged from behind a screen, carrying ink and pens.

Violeta noticed a faint, lingering fragrance in the air as she ground the ink, which most likely came from the ink itself.

"Is this Sable Ink?"

The shop owner suddenly turned and looked at Violeta with surprise.

"Impressive. You have good eyes. Yes, this is one of the four famous inks, Sable Ink."

Sable Ink was one of the four renowned inks. It was well-liked for its dark, glossy colour that does not fade over time, and it has a unique fragrance.

Usually sold by weight, such a precious item was quite expensive.

Yet, in this ordinary shop, they casually brought out a piece of Sable Ink for grinding.

It seemed both the shop and the owner were nothing but ordinary.

Sophia was unaware of the gravity of the situation. She picked up the pen.

After that, she dipped it in ink and began to write.

Her confident strokes revealed that she had indeed practiced. Her italic calligraphy was quite good.

For an ordinary person to achieve such proficiency with a brush was commendable, considering that many people couldn't even write neatly with a pen.

Sophia finished her piece, writing her name on the paper.

Smiling at Violeta, she asked, "How is it?"

Violeta nodded and praised, "Pretty good."

Unexpectedly, the shop owner glanced at it and snorted, "This? It's just scrawl!

"Take the ink back! What a waste of my ink."

They sat on a swing outside the guesthouse.

Violeta thought about the pen, and she agreed it was indeed exceptional.

She decided to return to the shop in the afternoon to see if her calligraphy could impress Cyril and get that exquisite Umber pen.

...

After lunch, Violeta prepared to head back to the shop.

Niall saw her leaving and asked, "Where are you going, Violeta?"

She smiled and said, "Just going out to buy something. I'll be back soon."

Liam added, "Vio, we're going to watch the wrestling match later. Make sure you're back in time."

"Got it!"

Violeta left the guest house and headed towards the shop.

Before she could reach it, she heard a commotion and saw a crowd gathered ahead.

She quickened her steps towards the shop.

"What's going on?"

A kind woman told her, "The Houles ordered pens here half a month ago, but they were chased out by the shop owner. The Houles are the most powerful family in this area. Despite their repeated attempts, the shop owner consistently scolded and kicked them out. Today, Mr. Wally Houle personally arrived, and the shop owner harshly criticised his writing. So, here we are ... "