Arriving at his shop, Noah found a large crowd of people still gathered in the plaza, clearly waiting patiently for his return. The moment they spotted him approaching, many individuals immediately evacuated from the area—clearly servants and workers that nobles and other important people had stationed there to be informed the instant Noah returned.
These messengers sprinted off in various directions, no doubt rushing to inform their employers that the shop was finally opening and they should come immediately if they wanted first access to the limited premium inventory.
Noah also noticed several lower-ranked nobles standing outside—minor houses and lesser families who lacked the resources to employ dedicated watchers but had been waiting personally, unwilling to miss this opportunity. Their expressions showed a mixture of relief at his return and anxiety about whether they could afford anything before the wealthy elite arrived and bought everything.
