Jeremiah spent the next hour deep in the endless aisles of the System Store, tackling the last two open categories on his HUD with something approaching efficiency now that he had a hang of it. Compared to the wild variety and magical extravagance of the Beast Care and Habitat menu, the Store Supplies category felt downright mundane — if your idea of mundane included self-sorting dustpans and receipt printers that doubled as security charms.

He scrolled through registers that could tally up a sale, track loyalty points, and project a holographic receipt with a single tap. After some comparison, he settled on a reliable all-in-one model with built-in translation for every major Nexus language, plus a panic button discreetly worked into the drawer — just in case.

The little things quickly added up fast: a lockable supply cabinet, spill-proof bins for waste, a box of single-use gloves that dissolved into harmless vapor, and a set of reusable delivery crates that folded flat when not in use.

Most of this would go into the two-story backroom he'd discovered while exploring the shop. He had found it just off the Eastern wing and built into the wall that had once been the Maddock building. There was more than enough space for storage and even additional rooms in there, but that would have to be its own project.

By the end, his cart was full of everything he'd need to keep the doors open and the floors clean. For the first time, the reality of owning the Mystical Menagerie began to settle in. The place was still rough around the edges, but he could see the bones of a proper business starting to take shape.

Among the items, Jeremiah found two that stuck out to him.

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Cleancaster-Pro Autobroom

Rank: G

Quality: Fine

Keywords: Cleaning - Maintenance

Description: New! From WhizCo! This sleek, self-guided cleaning broom is enchanted with advanced dust-seeking and debris-collecting runes. The Cleancaster-Pro glides effortlessly over floors, carpets, and even up walls, sucking up dirt, crumbs, and magical residue with a gentle hum. Features "SmartSense" Onboard AI, programmed with advanced obstacle avoidance and adjustable cleaning modes (Quiet, Deep, and Polishing). Returns to its charging stand when finished and perfumes the air with a subtle, fresh scent.

System Note: "Makes cleaning a breeze! Comes pre-programmed to dodge critters and customers alike! Do not leave alone with cats."

Cost: 50 Marks

—✴—

MindMark Display Tag

Rank: F

Quality: Exquisite

Keywords: Psionic, Supplies, Utility,

Description:

A cutting-edge pricing solution for the modern magical retailer. Each MindMark Tag is attuned to both merchandise and customer intent: simply set the value in marks and affix to any item or shelf. Instantly broadcasts the price to nearby customers in their preferred language and most-used currency, visible to the eye, the mind, or even AR interfaces. Can also update prices remotely through your System menu, allowing flash sales and stealth price drops with a thought. Applicable currencies may range from Nexus Credits to first-born children.

System Note:

"Your customers already know what they want to pay. These just help them realize it. Warning: No refunds for sticker shock."

Cost: 5 Marks per tag (bundle of 25: 100 Marks)

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They might not have been the fanciest or most expensive items in the shop, but with no other staff to help keep things tidy or update prices, both promised to drastically lighten his daily workload. Besides, there was something undeniably magical about running a shop where brooms swept the floors on their own and price tags whispered the cost straight into a customer's mind.

Jeremiah picked up three autobrooms and thirty display tags, for a total of 275 marks.

When he finally added the last item and checked out, his new running total was 615 marks, even more than the previous category.

He confirmed his selections, watched his remaining marks tick downward, and closed the menu.

Only one more to go… he thought to himself. As his balance dipped lower, a knot of anxiety settled in his gut. The pressure of balancing practical, immediate needs with potential future demands, all while keeping within a tight budget, was beginning to take its toll. This was all unfamiliar ground. Jeremiah had never managed anything like this on his own, and every decision carried an invisible weight. He was certain he'd already made mistakes — or would soon — but the urge to get it right was overwhelming.

Still, as he glanced at the items now filling his cart, he couldn't deny a faint sense of accomplishment beginning to rise beneath the nerves.

He took a deep breath and opened the final menu. Something told him this would be the most important category yet.

If the supplies menu had been practical, the fixtures menu threatened to swallow him whole. Shelving options crowded the listings — some floated in midair, others folded flat or shifted shape with a thought — each promising a mix of flexibility and security. Every conceivable style of lighting was on offer, from sleek modern LEDs to enchanted candles that hovered and trailed after customers, filling the pages with a dizzying constellation of options.

The furniture selection was, if anything, even more overwhelming. Jeremiah lost himself in page after page of benches, stools, desks, and display cases, each boasting some unique convenience. He skipped over the gaudier options. He had no need for velvet couches that massaged tired feet, or chairs that poured tea for waiting guests, at least not yet. Still, the choices seemed endless: creature perches that doubled as scratching posts, aquariums that magically resized to fit their inhabitants, and reading nooks that reshaped themselves for anyone who settled in.

Decor was an entire world of its own. Enchanted tapestries cycled through a dozen tranquil landscapes, magical fountains offered to purify the air and soothe the senses, and signboards promised to project holographic greetings in any language Jeremiah could name. Even the rugs had been crafted to repel dirt and dampen the clatter of claws and boots alike.

It was, in short, a catalog meant to tempt a new proprietor into spending every last mark for a shop that gleamed and dazzled at every turn. Jeremiah scrolled through the options, caught between amusement and a creeping sense of overwhelm at the sheer scope of what the System considered "starter fixtures." Somewhere between the shape-shifting shelving and the self-polishing counters, Jeremiah started to understand just how many small decisions went into shaping not just a storefront, but an entire customer experience.

Then, like a bolt of lightning, understanding struck him.

By making him sift through all of this, Jeremiah realized, the System wasn't just testing his patience or taste. It was quietly asking what kind of shop he wanted to create.

Jeremiah paused and let this newest revelation sink it. After a moment, he let the System's catalog fade from his vision and took a slow, deliberate look around his shop.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

He drifted away from the front counter, trailing his fingers along its battered edge — one of the many salvaged pieces Amani had managed to rescue from the Maddock building next door. The window behind the counter spilled slanting sunlight into the dusty air, catching motes and casting pale, shifting rectangles across the uneven floorboards. Every wall and corner seemed to hum with both potential and memory.

Yet, the room also spoke of age and chaos. Stacked along the walls and scattered across the wide, echoing space were mismatched tables, warped display shelves, threadbare armchairs, and a few dented metal stools. Amani's efforts were clear, but much of it looked as though it had weathered several storms — and lost. Even so, each battered chair and scarred table sparked something new in his imagination.

He circled around the counter, pausing where the main room branched east, toward the old Maddock building, now repurposed as storage, and north, away from Market Street. At the center lay what had once been a small local park, now an enclosed courtyard, adding a splash of green to the dreery aesthetic. Jeremiah lingered there, letting his gaze sweep the space as he tried to picture what this place could become. Shelves bursting with colorful supplies and enchanted goods. Cozy corners inviting people to read or simply rest. Creatures peeking out from clean enclosures. A place alive with warmth, gentle bustle, and laughter.

A memory stirred, vivid and bittersweet: strolling through Central, passing a row of animal cafes — spaces bright with sunlight and filled with gentle energy. Customers lounged with steaming cups of tea and sweet buns, while kittens dozed on laps and magical creatures performed tiny acrobatics along shelves. Some visitors came just for the comfort, others seeking a deeper connection — perhaps to find a new companion.

The idea unfurled inside him, sure and bright. Why not here? Did this place have to be just another shop? He glanced over at Billy's bowl, remembering how the tiny kraken had pulled him from the darkness he'd been sinking into since arriving in the Outskirts. He was still climbing out, but if not for Billy, would he even be trying at all? System or no System?

Could he create that kind of hope for someone else? Why not shape a space that welcomed both the curious and the lonely. For anyone searching for comfort in the chaos of the Outskirts?

His gaze returned to the rescued furniture — a patchwork of scuffed tables, mismatched chairs, and a surprisingly sturdy old couch. He could almost see it: the north wing transformed into a cafe, sunlight streaming in from the courtyard, cozy corners where people might unwind and meet the creatures hoping for a home.

He drifted toward the east wing, sketching out rows of shelves in his mind, a counter stacked with carefully chosen pet care products, bins of treats, and magical supplies for new owners. This side would become the beating heart of the store, bright and practical, inviting people to linger and explore.

The north wing would be something softer — a gentle oasis with fresh paint, soft lighting, the scent of tea and pastries, and a sense of calm. A haven where people and animals might truly find each other. Slowly, a smile spread across Jeremiah's lips.

He felt his pulse quicken, the first flicker of real excitement beneath the uncertainty. It wasn't just about selling things or scraping by. It was about building a place where new stories could begin.

Jeremiah grinned to himself, the vision taking hold. He could do this. The System had given him choices; now it was up to him to decide what kind of future to build — one cozy chair, one rescued creature, one fresh start at a time.

With that vision crystallizing in his mind, Jeremiah reopened the System shop and started pruning his cart with new purpose. The rush of endless options no longer overwhelmed him; instead, he moved through the listings with focus, seeking out items that fit the feeling he wanted for his shop. This time, he wasn't dazzled by arcane gadgets or enchanted baubles. He wanted the sort of comfort that came from things well made — sturdy, familiar, and welcoming.

He scrolled past endless variations of magical shelving and instead found modular, industrial shelves in warm pine veneer, their adjustable heights perfect for both supplies and small creatures on display. A set of warm, cafe-style armchairs caught his eye — upholstered in a dark green fabric that promised both stain resistance and surprising softness, nothing fancy, just well-made and inviting. He added a few small round tables with polished wooden tops and sturdy, wrought-iron bases. Elegant, but practical enough to withstand years of use and the occasional excited tail or clumsy customer.

For the reading corners, he picked out a pair of modern floor lamps with adjustable arms, their brushed steel finish adding a touch of understated style. The light they gave off was a soft, golden hue — gentle on the eyes, perfect for curling up with a book or simply watching the world go by.

He spent time comparing shelving, ultimately choosing clean-lined modular wooden bookshelves to match those in the east wing. They could hold rows of pet care guides, or be adjusted to create little resting nooks for smaller creatures. He even found a surprisingly cheap "floating shelf," enchanted to levitate small planters or displays, a touch of whimsy that would draw curious glances but not overwhelm the space.

For the cafe, he added a pastry display case along the eastern wall of the north wing. The kind he'd seen in those Central animal cafes, its glass doors gleaming and inviting as the sunlight from the courtyard streamed in from windows behind it. Jeremiah selected a simple but robust espresso machine — nothing magical about it, just good craftsmanship. Alongside it, he chose a set of ceramic mugs glazed in cool greens, browns and blues.

Every so often, he allowed himself a bit of magic: an air-freshener stone for the front door, enchanted to release a clean, calming scent whenever someone stepped inside. He picked out a "Comfort Quilt" for the largest couch — woven from mundane fibers but stitched with a minor charm that kept it just the right temperature, never too hot or cold. Cheap compared to some of the other purchases like the autobrooms or grooming table, though not quite as much as the rankless items.

As he sorted, Jeremiah found himself smiling. His mark total was dropping fast, but he felt better about every mark spent. He was no longer just buying items to fill out his shop. Each item felt like a step toward something real, a foundation for a space that was more than just a shop.

He added a final touch: a chalkboard menu, the kind you had to write on by hand. Not magical, not even enchanted to wipe itself clean. Just honest slate and chalk, for announcing daily specials, creature adoptions, or simply scrawling a welcome to whoever walked through the door.

When everything was said and done, Jeremiah felt like he was making real progress. After what felt like an hour of frenzied shopping, Jeremiah added the last item to his shopping list… and cursed.

"Just my luck…" he complained, his eyes burning a hole into the screen as if it might somehow change things.

—❇—

Cart Total: 2,945 marks.

—❇—

Jeremiah growled in frustration. He had tried to cut down on costs by mostly focusing on the rankless items, but outfitting both a pet shop and a cafe had apparently been pushing it.

He swept through his cart, removing any excesses or redundant items he could find. The stoneware mugs could be replaced with cheaper paper, and he had found a smaller pastry display of the same brand. Some of the enclosures were nice, but he wouldn't be using most of them for a while either.

Even so, by the time Jeremiah had trimmed his cart of everything that wouldn't risk him getting caught with his pants down, he was still a few hundred marks over budget.

Jeremiah exhaled and rain his hands through his hair.

"What am I going to do? Do I give up some of the ranked items?" He could always come back to them later, but it would definitely make this start-up period far harder.

"May I make a suggestion?" Mero said from over his shoulder.

Jeremiah flinched, his gaze snapping to the fairy. He had been so entrenched in his shopping, and Mero had been so uncharacteristically quiet, that Jeremiah had forgotten he was there.

Once he collected himself, Jeremiah raised a brow. "You have any suggestions for making up the difference?"

Instead of responding, Mero smirked and flicked his hand.

The System shop blurred as it scrolled through lists of items so fast Jeremiah couldn't make anything out. Then, just as quickly, it stopped on a single item.

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Quantum Teller Machine (QTM)

Rank: E

Quality: Exquisite

Keywords: Finance, Currency Exchange, Automation, Utility

Description:

A sleek, crystal-and-alloy kiosk designed for the discerning magical merchant. The Quantum Teller Machine (QTM) acts as a universal exchange terminal, seamlessly converting physical or digital currency, rare barter items, precious materials, or magical tokens into Quantum Marks — the universal System currency. Simply present an item or deposit any form of coin, script, or digital payment, and the QTM will scan, appraise, and instantly credit the user's account at current exchange rates.

Likewise, users can withdraw Quantum Marks and receive any supported local or interstellar currency, complete with security enchantments and anti-fraud sigils. All transactions are logged, discreet, and backed by System guarantees.

Features:

Universal Appraisal: Accurately evaluates and accepts almost any recognized form of currency, barter, or trade good (including rare magical reagents and artifacts).

Multi-Form Withdrawal: Dispenses currency, marks, chips, or even verified promissory notes in the user's preferred form and language.

Privacy Shield: All transactions are magically shielded for confidentiality.

Blacklist Filter: Allows the owner to create a custom list of banned or restricted items for barter. Using advanced magical and psionic forensics, the QTM automatically scans for contraband, flagged goods, or items matching blacklist criteria. When such items are detected, the QTM will refuse the transaction and discreetly notify the owner, offering options for secure return or, if enabled, automatic reporting to the appropriate authorities. By default, this blacklist includes stolen property, locally illegal substances, and biomatter from registered sapient species.

System Note

"Convert loot to liquid assets, or get paid in your pocket's language — instantly. Quantum finance for the quantum age! (Please, no livestock or sentient artifacts in the deposit tray.)"

Cost: 8,000 Marks

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