"Mero…" Jeremiah said quietly. "What exactly am I looking at here?"

He stared at the Quantum Teller Machine's description, eyes drifting over the System description for the third time as if it might reveal some trick in the fine print. The kiosk's rendered image hovered in his HUD — a seamless blend of crystal and alloy, its surface gleaming with a subtle, almost arcane shimmer. It looked more at home in a high-security Central vault than anywhere in the Outskirts, let alone the cluttered corner of his half-renovated shop.

Mero flitted down from his perch on the battered counter, wings buzzing with the faint metallic hum that always accompanied his mischief. "That, Jerry-boy, is yer golden ticket to not going belly-up before you've even stocked yer shelves," he declared, giving a dramatic flourish.

Jeremiah exhaled, the breath leaving him in a slow sigh. "It looks… expensive. And complicated."

"Not if ya use yer noodle. You've got that coupon, don't ya?" Mero grinned, nodding at the shiny scrap of System paper still lying on the desk. "Redeem it for the QTM, and you'll have a way to turn anything valuable — money, gems, artifacts, you name it — into pure, spendable marks. Hell, with the right settings, ya can even let customers trade their weirdest junk for pet food or a new leash."

Jeremiah scanned the list of features, his mind churning through the possibilities. If the machine worked as promised, it could—

He hesitated. "Why does the System let me get something like this right out of the gate?" he muttered. "What's the catch?"

Mero gave a lopsided shrug. "Normally, it wouldn't. E-rank gear isn't much in the bigger picture, but for you, in this neighborhood? It's not the kind of thing most folks would have access to at the start. At least, not from the System." The fairy's wings stilled as he hovered at eye level, expression serious for once.

"But if it bothers ya that much, think of it as an investment. Between the Beast Bond mission and yer shop mission, you did rather well Jeremiah. Don't underestimate what that means. The System wants shops like this to last. If ya can keep yer books balanced and keep customers coming back, it gets what it wants."

Jeremiah let the thought sink in, staring at the coupon, then at the shimmering image of the machine.

"How does it work?" he asked, his voice quiet.

Mero chuckled, the sound light and mischievous as he fluttered down to perch on the edge of the counter. "The gritty details? Trust me, ya don't want to try to untangle all that. It's System magic with a dash of quantum alchemy." He tapped his nose and lowered his voice, his tone dropping to a sly whisper. "In simple terms, the QTM takes whatever ya feed it — coins, relics, even natural treasures — and turns it into marks. But not just what it's worth right now, no. It measures what it could have been. The QTM measures the raw potential in every trade. That's what makes marks so special: they're the System's way of quantifying pure possibility."

Jeremiah frowned, echoes of the System's explanations circling in his mind. "So… it doesn't just appraise what something is, but its potential?"

"Exactly!" Mero's wings flicked with excitement. "Let's say ya walk in with an old spell book. If it's just taking up space in yer attic. If you have no talent or desire for the thing, at most you'll get what its base value might be." He shrugged and smirked. "But if ya worked years in some dead-end job, scraping together enough to buy that book because ya dreamed of learning magic — well, that sweat, that longing, the potential poured into it, the System sees all of that. It weighs yer effort and intent."

He leaned closer, voice softening. "Or if it belonged to yer granny, handed down through generations? The dreams and hopes wrapped up in that, the possibility for you or for someone yet to come — that carries a special kind of weight all its own."

He let the words hang for a moment, the shop's stillness pressing in. "It's not just a transaction. Intrinsic value, personal sacrifice, sentimental weight — everything's mixed together and minted into marks. It's not a perfect science — more like a kind of judgment call, guided by the System itself. But it means every transaction is fair, at least in the cosmic sense."

Jeremiah exhaled slowly, nodding as his gaze flicked between the coupon and the machine's ghostly image. Its surface seemed to vibrate with unseen energy, whispering of futures yet unwritten. "So marks aren't just money," he murmured, more to himself than to Mero. "They're… possibility. Every mark is a chance not taken, a road not traveled."

"Bingo. When ya spend a mark, you're spending a slice of 'what could have been,'" Mero said, giving him a wink. "And if ya ever wonder why the System's so keen on keeping the economy moving, that's yer answer. It's not just commerce — it's about fueling new stories, new chances, new beginnings."

"Fighting stagnation," Jeremiah finished softly.

Mero nodded, looking unexpectedly proud. "Now yer getting it, kid."

Jeremiah's thumb brushed the edge of the coupon. He found himself thinking of everything he'd lost — and everything he hoped to build. Possibility, measured and spent, felt both like a burden and an invitation.

How did one measure potential? Or even put a value on 'what might have been'? Did anyone even have a right to?

"Don't overthink it too much." Mero's voice sliced cleanly through Jeremiah's spiraling thoughts, his tone matter-of-fact but not unkind.

"No one's forcing anyone to use the exchange," Mero continued, wings flicking as he hovered nearby. "There are rules in place — solid ones — to keep folks from gaming the system. The System's purpose, at the end of the day, is to increase universal potential, not drain it dry."

"Rules?" Jeremiah echoed, brow furrowing as he glanced between Mero and the softly glowing coupon in his hand.

Mero nodded, floating a bit closer. "Might not seem obvious, but the QTM operates on the same fundamentals as yer contracts. You remember what I told ya in the Testing Grounds — the three ingredients for a real deal."

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

Jeremiah didn't hesitate, the words surfacing almost unbidden. "A purposeful offer, an equivalent exchange, and mutual acceptance."

"That's right." Mero snapped his fingers approvingly. "The customer can't just chuck anything into the tray and expect a payout. They have to actually want the trade — and agree to what's offered. The System won't force an unfair deal, not on either side."

Jeremiah nodded slowly, piecing together the implications. With the blacklist filter running in the background, the whole setup was practically scam-proof. It wouldn't be easy to offload junk or use the machine to fence anything illegal — or force someone else to. Not unless someone found a loophole Jeremiah couldn't imagine right now.

He turned the coupon over between his fingers, feeling the fine texture catch against his skin. As soon as he lifted it from the counter, he watched the QTM's listed price flicker and drop from eight thousand marks to zero. The weight of the coupon felt different now — less like a windfall and more like a key.

Mero wasn't wrong: the QTM could solve his immediate problems as well as future ones. Hell, it could become a draw for customers all on its own. He could picture people visiting just for the convenience, bringing in rare coins, battered artifacts, or the weird treasures people always seemed to have tucked away in Nexus. Word would spread. It was a powerful tool, no question. If a dangerous one for that very reason.

But the real question lingered. What did his shop actually need right now?

Mero wasn't wrong. Picking up an E-ranked item this early almost felt like cheating. Maybe it was the smart move, but it also risked shaping the Menagerie in ways he couldn't predict. There were other, more specialized fixtures buried in the catalog — some just as tempting, a few with even steeper price tags than the QTM. For all he knew, one of those could end up being just as valuable down the line.

Still weighing his options, Jeremiah flicked open the listing for the fixture he'd originally been eyeing, searching for the answer in the glow of its holographic description.

——————❇——————

Safeguard Ward Array

Rank: E

Quality: Luxury

Keywords: Security, Safety, Room Array, Upgradeable

Description:

A premium, rune-inscribed array that integrates seamlessly into any room. At a moment's notice — by voice, System prompt, or panic trigger — the Safeguard Ward instantly projects a translucent, near-invisible barrier over all designated entry points or specified shop sectors. The barrier halts physical intruders, rogue creatures, and magical surges alike, withstanding sub-C-grade force and sub-E-grade spells until authorized release or power depletion. Upgradable with additional runes for extended coverage, silent alarms, or enhanced containment strength. A must-have for responsible shopkeepers handling volatile stock or high-value merchandise.

System Note: "When a regular lock just isn't enough, trust Safeguard."

Cost: 12,500 Marks

——————❇——————

The shimmering projection on his HUD spun slowly in the air, a lattice of runes and softly glowing sigils weaving together in a subtle, elegant pattern. It looked unassuming, almost understated, but Jeremiah could feel the power that hummed just beneath the surface, the kind of quiet strength more at home in Central than an Outskirts shop. A ward like this didn't just keep out pickpockets; it could shrug off most spells, brute force, and wild beasts that prowled Nexus's fringes.

Even Big Red, the notorious old boss of the Crossroads, had only ever reached D+ grade. That was a level of strength that had ensured he'd gone uncontested for decades, even if it wasn't quite enough to let him go toe-to-toe with some of the criminal powers closer to Central. This array, even as an "E-rank," promised a level of security most shopkeepers could only dream of. Against common criminals or the kind of magic that prowled these streets, it was a fortress in miniature — at least for a while.

But as Jeremiah studied the ward's details, he caught the tradeoff buried in the fine print. The barrier's specialty was containment. Nothing got in or out without his approval, but it wasn't designed to neutralize everything. If someone clever — or desperate — managed to slip inside, they'd be trapped, sure. But he'd still have to deal with them himself. In the worst-case scenario, the ward could just become a cage for a cornered threat. And the cornered beast was often the most dangerous.

He swept his hand through his hair, releasing a long, quiet exhale. The price — twelve thousand five hundred marks — felt like a chasm between where he stood now and a future he could barely grasp. How many months, and how much risk, would it take to earn that kind of safety? Was it wiser to use the coupon for ironclad security? Ensure his little shop could withstand anything the Outskirts could throw at him?

Or did he take the risk — and reward — the QTM represented? Did he trust in his own ability to protect not only himself, but the shop?

Jeremiah stared at his hands, tension pulsing in his knuckles. If he'd faced a choice like this even a week ago, he'd have chosen security without hesitation.

Now though…

He flexed his fingers. They rippled and stretched, morphing into flexible tentacles. Change, power, possibility — they were all within reach.

Between the krackers and grooming table, it would only be a few more days until Billy's bond reached the next rank. Jeremiah wasn't sure what that would mean fully, but he did know it meant both of them would be stronger. But to reach that strength, he needed marks — resources the ward couldn't generate.

A safer route meant a slower climb. The QTM, with its promise of accelerated progress, could open doors.

The question hung between his thoughts, heavy and electric: Did he want to place his future in the hands of a fortress, or carve out that future with his own will?

Jeremiah took a deep breath and unclenched his fists, willing his hands to shift back to familiar flesh and bone. He squared his shoulders and turned back to the shop. With a thought, he saved his current, overflowing cart for later, then started a fresh one. With the coupon in hand, he added his chosen item to the empty cart and pressed purchase.

A satisfying ding! chimed through the air, and a new System screen unfolded in front of him.

——————✴——————

You have purchased a Quantum Teller Machine (QTM)!

Congratulations on your first System Store purchase!

Please select where you would like to place your Store Fixture.

——————✴——————

Every open System window shrank down at once. Suddenly, a holographic rendering of the QTM shimmered into existence, hovering right in the middle of the shop floor.

Jeremiah blinked, taken aback. "No way…" he murmured, his lips quirking into a small, incredulous smile. "Sarah, did you really—"

He made a familiar gesture, and the QTM's projected image slid smoothly across the room, responding to his will. The effect was almost too familiar. Jeremiah couldn't help but shake his head. Sarah had really copied the interface of that old AR home decorator app they'd used growing up. It was just like rearranging their old living room, only with far higher stakes.

Still, it worked. He rotated the QTM's hologram, sliding it into position along the eastern wing's northern wall. He placed it close enough to keep an eye on from the front counter, but far enough from the entrance to offer customers a bit of privacy for their transactions.

Once he was satisfied, he finalized the selection.

A bright flash filled the shop, white-hot and dazzling. Jeremiah winced, blinking rapidly until the afterimages faded. Where the ghostly projection had hovered, the real QTM now stood, cool crystal and alloy catching the light in sleek angles. For a second, the air even smelled faintly of ozone.

Jeremiah approached the new fixture with cautious awe, stretching out a hand to brush his fingers over the kiosk's polished surface. The metal was surprisingly warm under his touch, a tangible weight that made the whole thing suddenly, undeniably real.

Doubt flickered through him — had he made the right choice? He could feel the question nagging at the back of his mind, but there was no undoing it now. The die was cast.

Straightening, Jeremiah drew in another steady breath. His hesitation melted away, replaced by a thread of determination. He stepped up to the QTM.

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