Erik and Geritara talked for a while as the burger shack did the final call for food and drinks. Erik was surprised that Talia had worked the entire shift, expecting her to have called it quits long ago. But she had a strange sort of determination (or was it greed?) in her eyes that was eerily similar to his own.
The last customer finally left, and the employees started cleaning up. The women changed out of their bikinis into something more suitable for the cooler night air, and Erik couldn't help but feel a bit relieved. The whole situation was so bizarre and surreal that he was beginning to question his own reality.
Erik tried to help with closing, but Alyssa insisted that he busied himself with something less taxing, so he decided to count the coins they earned. The clinking sound grew louder as he added more to the pile, and he couldn't help but feel a sense of triumph. Despite the unorthodox method, they had earned more in one night than in a week. The thought of turning the water park into a reality grew stronger.
From the seven jars, Erik counted 456 gold, 189 silver, and a staggering 2347 copper coins. He had never seen so much money in his life, and it was all from one night's work. He couldn't believe that his simple burger shack had turned into a gold mine, all because of a few bikinis.
At that moment, Erik wasn't sure whether he should feel elated by their monetary success or disgraced by the means to which they had achieved it. He sighed heavily, setting the jars aside.
Talia plopped down next to him, hungrily eyeing the coins. Erik couldn't help but smile softly, giving her a cut of the earnings. "You know, I never thought we'd make this much in one night."
"You're welcome," Talia replied, her focus on the coins, "since as your business partner, I need to ensure we can make the most profit."
While Erik wanted to protest that Talia's ideas were less than honorable, he couldn't deny the results. The burger shack was thriving, and the villagers were talking about it in a way they never had before. On top of that, the money they made was seriously feeding into Erik's dreams of wealth. As the last of the employees left, and the cleaning was done, Alyssa came to him with a serious look on her face.
"Erik, I know you're not thrilled about this, but it's working. And if we can keep this up, we'll be able to afford the materials for the water park in no time," she said, her voice firm but understanding.
Erik heaved a heavy sigh. "No, I know that. I've already thought of a solution for it anyway," he slowly grinned at Talia and Alyssa. "Wanna hear about it?"
"Oh, please do," Talia said, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.
"Well, there's no point in denying that the uniforms are definitely raking in the money," Erik began as the two women hung on to every word, "So I was thinking, maybe seasonal uniforms? Of course, we don't make it mandatory, in case our employees aren't comfortable with it. Alongside that, the success of the burger shack has exceeded my expectations, so I was thinking of making another one, but more family friendly. Maybe have a mini one in the water park or something."
Talia's eyes grew wide with excitement. "Oh, you're a genius, Erik! Imagine the profits we'd make with a water park attached to the burger shack!"
"Right. We'd make this one the mother business, advertise it to the other villages and regions. The water park will eventually become another attraction in Restia, and from there..." Erik grinned, feeling the wheels turning in his head.
Alyssa nodded thoughtfully. "That's a good idea, Erik. It'll help balance things out and keep the reputation of the place more... appropriate."
"Exactly," Erik said, pleased that Alyssa saw the wisdom in his plan. "We'll start with some modest outfits for the new burger shack, something that's still appealing but not as... risque. The water park itself will already have people wearing revealing outfits anyway, so it'll pair nicely."
Talia hummed. "You've really put some thought into this, haven't you?"
"It's all about sustainability," Erik said, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "We can't just rely on one thing forever. We've got to keep the customers guessing, keep them coming back for more."
Alyssa chuckled. "Sounds like you're turning into quite the business mogul, Erik."
"Chalk it up to my industrial engineering background," Erik said with a shrug. "But I've got more important things to do than just sit around counting coins all day."
After chatting for a bit, Alyssa left the two to help close the kitchen down. Making sure that everything was in order, Erik finally entered the hut with Talia, exhausted but invigorated by the day's events. They sat down at the small table, the coins from their successful night clinking together as they hit the wooden surface. Illyanth rose from his spot, padding softly over to Talia and nuzzling her hand.
"You're going to make us rich, aren't you?" Talia whispered, stroking Illyanth's scaly body. "And then we can build the best water park Restia has ever seen."
This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author's work.
"Who- who are you talking to?" Erik hesitantly asked her, unsure if she meant him or the baby dragon.
Talia's eyes never left Illyanth's. "To him, of course. He's going to be the park's mascot. Can't you feel his excitement? He's going to love flying over the water slides and breathing fire for the kids."
Erik wanted to say there was a better chance of Illyanth sprouting legs and tap dancing than him being a water park mascot, but he bit his tongue. Talia was lost in her fantasy, and he didn't want to burst her bubble just yet. Plus, he had to admit, the thought of a baby dragon frolicking in the water park was a little bit charming. Even if said baby dragon could eat him up without a second thought.
Sighing to himself, Erik opened up his journal, mulling over the sketch he had drawn up earlier that morning. Talia peered over his shoulder curiously.
"What's that?" she asked, the excitement from earlier not fully dissipated.
"Well, now that we have a basic water system channeling water from the lake, I thought it was time for me to design a modern shower," Erik said, pointing at the intricate maze of tubes and valves drawn in his journal. "It's something people in my world take for granted, but here, it'll be revolutionary."
Talia nodded her head sagely. "It's like a waterfall, but for washing."
"That- I mean, I guess? I never thought about it like that..." Erik said, a bit bewildered by Talia's simplification but appreciative of her enthusiasm. "I'm going to conjure this, but I'm not sure if I wanted to have it inside or behind the hut."
"There's not really much room inside here," Talia mused, peering over Erik's shoulder at the journal. "But if you put it behind the hut, it'll be like a private little oasis for us."
Erik nodded. "Yeah, that's true. And it'll be closer to the water source too." He closed the journal. "Alright, I'll get it up before I sleep."
He walked out into the night, circling around back. Erik flipped open his journal, tapping on the design of the shower to conjure it to life. The silver light grew, and a moment later, a gleaming metal frame emerged from the page, water gushing out from an unseen force. The shower was a marvel of modern engineering, with adjustable water temperature and pressure, something that would be a luxury in this world.
Talia watched in amazement as Erik worked, tinkering with the showerhead and making sure everything was in order. "You're like a wizard, Erik."
"Says the actual mage," Erik muttered under his breath. But he couldn't help but feel a sense of pride as the water arced gracefully out of the showerhead. It was strange, seeing something so familiar from his own world appearing here, in this medieval-esque place. He tested the water with his hand, smiling as he found the temperature to be just right. "Looks like it's done."
He turned, seeing Talia halfway done stripping.
"Er, you could've let me know you wanted to try it out first..." Erik said, his face burning up.
Talia gave him a cheeky grin. "Why? You're my best friend. Besides, you've seen me naked before."
"Best friend...?" Erik murmured, his cheeks still red as he averted his gaze. "I mean, I've known you for less than a week now, but-"
"Oh, come on," Talia interrupted, stepping into the shower. "You're going to let a little nudity get in the way of friendship?"
"Nothing about this is normal," Erik groaned as he conjured up a privacy screen around the shower along with some electric lamps that he wired to one of his generators.
While Talia was indulging in the modern shower, Erik checked on its plumbing system, ensuring it was all properly connected to the water park's supply. The sight of the water splashing against the stone floor was oddly satisfying. It was a stark contrast to the uncivilized water blasting he'd been subjected to the past few days. The sound of the water hitting the ground was rhythmic, almost mesmerizing.
"How's it feel?" Erik called out, still feeling a bit awkward despite the privacy screen.
"Ahh, heavenly," Talia's voice was muffled but filled with contentment. "Being able to control the temperature of the water? If only you could control the strength of the water as well... It's fine though. You're a genius, Erik."
Erik couldn't help but smile at the compliment. "Glad you like it. Just remember, no magic shenanigans in there, or you'll flood the whole place–"
No sooner did he say that when the sound of gushing water grew louder, and the ground began to tremble. Erik's heart sank as he rushed over to the shower, tearing down the privacy screen. Talia was giggling like a child playing with a new toy, her hand hovering over a new, glowing rune she'd drawn on the wall. Water jetted out from the showerhead, pulsing with each giggle.
The ground began to grow damp, becoming muddy. Erik sighed, exasperated. At least there weren't any bills to pay in this world.
"Hurry up and finish so I can shower next," he grumbled, knowing that his complaint would fall on deaf ears. Talia was having too much fun with her newfound control over water pressure.
----------------------------------------
Later, after he had the chance to shower, Erik lay on his straw mattress, feeling the weight of the day's events. The burger shack was a hit, the water park was almost finished, and he had managed to make a lot more profit than expected.
He picked up the indestructible journal that Osiris had given him, flipping through the pages filled with his scribbles and notes from his journey so far. His thoughts drifted to the giant man's words about him being special. Erik snorted. Special, indeed. He was just going to build an industrial empire in this fantasy world.
Of course, that wasn't to say that the thought of having an actual fantasy adventure in a new world wasn't exciting to him. Erik figured he'd eventually get through all the stereotypical hero's journey crap and get to the part where he could kick back and enjoy the fruits of his labor.
As Talia began to snore loudly in her bed, Erik mulled over the events of the day. The villagers had accepted them, their businesses were thriving, and they had even started to make a name for themselves. He thought back to the giant man's words about being part of an experiment and saving the world. It was all so absurd.
Deciding to dwell on it later, Erik turned on his side and closed his eyes. He had already planned a basic schedule for tomorrow's work, which would include the beginning construction of the water park, and talking more with Geritara.