The next day, Leonid sat on a chair in an empty store, rubbing his stiff shoulders. Cultivation was a slow and peaceful affair. It was quite interesting at first. It was as if he could touch the energy of the world and collect it in his body. But... sitting still for several hours was difficult. He barely enjoyed his young body and his muscles twitched with unspent energy.

The main door clicked and opened. Sid walked in with a neutral expression on his face. Leonid looked at him and had to suppress an evil smile.

Stood. "Welcome to Dragons&Fan. However, I'm afraid we can't serve. The Ninth Clan of the Moon Serb is banned from entering." he announced.

Sid, like Leonid, suppressed his expression of hostility.

"Yes. I know. However, Owner Dai said she would take on the boss of the troublemakers." He bowed stiffly.

"I'm very sorry. For the behavior of my subordinates."

Leonid twisted the corner of his mouth a little. 'Lad, this must have been hard!'

Another person entered the store. Leonid immediately calmed down and looked at the young woman who radiated elegance and self-confidence.

Leonid was amazed because she was only a little weaker than himself. She was dressed in expensive half armor. Her shoulders, neck, chest, stomach, and thighs were covered in armor with artistic silver carvings and ebony crescent moon symbols. Underneath her armor, she wore black clothing made of a soft, stretchy fabric that fits snugly but attractively around her firm and well-built body.

Her sharp intelligent green eyes were painted with subtle makeup and her auburn hair was tied in a high ponytail.

"Welcome to Dragons&Fan," repeated Leonid, looking at her curiously.

The woman briefly glanced around the store before looking at Leonid. For some reason, he felt like he should stand up straighter.

“My name is Zila Demofang. I have come to see Owner Dai on a matter you are sure to know about."

Leonid nodded slowly.

"Alright. I'll announce your arrival. Please wait a moment."

Leonid went to the wall and as if pulling out the door from the wall. Sid tensed because he hadn't seen it before. Zila only raised an eyebrow at that.

Leonid closed the door behind him again and left them standing there. Sid looked hesitantly at his mistress. It was really disrespectful to keep her waiting like that. His lady will have to endure a lot today.

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Dai tensed her muscles and breathed heavily. She spread her hands better on the smooth surface to maintain stability. She fixed a determined gaze on the boulder in front of her. She felt she was going to get him up today!

She managed to move the boulder another few centimeters. She pushed again.

"Dai!" heard Leonida.

She jerked and one hand slipped. The boulder began to tip to one side.

"No! NononononoNO!" she scolded and quickly tried to fix it, but it was too late.

"Screw THIS!" she screamed, throwing herself to the side as she couldn't hold the boulder any longer and it began to roll back.

She rolled into a sitting position and watched the boulder roll down and pick up speed.

Leonid moved to the side and Dai wrinkled her nose. She wished he would knock him down!

She angrily slammed her hands on the ground and pulled out a handful of grass.

"What is?!" she shouted, throwing the grass into the air like confetti. She sighed, stood up, and went downstairs.

Leonid hid his smile behind his hand as he pretended to rub his chin.

Dai glared at him.

"The incident yesterday. Boss of the hassles came to apologize." He explained clearing his throat.

"Did he really come?" she wondered and then looked at herself.

"Damn it. Give me a minute," she said before pressing the door button on the system window and Dai disappeared in front of him.

Leonid blinked and shook a little. He didn't like it when she did that.

It was only a few minutes before Dai reappeared. Dressed in... the same outfit but clean and gone was her slightly sweaty and wild look.

"Okay. You can bring him." She said, feeling ready.

"It's her. But don't they have a ban?" Leonid asked.

Dai went to the shop. "Well... I haven't actually banned them yet. I can't quite afford to turn away customers just yet." she replied.

Leonid turned his eyes to the sky. "Where's your dignity, lass?" he asked.

"In my wallet. It's there eagerly waiting for customers' crystals." She answered.

"You sound like some crooked person when you talk like that." He sighed.

Dai looked back at him. "You're my first line of defense, Leonid. If they keep causing trouble, I can blacklist them anytime. But I want to be the kind of businesswoman that once I put someone there, never remove them. If there was no reaction from their side, I would fulfill what I said."

Leonid understood and nodded in acknowledgment. Then he turned and went to fetch the guests.

“You keep surprising me, lass." he honked.

Dai rolled her eyes. "Sure. Because I set it as a life goal."

Dai stood behind the counter and tried to look as presentable as possible. She checked the shop with her eyes, but everything was still flashing and the goods were in place.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

Leonid soon let the pair through the Dragon Door, but did not enter himself and closed it behind them again.

Zila looked around the grassy knolls and the cozy-looking shop. Sid was no longer surprised by this sight and just stood behind his mistress.

Zila once walked around the door that stood in the middle of nowhere before finally heading into the shop.

Dai watched her the whole time from behind the counter and through the open door.

In the back of her head, she felt a small shimmer that seemed to tell her that she knew the woman from somewhere, but she couldn't remember.

Zila walked into the shop and looked around again before looking at Dai.

The feeling Dai felt grew stronger, but she still couldn't grasp it.

"Welcome to Dragons&Fan. I am the owner, Dai." she greeted them and then looked at Sid.

She smiled and her eyes were along with her. "Welcome back Dear customer! I'm glad to see you return to us… even if it's under somewhat delicate circumstances."

Sid felt uncomfortable with the attentions of the landlady when his mistress gave only a casual welcome.

"Uhm. I hope we... can correct our mistakes," he said somewhat awkwardly.

Dai nodded and looked back at Zila who stood straight and dignified before her. Sid also looked at her expectantly. Zila had a hard look with which she looked at Dai, who had something to do not to start sweating nervously. All three were silent. A minute passed. Two. Three. Things weren't getting awkward at all.

Dai was already thinking that maybe she should say something when Zila finally moved.

"I'm sorry. For. The trouble. Which. My clan caused. It won't. Happen again. Truce?" Zila said it so mechanically that it sounded like it wasn't being said by a living person.

Both Dai and Sid were speechless. What was that?! Dai twitched a muscle in his face. Is this what she was waiting for?

The urge to roll her eyes was painful.

However, she managed to make a smile. "Thank you for your apology. If it doesn't happen again, I will continue to treat you as customers." She decided she didn't want to hear any more attempts at apology. Sid relaxed. Zila nodded and some of the tension fell from her.

Dai quickly shook off the strange occurrence and her smile became more sincere.

"So, dear customers. What have you come to buy? Do you want advice or to look around for yourself?"

Without hesitation, Zila took out the pouch of crystals and placed it on the counter.

"I want everything you have in stock now." She replied nonchalantly.

Dai looked into the pouch and then quickly looked up with a smile that almost hid her eyes.

"Of course, that won't be a problem, dear customer!"

A system window about completing a task popped up in front of her eyes, but she immediately removed it from her mind, saying that she would look at it later.

She began to collect the goods on the counter, she decided that she would simply put the whole of the lollipop jar.

Zila scanned the items before looking up. "Is that all you sell?" she asked.

Dai didn't look up from her work and answered. "At the moment yes. In the near future, but I intend to expand the assortment."

"Can you tell me what kind of goods?" Zila now had a look of interest on her face.

Dai looked at her. "What specifically has not yet been decided. But I can say that the goods will be expanded to include cultivation resources, raw materials, weapons, and special items."

Zila showed more and more interest. "What about personal requests. Can you get anything specific?"

Dai thought about it, but she didn't recall the System having any such function.

She mentally asked that.

System: "We can expand to include these services over time. There is currently not enough energy to do so. The more you earn, the more energy will be available."

Dai finally nodded at Zila in agreement.

"It is one of the services that is planned for the future. Currently, however, it is not accessible."

Zila, however, seemed satisfied with this answer. She watched as Sid gathered the purchased goods. "When will you have stock replenished?" she noticed the now empty shelves and knew that what she bought now would not be enough.

Dai felt that Zila had become her golden pig.

"Tomorrow. It will be about the same amount as now." She replied after a moment of consideration. Of course, she could fill the shelves immediately, but she didn't want to overwhelm the market too quickly, and besides, her store was already special. She didn't need to highlight his weirdness anymore. Moreover, she also wanted to avoid what caused this whole situation in the first place. For a single clan to usurp all the products.

Zila thought. "Isn't it possible to increase the amount a bit?"

Dai shook her head. "We've only been open for a short time. This is all I can offer you at once." Zila frowned but decided to accept it.

"In that case, I want to order the same amount of goods for each day, for a month." She announced and Dai almost choked.

“That… that is definitely possible, dear customer." She quickly got her voice under control.

Dai as a seller should not get involved in the affairs of others, especially customers, but she had to start thinking why do they need such a quantity? Of course, she would understand the need for cultivation pills, but the lasagna was more suitable for preparing for battle.....

She froze at the thought and looked up at Zila. "Is the Rift Beast coming?" she asked.

Zila's eyes sparkled when she heard her question and she smiled a little. She could recognize someone's intelligence. The owner Dai, it seems, was someone who did not use reason.

“I'd like to say yes. But that's not the case. It's quite likely that there will be a fight between the Shelters. There are rumors that Shelter 10 is going to instigate a fight with us." She was explaining. Dai's hands stopped for a moment. "So there will be a war?" like all citizens of this world, the word terrified her.

"Probably."

"And is it okay for you to tell me that, dear customer?" Dai struggled to return to her role after the terrible news.

Zila smiled. "Of course. You must prepare yourself owner Dai. And also prepare the appropriate goods. Suitable for combat and warriors would be most welcome." Dai raised an eyebrow. She understood what Zila was doing. Her customer seems to be a good manipulator. And quite successful. With the thought of war on her mind, Dai knew that was exactly the direction she would go.

Zila and Sid, actually only Sid carried the purchased goods and said goodbye to the owner Dai before they left.

Dai remained behind the counter in the empty store, fear settling in her heart.

'Will there be a war?'