Thanks to the system, I had gotten some breathing room on ways to make money. Though the conversion rate was going to be something to get used to. At this point in time, I’d need about 10 gold to cover my repayments in the real world.

  “Means I’m about 8 short.” Scratching my head while panning through my skills again.

  I still had 2 skills I hadn’t purchased yet. One of which had no information, while the other relied on vague prerequisites.

  [Peaceful Presence: A quiet and organised Safe-room receives a passive income of 1 gold coin per day]

  [Familiar: -]

  What also didn’t help was the fact that the cost kept increasing. It went from 20 to 40, like the system had said: “double it and give it to the next person.”

  “Don’t think it’s the best decision to spend anything on that, and I’m not even gonna attempt to raise my level. That shit can stay on lvl 1, until I can get some proper income.” Swiping the screen away and pouting into the distance. Still watching Phima walk around aimlessly.

  I looked at the clock and just like before, it was moments before essentially my Safezone was open for business. So I grabbed my pouch and moved to the FoodLocker. Noticing Phima sneak up behind me to watch. Making me shield my input, like I was to type in my password. Can she even read what it says on there? Wait, does everyone speak my nguage? I began spiralling and shook my head repeatedly to get back on track.

  After keying in a few items and having to wait in-between orders, and having to stand in front of it like a guy putting change into a pay phone. I suddenly got a chime, followed by the system interruption.

  [Update]

  [FoodLocker now accepts batch orders in form of credit]

  [You still won’t receive change, if your batch order is less expensive than your credit]

  I looked at the interface with narrowed eyes, while sucking at my teeth. I see how it is. But proceeded to stuff that machine with everything I had… copper coins that is anyway.

  I still had about 150 left after those adventurers, plus Phima ate the equivalent of a full takeaway menu. Which you will pay me back. Giving her my best looking scowl.

  “What?” She replied, looking back at me in confusion.

  “Nothing.” And I turned back around to punch in my selections, followed by its chime and subsequent closed door construction site.

  “You know we might be having guests again soon. Are you going to behave? Or do I have to leash you up somewhere with some kibble in a bowl?” Snorting to myself at the prospect.

  “I-I’ll behave… as long as those humans do. Also what’s kibble?”

  “The food you’ll be eating if you don’t stop growling at certain types of customers!” You little racist. Now directing my attention to the main area of my lounge-room / train-station.

  “This will be the Arrival hub.” Sifting through the Creature Comforts skill and its storefront.

  I had already gotten a good idea of what was on offer and how much the stuff would set me back. Then selecting the item in question—a desk.

  To be fair, it wasn’t just a simple desk… no no no, it had all the bells and whistles. The front section was reinforced with metal pting, while it had wooden posts on each side, with a rge wooden pnk across the top. Think lemonade stand, but with the properties of a snowplow and reinforced ballistic gss.

  Yup, you heard right—bulletproof. The open section of the lemonade stand from hell had the gss with a set of small holes near the bottom. So I could easily speak to customers without being pinned to the wall by a volley of arrows.

  This way, I now had a greeting area / first line of defence, effectively banishing my ramp to the garage.

  The most time consuming part wasn’t actually getting ready, it was the constant “what’s this” and “what does that do” from the dragon-hybrid tailing my every move. A racist and a schoolgirl, yay.

  I had to either repeatedly expin or deal with further questions, both of which got annoying quite fast.

  “Phima, we need to find you a role. Are you good at anything in particur?”

  “Well… as a dragon, hunting comes naturally to me. I can fight too, if needed.”

  I guess that was useful in some ways, just not here—a Safezone. What could I possibly make her do? My brain going into overdrive. “Can you breathe fire?”

  “Not until I’m an adult. Our gnds don’t mature until about 500 years.”

  I switched from single to rapid fire blinking in response to that bombshell.

  “How old are you now?”

  She raised her eyebrow and me with puffed out cheeks.

  “I’m pretty sure it’s impolite to ask a dy her age.”

  “…but I’m about 200–mid 20s in human years, so I’m told.”

  But… child?

  Anyway.

  While we were chatting, I was utilising my funds to purchase extra things for the main room. Mainly tables and chairs of much better quality. That’s when I found out I can sell unwanted furniture back to the storefront.

  Once everything had been pced, I had to check how it looked from the door’s perspective. What I forgot to do was check the clock. When a loud bang and from behind sent me flying into the greeting desk. Hearing a loud crack, as pain fred up my leg and my vision flickered in bright lights.

  When my head finally stopped spinning, Phima came into focus. She was kneeling in front of me, her eyes fixed on the portal—and not in a happy way.

  “Wha?”

  “Well hello there folks, we’ve heard of recent developments in B-22 and had to come check it out.” A man announced, bde in hand.

  How is he… attacking in the Safezone?

  Phima was facing 3 human adventurers by herself, while I was still trying to feel my legs again. When my eyes suddenly widened.

  “M-My legs—they’re broken.”