"Two weeks time. So that's all the time we have left..."
Dylan suddenly went silent as he made some mental calculations, 'Then, that would mean there would only be another week before they arrive. They would probably stay here for a few days to rest, at least three days. That would mean I would only have ten days of protection. I need to somehow get the protection of another expert for me to survive the City Lord's ploys.'
"Ah, it may not just be two weeks time. My parents would stay here for a few more days to investigate." Victoria heard Dylan saying "the time we have left" and instantly blushed, thinking that he wanted to spend more time with her.
'Does he want to spend more time with me?' She shook her head as she could not understand why she was acting like this, 'Ah! What's wrong with me?'
"Your parents will come here?"
"Yes, they were very worried for me as I contacted them using a Sound Transmission Array in the City Lord's Manor." Victoria remembered that her mother was actually crying in the background as his father tried to console his wife.
"That's understandable." Dylan nodded as he knew that there would be no parent that would wish any tragedy to their children.
"Oh, before I forget, Victoria..." Dylan pulled out the four Spatial Pouches he had taken from Ronald and the assassins from his pocket. "Since I don't have spiritual sense yet, could you check the contents of these for me?"
"Of course," Victoria nodded, taking the leather pouches. Closing her eyes, her spiritual sense flared gently as she unsealed the crude spatial imprints on each pouch. With a light wave of her hand, a small heap of items materialized neatly onto the table.
"They didn't have much high-tier items, but it's a decent haul for low-stage cultivators," Victoria observed, pointing out the items one by one. "There are about forty-five thousand copper coins, twelve low-grade Spirit Stones three low-rank iron weapons, a few recovery pills, and some ordinary martial technique scrolls."
Dylan's eyes lit up at the pile. 'Forty-five thousand copper coins and twelve low-grade Spirit Stones! This completely solves our capital problem for the tavern!'
Then he also considered what to do with the other items, 'As for the other items, I should hold off from selling them first so not as to arise suspicion and be connected with their deaths.'
"Thank you, Victoria. That helps me immensely," Dylan smiled, sweeping the coins and stones into a small wooden box on the table while handing the empty pouches back for now.
Then, he looked at the window and said, "Ah, it's already quite late. I believe that I have kept you long in my home."
Victoria also understood that it would be inappropriate to stay any longer, "Pay it no heed. I quite enjoyed Scarlet's company. I also look forward to the grand opening of your restaurant."
"Thank you very much. We will probably be ready the day after tomorrow. I will make sure to secure you the finest seat in the house." Dylan smiled.
"I look forward to it. I shall come by tomorrow as well" Victoria said as she bid farewell.
...
After Victoria left, Dylan finally had a chance to properly rest. He got a stack of paper along with a pen and stored them inside his shirt before sleeping.
The moment he woke up in the Cosmic God Space, he was pleasantly surprised that the stack of paper and the pen had appeared in Dylan Vastocean's shirt. "It seems that whatever you wear can be carried over to the Cosmic God Space. But it would be in Mister Vastocean's person rather than mine since he is the owner of the body."
Ford smiled as he confirmed another mechanic of the Cosmic God Space. 'I can use tomorrow to plan things with the pen and paper while Mister Vastocean continues with the establishment of Garden Ford Tavern'
In front of the Cosmic God Mansion, Dylan Ford and Dylan Vastocean had begun combat training once more.
"Considering that you are able to learn all martial arts technique after seeing it once, our main training will be to develop your combat IQ and awareness. Streamline your thoughts during pressure, selecting the correct choices in combat and expanding your choices of movements with Dosena." Ford gave Vastocean a breakdown of his curriculum in learning Dosena and how to fight.
He was also kind of excited to teach Vastocean especially since he would be his first student. Thoroughly enjoying being a master, 'Teaching has its merits. It's also allowing me to revisit my own style of combat.'
"Understood." Vastocean nodded obedient like a true student. He had been enjoying feeling like he had been growing stronger with every clash.
Then move!" Ford exploded forward, launching a blistering flurry.
Vastocean ducked a high hook, absorbed a rising knee, and stepped directly into the pocket of danger. He parried a jab, slipped a feint, and hooked Ford's wrist to break his balance.
Ford seamlessly countered with a spinning elbow, but Vastocean anticipated it, dropping low into a leg sweep that forced Ford airborne.
Trapped below, Vastocean slapped the floor, catapulting into a tight aerial spin and snapping his heel into Ford's shoulder mid-flight.
Ford stumbled back with a fierce grin. "You're seeing the matrix of the fight now," he praised.
"Now we sharpen your mind until every counter is a second-nature calculation under pressure. Again!" Without hesitation, Vastocean surged forward, their two souls blurring into a fast, synchronized whirlwind of clashing limbs and thunderous parries.
...
The next day....
Dylan Vastocean had been tasked by Dylan Ford with some tasks for his shift.
When he looked at his newly renovated house at the break of dawn, he could not believe that it was actually his home to begin with.
The open space of the Vast Ocean Courtyard had been converted into a series of secluded, romantic dining nooks. Natural wooden trellises were completely wrapped in vibrant wild forest ivy and trailing blossoms, shielding each table from the street and offering complete, cozy privacy.
Overhead, expertly crafted wooden pergolas stretched toward the majestic trees, their ceilings draped in emerald vines and subtle forest orchids that allowed filtered sunlight to trickle through in dappled, golden patterns.
Nestled directly beneath the sprawling boughs of ancient hardwoods sat long, hand-carved trestle tables, fitted with sturdy wooden chairs that practically invited large families and traveling groups to sit, relax, and linger. His eyes traced the rich grain of the timber.
Every single piece of furniture from the intimate two-person nooks to the grand four-person sets exuded a clean, rustic charm. Beautifully carved wooden trenchers, polished bowls, and hand-cut utensils rested atop the tables, perfectly unified under a single, earthy identity.
Above the main archway and the courtyard entrance, crisp, hand-carved wooden signages hung proudly, their dark wood polished to a soft sheen:
[GARDEN FORD TAVERN]
[VAST OCEAN COURTYARD]
"It really does look like a courtyard blessed by nature." Dylan was absolutely amazed by the aesthetic and ambience of his residence. He truly felt like he entered a new world especially with the morning rays of the sun, blessing the courtyard further highlighting its magnificence.
"Alright! Time to finish my to-do list!" Dylan got a new found motivation to finish the things he was tasked to complete by the end of the day.
He had arranged more decorations and designs to the courtyard according to the plan. He also got the one hundred sets of plates, cups and utensils from Bob's builders from the trio craftsmen that they requested yesterday.
"Here you go, Sir Dylan! Exactly one hundred sets, crafted with the lumber you provided," Jake said proudly, setting down the heavy wooden crates.
"They look amazing! Thank you so much, Jake, Jeffrey, Harry," Dylan said, examining the polished craftsmanship.
"That will be three thousand copper coins in total, Sir Dylan," Jake tallied up cheerfully.
"T-three thousand..." Dylan stammered, handing over the massive pouch of coins with a trembling hand. 'My poor wallet... Thankfully, we got the loot from Sir Dylan's fight the other day.'
He also made sure to invite everyone in Bob's Builder's before going out.
"Make sure all of you come tomorrow for the grand opening! I'll make sure you get a great feast!" Dylan offered with a bright smile.
"Count us in, Sir Dylan! We wouldn't miss your cooking for the world!" Jeffrey laughed.
"Also, don't forget about the request for the kitchen renovation later!"
"We won't. Sir Dylan. We will come by in the afternoon."
Along the way, he also went to some clothing ship to buy some fresh clothing to present themselves with for tomorrow. This costed him another five hundred copper coins.
He also bought some other cooking ingredients that's available in the market like oil, butter, flour, etc.
After Dylan Ford requested the Ice Crystal Stones from the town's Thousand Treasures Pavilion yesterday, Dylan Vastocean came to pick up the the reserved goods and purchased the Ice Crystal Stones that they wanted for the Storage Room. He bought a total of four which costed two thousand copper coins as each costed five hundred copper coins.
"Ah, Young Master Dylan! Here are the four Ice Crystal Stones reserved by your side," the shop attendant greeted him warmly, presenting a velvet-lined box containing four glowing, frosty blue gems. "That will be two thousand copper coins, please."
"Here you go..." Dylan sighed internally, handing over another chunk of his savings.
But he knew that this was for the betterment of the restaurant so he could only chant while installing the four Ice Crystal Stone in the storage room, "This is an investment, I will get the returns in the future. This is an investment, I will get the returns in the future..."
"Is big brother losing his mind?" Scarlet whispered to Victoria, watching him place the fourth stone in the corner while mumbling to himself.
"No, Scarlet... I think he is just calculating his expenses," Victoria replied with a soft, amused chuckle.
Immediately, the storage room had become a frozen room and would now be able to preserve food effectively without compromising the taste.
"Brrr! It really works! It feels like winter in here!" Scarlet squealed, running out of the storage room while rubbing her arms.
Victoria came by later in the afternoon. Scarlet and her were busy adding more decorations to the courtyard as they helped arrange flowers along the walkway and organized columns of flowers and orchids all around the courtyard.
"Scarlet, let's put these violet orchids near the main archway. It matches the wooden trellis perfectly," Victoria suggested, carefully adjusting a pot of blooming flowers.
"Okay, Big Sister Victoria! Look, I placed the white lilies along the walkway like Big Bro asked!" Scarlet beamed, wiping a smudge of dirt from her cheek.
"It looks lovely. You two are doing a wonderful job," Victoria praised her with a gentle smile.
Jake, Harry and Jeffrey also came by in the afternoon to do another renovation in Dylan's kitchen. He had instructed them to make it bigger and create ten sets of cooking stations along with renovating the kitchen's layout! This costed them another one thousand copper coins.
Meanwhile, Dylan went around the neighborhood acting like a crazed person. He kept on screaming for everyone to come to his house tomorrow.
"BIG NEWS: A NEW RESTAURANT IS ABOUT TO OPEN. COME TO THE EASTERN EDGE OF THE TOWN TO THE RUMORED FOX SPIRIT MANOR. THE GARDEN FORD: A VAST OCEAN OF FLAVORS IS ABOUT TO OPEN!"
"Hey! Kid! Stop shouting! You're scaring the customers!" an old shopkeeper yelled out from his stall.
"DON'T MISS IT! DELICIOUS FOOD AWAITS TOMORROW AT THE FOX SPIRIT MANOR!" Dylan shouted back before sprinting down the next alleyway.
He continuously shouted throughout the entire afternoon to the point he was being comically chased by the guards.
"Halt right there, boy! You're disturbing the public peace!" a guard shouted, running behind him while gasping for air.
"COME ONE, COME ALL! GARDEN FORD TAVERN OPENS TOMORROW!" Dylan shouted over his shoulder, picking up his speed.
"Get back here! Why is he so fast?!" the second guard yelled, struggling to keep up.
But, Dylan Ford told him it doesn't matter what he does. The most important thing for a new business is attention and intrigue. So, he encouraged Vastocean to create a commotion. Thus, he really did cause a commotion in town.
'Sir Ford was right! Everyone in the market is looking at me now!' Dylan thought to himself with a grin as he ducked into a side street to lose the guards.
He spent the whole day making sure that everything would be prepared for tomorrow.
"I can't wait for tomorrow!" Dylan excitedly said as he returned home.