It was like simultaneously looking at the most beautiful part of a painting and the most likely way it would be destroyed. The stark contrast, existing only in Shu's thoughts, brought a deeper confusion and a stinging pain.
People have always sung the praises of a kingdom's greatness, yet there are always those who see the embers of its destruction from the very first glance.
Conflict tore fiercely within Shu's heart.
On one side was the instinctive fear of losing control and involving others. On the other was the genuine perception of this fragile beauty before him, and...
A trace of craving that even Shu himself was unwilling to admit.
The singers of praise enjoy the kingdom's peak, while the delusional cherish its twilight.
Silence permeated the space between them for a long time, filled only by the shop's background music and the杂 of conversations.
Finally, the "Stelle" disguised by Shu slowly raised his head.
He looked at [Shu], not with words, but with a question in his eyes.
[Shu] met his gaze for a moment, and gave a very slight nod.
The same thought process had led to the same conclusion.
Evading and maintaining the status quo would only make the future separation more painful and destructive.
And fortunately... they were not powerless.
Since they couldn't abandon this accidentally created "haven" for the time being, since they couldn't turn a blind eye to this beauty that they had unintentionally fostered, then...
They would run it well.
Run it to the point where, even without "Stelle," without Shu, it could continue to exist, to shine, relying on its own rules and systems.
Let the shop itself become a truly independent and healthy "living being," rather than a parasite attached to their disguise.
This decision was exceptionally difficult, because it meant they would need to invest more time, energy, and possibly expose themselves to more risks.
But it was also the only path Shu could think of that could both temporarily preserve this "beauty" and leave a buffer and hope for continuation for a possible "disappearance" in the future.
Of course, the problems still existed and were severe.
The shop's core merchandise—those film and television discs and exquisite figures—essentially all came from Shu's creations using [Wish].
Once they left or lost their ability, the supply chain would be immediately cut off.
The shop would be like a river without a source. No matter how well it was run, it wouldn't last long.
But... Shu's gaze seemed to penetrate the walls of the shop, looking further into the distance.
The tens of millions of people "grafted" from Sapphire City, plus ARC City's original foundation, the pace of human civilization's reconstruction was accelerating, and could even be described as a frantic surge.
The recovery of the industrial system, especially the light industry and cultural industries, was an inevitable trend.
Although the priority might not be too high, it was not unfeasible.
Perhaps... he could find a way to make Otto, when planning the industries, "casually" add one or two production lines related to Homu culture?
For example, disc pressing, and merchandise manufacturing.
Given Otto's calculations and consideration for overall development, introducing some cultural industries that could boost morale and enrich spiritual life might not be rejected.
Especially...
That guy Otto probably didn't even need him to communicate. What if he chose the "Homu" production line just for Theresa's sake?
...Would he?
...
Someone who could embezzle public funds to develop "Kallen Fantasy" and grow bitter melons in the scarce cultivation areas of the base would definitely do something like that!
Shu took a deep breath, a very deep breath, as if he wanted to inhale all the clamor, warmth, and the heavy sense of responsibility in the shop into his lungs, and transform it into the power for his actions.
He looked at [Shu].
"Hire people."
"And then... we, will retreat to the background."
[Shu] nodded slightly. "Establish standard procedures, set up an inventory management system, and standardize finances.
"As long as we can get the shop to run on its own, to the point where it doesn't need our intervention."
As "Stelle," they would personally build a solid framework for [Hmoe Random Play], injecting it with the "blood" it needed to survive independently.
Then, they would hand the stage over to the recruited "employees," letting this shop truly become a part of the living area, a common yet indispensable warm corner in many people's lives.
As for themselves...
Perhaps they would maintain a weak connection with the shop from behind the scenes, in more hidden identities such as "the boss who occasionally comes to help," "the mysterious supplier," or "the designer focused on new product development."
This was a risky plan that required continuous investment.
But at least, it pointed to a future that was not so "desperate."
...At least for Shu, that future was indeed quite "desperate."
The two of them stood up at the same time and walked towards the small, unused office in the back.
No sooner said than done. Even if it was just a fleeting enthusiasm, it was time to start drafting the first "employee recruitment notice."
They also needed to seriously plan how to make this accidentally created Homu shop continue to "randomly play" for a long time after "Shu" or "Stelle" was gone.
The office... it wasn't originally intended to be an office.
Because there was only a simple desk, two chairs, a blank whiteboard, and the slightly cool light cast from the simulated street outside the window.
The atmosphere was very "business-like" for a moment.
The two maintained the furthest diagonal distance from each other, each pulling over a chair and sitting down, their expressions serious.
Shu somehow found a blank notebook and a pen, while [Shu] conjured a light screen on the desktop out of thin air, which served as a temporary writing board.
"Tsk—" Shu made a clucking sound full of accusation.
"First, let's clarify the job requirements," Shu started, his pen tip tapping on the paper. "We'll need at least: one store manager, responsible for daily operations, scheduling, basic accounting...
"Then two clerks, responsible for reception, sales, and stock organization...
"We might also need a few part-timers, for the drink bar and simple cleaning."
[Shu] ignored Shu's disdain, his fingertips gliding across the light screen, leaving clear characters.
"The job descriptions need to be more specific... Store manager, requires familiarity with Homu cultural products, a sense of responsibility, good communication skills, and the ability to handle simple customer complaints.
"Clerks, enthusiastic and patient, with strong learning ability, and a basic understanding of or interest in Homu culture.
"And, part-timers, quick and nimble, with attention to hygiene."
The initial discussion was quite smooth. After all, the basic framework they were conceiving was based on the same logical deduction.
But soon, when the topic moved to details, that familiar and annoying left-brain versus right-brain battle mode started up again.
And because it involved the serious matter of "establishing rules," the tension between the two began to escalate rapidly.