It had been a few weeks since the incident with Alistair.
The dust had settled, and the "Hero" from the Church hadn't made another move, which suited Ryn just fine.
Things were finally getting quiet—or as quiet as they could be in an Academy full of chattering teenagers.
"Let's go check out that new store together today. It's so cool!"
"I know, right? I heard the products are the best in the whole continent. Everyone is talking about it."
"Star Enterprise... it's like they appeared out of nowhere."
Ryn opened his eyes as he overheard the students whispering in the hallway.
'I should go and check the place out today myself and see how much it has grown.' Ryn thought.
"Yo, Ryn! Why don't we go check the new store together?" A guy with messy green hair and thick spectacles approached Ryn with a friendly wave.
His name was Jake. He was a commoner from Class B that Ryn had recently befriended. Ryn had intentionally sought out a "normal" friend.
Since everyone else in his life was a Princess, a Hero, or a General, he wanted someone who just talked about homework and lunch—just like in his former life.
"Of course. We should go after class." Ryn said.
...
After their lectures, Ryn changed into his plain clothes. He and Jake stood in the center of the capital's commercial district.
Ryn's mouth fell open. Towering over the cobblestone streets was a massive, ten-story building. It looked sleek, modern, and completely out of place in this world. At the very top, glowing letters spelled out: STAR ENTERPRISE.
'The last time I came here, it definitely wasn't like this. Not even close.' Ryn thought.
"It's really amazing, isn't it?" Jake said, looking up in awe. "Even the royal family buys their supplies here now."
As they stepped inside, the interior was even more shocking. Magical chandeliers lit up rows of polished counters and marble floors.
"How can I be of service?" one of the many impeccably dressed workers asked, bowing to the two boys.
"We'll just look around for now and call you if we need anything," Jake said, sounding a bit intimidated by the luxury.
The two of them strolled through the aisles, eyeing tailored clothes, exotic foods, and high-quality equipment. However, they mostly just watched—the price of even the simplest item was 20 gold coins.
"What are you doing here, commoner?"
Ryn turned his head to find Princess Celia staring at him, with Mira standing right beside her. Both girls were dressed in stunning, expensive dresses and looked like celebrities. Behind them, several workers were carrying a mountain of shopping bags.
"What else would we be doing here?" Ryn asked, unfazed.
"I doubt you two can afford anything in this store," Celia said, tilting her chin up. She wasn't being malicious; she was just being her usual bratty, sheltered self. Ryn had long since grown used to her behavior.
"Celia... be nice," Mira whispered, though even she had a faint look of disdain as she glanced at Ryn's plain clothes. Her gaze moved to Jake. "And who is your friend?"
"M-my name is Jake," the green-haired boy stammered. It wasn't every day a commoner got a direct question from the legendary Mira Adrian.
"We were just heading to the next section. You can tag along if you want," Mira offered, mostly out of pity.
"Yes!" Jake blurted out before Ryn could even protest.
The four of them walked through the store, and every eye was on them. The two girls continued to pick out expensive gowns while Ryn and Jake followed behind like bodyguards.
Suddenly, the crowd parted. The Head of Star Enterprise was approaching.
It was a striking woman with long, flowing white hair and crimson eyes. It was Olivia, but her demonic traits were perfectly hidden by high-level glamour. She was dressed in a slick black business suit adorned with exquisite jewelry. Behind her stood Nimiri, also looking like a high-end fashion model.
The atmosphere in the room shifted as every worker bowed their head in reverence.
"Who is that?" Jake whispered, his face turning red.
"That is the owner of the store," Celia said, looking slightly envious of Olivia's heels.
"I greet the Princess of the Empire," Olivia said, giving a slight, professional bow. "I have come to take our VIP guest with us."
"Okay," Celia said, assuming she was the guest. "Where are your best stocks?"
"I am sorry, Your Highness," Olivia said with a sharp, business-like smile. "I meant our vvvip guest. Mr. Ryn."
The silence that followed was deafening. Celia and Mira's mouths dropped open in unison.
"Sara, please escort our guests of honor. Mr. Ryn, come with me," Olivia said, gesturing to Nimiri.
"Follow me, Mr. Ryn." Nimiri added with a respectful nod.
...
Soon, Ryn was escorted to the very top floor. The room was grand, featuring a throne-like chair facing a massive window that overlooked the entire city. Ryn walked over and sat down, letting out a long sigh of relief.
"We are very sorry, my Liege. We weren't aware you'd be visiting today," Olivia said, dropping the business persona and bowing deeply.
"Don't worry. I am genuinely impressed with what you've done here." Ryn said.
"I would like to present our recent profits." Olivia gestured, and a worker brought out a large table. On top of it sat a literal mountain of gold coins, glowing under the magical lights.
Ryn's eyes widened. "How much is all that?"
"100,000 gold coins."
'My dream has eventually come true. Mom, Dad... I hope you can see this.' Ryn thought, his heart swelling with pride.
"But... it is not enough," Olivia said softly.
The words hit Ryn like a thunderbolt. "How?"
"It's not even close to what we need for building the new Demon Realm. The materials, the land, the enchantments... 100,000 is just the beginning," she explained.
Ryn's heart sank slightly, but he nodded. If they could make this much in just a few weeks, the future was still bright.
Meanwhile, in a luxury VIP room downstairs...
"You're a friend of Mr. Ryn, right?"
"Please, eat more of these treats!"
"What a handsome face you have, Mr. Jake."
A dozen beautiful female workers surrounded Jake, fanning him and feeding him expensive delicacies. Jake sat there, overwhelmed, as a slow trickle of blood dripped from his nose.
"Ryn... you are a god." Jake muttered under his breath.