NOVEL NEXT B1: Chapter 37 - "Mission Complete!”
"Wow…" Jeremiah murmured again, stepping forward slowly. The front of the store wasn't elaborate, but it had a rustic charm that reminded him of Ulrick's bakery — a warm blend of timeworn brick and weathered wood, simple yet solid. It looked like it had always been there, nestled into the alley corner like it belonged.
What had once been a crumbling alley filled with mossy brick and tangled vines had become a neat forecourt paved with uneven but inviting stone. At its center, the corner tree rose like a lazy sentinel, its broad trunk circled by a smooth stone bench that looked as though it had been worn into comfort by generations of use. It gave plenty of room for foot traffic to pass on either side, leading toward the twin entrances on the north and east walls.
Jeremiah ran a hand across the bench's cool surface, half-expecting his fingers to pass through it, like it was all some illusion.
He turned and shot a skeptical look at Amani. "I don't get it. If you could do all this, why'd you even need my help?"
Still catching her breath, Amani rolled her eyes, folded her arms, and looked away without answering.
Ulrick chuckled and patted the girl's head with a large, calloused hand.
"That's just how a djinn's magic works, lad," he said. "It's all about restoring balance. Without a debt or weight to counter, what they can do on their own is pretty limited."
Amani turned and shot him a withering glare. Ulrick only grinned.
"Not that they're helpless, mind you. As they age, they get more leeway. But young djinn? They're especially vulnerable. Which is why we had to handle this whole mess with care."
Amani kicked him in the shin. Ulrick didn't even flinch.
He looked up at Jeremiah, amusement still in his eyes. "Well, lad? Shall we take a look inside?"
Jeremiah nodded and headed toward the northern entrance.
The door was thick wood — old, scarred, and heavy. But when he pushed it open, it swung without a sound. No groaning hinges, no squealing frame. He'd expected the ruin-built door to shriek like a dying spirit, but it glided open without a whisper.
Inside, the space unfolded in an angled L-shape: one arm stretched north, the other east. Where the two met, the corner had been carved away and replaced with a wide glass window, revealing a view of the courtyard beyond. Near the center of the northern arm, a spiral staircase rose — ivy clinging lazily to the banister as it wound toward the upper level.
Ulrick and Amani stepped past him, Ulrick giving a low, appreciative whistle.
"Not bad, lass. Cozy without being cramped — and you kept the park's feel intact. That courtyard's a fine touch."
Amani just smirked.
Jeremiah glanced around — then blinked. "Wait… where did the furniture come from?"
Against the northern wall, a few old café-style tables sat stacked together. In one corner, moth-eaten chairs leaned against each other like tired drunks, alongside stools missing more legs than not. The eastern stretch held battered shelves and cracked counters, like the remnants of a ransacked shop.
Amani shrugged. "The old Maddock building had a few lounges buried in the rubble. Seemed a waste not to salvage what I could. What you do with it now? Not my concern."
Jeremiah took it all in with a thoughtful gaze. Most of the furniture would need replacing, no doubt — but the layout, the bones of the place, gave him ideas. Now that he could walk the floor and feel the space, he realized his first instincts about the System's requirements hadn't been far off. This didn't feel like a shop so much as a tavern or cafe with a storefront attached.
What exactly does the System expect me to be doing here? He wondered.
Before the thought could dig too deep, Ulrick clapped a heavy hand on his shoulder from behind.
"Well, lad?" the large baker said. "You think it'll work?"
Jeremiah stood silent a moment, then nodded.
"Yeah… yeah, I think this'll work."
"Good! That's what I like to hear!" Ulrick said, and with a thump, pressed something into Jeremiah's chest.
Caught off guard, Jeremiah stumbled a half-step, instinctively grabbing the object. He glanced down to find a thick, weathered folder in his hands.
Ulrick grinned. "That's the deed to the lot — and all the paperwork that comes with it. I'm glad to have you on Market Street, Jeremiah. We need more folks like you around here."
Jeremiah frowned. "You sure about this, Ulrick? I mean… I appreciate it, really, but this feels like a lot. It's not like you owed me anything for helping Amani."
Ulrick laughed, deep and rumbling. "That's where you're wrong, lad. You saved me a mess of trouble dealing with Amani's little situation. If I'd had to step in directly, things would have become a lot more… complicated."
He leaned in, his grin turning sly. "And truth be told, the Maddock lot's been a thorn in my side for years. I couldn't give the place away. You taking it and turning it into something useable? You're doing Market Street a favor."
Jeremiah looked down at the folder in his hands, then nodded slowly. "I see…"
Ulrick gave his shoulder another hearty pat. "Glad we understand each other."
He straightened up, then turned toward the door. "Well then, the lass and I will let you get settled into your new shop. I'm just down the road if anything comes up — we'll do a proper Market Street welcome another time."
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He gave Amani a light nudge toward the exit.
"Ulrick! Amani!" Jeremiah called after them.
They both paused near the doorway — Ulrick raising a curious brow, Amani glancing back with a faint scowl.
Jeremiah gave a short, respectful bow. "Thank you. Both of you. Really."
Amani turned away with a scoff, but a faint blush bloomed across her cheeks.
Ulrick's grin widened. "Think nothing of it, lad. And again — welcome to the neighborhood. Can't wait to see what you make of the place."
Jeremiah nodded, offering a small wave as the door swung shut behind them.
He stood there for a long moment, staring at the closed door, then let out a deep breath and turned around—
"Arrrauh!" Jeremiah yelped, nearly hurling the folder at a grinning Mero who floated just a few feet away.
Mero burst into laughter as Jeremiah clutched at his chest, heart thundering.
"Bastard…" Jeremiah muttered through clenched teeth. He took another deep breath and straightened up. "About time you showed up. You know, I could've used a hand during the whole 'infiltrating a gang's base' thing…"
Mero waved a dismissive hand, still smirking. "No can do, kiddo. I'm not allowed to step in like that. Not in the way you're hopin', at least." He winked, and Jeremiah's frown deepened.
The fairy spun in midair and gave an appreciative whistle. "Not that it looks like you needed me anyway. This place is nice. Real cozy, Jerry."
Jeremiah rolled his eyes. "Whatever. Let's just get this over with. Please tell me this place meets the System's requirements."
Mero twirled back around with a gleam in his eyes. "Oh, absolutely. You nailed it."
He hovered closer, grinning. "So… what do you say, Jerry? Ready to wrap this mission up?"
A long breath escaped Jeremiah's lips, his shoulders finally relaxing. "Finally. Yes. Let's finish it."
Mero raised his hand and snapped his fingers.
At once, Jeremiah's HUD flickered to life, and a glowing System window materialized before him.
——————✴——————
Tutorial Mission #1 - Find a suitable location for your Menagerie. [COMPLETE]
Rank - G
Description - What is a Gardener without his Garden? An Artist without his Studio? A Keeper without his Menagerie? Find a suitable location for your Menagerie and establish yourself there. Expand this Mission description for details about building requirements.
Reward - Prima City Business License x 1.
Failure - System Shutdown.
Time Limit - 72 hours
—❇—
— MISSION EVALUATION —
Time Elapsed - 50 hours and 54 minutes. [C]
Building Evaluation - Back alley ruins in the middle of a rundown hell hole… Yet, there's potential here. [D+]
Building Requirement - Perfect Match. [S+]
Final Mission Score: [B]
—❇—
— REWARDS —
Base reward - Prima City Business License [Congratulations! You're Legitimate!]
[B] Rank Evaluation - 2500 Quantum Marks [Restricted to select Store categories]
[B] Rank Evaluation - 'Welcome to the System!' Gift Box [B-Rank]
——————✴——————
Jeremiah stared at the glowing System window, eyes flicking across the data as the tightness in his chest slowly unwound.
Tutorial Mission #1 — Find a suitable location for your Menagerie. [COMPLETE]
The bold green lettering shimmered like dew on sunlit grass. It was real. It was done. No more ticking clock. No shadow hanging overhead. Just the end of the mission.
His knees felt lighter. His chest, looser.
He let out a slow, shaky breath. "Thank the Maker…"
Mero hovered off to the side, arms tucked lazily behind his head, a proud smirk tugging at his lips.
"Well, well, well. Look at you, Jerry! Not only did you survive, but you managed a B-rank finish." He waggled his eyebrows. "Pretty impressive for your first real win. Don't get used to it, though. The System scales things based on performance. The better you do, the more it expects."
Jeremiah rolled his eyes. Of course it did. "Regardless, I'll take it," he muttered, not even bothering to hide the relief in his voice. "Barely slept. Nearly got mugged. Almost died. But sure… let's call it a win."
Mero cackled and spun in midair, flinging his arms wide like a game show host. "And what does our lucky contestant win today?"
A soft chime echoed through the air.
Across the room, above the broad glass window facing the courtyard, golden motes of light coalesced and spun. The air shimmered with faint static before a polished brass plaque materialized in a gentle flash. It gleamed against the wall, traced in elegant filigree:
——————✴——————
The Mystical Menagerie
"Licensed Shop: Jeremiah Bridge, Proprietor."
Registered with Prima City Business Authority.
Class: G
——————✴——————
Jeremiah blinked, jaw slack.
"No way," he breathed.
Mero floated in beside him, hands planted on his hips. "Congratulations, kid. You're legit now, kid. Got yerself a plaque and everything."
"But how?" Jeremiah asked, still staring. "The mission listed it as a reward, sure. But a real business license? That should've cost a fortune."
Not to mention legal fees, zoning approvals, building inspections… He didn't even want to think about the bureaucracy. Most businesses in the district weren't officially licensed. Hell, even in Central, plenty operated in legal gray zones. A legitimate license wasn't just rare — it was prestigious.
Jeremiah frowned.
For a moment, the urge to pry the plaque off the wall and stash it away gripped him. Was that really something he wanted to advertise? Or was it better to keep things quiet until he had his footing?
Mero snorted, drifting backward in a lazy spin. "I recognize that look, Jerry-boy. You're overthinking again."
Jeremiah shook his head. "It's not overthinking. This could bring the wrong kind of attention."
Mero tilted his head, wings humming softly. "Maybe. Or maybe it gives ya exactly the kind of weight ya need in a place that chews up outsiders. Yer already gonna have eyes on ya, just for being the new guy. Even more so once word gets around that yer Sarah's brother." His smirk returned. "Or are ya planning on runnin' every time someone wanders yer way?"
Jeremiah frowned, arms crossing. Mero wasn't wrong…
Jeremiah's eyes lingered on the plaque.
It felt… surreal.
After a long silence, without tearing his gaze from the shining brass, he spoke.
"Mero… what exactly does the System want from me?"
He turned then, fixing Mero with a hard stare.
"What's the endgame here? Why this building? Why a shop? And don't give me some recycled line about 'iterations adapting to user intent' or whatever. I want a proper answer. What is the System for? What was Sarah really trying to do?"
Mero halted mid-drift. The playful flutter of his wings stilled, his glow dimming slightly.
For a moment, he simply hovered there, silent, his expression unreadable.
Then, with an audible sigh, he floated upright and drifted to the plaque, perching lightly on its brass edge.
"Fair enough, kid. Keep in mind, I still can't tell ya everything. But I figure ya've earned that much at least."
He leaned forward, his usual smirk gone, replaced by something older. Heavier.
"Ya want to know what the System really is?" he asked, voice low.
He met Jeremiah's gaze.
"It's a weapon."
The words fell with the weight of a verdict.
"The ultimate weapon. The last weapon. Our final bet — our last desperate answer to the greatest enemy of Creation."
Jeremiah's breath caught.
Mero's voice darkened, something ancient creeping into his tone.
"The System was forged for one purpose only: to allow the Reliquum — the remnants, the survivors, we scattered shards of what once was — to fight back."
He paused, then said the word like a curse:
"To strike out against Stagnation."