By the time the delivery cart rolled down the narrow alley, the sky had taken on a warm orange hue—sunlight stretching long shadows across the old stone street. Woon stood just outside the front door of the building, arms folded, watching the cart approach.
The familiar creak of wheels and snort of the beast pulling it—something between an ox and a lizard—echoed between the buildings.
A dwarf with a thick apron and sun-reddened face called out as he spotted Woon.
"Delivery for this here address! Big order—twenty tables, hundred chairs, and some beds, right?"
Woon nodded, stepping forward.
"That's us."
The dwarf chuckled, hopping down from the seat.
"Not every day someone orders enough furniture to open a guild hall."
Behind him, Jake and Tyson emerged from inside the diner, having just finished wiping their hands clean with rags.
The interior walls now gleamed with a fresh coat of creamy-white paint, trimmed in warm chestnut brown. The bitter stench of drying paint still lingered faintly in the air, but the look of the place had transformed entirely.
Gone were the peeling walls and water stains. In their place stood something that actually *looked* like the start of a real business.
Jake stretched his arms above his head with a sigh.
"Glad we got the inside done before this arrived."
Tyson nodded beside him.
"Still gotta do the outside, though."
Woon glanced back toward the building, then looked at the stacked crates and bundled tables being unloaded.
"Let's stack the furniture just inside for now," he said, directing the dwarf.
"We'll arrange everything once the exterior's done."
"Right you are," the dwarf replied, signaling his assistant to start offloading.
As the cart was being unloaded, Woon moved a few steps away from the group, ducked into the alley behind the diner, and made sure no one was watching.
Once alone, he narrowed his eyes and used his Online Shopping skill.
A glowing window blinked into view before him, visible only to his eyes. His thoughts guided it through categories until he stopped at one labeled *Construction & Repair*. He quickly selected a crate of **high-quality exterior wall paint**, weatherproof and enchanted to last for years. He added a basic set of enchanted brushes and magic-dry rags.
*One order. Drop location—behind the building.*
A quiet shimmer of blue light announced the delivery. A large cardboard box appeared in the corner of the alley, just behind some old barrels.
Woon closed the window with a mental command, then returned to the front.
"Jake. Tyson," he called out.
The two looked up from organizing the furniture stacks.
"You're not done yet. We've got the outside to finish. There's another set of paint and tools waiting behind the building."
Jake blinked. "Already?"
Woon shrugged casually. "I had it arranged ahead of time."
Tyson cracked his knuckles. "Alright. Let's get it done quick."
As the two headed off with the paint supplies, Woon turned back toward the open diner doors. Inside, the others—Sabrina, Misha, and Tina—were gathered near the corner, chatting softly. The girls had already been assigned their tasks and had spent the day cleaning, organizing the storage room, and helping prep for the setup.
For now, they rested, seated on unopened crates as they watched the furniture slowly fill the entrance hall.
Woon stood at the threshold, watching the sunlight pour into the now freshly painted space.
*This place… finally looks like a proper diner.*
And just like that, the day's final task began—painting the diner's face, so it could finally meet the world with pride.
__________
Outside, the scent of fresh paint hung faintly in the afternoon air.
Jake and Tyson stood on ladders against the front of the building, sleeves rolled up, rollers in hand. The pale cream paint glided smoothly over the old, weather-worn stone, covering decades of grime and dull brown with every stroke. Their arms moved in steady rhythm—Jake focused, Tyson humming a low, tuneless song as he worked.
"Make sure you're not missing the corners," Jake muttered without looking.
"I ain't blind," Tyson grunted, dabbing carefully around the wooden window frame. "I just like takin' my time."
Woon, standing just inside the diner entrance, glanced over his shoulder to check on them.
Looks like they've got it handled.
Inside, the air was filled with the faint smell of wood polish and freshly unboxed furniture. The wide open hall had been filled at last—twenty round wooden tables, a hundred matching chairs stacked neatly in groups, and a dozen single beds lined up in the corner for later placement upstairs.
Misha wiped her forehead with the back of her sleeve and stood up from where she'd been unwrapping the last table leg.
"That's the last one done," she said with a small smile, a little proud.
Sabrina crouched beside the prep counter, double-checking its alignment with the kitchen space. Her fingers tapped along the edge as if mapping out future workflows.
"Tables are good quality... joints are clean, polish is decent. Whoever built these knew what they were doing."
"Which they should," Woon added as he stepped closer, giving one of the chairs a light test-sit. "Ten gold for all this isn't exactly a bargain basement price."
Tina sat cross-legged on the floor near the beds, her eyes sparkling as she watched the sunlight shift across the freshly cleaned floorboards.
"Tina likes it. It feels good now."
Woon gave a small nod, hands on his hips as he scanned the room once more. The furniture, the soft echo of their voices in the high-ceilinged hall, the smell of paint wafting in from outside—it was starting to feel like the diner he'd pictured in his mind.
*Still a long way to go, but it's taking shape. This might actually work.*
Just as he was about to call for a short break, a distant clatter of wheels echoed down the street. Sabrina looked up.
"You hear that?"
Woon turned toward the door again.
"That should be the second delivery."
Sure enough, a second cart was pulling up outside the building—this one bulkier and marked with a faint sigil of flame and utensils etched into its side. Two men hopped down from the driver's bench and began unloading.
Woon stepped outside and called out,
"Back entrance! Kitchen's on the left, bring it straight through."
"Got it!" one of the workers called back as they hoisted the first crate down. "You're the one who ordered the oven, stove, and cooking sets, right?"
"That's right."
As they began moving the heavy crates through the door, Woon motioned the girls over.
"Alright, Sabrina, Misha—help guide them. Make sure everything's accounted for and nothing gets scratched on the way in."
The girls nodded and quickly got to work. Tina followed behind curiously, her nose twitching slightly at the scent of fresh straw and wood oil coming from the cargo.
The first crate was placed near the kitchen platform. Woon cracked it open carefully. Inside was the rune-engraved oven—sleek and solid, with its polished mana-channel lines shimmering slightly under the light.
"Looks even better than I remember,"
Woon muttered, crouching to inspect the stabilizer feet. The thing was well-built—sturdy, efficient, and practical.
The next crate was the stove, followed by the last container, which clinked faintly with the sound of packed utensils. Once it was cracked open, rows of ladles, pans, cutting boards, and measuring cups greeted them—each one individually wrapped in cloth or straw to prevent damage.
Misha looked up from the crate inventory.
"All here. Nothing missing."
Woon nodded.
"Perfect."
One of the delivery men gave a quick salute.
"That's the last of it. All paid for, so we're good to go."
Woon handed over a small tip.
"Thanks. Good work."
As the workers left, Woon stepped back and surveyed the room again.
The tables were set, the tools had arrived, the oven and stove were in place... and outside, the rhythmic scrape of rollers still filled the air as Jake and Tyson moved on to the final wall.
He exhaled slowly, crossing his arms.
*Almost there. With the outside paint done, setup nearly complete, and everyone falling into their roles... we're getting close.*
To be continued.....