Morning light spilled across my apartment floor, warm and golden, but my mind was already racing far ahead of the rising sun. Yesterday, I'd chosen my path. Today, I would walk it. For the first time since arriving in this world, I felt a strange, unshakable energy humming through my body—excitement mixed with fear, ambition wrapped in uncertainty. It was a dangerous combination, but maybe that was what building a future felt like. I finished a quick shower, threw on my jacket, and stepped into the hallway. The elevator ride down felt longer than usual, as if the world was pausing just to make me think harder. Not that I needed more time. My thoughts were already overflowing. A café and creative workspace hybrid. A place for students, freelancers, dreamers. A place for people like me. The more I pictured it, the more real it became. But imagining things was the easy part. Bringing them to life—that was where the real battle began. The city morning was brisk, filled with the smell of baked bread from street carts, the distant hum of hover-rails sliding into stations, and the chatter of early commuters. Arenthia truly was a city that never slept, never slowed, never waited for anyone. Good. Because I wasn't planning to slow down either. I arrived at the Riverside Commercial Zone and walked straight to the small dusty building I'd found yesterday. It still looked worn-out, ignored by the world, but now that I'd chosen my path, it didn't bother me. Every empire started as an empty plot of land. Every legend began as a single spark. I placed my hand on the cold glass door, imagining what it would soon become: warm lights, soft music, the smell of coffee, people typing away at their dreams. I could almost feel the life that would fill this space. That was when the system responded as if reading my thoughts.
[ Scanning location… Evaluating renovation blueprint… ]
A soft blue grid appeared over the interior, like a digital skeleton of the future.
[ Host must confirm purchase of lease rights for Haven Café & Creative Workspace. Cost: 15,000 credits. ]
I inhaled deeply. Fifteen thousand wasn't cheap, but with one million from the system and ten thousand from the apartment inheritance, I had room to act. "Confirm."
[ Lease purchase confirmed. Deducting credits… ]
And just like that, the building was mine. A wave of satisfaction hit me—unexpected, warm. I'd never owned anything in my previous life. Not even a bicycle. Now I owned a place that could become the foundation of something great. The system wasn't done.
[ Would the Host like to generate an optimized layout for Haven? ]
"Yes."
[ Generating… ]
The interior transformed in my mind like a time-lapse video: clean wooden floors, elegant tables, bookshelves, soft lighting, a counter on the right, workspace booths in the back, a glass wall separating the café area from the silent study zone, and a loft above with group tables.
[ Estimated renovation cost: 92,400 credits. Time to completion: 12 days. Success potential increase after renovation: +12%. ]
I exhaled slowly. Ninety-two thousand credits. When I said I wanted to build something meaningful, I didn't expect the price tag to punch this hard. But a business wasn't built with hesitation. A vision required fuel, and fuel required investment. My fingers curled slightly. "Proceed with renovation."
[ Confirmed. Subcontractors dispatched. Work will begin within four hours. ]
Things were moving fast. Faster than I could fully absorb. But if life had taught me anything, it was that opportunities rarely repeated themselves. I stepped away from the storefront and walked toward the plaza to clear my head. People were gathering—students laughing freely, office workers hurrying with coffees, delivery bots weaving through crowds. This world had its own rhythm. Now I needed to find mine. As I watched, thoughts swirled through me. The business pathway was set, yes, but growth depended on skills too. Something the system had mentioned before. Skills that could change everything. I stopped walking. "System," I whispered under my breath. "Show me the skill options again."
[ Available skills:
Business Management (Basic)
Marketing (Basic)
Customer Psychology (Basic)
Culinary (Beginner)
Inventory Optimization (Basic)
Financial Accounting (Basic) ]
Each skill cost 5,000 credits. Cheap, considering what they offered: immediate knowledge, integrated understanding, flawless memory. A lifetime of learning packed into a moment. My heart thudded. In my old world, I had no degrees, no backup, no credibility. In this world, I could become the kind of person who built empires with his bare hands. "Purchase Business Management, Marketing, and Customer Psychology."
[ Confirmed. Deducting 15,000 credits. Integrating knowledge… ]
A rush hit me—a flood of information surging through my mind like a river breaking its dam. Concepts, models, strategies, customer behavior patterns, pricing tactics, branding instincts. It felt like I'd just lived through years of education in seconds. I gasped and grabbed a railing as the last of the wave settled. The plaza came into focus again. People, crowds, patterns—before, they were random movements. Now, they were data. Behaviors. Opportunities. My eyes sharpened. The world didn't look the same anymore. I understood things I never learned. Saw things I never noticed. Potential was everywhere. And now I could read it. My phone buzzed suddenly. A message from the renovation contractor: "We've arrived at the site. Beginning interior demolition." A real smile spread across my face. It was happening. My café was no longer an idea. It was becoming real. The confidence from the new skills mixed with the thrill of progress. I felt lighter, sharper, almost dangerous. But when I turned back toward the building, I noticed something unexpected. A girl stood near the entrance, maybe around my age, staring at the "RENOVATION IN PROGRESS" display projected above the glass. She wore simple clothes—black jeans, an oversized hoodie, a small backpack slung over one shoulder. She looked tired, like someone carrying too much on her shoulders. But her eyes… they were curious. Observing. Intelligent. She kept staring at the building as if it held something she desperately needed. I hesitated before walking toward her. "Excuse me," I said. She blinked and turned to me, slightly startled. "Oh—sorry. I didn't expect someone to be here already." "Did you want something?" I asked. She hesitated. "I… I saw the lease sign removed. And then the renovation crew showed up. I guess someone finally took it." She glanced back at the building. "I used to come here when it was a stationery shop. The owner closed it last year." Her voice softened. "It was a quiet place." "It'll be something better soon," I said before I could stop myself. She looked at me. "You bought it?" "Yeah." Her eyes widened slightly. "You must be brave. Or reckless." "Maybe both." That earned a small smile from her—tired, but real. "What are you turning it into?" "A café and creative workspace," I said. She went still. Something flickered in her expression. Surprise. Hope. Longing. She looked away quickly. "That's… actually exactly what this area needs." "Really?" "Students from East Crest Academy walk here all the time. Freelancers too. But everything is either crowded, noisy, or expensive." Her gaze drifted back to the storefront. "A comfortable place to study or work…" Then she cut herself off and shook her head. "Never mind. Sorry. I'm rambling." "No," I said. "You're giving me valuable feedback." She frowned slightly, as if confused why her opinion mattered. "I'm Aren." She hesitated before answering. "Lia." She adjusted her backpack like she was preparing to leave. "Well… good luck with your café." I nodded. "You'll visit when it opens?" She blinked, surprised again. After a moment, she gave a small, almost shy nod. "Yeah. I think I will." And then she walked off into the crowd. I watched her go, a strange feeling stirring in my chest. This world might have been new to me, but it was filled with people chasing their own battles, their own dreams. I wasn't alone. As the construction noises echoed from behind me, I turned to face the future being carved inside those dusty walls. Haven Café & Creative Space. My first business. My first step. And maybe… the beginning of something much bigger than I expected.