Grace stood beside Silvana as the supervisor and technical consultant, blueprint in hand, pointing out details that needed tweaking or discussing how to realize some of her structural designs through earth magic. The two worked in perfect harmony, their efficiency startling.
Luna Belle and the others handled logistics and spectating. Tineva prepared delicious food and drinks in endless variety; Ellen, meanwhile, found a comfortable spot to doze. Occasionally roused by a loud crash, she would peer through half-open crimson eyes for a moment, then drift off again. Alice watched the building take shape with quiet fascination, often admiring the symmetrical parts of the structure. Ruoyu arrived punctually every day with greetings from Cecilia and the freshest city news, sometimes accompanied by a randomly spawning Sayu.
In a blink, several days sped by. Thanks to Silvana's precise, high-speed earth magic and Grace's rigorous technical guidance, a brand-new brick-and-stone building now stood on Sixth Street.
Luna Belle stood before the shop, craned her neck at the edifice that held everyone's hopes and hard work—Random Play—and felt an indescribable surge of pride and excitement. The exterior followed Grace's trademark industrial practicality, yet wove in Silvana's druidic feel for natural materials. Thick taupe brick walls, crisp lines, huge windows for abundant light, and a gently sloped roof clad in dark tiles combined modernity with a hint of other-worldly antiquity.
"Let's take a look inside!" Grace said, radiating the satisfaction of an artist unveiling her masterpiece as she pushed open the heavy wooden door she had designed and Tineva had helped pick the timber for.
The group followed her in. The ground floor held a spacious, bright display area for videotapes. Unlike the cramped in-game space of Zenless Zone Zero, here the shelves sprawled widely enough for a hundred customers to browse at once. Rows of log-and-metal racks stood neatly, each section earmarked for tapes. Aisles were broad; even several people could walk abreast without bumping shoulders. Near the big windows, low couches and small tables invited patrons to linger; sunlight poured in, creating a lazy, cozy atmosphere.
"It's… huge!" Luna Belle exclaimed, spinning slowly to take it in; though she had studied the blueprints, seeing the real thing still flooded her with joy.
"Even better than I imagined!" Fairy added with a note of pride—she had helped with Grace's drawings. "Based on projected customer flow and the owner's needs, Fairy optimized the layout. Theoretically, the ground floor can comfortably hold one hundred and twenty shoppers at once, with room to expand racks later."
Ellen yawned, shouldered her Shark Pruning Shears, and wandered the ground floor before stopping at the empty racks. "Plenty of space… but, Belle, where are the tapes? We can't sell blank shelves."
"Of course not!" Luna Belle stepped to a rack and clapped.
Two round little creatures pushed a cart out of the staff lounge.
"Aww, adorable!" Grace's eyes lit up; Ruoyu and Sayu studied the endearing pair, waiting for an introduction.
"These are Little Six and Little Eighteen—Bangboos." Luna Belle pointed to the orange scarves round their necks. "Think of them as sentient magical puppets."
Silvana's eyes widened. Sentient constructs were the hallmark of a Titled Magister!
Ranks: apprentice, caster, mage, Great Magician, Magister, Grand Magister, Titled Magister, Saint Magister, God Mage & Sorceress.
She shot Luna Belle a wary glance and filed her under "do-not-provoke." Their academy headmaster was only a Grand Magister; only the visiting lecturer from the Empire held the title of Titled Magister. She shook the thought away and admitted the Bangboos were every bit as cute as Grace had claimed.
"Nn-nah, na-na-nah!" (Just a moment—tapes coming right up!) Little Eighteen planted pudgy hands on its round waist; the girls couldn't resist petting its ears.
Little Six, finished stacking, sat down and began to nod off. "Na-nah… na-na-nah…" (I'll… nap first…)
"Whose Ellen-Boo is that?" Luna Belle quipped at Little Six's instant sleep mode.
Ellen rolled her eyes, stepped to a shelf, and surveyed the colorful tapes—physical memories spun from Fairy's recollections. They held scenes from Zenless Zone Zero and her cousin's favorite game, Honkai: Star Rail.
Alice, after patting Little Eighteen, adjusted a decorative vase on a side table until it mirrored a pot plant opposite, then smiled as her waist display flashed (•̀⌄•́). "…Now it's properly symmetrical. Though tape uniformity will have to wait."
With Little Slime off playing, Tineva picked up a cartoon-covered case. "Belle, can we actually watch the stories inside these?"
"Absolutely!" Luna Belle grinned, then sighed. "But guests don't own players yet, so we'll provide screening services."
She led everyone up a curved staircase to the second floor. Here Grace had carved the space into separate mini-theaters, each a fully equipped home-cinema room. Sound-insulated walls, comfy sofas, cable outlets in the walls—everything ready. The largest hall seats twenty or thirty; the smallest suits three to five friends.