Finding a location wasn't difficult.
Finding the right one was.
Andres walked through multiple streets before settling on a narrow building tucked between two established shops. It wasn't large. It wasn't impressive.
But it had one thing that mattered—
Consistency of foot traffic.
"…People pass here whether they intend to or not," he observed.
Kael leaned against the wall, glancing at the structure.
"It's not exactly impressive."
"It doesn't need to be."
Andres stepped inside. The interior was simple—dusty shelves, a counter, and just enough space to store goods.
"…It's enough," he said.
Not as a compromise—
But as a foundation.
By midday, the agreement was made.
A small cost.
A small risk.
A real step forward.
As Andres stood behind the counter later that evening, placing fruits carefully in display order, something shifted internally.
This wasn't temporary anymore.
This wasn't survival.
This was establishment.
"…I have a place now," he thought.
Not just physically.
But within the city itself.
And for the first time—
Velmora had something that belonged to him.