The neon sign hummed faintly in the gray morning light.
Inside, The Nexus Exchange gleamed like an oasis—clean floors, stocked shelves, and a faint scent of baked bread that didn't exist anywhere else in the wasteland.
Sora stood behind the counter, brushing a few stray strands of dark red hair from his pale face. He'd chosen a soft black skirt today with a white blouse that buttoned high at the neck, a short gray jacket, and thigh-high stockings tucked into sturdy lace-up boots. The effect was both graceful and oddly efficient—like a porcelain doll that could outwalk an army.
A small holographic log blinked over the counter.
> NEXUS SYSTEM LOG — DAY 2
Total Customers: 5
Registered Accounts: 5
Sales: 53 Units (Bread ×28, Water ×25)
Total Profit: 510 Points
Host Balance: 53,510 pts
Next Upgrade: 10 Customers
> [Progress: halfway complete. Would you like motivational audio?]
Sora stifled a yawn. "If it involves jazz or screaming, I'm unplugging you."
> [Understood.]
He moved lazily through the store, straightening loaves and water bottles. The shelf labels gleamed softly. Above the register, a new sign had appeared overnight:
> ⚠ WARNING:
Theft and Violence Against Staff Will Trigger Automatic Enforcement.
No Exceptions.
"Subtle," Sora murmured, tilting his head.
> [You requested a theft policy warning.]
"Mm. True. Still creepy."
---
The first chime came just after noon.
Two figures stepped in, ragged but armed—scavengers by the look of them. Their eyes darted around like feral animals expecting a trap.
The man was broad-shouldered and thin, the woman smaller, clutching a rusted weapon. Both froze when they saw the shelves.
"…Is this real?" the woman whispered.
Sora's voice was calm, lilting. "Everything here is genuine and safe to consume. Registration tablet's to your left."
The woman moved toward it hesitantly, almost reverently. "Safe to… eat?"
> [Customer emotional distress detected.]
Ignoring the system's commentary, Sora leaned against the counter, watching as they placed small bits of jewelry into the scanner—a silver ring and a bent chain.
> [Material: 90% silver. Value: 120 points.]
Their holographic cards glowed faintly. The woman approached the bread shelf, trembling. She lifted a sealed loaf and pressed it against her face as if afraid it would vanish.
"It smells… normal," she breathed.
Then, as if unable to help herself, she tore open the wrapper and bit into the soft crust. Tears welled instantly.
"It's real! Oh my god—it's really bread!"
Her companion gaped, then grabbed a bottle of water and twisted the cap. The first swallow made him choke with emotion. "Clean… it's clean!"
Sora smiled faintly from behind the counter. "Please refrain from crying on the merchandise."
They both laughed through tears. Between gasps and bites, they managed to pay and left clutching their supplies as if afraid someone would take them away.
> [Customer count: 7]
---
By late afternoon, three more groups arrived—word was spreading fast.
A pair of young hunters, one carrying a small Level 1 crystal core, earned 150 points between them. They bought six bottles of water and four loaves of bread, laughing in disbelief.
"It's like a dream," one said softly. "Even the packaging looks like it's from before…"
Then came a weary mother with her teenage son. Their valuables were meager—two brass earrings and a small shard of mutated monster horn, totaling 80 points.
Sora quietly discounted the total, saying nothing.
> [Host, unauthorized price adjustment detected.]
"Consider it goodwill marketing."
[…Processing exception.]
They left sobbing with gratitude, clutching bread like treasure.
> [Customer total: 10. Upgrade unlocked.]
---
A bright blue ripple filled the air, humming through the aisles. The glass doors shimmered, the lights flickered once—and then the shelves expanded with a soft mechanical sound.
> NEXUS SYSTEM NOTICE
Milestone Achieved: 10 Customers Registered.
Tier 1 Expansion Unlocked
Basic Perishables Available
Milk (UHT-sealed) – Cost 8 pts / Sell 20 pts
Instant Noodles (self-heating) – Cost 10 pts / Sell 25 pts
Stock: 100 units each (auto-restock weekly)
New shelves appeared along the right wall—sleek white coolers humming quietly. The milk inside was sealed in minimalist white cartons; the noodles in tidy square packages that faintly radiated warmth.
Sora blinked. "So now I sell noodles and milk."
> [Progress.]
"…At this rate, I'll be franchising by next week."
> [I'll prepare the signage.]
---
That evening, just as the red light of sunset filtered through the windows, another small group entered—three teens, dirt-smudged but bright-eyed. Their chatter died the moment they saw the shelves.
"No way…" one breathed. "There's… food?"
They moved closer in disbelief, staring at the loaves, the bottles, the shining cooler of milk.
"Smells sweet," said another, almost trembling. "Like before everything rotted."
"Welcome," Sora said quietly. "Register first. The scanner accepts metal, jewelry, or crystal cores."
They complied with almost childlike awe, placing a few silver trinkets and one weak core into the tray.
> [Total points received: 340.]
As their cards glowed, they broke into smiles—real ones, not the hard, bitter kind the world usually allowed. They bought almost everything within reach: four packs of noodles, eight loaves of bread, and six bottles of water.
When one of them reached for a bottle of milk, he paused, staring at the sign behind Sora.
> ⚠ THEFT IS FATAL. SYSTEM ENFORCEMENT IS ABSOLUTE.
He swallowed and glanced at Sora, who was calmly counting change, long lashes lowering over red eyes that glowed faintly in the dim light. The teen shivered. "We'll pay," he whispered.
Sora smiled faintly, almost kind. "I know."
When they finally left, arms full, their laughter echoed faintly into the night.
> [Upgrade path unlocked: 25 customers required for next expansion.]
Sora leaned against the counter, pulling his long hair over one shoulder. The store lights hummed softly, casting silver reflections over the pale skin of his wrist.
Outside, the world remained dead and colorless. Inside, The Nexus Exchange glowed like a heartbeat.
He smoothed his skirt absently, then poured a glass of milk from a newly opened carton. The liquid was cool, sweet, alive.
"Almost tastes like civilization," he murmured.
> [Approximation: accurate.]
Sora smiled faintly, raising the glass toward the flickering neon sign.
"To commerce," he said softly. "And to second chances."
The light pulsed once—steady, eternal.
The Nexus Exchange stayed open long into the night.
By the third day, the city's wind carried whispers.
Stories passed between scavengers, refugees, and the starving. Of a shop in the ruins that smelled like warmth and bread. Of clean water sealed in crystal bottles. Of a beautiful woman with pale skin and red eyes who spoke softly and never seemed afraid.
Some said she was a ghost—an echo from before the world fell.
Others swore she was a witch, trading bread for souls.
Sora found it all mildly amusing.
He sat behind the counter, chin propped on his hand, a soft hum on his lips as the holographic interface flickered overhead. Today he wore a high-waisted black skirt with silver trim and a sleeveless lavender blouse, his long dark-red hair tied loosely over one shoulder. The hem of his skirt brushed the tops of his thigh-highs as he crossed his legs.
If the world wanted a legend, he supposed he looked the part.
> [Public rumor circulation increasing,] A001 observed.
[Current aliases include: "The Ghost Clerk," "Bread Witch," and "Lady of Water."]
Sora smirked. "Lady, huh? That's a new low."
> [Gender misclassification probability: 97%.]
"I didn't ask for statistics."
> [Noted.]
He leaned back, enjoying the quiet. Outside, the streets were still and empty, ash swirling in faint spirals beneath the sun.
That peace lasted until early afternoon, when the soft chime of the door gave way to heavy footsteps.
Six figures entered in formation—armed, armored, and radiating the kind of arrogance that came from holding power in a dead world.
At their head was a tall man in a patched military jacket, rifle slung across his back, his jaw shadowed with stubble. He took one look around and whistled.
"Well, I'll be damned. The rumors were true."
Behind him, his squad fanned out, eyes darting to the shelves. One whispered, "Boss, it's all sealed. Real packaging—this stuff's fresh!"
Sora didn't move from his seat. "Welcome to the Nexus Exchange," he said lightly. "Weapons away, please. I don't do business at gunpoint."
The leader raised a brow, studying him. "You're the shopkeeper?"
"Obviously."
The man blinked. "You're… her."
Sora tilted his head. "If you mean the 'ghost girl' story, I'm afraid you'll have to complain to my PR department."
> [I do not handle complaints,] A001 interjected dryly through the speakers.
One of the mercenaries jumped. "The walls talk—"
Sora smiled faintly. "They have opinions."
---
They didn't move closer yet, still wary. The air was thick with tension.
"Listen," the leader said finally, voice dropping low. "We came from Fort Kurogane, northeast sector. My commander heard stories—bread, water, milk. Edible food. That's… impossible. We just wanted to see if it was real."
"It's real," Sora said. "Try it yourself."
He gestured toward the shelves. The smell of fresh bread wafted faintly through the air, and one of the men couldn't resist—he stepped forward, hesitating before picking up a loaf.
The plastic crackled softly in his hands. "It's warm," he whispered.
Then, when no one stopped him, he tore a piece off and bit into it. His eyes widened instantly. "It's—oh god, it's soft! It's not even sour!"
The others exchanged looks—hope, disbelief, hunger.
"See?" Sora said, smiling slightly. "No sorcery required. Just points."
"Points?" the leader echoed.
He nodded toward the scanner. "Trade valuables. Jewelry, metal, crystal cores. The Nexus accepts them all. You'll receive points for each item. Use those to buy what you need."
The man frowned at the holographic sign glowing faintly above the counter.
> ⚠ NOTICE:
All Theft or Violence Will Trigger System Enforcement.
No Exceptions.
"…System enforcement?"
Sora's expression didn't change. "Let's just say it's very… efficient."
> [Confirmed.]
The way the system said it—calm, mechanical—sent a chill through the room.
---
Eventually, curiosity won out over fear. The mercenaries registered one by one, placing trinkets, old coins, and dull crystal cores into the scanner.
> [Core Level 1 detected – 100 pts each.]
[Silver alloy chain – 80 pts.]
[Iron knife fragment – 20 pts.]
They pooled their earnings—620 points total—and bought greedily. Bread. Water. Milk. Even noodles, which steamed faintly when opened.
A silence fell as they ate. The first real food in years.
One of the younger mercenaries started crying quietly. The leader didn't stop him. He was chewing slowly himself, as if savoring something fragile.
"This…" he murmured. "This tastes like the world before."
Sora didn't answer. He just smiled faintly, watching the disbelief melt into awe.
> [Customer total: 16.]
When they'd finished, the leader approached the counter again. His eyes lingered on Sora—on the fine lines of his face, the gleam of pale skin under the lights.
"You really don't look like someone who belongs out here," he said finally. "If you're hiding something, I won't ask. But our commander will want to talk to you. This store—it changes everything."
"Maybe," Sora said softly. "Or maybe it just reminds people what they've lost."
The man studied him another moment, then nodded. "We'll come back. With more cores."
> [Reminder: All transactions are final. No credit tabs.]
Sora chuckled under his breath. "See you soon, Fort Kurogane."
The mercenaries left, their boots echoing down the cracked street.
For a long moment, Sora stood alone in the golden haze of sunset. Then he picked up a loaf of bread from the shelf, tore it in half, and breathed in the soft scent of yeast and warmth.
"Ghost girl," he murmured, amused. "Of all things."
> [They are incorrect,] A001 noted.
"Let them be," he said, smiling faintly. "It's better that way."
The neon sign flickered to life as dusk fell.
The Nexus Exchange glowed once more—half miracle, half mystery.
And somewhere far away, the world began to move again.