The shop was quiet again.
Rain tapped steadily against the windows while the door slowly slid shut behind the girl.
Lucian stood behind the counter with his hands resting casually on the surface, trying very hard not to look like someone who had just learned vampires were apparently real.
The girl stood a few feet inside the shop, dripping rainwater onto the floor.
Her dark hair clung to her face, and the faint red glow in her eyes flickered slightly as she looked around the room.
Lucian cleared his throat.
"So," he said, "first question."
The girl stiffened.
Lucian raised a finger.
"Are you here to bite me?"
She blinked.
"…What?"
Lucian shrugged.
"Just making sure. Customer safety policy."
The girl stared at him for several seconds before slowly shaking her head.
"No."
Lucian relaxed instantly.
"Great."
He gestured toward one of the aisles.
"Then welcome to my store."
The girl looked confused again.
"Your… store?"
Lucian nodded.
"Technically a convenience store," he said. "But apparently it's also a multiverse shop now."
The girl's eyebrows slowly pulled together.
"You're… joking."
Lucian rubbed the back of his neck.
"I wish."
He pointed toward the door.
"Look outside."
The girl hesitated, then slowly turned.
She walked back toward the entrance and looked through the glass.
Her body went rigid.
Beyond the parking lot, the world ended in endless darkness.
The street she had come from was gone.
Her hands trembled slightly.
"…Where am I?" she whispered.
Lucian spoke gently.
"Honestly?"
He leaned against the counter.
"I'm still figuring that part out too."
The girl turned back toward him.
Fear and confusion were written clearly across her face.
Lucian raised both hands calmly.
"Hey, it's okay," he said. "You're safe here."
She studied him carefully.
"You're not afraid of me," she said quietly.
Lucian shrugged.
"You haven't tried to eat me yet."
A small pause followed.
Then, surprisingly, the girl let out a quiet laugh.
It was short, almost like she hadn't meant to do it.
Lucian grinned.
"See? Progress already."
The system screen suddenly appeared beside him.
First Customer Detected
Merchant Interaction Opportunity Available
Lucian glanced at the message.
"Well," he muttered, "guess this is happening."
The girl tilted her head.
"What are you looking at?"
Lucian tapped the air casually like someone scrolling through a phone.
"Just my new job description."
She frowned slightly.
Lucian straightened up.
"Alright," he said. "Let's start simple."
He gestured toward the counter.
"What's your name?"
The girl hesitated for a moment before answering.
"…Elena."
Lucian nodded.
"Nice to meet you, Elena. I'm Lucian."
She studied him again.
"You're… human?"
Lucian looked down at himself.
"Last time I checked."
Elena seemed unsure what to make of him.
Lucian noticed the way she was standing.
Tense.
Guarded.
Hungry.
His expression softened slightly.
"You haven't eaten, have you?" he asked.
Elena stiffened.
Her eyes shifted away.
Lucian sighed quietly.
"Yeah, I thought so."
He walked over to one of the shelves and grabbed a bottle of water and a packaged sandwich.
He placed them on the counter.
Elena stared at the food.
"…I can't eat that."
Lucian raised an eyebrow.
"Oh right."
He thought for a moment.
Then he looked at the system screen.
"Hey system," he said quietly.
Yes.
"Do I have anything vampires can eat?"
A pause.
Then a new notification appeared.
Emergency Starter Item Available
Low-grade Blood Substitute
Cost: 5 Narrative Value
Lucian nodded slowly.
"Alright."
He tapped the screen.
The air above the counter shimmered.
A small glass bottle appeared.
Dark red liquid sloshed inside.
Elena froze the moment she saw it.
Her eyes widened slightly.
Lucian picked it up and gently slid it across the counter toward her.
Elena stared at it like it might disappear.
"…Where did that come from?"
Lucian smiled casually.
"Employee discount."
Elena looked at him for several seconds.
Then, slowly, she reached for the bottle.
Her hands trembled slightly.
Lucian looked away politely.
After a moment, he heard the soft sound of a bottle opening.
Silence filled the store.
Then Elena exhaled quietly.
When Lucian looked back, the tension in her shoulders had eased.
Her eyes were no longer glowing so brightly.
"Better?" Lucian asked.
Elena nodded slowly.
"…Thank you."
Lucian leaned against the counter again.
"No problem."
The system chimed softly.
Transaction Completed
Customer Satisfaction: Positive
Narrative Value Earned: +25
Lucian blinked.
"…Wait, really?"
Elena looked confused.
"What?"
Lucian waved it off.
"Nothing. Just work stuff."
He glanced at the glowing message again.
"Twenty-five points for feeding a vampire," he muttered. "That's actually a pretty good return."
Elena finished the bottle and placed it gently on the counter.
She looked at Lucian again.
"You're strange," she said.
Lucian smiled.
"I get that a lot."
She hesitated before asking another question.
"…Why are you helping me?"
Lucian thought about that for a moment.
Then he shrugged.
"Because you needed help."
Elena stared at him quietly.
Lucian stretched his arms.
"Besides," he added, "I'm trying to be a good merchant."
Elena tilted her head.
"A merchant?"
Lucian gestured around the store.
"This place connects to different worlds."
Elena blinked.
"…Different worlds?"
Lucian nodded.
"Apparently anime, movies, TV shows, the whole package."
Elena stared at him like he had just said the sky was made of cheese.
Lucian laughed.
"Trust me," he said. "I'm still processing it too."
The system suddenly displayed a new notification.
Traveler's Map Fragment Activated
First Destination Detected
World Access Unlocking: 10%
Lucian's eyes widened slightly.
"Well that's new."
Elena looked curious.
"What happened?"
Lucian smiled.
"Looks like my shop just found its first world."
Elena frowned.
"What does that mean?"
Lucian leaned on the counter.
"It means," he said slowly, "things are about to get interesting."
Outside the shop, the rain finally began to slow.
But far beyond the darkness surrounding the hub…
A new world was beginning to connect.
And Lucian — the Son of Gaia and the Multiverse Merchant — was about to take his first real step into the multiverse.