Rowen stepped closer, crouching down to the cat's level.

"It's okay," he said again, voice steady. "I'm going to pick you up now."

Next Morning

"Morning," Fern echoed.

Rowen got up, splashed his face with cold water from the basin near the window, and changed into a clean shirt. Fern did his usual floating lap around the room—his version of freshening up.

In the corner, a small counter held a compact kitchen setup. Just enough for simple meals.

Rowen grabb

"Morning," Fern echoed.

Rowen got up, splashed his face with cold water from the basin near the window, and changed into a clean shirt. Fern did his usual floating lap around the room—his version of freshening up.

In the corner, a small counter held a compact kitchen setup. Just enough for simple meals.

Rowen grabb

Rowen got up, splashed his face with cold water from the basin near the window, and changed into a clean shirt. Fern did his usual floating lap around the room—his version of freshening up.

In the corner, a small counter held a compact kitchen setup. Just enough for simple meals.

Rowen grabb

Rowen woke up to the faint glow of early sunlight pushing through the curtains. The room was quiet, the city outside still half-asleep.

6:00 AM.

He sat up slowly, rubbing the back of his neck. Fern floated out from his corner by the planter bed, already awake, his glow a little brighter than usual.

"Morning," Rowen said.

ed a pan, cracked a few eggs, and tossed in some cut potatoes from storage. Within a few minutes,"Morning," Fern echoed.

Rowen got up, splashed his face with cold water from the basin near the window, and changed into a clean shirt. Fern did his usual floating lap around the room—his version of freshening up.

In the corner, a small counter held a compact kitchen setup. Just enough for simple meals.

Rowen grabb the scent of breakfast filled the room.

He set out two plates—one for himself and a small dish for Fern.

They ate quietly.

set it beside the basket.

The cat sniffed once, then leaned in and drank—slowly, calmly, like she wasn't in any hurry. Each sip was measured.

Rowen crouched nearby, watching her quietly.

When she finished, Shade lifted her head and glanced toward the wooden shelf behind the counter—where fresh tomatoes and potatoes were stored.

Rowen noticed the look and followed her gaze.

"You want more?"

He stood, grabbed a couple of each—clean, fresh, and grown in his private space—and brought them over.

Cat sniffed at the vegetables, then carefully took a bite from the soft tomato.

Rowen blinked. "You're eating vegetables now?"

She chewed without complaint.

He narrowed his eyes a little, watching her.

Rowen got up, splashed his face with cold water from the basin near the window, and changed into a clean shirt. Fern did his usual floating lap around the room—his version of freshening up.In the corner, a small counter held a compact kitchen setup. Just enough for simple meals.

Rowen grabb the scent of breakfast filled the room.

He set out two plates—one for himself and a small dish for Fern.

They ate quietly.

At 6:25, Rowen stood, washed the plates, and headed downstairs.

The shop was still dim and quiet. Black Cat was curled up in the basket, still asleep.

Rowen swept the floor, straightened the shelves, and checked the display case.

By 6:30, everything was in order.

He walked over to the front door, flipped the sign to OPEN, and unlocked the door.

The morning rush wouldn't start for another hour or two—but the shop was ready.

Rowen sat behind the front desk, arms crossed, eyes half on the quiet street outside.

He glanced over at the basket in the corner where the cat still slept near the warming crystal.

She looks better now, he thought. Her breathing was steady, her body relaxed. For a stray—or whatever she really was—she looked surprisingly calm.

After a moment, Rowen muttered to himself, "She's not bad to have around."

The thought settled in quietly: maybe he would adopt her.

About ten minutes passed.

She stretched slowly and opened her eyes. They locked onto Rowen instantly—sharp, alert. She didn't move, just stared at him with that narrow, piercing glare.

A second later, her stomach let out a low growl.

Rowen raised an eyebrow. "Hungry?"

He stood up, walked to his small kitchen, and picked up a small ceramic bowl.

He poured in some leftover milk.

He carried it over and set it beside the basket.

The cat sniffed once, then leaned in and drank—slowly, calmly, like she wasn't in any hurry. Each sip was measured.

Rowen crouched nearby, watching her quietly.

When she finished, Shade lifted her head and glanced toward the wooden shelf behind the counter—where fresh tomatoes and potatoes were stored.

Rowen noticed the look and followed her gaze.

"You want more?"

He stood, grabbed a couple of each—clean, fresh, and grown in his private space—and brought them over.

Cat sniffed at the vegetables, then carefully took a bite from the soft tomato.

Rowen blinked. "You're eating vegetables now?"

She chewed without complaint.

He narrowed his eyes a little, watching her.

"She knows," he muttered. "These aren't normal crops."

The potatoes and tomatoes weren't just food—they were infused with low-grade mana, drawn from his cultivated space. Most animals wouldn't notice. But this one? She seemed to recognize it right away.

Rowen sat back again, watching her eat the food in quiet comfort.

Definitely not an ordinary cat.

Rowen leaned back in the chair behind the front desk, arms crossed, eyes still on the cat.

She was finishing the last bite of potato—calm, quiet, and clearly comfortable. No growling, no tension. Just settled in like she belonged here.

He watched her for a while, then exhaled.

"I'm not about to let a cute cat like you go back out there looking like this," he muttered.

Cat looked up at him, eyes sharp and half-focused.

"And by the look of it, you're not planning to leave either."

She didn't respond, just gave a slow blink and glanced again toward the shelf where the vegetables were stored.

Rowen followed her gaze, then nodded to himself.

"You really like those, huh? Mana-grown food's not common for beasts." He paused, thinking. "I wonder how it affects you."

The idea stuck in his mind. He'd never tested them on a mana beast—especially not one with clear intelligence.

Cat licked her paw once, then tucked it under her chin and curled up in the basket again, like she had no intention of going anywhere.

Rowen scratched his neck and muttered, "Can't just call you 'cat' forever."

He looked at her again.

"Shade," he said aloud.

She lifted her head slightly, ears twitching.

When Rowen returned from the space, it was already past three in the afternoon.

He leaned back on his chair behind the counter, a small smile tugging at his lips. The sight of the ripe batch he had just harvested—plump tomatoes and sturdy potatoes—left him satisfied. The baskets were full, and the faint glow of magic still lingered on the vegetable produce.

He rested for a while, letting Shade curl up lazily on the counter while Fern quietly hovered nearby, invisible to the other people. The thought of upgrading the space soon made him even more content.

Just as Rowen was about to close his eyes, the bell above the door jingled once. He barely looked up, expecting an ordinary customer. But then it jingled again. And again.

Within minutes, the quiet shop turned noisy. Students from the lower school barged in, one after another, still in their uniforms, some even sweating from their early exploration of the dungeon.

"Is this the place?" one boy whispered loudly, pointing at the baskets.

"I told you, this is where Lyra's group bought them!" Another replied, eyes shining.

Rowen straightened, caught off guard as more and more students flooded in.

The small shop, which usually felt empty, now felt packed to the brim.

Their gazes locked on the vegetables like hawks, their chatter buzzing with excitement.

Rowen sighed, realizing exactly what had happened. So the rumors really spread…

Rowen raised a hand, cutting through the noise.

"Hold on. If you're here for the vegetables, listen carefully." His voice was calm but firm, and the crowd of students quieted down, though their eager eyes didn't leave the baskets.

"I'll only sell a limited amount to each person," he said. "Three tomatoes or three potatoes each. No exceptions."

A groan rippled through the group.

"Only three?"

"That's barely enough!"

"Come on, Rowen, at least five—"

Rowen shook his head. "If I let you take as much as you want, the first ten of you would clear me out. Then the rest of you would leave empty-handed. This way, everyone gets a share."

The complaints didn't stop, but the reasoning was solid enough that no one dared push further. The students lined up, one after another, low-grade mana stones clinking onto the counter as Rowen portioned out the glowing produce.

Shade sat perched on the counter, flicking her tail, watching the vegetables vanish basket by basket. Fern hovered invisibly, clearly amused by the commotion.

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