Ch 53: Guide to Running a Shop in Another World

As Helena approached, the closer she got, the more certain she became that Harold was the prophesied doomsday black dragon.

The bone bracelet on her wrist was heating up, nearly enveloped in black mist—a clear sign of resonance.

Years ago, Alia had sacrificed all her power in an attempt to alter Harold’s fate. Later, Helena had sneaked a peek at Alia’s prophecy crystal, revealing that this black dragon would meet his fated one around his hundredth year. Before that, he had been banished by his kind, living alone in the wilderness, violent and unpredictable—a truly evil black dragon.

Unfortunately, Alia had caught her spying, and Helena had to flee before seeing the identity of the black dragon’s fated person. Drex, burdened by the backlash of the contract, had hidden the young dragon. Thus, for decades, the Kinklays had been unable to find the black dragon’s whereabouts.

Helena gently caressed the bone bracelet hidden under her sleeve, her eyes alight with ambition. Dragons were powerful, scorning all other beings. Fully grown, powerful dragons were not to be trifled with, but a young dragon was still in a vulnerable and naive stage.

She recalled a scene from the prophecy—a setting sun, the black dragon crouching alone on a cliff, gazing into the distance with a lonely and desolate figure. He had lost his parents at a young age, rejected by his kin. Surely, he must be lonely and sensitive inside.

Approaching Harold, Helena flashed a gentle smile, her bright eyes sparkling. She intended to become the black dragon’s fated one and form a contract with him before anyone else could.

Harold, oblivious to her intentions, handed a flyer to the woman who suddenly appeared in front of him before turning away to hand flyers to the nearby magic academy students. Based on his experience that afternoon, students were the most willing to take the flyers.

He was starting to get annoyed and wanted to finish distributing them quickly so he could go back.

Helena’s eye twitched, but she took the flyer, circled back in front of Harold, and tried to exude an air of kindness. “Hello, do you need help?”

Harold frowned. This human was acting strange. But since she offered to help, and if it meant finishing sooner, he nodded slightly and handed her a stack of flyers from the ground, reminding her, “Give these to passersby. Be polite and make sure they take one.”

Helena smiled warmly and gracefully, walking beside Harold, distributing flyers while trying to start a conversation. “I’m Helena, a student at the Royal Magic Academy. What’s your name?”

Harold, mimicking how Lu Yao would sternly instruct him, said with a serious face, “Don’t talk while working.”

Helena watched the straight-backed youth with a gentle smile and stomped her foot in frustration. Dragons, regardless of age, always seemed so oblivious to subtle hints.

After about an hour, all two thousand flyers were handed out. Harold clapped his hands, feeling a surge of accomplishment. Turning around, he noticed Helena was still there, so he pulled a gold coin from his pocket and offered it to her. “Payment.”

Harold wasn’t short of money, but since starting work, he’d developed some awareness of it. He only earned three gold coins a month and, since he didn’t have any silver or copper coins, he handed over a gold coin for her help.

Helena was surprised. This young dragon seemed to have a basic understanding of human customs. To extend the conversation, she shyly lowered her head and suggested they have dinner together.

Harold tossed her the coin casually, his tone cold. “I’m going home.”

Lu Yao had told him earlier—after handing out the flyers, go straight home, and don’t follow strangers.

“…”

Helena stood still, watching as the black dragon disappeared into the crowd. She lowered her head and pulled out the flyer Harold had first given her from her bag. Quickly skimming past the unimportant details, her eyes fell on the name at the bottom—Lu Yao’s Nail Salon.

She gritted her teeth. That shop again!

…

Emerald Town, Lu Yao’s Nail Salon.

(T/N: I’m gonna start calling it Emerald Town from now on. Name too long lol)

The three apprentices were carefully trimming their customers’ nails. These women had hands roughened by years of labor, with uneven nails and cuticles that wrapped around the nail beds, requiring delicate care.

The three ladies stared wide-eyed as the apprentices pulled out sharp knives. Mrs. Brown was the most anxious, her fingers instinctively pulling back.

Eugenia looked up, feeling slightly helpless, and reassured her, “Mom, don’t be nervous. It won’t hurt. I just want to make your nails look nicer.”

Mrs. Brown tried her best to suppress her fear, exhaled deeply, and said, “Alright, I’m not nervous. Go ahead.”

After a while, the three ladies realized that it truly didn’t hurt, and they finally relaxed.

After their nails were shaped, cleaned with alcohol wipes for disinfection, and coated with protective nail oil, the apprentices began discussing nail designs and details with their customers.

Mrs. Grott from the bakery had already decided on a stamped nail design. Tina brought out silicone templates and discussed the base color and patterns with her.

Mrs. Grott liked intricate floral patterns. Since she was wearing a floral dress today, she eventually picked two designs with small, delicate flower branches.

Mrs. Cramer from the fruit shop was torn between a solid color design and a gradient one, unable to decide which to choose.

Mumu suggested that she try both, as it would give her a more direct feel for each style.

Mrs. Cramer was pleasantly surprised and nodded, saying, “Thank you.”

The slime was gentle and nothing like the crude nature of lower-class magical creatures. His tiny paws were steady while working on her nails, making her feel comfortable. Mrs. Cramer was starting to like this little slime.

Lu Yao observed from the side, impressed by how well the dragon and slime interacted with their clients, showing no communication barriers despite the differences in their species. It was quite fascinating.

Eugenia, on the other hand, was more reserved compared to the dragon and the slime.

Mrs. Brown chose a simple solid color design, and Lu Yao stood behind to observe. When fully focused on her work, Eugenia showed a seriousness and energy she didn’t usually display. She was gentle in her approach, and her hands were steady.

Lu Yao was quite pleased; in such a short time, all three apprentices had come a long way in their learning.

Harold returned to the nail salon, where his colleagues were still undergoing their assessments. He sidled up to the boss, “Lu Yao, I’m back.”

Lu Yao looked him over. “How was it? Tiring?”

Harold wanted to brag and act spoiled, but with so many people still in the shop, his dragon pride held him back. He drank two cups of water and, pretending to be calm, sat down on the sofa. “It was alright.”

Lu Yao walked over, patted his shoulder, and praised him, “You did an amazing job today!”

The small black dragon’s deep blue eyes lit up as he glanced over at Mumu.

Mumu, however, was busy attending to his client and missed the subtle, boastful look.

Lu Yao had scheduled the assessment to last three hours, but within two hours, Tina had already finished.

Tina listened carefully to Mrs. Grott’s requests and created two stamped floral nail designs. One featured a wreath of small white flowers, while the other had diagonal plaid patterns, both printed over a light blue base. The overall look was fresh and cute.

For the other nails, she applied two shades of solid color, using a slightly darker hue for a couple of nails and a lighter one for the rest. On the ring finger, she added a white French tip with a delicate crystal bow as an accent.

Finally, she sealed the design with a protective magical layer, ensuring the nails would stay intact even during daily chores.

Mrs. Grott stretched her fingers, smiling so wide her eyes nearly disappeared.

She was usually busy baking and selling bread, squatting in front of the oven early in the morning, and serving customers afterward. It had been a long time since she felt this relaxed.

Admiring her nails from different angles, the soft, cheerful blue color lifted her spirits, and the dainty flowers on her nails became even more charming the longer she looked. “These nails are beautiful; I absolutely love them.”

Tina tidied up her tools, her fiery red eyes curving in restrained excitement, though her heart was actually racing. Receiving such positive feedback on her first nail service gave her a strong sense of accomplishment.

Mumu was the second to finish.

Mrs. Cramer opted for a red-themed mixed design. On her left hand, her middle and ring fingers were painted a deep red, while her thumb, index, and pinky fingers had a gradient of the same color. Her right hand featured the reverse, with a balanced play of light and dark shades, creating a look that was both elegant and suitable for everyday wear.

Mrs. Cramer spread out her fingers, her smile growing wider. “This looks amazing! The combination of solid color and gradient isn’t dull at all. I don’t know how I’ll choose next time, they’re both so pretty. Mumu did such a great job!”

Mumu blinked his round eyes and softly replied, “Ji.”

Eugenia was the last to finish. Mrs. Brown opted for a set of green cat-eye nails. A transparent deep green base was layered with silver cat-eye polish, and a magnet was used to create a subtle arc of light along the edges, resulting in a simple yet sophisticated look.

This was Mrs. Brown’s first time getting her nails done, and having her daughter do them was already enough to make her happy. The final result exceeded her expectations.

She bent her fingers, palms up, carefully watching the shimmer of the polish under the light. Her furrowed brow relaxed, and her eyes lit up as she muttered, “This is so beautiful. I’ll have to be careful tomorrow when I’m cooking and sewing so I don’t ruin them.”

Since Eugenia couldn’t use magic, Mumu helped apply a magical topcoat for Mrs. Brown.

“Mom, with the magical sealing layer, you don’t need to worry about the polish chipping,” Eugenia explained.

Mrs. Brown looked at her nails, finally unable to suppress a smile. “This is so convenient.”

Lu Yao examined the three ladies’ nails and handed them some nail polish remover pads, casually mentioning that the shop would be hosting an event tomorrow.

As Mrs. Grott left, she proactively asked Lu Yao for an event flyer, and Mrs. Cramer and Mrs. Brown followed suit, requesting flyers as well.

Lu Yao watched them leave from the doorway before returning to the shop.

Inside, the three apprentices sat at their workstations, looking a bit nervous.

Lu Yao entered, clapping her hands lightly, and with a relaxed expression, said, “You’ve all made excellent progress. Each of your works turned out great.”

Tina, Mumu, and Eugenia beamed with pride. Their boss’s approval meant more to them than any reward.

Lu Yao handed them each a flyer and continued, “For this preliminary assessment, you’ve all passed. Tomorrow and the day after, we’ll be running an event. You’ll be responsible for handling the customers who come in. For each customer you serve, you’ll earn ten percent of the revenue as part of your wages.”

Tina and Mumu weren’t particularly sensitive to the idea of commission but were eager to participate in the event.

After working with Mrs. Grott, Tina felt that she had significantly improved and was determined to continue honing her nail skills.

Mumu, on the other hand, was always eager to help as long as it benefited the shop.

Eugenia, hearing about the commission rewards, was excited. With a base salary of four silver coins per month, the additional earnings gave her even more motivation.

After the short meeting, Lu Yao went to the snack shop to grab boxed meals for dinner.

…

Later that evening, Eugenia returned home.

Mrs. Brown greeted her at the door, her long-held worries finally lifted. “Eugenia, you’re back.”

Eugenia handed her a small box. “Mom, these are some leftover pastries from dinner. You can share them with everyone tomorrow. Nick and Sisi will definitely love them.”

Mrs. Brown glanced inside, then went to the kitchen to cut the pastries into five portions. She placed one plate in front of Eugenia, saying, “We all should have some, including you.”

Eugenia smiled. “I’ll save it for tomorrow’s breakfast. I’m really too full right now.”

The mother and daughter sat down and chatted, with Eugenia mentioning the shop’s event for the following day.

Upon hearing that there would be commission for each customer served, Mrs. Brown immediately offered, “Tomorrow, I’ll tell the neighbors about it.”

Eugenia hadn’t expected her usually reserved mother to be so proactive and laughed. “Do you really think you can convince them?”

Mrs. Brown extended her hands, laughing, “I won’t need to say much. Once they see my nails, they’ll definitely ask.”

–

At four in the morning, Mrs. Grott and her husband rose to start baking bread.

By six, trays of fresh bread were coming out of the oven, ready for the workers heading to the mines, who always bought the cheapest black bread.

A little later, housewives out buying groceries would stop by to pick up multigrain bread to pair with their soups.

Mrs. Grott wore a dark blue floral dress, tucked her beige shirt into her skirt, and donned a thick apron. As she greeted her customers, her face was lit with a smile, as though she had encountered something particularly delightful.

A familiar customer asked if something good had happened, and Mrs. Grott casually raised her hand. The other woman’s gaze immediately locked onto her nails. “Where did you get your nails done? They look amazing. No wonder you’re in such a good mood!”

Mrs. Grott smiled. “Yes, I went to the nail salon across the street last night. Isn’t it nice?”

The lady’s smile faded slightly as she lowered her voice, “You went to that nail salon? Are you joking?”

Mrs. Grott placed down the bread tray, unfazed. “Oh, it’s just a nail salon. Sure, they have a slime in the shop, but he’s gentle and even does nails. Last night, a few of us ladies went to get our nails done together, and nothing happened. Look at my nails—aren’t they beautifully done?”

As the women gathered around to buy bread, Mrs. Grott mentioned the special promotion at the nail salon—one-tenth the usual price for a nail treatment.

The women weren’t familiar with “one-tenth,” so Mrs. Grott pulled out the flyer and explained it the way Lu Yao had instructed. That piqued their interest.

By seven in the morning, the fruit shop had also opened.

Customers passing by noticed Mrs. Cramer arranging her fruit display. Her nails, even more radiant than the apples she was handling, caught their attention.

The conversation quickly shifted, and for much of the morning, the topic among the women revolved around “Lu Yao’s Nail Salon” and its one-tenth price deal.

By the time the nail salon opened, there was already a line forming at the door.

The staff arrived and began welcoming customers.

As usual, Mumu split into two forms—one to greet the customers waiting in line and the other to do the nail work. Since his slime form was a bit slow, he transformed into the boyish figure from his previous outing, which quickly endeared him to the customers.

Harold snorted in annoyance, clearly displeased.

Some of the clients who had booked custom nail designs with Lu Yao heard about the promotion and opted for the discounted service instead.

Lu Yao, adept at working quickly, managed to complete even these simpler designs faster than her apprentices.

By noon, she had not only finished serving the scheduled clients but also handled several walk-ins.

Around that time, Si Jin returned with two large suitcases.

The shop was so busy that no one noticed him at first.

He quietly carried the suitcases into the break room, greeted Lu Yao, and then went off to find Harold.

The waiting area was full of clients, so the two guards pulled up small blue plastic stools and sat in a corner with nothing to do.

Just then, Helena arrived with two squads of knights and two royal magicians. Seeing the line outside the nail salon, she instructed the captain to surround the shop, while she and the two magicians barged inside.

The crowd outside dispersed quietly at the sight of the Royal Knights’ crest, their faces filled with confusion.

Upon entering, Helena spotted Harold, her eyes gleaming as she twirled her fan and walked over. “It’s you!”

Harold, looking baffled, responded with, “?”

Helena, trying to appear pleasantly surprised, said, “Don’t you remember? I helped you hand out the flyers yesterday.”

Harold recalled the encounter but remained indifferent, his expression and tone unchanged. “Oh.”

“…I’m here to get my nails done. Any recommendations?” Helena, struggling to keep her temper in check, racked her brain for conversation topics.

Before Harold could reply, Si Jin glanced at Helena and smirked. “Excuse me, miss, but you’re cutting in line. Please head back outside to queue properly.”

The silver-robed magician beside Helena stepped forward, scanning the shop with an air of arrogance, lifting his chin slightly. “Miss Helena is here in person. Why hasn’t the shop owner come out to greet her?”

Inside the shop, the customers were already frightened at the sight of the silver-robed magician. His disdainful gaze swept over them, further unsettling their hearts. Some wanted to leave but, upon reaching the door, found the knights had surrounded the shop. Regret filled their hearts as they slowly backed inside, wishing they hadn’t come to this place, not knowing how this nail salon had managed to offend the nobility.

Helena gently waved her feathered fan, her eyes gleaming with a smile as she looked at Lu Yao in the distance.

Last time, she had only brought a few knights, which resulted in an embarrassing failure. This time, she had pleaded with the emperor and was granted the assistance of two royal Light Magicians, whose powers were specifically effective against the dark-aligned black dragon.

This display was a gift from the emperor and represented the glory of the Kinclaire family. Helena’s plan was simple: first, she would intimidate the strange shop owner and force the black dragon out. Then, she would “rescue” him, claiming victory.

Her methods might be seen as heavy-handed, but they had worked for years, and she saw no problem with them.

The shop fell into an eerie silence as Lu Yao stopped what she was doing, confused by Helena’s presence.

“Isn’t that the woman from last time?” Lu Yao asked, recognizing her vaguely.

Seeing that Lu Yao was a bit clueless, Tina quickly explained the situation in a few words.

The silver-robed magician now noticed Lu Yao, his expression cold as he spoke, “You’re the owner? Why aren’t you up greeting your guest?”

Lu Yao ignored him, glancing over at Harold and Si Jin with some exasperation, “If you two keep sitting around watching the show, your pay’s getting docked. No hanging out in the break room during work hours.”

!!!

Getting their pay docked was one thing, but no break room during work hours? That was terrifying!

Both Si Jin and Harold instantly stood up, their dragon eyes narrowing with ferocious intent.

The two Light Magicians sensed something was off. The aura radiating from these two men was far from ordinary—dangerously unholy even. These weren’t your run-of-the-mill creatures.

Si Jin grabbed the magician who had demanded the shop owner’s attention, his hand transforming into dragon claws, and his golden eyes glowed ominously. The air around him was thick with intimidation. “Magician, tell me, what exactly is this Helena that she deserves the owner to greet her?”

Even we dragons show the shop owner respect. Who does this chicken think she is, acting so arrogantly?

Golden scales began to appear at the edge of Si Jin’s eyes. The magician’s pupils widened in shock—he hadn’t expected to encounter a dragon in such a humble shop.

A century ago, the Kinklay family had signed a contract with dragons, forcing them onto the battlefield and granting the empire dominance over the Alexander Continent in a short time. Since then, dragons had rarely appeared in the empire.

Ironically, this was the first time this Light Magician had ever seen a real dragon, and his legs nearly gave out from fear.

But, as one of the elite royal magicians, chosen from many, he forced himself to muster the courage to stand firm. With a burst of determination, he began to chant a spell, preparing for a counterattack.

Even if it’s a dragon, I can still fight!

His heart raced with anticipation, confidence swelling within him as he convinced himself of victory.

Si Jin found this tiresome. Without bothering to use magic, he casually knocked the magician out with a tap.

Meanwhile, Harold had already dealt with the other magician, his expression cold as he turned to Helena, “Are you leaving on your own, or do we need to escort you?”

Helena’s face turned pale, but she dared not act out. She hadn’t expected there to be more than one dragon in this shop.

Since there were still customers in the store, the two dragons restrained themselves, using the simplest methods to kick Helena and her party out.

The knight commander saw the miserable state of the two magicians but said nothing. He swiftly led his team away from Emerald Town, forgetting even to use the teleportation array in their haste.

The customers inside the shop were still shaken. Some stood up, intending to leave, but when they saw Si Jin and Harold return, they quietly sat back down again.

This must be a shady shop, right?

🛍️🛍️🛍️🛍️🛍️