Chapter 944: Alternate Timeline: The Store branch at Celestra Kingdom

The conditions were detailed and ambitious.

1. The Celestra Kingdom shall formally recognize firearms as official weapons and promote them among the public. If possible, a dedicated firearms division may be established in the military. But it is not mandatory.

2. The store shall be located in a prime commercial location, rent-free.

3. The property shall include living quarters for the manager and employees.

4. The royal palace shall assist in hiring employees, and their wages shall be paid by the Revenue Department rather than herself.

5. Employee salaries shall be no lower than those of civil servants.

6. The royal palace shall assist in procuring at least 50 barrels of flaxseed oil and 100 barrels of cheap ale per day through merchants at fair market prices. This cost shall be borne by Nexus Weapon Store.

7. The royal palace shall also assist in acquiring common and rare materials, including Damascus Tungsten, Herculean steel, and unpolished ether ores, with costs borne by Nexus Weapon Store

P.S: If all conditions are met, the weapon seller will give priority to the Lunaris branch and its buyers regarding ultra-powerful weapons.

Philip finished reading and lowered the scroll.

His brows knit together as he fell into thought.

The room grew quiet.

Outside the window, palace bells rang faintly in the distance.

Kiara watched him patiently.

Then, with her hands clasped together, she asked in a calm voice,

"What do you think, Prime Minister?"

The Prime Minister fell into thought for a while.

After a brief silence, he looked at her, "Okay, all of this can be done."

Prime Minister Philip lowered the scroll and looked up from the parchment, his lined face thoughtful rather than troubled, as if he were a veteran merchant examining the terms of a profitable trade rather than a statesman being presented with a long list of demands.

He tapped the rolled scroll lightly against his palm and added, "The only matter that will require some time is the hiring process."

Kiara studied his expression in silence.

There was no irritation.

No attempt to bargain.

No wrinkling of the brows over expenses.

Only calm acceptance was seen from this statesman.

It was clear that Caleb Crescent’s orders had been absolute.

When a king owes a person his throne, his life, and his son’s safety, the reward he grants is not weighed on a merchant’s scale.

Philip, however, was not merely a grateful subject.

He was the Prime Minister of Celestra.

Every decree he signed rippled through the kingdom like a stone dropped into still water, sending circles outward until they touched even the fishermen casting nets at the edge of the sea.

That was why he had read every line carefully.

That was why he had remained silent after finishing.

And that was why his agreement carried more weight than simple courtesy.

Without wasting another moment, the Prime Minister personally escorted Kiara to inspect the two properties Caleb Crescent had promised her: the former Weston Mansion and the Tower of Weston.

As they rode through the streets of Lunaris, Philip explained the history of both properties.

After the rebellion of Former Supreme General Weston had been crushed, the man was sentenced to death and his family exiled. All his personal holdings had been confiscated by the crown.

Some of those properties had been sold to wealthy merchants.

Others had been repurposed by the kingdom.

One became a warehouse.

Another served as a detention facility.

Several were converted into housing.

And two of them now stood before Kiara.

The first was Weston Mansion.

The estate was large and elegant, with a walled courtyard, servant quarters, and enough rooms to comfortably house foreign dignitaries along with their attendants and guards.

Philip gestured toward the manor as they entered.

"This residence has been used to host envoys, generals, and ministers from neighboring nations. While the royal palace can accommodate important guests, many prefer to keep their own servants and bodyguards nearby."

Kiara walked through the quiet halls, her boots clicking softly against polished stone.

The mansion was spacious and well-maintained, with carved wooden screens, broad windows, and guest chambers furnished in tasteful simplicity.

A suitable residence.

A useful asset.

But her true interest lay elsewhere.

Soon afterward, Philip brought her to the inner district of Lunaris.

There, rising above the surrounding buildings like a weathered stone spear, stood the Tower of Weston.

Kiara tilted her head and studied it.

The structure was roughly thirty to thirty-five meters tall, a cylindrical building of aged gray stone. Narrow windows wrapped around the exterior in evenly spaced rows, and a single large doorway stood at ground level like the mouth of a silent giant.

No external stairs.

No balconies.

Or visible corridors.

"Interesting," Kiara murmured.

Inside, the atmosphere changed immediately.

Dust floated in the shafts of sunlight like silver motes drifting in still water, and fine spiderwebs stretched across corners that had not known footsteps for years.

The air smelled faintly of stone, age, and neglect.

Yet the bones of the building were excellent.

Each floor was a large open chamber of approximately 150 square meters, with no internal walls to divide the space.

Kiara lifted her gaze and mentally measured the vertical spacing between the windows.

Six floors.

Her eyes gleamed.

"Six levels," she thought. "That is enough."

Her mind began arranging them instantly.

One floor for pistols.

One for rifles.

One for heavy weapons.

One for armored vehicles.

One for advanced systems.

And the highest floor for the treasures, few would ever qualify to purchase.

The tower was not enormous, but it was more than adequate.

And best of all, it was essentially free.

Kiara was satisfied.

Philip then produced two contracts bearing the royal seal of Celestra. The parchment crackled softly as he unfolded them.

Kiara read the terms.

For ten years, she would hold exclusive usage rights over both the Tower of Weston and Weston Mansion.

The tower would be used solely for operating the weapon store.

The mansion could serve as a residence and support facilities, but it could not be leased for independent profit.

After ten years, ownership of both properties would permanently transfer to her, should she remain in good standing with the throne.

Kiara scarcely paused before pressing her thumbprint to both documents.

One copy remained with her.

The other was retained by Philip.

To her, these were details as small as pebbles beneath the feet of a traveler focused on the mountain ahead.

Once the paperwork was complete, Kiara turned inward and addressed the system.

"How do I open the branch?"

The answer came instantly.

[Just say it to the system and let it confirm your ownership.]

Kiara glanced around the empty tower, imagining it filled with steel, glass, and the curious eyes of customers.

Then she said clearly,

"I am choosing this place to expand the Genesis Store and open a second branch."

[Ding!]

[Ownership was confirmed. Please appoint a manager.]

Without hesitation, she replied, "Zion."

[You appointed Zion as the manager of the Genesis Store’s Lunaris City Branch.]

[You completed the quest successfully. Go to the quest panel to receive the reward.]

Kiara’s heartbeat quickened.

She opened the quest panel and selected Side Quest II.

[You unlocked Store Guardian.]

[From now onward, every time the host opens a branch, a Store Guardian will be appointed. Its rank will depend on the host’s strength at the time of opening.]

[You received a Signboard and a mysterious package in the inventory.]

[The host is confirmed to be at Rank-5.]

[A Rank-8 Robot is appointed as the Store Guardian of the Lunaris City Branch. Please open the mysterious package in your inventory to receive the Store Guardian.]

[You received a new side quest.]

Side Quest II: Expand the store to 10 different cities and sell at least 1000 weapons through each branch (excluding ammunition)

Reward: Upgrade Crystal (Superior)

Kiara blinked.

"Superior?"

She immediately asked, "System, how is this different from a normal Upgrade Crystal?"

[Superior grade Upgrade Crystal is made from the central part of the core of the Void Dragon King. Using it will yield three times the effect of the Normal Upgrade Crystal.]

"Three times..."

The words echoed in her mind like a bell struck in a quiet temple.

Her thoughts immediately turned to Zion.

At present, he requires two Upgrade Crystals to advance Zion to the next rank.

If she used this Superior-grade crystal, his power would leap dramatically, perhaps matching or even surpassing Noah’s base capabilities.

And if she then used one more standard Upgrade Crystal along with this one, Zion could directly step into Rank-7.

With the divine sword in hand, Zion’s strength will rise so much that he could become capable of facing Supreme realm experts and monsters.

Kiara’s eyes narrowed.

"Perhaps," she thought, "I should strengthen Zion before attempting to subdue Zheng."

The idea lodged firmly in her mind.

Still, that decision could wait.

For now, there was only one priority.

Returning home.

Kiara turned to Philip. "The tower will need to be cleaned, repaired, and staffed."

Philip bowed.

"Leave it to me."