The Dragon King's Heart

She looked up at the tall building before her. Laina let out a sigh as she looked from side to side. Her initial plan of setting up a market stall may have fallen through but she was not ready to give up so easily. 

With the amount of wealth she had, she could easily purchase the entire market hall. Perhaps even the entire town. But that would be too petty of a move. At least, not at this point in time. Laina walked down the cobblestone streets, looking into the shops. She was hoping to find an empty one to rent. 

An old man noticed Laina from across the street. He had watched her for some time. Perhaps it was his intuition or his advanced age; he seemed to know what she was looking for. 

"Miss," he went up to her and tapped Laina on the shoulder. 

"Yes?" Laina furrowed her eyebrows. She had never met the old man before and was confused as to why he had approached her. 

"Pardon my intrusion, but I noticed you from across the street. Are you looking for something?" he asked. 

Laina explained to him what she was searching for. She did not see the need to withhold the information from him. If she was lucky, he might even be able to assist her. 

True enough, the old man offered a word of advice and some directions. He pointed her to the Administration Holdings, where Laina would be able to enquire for shophouses to rent. 

The old man used his walking stick, pointing down the street. 

"Do you see that building over there?" he asked. 

Laina squint her eyes and looked in the direction he was pointing at. 

"That one, with the red brick exterior?" 

"Yes, I see it," she replied as soon as she saw. 

"That shop house is much bigger on the inside. It has been vacant for some time now so it should be available for purchase or rent from the Administration Holdings," he explained. 

Laina thanked the old man for his help. She wanted to know his name so that she could thank him. But the old man disregarded her question and simply wished her the best of luck before disappearing down the street. 

Laina did not think too much of it and simply went on her way. The receptionist welcome her warmly as she explained her request. The kind lady at the reception guided Laina to where she needed to go. 

"Miss Gretchin here will assist you with what you need," the receptionist introduced the lady at the desk to Laina before leaving. 

After a short introduction, Laina explained what she wanted to do. As soon as Miss Gretchin heard that Laina was looking for a shophouse, she informed her that there were few for sale. Most of the buildings in Luzernia were owned by families who had passed them down through their family tree. 

"What about the one on Main street?" she asked, "The one with the red brick exterior."

The moment Laina mentioned that shophouse, Miss Gretchin's expression turned pale. She slowly looked up at Laina. 

"Is something the matter?" Laina asked out of concern. 

It was clear from the look on the woman's face that something was amiss. Putting two and two together, Laina wondered if it might have something to do with the shophouse she mentioned.   

After all, the shophouse was on Main Street, one of the busiest streets in all of Luzernia. For it to be vacant, it must have a compelling reason. 

"Are you sure that's the one you wish to rent or purchase?" Miss Gretchin asked for confirmation. 

"Is there something wrong with it?" Laina asked. 

"Not exactly..." Miss Gretchin looked hesitant to explain at first. 

"Look, you look like a nice young lady," she could not bear to let Laina purchase the place without knowing.

Miss Gretchin explained that the shophouse used to be owned by an old family in Luzernia. A few years ago, the last surviving member of the family passed on. A child came forward, claiming to be the rightful owner but could not provide the proper paperwork to support their claim. 

By law, the building was now owned by the town. When the administration attempted to rent or sell it, it was met with great resistance. 

"Who's preventing it?" Laina asked.

She was intrigued by the building, even more so than before. 

"I'm not sure about the details, I'm afraid," Miss Gretchin responded with a sigh, "But from what I heard, there are occupants in the building. They've been scaring off buyers and renters."

A curious case it was and Laina was intrigued.

"How much?" she asked without the slightest hesitation 

"Pardon?"

"How much is the shophouse?"

Miss Gretchin was surprised. She had thought her warning would be enough to deter Laina from making the purchase. 

"Are you sure, Miss? I can find you other-"

Laina shook her head, "No need. I made up my mind. I would like to purchase this building."

"But... but the occupants...What are you going to do about them? I don't think anyone has ever managed to get rid of them. 

Some say the place is cursed or haunted."

"You don't have to sell me on this purchase anymore than you already have, Miss Gretchin," Laina chuckled, "I can be pretty persuasive, so I'll sort out the occupants."

Seeing Laina's determination, Miss Gretchin did not insist any further. Due to the condition of the shophouse and the issues it had, the price was a lot lower than Laina had expected. It was well below the market value of the property, but she was not complaining. 

Before she signed the final paperwork, Miss Gretchin asked her one more time, "Are you sure about this, Miss Solara?"

"I'm sure of it," Laina signed her name on the title deed, sealing the deal. 

Now the real work began.

By the time Laina left the Administration Holdings, the sun was beginning to set on the horizon. Her stomach was growling. Not wanting to waste any time, Laina went into the nearest bakery she could find and purchased a small bag of baked goods before heading over to Main Street.

Under the cover of darkness, it was a lot more difficult to tell the streets apart. Regardless, it did not take her long to find Main Street and her new shop front. 

"67 Main Street... this is it," she said to herself as she looked at the building before her. 

Perhaps it was not the wisest move to purchase a building before inspecting it in person. But Laina did not mind. She knew she bought herself a project. From the look of it, it was about to be a tedious one. 

"I can't wait for Dante to see this," she smiled to herself and entered through the front door. 

The wooden door creaked open, allowing light to shine in from behind her. It was pitch black inside. Laina snapped her fingers together. In an instant, the entire room lit up. 

"Greetings," Laina said with a big smile on her face.