“Aakesh, lord of the sky,” The man mumbled after hearing his name.
A smile appeared on his face, mumbling his name for some time as he liked the name.
“System, why aren’t you appearing in front of me?” Aakesh asked smilingly as he couldn’t see the system.
[Host, I don’t have a body. I live inside your head.]
“Huh!” He exclaimed in response to the system’s answer. Somehow, he didn’t feel weird about it. He then remembered the name of the system.
“System, why are you called ‘The First Store System’?” Aakesh asked the system curiously.
[Host, it is my duty to help you in creating the Multiverse’s most reputable, dependable, stable, and steady store so that it is called the first store.]
The system responded. Aakesh couldn’t hear even a single emotion in the mechanical voice.
“How will you make me the greatest store owner? I don’t even have a store,” Aakesh asked confusingly.
[Host, you can make this place my store.]
The system replied. “Eh,” Aakesh exclaimed.
“I may not have my past memory, but somehow I remember the language and meanings of words. For a store, you need people to come to the store and buy your products. How can a closed space be a store?” Aakesh expressed his doubts while pointing at the closed walls.
Right after he spoke, his jaw dropped as a white door with blue handles appeared out of thin air in the center of the southern wall facing him.
“How did you do this!” Aakesh yelled in an astonished tone. He excitedly ran toward the door, like when a little child runs when he sees a new toy.
[Host, It’s nothing. I can do even more.]
The system responded. Aakesh would’ve thought that the system was boasting if the voice didn’t sound emotionless.
He reached the door. The door was plain white and had plain blue handles. He grabbed the door handle and pushed it outwards in the hope of seeing the outside world, but the door didn’t budge.
Somehow he had the knowledge that doors can be opened in many ways like push and pull. This time he pulled the door inward, but still, the door didn’t budge.
“Hey system, why isn’t the door opening?” He asked, irritated, as he was excited to see the outside world.
[Host, the doors of the store will only open when a customer arrives.]
The system responded emotionlessly. Aakesh got angry hearing this. “Is it a store or a prison?” He asked the system angrily.
[Host, It is a store. That’s why my name is ‘The First Store System’.]
The system replied emotionlessly. Aakesh almost stumbled, hearing this. “I meant, why can’t I open the door and go outside?” He asked.
[Host, it’s for your safety. You aren’t strong enough to currently go outside.]
The system responded in a mechanical voice. “Why wouldn’t I be safe if I go outside? What monsters are there outside? How will I be safe in this store then if someone from outside tries to attack me?” He asked a barrage of questions. He still hasn’t left the handle of the door.
[Host, this store is located in the emptiness of the void. You won’t be safe because your body is currently weak, and it won’t be able to handle the pressure of it.]
[There are no monsters outside, as only a few beings can handle pressure here.]
[No one can harm you or even come close to you in this store.]
The system answered his questions one by one.
“If no one can harm me in the store, then why can’t I go outside and handle the pressure?” Aakesh asked confusingly. If the system can keep him away from any kind of harm in the store, then it’s easy for the system to keep him safe from the pressure of the void.
[Host, I am only bound to help you in the store. If you went away from the area of the store, you’ve to handle the pressure on your own.]
The system responded bluntly. “How am I supposed to get stronger then if I’m to sit in this store all day?” Aakesh asked curiously.
[Host, you don’t have to worry. As you sell materials, you’ll grow stronger.]
Aakesh got surprised at first and then excited hearing this. Isn’t it too easy for him to grow stronger if many customers begin showing up in the future? But then he remembered the location of the shop. It poured cold water on his excitement. Only a few beings can handle the pressure of the void here, so rarely will customers come in the store.
“How would I get stronger if rarely any customer arrives in the store, and what does this store even sell?” He asked.
[Host, customers of this store can be anyone. Even the weakest can get a chance to buy the products in the store.]
[Host, this store sells everything.]
The system answered Aakesh’s question.
Everything the system said was too complex for Aakesh to understand. He didn’t even try to understand the things this time.
“Hey system, can you give me something to sit upon?” Aakesh requested as he finally let the handle of the door go.
The system didn’t speak anything, but a white wooden chair with a cushion appeared in front of him.
“It’s so comfortable. Thank you, system!” Aakesh thanked the system as he sat upon the comfortable chair.
“System, if you sell everything, where are the products?” Aakesh asked, pointing at the empty room.
[Host, the products will appear on their own when the time comes.]
***
Authors note: Aakesh is just like a child in this situation, so his emotions are changing super-fast, like when a child is crying and the child stops crying if you show him/her a toy.
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