Chapter 842: Gemma Lesi

Chapter 842: Chapter 842: Gemma Lesi

Instead, she looked down at the nutrient liquid in her hands and directly stored both bags inside one of the bottles she carried.

She had absolutely no need for this kind of food.

The following day, Alana set out once again to search for a storefront.

This time, she finally found a noble who was willing to rent a place to her.

However, the conditions were so harsh that Alana almost wondered whether the noble was deliberately trying to drive her away.

"First, you cannot play music inside the store. Second, you cannot make excessive noise, even if there are customers inside. Third, ten percent of the profit you earn from your business must be handed over to me."

Alana’s expression became increasingly unpleasant as she listened.

When she heard the third condition, she immediately abandoned any thought of renting the storefront.

’Ten percent of profit? This person is practically trying to become my business partner without doing any work.’

She turned around and left.

By this point, Alana was completely at her wits’ end.

Just as she was wondering whether she should temporarily return to the restaurant and discuss the situation with everyone else, something happened in front of her.

An elderly woman suddenly collapsed onto the street.

The woman had long white hair and a hunched back, and she wore a simple white-silver robe that had become slightly dusty from the ground. Her frail body trembled as she lay there, groaning weakly in pain.

When the surrounding people noticed her, they merely pointed at her.

Some even went as far as nudging her body with the tips of their shoes.

The old woman struggled to breathe and slowly raised one trembling hand, seemingly trying to stop the person who was pushing her with his foot.

However, no one paid attention to her.

When Alana saw the scene, her brows furrowed.

For some reason, she could not shake the feeling that the woman was genuinely suffering.

’This doesn’t look like a scam.’

Without thinking any further, Alana walked toward her.

She crouched beside the elderly woman and immediately released her healing light.

A gentle radiance flowed from Alana’s palm and entered the woman’s body.

The elderly woman had felt as though her life was slowly slipping away. Every breath had become painfully difficult, and her limbs felt unbearably heavy.

Then, in the next instant, a warm energy completely enveloped her.

The sensation was gentle and soothing, spreading through her body like warm sunlight after a long, freezing night.

The lethargy weighing down her body gradually disappeared.

Her breathing became steadier, and the faint pain in her chest began to recede.

When she finally opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was Alana’s face.

The young woman was sitting beside her, completely focused on maintaining the flow of healing energy.

The elderly woman stared at her for a moment before reaching out and grabbing Alana’s hand.

Alana froze slightly but did not pull away.

Instead, she continued concentrating on supplying the healing energy.

The elderly woman held her hand tightly, her fingers trembling with gratitude.

Eventually, after she began feeling better, she spoke in a weak and trembling voice.

"My medicine is in my pouch. Can you please give it to me, little girl?"

Alana hesitated for a moment before reaching for the pouch.

She took out the medicine and carefully handed it to the elderly woman.

The surrounding people remained silent.

Although there had been no obvious sign that this was some kind of scam, they still felt that helping a stranger was too risky, especially when they knew nothing about her origin.

The people of this town were extremely suspicious of outsiders, and there was a reason for that.

Long ago, a seemingly kind woman had arrived in the town and offered to govern it. At first, she helped everyone, opened various businesses, and created countless opportunities for the residents.

However, her kindness had eventually revealed another purpose.

She wanted complete control over the town.

For the next hundred years, she gradually enslaved the people and tightened her grip over every aspect of their lives.

Eventually, the residents revolted.

Those who possessed enough courage fought back and finally managed to drive the woman away.

Afterward, the people who had shown the greatest courage left became the industry leader of the town.

They established businesses, opened tourist attractions, and developed various visiting spots that eventually caused the entire town to flourish.

However, a hierarchy was created in the process.

Those who had shown courage during the rebellion became nobles.

Their descendants inherited their status, and the distinction between nobles and ordinary residents became deeply rooted in society.

No one was allowed to cross that invisible boundary.

As a result, anyone who appeared in the town from elsewhere was automatically viewed with suspicion.

This was one of the reasons Alana was having such a difficult time finding a place to rent.

It was also the reason no one had been willing to help the elderly woman.

They were afraid that she might come from some unknown faction or have a hidden purpose.

Once the elderly woman finished taking her medicine, she slowly sat upright.

Her breathing was much steadier now, and some color had returned to her pale face.

She looked at Alana with warmth in her eyes. Then she raised her hand and gently rubbed Alana’s head.

"Thank you, little girl. Whatever you did for me just now, I will never forget it."

Alana waved her hand dismissively.

"It’s not a big deal. You were in trouble, so I simply helped you."

The elderly woman smiled warmly.

However, the gratitude in her eyes remained unmistakable.

With that, Alana stood up and was about to leave when the older woman suddenly called out to her.

"There is one more thing. Can you help me with it?"

Alana paused instinctively and turned around. "All right. Tell me what you need."

The older woman smiled apologetically.

"I need to hail a public hovercar, but because of my condition, I cannot move around very easily. Could you please drop me at one of the hovercar stands?"

Alana thought about it for a moment before agreeing. "All right. I will take you there."

In the end, once she had helped the older woman reach the hovercar stand, Alana left without lingering any longer. She had already spent enough time dealing with unexpected problems for one day, and she still had to find a suitable storefront.

For the next few days, Alana continued searching.

She visited one place after another, negotiated with different landlords, and endured one unreasonable condition after another. Every rejection slowly drained her patience until she finally found herself sitting alone on a bench in a quiet park, staring at the futuristic buildings around her.

’Should I just give up on this town and look somewhere else?’

As she was thinking about it, a man sitting nearby suddenly tapped on his specialized bracelet and began speaking to someone through it.

"I am a broker. If you need help renting a property, I can help you find a suitable place. I have connections throughout the town, including several properties in prime locations."

Alana’s eyes moved toward him. ’What a coincidence.’

She hesitated briefly before deciding to strike up a conversation.

"Excuse me, did I hear you say that you are a broker?"

The man looked toward her and smiled. "Yes. Are you looking for a place to rent?"

Alana nodded. "Actually, I have been searching for a shopfront for several days, but I have not had much luck."

Their conversation went surprisingly smoothly.

The man asked about her requirements, her budget, and the kind of location she wanted.

Alana explained everything, and within a short period of time, the broker managed to find her a suitable shopfront in one of the prime districts of the town.

When Alana heard the location, she could hardly believe it. "Really? I can rent a storefront there?"

"Of course. I can arrange it for you."

Alana was thrilled.

After completing all the necessary procedures, she repeatedly thanked the broker before finally returning to the shopfront.

What she did not know was that the broker belonged to the older woman she had helped.

The older woman was one of the few original nobles of the town.

Her family name was Gemma Lesi, and the Lesi family was famous throughout Evergreen Town. Their influence ran deep, and their connections extended into almost every major industry.

With the older woman’s help, Alana was finally able to secure a storefront in a location she could never have obtained on her own.