Morning arrived way too early, as it always did when Renn spent half the night staring at the ceiling and questioning his life choices. The sun filtered through the cheap curtains, beaming directly onto his face as if the universe were personally committed to ruining his day.
"Five more minutes," he mumbled, turning to bury his face in the pillow.
Mr. Whiskers, who had spent the night sleeping on his stomach, clearly disagreed with that plan. The cat jumped right onto his face with the grace of a falling brick.
"MFFF!" Renn sat up abruptly, spitting out cat hair. "Seriously? Is this how we're starting the day?"
Mr. Whiskers gave him an unapologetic look, then hopped to the floor and walked toward his empty food bowl with clear intent.
"Okay, okay. I get it." Renn got up, feeling every muscle protest. Sleeping on a bed that was basically a plank with a sheet wasn't exactly therapeutic. "Room service is open."
He dragged himself to the small kitchen and opened the cabinet where he kept the cat food. Only one can left.
"Great. Add 'buy cat food' to the list of things I can't afford."
He cracked the can open and poured the contents into Mr. Whiskers' bowl, who immediately started eating like he had been fasting for weeks instead of just twelve hours.
"At least one of us has breakfast sorted," Renn mumbled, opening his mini-fridge to find exactly what he expected: a half-empty carton of milk, three eggs, and something that might have once been lettuce but now looked like a failed science experiment.
"Scrambled eggs again. How exciting."
As he cooked his sad eggs on the electric stove that only worked if you smacked it on the right side, his mind wandered back to yesterday. The disastrous presentation. The laughter. Professor Aldric's look of disappointment.
"A raccoon," he said aloud, shaking his head. "I still can't believe I lost to a raccoon."
[FLASHBACK - Six Months Ago]
Renn stood at the edge of his swamp territory, eyeing the twisted trees and greenish water with a determination he definitely didn't feel.
"Alright," he told himself. "This is simple. Go in, find basic resources, bring them back. Piece of cake. I don't even need troops for this."
His bracelet glowed softly on his wrist, the holographic screen displaying his depressing reality.
[Troop Tower: LOCKED][Available Resources: 0][Territory Morale: Nonexistent]
"The system has a terrible sense of humor," he muttered before stepping into the swamp.
The first twenty minutes were surprisingly peaceful. He found some mushrooms that looked edible, collected water in a bottle he'd brought, and even located a tree with strange fruit his bracelet identified as "Swamp Berries - Common but Nutritious."
"This is going well," he told himself, filling his backpack. "Maybe everyone was wrong. Maybe I can do this alone."
That was the exact moment the universe decided to remind him why optimism is dangerous.
The Beast Raccoon appeared out of nowhere; a creature the size of a large dog with faintly glowing claws and eyes that said you picked the wrong neighborhood, pal.
[Beast Raccoon - Common Level][Power: 100 pts][Behavior: Territorial]
"Hey, buddy," Renn said, backing away slowly. "Nice raccoon. Good boy. I don't want any trouble."
The animal growled.
"Okay, that sounded like 'I want a lot of trouble.'"
What followed could only be described as a humiliation in three acts.
Act One: Renn tried to run. The raccoon was faster.
Act Two: Renn tried to climb a tree. The raccoon climbed better.
Act Three: Renn tried to fight using a stick. The raccoon turned that stick into toothpicks in about three seconds.
He ended up in the mud, covered in minor scratches, while the raccoon sat on his chest with an expression that clearly said Seriously? Is this it?
"I give up," Renn told the sky. "I officially give up."
The raccoon chirped—it almost sounded like laughter—before hopping off his chest and disappearing into the swamp, taking all the food from his backpack as a trophy.
[END OF FLASHBACK]
Renn shuddered at the memory as he plated his eggs. That was the moment he decided that maybe the Endless World wasn't for him. That maybe he should focus on something he was actually good at.
"Like rescuing stray cats," he muttered, looking at Mr. Whiskers. "Way less traumatic."
After breakfast, Renn showered in his tiny bathroom where the water randomly alternated between freezing and boiling with no middle ground, dressed in jeans and a worn t-shirt that said "Renn's Rescues" with a paw print logo, and officially opened the shop.
"Another day in paradise," he announced to the empty store.
The place was small but he had organized it with love. The cages were spotless, the windows—though in need of cleaning—let in good light, and he had plastered the walls with photos of all the pets he had rescued and adopted out over the last two years.
Thirty-seven dogs, forty-two cats, fifteen rabbits, eight hamsters, three turtles, and a parrot named Captain Swearwords who had learned exclusively insults from his previous owner.
"Good times," Renn said, looking at the photos with a nostalgic smile.
Mr. Whiskers hopped onto the counter, looking at the photos with what Renn chose to interpret as professional pride.
"You're the last one, buddy," he told the cat. "After I find someone who wants a fat cat with attitude problems, I'm officially out of the business."
The cat looked at him in a way that suggested he had thoughts on that statement, but none of them were particularly supportive.
Renn spent the next hour cleaning, rearranging supplies that were already organized, and basically doing everything possible to not think about the fact that his life was a disaster.
The bell above the door rang around ten in the morning.
"Good morning, welcome to Renn's Re—" he started, turning with his best customer service smile.
Lily was standing in the doorway, holding two cups of coffee and a paper bag that smelled promisingly of donuts.
"—Renn," he finished his greeting, his smile fading into confusion. "Lily? What are you doing here?"
"You didn't come to school today," she said, closing the door behind her. "I thought maybe you'd be here feeling depressed."
"I'm not depressed," Renn lied automatically.
Lily raised an eyebrow, looking around the empty shop with its empty cages and its single cat.
"Renn, you're cleaning cages that are completely empty."
Renn looked at the cage in his hand. She was right.
"Okay, maybe I'm a little depressed."
"I knew it." Lily put the coffee and donuts on the counter. "That's why I brought bribes. Coffee from that expensive place you like and chocolate donuts."
Renn felt something warm expand in his chest, and it wasn't just the anticipated caffeine.
"Lily, you didn't have to do this."
"I know. But I wanted to." She sat on the stool behind the counter, pointing to the other one. "Sit. We're going to have a serious conversation."
"Oh no," Renn sat down slowly. "Those never end well for me."
"That's because they usually involve facing your problems instead of hiding from them," Lily pointed out, sliding a coffee toward him.
"Hiding? I'm not hiding. I'm... strategically rearranging my priorities."
"You're cleaning empty cages in an empty shop instead of going to school."
"Touché."
He took a sip of the coffee. It was perfect—just how he liked it, with too much cream and three packets of sugar because Renn had the palate of an eight-year-old and wasn't ashamed to admit it.
"So," Lily started, petting Mr. Whiskers who had decided she was worthy of attention, "want to talk about yesterday?"
"Not really."
"Are you going to do it anyway?"
"Probably not."
Lily sighed.
"Renn, you can't just give up."
"Why not?" He leaned back on the stool, staring at the water-stained ceiling. "I'm terrible at this. Two years and I've achieved absolutely nothing. I can't even unlock my troop tower."
"That doesn't mean you should give up. It means you need to find a different way."
"Like what? I've tried everything!" Renn straightened up, gesturing dangerously with his coffee. "I've meditated in front of the tower. I've tried weird rituals I found on the internet. Once I even tried bribing it with a pizza."
Lily blinked.
"You tried to bribe an interdimensional magical structure with pizza?"
"It was a really good pizza," Renn defended himself. "Extra pepperoni."
"Renn."
"I was desperate!"
[FLASHBACK - One Year and a Half Ago]
Renn stood in front of the troop tower in his territory—a three-story black stone structure with runes faintly glowing on its surface. He had spent a week trying to unlock it.
A week of absolute frustration.
His bracelet showed the same mocking information:
[Troop Tower: LOCKED][Unlock Requirement: ???]
"What do the question marks mean?" he had yelled at the air. "Give me a hint! Anything!"
The system hadn't answered, because apparently even interdimensional magic thought Renn was a joke.
"Okay, think," he had told himself. "Everyone unlocks this in the first week. What am I doing wrong?"
He had tried touching the runes—nothing.
He had tried speaking to the tower—nothing.
He had tried shouting threats at the tower—definitely nothing, and it probably made him look crazy.
"There has to be something," he had muttered, walking around the structure for the tenth time that day. "Some hidden requirement. Some condition I'm not meeting."
He had spent three more days trying everything he could think of.
Meditation (fell asleep).
Physical exercise (almost died).
Trying different dramatic poses (don't ask).
Nothing worked.
By the end of the week, Renn had sat in the mud in front of the tower, looking at it with a mix of frustration and resignation.
"Okay, tower," he had said. "I get it. Clearly, I'm not worthy. Clearly, I committed some sin in a past life and this is my karmic punishment. I accept my fate as the most pathetic Lord in history."
The tower hadn't responded, but Renn could swear the runes glowed a little brighter, almost as if they were mocking him.
[END OF FLASHBACK]
"That was the day I decided the universe personally hated me," Renn said, grabbing a donut.
Lily shook her head, but she was smiling despite herself.
"You're incredible. In the worst way possible, but still incredible."
"Thanks. I really know how to take a compliment."
"So what are you going to do?" Lily asked, her expression turning more serious. "Are you really going to quit?"
Renn looked around his shop, at the empty cages that once housed dozens of rescued animals. This place had been his refuge for the last two years. His escape from the pressure of being a Lord. A place where he was actually good at something.
"I don't know," he admitted. "Part of me wants to just close everything and pretend the Endless World doesn't exist. But another part..."
"Another part what?"
"Feels like giving up. And I hate giving up, even when I probably should."
Mr. Whiskers meowed from Lily's lap, staring at Renn with those intense orange eyes.
"See," said Lily, pointing to the cat. "Even Mr. Whiskers thinks you should try again."
"Mr. Whiskers thinks I should feed him twenty-four seven. He's not exactly a reliable counselor."
"Still." Lily leaned forward, her expression serious. "Renn, I've known you since freshman year. You're the guy who rescues stray animals in the rain. The guy who spends his weekends cleaning cages and finding homes for abandoned pets. You're not a loser."
"Lily—"
"You're a temporary loser," she corrected with a smile. "There's a difference."
"That difference is very subtle."
"My point is that you don't give up on things that matter to you. And I know being a Lord matters to you, even if you pretend it doesn't."
Renn went silent, swirling his coffee in his hands. She was right, of course. Lily was usually right, which was annoying but also one of the reasons he valued her friendship.
"I was thinking," he said finally, "maybe try one more time. Go to the Endless World, find some way to make that stupid tower work, and..." he paused. "And probably fail again, but at least I'll know I tried."
"That's the spirit!" Lily beamed. "Well, technically it's a terrible and pessimistic spirit, but it's a start."
"Thanks for the pep talk. You really inspired me."
"You're welcome." She stood up, ruffling his hair playfully. "Now, show me this famous Mr. Whiskers. Why hasn't anyone adopted him yet?"
"Honestly?" Renn looked at the fat cat who was now lying dramatically on the counter. "I think people find him intimidating."
"Intimidating? He's a fat orange cat."
"He's a fat orange cat with a presence," Renn corrected. "Observe."
A potential customer had come in three days ago—an older lady looking for a calm cat for her apartment. Mr. Whiskers had taken one look at her, walked over to where she was, sat directly in front of her, and made unblinking eye contact for thirty full seconds.
The lady had left without saying a word.
"See," Renn said. "Intimidating."
Lily laughed, picking up the cat to look him in the eyes.
"You're not intimidating. You're adorable."
Mr. Whiskers looked at her with an expression that clearly said contrary to the evidence presented.
"Okay, maybe a little intimidating," Lily admitted.
They spent the next hour organizing the shop together, with Lily helping clean while Renn told her stories about the different pets he had rescued. Like the three-legged dog he found in an alley who ended up being adopted by a retired vet. Or the rabbit that had one eye but made up for it by being the friendliest rabbit he had ever met.
"You're really good at this," Lily observed while drying a cage. "With animals, I mean. You have a gift."
"It's easier than dealing with people," Renn admitted. "Animals don't judge you for losing against raccoons."
"Fair point."
The bell above the door rang again, and this time a real customer entered—a young guy in his twenties with glasses and a band t-shirt.
"Hi," Renn said, activating his customer service mode. "Welcome to Renn's Rescues. Can I help you with anything?"
"Yeah, uh..." The guy looked around nervously. "I heard you have a cat available?"
Renn felt his heart race. A real chance to adopt out Mr. Whiskers?
"Yes, definitely. This is Mr. Whiskers." He pointed to the cat, who was lying on the counter like a small orange emperor.
The guy approached cautiously, extending his hand to pet the cat.
Mr. Whiskers opened one eye, looked at the approaching hand, and then—without warning—smacked the hand with his paw.
Not with claws. Just a soft but firm tap that clearly said no.
"Oh," the guy said, pulling his hand back. "He has... a strong character."
"He's very selective about his affections," Renn offered, shooting a look of betrayal at the cat. "But once he accepts you, he's extremely loyal."
"I see." The guy seemed to hesitate. "How long has he been available?"
"About three months," Renn admitted.
"And no one has adopted him in three months?"
"He's... selective," Renn repeated weakly.
The guy looked at Mr. Whiskers, who was now staring at him with the intensity of a thousand suns.
"I think I'm going to keep looking," he said finally. "But thanks."
He left quickly, and Renn turned to the cat with exasperation.
"Seriously? That could have been your new home!"
Mr. Whiskers yawned, clearly unapologetic.
"It's like you don't want to be adopted," Renn muttered.
"Maybe he doesn't want to be," Lily suggested. "Maybe he wants to stay with you."
"He can't stay with me. I'm closing the shop."
"And then what? You're going to leave him at a shelter?"
Renn looked at the fat, judgmental cat who had been his only constant companion for the last three months.
"No," he admitted. "I guess he's coming with me."
"Where?"
"To the Endless World. If I'm going to try one last time, I guess I need a witness to my inevitable failure."
Lily smiled.
"That's the defeatist attitude I love."
They spent the rest of the day organizing the final details of the shop. Renn had officially decided that after this last attempt in the Endless World—successful or not—he would close Renn's Rescues permanently. It was time to focus completely on solving his problem as a Lord, or admit defeat and look for a completely different career.
"Like accounting," he said aloud while sweeping the floor.
"What?" Lily asked from where she was organizing supplies.
"Nothing. Just considering alternative career options."
"You'd be a terrible accountant."
"Probably. But at least the numbers wouldn't physically hit me."
When Lily finally left around five in the afternoon, Renn stayed alone with Mr. Whiskers and a shop that felt emptier than ever.
"Well, buddy," he told the cat, who was lying in his favorite spot on the counter. "Tomorrow is the big day. We go to the Endless World, try to unlock that stupid tower one last time, and probably fail spectacularly. Are you ready?"
Mr. Whiskers purred, which Renn chose to interpret as moral support.
"Great. Glad at least one of us has confidence."
He closed the shop early, went up to his apartment with the cat following him, and spent the night mentally preparing for what was to come. He checked his bracelet, verifying his territory on the holographic interface.
[Territory: Rotting Woods Swamp][Size: 10 square kilometers][Resources: None][Troops: None][Troop Tower: LOCKED][Status: Abandoned]
"Home sweet home," he muttered sarcastically.
He lay in bed with Mr. Whiskers curled up next to him, staring at the ceiling once more. Tomorrow would be different. It had to be. Because Renn didn't know how many more failures he could take before his pride—and his sanity—broke completely.