Dominica had rented a small yard.
It wasn't spacious, covering roughly sixty to seventy square meters.
The yard was encircled by a makeshift fence of iron sheets. At its center stood a modest wooden house with two small rooms.
A semi-outdoor toilet sat at the edge of the yard, connected to a rudimentary gutter. There was no proper sewer system here.
The wooden house itself took up only about ten square meters, leaving the rest as an open courtyard.
A simple shed had been erected by the previous occupants, serving as a combined kitchen, dining, and living area. The only notable feature in the yard was a mango tree, though its branches were barren—every mango had already been picked.
Once the landlord finished the handover, he left, leaving the yard to its new occupants: Kaizen, Wendy, and Dominica.
"Kaizen, Wendy, can you adjust to this place?" Dominica asked, glancing between the two.
"Yes," Kaizen replied calmly.
Having grown up enduring Zoldyck training, Kaizen had been conditioned to survive extreme conditions, ranging from poisons to harsh environments. This yard was nothing compared to the places he had endured in his childhood—or to the desolation of Meteor City.
Wendy, however, seemed less certain. Kaizen noticed her hesitance, but after a brief pause, she nodded resolutely.
"I can manage."
Dominica gave a small nod of approval. "As a Nen user, learning to adapt to uncomfortable situations is crucial. Better to build that resilience now than to falter when it truly matters."
She surveyed the yard. "All right. From today, this will be our home. First, let's tackle the toilet. I'll head out to buy some supplies. You two stay here and start tidying up. If you see anything that needs fixing, handle it."
With that, Dominica left.
Kaizen inspected the wooden house. There were only two rooms, so it was quickly decided that Wendy would have one to herself while Dominica and Kaizen shared the other.
When he opened the door, the interior was bare—no furniture, no mattress, not even a chair or table.
"Wendy, which room do you want?"
"I'll take the smaller one," Wendy replied without hesitation.
Kaizen nodded and turned his attention to the courtyard. He broke off some dry branches from the mango tree and fashioned them into a crude broom, handing it to Wendy. Together, they began cleaning the house.
Surprisingly, the previous tenants had taken everything—including potential pests. There were fewer insects and rodents than one might expect in such a setting, which was a small blessing.
Once the house was cleaned, they turned to the courtyard, gathering garbage into piles and clearing debris. Bit by bit, the yard began to look livable.
About an hour later, Dominica returned, followed by several workers carrying large bundles.
"Set them here," Dominica instructed.
The workers deposited the packages, their faces glistening with sweat. After Dominica paid them, they left with satisfied smiles, despite receiving what amounted to a meager wage.
Kaizen watched them go, his thoughts drifting.
"The strength of ordinary people often feels undervalued," he mused silently. "But the real problem isn't effort—it's environment. In a better setting, their hard work would mean something. But here, even the most diligent labor can seem futile. Sometimes, the right choice matters more than effort alone."
Dominica's voice broke his reverie.
"I bought what we'll need, but I had to keep things low-profile, so it's not much. Let's get started."
She sorted through the supplies: building materials, basic tools, and a few items for sleeping—three blankets and three pillows, one per person.
Kaizen and Wendy helped organize the materials. They set up a makeshift kitchen: a small mound for a fire pit, with a pot stand above and a rope for hanging towels. There was no sink, no running water, and no bathroom—just the essentials.
As night fell, the trio finished their work. The yard finally looked inhabited. Dominica brought out a modest meal and some water.
"This will have to do for tonight," she said. "Tomorrow, I'll get the ingredients and tools for making pancakes. We'll also need to fetch water. There's no direct plumbing here—just a public water station. I'll buy a few buckets for that."
She turned to Kaizen and Wendy. "Kaizen, you'll help me sell pancakes. Wendy, you'll assist with making them."
Both nodded without objection.
As the night deepened, Wendy retired to her room, closing the door behind her. Kaizen settled in the corner of the main room, leaning against the wall. He wrapped himself in a blanket and closed his eyes, entering a meditative state.
Dominica did the same.
Despite the worn-down conditions, Kaizen remained alert, ready for anything.
At midnight, a faint sound broke the silence.
Kaizen's eyes snapped open. Through a gap in the wooden planks, he spotted figures slipping into the courtyard.
Dominica also stirred, meeting Kaizen's gaze. She raised a finger to her lips, signaling him to stay quiet.
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