"But wait—since things are like this, why don't I start a business? At first I wanted a shop for a simple home but starting one actually sounds interesting," Melina said to herself, her eyes lighting up with sudden inspiration.
As she got up and paced around the room, her gaze grew sharper, trying to remember all the details from the morning. "From what I've seen so far, people's skin is cracked. That must mean there's a lack of cream or moisturizer for common folks," she muttered thoughtfully.
She wrinkled her nose. "And their breath? Ugh, no toothbrushes or toothpaste, clearly. And that smell… Does nobody use soap around here? They can't seriously be bathing with flowers alone, right?"
A chuckle escaped her lips as she shook her head. "Haha, Grandpa's castle had the same problem. Even before my memories returned, I found ways to fix everything I couldn't stand."
Melina folded her arms and stared out the window, a glint of mischief in her eyes. "Maybe setting up a shop here wouldn't be so bad," she mused, a sly smile forming on her lips.
Her thoughts shifted to the bustling streets she'd walked through earlier, filled with people of different races. "There are so many diverse people here, but it's obvious they don't like each other. The glares they were throwing around could kill. How complicated." She sighed, her voice tinged with disappointment.
"Is the whole world this backward, or is it just the mortal realm?" she wondered aloud, her gaze drifting.
Her lips curled into an almost villainous grin as she began to chuckle. "Looks like I'll never run out of money with the business ideas I have in mind."
A fleeting memory crossed her mind, and her grin grew even wider. 'Too many to count, actually... all thanks to those I swindled back in my past life.'
"Well, no worries!" she beamed. "I'll put all that stolen wealth to good use in this life!"
Melina plopped onto the couch and pulled out a book. She tapped her chin thoughtfully, then began scribbling on it. "Hmm, so for my business, let's make a list of essentials."
As she wrote, she muttered aloud, her excitement bubbling over. "Toothbrushes, toothpaste, water bottles… Bowls exist already, but it won't hurt to sell better ones. Hairbrushes, hair wash, perfume... Oh, and toilets! Definitely need those—this city is in desperate need of sanitation. Dustbins too—seriously, the trash everywhere is appalling!"
She paused, picturing the streets she had walked through earlier. "Hats for the hot weather—holding umbrellas must be a pain for a lot of people. And sandals! Some new designs wouldn't hurt."
Her pen flew across the page, her list growing longer with each passing moment. By the time she finished, she held the book up proudly. "This is going to be perfect," she declared.
"Hmm, maybe I should explore the city a bit more before coming up with new products," Melina mused aloud, tapping her chin.
She paused, then shook her head with a grimace. "Nah, too filthy. They should clean the place up first." Just the thought of wandering through the dirt-ridden streets made her shudder.
"Now, back to ideas," she said, straightening up. Her eyes wandered to the items she had placed around the courtyard. "Sweeping brushes and dust collectors are a must. Scrubbing brushes too. Oh, and mops for all the grimy floors. A weed cutter might come in handy, and pots—proper ones, not the flimsy things I've seen around here."
Her gaze landed on a set of wooden chairs she had pulled from the house and set up outside. She frowned. "And for the love of everything, proper chairs. These ones are awful! So uncomfortable to sit on—no cushions, no support. It's like they were made to torture people."
As she paced, a spark of inspiration lit up her face. "Since I have Qi, which is basically like magic, why not go all out? I could make a fridge... and a cooker!" She nodded to herself, smiling proudly at the thought.
Her grin widened as more ideas poured in. "And a washer! Oh, I know people here must hate scrubbing clothes by hand. It's such a chore." Her expression softened as she chuckled, a trace of nostalgia in her tone. "Portable toilets too. Grandpa's castle always needed a ton of them back in my 20s. I still remember my hardworking days managing all those things..." She sighed wistfully before snapping back to the present.
"Alright," Melina declared, her grin now brimming with excitement. "Time to get started!"