The Only Place for Rest

Leo climbed into his comfortable new bed in his quiet suburban house, expecting sleep to come easily. But it didn't. The silence of the house wasn't the living, peaceful silence of the Sanctum; it was a dead, empty quiet. The air felt stale and heavy compared to the clean, crisp air of the other world. He tossed and turned, his mind buzzing, refusing to shut down. The clarity the apple had given him was a double-edged sword; his thoughts were sharp, but they were also relentless.

After an hour of frustrated restlessness, he sat up. He realized with a strange sense of certainty that he couldn't get a proper night's sleep here anymore. Not after he'd experienced what true rest felt like. His body, now accustomed to the "premium" version of reality, was rejecting the "standard" one.

With a sigh of resignation, he got out of bed, pulled on a comfortable sweatshirt and sweatpants, and walked to the garage bathroom. He pictured a quiet, secluded spot in the Sanctum, far from the garden and the orchard—a place just for rest.

He opened the door and stepped through. He found himself in a small, hidden meadow he'd never seen before, carpeted with thick, velvety moss that felt like a memory foam mattress. The air was cool and smelled of night-blooming jasmine.

As he lay down, using a bundled-up sweatshirt as a pillow, he felt his body instantly relax. The tension melted out of his muscles, and the buzzing in his head quieted to a gentle hum. It felt like coming home.

A few of the fairies, including his first golden companion and the mischievous twilight one, seemed to sense his presence. They zipped over and settled in the air around him, their soft, pulsing glows a living, magical nightlight. One landed gently on his chest, a tiny, warm weight.

Gazing up at the dazzling rivers of stars, with his fairy friends standing silent guard, Leo fell into a deep, dreamless, and utterly restorative sleep within minutes.

He woke with the Sanctum's dawn feeling completely rejuvenated, as if he had absorbed the peace of the forest itself. The contrast was undeniable. The Sanctum was his factory, his farm, and his office, but it was now also his sanctuary—the only place he could truly recharge.

His agenda for the day was clear and ambitious.

First, the Earth-side business. He went back, packed the new apple shipment, and drove it to the warehouse. He handed the crate over to Maria, giving her strict instructions on handling and storage. Watching her log "Clarity Apple, 80$/unit" into their inventory system with a completely straight face gave him a jolt of professional satisfaction.

Next on the list was physical self-improvement. He hit the gym, pushing himself harder than before. He was getting stronger, his physique finally starting to reflect the vitality he felt inside. But he knew it wasn't enough. Physical strength was a good foundation, but it wouldn't stop a magic spell or a teleporting swordsman.

That led to the third, most crucial part of his plan: the Plaza of Wonders. After his workout, he loaded up his "Nadle" cart and stepped through his master bathroom portal. He had two goals today. The first was to acquire more silver coins and liberate more fairies. The second, and more important, was to find a way to learn magic. He wasn't looking for flashy fireballs; he was looking for practical self-defense. A shield spell. A way to become invisible. Something to even the odds if his inter-dimensional business dealings went sour.

He would scan every stall, talk to every robed figure, and follow every lead. He would trade Nadles, Clarity Water, or even his precious produce if it meant finding a grimoire, a magical tutor, or even just a simple scroll with a single, usable protection spell.

He was the CEO, the farmer, and the explorer. Now, it was time to become the student. His survival might depend on it.