Free Web NovelChapter 73: Chapter 73 That’s expensive!
Not long after, Ivy finally arrived back at the shelter.
The armored vehicle rolled to a stop, and she quickly stepped out, carefully carrying the dog along with her.
"Bark! Bark!"
Golden barked excitedly the moment her paws touched the ground, her tail wagging as she looked up at Ivy.
Ivy let out a soft sigh, watching her closely.
"She must be starving..." she murmured, concern evident in her voice.
Slowly, she knelt down to the dog’s level, her fingers gently stroking through Golden’s soft fur.
"System, is there any dog food available?" she asked, raising a brow slightly.
Ding!
{The Host has not stored any dog food. However, various pet foods are available for purchase within the system.}
There was a brief pause before the system continued.
Ding!
{Current balance: 156 points.}
{Cost per unit of dog food: 100 points.}
Ivy blinked.
"...Wait. What?" frёeweɓηovel.coɱ
Her brows shot up in disbelief as she stared ahead.
"That expensive? For just one can of dog food?" she asked, her tone filled with mild outrage.
She let out a scoff, shaking her head.
Ding!
{The pricing is fair, Host. I did not set it at 150 or 200 points.}
Ivy folded her arms, clearly unimpressed.
"Oh, how generous of you," she replied dryly, rolling her eyes slightly.
Still...
Her gaze dropped to Golden, who was looking up at her with hopeful, trusting eyes.
Ivy sighed.
"Fine. Just bring it out," she said, waving a hand dismissively.
Then she added, half muttering to herself,
"I’ll cook some meat for her later. This can’t be a long-term solution. And when I go raiding the supermarket again, I’ll make sure to grab proper dog food in bulk."
Her tone turned thoughtful.
"I can’t keep spending 100 points on a single can every time..."
Ding!
{Purchase confirmed.}
Immediately, a medium-sized blue can materialized in Ivy’s hand. The label was simple, with the words DOG FOOD boldly printed across it.
Ivy turned the can over in her hand, inspecting it briefly.
"...At least it looks decent," she muttered.
She then looked back at the system interface.
"Can I get a plate for her too?" she asked, clearly eager to feed Golden as soon as possible.
Ding!
{All stored items are intended for human use. No pet-specific items currently available in storage.}
Ding!
{However, pet feeding plates are available for purchase in the system shop}
Ding!
{Cost: 50 points per plate. Includes dual compartments for food and water.}
Ivy froze for a second.
Then slowly...
She raised both hands in surrender.
"Yeah, no. I’ll pass."
Her tone was immediate and firm.
"I’m not spending another 50 points on a plate right now," she added, shaking her head.
"I’ll just use something from inside. A normal plate works just fine."
She glanced down at Golden again, her expression softening.
"Once I earn more points, I’ll consider getting you something fancy," she said lightly. "Or better yet, I’ll just pick one up when I raid the supermarket again."
She exhaled quietly.
"I already spent 100 points on your food. I need to be a little more careful with what’s left."
With that, Ivy stood up and made her way into the shelter, Golden following closely beside her.
---
The moment she stepped inside—
"Mommy!"
Aria and Lila’s voices rang out at the same time.
The two girls immediately dropped what they were doing—abandoning their breakfast—and ran toward her as fast as their little legs could carry them.
They crashed into her, wrapping their tiny arms tightly around her waist.
Ivy laughed softly, slightly taken aback by the sudden impact.
"My sweet angels... you’re awake already?" she said warmly.
Carefully, she crouched down to their level, her hands gently ruffling their hair.
Her gaze instinctively shifted toward the corner of the room where Little Hope lay in her cot.
The baby was still fast asleep, her chest rising and falling peacefully.
"She didn’t wake up while I was gone?" Ivy asked, lowering her voice slightly.
Aria shook her head with a small smile.
"No, Mommy. She’s a very good sleeper," she replied proudly.
Then she added with a light giggle,
"She almost woke up earlier when Lila and I turned on the television really loud... but we quickly reduced the volume." ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom
Lila nodded eagerly.
"And we patted her gently so she could sleep again!"
Aria immediately frowned, turning to her sister.
"Hey! That’s not true," she protested, placing her hands on her hips. "I was the one patting her. You were busy watching the television!"
Lila gasped, clearly offended.
"I helped too!" she shot back, puffing out her cheeks. "You’re the one who wasn’t paying attention at first!"
Aria crossed her arms with a pout.
"But I came back and helped before she fell asleep again!"
The two girls stared at each other, each determined to win the argument.
Ivy couldn’t help but laugh softly at the sight.
