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“DON’T you want to go to the quest counter?” I ask when Kazuya heads away from the bar as soon as we exit the Guild building.
“Nah, I’m wiped out. My facial muscles are twitching from smiling so much, and I’m starving. We should go find an inn.”
I knew he was struggling to keep up that forced smile. But it’s definitely why the receptionist gave us the leather pouch, so I’m grateful.
Thanks for going above and beyond, Kazuya!
Maybe it was a little funny, but what kind of big sister would I be if I laughed at Kazuya’s hard work? I should thank him properly.
“Thank you, Kazuya. Plus, your smile was so, um… Yeah, I was like, ‘Wow!’ Um, how should I put it…? Excellent job! Yeah.” I trip over my words. Then again, I can’t put my finger on what it is I’m praising. Uh…
Next time I’ll collect my thoughts before I start rambling. Embarrassed by my own confused sputtering, I look at the ground.
But Kazuya chuckles. “Well done. What a compliment.”
When I look up he’s grinning, which makes me smile, too. It’s much better than that shady smile of his!
“Oh, but before we find an inn, we really stand out in what we’re wearing, so let’s check out a clothing store to get a sense of prices. And I’d like to get us a bag.”
“Yeah, good call. Oh! That sign looks like it’s for a clothing store.”
The signboard of the store in front of us is advertising clothes. We head to the entrance where “Armor & Apparel” is written on the front door. We’re hit with the scent of iron as soon as we enter. Armor plates line the walls. So this place sells clothes…and armor?
“Welcome! Are you looking for something in particular?” A middle-aged man approaches us from behind the counter. He must be the store owner.
Kazuya’s fake smile makes another appearance. “Just some everyday clothes. Do you have that kind of thing?”
“You want everyday clothes?”
“Yes. We’re from a distant village and, as you can see, we stick out like a sore thumb. So we’d like clothes that will help us fit in.”
“Uh-huh. Right you are.” The shopkeeper hums and hahs as he stares at our clothes. Then his head snaps up. “In terms of everyday wear, do you need them to have defense power?”
Defense power…?
“That’d be nice, but we’re a bit low on gaul because we were attacked by monsters,” Kazuya says.
“Oh, that must’ve been a pain. Okay, in that case, I’m not sure I can offer you anything with defensive power. By the way, what’s your budget?”
“We’ve got about 15,000 gaul, but that needs to stretch to cover the cost of a few days’ lodging,” Kazuya explains.
The owner crinkles his nose. “Hmm, that’s cutting it close. Even clothes with minimum defensive power will set you back at least 10,000 gaul. And the going rate for accommodation around here is about 3,000-5,000 gaul a night. There are cheaper places, if you don’t mind being packed in like sardines, but that’s off the cards as long as you’ve got a young lady in tow.” He glances at me.
Does he think we can’t stay in a cheap, tightly packed hostel because of me? I don’t mind staying somewhere like that! “Kazuya, I’m fine w—”
Kazuya clamps a hand over my mouth. Blind to my bewilderment, he continues negotiating without missing a beat. “How much for clothes with no defensive power, then?”
“For you, say, 500 gaul.”
500 gaul?! What a price drop! Even Kazuya’s eyes widen a little.
“Gahaha! No, you see, I don’t sell regular clothes without power, so I’d be giving you my second-hand clothes, and my wife’s clothes for the young lady. If you don’t mind that, 500 gaul’ll be fine!”
Kazuya glances at me to check if I’m okay with second-hand clothes.
That’ll be fine for me! Of course, I don’t mind. I give a big nod.
Kazuya smiles at the shopkeeper. “That sounds great. Ring us up!”
“Fantastic! By the way, have you found an inn yet?”
“Not yet. We’re going to look after this.”
“If you like, you’re welcome to stay at my place. It’s just a normal home out the back of the shop, but my son moved out recently, so we’ve got a spare room.”
What?! Sure, we’d be extremely grateful, but why is he offering us that much? Kazuya seems thrown by the guy’s excessive generosity, too, and although his smile doesn’t falter, his brows knit into a knowing frown.
“Don’t get me wrong, I’m not offering to put you up for free. I’ll charge you for meals… Yeah, 300 gaul each per meal. And the other part of the deal is—I’d like to take a look at your clothes. The armor and gear with defense powers here are sourced from blacksmiths, but I make the clothes by hand. Like the robes. I’m what you’d call a tailor, and I’m curious about what sewing techniques have gone into your attire. I’m not asking you to give me the young lady’s dress, but if you’ll let me look over it, I’ll rent you my spare room. What say you?!” The shopkeeper looks me over with a twinkle in his eye that shows his passion for his craft. He doesn’t seem suspicious to me.
And it sounds like a great deal. “What do you think, Kazuya?”
Kazuya strokes his chin, pretending to think it over. “Do you mind if we take a stroll around the block to talk it over?”
“No problem! Go ahead! Take your time, I’ll be here! And even if you’re not keen on staying, the offer of second-hand clothes for 500 gaul still stands. Come let me know whenever you’ve reached a decision.” The shopkeeper lets us go without trying any pushy salesman tactics.
“What do you think?” I ask again when we’re alone outside. “I think we can trust him.”
“Me too. I agree, I think he’s trustworthy. And the conditions he mentioned suit us. It’s no skin off our nose whatsoever to let him look at how our clothes have been stitched together. I’m happy to accept his offer.”
“Cool. Shall we go back, then?” I ask.
“No, let’s check out prices at other shops and inns to double-check he was telling us accurate rates for stuff.”
Oooh. Leave it to Kazuya to be extra cautious. Measure twice and cut once! That’s how he got into the best high school in the city!
We wander around various shops, inquiring about prices for rooms and meals, and confirm that the shopkeeper was telling the truth. In fact, brand new normal everyday wear without any defense power tends to cost more than 2,000 gaul, so we know we’re getting a good deal.