"But please, guild master, tell me of your adventures."

Zoe pretended to listen to her tale with interest but her eyes were wandering through the shop stock. "Oh, I have just the thing. Let me get a ladder to reach it... I always tell father to keep it exposed in a visible place but did he listen to me? No, he didn't."

Cless endured her mumbling until she picked up a piece of armor from a shelf at the top. Zoe batted the dust away. It was a piece of yellowish breastplate in an odd shape. It had a long section across the chest that looked like the roof of a longhouse. Then an arch that was shaped like an inverted U and some strips of metal that went up to the shoulders and at the sides. Cless compared it to the leotard. It failed in covering the stomach, belly or even the area around the neck and shoulders. it had a rim of fluffy fur all around.

"What is this?" Cless asked.

She almost regretted asking later. Zoe went into full saleswoman mode.

"I call it a brass-iere. It is a piece of armor to be worn underneath your armor and it grants great protection to your bosom. You see, its shape helps deflect blows to the chest and heart area and this brass is almost as resistant as steel for a fraction of the price. And its gorgeous golden color is really a fashion statement! It won't tarnish in a century, I guarantee it! It has a layer of leather under the metal and this marvelous soft fur over the leather. Seriously, how soft and fluffy can it get? Touch it guild master and please tell me if it isn't the best fur you ever touched. I heard it came from some sort of snow mountain critter that is super rare to hunt. Feel it. Yes, soft isn't it? Well, it is not even the best part. See here on the other side around where the breasts will be there is this awfully soft silk fabric that will give you that feeling that your lover is caressing your breasts every time you wear it."

That was one hundred and eighty words more than what Cless wanted. Just a name was enough. But the fur was really soft and the silk would slide on her fingers. She even blushed at the thought of having her lover caress her breasts. Nevermind that Silverfang's beastkin form flashed in her mind before she could gather her wits and steel herself.

"That is nice, but how much does it cost?"

"No, we shouldn't talk about price here. Because the quote I'd give you would make no justice to this piece. You see, brass is naturally resistant to lightning and acid. And this piece here, it is treated with iron and alum, making it double resistant to acid and granting also some fire resistance!"

Fifty-five more useless words. It was like some cheap novel author was trying to fill in his word quota for the day. Regardless of word count, Cless was getting impatient.

"Zoe, how much does it cost? I will need to buy armor to go over this, right? I have a tight budget here."

Zoe shook her head. "Please guild master, don't rush it. Why don't you go to the fitting room and try it on? See how it adjusts to your breasts, feel the silk on your skin. Only then we'll talk about price."

She pushed the weirdly-shaped armor piece on Cless arms and was all but shoving her in the fitting room's direction. She went with the flow and stepped inside the fitting room. She undressed and placed the piece against her bare skin. To Cless despair, it was just like Zoe told. The fur felt ticklish but soft and nice but the touch of silk flowing around her breasts felt really, really nice. Cless wondered if Zoe had her breasts caressed by a lover to know what she was talking about.

"Guild master, can I come in?" Zoe shouted from outside. "I forgot the straps."

Forgot the straps. Right. That was an excuse to barge into the changing room to promote her stuff even more. Cless was wary of Zoe but so far she didn't lie even though she exaggerated things.

"Yes, come in."

Zoe spent no time getting inside. "I forgot there are straps to hold it in place. You see, these pegs here and here..."

She stopped to take a look at Cless. The girl's torso was bare, with only the armor piece... the brass-iere covering her breasts. She looked at the twisted skin in Cless' arms and shoulders and for a moment Zoe scowled. She rolled her eyes and held her breath. It was short but Cless had seen it enough to recognize it.

"Please put on the straps," Cless asked. She raised her hair off her shoulders so Zoe could bind the straps. Cless heard a sigh when Zoe looked at her bare back. Soon after the straps were placed on the pegs. Zoe adjusted the length and the brass-iere stood in place against Cless' chest.

"See? It fits you like a glove. Now, if an arrow hits you..." Zoe took a leather-covered wooden stick. She made a whooshing noise with her mouth and poked the armor piece above the breasts. It slid off. "In any direction over the armor, it will slide off. Your breasts and your heart will be protected. Now, there is a matching back plate but we don't have it with us. The full set would improve the resistances even more."

Cless wasn't convinced. She really wanted to cover herself and go away. Staying with Zoe in that cramped fitting room with her skin exposed to the sales girl's criticism was grinding on her nerves.

"I see. But Zoe, I need to know the price."

"Not yet, guild master. Wait and see. You aren't feeling the cold metal against your skin, are you? See what I said about the fur? Feels lovely, doesn't it? I'll get a leather armor so you can don it over the piece. You'll see how well it looks. Just a moment."

Zoe went away. Cless wanted to run away. She fiddled at the straps wrapped around the peg near her ribs. remove these two and take over the piece. Put on the shirt backward, the cloak and go home. Balthus should be waiting for her.

She was undoing the second peg when Zoe returned. "I have this leather tunic here, it is flexible and you can put on chainmail over it.." She stopped after she barged into the room and saw Cless doffing the brass-iere. "Is something wrong, guild master?"

"I have a training session with my master now, Zoe. I'll come back tomorrow."

"No, please! We are just finishing, I am sure your master will understand. After all, fashionable protection is an extremely rare find. And I am not talking about those gaudy eye-candy leotards or the, I got goosebumps just from thinking about it, those sets of bikini armor."

"I'll be honest, Zoe... Would you mind helping me doff this?" She asked with visible irritation. It made Zoe shut her pie hole for a moment and help Cless remove the brass-iere.

Cless let Zoe see her breasts. It was one part of her that she was proud of. At least the skin in that part was unblemished.

"Beautiful..." Zoe mumbled.

"I'll get dressed now, Zoe. Would you mind?"

Zoe left and Cless closed her eyes. It was hard to always be judged. She slid her arms in the shirt and tied her cloak back over her back. She pulled it over the shoulders and threw the hood over her head. She stayed in the fitting room for a few more minutes while she reined in her feelings. She wiped her eyes on the rim of her cloak and left.

Cless was making her way to the door where Silverfang was faithfully waiting for her when Zoe pinched her cloak.

"Guild master, did I offend you?" Zoe was looking at her eyes. It was hard to disguise that she cried just a little.

"No, Zoe. It is fine. You did a wonderful job. I really enjoyed my time, but I can't stay any longer. I'll try to return tomorrow."

Cless was not offended by Zoe. She was even considerate trying to mask her disgust. Unlike other people that would stare and sneer and even sometimes retch. But it never stopped hurting. Cless hung her head and turned around.

Zoe ran past her and stopped by the door. "Cless, I am sorry. I'm really sorry. I didn't intend to stare. Please don't go away like this."

At least she dropped the 'guild master' treatment. "Zoe, my master Balthus is not a patient man. I have to go."

"Did you say Armsmaster Balthus?" Zoe seemed both surprised and scared.

"I don't know about... that is probably his title but I am not sure."

Cless thought for a while and reached the conclusion Zoe didn't want her to leave without buying something. Especially she wanted Cless to wear that strange piece of armor.

"You really want me to buy that armor, don't you?" She went straight to the point. She didn't want two hundred plus words sales pitches again.

"Yes. I'd like that very much, Cless."

"I'll buy it. How much is it?"

Zoe moistened her lips and gave a quote. "One gold crown."

If that piece of armor granted three elemental resistances like she said it would be an excellent piece. But there was something odd about it, and Cless only had so much money. "Sorry, Zoe. Can't afford it. Might've saved us some time if you said it earlier. Toodles."

"Wait! I can drop it to seventy ducats." Zoe's mask was cracking.

"Still too expensive. I just bought one crown worth of armor today at your shop. I gotta go."

"Fifty-five! Please don't go."

I don't have that much money, Zoe. Even if you lower it further, I can't."

"Forty-five."

Cless took a step and Zoe blocked the door entirely. That was rude of her. "Balthus is waiting for me. He will grind me. Step aside, please."

"Thirty-seven!"

"No, Zoe. Does that armor even grant the elemental resistance to the wearer or is it just the metal's own properties? It doesn't seem enchanted."

Zoe seemed desperate by now. She sighed. "Thirty. Thirty ducats. That is dirt cheap."

"Dirty was the state that piece of armor was in. Forgotten in the top shelf, covered in a layer of dust so thick you could peel it off. If that was so hot an item, it would be on display right next to that leotard."

"Twenty. Please buy it."

"Zoe, I'll outfit my entire guild of twenty-five people with armor. Please don't lose my favor. Stop blocking the door."

"Fifteen. It is as low as I can go. I'm already losing a lot of money. It is a reinforced and decorated metal armor!"

"From what I see, if I take it you gain free space in your shop. Say, is there a hidden story behind that piece? Why do you want me to have it so much?"

Zoe slumped and leaned against the threshold. Cless could go across but now she would see the end of it. She sighed and started to tell her story.

"It is one of my own designs. A modular armor that adventurers and delvers could buy piece by piece at an affordable pace. And that piece was one I made especially for female adventurers. It is modest, stylish and grants great protection where it matters. You felt it yourself. Women need to protect sensitive parts as our bodies are not as sturdy as the men's."

"So basically I'd be advertising your designs. And if my guild's name soars you'd see lots of business."

"Yes, that was it."

"You must have rehearsed those sales pitches a lot, didn't you?" Cless giggled.

The mood lightened. "I did. A lot. In front of a mirror."

"Five silver ducats and I'll take it. I'll even advertise it."

"Ten!" Zoe was almost crying.

Cless thought she could get the armor for free if she pressured a bit more. But that would be bad. She didn't need to exploit Zoe.

"Deal. Give me one of those brigandine leathers like those your father sold to the boys."

Cless bought the brass-iere and the leather brigandine. She went back to the dressing room, strapped the chest piece herself and donned the brigandine over it.

"It is amazing Zoe. I feel much safer. Here are forty ducats. I will bring my other guild members here to outfit them. Expect a lot of business from us."

"Thank you guild ma—"

Cless interrupted her. "Cless. Just Cless is fine, Zoe."

Cless shook the sales girl's hand and ran away. She was afraid would be scolded by Balthus for getting late for training.

Name: Cless (no surname)

Race: Human.

Level: 21 ( 229,136 / 231,000 Exp)

Class: Cleric 4 (6,926 / 6,000 Exp)

Profession: Warmaster 6 (17,566 / 21,000 Exp), Weaponmaster 6 (17,566 / 21,000 Exp)

Base Stats: Strength: 12 — Agility: 14 — Health: 21 — Intellect: 21 — Magic: 31

Available Status Points: 0

Skills: [ Absolute Contract (S) ]

Proficiencies:

Crafting — Crude Weapons: 5

Magic, Cleric — Mending: 11 — Detoxify: 6 — Light: 2

General — Prayer: 10 — Scribe: 2 — Houseworking: 3 — Math: 2 — Reading: 6 — Forestry: 7 — Skinning: 7

Social — Leadership: 13 — Intimidation: 13 (+1) — Negotiation: 10 (+2) — Tactics: 9

Combat — Sword: 4 — Dagger 2 — Unarmed: 7 — Bow: 4 — Spear: 3 — Maces: 11 — Staff: 4 — Ax: 5 — Tumbling: 3