《The Immortal》28: Shopping Trip
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I also brought some cash. Thought I might spend the time finding someplace to get footwear. As I wander randomly, I end up at the marketplace again. The stalls have people setting up, but nobody is really there to shop yet. Since I don't really know where to look, I end up asking one of the men setting up the stall. He is filling boxes with wares from his cart, mostly cured meat, by the looks of it.
"Sorry old man, can I trouble you for a moment?"
"What is it, boy?"
"Do you know where I can get buy some shoes or boots?"
He directs me to a certain place, close to the market place, where I immediately head over. It is easy to identify by it's sign being a giant boot. As I enter, I hear a bell ringing. Looks like there is a piece of string the door barely touches when opened, that makes it do so.
"Welcome, welcome" A gruff voice says, but when I see its source, I am dumbfounded. A bald child with an adult face, huge nose and ears and a small, well-cut beard stands before me.
"I take it the young man has not seen a Tarrun before?" He says.
I shake my head and say "No, sorry, just came here from my village, so I am experiencing all kinds of new things." I had heard about Tarruns, but I expected them to look something like dwarves, not this... creepy thing.
"I need some shoes or boots, old man. Anything you recommend?"
His eyes drop to my feet and asks "Do you need some now? Because then I can modify some ready-made ones. But if you can wait, I recommend doing so, the comfort and longevity of a custom-made is far apart."
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I ask "How long will it take to make the custom-made shoes?" to which I hear "With my current orders, 2 or 3 weeks?"
Confident I can afford it even if it is a little expensive, "Then both please, a cheap ready-made altered now and some custom-made for later".
He nods and starts getting me to sit down, take of my cloths and he takes various measurements of my feet. "How often will you be using the shoes sir? Any special condition?"
I know it is probably only something like customer service, but damn it feels nice not being called boy. "Ah, I'll use them everyday, and I am a hunter, if those have any special shoe requirements."
"Then might I suggest these half-boots for now. They are somewhat durable and practical, and after you receive some custom-made hunter-grade boots, you can use them for social events, in which they should be acceptable, where the boots are not"
Makes sense. After a couple of modifications and try-outs, I receive my footwear. The shaft of the boots goes a little above my ankles. They are fastened with some kind of durable-looking line on the outside and have brown colour to them.
"For the ready-made 1 blue, for the custom 5, so I suggest 6 blues in total" He says. Uh-oh haggling. I was sent a few times by my mom to the traders but always got mildly scolded for being cheated. I really hate it, but I guess it's just throwing money away if I don't.
"Let's make it 3 blues" I say after mustering some courage.
"Sir, I am appalled you would believe my goods to be of such low quality" He looks really sad. Ugh, now I feel bad.
"5 blues and 5 reds is the lowest that wouldn't be an insulting amount"
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I cave, having a feeling I did so way too easily and get told to check in after two weeks time. At least I got shoes though. Would be nice to have pants, though. After wearing the leather ones, without them, I feel weirdly naked even though I have spent so much time without them, maybe it has to do with the fact that there are a lot of strangers around me.
I realise I don't really know where the clan house is, so I go to the hunter's association to maybe ask Yirgil.
There's a decent amount of traffic in and out of the building, and when I enter it is very lively. Maybe some 50 people are in the room and it feels rather busy and crowded.
I spot Yirgil, but he and another, a 30-ish year old woman is both tending to rather long lines. I shouldn't trouble him when busy. I discover a good amount of people eating, do they serve food? I see another woman of some age delivering two bowls of some sort of stew to two gentlemen. I haven't eaten since yesterday, and though maybe not as hungry as I could be, I could grab a bite right now.
"Exceuse me, old lady, could I have a bowl too?"
She look at me and then says "Sorry kid, hunters only"
"Ah, but I joined a clan yesterday as an apprentice, is it still no good"
She sighs and holds out her hand "1 red" cheap! or maybe not, they are supposed to be worth one meal after all.
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