Chapter 6: Shopping

It’s only been a day since I got here, yet it feels like I’ve stayed in this room forever. The morning light peering on my window, as weak as it is, pierces my eyes like a stiletto. I get up from my comfortable bed and stretch my body. Donning the clothes I left to dry overnight, I notice my phone flash its last light. There goes its remaining lifeline. I wonder if using some kind of electric magic can recharge that? Because I sure want to listen to music if I ever get the chance. For now, I head downstairs.

“Hey, Dood!” Ms. Energetic waves at me. “I’ve got the bath ready for you~”

First thing in the morning and she’s already on her way to make my eardrums bleed. The sight of her jiggling breasts works wonders in waking me up, but her voice is a little loud for a lady her age.

I greet her when it becomes unbearable. “Good morning, Miss…”

“It’s Cherche. Come.” She slams the door open and drags me in this room with overflowing energy. I thought it was my lucky day but a second glimpse of this room destroyed all hope.

This room, which I would call a bathroom, is the size of a king sized bed. There’s a half-body mirror on the left wall, a large chamber pot on the floor, and a rectangular wooden tub at the end of the room. I dip a finger on the water, and its temperature makes me shiver.

“What do you think about the bath?”

“I guess it’s alright. Not too shabby,” I say, amused now.

“It’s alright?” She slaps my back so hard I almost fall in surprise. “Come on, you’ve got to give me a better reaction than that! Most inns our range doesn’t even have this kind of bath. Though I have to admit that the water from our well is indeed cold. But you can live with that, right? Right?”

I sigh. “Can’t you use a spell to warm the water?”

“Huh? That’s too troublesome! You’re better off renting a room in the lord’s mansion then.”

So there’s a magic to warm the water but it’s exclusive to rich people? I demand a better treatment! Still, this is more than enough if I must say. I thought for sure I’d need to travel outside the city walls just to find a river to bath on.

“I wouldn’t go that far, but this is great. Thanks for your help.”

I flip a copper coin her way and she accepts it merrily.

“Don’t be shy to let us know if you need anything else, okay?”

I sure hope she’s not implying about that chamber pot because I’d hate to make her clean up my crap. I need to learn fire magic a.s.a.p so I can burn it myself.

“If there’s anything, I’ll need to do some shopping later,” I say with a nod.

“That’s great!” Cherche clasps her hands together, her eyes twinkling with something, like she just thought of a mischievous idea. “I’ll be going out to buy some meat, and it wouldn’t hurt to have a man around since my little sister is coming with me, too.”

I blink. “Your little sister?”

“Oh, stop pretending like you don’t know.” Cherche elbows me on the ribs for some reason. It doesn’t hurt, but I rub the part like it does. She leaves the bath with an ear to ear grin, leaving me dumbfounded as a result.

Oh well, here we go. I take my clothes off and dunk my naked body in the freezing water.

[Cold Resistance Learned]

“Now that’s what I call convenient.” I maximize my new skill right away. Seems like that defeated the cold and it also gives me a hint that; I need to experience the elements firsthand in order to learn a skill in accordance to it. Quite simple. Perhaps I can just find a mage to attack me with said magic? No, no, I’m not a masochist to go that far.

* * *

Feeling more refreshed than normal, I don this gray robe with two large buttons fastening the chest area on top of my usual clothes. I hang the pouch of knives on the belt attached to this robe and leave the lower half loose for mobility.

As I get out of the bath, the old man in the inn glares at me. Is he checking me out? The thought makes me shiver. He doesn’t say a word when I pass, and as I head for the door, a person whom I acquainted to last night waves at me. She looks a little plump because of her round face and her long brown hair is neatly tied back. Though there’s this uncanny resemblance of a certain someone on her smile, I ignore it for now.

“You going out?”

“Huh? Didn’t you asked for my help?”

When? Then the image of her sister’s impish grin comes back to haunt me.

“Oh, yes, I did. Shall we go?”

I’m relieved to see her nonchalance about it, but the moment we step out of the door, I hear various giggling — both male and female voices — behind us. I look at Sasha, and it seems like it doesn’t affect her as much as I do, which is a little disheartening. Nothing but a job assigned by her sister; that’s all there is to it.

“What are the things that you need to buy?” She asks as we start to walk.

Toothbrush, soap, shampoo, underwear — I need all kinds of things. But there’s no way I can tell her that, especially the last part.

“I’m not sure what to get exactly, so maybe we can stroll around the market?”

She answers with a single nod, and the scent of freshly baked breads drifts past my nose. What a delicious scent she’s wearing. It arouses my appetite in a different way.

Several minutes after we left the inn, we come across a circular fountain with children playing on the water. It’s quite a novel to see. I stare at the view in front of me, allowing it to steal my focus.

“Is something wrong?” Sasha looks up to me with a mystified expression.

“Oh… There’s just this certain vibrancy in the city I can’t help but adore.”

“Really? That’s quite an odd, poetic way to put it.”

Perhaps it is, and a little weird to hear seeing the collared slaves walking around the city. In a way, it somehow stimulates my interest to learn about slavery.

We continue to go down the busy streets marching with people in opposite directions. I remember the marketplace; it's the first place I stumbled onto after that weird transportation spell. There’s this awkward attachment in my heart that I can’t describe. Maybe because it’s my first safe zone after that disastrous dungeon crawling? Even now, a part of me is still questioning how I survived that ordeal. I mean, that monster seems like a final boss.

Along the way, to some fruit stand, I bought two bundle of pitas for a copper coin a bag. It seems that merchant from before was lying about the price. And he even had the nerve to get mad? How presumptuous! Since it’s easy to spot travelers from locals with the way they look at the stalls, he used my bewilderment to his advantage. Though if I think about it in a logical manner, it’s my fault for looking dumb.

I hand Sasha a fruit as I munch on my own. It’s sweet and crispy on the inside but the skin is debatable.

“You don’t eat the the skin, Dood,” Sasha says as I take my next bite.

“I don’t?”

Sasha giggles. “Yes, you have to peel it first.”

“Ah.” Since it’s already being digested in my stomach, there’s nothing I can do. I just hope I won’t suffer any internal illness because of it.

But I did get to enjoy Sasha’s womanly giggle, so even if there’s poison, it’s worth it in the end.

* * *

Housewives battling for discounts, explorers checking out the various tools and weaponry on one side — it was a giant disaster here. Although despite the traffic, we did get the goods I needed.

My jaw dropped after seeing a device similar to a toothbrush. I’m not sure how they made the bristles — I didn’t ask. I bought all two dozen of them for my comfort, just so I won’t ever run out. It even comes along with some sort of paste to clean your teeth with, which I hurriedly stashed in my inventory in secret.

The clothes are as cheap as a silver coin a set while shampoos are nonexistent. But Sasha did point me to some alternatives, which are herbal extracts.

As Sasha haggles with a meat vendor, I slip the shampoos in my inventory. Turning around, she buys a slab of meat hanging from a hook and some vegetables similar to a lettuce. Then we continue on a different stall carrying vegetables, and she grabs a garlic at the size of a basketball. No, I don’t think it’s garlic. I think it’s a squash? Whatever it is, that ends our shopping spree. After that, we walk towards the fountain and occupy one of the wooden benches circled around it to rest.

“You sure bought a lot, Dood,” Sasha commented, leaning her back on the bench.

“I do, huh?”

“So what are you doing here?”

“Me?”

“Yes, you. You’re lying when you said you’re a merchant, aren’t you? Most merchants would resort to haggling no matter how cheap an item is, but everything you bought today, you bought at market price.”

How can she notice the little things? I see no reason to lie I decide to tell her the truth.

“Well, you could say that I’m looking for a way back home.”

“A way back home?”

“Yes, I’m a student, you see, and I have a responsibility to finish my studies.”

“Does that mean you’re a noble?”

“A noble?” I laugh, but then my breath hitches. “No, I’m just a guy way over his head.”

Sasha straightens her back and looks at me, her chocolate brown eyes are filled with concern. She doesn't say a word, as if she’s waiting for me to continue, so I begin to speak again.

“It’s simple, really. I had an argument with my parents that resulted in me leaving the house. Months after I left, however, I realized that what I did is not right, and my actions had been wrong and hurtful.”

I stare at the blue sky as I recall my parents. How many years has it been since I last spoke with my mom? With my dad? The memory unnerves me, but this is the path I’ve chosen.

Sasha remains silent, so I take a deep breath and continue. “Just when I thought of lowering my pride, they had gone and accused me of something nasty, which I do not deserve. So I promised to myself that I’ll return as a different man — that I’ll return successful — just so I could show them that my decision is not wrong.”

“So you don’t hate your parents?” Sasha asks in a soft voice.

“I don’t,” I smile. “And to tell you the truth, this world is very tempting for me to live in, but I have a family waiting for me on the other side — that’s why I have to return no matter what.”

“I see.” She brushes her hair over her shoulder, highlighting glints of auburn. “So you want to reconcile with your parents then, right?”

“That’s the plan, but I don’t see it happening anytime soon.” Not until I can find a way to go back.

“I doubt you need it, but I wish you luck.” Sasha stands up and stretches her arms up high, giving me a shot of her armpits.

I stand up too, my brows lifting in optimism, and proceed to walk Sasha back to the inn.

Next stop: the slave market.