- Shari -

The morning comes quick and I am a little glad that I don’t need sleep, as this night was certainly lacking in this regard.

There are some things that I need to do, so we are leaving by the time the shop I want to visit should open.

The tasks for today are:

First, visiting the cosmetics shop to refill the reserves of the helpful disguise powder.

Then, returning to Tamarah and see if I can sell to her my herbs since my money is quickly rinsing through my slimy fingers.

And after that, I also should inform Jacob’s group about the occurrence tonight, to warn them about their violent dealer.

I go first for my make-up because this stuff is basically my lifeline.

The problem is, this shop is in the wealthier part of the town.

Not in the market district at the north gate, but closer to the center.

It’s noteworthy that in the middle of this town is a huge castle towering.

I think that is the place, where the head of this town lives.

Some kind of high-ranking noble, since my country utilizes a vassal system and to get a whole town there needs to be some standing behind.

The good point is that this huge building helps much with the orientation in town.

The basic structure is very easy to understand.

The northern district is the wealthy part of the town with the market.

The west where our inn lies is a residential area, while the east is more focused on industry and has the warehouses, where we met Cid.

The center houses the influential ones, who want to be close to the governmental focus of the town.

The south is apparently gradually degrading in some kind of slum.

Not surprising, as this part will be the first to get overrun whenever this forest decides that it had enough of this annoying base of civilization in its depths and some huge monster attack launches.

Aside from some weird looks, no one tries to keep us from approaching the noble area in the center, so I can find the shop I was looking for.

Hopefully, I can just enter like this.

I'm a little self-conscious about this, as my attire is surely not representing the common standards of the people, this place serves in general.

But on the other hand, they let Jacob in too.

So I try my luck.

However, I should have remembered the state in which he came back after he made the purchase.

The moment I enter, all the clerks give me a strange look, and as Liqu is behind me her too.

Yet, as I was in front the attention is sadly concentrated on me.

And it's not a positive one.

Please Liqu, don't kill the store attendants.

To make it quick I directly attend to the counter.

"Excuse me?" (Shari)

"Ahem; yes, what can I do for you? (clerk)

The woman replies with the smile of a professional.

But the falseness in it and the tone of her voice are rephrasing her words into "What wants someone like you here?"

"I intended to buy some face powder. Thick coverage. In fact masking. And it should be a large amount. Is there any way to make a big purchase cheaper?" (Shari)

"You too? That’s the second time we have such an odd request by an... uncommon customer!" (clerk)

"Ah, yes, to be honest, that was for me. For special reasons, I need large quantities. Please don't inquire about the reason. It is a very private matter. So can I acquire here what I need?" (Shari)

Since she already indirectly told me that they have it, by speaking about Jacob, there is not much she can do to deny me.

"Y-yes, it seems so. If you want the same amount again it would be up to two silver and thirty copper. In general, we would charge two silver and fifty copper but recently the style changes to natural skin, so we have problems with the marketing. Shall I assume that you intend to come again? Maybe you too should try a more natural approach." (clerk)

What a desperate attempt to get rid of me.

"I am very sorry, but that wouldn't work. My "skin" is a little special in that regard. But as I said, I don't want to speak any more about that, nonetheless thank you for your concerns." (Shari)

Like this, she goes to fetch a container rather similar to the one I have got before.

It seems she realized I am set to be her customer and decided like this to end this as fast as possible by complying.

And I take it gladly since I don't really want to stand the looks the other customers and clerks give me either.

"Thank you very much. two silver and thirty copper was it? Interesting!" (Shari)

"I don't see why. But now that you have your goods, nothing should keep you from tending to your other businesses." (clerk)

I am set to give her the money, but directly before I do so something catches my eye.

To be precise, two somethings.

It’s like this, this shop is not just selling perfume or this powder and other make-up articles.

It is more something like a general supplier of goods to attend social events.

Except for clothes and jewelry you can get here all kinds of accessories and other things to survive in this dangerous world of noble society.

And this little accessory might prove really useful.

It’s a mask!

Well, two masks, since Liqu needs her own.

The material seems to be metal and the features are showing a delicate females face.

I haven't thought about this earlier, as it would have looked too suspicious to hide my face behind such a thing.

To be clear, it wouldn't have helped the slightest bit with the guards at the gate.

However, now things are different.

The guys at the gate now know my face and my voice.

Well, at least they think they do.

Like this, I could wear that mask without trouble, as there is nothing new to check.

Maybe if I can get acquainted with the other guards and develop a relationship, where they go easy on me, I could by time switch to this mask without having my face checked by them.

This would significantly decrease my costs for powder.

"Could I get two of these masks there too?" (Shari)

The look on her face asks the question "How bad is this girl's skin problem?"

But she complies.

"Each of them comes five silver." (clerk)

"Five silver!?" (Shari)

"They are specially crafted from a unique bronze-iron alloy and formed with greatest care by a professional artisan! You won't find something like this for less. This is already very generous." (clerk)

Yes, okay! No need to get haughty.

The price is quite high, but in the long run, having those will spare more money than leaving them here.

Also, I like the design.

It would be possible to ignore them and pay a blacksmith to make me cheap iron ones.

But the masks here have already an ideal covering and while the other choice might be cheaper, it would seem like I'd just wear it to hide my identity.

While that might be true, using this fancy one would look more as if it was a decision of style.

At least I believe that it is more believable to wear this one.

And it's good for my self-esteem!

So I will take them.

"Okay, I will buy them!" (Shari)

Even with this price, I am quite delighted since having this might be a much more professional attempt to hide among humans as my rather crude bandages.

With this feeling of fulfillment, I let my gaze wander around the other items in this place.

More following whim than anything else, inspired by this purchase.

And so it comes that I see a piece I can't take my eyes of.

A wig!

And not just a normal one.

This wig has exactly the same hair color I owned proudly before my life got turned into a mess and that what was on my head started to look like melted cheese.

I know you could call this an unnecessary luxury, but even if I never acted very much like one, deep inside I'm a girl.

And I don't want to stay bald!

There could be the little issue that while I'm in charge of our finances they kinda also belong to Liqu.

But I killed that monster that brought us the majority of the money.

Fine, I know that this doesn't count.

Yet as a second reason: I don't think that she cares much about money.

And if I would ask her, nothing could keep her from handing it over to me when she would know that I would be glad.

It should be possible like this.

"This one there." (Shari)

"You want a wig too?" (clerk)

She doesn't even try to hide that she finds the girl who buys an oversized box of powder, then masks and now wants a wig incredibly weird.

"Yes please." (Shari)

"This one is real hair. The price is rather high." (clerk)

With increasing suspense I ask:

"How much?" (Shari)

"seven silver!" (clerk)

Urgh!

The price is far above my expectations.

And now our finances are starting to dwindle low.

So I don't think that I can afford this much.

It might be better like this since I don't know how it would have worked out in the long run with this body of mine.

In the end, the hair would surely become totally drenched and sticky.

Still, I feel downed and avert my gaze, trying to get this thing I cannot have out of my mind.

"We take it!" (Liqu)

What!?

I throw an exasperated look at the slime who just put herself in charge of our finances.

She simply smiles at me, while slightly bowing her head to the side.

"You want it, right? If it makes you happy you shall have it. And when we need more of this money I will do something about it." (Liqu)

She is pretty easygoing about these matters and I doubt she has much proficiency with handling finances.

Obviously, me neither, when I look that only one silver and sixteen copper coins remain as the sad rest.

But Liqu is relentless and takes the wig without hesitation from its place.

The clerk is obviously shocked at how she is treating this valuable piece and directly tries to get it back into shape.

Well, at least she wears her gloves.

The clerk gives us a questioning look.

"You really want to buy it?" (clerk)

The question reeks more of unwillingness to sell to us than curiosity.

I give an uncertain look to Liqu, who nods eagerly.

"I think so." (Shari)

So she is preparing that piece for transportation, but as I will buy it I have a demand.

"Could you please shorten it to this length?" (Shari)

I gesture a measurement that would be a bit longer than my old hair.

It would feel sad to shorten this fine thing to my old wild hairstyle.

But I cannot bear to wear it like it is now.

To explain my issue, it would look exactly like the hair of my mother.

And that would be plain wrong, right?

However, the expression on the clerk's face is completely aghast.

"Y-y-you want me to cut it?" (clerk)

"Yes, if you would please do so." (Shari)

She has not much choice in this matter, as she is here to sell the goods and like this cannot just refuse the customers.

Otherwise, she might get problems with the owner.

Reluctantly she leaves with the wig for the backroom and after a short while exits with the adjustments I requested.

Yet, she seems completely dejected.

Knowing that every moment might just worsen her mood I quickly give the money.

After I paid we are practically shoved out of the shop.

I don't mind, as we were not forbidden to come back.

While I doubt that she feels any sympathy towards me, my supply is still secured.

If that had not worked out, I would have no other choice than to threaten her.

I mean what would she do if I follow her home and force her to sell to me.

Go to the guard and tell them a human slime monster is forcing her to sell her powder?

Seeing her trying to do so would be actually funny, but no need to speculate over eventualities.

However, now I am glad that I already planned to visit Jacob's group.

There is an urgent need to talk about certain topics like embezzlement.

But first I would like to go to Tamarah.

Well, not "like" as in "I want to go there", since my memories about doing something my mother shall never know about are rather vivid.