"I am sorry, did you just say you want a hood made out of this dirty blanket, and have it attached to this blanket, which you want to make into a cloak?" The staff stayed 2 meters back from the stinking blankets.
"Yes, also make sure to clean the blanket, and don't repair or stitch any torn parts. These two blankets are pretty expensive costing about 8 gold notes." I replied while nodding at the staff in Spiders Silks.
Hearing the price disbelief flashed through the tailor's face.
"When can I get it done by and how much would it be in total?"
"Are you sure about this your highness? We can design and make a cloak from much better material. If it's about the holes then we can add that onto the cloak we design with better material?" She asked in reply to my question.
"No Ms I want it to be original. The natural tear and wear made by age cannot be easily replicated. So, I would like to use this material for my cloak and the hood. Also, before you give me, make sure to wash it, I don't want it to be stinking like this. Also, colour custom it to black."
The staff was silent for a while before sighing in resignation. "Since no material will be used by us you won't be charged for any materials. Cleaning and washing it will cost 15 gold. Adding a custom colour will cost 20 gold. Finally, the price of using our service will be 35. The total price would be 70 gold.
Pay half the amount now and the rest when you come back to collect. It will be ready by tomorrow." She said.
I took out a gold note of the 100 denomination and passed it forward. "Keep the change, I will come back in 5 days' time. I expect you won't laze around just because of the quality of the material and the simplicity of this task. If I have to find out later on that the quality of my hood was not up to what this store is known for then..." I smiled as I walked out of the store to the heavy rain.
Now all my shopping was done.
I still have roughly 2 more weeks before I have to set off towards the grey zone. Although the short brief I had received from Dexter about the grey zone explained about its general layout I should do some more research on it.
I walked towards Dexters' residence area.
Damn, I should have borrowed a temporary Whizz board if I knew I had to walk this much in a single day.
I reached the compound and within seconds of reaching the gate it was opened, unlike the long wait, I had to endure outside of Titus' guest house.
I smiled while nodding towards the guard who opened the massive gate for me. I walked towards the house as Ellis followed me.
"Ellis this is the house of another commandment, in our faction, Dexter Raynott. Unlike Titus, he won't be lax towards you." I said in a warning to Ellis, who might be expecting all commandments to be like Titus.
"Yes, your highness. Thank you for your advice." He replied as he went back to his silent mode as Titus instructed him to be when he is with me.
I arrived before the door, and before even knocking on it, it was opened by the head butler. "Lord is out right now your highness. Is it anything important?" He asked as he led me and Ellis in, while I was dried off my wet clothes by magi.
"I would like all related files towards grey zones. Whether it be books, novels, reports of rumours, case files etc. Is it possible?"
"Of course. Please wait in the waiting room, I will get someone to bring it from the library. During the wait, would you like to have anything?" He asked me as he snapped his fingers while nodding his head.
"No that will be all." I replied as I walked towards the waiting room.
I sat down and within 10 minutes the first batch of files and books arrived. I started reading one by one and soon was immersed in reading. I was interrupted by the butler as I was reading a children's story about the grey zone.
"Your highness, my lord will be arriving in 15 minutes. It's been 4 hours since you have been here. I was told to ask if you want to prepare dinner or whether we should do it for you and master?" I thought for a while before I stood up and stretched myself.
"Lead the way to the kitchen." The butler smiled as we were taken to the kitchen. The ingredients were some level 8 seafood ingredients, consisting of unique fish, squids etc.
I spent 1-hour cooking before everything was done. As the food was done I turned towards Ellis who was waiting by my side. "I should be fine for now. I have made a portion for you as well.
Don't worry about my safety here. Rest for a while, since we would be here for a while considering the number of books and files I have to go through."
I pointed towards the butler as I carried on "He will show you to your room, I will contact you before we leave. If there is anything important I will be in the waiting room."
Saying this I left while Ellis replied and bowed "Yes your highness."
I walked into the dining room consisting of the massive table filled with all sorts of dishes I made. Titus and Maximus seem to be crashing in for dinner as well which made Dexter pretty annoyed which wasn't easily visible from his stoic face.
"Brat you are finally here. Hurry up and sit down I am hungry." Said Titus who was very eager to eat my food.
"Remind me again why the hell are you two crashing in here tonight?" Asked Dexter whose eyebrows seemed to be twitching.
Ignoring what Dexter said both of them started to dig in. I sighed as I too started eating. As I was picking up a fried fish salad the 3 commandments sighed in annoyance before shaking their head, while Dexter said, "Here he comes."
Suddenly the door to the dining room swung open as a familiar old man voice reverberated through the dining hall "Hahaha who missed me."
Albert stopped laughing as he took a chair while Maximus said while breaking the shell of a crab "Get out old man you are not invited."
Albert poked a finger into his ear as he said "I seem to be getting too old to do anything. I can't even hear what you are saying punk." He took a plate and a fried fish salad as well, while Maximus simply ignored him.
"Brat, did you get me a board as well? I couldn't find you back in the restaurant, so as I was on my way back home while hungry I smelled something great here." He said while looking at me with part of a fish sticking out of his mouth.
I ignored him as I carried on eating Level 8 food before me. "Huh, let's see how long you can ignore me. I will keep nagging you for a board till you get me one."
"Old man I am pretty sure, your own sons have issued an arrest warrant if they see you riding a Whizz board." Said Titus as chewed on a golden shrimp.
"Meh, they are getting their revenge on me for screwing over them in the palace, when I sold them out for the level 5 ingredients like 7 months ago. I want to see how long they can put me in prison for. Hahaha" He replied back.
The rest of the dinner was like this as all four of them talked amongst each other while I ate in silence.
"Ah, I am so full that I can't move." Said Albert as he displayed his expanded belly from eating too much.
"I am going upstairs to sleep." Said Albert as he stood up and walked up to sleep in Dexters' house.
"Is this common?" I asked as I turned towards Dexter.
"Every now and then." He replied as he got up.
"You two staying or leaving?" Dexter asked the other two.
"I want to see what that old man is up to." Said Maximus as he carried on upstairs as well.
"Same" Titus replied as he followed Maximus.
"Are you going to sleep or carry on?" Dexter asked in clear annoyance at seeing 3 of the most powerful people in the empire crashing in his house today.
"I will carry on reading you guys go on and sleep." I said as I motioned for silence with my finger on my lips. Dexter looked towards the butler who nodded and casted a silence dome around us.
"Come to me when he is not watching us." I said as I walked out of the dome stretching my arm.
Dexter face was surprised for a few seconds before he smiled in understanding.