After taking care of some business inside the town, I left my clan members to handle the situation. Letting out a breath of air I looked up into the starry night sky "Sometimes I forget how beautiful this world is" muttering to myself. Hot tears slid down my cheeks "Is what I am doing right? Even if it's wrong I won't be here to witness the aftermath of my actions" wiping the tears away I started my journey off to a local city that's ruled by an archduke.
With a heavy heart, I enter the city in my human form with a sad smile gracing my lips. Despite it being nighttime the city is so lively 'They must be heading to the pubs or pleasure houses' with this thought in mind, I follow a group of individuals into a pub/pleasure house.
To be honest I had thought what's the best way to get information? The answer is simple they say the best way is pillow talk. Unfortunately, I am not here to spend a night with some random man or woman so my next best bet is chilling at the pub on the third floor since the first two floors are for the courtesans and their customers.
"Hello, miss! Is this your first time visiting a pleasure house?" an earth-shattering beauty with warm-colored skin asked with a playful smirk. Visibly uncomfortable I side-stepped the beauty and walked up the steps not answering her question. 'Hopefully, she won't bother me again on my way out with a resentful sigh I made my way to the bar.
Planting my butt on the stool with a creak "Can I have a corpse reviver please" let out a tiresome sigh. The bartender raised a brow at her "Which corpse reviver miss?" the bartender asked with clear professional air surrounding them.
"Corpse Reviver 2 please" replying in a curt tone after stating my choice of drink the bartender showed off a toothy grin and started mixing the drink up which consisted of gin, lemon juice, Cointreau, Lillet Blanc, and a dash of absinthe.
"What does this young miss want to know?" the bartender asked while mixing the drink up "How does a merchant like myself get invited to the Archduke ball that's happening in a few days," I asked in a bored tone.
The bartender poured the white-colored beverage into a clear rectangular cup, the bartender gave her "Walk around the cloud distinct for a bit, you can find your date there" He replied and left her be to attend to another customer who looked like they lost everything. I took the glass and gulp down my corpse reviver and then proceed back down the stairs.
Luckily for me, that woman from earlier didn't come up to harass me as she is busy flirting with some housewife. Welp time to go find the cloud distinct, with that thought in mind I wonder about till I enter the nicer part of town with a sober look.
Well according to the bartender I should get a date quite quickly because of this form especially if some young master needs a date to the archduke ball. Minding my own business I went window shopping, observing all of their rarity on display.
I enter one of the shops that had some very appealing decorated hairpins 'These black hairpins with red butterfly would look perfect on Tobca' with that thought I waved the clerk over. "Sir how much are these," I asked and pointed towards the black and red hairpins "Two gold pieces young miss" the clerk replied with that famous merchant smile.
I search their eyes for a moment before getting my coin pouch out to pay for the hairpiece when the most cliche scene happens "I can pay for the young lady" the individual passed the store clerk the two gold coins. I twist my head in his direction "Why this sudden act of kindness good sir?" I asked confused.
The man had forest color orbs that beamed brightly, his coal-colored hair is tied up tightly into a man bun with a few strings of hair remaining loose. By the way, he dressed he could tell he is a foreign nobleman "Will you accompany me to the archduke ball?" He answer with a relaxed smile "Sure, it would be this lowly merchant honor to accompany thy lord to the ball" I replied with a ninety-degree head bow.
Ding!
Hidden quest complete
Get a date to the archduke ball
Reward: Merchant wagon, 400 system points
What the fuck, why a merchant wagon system?! "It will help you better sell your lie as a traveling merchant" the system replied in the same monotone voice. Well, I can't argue with that logic. The foreign nobleman clasp his hands together "Then let's get you ready for the ball" why do I have a feeling the person he was originally gonna bring wasn't able to because of high society norms?
Oh well, imma just letting this man dress me up accordingly for the ball. He sped ahead of me and speed-walked out of the store with me a few feet behind trying to catch up with him. After going to many seamstresses shops, the foreign noble decided that he liked the seamstress from Moon's light seamstress shop.
Is this how men feel after being dragged all over the mall by their girlfriends or wives? Or maybe even husbands for that matter? "Ma'am please stand over here while I take your measurements" the seamstress directed my attention to a platform right behind a curtain.
I stretch my arms out into a T pose with a look of fugitive from all of the previous seamstresses we had visited. After an hour of her measuring my body, she went back out to talk with that foreigner, asking him what kind of dress it should be and etc.
I stretched my sore limbs and walked out of the small room and took a seat in the lobby to help ease the tension in the heels of my foot. "Miss, lets head back to my temporary manor while we wait for your dress to be delivered" he flashed me a small toothy smile and lead the way once more towards his temporary home.