''Give a girl the right shoes and she can conquer the world! M.M.'' I quietly read the famous woman's words on the wall of the shoe store. I had no intention of conquering the world anytime soon, still, it wouldn't be a bad idea to buy a good pair of shoes.
The shoemaker was a grumpy old man, but, I had to say that the shoes he made deserve praise. As a pampered daughter of a wealthy family, I know shoes and trust me, what I saw was too good for a dilapidated shop in a border town.
The elegant heels lined up on the shelves and the fat old man in the dirty apron had nothing common at all. Shoemaker's eyes sparkled when he took a butterfly-like design on nails-like heels from the shelf to show me.
''I think the man has altocalciphilia,'' The fox said in my mind. ''You know, high heels fetish.''
''No, I don't know and don't want to do. Please keep your mouth shut,'' I said in my mind, perhaps it would be more correct to say 'I thought' rather than 'I said'. Oh, whatever, I don't think anyone will read my bio anyway.
I was not eager to know about everyone's fetishes I met, so I told the fox to shut up. The shoemaker took a glance at me and put the heel back on the shelf. ''Ma'am, please follow me. I dare say the shoe you are looking for is not one of those out there,'' He said.
I followed the man to another shelf, the designs here were not as elegant as the previous ones. They looked more poorly designed but the prices on their labels were higher. Ten silver coins could easily meet a family's monthly needs and the shoe he took from the shelf had a price of five silvers on its label.
I looked at the shoemaker and something in my look must have forced him to explain himself because he raised his hands as if he's defending himself and, ''I beg your pardon, ma'am, I can show you a pair of dance shoes if you want. However,'' He said and looked at my feet meaningfully.
My feet were swollen from hours of walking and were full of scratches. I accidentally stepped on a sharp rock or branch more than once. Only a few days ago I was imprisoned and tied up, my ankles and wrists were purple because of being tied.
The scar from an old fight was starting on my left foot and disappearing under my nightgown. Only that certain man knew that the wound was up to my knee because I was the only survivor of that fight.
"I guess you are not going to dance," Shoemaker said after he waited for enough time for me to understand what he meant. I took a sneak peek at his heart to see if he was trying to swindle me or was sincere in his words. ''Fulfilling the needs of my clients... making good shoes...''
''You're right,'' I said. ''I'm not going to dance. What is your offer?''
The man turned and focused on the shelf, ''These shoes are made of the leathers of demonic creatures. They last much longer to wear out than others, and some have spells on them,'' He said.
I internally censured the man carelessly turning his back to me. You shouldn't turn your back on anyone until you're sure he or she is not a crazy serial killer. This saved my life before. I'm serious.
The shoemaker paused and thought for a few seconds, ''If you are supposed to stay here for a long time, I suggest you buy boots. Snowfalls usually start at this time of the year.''
I frowned, ''But we are only in August!''
Old shoemaker sneered at me, ''Young lady, you're not from around here, are you? The warm season lasts three months and the cold season lasts nine months here. Because we are far north and close to the demonic ice kingdom.''
I bit my lips, I had revealed that I was a stranger with a very simple mistake. ''I just arrived and will stay for a while.''
He nodded, ''I see. Your shoe size is 38, no wait, it is 37 right? Seems swollen from walking,'' He said looking at my feet and then remembered I'm a stranger, ''I guess they say 7 in some countries?''
''You're right,'' I said. I did not say which one was right. Probably the two coincided with the same thing and there was no need to tell a shoemaker where I was from in the world.
''Did you mention that some shoes have spells? Please show them to me,'' I said. I had the money to spend, and a well-made boot would help to make the men peep behind you as you walk, and kick them well.
The bandits had two gold coins, forty-eight silver coins, and more copper than I could count, of course before I took them all. One hundred copper corresponded to one silver, one hundred silver to one gold. So I had 248 silver in total and plenty of copper. It was more than an average family's annual earnings.
While I was calculating in my head, the shoemaker was promoting boots with the joy of a child. What were boots made of, when were they made, what techniques were used... He had the same joy for both heels and those without heels. ''See?'' I said to the fox. ''The man is not a fetishist. He just loves his job.''
''Ha, you mean a workaholic,'' The fox said and I stopped communicating with it.
''What about that?'' I pointed to a boot brown in color. It caught my attention because most of the creatures in this area, neutral or demonic, were white in color and so were boots made of their leather.
''Oooh! That pair! It is a pretty special piece. I couldn't resist seeing the material I made this boot on the counter of a merchant and bought it. Made of leather from a rare water snake and it is completely waterproof. Look at that,'' He took the boot from the shelf and show me.
The inside of the boot was covered with soft fur and when you looked carefully at the top of the boot on the sides, you could see the engraved symbols.
''It is something you will want to have when it is snowing or raining. However, when the weather is hot, you wouldn't sweat because I paid a fortune to a wandering sorcerer to engrave these symbols. In addition, your steps will not make a sound in that beauty,'' He said.
''Oh?'' I said. I didn't want him to understand that I was willing to buy it, but it really caught my attention.
''Yeah, I was hoping to sell it to an adventurer, but there aren't many female adventurers around here. I didn't want to spoil it and turn it into men's boots. It gives me a feminine feel ever since I see the leather for the first time.''
''I see,'' I said. Actually, I didn't understand, design of boots may but how does leather feel feminine?
''Want to try?'' He asked. I nodded, those bots were better equipment than I expected to find in such a remote location. The boots that should have been a little higher than knee-high were up to my thighs because I am -a little- short.
I was thinking I am sexy, but the shoemaker said it needed a little tightening. I told him he could do whatever he wanted as long as he didn't shorten it. After a few minutes of his struggle with the boot, I really felt it fits better.
To be honest, I was hesitant to trust the work of an unknown sorcerer. I didn't think the shoemaker was malicious, but the sorcerer could have defrauded him. Still, I wouldn't stop buying it just because I have doubts.
''Here,'' Shoemaker put the finishing touches and brought the boots to me. He had pride in his eyes. ''Will you wear here?'' I nodded and put my feet in the boots. He helped to tie the laces of the boots. At the first time, I refused that I need help, but the shoemaker had a nervous breakdown as he watched me grapple with the laces.
After we're done, ''Twenty silver coins for boots and one more for the finishing touches,'' He said.
I thought a little, ''Twenty silver coins for boots, one more for the finishing touches and for helping me to add my money to the system.''
Shoemaker nodded. He must have thought I was going to load some silver. Normally businesses would want a one percent share of the money added to the system, and a few coppers were not worth the bargain for. I know I seemed to cheat on him, but the sale he gave me was probably the best sale this month.
The man was a bit surprised when he saw two gold, forty silver, and tons of copper, but after taking the twenty-one silver he had his share, he did not break his word and put the rest into the system.
I left a few silver and copper left for daily use. After the coins were gone, the bag I got from the bandits was pretty light. I needed a new and preferably smaller bag. Unfortunately, the shoemaker was obsessed with shoes and was selling nothing but shoes.
I said goodbye to the man and went out into the street looking for a place where I could buy other things I needed. Half an hour later, I was looking at myself in a locker cabin and sulking.
After seeing the nine-tailed demon, you know, I thought I'd look prettier as I turned into a succubus. But I looked exactly the same as before. Except the tattoo on my belly, of course. I sighed and started to wear the things I bought.
A long, brown in color, thick fabric skirt, and a white shirt. Like most of the women I saw on the street, I was dressed in a convenient way. The sleeves of the shirt were long and no skin was visible except my hands and my face. Still, my hourglass shape was evident because the waist of the skirt was narrow.
In fact, my hips weren't wide enough to be an hourglass, but they were not obvious as the skirt widened in that part. The amber buttons of the shirt matched my brown eyes and hair. My skin was neutral, I always wanted to have a tan enough to be exotic or that jade pale skin that was praised in Chinese stories.
But hey, I said to the fox I'm happy with my body and I was serious. Being neutral was okay. I wish I was able to call myself beautiful, but not gonna lie. I was thinking I'm okay at that time.
I paid five silvers for the skirt, the shirt, and underwear. The boots were expensive because they had spells and made of expensive material. The clothes were also well made but of normal fabrics. Plus, I guess the tailor made pity on me because I said I didn't have any other clothes.
''Don't worry,'' The fox said. ''Be patient and wait to level up a few dozen times, then you won't get enough of watching yourself in the mirror.''
I stepped out of the tailor, and I felt a thousand different needles enter my mind. My eyes darkened and I saw the ground approach. The last thing I saw before I hit the ground was the gentle tailor woman running towards me.