Chapter 19: "The only man with a Fairy"
***
Vlad wasn't preoccupied with visiting the Herbalists inside the Market as he used to do whenever stepping inside this place and instead walked toward the toys section of the Market, confusing everyone who knew him.
He created a chain reaction where the gossip spread like wildfire, and he constantly coughed dryly on his way toward some stalls.
'Damn, calm down, you fools. What's wrong with me visiting other places of the Market?'
A rhetorical question was asked inside his mind, but the simple people couldn't wrap their heads as to why Vlad would arrive here.
In fact, even the merchants of this section, mostly ladies, stared at him as if they saw a ghost.
Nevertheless, a handsome ghost, where they took their time to admire his handsome features while sighing to themselves, thinking about his defect, his blindness.
Even when he approached a stall where the smell of leather and fabrics got his attention, the lady owning the stall had delayed responding to him, which required extra calls.
"Excuse me."
"Hello? I know you are in front of me, lady. Could I take your attention for a brief moment?"
"Ahhh, of course, mister Vlad. How can I help you? Do you wish for some guidance toward the Herbalists?"
"Ehh? Of course not. *Cough* I want to buy some dolls with their clothes too."
Ending saying that he felt some embarrassment raising up, but his age conferred him with a thick skin, which made him immune to the thoughts and labels of others.
Now that he had a goal in mind, no one would stop him.
"I think I heard you badly. Could you repeat it again?"
"... I want to buy dolls. What's so hard to understand? Am I allowed to touch the ones you are selling?"
"For sure! Please get closer. Are you looking for something in particular? A gift for your girlfriend?" asked the merchant lady, who watched Vlad walk closer toward her making her look like a dwarf compared to him, standing at only 1,63 meters, while Vlad was already getting closer to the 1,90 meters mark.
"Something like that."
While the lady was asking those types of probing questions, inside Vlad's coat pocket, a small beautiful girl only wearing slim white clothes that had an exotic feeling to them heard the merchant lady's questions and Vlad's responses, which made her face get bright red.
'Where did he take me?'
She tried to get her head out, but Vlad blocked her way out, pressing his finger and shutting the pocket, a sign that she should wait because it was still dangerous outside.
Titania had no other choice but to wait, listening to Vlad and the merchant lady's conversation.
"What I am looking for are fully clothed dolls in the range of 10-20 centimeters in height. The clothes can vary from dresses to everyday clothes, while the doll model should be well proportioned, with realistic body curves. Do you think you can help me?"
"I don't see a problem, mister Vlad. However, how will you be able to tell which doll fits your criteria?"
"Got a pen and sheet of paper?"
"Huh? Why?"
"I'll show you right away what the model for the doll should try to imitate or strive to be close. As for the clothes, I only want good quality ones for the doll."
The merchant lady fished out a pencil and sheet of paper, where Vlad, after getting his center point of the paper, began drawing right before the merchant, the ones looking at him curiously, and also Titania, who took advantage of the opening Vlad give her by drawing to peek outside, only to see the young man draw.
In the span of 20 minutes, with a masterful touch of the pen, right from his hands, the figure of a beautiful girl, that could be said to be life-like was revealed to all curious eyes, shocking them with his monstrous talent at art. Yet the person that got emotional was the Fairy that went back inside his pocket, saying to herself with a tone that didn't believe what she had just seen.
'That drawing is exactly me. He can see me inside his mind. But how? I did tell him how I look, but in most cases, you will interpret certain things to how you wish. Instead, he drew me perfectly.'
.
"Wow, mister Vlad. Besides being a talented doctor and alchemist, you also have a talent for art. Sigh, God has been unfair with such a prodigy." remarked the merchant lady, staring with big eyes at the gorgeous girl, with wings of a Fairy, with a petite face and dolce appearance.
"Let's leave God from such a discussion. It is not his fault for anything bad happening to me. Now, if you may? I also got other places to be."
"Understood, I'll sure please your girlfriend with the dolls I will offer you."
"Take your time."
After 5 minutes of waiting patiently without saying anything else, the merchant lady started bringing out dolls clothed with gorgeous dresses taken out of fairy tales.
He couldn't see for certain, but the lady allowed him to touch each of the dolls she brought to feel the texture of the clothes.
"Ohh, these are actually quality fabrics. You got something interesting, miss. The softness is the first thing that hits me. Clearly, this is silk. Also, the sewing is meticulously done, hah, whoever worked on such dolls is a master."
"I couldn't agree more, mister Vlad. Those dolls that I show you come from Valent. These are the goods I bought when Lord Patrick allowed me to embark along in their journey."
"Good for you. Still, I hear a lot about this Valent City, from the old man to my brothers to acquaintances. It should be a prosperous place for trade."
"I could only talk from experience, but Valent is the Port City of the South Blue. All corners of our region channel their trade and goods inside that city. However, I heard from the boys at the docks that Sagletius, the capital city of Kaysang Kingdom, from which Valent belongs, is a grandiose city, breathing out majesty and dignity."
"What's more, Sagletius has the Grand Palace, one of South Blue's wonders, similar to Garden of Serenity."
"Aelia, don't forget to mention the Saint's Cathedral of the Roshwan Kingdom, the Swords of Stavanger of the Sorbet Kingdom." mentioned a woman looking closeby at Vlad.
"You could say that, but I doubt I will be lucky to see those places in my life. But, you are right. I heard about those places from the newspaper too."
"Thank you for the information, but I am interested in something else. Miss Aelia, I will buy this doll. Show me more of them, I will buy as many as I can."
"You are sure?"
"No point in asking me that. Let me check them."
.
Around that time, the Herbalist spotted Vlad touching dolls that only little girls would play around with, which confused them, triggering a deep discussion between them.
It was so annoying that they didn't even try to hide from Vlad, who continued to touch the doll's clothes.
"Young master, what are you doing in those places? Have you lost your way? We came to guide you to our den." mentioned Elias, who walked toward Vlad, getting to his side only to see Vlad touch the small clothes with a curious expression.
"Elias, we have known each other for about 6 years. Is there a need to make a scene and embarrass ourselves? After so many years, do you think I can't find my way to your stalls?"
"Sorry, young Vlad. However, you've shocked us again. What are you doing here?"
"Can't you see? I am buying dolls."
"What for?"
"That's right, young man. Have you hit your head on some rock on your journey?"
"1.000 𝔅 for each stupid question asked." remarked Vlad in an annoyed voice, having to listen to some stinky and clingy guys who were worrying about whether people would see him in the future.
Immediately the Herbalists got quiet, being too cheap to actually pay him for their questions, and could only listen to Vlad have a normal conversation with Aelia.
Asking her about different textures and materials, having a healthy discussion for the following 15 minutes where the Herbalists had to watch in silence.
"Miss Aelia, considering everything we've talked about so far and the high quality of the dolls, I will buy everything you've shown me so far. How much will it cost me?"
"Are you sure? I don't want to scare you, for starters, but each doll's price vary from 5.000 to 6.500 𝔅.
I can give you a discount since you are a great patron of the Market and cut the whole price to 50.000 𝔅.
Would you still want to buy it after knowing this price?" asked the merchant lady, nervously fiddling with her fingers, while Vlad remained silent, seeming to contemplate the total price, but it didn't take long for Aelia to hear a response.
"Sure, seems like a fair price. Let's make it 57.500 𝔅 since I don't want to see you at a loss."
"We can't have that young master. You've healed so many people in the city. This is the most I can do as a citizen and give back to your magnanimous gesture."
"Hah, magnanimous? Lady Aelia, just take the money. No need to take pity on my pockets since they are brimming with the money I don't have a use for." saying that, without giving the merchant lady a chance to come back, he took out his coin bag, and started taking out the 500 𝔅 coins as if he was an arcane machine giving the winner some coins.
"Sorry, but I don't use the banknotes. It is hard for me to tell the differences in value on the pieces of paper, and sometimes I might give people a 10.000 𝔅 bill, and it will lead to people taking me for a fool.
This is why you might see me carry only my coin pouch." explained Vlad a simple principle of his that he figured out on the go, and as a blind, he could feel only the texture of the coins.
Even though he would carry extra weight on him, the most he has ever carried with him was a sum of 250.000 𝔅 all in coin cash, 500 coins of 500 𝔅, with a pouch he specifically requested from the Tailors Guild Master Lady Lavna to fit his use.
Having a limit of 25 kgs, a limit he still didn't achieve, nor he wished to achieve.
*Coin handling*
The sound of each gold coin touching the wooden counter attracted the curious eyes of the people passing by, who stopped to see Vlad fill up Aelia's stall covering in a blanket of gold, and after a seemingly long minute for the audience, Vlad stopped taking out belly coins.
"I presume you got a bag to place the coins, right?"
"Aaaaa, yeah. I'll be fine, in the meantime, you were placing the coins. I've already packed up the dolls, and are ready to go."
Vlad closed his gold pouch, securing it on his left side waist, and getting his hands on the paper bag Aelia offered him with the dolls, he returned his attention to Elias and the other herbalists waiting behind him.
"You are still here? I thought you went back to your hogsty."
"Hehe, young master, don't be so cold. Obviously, we will wait for you. We have good news for you."
"Ohhh, and what could that be?" asked Vlad as he walked together with the Herbalists out of the toy zone.
The Herbalists sensed that Vlad was in a good mood and quickly gave a deep stare to Elias. The younger of the group began reporting to the young man all that had happened since his departure around the Market.
Also, extra information about Revil and his hoodlums, still not focusing too much on that aspect.
Instead, Elias mentioned with a proud voice.
"Well, young Vlad, some foragers came to Picodras from the outside villages, and they brought out some rare plants that you'll not expect to grow inside our island.
The others, too, fared decently and got their hands on some rare plants, such as Adrima's Lily, Crying Violet, Bitterblossom, and Ember Blossom."
"That's some good news you've got, Elias. But I've got a problem right now, and I might not be able to come and play around with your plants.
Besides, you've speculated wrong. I don't want to buy any new rare plants for my alchemical studies."
"Young Master, you really don't wish to buy?"
"No. I don't have the free time to study new formulas and blow up my laboratory again.
Do you think being an alchemist is easy?
Simply buying the plants even though they are rare, I need to pair them with something that makes sense, and even after that, the outcome I will get is not the one I expect."
"Fuck, I wasted 30.000 𝔅 paying those guys for their plants."
"... You've taken the wrong bet thinking you'll profit again. Anyway, try nourishing those plants for more days, and who knows, curiosity my itch deeper than today, and I'll see what they are about. Got it?"
"Phew, then we are saved. Thank you, young master, " replied the Herbalists, with Elias included, who, himself, spent a decent sum of money for the plants hoping he would strike a bargain with Vlad.
Then with the groups splitting up, Vlad continued walking toward the Market exit while the Herbalists to their respective domains.
When the young man was alone on the streets, Titania would take her head from his pocket and ask him all sorts of things about the dolls and what it meant.
However, what she received from the young man was a smiling face and silence, boiling her curiosity in the process.
Only when the duo stepped back in the confines of the house that Vlad open up to Titania in a calm way, bringing to the table what the two talked about in the morning.
"Well, little Titania, I've told you that I will surprise you with some clothes and even kept a secret what I bought to you.
Hopefully, you didn't peak from some opening from my pocket, yes?"
"I didn't see anything, you baddy."
"Good, then, my lady, I will leave you alone with your gift. I hope you like it."
Saying that Vlad left the bedroom where on the bed the paper bag covering the dolls stood on the bedsheets, with Titania standing before the bag, looking back at Vlad that departed from the room.
She felt a weird feeling wash over her that she couldn't explain, as when she received the kiss from Vlad.
The first thing on her chest was the nervousness of the unknown that passed by rather fast, knowing that Vlad only hoped for the best in her case, then not long after she touched the paper bag, the uncertainty hit her and her shy emotions.
Still, she gathered enough courage to rip the paper and slowly reveal, packed delicately, 10 dolls that were a similar size to her, wearing gorgeous dresses and normal clothes like she saw the girls in the city wear.
"Wait, those are clothes for me? Really? Do they fit me?" inquired Titania, looking with timid eyes at the dolls and their clothes, and as she touched the first dress closest to her, the sensation to the touch given by the fabric encouraged her.
With her shy side slowly vanishing, the curious fairy quickly turned naked the first doll her eyes dropped on, and after she gained her first dress, she compared her own body and her proportions and the dress.
"Could it be?"
Immediately she took her own silk tunic-like dress, revealing a mini-body of a goddess that didn't show any imperfection apart from her stature.
And as a happy little girl, Cinderella started trying on all of the clothes, yet, there was a thing she was missing in those moments, a mirror.
That existential crisis she was experiencing, with her inability to watch her own looks, didn't have a lot of time to settle down since Vlad entered the room, making Titania almost scream like an innocent girl, and while looking at him, she could see inside his hands a hand size mirror
"I thought you needed this mirror. This is the only mirror inside my house, but it is not like you really need it since you are for sure sparkling like a star in the sky. And if you approach my eyes, bright enough that even my black eyes can see something."
"Really?"
Titania took what Vlad said seriously and flew toward him wearing a blue dress reaching her ankles, and getting closer to his face, she moved around his open eyes.
"Can you see me?"
"Hah, I would have hoped to see my little Fairy sparkling like the sun." remarked Vlad, a bit dejected, which made Titania feel slightly bad for him that she got to his face and kissed his cheek.
"You'll be fine. Now you have me."
"Heh, not there, instead you do them here." mentioned Vlad who turned his face, and be in range to plant a kiss on Titania's lips, turning her cheeks red from embarrassment.
"You are such a bad person. Why do those embarrassing things?"
"What can I say? I like teasing my Fairy. Haha, there's only one man with a Fairy, and that is me.
It gives me a sense of superiority over other men, and if I had my vision, this sensation would be amplified a lot. Besides, how are the clothes, Titania? Are they tight or too loose?"
"They are just perfect. How did you know to pick them?"
"Secret."