The zombie girl soon lowered the sword and handed it back to Gilgamesh, not at all aware of just how awkward she had made them.
Gilgamesh took the sword while struggling to keep a smile on his face; Hank and Valerie were constantly glancing around the room to try to take their minds off of it.
"How much?" She asked Gilgamesh, reaching under her coat for a small leather bag.
Placing the sword flat on the countertop, Gilgamesh turned to her and folded his arms. "First of all, I wanna know why you want this specific kind of sword."
Hearing this, the zombie girl faltered and withdrew her hand, leaving the bag where it was at her side. "You want to know... why I want a sword? Isn't it obvious?"
Gilgamesh snickered, "You could have any of Master Hank's swords, each of which are more practical than this one. Yet, before you even came into the shop, you went to him to have him make a particular kind of sword."
Gilgamesh tilted his head, a level expression coupled with a smile that he nonchalantly bared in her direction. He knew he was right.
"Not so?"
She did not respond, but nodded. Hank and Valerie exchanged glances before shrugging to one another and deciding not to get involved.
"That suggests to me that you're used to asking for your swords made, because the type of sword that suits your fighting style isn't conventionally designed." Gilgamesh picked up the sword after saying this.
"My sword is designed to mimic the swords of an era where their morphology was centered around bringing out all of a swords complementary offensive capabilities."
"It was not so much the ability of the sword itself that the smiths of that era were focused on, but how the sword could help bring out more of a fighter's potential. In other words: how a sword could be used to suit your own technique."
The zombie girl finally showed some kind of reaction- interest- and took a single step closer to Gilgamesh, measuring him with her flat gaze.
"You want this sword because it's straightforward, while at the same time casting aside the need for a proper technique. That opening is then filled by your own adaptive fighting style, which allows for an improper technique to work just as well."
Gilgamesh leaned forward, speaking just a little softly, but appearing a lot more imposing as he did. "I know you- your kind. You refuse to change anything about yourself because you're set in your ways."
"You want this sword because it will not force you to change anything about yourself. I get it. I was just like you once; young and proud."
The zombie girl's eyes narrowed slightly before compassing Gilgamesh's entire body. Perhaps she was double checking to see whether or not he showed any signs of being older than he seemed.
"You know that much... just based on the fact that I wanted to buy your sword?" She finally asked, pursing her lips.
"Pretty much," Gilgamesh winked, then extended a hand for her to shake. "I'm Gilgamesh."
She slowly shook it, placing her cold hand upon his. "Vittoria Dracule."
Gilgamesh flashed a satisfied smile before returning the sword to the countertop. "So, you still want my sword?"
Vittoria nodded, "How much?"
Gilgamesh pretended to be considering a number before getting struck with an idea, then made a clear show of pretentiousness when he said in a most rehearsed tone, "I know. How about instead of money, you humor me instead?"
Vittoria frowned, "What?"
"A bet. A simple game of chance. Regardless of if you win or lose, you get the sword. However, if I win, you have to do something for me."
Hank and Valerie were confused by this. They looked on to see where Gilgamesh was going with this. Vittoria seemed to be trying to ascertain whether he was actually sane by looking deep into his eyes.
"So? What do you say?" Gilgamesh licked his lips excitedly.
"I'll take you up on that offer. What's the game?" Vittoria dropped her arms to her sides, and they were covered by the coat.
Gilgamesh chuckled to himself before pointing straight at Vittoria. "Do you believe that I can tell you exactly what you're thinking?"
When he said this, a kind of over-the-top smile came across his face. It was like he was trying to convince Vittoria that he was even more confident in his ability than he seemed on the surface.
"I don't." She dryly answered.
"Good. Then if I can accurately tell you exactly what you're thinking, I win. If I can't, I lose. Deal?"
Vittoria scoffed and folded her arms under the coat. "Deal."
At this point, Gilgamesh clapped his hands together and rubbed them furiously, like he was trying to start a fire in them. Then, he looked deep into Vittoria's sickly eyes and made a show of thinking long and hard about something.
Hank rounded the shop and came to stand behind the counter with Valeria, off to the side. "Any idea what all this's about?"
Valerie shook her head, "No clue. I thought he'd just sell the sword and be done with it. Maybe he wants to test her?
Hank seemed to consider it. "Sword makers often want to ensure they're passing their swords off to someone worthy of them. That could be what he's doing, but why?"
"And why settle it with such a dumb game? Does he really think he can read her mind?" Valerie semi-complained, looking annoyed. "I don't get it."
Hank patted her on the shoulder. "You and me both, Val."
As they were discussing Gilgamesh's actions, Gilgamesh was saying some inner prayers.
'God- I hope this works. I have no proof whatsoever that it will... but maybe. Just maybe!'
Gulping, Gilgamesh shut his eyes and acted like he was receiving a message from the universe. He threw his hands up and went, "Ooooughh!"
Then, suddenly and randomly, he pointed at the roof before slowly lowering his finger until it landed on Vittoria's head.
"I have received the answer," Gilgamesh said in a fake exhausted voice.
Vittoria rolled her eyes, "Bull."
Gilgamesh then opened his eyes, the fierce red color of them pulsating with vitality, and began to speak. "You were thinking of the last time you took a bath! A skeleton was involved!"
Just as Gilgamesh said the words, his mind was closed off from whatever had put those words into it. He did not actually think it would work, but when he saw Vittoria's reaction he knew that he had hit the nail right on the head.
He had made a gamble on the fact that the only thing he knew about the idea was that it was related to the word 'Impossible,' so he tried to do something impossible... and it worked!
"There's no way..." Vittoria was taken aback, and her eyes widened in shock.
Hank and Valerie were both stunned to silence, and their opinions of Gilgamesh underwent a sudden change. They eventually found themselves wondering if he had listened in to any of their thoughts.
Valerie, in particular, went red in the face.
"Haha," Gilgamesh laughed as if he had already expected this outcome, when in reality he was just as shocked as everyone else. "Now then."
He handed the sword over to her, and she immediately took it and prepared to put it into the bag at her side.
Gilgamesh was going to point out that the bag was obviously too small, but when he saw it begin to easily slide into the bag- and noticed that Hank and Valerie were not at all surprised- he just let it happen.
The sword went straight into the bag, and only then did Vittoria look up at him. "What do you want me to do?"
There was a trace of unease in her voice, and she seemed to be avoiding Gilgamesh's gaze now for some reason. Gilgamesh disregarded it, though, and instead bid farewell to Hank and Valerie after thanking them for their help.
Later that day, Gilgamesh and Vittoria went to his cabin in the grove.
They sat in the living room; Gilgamesh had prepared tea. He noticed that Vittoria seemed worried, and tried to help calm her by saying, "Sorry about the whole ordeal. I just needed to talk to you in private, and wasn't sure how to go about ensuring I got the chance."
"That was, quite literally, the first idea that popped into my head. My plan was kinda... incomplete."
Vittoria stiffened, "Your... p-plan?"
The teacup in her hand shook, constantly making impact with the saucer under it.
"Uh, yeah," Gilgamesh took a sip of his tea. "You okay?"
Vittoria suddenly dropped her tea and saucer onto the small table and got on her feet, drawing the sword from her bag in a single move. Directing it at Gilgamesh, she took a stance and her coat was flung upward.
Gilgamesh got a quick glance at the object on her back, and he instantly deduced that it was a skeleton of some kind, almost entirely wrapped up.
The skull and a bit of the torso was exposed, which was the only reason he knew it was a skeleton and not a body.
In her defensive stance, Vittoria angled the sword while twisting her body, ready to stab Gilgamesh at the slightest change.
"You can't have it! The remains belong to me!"