Ratidzo was happy to hear this compliment; after all, Tapiwa had given her these designs, and earning her approval and compliment meant she had done a wonderful job.
She breathed a sigh of relief, calming herself down, especially after a few days of not being able to sleep well, since she couldn't wait to see the end of what she was stitching.
"I'm glad I didn't disappoint you, but there's still room for improvement. I'll keep working hard!" Ratidzo did not become arrogant but rather spoke modestly.
She had rushed through everything, and even while she was doing so, she could sense that there was so much more she could do to make these articles of apparel much better and more appealing for ladies to buy and appreciate.
Tapiwa was obviously pleased with Ratidzo's response because she began to give her suggestions and talk with her about numerous designs that could be used to beautify what she had previously created.
After speaking with her, Tapiwa placed many orders for nightwear before leaving Ratidzo to begin her duties.
Tapiwa took advantage of the opportunity to enjoy life while also seeing Karoba.
She spent the day window shopping and taking notes on the prices of the items she wanted. Other products could only be found in cities and were significantly cheaper than in towns. So, she jotted down the costs so she could compare them before purchasing whatever she required.
She returned to the inn after spending the day doing this, where she ate dinner with others before retiring to her room.
She went to her room rather than staying to talk to Ma Michaels since she was sleepy.
Water was brought over, and she washed her dirty clothes before entering the store space's bedroom, where she took a shower while practicing her water ability control, which was becoming more fluid with each session.
She was so exhausted after practicing for nearly two hours that she promptly went to bed.
She awoke the next morning and went through her usual ritual before heading downstairs for breakfast.
The brothers were already in the restaurant, as usual, and Tapiwa felt like slapping them. She didn't understand why she loathed them, and she never cared to consider why they were continuously staring at her in such a way.
Tapiwa left the inn after a very satisfying breakfast and cheerfully boarded another carriage to RAD.
It was time for her to go pick up her business certificate, and she was looking forward to it.
As long as she obtains it, there will be no need for her to stay in the city.
Tapiwa was seated on the bench with several other people who were plainly there for the same reason she was.
George, as a senior official, had other people to see first, as she had guessed and confirmed when she arrived that morning, so she had to wait until her turn came.
Who would have known she'd be waiting for so long?
The people in front of her were quite patient, and the wait was exasperating.
Nonetheless, she used the idle time to listen in on the latest city news from the chatty folks who were also waiting to be served.
"I regret that I registered; now I have to pay taxes. Others are not even paying them!"
"Why are you complaining in such a ridiculous way? Why are you acting as if you haven't reaped the benefits of business registration?"
"Paying still hurts. This is my money!"
"Heh, then allow your heart to ache. I've heard from a friend that the government will require every business to register or face sanctions!"
"Is your news reliable?"
"I believe in the person who told me that. That person is not the type to spew nonsense."
"Heh, if that's true, won't everyone be in trouble?"
"We'll just have to wait and see what happens. For the time being, I would rather suffer by paying these taxes than lose my government benefits."
"That is correct. Even if the benefits are minimal, we should benefit."
Tapiwa found the discussions to be both entertaining and enlightening. After all, she had discovered something that most people were unaware of, and this was already beneficial.
It was finally her turn after nearly three hours of waiting. And she strode into George's office with her head held high, especially in front of curious guys.
'Hmpph, have you never seen a lady doing business?'
When she walked into the office, she saw the familiar face she had seen three days before, but he didn't look as rested as he had the day before.
Relief poured over George, who was on the edge of collapsing, as he saw his next visitor.
'At long last, someone normal!'
There were simply too many outliers on the planet. He wouldn't be suffering in such a way if it weren't for that.... something he didn't want to talk about or even think about.
'When am I going to leave this place?'
With a welcoming gesture, he said to Tapiwa, who was approaching the desk, "Welcome back, Madam Sims."
Tapiwa returned George's smile, relieved to see that he seemed pleased to see her. She didn't want to suffer because of the actions of others. She could tell he was in a terrible mood when she walked into the office.
If he piled all his frustrations on her, she wouldn't know how to handle the situation.
"It's great to be back. How have you been, Sir George?" she asked as she sat.
"Everything is going well. We're still alive and well, and that's all that matters."
"That is absolutely correct. It's already a blessing to be able to wake up every single day and just be alive," she acknowledged, remembering how brief life can be.
There are so many people out there that died unexpectedly. Even she wanted to end it all at some point, but thankfully she didn't because otherwise, wouldn't all she was experiencing now be gone just like that?
Even if she perished, those who remained would have suffered no harm. Perhaps they would have been relieved she was gone, and no one would have cared.
And it was because of this that she became determined to survive, even though life was rough and her heart was slowly fading.
George stared at Tapiwa, who was in a trance, and wondered what she was thinking and what she had been through for her to act the way she was.
However, no matter how inquisitive he was, he couldn't question her because doing so would be crossing a personal line, something he despised.
He also disliked anyone entering and peering into his affairs, therefore unless the other party was willing, he would repress his curiosity until he had a chance to know the other better.
"Your business certificate has arrived, and this..." George began talking to Tapiwa, who awoke from her coma and began to focus on what he was saying.