Realizing that the people inside the shop were still unwilling to open the door for me, I gave up and decided to move to a store known for its medium-quality goods that was nearby.
"Damn, they opened a shop in a place where monsters could appear at any time. They only care about their own safety," I muttered to myself as I walked away from the luxury shop.
Suddenly, I heard a strange voice beside me.
"Isn't that normal? They are a luxury shop in this area. Of course, they're concerned about their workers, who are mostly low-level awakeners. If something like this were to happen, it makes sense for them to lock themselves in a store with super strong defenses."
Upon hearing that voice, I swiftly slashed my arch sword toward the source with the Quick x4 ability, but my strike was effortlessly blocked by the aura surrounding her finger.
'A Swordmaster in a beginner's town?'
I was surprised by the presence of a female Swordmaster here, but I maintained my composure, making sure not to display any suspicious behavior.
"Relax; I'm here because I received an alarm from this shop. I'm just here as reinforcement. Are you coming in?" she asked.
Feeling out of sorts, I declined. "There are still many shops I can visit, and I won't be in this city for long anyway."
I left the woman behind and walked toward the medium-quality shop recommended by the Association.
*Knock, knock.*
I gently knocked on Morlene's shop door, and it was opened manually from the inside.
"Yes, how can I help you?"
A waiter with a pot lid opened the door. When he saw that I was a regular customer, he lowered his guard.
"I want to purchase a few items: four sets of everyday clothes, two sets of sportswear along with shoes, and one black tuxedo and one white tuxedo."
Upon hearing my extensive order, the waiter invited me inside and prepared some warm water for me to drink.
As I sipped the warm water provided, the store manager entered the room.
"Excuse me, sir. I am the store manager, Tirbelius. You ordered four sets of everyday clothes, two sets of sports attire, two pairs of shoes and socks, as well as two tuxedos—one black and one white, correct? If that's the case, we would like to take your body measurements for the sports attire and tuxedos. Would you allow that?"
"Of course, I don't mind," I replied. "But could you please provide me with one set of clothes first? To be honest, I had an incident before coming here that resulted in my clothes and all the suitcases containing the outfits I had prepared being destroyed in an explosion. So, I really need a set of clothes right away."
"Ah, of course! I completely understand. If I may ask, what are your body measurements?"
"My size is Double M."
"Okay then, I'll ask the waiters to bring some clothes. Please wait a moment."
The store manager quickly exited, and the waiters hurriedly brought in various everyday clothes in size Double M.
After entering the changing room, I put on a fairly normal outfit similar to those worn outside the tower and asked, "How much are these clothes?"
"One set of everyday clothes and a pair of walking shoes cost 3 tower coins," the waiter replied.
"I'll buy this, and please add it to my order. So now I want a total of 5 sets of everyday clothes, 2 sets of sportswear, and 2 tuxedos."
The manager bowed his head in acknowledgment. "As you wish."
"Where will I be measured?" I inquired.
The manager then called in the tailors, who carefully began measuring my body. They also asked if there were any specific details I wanted to add to my new clothing.
"Make it as simple and normal as possible. For both tuxedos, could you incorporate a Lotus Flower pattern with 12 blooming petals? And please leave one unbloomed petal in the center of the 12 lotus petals."
The designer, hearing my request, sketched an illustration based on my specifications and showed me the results.
"Yes, that's perfect! If you think this is too plain, feel free to suggest any additional details you think would enhance it. I'll cover all the costs. By the way, how much is the deposit fee for all these items?"
Startled by my inquiry, the manager realized they had not yet calculated the total price of the clothes.
"Okay, I will deposit 25 coins. How long will it take to complete everything?"
"For the sportswear, it will take about 2 days to complete, and for the tuxedos, they will be ready by the latest 1 week after the sportswear is finished."
"I see. Okay, for now, I will take 4 sets of everyday clothes," I decided.
I selected the plain clothes available and placed them all in the leather pouch.
Having finished up with the clothing, I headed to the inn that was also recommended. I made my way to the eastern district to look for the Golden Star Inn, which was easy to spot due to its luxurious and magnificent appearance. Without hesitation, I entered and was immediately greeted by the staff.
"Welcome to the Golden Star Inn! How can I assist you today?"
"I'd like to stay," I replied.
"Sure! Please take a look at the price list," the attendant said.
The price list set by the inn was quite steep: 100 tower coins for a month in a Class 1 room, while the Deluxe Presidential Suite cost 75 coins per day, which included three meals. It could be considered the most expensive option.
"I'd like the Deluxe Presidential Suite for 2 weeks," I stated.
Upon hearing about the most luxurious type of room, the waiters' eyes lit up with excitement. They began to offer me additional perks.
"No, there's a possibility that I will reach the second city on the 10th floor within two weeks," I explained.
Despite my response, their enthusiasm did not wane. They suggested special facilities for climbers who preferred not to remain in one city for too long.
"This is a special facility we offer. If you successfully pass the tower test at a difficulty level of 8 or higher, with an overall score of A or above, we provide a 50% discount on all types of rooms, including the Deluxe Presidential Suite."
"Really? What kind of facility is that?" I asked, intrigued.
"Our Golden Star Inn has branches in every city in the tower, with the farthest being the eighth city on the 75th floor. If you utilize this facility, you will receive the same high-quality accommodations in any city where a Golden Star Inn is located, equivalent to what you pay now."
"Is that so? If I were to book for 10 years, how much would that cost me?"
Upon hearing my question, the waiters began calculating my total expenses for 10 years.
"For 10 years in the Deluxe Presidential Suite, it would come to 273,750 coins," one of them informed me.
"I will take that facility. Here is my Tower Awakener Association card," I said.
Everyone's eyes widened in shock as they examined the name displayed on the card. Their surprise only grew as they noticed the difficulty level and my final score.