After leaving Kirito and his condescending attitude behind, Strawberry made her way to a nearby vendor selling a variety of accessories, including a collection of masks. She scanned through them, her eyes landing on a sleek, dark mask that would cover the upper half of her face and, more importantly, conceal her player name. Perfect for avoiding recognition, especially from anyone who'd heard of her recent achievements.
She slipped it on, adjusting the straps to fit snugly over her eyes, and smiled in satisfaction. Now she could keep a low profile whenever she wanted, and curious players like Kirito would have to look elsewhere if they wanted to pry.
When she finally found Quinella waiting by the fountain in the center of town, Strawberry gave her a quick nod, noting her friend's raised eyebrow as she noticed the mask.
Quinella tilted her head, a smirk tugging at her lips. "New look?"
"Let's call it a necessity," Strawberry replied, letting out a sigh. "Ran into someone who recognized me by name. A bit of an attitude, too."
Quinella chuckled, crossing her arms. "Someone getting starstruck?"
Strawberry rolled her eyes, absently scratching Muffin behind his ears. "Not quite. This guy—Kirito—wasn't impressed in the way you'd think. Made it sound like I'm just some reckless player charging into boss rooms blindly."
Quinella's smirk grew. "And let me guess, you didn't love that?"
"Couldn't stand it." Strawberry gave a small, frustrated laugh, scratching her head. "I don't even know what this mischief-maker of a bunny was chasing after when I bumped into him. Next thing I know, he's acting like he's got me all figured out."
Muffin chirped innocently, as if he had absolutely nothing to do with it.
Quinella chuckled, shaking her head. "Well, now you've got the mask to go incognito if you need to. Although…" She leaned closer, inspecting the sleek design. "It does add a bit of an edge to your look. Mysterious, powerful."
Strawberry shrugged, a small grin returning to her face. "If it keeps people from talking to me like I'm some newbie with a death wish, I'm all for it." She glanced down at Muffin, who gazed up at her with wide, innocent eyes. "As for you, next time, try chasing after something a little less conspicuous."
Muffin gave a squeaky huff as if to protest his innocence, puffing up his little chest as if to say, "I did nothing wrong!" Strawberry couldn't help but laugh, scratching him behind the ears to let him know all was forgiven.
Turning to Quinella, she adjusted the mask on her face. "You know what? This quick-fix mask is nice, but maybe I should invest in something a little more permanent. Something that can fully hide my player name."
Quinella's eyes gleamed with interest. "And I know just the person who can make it happen. Kaelin would love the challenge, I'm sure."
With a nod, they made their way back to Kaelin's smithy, weaving through the marketplace once more. When they arrived, the rhythmic clanging of metal greeted them, Kaelin hard at work hammering a blade into shape at her anvil. The warm glow of her forge illuminated the room, casting her focused expression in an intense light.
Sensing their presence, Kaelin looked up, her auburn braid swinging behind her as she set down her hammer with a grin. "Back so soon, you two? Already miss me?"
Strawberry smirked. "More like I need your help again. This mask was fine for blending in, but I want something better—something that can hide my player name completely."
Kaelin raised an eyebrow, her expression intrigued. "A full-face mask that conceals player names? That's an interesting request. Not a lot of players ask for something like that."
"Well, I ran into someone earlier who wasn't shy about knowing who I am," Strawberry explained, crossing her arms. "Let's just say I'd prefer to keep a lower profile from now on."
Kaelin chuckled, her hands on her hips. "Ah, the burdens of fame. You take down two floor bosses, and suddenly everyone wants a piece of you." She nodded, her eyes gleaming with excitement. "I'd be honored to make something for you. Let me see…"
She led them to her workbench, pulling out a few sketches and designs for different types of armor and accessories. With a piece of charcoal, she began sketching a basic design of a sleek, full-face mask, adding angular details that complemented Strawberry's edgy look.
"I'm thinking of going with an obsidian base," Kaelin murmured, talking to herself as she sketched. "I can enchant it with a concealing effect that will cloak your player name and maybe even dampen any light reflections, to make it harder to spot in darker areas."
Strawberry's eyes lit up as she looked over the design. "Perfect. And if possible, could you make it lightweight? I don't want it slowing me down."
Kaelin grinned, crossing her arms. "Lightweight, full concealment, and stylish? I'm your gal. Give me a day or so, and I'll have this ready for you. You won't be recognized by your own reflection by the time I'm done."
The half-dwarf paused, tilting her head as she considered a few last flourishes. "I'll add some accents too—maybe some white and fuchsia lines to match your color scheme? Make it unique, but not so flashy it draws attention."
Strawberry's eyes lit up. "That sounds perfect. Something with personality, but subtle enough to keep me hidden."
Quinella leaned in, admiring the sketch. "You know, if this turns out as good as I think it will, Kaelin, you might just have a new specialty on your hands."
Kaelin's grin widened, pride shining in her eyes. "Well, I'll certainly consider it if it means keeping our resident scythe-wielder out of the limelight. Just be sure to come back tomorrow—I'll have it ready, and I think you'll be more than satisfied."
With their commission placed, Strawberry thanked Kaelin, giving the half-dwarf a nod of appreciation. "Looking forward to it, Kaelin. And thanks again—you always go above and beyond."
Kaelin shrugged, a glint of mischief in her eyes. "For you, Strawberry? It's a pleasure. Now go on, get some rest. You both look exhausted."
Leaving Kaelin's shop with a renewed sense of anticipation, Strawberry and Quinella wound their way through the bustling market streets, finally heading back to their temporary quarters. The day had been long, packed with battles, commissions, and a few unexpected encounters.
Strawberry stretched her arms above her head, a groan escaping as her muscles reminded her of the hours spent on her feet. "Don't know about you," she mumbled, "but a hot spring is calling my name."
From under her hood, Muffin chirped in enthusiastic agreement, his little ears twitching at the thought. Quinella laughed, glancing over with an amused expression.
"Can't say I blame you. After today's battles, a hot spring sounds like the only right way to end the night." She tilted her head, casting a glance around as they passed a few signs pointing toward a nearby bathhouse. "Think that place has one?"
Strawberry nodded. "Yep, saw it on our way into town. And after lugging Muffin around all day and fending off oversized bugs, I'm not skipping out on it."