NOVEL NEXT Outing 2: Electric Boogaloo
Red hair POV
We were in front of a building.
“Is this really the place?”
“Yeah!”
“It looks scary.”
“There are no signs, no wares or anything displayed outside. This looks like someone’s private home.”
“Duh, that’s why it’s a secret. Nobody would think that a building like this is a shop!”
“Is this shop illegal? Will your mistress have a problem with this?”
“My mistress does not care about such things.”
“Uh, my dad does have connections to seedy places so I’m used to it.”
“Wait, your dad brings you to those places?”
“Oh, no. Not really, he told me about them. This would be my first seedy shop experience!”
“Why are you weirdly happy about that?”
“That’s right, Melanie! You should go in first for the whole experience.”
“Huh!? Why!?”
“Come on, this is no time to be shy. All of you get in there already.”
Juliet pushes all of us towards the building. As we open the door, a man shouts.
“GET OUT OF MY HOUSE, YOU LOWLIFES. I GOT NOTHING FOR YOU!”
A man’s voice echoes from within. Then he looks at us. He looks annoyed and mad.
“Huh? What are you young ones doing here? This place ain’t for the likes of you.”
Melanie hid behind Sylvia and I really don’t know what I’m supposed to do here.
“Now get out and go home. You ain’t welcome.”
“Oh, come on, don’t be like that gramps.”
“Huh? That you, Juliet?”
“Yeah! I came to visit!”
“How many times do I have to tell you that this place ain’t for kids? You even brought even more kids here!”
“Don’t be a killjoy gramps. We’re just here to check things out.”
“Fine. But you can’t only check here. You can’t go deeper, its not for you kids.”
“Okay, okay. Come on, you guys. Let’s look around.
We finally got inside. It was really weird, like things are all over the place. Pretty random too. The other three were looking at the things here. I went to talk with the old man.
“How the hell do you even have all of these, old man?”
“This place also acts as a pawn shop you see. Someone brings something here, I give em a price and buy em. No questions on where they came from. Then I sell em to whoever wants to buy.”
“So, you’re a fence?”
“You know that word missy? Seems like you know things.”
“My parents were adventurers so they thought me about these things. So, where you keeping the weapons old man?”
“Depends. Do you want those who got here from top or under?”
“What the difference?”
“Those from the top are either weapons I got from shops or people sold them since they have no money. The ones from under are from those who killed to get those weapons and sell em to me. So, who knows what those could have.”
Tsk. I forgot to loot those guys I killed before I got here. I could’ve sold them here.
“So, can I sell things to you then?”
“Sure, missy. Just don’t haggle. If you don’t like my offer, don’t force it.”
“Got it. Show me those top weapons then. We aren’t desperate enough for the ones under.”
“Aight, follow me. Juliet, guard the shop.”
“Okay, gramps! Come with me, Melanie. I’ll show you how the other stuff works.”
“Sylvia, let’s go!”
Sylvia and I followed the old man inside a room while Juliet and Melanie stayed where we were.
“Go on and take a look.”
“May I inquire as to why the weapons are in a separate room?”
“Can’t really let them be out in the open where someone can just grab it and attack me. This ain’t exactly a well-known place. People will try to steal here.”
“That means you can fight, old man?”
“Course I can. Been an adventurer for most my life.”
The old man flexes his muscles.
“Oh right, you’re a maid? You serve them nobles?”
“Yes, I am. Do you wish to know whom I serve?”
“Nah, no need. Better not get involved in whatever business you have.”
“Are you not concern that I might report this?”
“Go ahead. Don’t really care. We have nobles coming here so it doesn’t matter to me. If I do get arrested, I’ll just break out and run away. Gahahaha!”
This old man is something else.
“I see. Well, do not worry. My mistress is not interested so nothing will happen.”
“Aight. Just go and see if anything is good for ya.”
“Lucina, go ahead and look. I have no experience in using weapons.”
We already went to some shops earlier and there wasn’t really anything special.
“What were the requirements again?”
“Something light that is easy to use. Not too long and build for speed.”
“That’s what you’re looking for? Got the weapon just for you then.”
The old man pointed to a sword. I grabbed it and it was unnaturally light.
“What? This thing is way too light. I feel like it can float if I let it go.”
“There is a story for that one. You wanna hear it?”
I nodded to him.
“The guy who brought it here said that it was supposed to be a gift for a friend. The friend was bedridden and couldn’t move you see. Too weak to lift things so he spent everything he had to get a sword he can use. But the friend died before he could give the sword so he sold it here. Said he was gonna just go home and quit.”
“Woah. This sword has a sad story.”
“Everything has something on it. Also, that sword has a gimmick. Try to put your magic in it.”
I channel my magic in the sword and it becomes heavier the more I put in it.
“The thing operates on magic. The more you put in, the heavier it gets. It does decrease sharpness though so the more magic, it becomes more similar to a club.”
“Yeah, this things good. You should get it.”
“Understood. I shall buy it.”
Sylvia bought the sword from the old man. After a while, we left and started walking back. Melanie and Juliet were talking so I decided to talk to Sylvia.
“Sylvia.”
“What is it?”
“You always have a weird expression when you’re talking about your mistress. You hate her or something?”
Sylvia was silent the whole time. We got to their place before ours so we bid our farewell. Melanie already went in and Juliet started walking.
“Lucina.”
I look towards Sylvia.
“If I have to choose, I would say that I hate her.”
