Dawn- An Age Of Darkness

"Actually the rumors regarding your death were all over the place. So some speculated that you escaped and the rumors also went around you being a demigod in disguise. Besides, humans hate elves. So I don't think they'd try to rat you out anytime soon. And as for the elves, they won't even dream of harming you as long as you look like that."

So technically this guise of a woman wasn't totally pointless apart from soothing Lianne's heart. 

She might have misunderstood my concerns a bit though. I sighed. "Let's go get some items and armor."

"Follow me."

I followed her and bought quite a few potions and herbs. I had plenty of space, and I could afford the extra. I bought some antidotes and other stuff like that too. I really wanted to buy one high potion for 100 silvers but Lianne dragged me out of the store before I could even touch it. 

In her words 'It's not worth it.' 

I really wanted it though.

***

Now only the armor remained. But how was I supposed to buy armor for a guy while I was a girl? 

We still walked into an armor shop anyway. I'd brought out my clobbered armor before going in. We were keeping the armor in a bag all this time. Since we couldn't use the ring in public, or more like I didn't want to, carrying all this stuff without Servesta's help was very, very hard. 

An attendant kept us company. It was a pretty big shop. And there was a lot of good stuff. So there were a lot of people here as well. "Something similar to this? I do have them but are you sure you want this? I mean we have armor better suited to you-"

I'd actually forgotten for a moment that I was a girl right now.

I made up things on spot. "Actually we're buying it for our party leader who ran away. Apparently, he's out seeking company from other girls." The attendant was a girl so she understood what I tried to convey: or so I hoped. I was falling down the rabbit hole more and more by the minute. 

Does this world even have the concept of a party leader?

"I know right! We could never trust men! But he's really lucky to have cute girls like you." The shop attendant was actually older than me. So she acted like an older sister. Maybe she didn't realize that Lianne was an elf?

Or maybe she just didn't care and acted like that anyway.

"Well, our budget is about 100 silvers. So if you have something better, it'd be welcome." 

"Of course! I'll be right back!" She seemed rather happy when I mentioned the amount. Maybe 100 silvers, was overkill for armor?

I remembered buying armor for cheap prices like five or six silvers. But I guess 100 silvers or rather, a gold, was worth a lot. It was only enough to buy a single great quality sword though. 

Lianne looked at me with pity. Did I really do something wrong? She came close. "Basically 100 silvers in Alfeime Empire is like ten gold in Moire. Money is actually ten times more valuable here," she whispered.

My face turned a bit pale, but I just dealt with it.

That's a lot of money!

Ten gold for a single piece of armor?

Oh boy. I'd just screwed up big time.

The attendant came back with the manager and we started to get special treatment right away. I guess it really was a lot of money.

***

A private room. Good lighting and the room smelled nice. They were treating us with special care if nothing else.

We were shown three armors. All three were extravagant in design. They looked rather heavy too.

"Don't you have anything light I mean-"

I mean I was really searching for a way to get out of all this and just buy cheap leather armor or something.

"Try this!" The woman flashed a smile and pointed at the flashiest one of them all. It glittered with white gems and blue metal. I'd never seen that kind of thing.

The damn thing reeked of wealth, literally. 

"Me? But-" Did she perhaps forget that I was a girl?

"Let me clarify. Calm down, dear. No one's going to force you to wear something like this. Just try to lift it."

That makes sense. 

But the way she was talking about the armor gave me the vibe that she personally didn't like it either.

It was actually rather light, very light. "Wow! It's so light." Probably even lighter than the stuff I was wearing. Or rather was wearing when I was a guy. 

"The main body is made of Mitrin and this also has a light coating of Adamantim. It's one of the best armor our shop has."

Mitrin and Adamantim?

"Why not name it Adamantite instead of Adamantim? I mean, the first one is obviously better." I was once a hard-core gamer. So the name seemed a little off to me. Hard to imagine something so similar really existed in this world though.

"I'm amazed you're stuck on that," Lianne frowned. "But the quality seems to be fair."

Apparently, my idea was rejected the moment they heard it. 

I turned to the attendant. "This is too flashy. Don't you think-"

"That's why this has to be it. I mean it's a good product but when your guy friend would wear it, people would steer clear of him and you'll be able to keep a better leash on him." She winked.

Is that how it works? 

But wait, aren't I going to wear this? 

Oh boy.

Oh boy, oh boy. 

This was bad.

"You don't understand-" But I certainly did. 

"We'll take it!" Lianne said.

I could see the smirk on her face, right through the veil.

Evil.

This woman was pure evil.

"Lianne I-"

"I know right? She's right you know. It'd be for the best." The attendant reassured me with a smile. Women really were scary creatures.. I might have misjudged them: I might have underestimated them.