Chapter 58: Taking it easy and… shopping?
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’She saw me.’

Well, she saw me in the past as well but this time was a little bit different. This time she saw me in detail. 

My body was a girl’s body but even so... I was still anxious knowing that she ’took care of me’ while I was unconscious... and naked. And she seemed to be unfazed by it as if that was nothing. 

From her perspective, she probably wasn't even aware of it, even more so as she was concerned about my situation. No time to be bothered by such a thing. 

I didn't even know if I should be happy about it, or sad since I was a full-fledged girl in her eyes. 

It had been a while since I accepted the situation but maybe a part of me was still trying to deny the truth. 

It was easier until now since I couldn't be bothered by stuff like that. I was too busy trying to survive after all. But since the situation calmed down these thoughts started bugging me from time to time. 

Maybe that was the natural process of accepting it? To accept something you need to be aware of it first. Pushing the problem aside wasn't the answer. I was fully aware of that, at least in theory.

Or was I just overthinking again? It wasn't like I wanted to become a real girl anyway...

I liked to think that I did a great job adapting to the new circumstances. Being seen naked would be embarrassing for most people regardless of gender.

Nobody should be able to accept something like that overnight. Or, to be more precise, nobody should be able to be comfortable with such a change even after accepting the situation. It was just a matter of time. Yes, that was it. 

’I need more time... probably...’

While I was engrossed in my philosophical debate with myself, the day went by without any other occurrences. We decided to take it easy and rest. Sara was also reassured that nothing actually happened. 

I was surprised as to how worried she was. We got along quite well, but in the end, we were just customers. Well, a little more than normal customers but that wasn't the point. 

Maybe that was the way she was. 

After a day of rest, I decided that it was enough. I was more bored than tired anyway. 

We decided to stroll through the city in the morning, looking around at random stuff. Moreover, we managed to come across an interesting place near the north gate. 

It was a workshop focused on mainly wood products. They were making everything from chairs, tables, doors and other pieces of furniture to almost everything that included wood. 

I wasn't sure if I could call it a shop. It had a large room with simple wood products and various models for custom-made requests. They also took special requests even though I didn't know exactly what that was supposed to mean. It was written on a plaque at the entrance so it should mean something. 

In the back was probably the deposit and judging by the noises coming from there, the place where they were working as well.

At first, I was only interested in maybe buying two or three chairs and a small table. Since I could conveniently store them in the ring, it was a good idea for when we were traveling. With them, we could eat and rest as normal people should do. No more eating on a blanket.

As always it was doing, my mind  started to wander from the main subject to other stuff like:

’Why not buying a bed too?’

No matter how ridiculous that appeared to be at first, it was one of the best ideas I had. Just imagining sleeping in a bed and not just on a blanket made me excited. 

Actually, I had to endure even worse... I slept on a bed of leaves so sleeping on an actual bed outside of the city sounded like a luxury right now. Not that I had anything against that. As long as it was requiring little to no money or effort, any luxury I could get had my seal of approval. 

Making up my mind, I approached one of the men that looked like the guy in charge. 

There was no counter or an individual that was in charge of just selling the products but it wasn't that hard to figure out anyway. From all the people from there, he was the only one who had leftovers of sawdust on his clothes.

” Excuse me, can you help me with something. ”

” Hmm!? Oh, yeah... Just wait a moment. I need to find a—

” Gerry! My hammer. I need it now... ” he wasn't able to finish what he wanted to say and another loud voice was heard coming from the back. 

He was looking like he was searching for something but yeah... Probably I popped at the wrong time. He had a frown on his face now. 

” I know, I know... But I can't find it... Are you sure you let the hammer here—

” Nevermind. I found it. Come back. ” the loud voice interrupted him again. Also, the frown from its face changed in pure annoyance. 

” Well, I need to deal with something else now. Just wait. Goddamit... ”

”...” I didn't know what to say to that. I just hoped he wasn't in a bad mood now. His colleague seemed to be quite a difficult person. 

” Anyway, wanna buy something, missy? ”

Lucky. He wasn't. Maybe he was already used to him. Better for me. 

” I wanted to buy some chairs and a small table. I don't see any beds here but maybe you know where I can buy one? ” I asked him while pointing at some of the more delicate chairs from there. 

Fiona said that she liked them as well but something was telling me that she would like whatever I liked. I wanted her to have an opinion on things but maybe I was asking for too much for now.

’Maybe she'll change in time... maybe... hope she'll do...’

The chairs weren't too big and had a backrest as well. The surface was polished, adding a nice luster to it. I just needed a table to go with them and that was it.

” Hmm, I see... How many? ”

” Maybe two or three... I think three. And a table... ”

” One to go with them, right? ”

” Yeah... ”

” I see. Come with me. ” he said and lead us to look at some tables in the other corner on the room. 

” These are a little too big. ” I said while looking at them.

” Yeah... Do you need them right now? ” he asked me while scratching the back of his head and probably thinking about something. 

” Umm, not really... ”

” Then... We'll do like this. Chose which model do you like from these and we will make a smaller one to fit for you. Half the payment upfront, just so you know from now. ”

” How much? Ahh, I want to know the chair's price as well... ”

” There was a small plaque with the price... Didn't look at it? ”

” Umm, no. Sorry. ”

” Well, whatever. It'll be 6 silver coins for three chairs. Usually, we take 1 silver and half for a chair like that but these weeks we got a shortage of wood. You know, with that goddamn emergency quest... Harder to go and get the wood... We had to hire more guards and soo on... ”

” I see. And the table... Something like that one, I think... But smaller. ” I said and pointed at a round-shaped table. I always liked those. It felt like the right one for when you were on a trip. 

Not having pointy corners was another plus. These damn corners were always targeting me. 

” A custom-made table. Also smaller... Hmm, around 5 silver and... No, if you buy the chairs too, we'll let the table at 5 silver. ”

” So, 11 silver for all of them? ”

” That's correct, missy. You said something about a bed too... If I'm not wrong. ”

” Yes. But I can't see any here... ”

” We make just frames and the wood parts. But I don't think you want to search for a mattress and the rest afterward... I can give you the address of one of our partners. You can get the whole piece from there. ”

” Yeah. That will help. Thank you. ”

I should have expected that. They were making and selling the wood pieces to their partner. Well, that was better for me. I didn't want to play puzzles while assembling a bed from pieces. 

’Playing puzzle... pieces... Hmm... Hm!?’

” Ehm, one more thing... If I want you to make me... umm... something like... It's a little unusual. But made just from wood. ” I said while trying to shape a form with my hands. Though, judging from his troubled expression, I was not doing a good job. 

” If you can describe what you want and we can do it, then it's alright. It will cost more since that comes as a special request. Half the payment upfront as well. ”

” Perfect! Then, what I want is... ”

.

.

.

In the afternoon, we decided to pay a visit to the Adventurers Guild. We already postponed the claws delivery long enough and since we didn't have anything else to do, it was good to get done with it. 

I was very satisfied with the deal from earlier. The guy, I think Gerry was called, looked at me with an inquiring expression after I finished to explain what I wanted but in the end, he accepted the deal. 

Work was work and since I paid, there was no problem. At least that was what he said in the end.

Another reason to hurry up and get done with the claws. Money was good. 

’Is it just me or am I starting to be quite greedy?’

I didn't really know... Who didn't like to have money? I think I was still on the safe side, at least for the moment. 

’Yeah... I should be fine... probably.’

Shaking my head from the whole money-centered subject, I remembered the last part of the conversation with Gerry. 

In a few words, I asked him why were they bothering to accept requests like mine.

From the perspective of efficiency, it wasn't worth it. It was true that they got more work but that wasn't the point. 

Making something that you weren't used to make wasn't exactly the easiest thing to do. Pieces like what I asked for requested to be designed from scratch after all. It was better to focus on what you had experience in making. Even charged extra, it was still not worth it. 

The answer was rather unexpected. They accepted such requests to train their crafting-related skills. While it was better and more efficient in the short run to focus on what they were used to do, that was detrimental to their growth in the long run. 

After listening to his explanation, I thought that it made sense, somehow. It was a good reminder to me that these skills and statuses were affecting the day to day lifestyle of this world’s inhabitants even more than it seemed at a first glance. 

 

Hi everyone! Sorry for the wait. That, assuming that you guys missed me... 

To atone myself, I'll try to release another chapter by tomorrow or if I can finish it today even better( though, that not likely to happen). 

Anyway, hope you enjoy this one!

 

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