Seven foot tall living armors were draped in long clothes as we strolled through the city. A few people turned to look at us, but in the border city of Serenia we weren't that strange a sight.
People here were ready to fight monsters every day, all kinds of characters would end up on such streets, naturally.
The living armors following me, though looked like my bodyguards, were actually here to keep an eye on me more than anything.
Through the busy market streets where the calls of hawkers were carried alongside the wafting smell of freshly cooked meats, I made my way under the awnings close to the alleyways between the shops.
Every few minutes I would stop outside a stall.
"What's the rate for the flour?"
"9 Ders for you, five kilograms!"
"Here's seven."
"Come on, mister! Think of us sellers too…"
"Alright, I'll buy from someone else then."
"Wait, wait, seven."
That was how shopping here went. Well, that was the case anywhere. I grabbed the flour in a bag and the next customer stepped in front, looking at the amount of goods on display.
"Um, how much is kilogram of flour?"
"Ah, yes. It's just 7 Ders."
I stopped. The fuck? Now, I was a thief, alright, but even I did not try to steal from people in such a blatant manner. A beautiful girl with long black hair was at the shop. Unlike usual dresses, she wore trousers and a long-sleeved turtleneck, covering her entire body. Her hair was tied up in a high-pony. The curves on the body were unmistakable.
A beauty that couldn't be hidden from the clothes alone, but my focus was elsewhere. Now, a thief's job description was quite varied. From simple lockpicking to conning, everything was needed on its time. Identifying people was a part of that wide spectrum.
This woman, trying to blend in the public, was the Vice Captain of the Reinvelt Knights. The most fierce sword of the Duke of the North, and one of, if not the most powerful knight order in the entire empire.
That's right, no amount of clothes could hide strong muscles and that fiery gaze.
"Alright, seven—"
What? Huh?! Hey, aren't you the vice captain? What are you doing getting scammed like that? Also, I had to give it to the shopkeeper, maybe he could have interned at my thievery firm (there isn't one).
Well, no point getting in trouble was what I thought but when I turned around, selling apples on a cart with a cloth tied into a turban on its head was a book.
"..."
The apples had interesting names.
[Hey, are you stupid? 10% off]
[Isn't that chick strong? 30% off]
[Hit on her 45% off]
I pursed my lips. My suspension of disbelief was in heaven right now. When I blinked, the book was gone and there was just a man there. Ah, I get it. It wasn't the book, it was my heart speaking to me.
Yes, yes, a thief's instinct.
I quickly turned on my heels and went over to the shop again. I reached out to grab the lady's hands before she could pay.
Almost like a cat, she moved her hand away and glared at me.
"Excuse me?" she said, her voice cold. The people around all staggered on their feet, and some eyes turned here. "Are you a thief?"
Yup! What gave it away?
"No, no," I quickly shook my hands and leaned back with a soft smile. "I just wanted to stop you from paying. Hey, mister, you there."
The shopkeeper flinched at my call. "Didn't you just sell me five kilograms for 7 Ders? Are you running a scam?"
"W-what…" The knight looked back at the shopkeeper, her eyes wide in surprise.
"Did you say a kilogram?! Oh my bad, my bad, I thought you said five!" The shopkeeper muttered. He had filled a bag with only one though, quite the bold-faced lie. I glared at him, and he started filling it up with more flour.
Of course, I wasn't going to stop here. I turned to the lady next.
"My… I didn't think I was getting cheated like this."
"And you, miss," I said, adjusting my coat. "What's wrong with you, huh? I try to help you and you label me a thief."
"You did try to grab my money—"
"Yapayapayapa, do you have no manners?" Reaching out for the cash was instinct, and if I wanted it I could have taken it. Like I had taken the shopkeeper's wallet when I was there before. "My mother taught me to always say thanks when someone saved me money on flour, but never when it came to mangoes, because then it's definitely a scam."
No one helped with mangoes out of the goodness of their heart.
"Your mother has a strangely specific saying…"
"I still don't hear a thanks."
The lady lowered her gaze. The shopkeeper handed her the bag of flour, heavy enough to be five kilos. She took the bag and said in a small voice.
"Thank you…"
"Huh?"
"Thank you, um…"
"Axel," I said. It was a name I used a lot when I wanted to take a break from all the thievery, among others.
"I am Nea," said she. "Nea Alba."
Nea and I shook hands. This was a good start. The two living armors who were at a distance watched me, I gestured at them to stay and continued talking with Nea.
"How do you get scammed this horribly? The standard price is pretty low, you know?"
Nea carried the bag with a finger as if it was empty and started walking. I took it as a sign to walk along.
"I am not very used to cooking on my own, usually my job comes with meals but I am getting leaves once a week now."
"Is it? Well, a rule of thumb is to always bargain against whatever the shopkeeper says. You were getting scammed horribly this time though."
"Right…"
Nea looked at the next stall over. A lot of fresh produce was on display, I walked with her to the place and we both started grabbing a bunch of vegetables.
I took some fresh herbs, some carrots, kale because the Witch absolutely despised it, and spinach. Nea also grabbed a bunch of the same vegetables.
I got them all weighed on a handscale, the lady at the shop lifted up a measure and placed two weights on one side, and the veggies on the other.
"It comes to a total of 14 Ders."
"Show me how, please," I said, gesturing at Nea to watch.
The lady said some prices, I countered at each of them, in the end, I said.
"Let's do it at 10, yeah?"
"10! There's no way. I'll reduce it to 13 Ders and half a Pyal."
"Alright, neither mine nor yours, 12 Ders."
"12… hah, alright mister. Fine."
Nea went next, she followed my skills to a t in the beginning, and then when it came to the end.
"It'll be 17 Ders."
"Alright," Nea said. "Neither mine nor yours, 20 ders."
Both I and the shopkeeper were stunned.
The shopkeeper handed her the bag. Nea handed over 20 Ders. In a move that would leave every single lady on the shopping street more stunned than if a prince came to whisk them away, the shopkeeper handed back 5 Ders and brought the price down to 15 for her.
Even the shopkeeper took pity on her.
Nea confusedly looked at the lady and the money, but I grabbed her hand and pulled her along.
Like that, me and her hit a couple of shops. Fruits, more vegetables, bread, some pastries, coffee beans, the two Living Armors were at a distance where they could keep an eye on me but not too close. They were too trusting, how wouldn't they be suffering under the same bitch as I was?
When I passed a stall of apples, one of them caught my eyes.
[Nice - 50% off]
Huh.
In the end, we both had two giant bags full of groceries. Nea had a beaming smile on her lips when she looked at her wallet.
"Wow, this is the first time I am leaving with like, half my money!"
"Yeah, don't get scammed next time."
"Thanks a lot, Axel," she said. Her thanks a little awkward again.
I gave her a soft smile.
"It's not an issue—"
Nea's stomach growled loudly. Interrupting my words. She blushed and lowered her eyes. My gaze went to her bags.
"Say… do you know how to cook?"
I could hear a crash like a glass had been dropped. It was, her little reality was broken into bits.
"U-uh… not really…"
I sighed.
As much as this was a great opportunity, I was hoping this wouldn't be the case. But well, things worked out great for me.
"Should I help you?" I asked.
"Will you…? I don't want to be a burden."
I didn't reply, and instead walked up to her. I passed her by, and she looked at my back.
"Are you going to show me to your place or not?"
"Ah! Yes!" Nea said and ran over. "I'll take your bags."
"What, no, it's fine I am a man—"
Nea grabbed them all in a single hand without breaking a sweat and I swallowed my words right back in.
"Yeah, alright. You handle that."