"Even in my sanctuary, the whispers from the dark still call to me."
– A Frightened Priest
After that dance, the spirit gently compelled me to sleep against my will. I woke early the next day, around 4 a.m., with an energetic spring in my step. I went about my preparations for the expedition to the forest—and the so-called dungeon.
I did not need a travel bag; my shadow storage sufficed. In fact, I had the bright idea to store all my belongings within it, leaving my wardrobe rather empty.
Afterwards, I set about cooking breakfast. The spirits had not allowed me to cook since that memorable meal, so I wanted to familiarise myself further with the art. Though there was not much to learn from simply frying eggs and toasting bread.
I did not bother with sausage or bacon, but I did spend a bit of time carefully buttering the toast.
When I finished eating, I used the shadows to dress myself. However, a couple of spirits appeared, dragging me back to my room and practically dressing me themselves. After they were done, they styled my long hair into two man-buns that had small chains running through them. I still wore the earrings I had bought earlier, and I added extra ones given to me.
They dressed me in an almost entirely white suit with black trims and a black waistcoat, then removed the suit jacket, claiming it hid the appeal.
The designers styled the shoes in a tasteful mix of white and black. I looked at myself in a mirror of water as the spirits argued whether to add more jewellery. I wanted to ask why my outfit was so monochromatic.
After a loud debate, they decided I needed a bit more. They added a ring designed like the rune of peace, a bracelet with skull and rune-like motifs, and another earring—longer than the others—that resembled a black rope.
While I liked the overall look, it felt like too much jewellery, and I wished for a touch more colour. The spirits had been squealing with delight for some time.
I left the room to the spirits and checked the time on my phone. It was almost 7 a.m. I toasted another set of bread, ate it quickly, and then left my room with my goods and badge stored safely in my shadow.
When I reached reception, I heard a whistle. It was Jules' wife.
"You are looking quite fine there. Going for a fashion show?" she asked.
"Sadly, no. My… companions were quite zealous in their care," I replied. She gave me a confused look but offered additional compliments nonetheless. I thanked her and headed toward the dial. Before I could turn it, she informed me that no shops were open yet and suggested I wait. I sat down and played a game on my phone.
After growing tired of the game, I watched videos on an app called YouTube. A rather strange app. Soon, I heard whistling again. I turned to see Jules hugging his wife while giving me a confused look.
"Alez, you look great," he said.
"Thank you."
"…but why? Aren't you heading to a dungeon?" he asked.
"I am, but my companions were quite zealous, as I explained to your wife," I replied lazily.
"Oh… so what are you waiting for?" he asked.
"I have my cane in Alicia's shop for maintenance, as well as any accessories to be added to it."
"Makes sense. She should open soon. Even though she is quite sloppy at times, she is always on time to open," he replied as he set about his business. I checked the time; it was almost 8 a.m., so that was likely when she opened.
Hopefully, we will leave early. Wait—I had never been told exactly when we would depart today. I quickly texted Richard asking about it. He instantly replied that he had already sent someone to get me, but no one had passed by yet. I told him I was currently in the reception waiting for Alicia's shop to open, as my cane was with her.
He replied that they were waiting for others, but I should be at the car park by 9 a.m. at the latest.
After receiving that, I continued watching videos until I heard the sound of a chime ring out. Confused, I looked at Jules. He told me a shop had opened.
I stood up and checked. Sure enough, it was Alicia's shop—the dial had not turned to any other shops. Opening the door, the first thing I noticed was the same overpowering sugary smell.
I stepped in and headed toward the counter. There I saw Alicia eating a meal, so I greeted her with a good morning. She stopped eating, reached under the counter, and handed me my cane. I accepted it, thanking her for the services.
I checked the cane and saw only a small accessory hanging from the vulture's mouth. I thanked her again and turned to leave, but she called out, telling me she had added an umbrella function to the cane. So I promptly tested it, and it worked perfectly.
I thanked her once more. She gave me a double peace sign as I left. I texted Richard that I was heading to the car park and bid farewell to Jules and his wife.
On my way to the car park, I received a fair share of stares. When I arrived, I met multiple people dressed in what seemed to be combat gear, except for one familiar face—the old butler who worked for Richard.
"Oh, Alez. My name is Miranda. I will be your teammate as well as your supervisor. I hope this brings you no issue?" she said with a bow, then gave me a stare that made it clear any complaints would not be heard.
"I have no issues. Hopefully, this will be quite the entertaining trip," I joked.
She smiled. "Some do see it that way. That is their profession."
"Hmm, an interesting profession indeed," I commented.
"Not as interesting as your outfit. Are you heading for a fashion show before the dungeon?" she asked.
"Honestly, my companions did this to me. If there are any issues, please take it up with them and not me," I replied. As I spoke, a breeze blew against me, and I heard a voice whispering that they had forgotten the perfume.
Then the scent of something mildly sweet oozed around me. The whispering voices said, "I knew that scent would fit him," which was interrupted by laughter.
I looked Miranda in the eyes and saw quite a surprised face, which instantly shifted back to her customer-service smile.
"Please, Alez, this way. The car is waiting. I will brief you when we are on our way. Until then, do please enjoy the refreshments within," she said, directing me toward a slightly larger car.
"Thank you. I look forward to this trip."