HideousGrain
patreon
Path to Prosperity - B2 Chapter 29
🕑 Added 2024-08-29 10:00:05 +0000 UTCWealthy merchants should know enough about the purity of eyes and the theories revolving around that topic to tell that Percy wasn’t one of their average customers.
Adding high-class clothes from a master tailor should be enough to convince anyone of his heritage.
Even if I have no clue who I am, who says I cannot fool others into thinking of me as one of those pampered noble brats?
Percy winced softly and returned to the master tailor, who emerged from the back of the room when he stepped inside. The master tailor swallowed hard, his eyes trained on Percy’s eyes, but he didn’t say anything. He said something into the back of the room, and a young woman carrying several sets of clothes emerged shortly. She glanced in Percy’s direction for a moment but evaded eye contact when he turned to her.
I am not that scary, am I?
He shrugged lightly and looked at the clothes, frowning faintly.
Nobles wear something like that in the capital? For real?
“Can you give me a short…introduction…about those clothes? I doubt nobles were those exotic outfits on a casual stroll through the city.” Percy was having a hard time keeping his tongue in check. He had a lot to say about the clothes before him but hoped the master tailor would solve his worries.
The master tailor had to suppress a scoff before he pointed at the first piece of clothing.
“This is a tunic. Noblemen often wear long tunics that reach down until their knees or lower. I adjusted them to fit perfectly to your sizes, sir. But please be careful. The tunic is made from dark-sea velvet and silverhorn sheep wool. I sincerely hope you do not mind the embroidery on the tunic’s chest. I thought it would suit you. You can wear the tunic at all times, but I recommend not to wear them for battle. The fabric is valuable even if it doesn’t offer much protection.”
The tunic was still one of the least exotic pieces of clothing. It had wide and flowing sleeves and was belted at the waist, offering enough space to attach his potion satchel and sword sheath. If he organized the space well it shouldn’t be a problem to add two dagger sheaths to the tunic’s back.
What enchantments can I add to you? You look like you’re of Excellent Quality or higher!
Percy nearly licked his lips but suppressed the urge as the master tailor continued.
“This is a cloak. You can wear it over the tunic like any other cloak. I decided to give you a cloak instead of a cape which you can fasten at the shoulders with a jeweled brooch or a pin because you do not look like a man who adores capes and brooches. The cloaks are more practical. They offer you more warmth since I used the fur of a Pyraih Demon. They’re pesky creatures with near-perfect control of Medi flames. Their fur is fire resistant and offers great protection both in warm and cold environments. If it’s too warm, the Pyraih fur will consume traces of the surrounding warmth, which it can store and distribute when you feel cold. It is a very useful cloak and looks nice, doesn’t it?” The tailor master was trying to be more friendly, which Percy welcomed with a polite nod.
“The hose, which is what we call tight-fitting trousers are also made of silverhorn sheep woolf, but after it has been refined several times. The refinement process is also why the hose is brighter than the tunic, creating a subtle contrast. As long as you maintain your clothes well, you won’t have an issue attracting the attention of noble women, let alone non-Gifted and beautiful merchant daughters,” He winked at Percy, who had to suppress a frown.
Percy couldn’t care less about women.
“Or young noblemen. I don’t judge anyone for their desires,” The tailor quickly added when he sensed the hint of dissatisfaction in Percy’s eyes.
But it wasn’t like he cared about men either. His interest in love was dangerously close to zero at this moment. Percy had more than enough burden to carry with his own issues. He wouldn’t dare to drag anyone into this mess. Maybe in the future…but not now.
The master tailor cleared his throat and pointed at the last piece of clothing from the first set.
“Pointed shoes made of the finest leather you can find in the capital. Again, I embroidered something thinking you would like it. I hope I didn’t go too far. If you do not like it, I will replace the tunic and shoes right away.”
The embroidery wasn’t anything special. It was an azure-blue claw. Percy didn’t dislike it, but he couldn’t help but stare at the embroidery for a few seconds. It was very detailed, resembling the claws of an Archyeas. Just that it wasn’t a purplish-black claw but that the entire claw was azure-blue, just like Percy’s eyes.
Only now did Percy notice that the tunic wasn’t dark, close to black, but that it was more of a dark blue tone mixed with the silverhorn sheep wool, which was pristine white.
The tailor was about to say more and move to the other sets of clothes, however, Percy interrupted him.
“I can wear this set in the open, right?”
The tailor hesitated for a moment but nodded.
“People will recognize my clothes because I’m the only one using this specific pattern and fabric for the hose and tunic, but there shouldn’t be an issue with that. But I’d recommend you not go on strolls like this. Nobles do not go on ‘strolls’, and they certainly don’t walk through narrow alleys wearing clothes like this. You do not have to listen to me, sir, but I would be a little bit careful. The capital is well protected but there are still powerful Gifted you do not wish to provoke openly.”
Percy waved his hand and pointed at the clothes.
“Thanks for the advice. How much do I owe you?” He asked while reaching for the clothes.
“I was surprised to find out you didn’t lie about your connection with the duke. Please don’t glare at me like this in my humble abode. I had to ensure you weren’t lying. If I didn’t do that, anyone could come into my shop and declare their relation to the king or their friendship with the duke’s daughter,” The tailor cleared his throat, “Either way, I verified your claim, which means you will be given a discount for your first purchase. That leaves you with exactly two gold coins to pay.”
Percy squinted his eyes and stared at the tailor the more words spurted out of him, and relaxed only when he knew everything was fine. However, the price for a few sets of clothes surprised him.
“Two gold coins?” Percy asked to which the tailor responded with a serious nod.
“That’s after the discount. The first purchase is always heavily discounted, especially from a high-class vouch like the duke.”
The master tailor smiled at Percy like he was generous like a saint, but Percy cursed in his mind. Nonetheless, he retrieved two gold coins from his spatial ring, which he handed to the tailor master. A dozen interfaces popped up before him, easing his worries. The numbers displayed on the interfaces calmed his nerves.
Percy stored the other sets of clothes with a wave of mana. His mana washed through the room with great precision, enveloping the clothes which were then stored in the magicum spatial ring a moment later.
“Can I change my clothes somewhere?” Percy asked, and the tailor pointed to a small room on the right.
He grasped the clothes and shoes and left for the stall, where he disappeared for a few minutes. When he reappeared, Percy looked like a different man. The master tailor and his assistant stared at him for a few seconds.
“Not too shabby,” The tailor mumbled, looking for something underneath the table while the young woman blushed.
It doesn’t feel too uncomfortable. Still, this is not something I can use to fight well. I should have bought some leather armor earlier.
He snickered in his mind, but glancing at the interfaces of his new clothes was oddly calming.
[Ocean Velvet Tunic – Marvelous Quality – 3611 Prosperity]
[Pyraih Cloak – Perfect Quality – 5983 Prosperity]
[Refined Silverhorn Sheep Hose – Marvelous Quality – 2928 Prosperity]
[Nobleman Shoes — Marvelous Quality – 1932 Prosperity]
The Prosperity points he could earn from consuming everything he’d purchased in the master tailor’s shop amounted to more than he paid. Percy couldn’t remember the last time something like that happened. In fact, he was certain his Ego would never offer him a better price than 50% to 75% of the coins he paid to purchase something.
The tailor didn’t joke about the discount. Did he give me everything for half the price? Doesn’t that mean these clothes would usually cost four gold coins in total? That’s crazy!
Despite thinking like that, Percy smiled.
He was about to say something when the master tailor approached him with a silver hair clip with a dark blue, almost black, dragon attached to its back.
“Pull your hair back. You can see more that way,” The master tailor said before looking deep into his azure eyes for the first time. “Or are you afraid to show your eyes to the world, sir?”
Percy cracked a smile at that and accepted the hair clip.
“Of course not. My eyes aren’t a secret, and they never will!”
