Kit Falbo
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MwN Chapter 24/64
🕑 Added 2024-11-04 12:59:29 +0000 UTCChapter Twenty- Four
“Is it okay that we’re early?”
Gear and Wex in the capital had several locations. Most, like the one in Hazeldown, were run by apprentices. Ambrosia had made their appointment at the main store.
“I sent a little bird ahead and packed a book for you in case they make you wait. You’ve never protested about waiting when you’re allowed a book in your hands. What will they say? Lady White is so well-read, so scandalous. You’ll want to change into your armor though.”
Ambrosia chatted from her side of the carriage.
“What?”
The dress she’d worn to Lady Coodly’s was perfectly acceptable for her shopping plans. Perhaps she could even wear it to dinner instead of her armor.
“To get the appointment today I had to mention how the armor had been permanently modified and needed an evaluation as the changes couldn’t be undone. Gear and Wex are touchy about their reputation. They always have spots for emergency repairs and issues.”
“Night is great. It slightly improves every time I put it on.”
“You’ve been wanting it evaluated for months. So strip!”
There could have been more convenient places for Ambrosia to bring this up than on the carriage ride to their destination. Still, she wouldn’t have one of her nice dresses eaten by her skill. Close confines, and seated, everything became a tangle of fabric, elbows and knees. Ambrosia after a bit of a laugh joined in to help.
A few grunts and bangs later. “Everything alright back there?” The carriage driver cried.
“It’s fine!” the pair replied while wrestling off a stocking.
Free of clothes and sweating. Harmony refreshed herself and snapped Night into place. The skin-tight armor hugged her comfortably, the buckles and straps that had been such a pain had changed over the months of using it, their metal enveloped the shiny black coating until that aspect held the armor on, even the metal parts had changed slightly growing a little, and small embedded pieces covered vital spots where she’d sworn no armor had existed before. The idea of having it judged was not appealing.
“Don’t look so glum. Like you said, Night is even better than when you received it. I’m sure they’ll have no complaints.”
The front of Wex and Gear was more like a high-end fashion shop than what is thought of as a place for custom armor and weapons. They didn’t have random pieces for you to choose from sitting in the windows. Their name was enough and pieces were done to order and shipped directly to happy customers.
Harmony and Ambrosia stepped in after allowing the first two bodyguards to enter, the door's little bell at the corner was still ringing in the air.
The man standing in the shop let out a gasp. Large, muscular, the picture of a smith with forearms as large as her head, in a suit accented with hard leather, the combination of class and labor.
“What have you done!”
Unable to read if the reaction was outrage or astonishment the pair of maids flinched at the outburst.
“Wex, get out here!”
“Gear, do I have to?” Cried a voice from the back.
“Yes, Now!” He answered
Harmony felt Gear’s eyes on her, or more accurately her armor. The man’s eyes went to her arm and shin coverings as much as the rest of her body.
Wex, dirty, covered in soot and sparkling red powder, stepped in from the back leaving a trail. Short, scrawny, wearing heavy goggles, oversized gloves, and a thick apron revealed he'd been deep into a project.
“Blood in the weeds.” He gasped. “Is that?” Wex stepped closer taking his goggles on and off as he looked at Night.”
“Yes, and no. But at least your worries can be put to rest.”
Harmony shifted nervously as she now had double the focus on her.
That got Gear's attention, and he fished out a small appointment book out of his pocket and scanned it. “Sorry, uh, Lady White. Due to the dimensions and unique requests around that order, we’d been worried it would go to a child. It also stretched further into what we’d call costume wear, despite notes that it would be used in a dungeon. Wex spent three months tweaking and obsessing over the pieces on the mannequin before shipping it and nearly didn’t send it even with the large payment to get it to Hazeldown as quick as possible.
How long ago did Lord Tyler order that piece of equipment? Len had talked about him planning on getting her into his group. This extended the timeline of those plans even further. “Not a child. Merely not graced with a high stature.”
“The plates have grown. Look how the greaves extend around a little more, some even under… What is this material?” Wex mused. He reached out to poke the black strand that had replaced the strap.
Harmony took a step back out of reach.
“Wex!” Gear admonished.
“I’d made a dress. It accidentally merged into the armor I’d paired with. There was an incident and let’s say they’ve become one. That’s not the only change since it’s been paired with my [Small Armor] skill.” The situation was odd enough, she mostly ignored it at this point.
“A pairing?” Wex gasped. “That would explain... In this kingdom? This piece too? My hands…” The man started to bow. “We’re not worthy! We’re not worthy!” He cried.
Gear gave him a little shake to knock him out of that.
“Sorry about that. When we moved here we never expected our gear to get paired with someone. It doesn’t happen in backwaters like here. Some other kingdoms reserve pairing for their potential elites. It’s how legacy items get made. As you grow the item gets stronger. That is until you die. It’s a bit of an honor for crafters to have your work selected.”
They at least know something. The subtle inquiries in Hazeldown had revealed nothing. “How much stronger? Anything useful you can tell me about this?”
“Oh, we don’t know. We’ve been in Naewauld for close to thirty years. When we left, we’d only just graduated Skysmith Academy after our second evolution and that was with the clothes on our backs.
Partnerships like ours weren’t acceptable. We know of paired items, but those weren’t the circles we operated in.”
“Maybe if I get the chance I’ll ask Ha’zel Ri. Old Bones seems like the only one with information around here.”
“The dungeon spirit?” Wex asked.
“Wait! You’re that Lady White!” Gear exclaimed.
“I don’t know of any other ones,” Harmony answered a little crossly. Wait, she should be happy to not be recognized on sight. That was supposed to be one of the advantages of the capitol, not that news wasn’t getting around.
“You should see the pseudonyms used to schedule appointments. Most of the time I have to forcibly remove those who schedule this slot. Either their armor needs work, which is rare.” He stated proudly. “Or they think they can bend the rules and use this time to place an order. Showing you can remove that kind of person is good for business no matter their status.”
Harmony resisted shooting Ambrosia a dirty look. Today, the main goal was to make a purchase and not get removed due to their armor being unbroken. Servants are invisible. Servants are invisible.
“Well, since you can’t help me with my armor, are you willing to take a custom order now, or will I need to reschedule?”
Harmony knew a refusal when she saw it coming. The way Gear leaned back a little with some hesitation and tenseness in his shoulders.
“Unique! Can I touch it? The way it interacts with light. Of course, I’ll make something for you!”
“Wex!” Gear moaned.
“I know. You do the business, but think of this opportunity. It has a name!”.
“A name?”
Clearly only one of them had inspected the armor with a skill. “It’s named Night. You may touch it if you prioritize my custom order.”
“Of course,” Wexa answered, stepping forward, his hands already inspecting how the greave attached around the shin. The way the black stands kept it on after the changes showed more calf than when leather had been strapping it on, though the way it was skin tight meant no chaffing. Harmony wondered if it was needed at all because it felt affixed to her completely.
“Wex! I’m sorry Lady white.” Gear started.
“I consider the promise sealed,” Harmony answered, ignoring the pawing. At least it was limited to the armor. “I need tools for my familiar, who is a shadow toad. I’m thinking of a sawing or cutting implement that can be used against the plants of the dungeon without hampering his movement much.” Why try to design something yourself when you have money to hire experts?
“It doesn’t cut! The material is both hard and elastic. Does it lock up if you move fast?”
“I’ve yet to have an issue with it. My project?” Harmony answered.
“Talon-less animals. About seven years ago we had a frog. Then there was a gecko? But that’s not what you’re looking for. Not custom gloves with bladed tips. Strong legs?”
“Very.”
Wex moved up Harmony’s leg to her knee, probing as there was more covering around the joint. “There’s embedded armor behind the knee for extra protection. It’s like it repurposed the buckles. For your familiar, I’m thinking spurs where the heels would be, strapped on so they can’t be ripped off easily. Serrated to cut through those tough vines, and maybe a Twiggy’s limb if allowed enough time.”
The thighs were similar enough to the armor below that Wex didn’t spend much time obsessing there, instead, his eyes went to the core of Night, the encompassing blackness speckled with bioluminescence from her waist all the way curving up the mostly decorative armor around her bust. With the recent changes it acquired with [Stride Before the Fall], you could almost peer into it with an illusionary depth like you were looking into the night sky.
“With speed being a priority. How soon do you think you can complete the project for me?”
Harmony winced as he poked into her midsection. “I’ll have them delivered to you tomorrow.”
“Wex.” Gear complained again.
“You know I won’t sleep tonight after looking at this. I might not be able to cut or copy this kind of metamaterial, but I think I can add some of the traits using [Adaptation]. An imperfect magical modification is still an improvement. This is nothing like what we’re forced to work with in this podunk kingdom.”
“Sorry.” Gear mouthed.
Harmony was used to living in a place looked down upon. Hazeldown had been the ugly brother of Naewauld for the twin cities that represented the kingdom. Having such negative opinions about the capital too was a tad surprising. “It’s okay. I’m merely happy to have the commission done so soon.”
“Serrated blades are a specialty. Gatherers need them to harvest materials, usually after the monsters are dead. What’s your familiar’s measurements?”
[Recall] provided all the information the man needed while he completed his inspection. Gear at least had the respect to flush for him as Wex got close enough to her chest that she could feel his breath. At least it wasn’t about her. The cost left her purse significantly lighter.
“Please come back so I can see the changes after you evolve.”
If she evolved. Making Hyacinth more functional only helped somewhat. Even then would there be time to return here?
The whole trip took longer than expected. There wouldn’t be time to change before dinner. Thankfully dinner turned into how many ways she could say “I honestly don’t know, guild master Hemlock made all the deals with Ha’zel Ri. I’m merely there to open the games.” Pretty girls and servants learned how to play dumb when needed, and it wasn’t inaccurate if anyone had any skills to hunt down false implications to pull on.
This allowed her to listen in on them fantasizing about the titles.
“With five titles available there has to be some negative ones. I hear no one does the trial of the giant in Euless anymore because nine times out of ten you get the bad one.”
“As great as it can be to impress a dungeon spirit, one really should avoid disappointing one. “
“You met the dungeon spirit, Lady White?” Friar Trent asked.
“Only very briefly, and not as close as Duke Darren.”
“That poor man. That’s what I’m talking about. I’m lucky I’m level thirty. My nephew though, he might qualify, been hovering near the end of twenty-four for weeks.”
Harmony didn’t have weeks. Her teeth chewed on her delicious steak as her thoughts chewed on her problems. Food was good, at least.
