After school, I walked back with Eliza, holding our hands like a lover.
Our destination wasn't the mansion. Instead, I brought her to the market for a quick date because my planned dinner date was impossible due to her inviting Karin and Oliver, making it a double date.
"So this is the market? I haven't visited this area yet."
"There are a lot of interesting things here you can't find somewhere around the restaurant area," I said while looking at the stalls around us.
Every corner of the market seemed to be adorned with an array of delectable treats, each stall looking for people's attention.
The students, predominantly commoners, filled the narrow lanes, eagerly exploring the market. Their eyes lit up with excitement as they surveyed the vast selection of food, their stomachs rumbling in anticipation.
Laughter and conversation filled the air, creating an ambiance of a lively atmosphere.
Colorful canopies shielded the vendors and their goods from the afternoon soon. Skewers of succulent meat and vegetables sizzled on grills, their tantalizing aromas mingling with the surrounding scents of spices and sauces.
Steam billowed from simmering pots, revealing glimpses of hearty soups and stews. The area around the stall was clean, and there was even a bowl made from thick paper holding the soups and stews so people could eat them while walking.
The mouth-watering aroma originated from that way, so I pointed at that stall.
"How about we check that stew stall?" I proposed.
"Stews?"
"Yes." I nodded. "It should be light and won't fill your stomach much. But you must be hungry right? We can eat it before walking around."
"That does smell good." Eliza closed her eyes, and her nose moved slightly. Then she opened them again, and her expression brightened. "Let's buy it, Arthur. I want to taste the food from the stall, hehe."
"Alright."
We went to the stall and ordered 2 stews. The color of the broth was crystal clear, and I began to suspect it was a soup instead of a stew. And the meat was red as if it was still raw. The vegetable inside was also floating with various colors, just like the other dishes in this world.
However, a rich taste spread over my mouth when I tried it. It was indeed a stew!
"Hmnn~ It's delicious!" Eliza moaned in delight, holding her cheek as her expression melted in delight.
Seeing we enjoyed the food he made, the vendor laughed in delight. I quickly paid more than the original price as my thanks and walked away, leaving the middle-aged man in a happy mood.
We continued to walk around the market in our uniforms, looking like a young couple. For the record, I used <Purification> to clean the dust and dirt from falling earlier. So my uniform looked freshly ironed and taken out from the laundry.
Because it was Eliza's first time in such a big market, seeing there was none in Rose Barony, she was eager to explore and find something. Of course, I was dragged along and paid for everything she requested, such as a necklace or accessories.
It was something trivial, and most of the things she bought were kept in my inventory.
One time, she was about to get scammed, and I talked politely with the vendor. He looked pale and cold sweat dripped down his face as I stared at him. In the end, he gave us a free bracelet before he ran away after wrapping his stall.
I didn't even release my bloodlust yet, but he already knew the danger from my gaze alone. That was such a good scammer. He would probably be free long enough if he didn't find me.
'Lisa or Lara will make that scammer disappear. I will talk to them later.'
Tired, we were sitting on a nicely lined bench on the sides of the main street leading to the market. Potted flowers were put to separate the benches from the other, giving a lovely atmosphere in the middle of the busy street as people began to buy groceries for dinner.
The sky turned orange as the sun began to hide its body on the horizon. It cast a warm glow over the straight cobblestone-paved street. The warm light hit Eliza's face as she swept her sidebang behind her air.
I smiled as I watched her beautiful figure, thinking I did a great job surviving Horizon Online. Once again, this was my reward, and I would fully appreciate it.
"Eliza," I called out to her softly. She turned to me and tilted her head, making her long brown hair fall, pulled by gravity. "There is one last place I want to visit before we go to dinner. If you have enough rest, shall we go now?"
"Where?" She asked curiously.
"It's a secret. Just follow me, okay?" I smiled at her. "You will like this place."
"Alright." She smiled brightly and raised her head. "Surprise me."
I stood up and walked slowly, matching my steps with Eliza, toward a certain store that could be seen from where we sat earlier.
The store was a two-story building; if seen through the window, it was large and had various clothes, from casual to dresses. Strangely, no one was inside except the employees, who stood with a smile on their faces.
On top of the double door was a chine and a sign, 'Zaha Tailor.'
This store had the best seamstress I could find, with the owner having Lv 4 <Tailoring>. The quality of the dress she made was also superb, so I rented the whole store to prepare for Eliza today. And I quite liked the owner's attitude when I visited earlier.
"Let's find you a new dress." I tapped the frozen Eliza on her shoulder and pulled her hand gently, entering the store.
"W-Wait, a dress?!"
"Yes. For dinner tonight." I replied and pushed the door open.
Ti- ring–!
The chime on the door rang, and the employees immediately greeted us.
"Welcome!"
One person, dressed in a blue dress with a slit at the end, stepped forward. She had dark blue hair tied in a bun and a graceful movement. She also wore light make-up, enhancing her beauty as an older woman. Though from her appearance, I believed she was still younger than Vivian.
A cleavage formed by two modest breasts, not too big nor too small, was exposed between fabric that extended to her neck, forming a collar.
"Welcome, Esteemed Paladin!" That person smiled brightly. "My name is Zaha. Please let me show the beautiful ladies the dress in the private room. Please, this way!"
Zaha was overly polite, even bowing while gesturing to us in an open room at the store's end. Two female employees immediately approached the confused Eliza from side to side and grabbed her hands.
"Please come here, Miss. We will do the last fitting."
"We will show you the dress that His Holiness chooses for you."
"W-Wait. Arthur?!" Eliza looked over her shoulder in panic; the confusion was clear on her face.
"Have fun." But I ignored her and just waved my hand.
I knew the dress I chose would fit and look beautiful on her, so I would leave it to the professional for the arrangement.
In the meantime, I looked at the owner, Zaha.
"How much do I owe you, Owner?" I asked.
"It's just 100 thousand Gold, Esteemed Paladin." The owner rubbed her hands together in an exaggerated manner.
"Alright, I will pay after I see that thing." I nodded. That was worth it for a good quality dress, but I needed to see the other one first. "It's ready, no?"
"Of course." She nodded, giving me a sly smile. "Please come here." She turned around, walking toward a counter on the side.
I followed suit, and she took out something from under. That something was black, and it was something I ordered for her for training. Yes, training.
"Great." I smiled widely. "This is the payment."
Saying so, I took out exactly 100 thousand Gold and put them on the counter. I added extra 10 thousand because I felt generous and satisfied with this work alone.
"I will probably come here again in the future. I hope you can keep a secret."
"Fufufu, I am someone who treasures my business, so of course, I can keep a secret." Zaha laughed in a low tone, like a sly fox.
"Hahaha." I laughed with her as I put that item in my inventory.
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