“We should explore the stalls first,” i announced, already striding ahead with quick steps. I kept close behind, weaving through the disorganized press of bodies. It wasn’t exactly a dense crowd, but there were enough shoulders and elbows to collide with if I didn’t pay attention.
So passersby bore glinting implants embedded in their skin. tal at the jawline, glassy nodes along the temple, bands across forearms while others appeared unaltered, more like i and her father: entirely natural.
We had originally agreed to shop for clothes, but the gleam in i’s eyes told another story. Her hand slipped into her sleeve, fingers curled around the card she planned to use—her eager grip betraying that this excursion would go far beyond a simple wardrobe errand.
I trailed her to the first stall, and my suspicions were imdiately confird. Spread before a rchant with a painted-on smile was a collection of grasses, each stalk faintly aglow in hues of blue, green, amber, and violet, as though tiny lanterns had been hidden inside their stems.
“Anything you’re looking for, miss?” the female clerk asked, her cheerful tone as fixed as her expression. “I gathered these myself, deep in the mountains. Each carries a distinct property.”
i ignored her words, leaning in with unusual intensity, her pupils catching a brief flicker of blue light.
Judging by how extraction usually worked, I assud this was a strict no touch stall, so I limited myself to watching, trying to glean aning from what at face value, looked like nothing more than prettily glowing weeds.
Luna, I’m going to share our sight, I told the flower resting against my wrist, just in case she wasn’t already absorbed in her own cultivation. She had been steadily shedding layers these past days, yet unlike , showed no outward sign of transformation.
While I waited for her response, a thought stirred. Perhaps her recent delay in progress was similar to her Inner World—her talent so deep that her breakthroughs demanded more ti.
Still, no reply ca. I withheld my Beast Force, unwilling to prod her, and instead turned my Spiritual Sense inward, stepping closer to the stall to test what subtle impressions I could draw.
The effort reminded I needed to study Elric’s Unveiled Perception technique. Sothing that would beco invaluable once Luna and I were apart. Though, I wasn’t sure when that separation would happen… and I certainly had no intention of making it faster than necessary. But I wouldn’t resist when it ca either.
Before I could probe further, i raised a finger toward a single stalk: a thick, orange reed-like blade.
“I’ll take that,” she declared firmly.
The rchant’s eyes brightened as if struck by sudden sunlight. “You have a discerning eye, little girl. This one is exceedingly rare. I’ve only discovered it twice before, so—”
i lifted three fingers, silencing the sales pitch.
“Three?” the stall attendant asked cautiously, her smile faltering.
i’s hand remained steady. Her voice, calm and sharp. “Three Marks. That’s all I’ll pay.”
The clerk stiffened, dissatisfaction shadowing her face. Her eyes flicked toward as though I held so hidden authority in the bargain.
I quickly averted my gaze, choosing instead to watch i with curiosity. Did she haggle often? Or had she researched the value of this plant beforehand?
“Three is a little low… perhaps we could agree on five?” the rchant offered, her politeness strained now, the warmth drained from her tone.
i shook her head with unwavering stubbornness. “Three. It shouldn’t be worth five. It’s just a plant, after all.”
Silence stretched between them. i’s gaze darted back to the orange stalk, her hunger for it betraying her calm facade.
At last, the woman sighed. “I’m sorry, little lady. Five is the asking price.”
i’s eyes rose to mine, shimring violet irises catching the light, her face turning pitiful, almost tearful, an expression that pleaded for my intervention.
Did she really want to step in?
“Can I have it? Pleeease?” i pressed, her voice dipping into that dangerously sweet register that threatened to undo any resistance.
I narrowed my eyes, trying to read the ga she was playing, though I slipped into my role all the sa. “Well… we still have other things we need to buy. Five marks for this is…”
I scratched at the back of my neck, letting a troubled frown crease my face, feigning hesitation.
“If Dad asks, I’ll say it was my idea,” she bargained quickly, her violet eyes widening, glistening with exaggerated innocence.
Technically, she wasn’t lying. It had been her idea. Both the little act she was staging now and the genuine purchase behind it. Still, I kept my expression steady and didn’t break character. I patted her small shoulder with mock reluctance. “All right, five is fine. But we’ll have to be careful. Dad didn’t send us out here to ss around, you understand?”
Her face lit up instantly, triumph shining through her childish smile. She spun back to the rchant. “Okay, five it is.”
The shopkeeper’s relief was almost tangible. She nodded at gratefully, as though I had done her so noble service. But with i’s theatrics still hanging in the air, I couldn’t shake the sinking feeling that we had just conned her.
A faint guilt pressed at , but really, for a single blade of grass, the loss couldn’t have been much.
The rchant bent beneath the stall, drawing out a thin, silken cloth. With practiced delicacy, she lifted the glowing stalk, careful not to let her bare skin brush against it. She wrapped it tightly, her movents slow, before passing the bundle across the counter.
i snatched it up and, without missing a beat, grabbed my hand. She tugged away from the stall at a near run, her laughter leaking out in dark little giggles that bubbled through her throat.
“All right, enough,” I said, planting my feet until she halted. “What exactly is going on? What’s so special about that reed?”
She turned toward , barely able to contain herself, her giggles finally spilling free. “It’s really important,” she answered, a sly sparkle in her eye.
I raised a skeptical brow, waiting. She sensed it and, with a flourish, lifted the bundle wrapped in cloth. “According to the database I checked, it’s actually a spice. An incredibly tasty one if you grind it down and mix it with the right ingredients.”
I blinked at her. “A spice?”
She nodded, her grin widening. “Yep. It’s delicious. We’ll enjoy it later.”
“How did you know what it was when the shopkeeper didn’t?” I asked, suspicion tugging at .
i shrugged, careless but smug. “Not everyone can access the database. And even if they could, you can’t just look at sothing and know what to search. Since I’m the champion, I get certain privileges.”
That made a kind of sense... Maybe implants only granted partial access, or maybe there were different tiers of clearance. Either way, it didn’t matter enough for to press.
“Right… so what’s it actually worth?”
i giggled again, lifting her hands. She stretched all ten fingers wide, closed them into fists, then opened them once more.
“Twenty Marks?” I guessed.
She nodded, satisfied. “Yep. So five is pretty good. I really wanted it for three, though.” She sighed, the disappointnt genuine this ti.
I reminded myself, once again, that despite this place’s sheen of modernization compared to the State of Stars, the people here were every bit as cunning, and so of them even when they were only twelve.
I shook my head, brushing the thought aside. “So what’s next? Where do you want to go?”
i spun on her heel, slowly surveying the row of shops, her eyes sharp as a hawk’s. Then she pointed. “That one’s really good for clothes, I think.”
I followed her finger and imdiately spotted the shop she ant.
Up until now, it had been obvious enough that both i’s outfit and mine stuck out like bright banners among the locals’ attire. Most citizens wore simple, functional garnts: plain trousers, worn shoes, shirts, the occasional button-up or modest dress.
But the shop i had chosen stood in stark contrast, its window display glowing with tradition.
From the glass hung dresses of deep red, the fabric thin and velvet-like, patterned with swirling leaves and delicate petals. The n’s garnts were less showy yet no less striking: robes and sashes in earthy or jewel tones, each adorned with subtle details of coiling vines, beasts, or etched trees branching across the fabric.
And despite myself, I couldn’t deny it. I liked the look.
“All right, that’s fine with ,” I said.
We crossed the path, and as we approached, the blue-tinted glass door slid open with a soft hiss. A wave of rose mingled with polished wood fragrance rolled out to greet us, wrapping around as we stepped inside.
The shop radiated order and intention. Every detail seed curated with care: low tables neatly stacked with folded robes, one side tailored for n, the other for won. Rows of racks ford natural aisles, each holding garnts of varying cuts and shades.
The walls shimred with hair ornants catching the light, hand-painted fans with delicate brushwork, jewelry, and sashes in every hue. Toward the rear, a quieter corner held underclothes. Light, breathable shirts and trousers, stacked with precision.
It took only a mont before a man erged from behind a curtain. He looked about Sei’s age, his manner crisp as he gave a deep, formal bow.
“Welco to Sun,” he intoned, lifting his head to continue then faltering mid-sentence. His lips parted, froze, then snapped shut again when his gaze fell on the girl at my side.
“M—Miss i… Welco back.”
Was that a tremor of fear in his voice?
i lifted her hand in a cheerful wave. “Hello! I’d like to try on a lot today again!”
Her words were simple, bright with unfiltered happiness—adorably so, in my opinion. But the look in the clerk’s eyes was another story entirely. Beneath his strained politeness, I glimpsed sothing that looked like dread.
i gestured proudly toward . “I brought my friend today too. So, we’ll be trying more than before.”
“Y—yes,” the man croaked, nearly stumbling over his words. “One… mont please.” Without another glance, he hurried away.
“i?” I whispered.
She tilted her head up at . “Hm?”
“You’ve been here before?”
She nodded eagerly, almost bouncing on her feet. “Many tis. I always love trying out all the outfits. Every month, the entire selection changes!”
i’s enthusiasm was undeniable, but still… “All of them?”
“Yep!” she chirped without hesitation.
I let my eyes roam across the store again. There had to be scores of outfits here at least. Each needing the right size, the right color, the right accessories. Shoes. Sashes. Ornants. The sheer thought made my head throb.
“And today?” I ventured, dread already seeping in.
Her whole face glead like sunlight breaking through storm clouds, her excitent spilling from her like a spring overflowing its banks.
“Today we’ll have to try everything too! I don’t want to miss anything during the trip.”
What a terrifying girl.
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