I stepped into The Weaver's Edge, the sharp, melodic ping of a brass shop bell chiming right above the doorstep. The air inside smelled of rich dyes, expensive leather, and heavy wool. But the peaceful atmosphere was completely ruined by a heated shouting match happening right at the counter.
Vladimir was practically leaning over the wooden table, his face red as he argued furiously with two young customers.
"Didn't I tell you that your offer is low by two whole gold coins?! I don't do charity-stitch for anyone!" he roared, slamming his fist down on a roll of fabric.
The customer in the front sneered, shouting a final, desperate protest before aggressively spitting with a disgusting phlegm right onto Vladimir's polished wooden floor.
Vladimir's eyes flared with pure, unadulterated fury. He pointed a thick, trembling finger directly at the front door.
"Leave! Get out of my shop before I throw you out myself!"
The two boys scrambled backward, muttering curses under their breath as they bolted out into the merchant street, slamming the door behind them. Vladimir let out a heavy, aggravated sigh, rubbing the bridge of his nose to steady his breathing.
"Kids these days... absolutely no respect for the craft."
He finally snapped his head up, his angry expression still lingering as his gaze landed on my cloaked figure standing near the entrance.
"And you, girl? What can I do for you?"
Seeing how tense he was, I calmly raised my single right hand and pulled my heavy canvas hood backward, letting it fall onto my shoulders to reveal my face, my leather eyepatch, and the frilly collar of my Victorian maid dress.
Vladimir froze. The irritation instantly vanished from his eyes, replaced by pure shock.
"Eirene? By the gods, I barely recognized you! You're... you're completely tanned!"
He wasn't wrong to be surprised. When I had first walked into his boutique a few weeks ago, just before I accepted the contract to hunt down Oksana, my complexion had been a silky, pristine white. But during my grueling trek through the scorching wastes, the brutal desert sun had brutally baked my skin. Because my mutated body of my sixth evolution is highly sensitive to sunlight, the intense exposure had permanently darkened my complexion into a deep, battle-hardened tan.
Vladimir walked out from behind the counter, a booming laugh escaping his chest as he shook his head in sheer admiration.
"So, the rumors in the morning paper were true! You returned to that miserable desert land and you made some serious progress. You completely collapsed Oksana's drug empire and saved our entire county's economy from ruin!"
He gave me a wide, knowing grin, his eyes dropping to the leather purse slung over my shoulder.
"A feat like that means the Bureau must have rewarded you with a mountain of good money. I assume you're finally here to pay off that legendary fire-resistant trench coat of yours?"
I stepped forward, reaching into my purse with my right hand, and placed a heavy leather pouch directly onto Vladimir's wooden counter. It landed with a loud, metallic clink.
Vladimir raised an eyebrow, clearly expecting me to negotiate or hand over a few measly silver coins like the cheapskates who had just left. But as he loosened the twine and poured the contents into his palm, his jaw dropped. Inside were exactly seven gleaming, heavy gold coins, the precise amount Nautilus had given me for saving the mines.
"Well, I'll be, your brutal work in the wastes has finally paid off, lass. Give me just a moment." Vladimir muttered, a look of profound respect washing over his face as he swept the gold into his register.
He hurried into his back-room reserve vault and returned a minute later carrying a large, polished cedar box. He opened it carefully, pulling out a beautifully crafted, crimson-red trench coat. The heavy fabric was woven from fire-resistant drake-scaled thread, glowing with a faint, protective magical sheen under the shop's lanterns. He folded it neatly and laid it across the counter.
But as he set the coat down, Vladimir's sharp eyes caught the heavy, dark iron barrel protruding from beneath my canvas cloak. His breath hitched as he leaned over the counter to get a closer look at the weapon strapped to my back.
"Eirene… Is that... the Death Chant Shotgun? One of the eight legendary Death Chant artifacts of the old world? Gods above, that is magnificent! Where in the world did you manage to find something like that?"
I remained entirely silent, but the sight of the weapon triggered a sudden flash of memory from my infiltration of the drug cartel. I recalled how I had used my shapeshifting magic to disguise myself as a young, naive student to become Oksana's trusted apprentice. To ensure my absolute loyalty and to turn me into her ultimate personal bodyguard, Oksana had willingly handed me one of her most prized dark artifacts: the Death Chant Shotgun. She had trusted me to use its devastating power to protect her from the authorities, completely blind to the fact that her favorite student was actually the merciless bounty hunter sent to execute her.
Since I couldn't speak, I merely offered Vladimir a stoic, unblinking glare with my single jade-green eye.
Vladimir raised his hands defensively, letting out a chuckle.
"Alright, alright… keep your secrets, lass. A silent hunter lives longer, anyway. I'm guessing the Bureau rewarded you with that artifact after you brought Oksana's head in. They'd be the only ones with the authority to hand over a weapon that is dangerous."
He tapped the folded crimson fabric on the counter, shifting the subject back to business with a proud grin.
"So, about your new crimson trench coat... care to try it on and see how it fits?"
I kept my heavy canvas cloak clamped firmly around my shoulders, refusing to take it off even for a quick fitting. The terrifying reality was that the fifteen-gold bounty on my head was still very much active. If Vladimir saw what was hiding underneath, the massive, midnight-black blood wings and the unmistakable aura of the Crimson Phantom, his admiration would vanish in an instant. He wouldn't see the heroic bounty hunter who saved the mines, he would see the blood-sucking winged demon who currently roams the lands of Caria, a monster to be feared and hunted down.
Instead of putting it on, I simply unrolled the crimson trench coat right there on the wooden counter, taking a quick, analytical peek at its dimensions. My heart sank slightly as I measured it by eye. It was small. In fact, it was far too tight across the back, nowhere near wide enough to accommodate or properly conceal my blood wings when folded against my spine.
Vladimir watched me inspect the fabric, noticing my hesitant expression. He leaned over, scratching his chin as he looked at the coat's cut.
"Ah, I see it now. Too small for you, Eirene, my apologies, lass. I cut that based on your measurements from weeks ago, before you went out into the wastes. Well, don't fret. There is a specialized tailor shop nearby that can easily change the size of that crimson trench coat for you. And it's not just some ordinary, run-of-the-mill needle-and-thread shop, it's a magical tailor shop equipped with enchanters who can safely repair, alter, and resize high-grade magical gear like that drake-scale thread without ruining the fire resistance."
He pointed a thick finger out the front window, gesturing toward the bustling streets of the 6th District.
"Just a few blocks away, right down the main thoroughfare, you'll find the Magic Clothing Store, It's a premier clothing boutique and magical tailor shop. You should definitely walk on by there; they'll have that coat fitting you perfectly in no time."
I offered Vladimir a grateful nod, silently thanking him for the information and his spectacular craftsmanship. Reaching up with my single remaining right hand, I pulled my heavy canvas hood back over my face, plunging my features into shadow once more.
Gathering the neatly folded crimson coat under my arm, I stepped back out into the busy merchant district. I had a little time left before my laundry was finished, making it the perfect opportunity to visit this magical clothing store… not just to fix my new coat, but to finally browse for some proper human dresses for Evelyn.