I clutched the hand basket tightly, the three new commoner dresses for Evelyn resting safely inside. After paying Alice the fifty silver pieces, my funds were getting dangerously low, I had exactly six silver coins and thirty-four bronze coins left in my purse.
Checking the time, I realized I had about fifteen minutes left before the laundry team finished scrubbing the slime residue out of our regular clothes. I still had plenty of household chores to finish before the day was done, and my upcoming trip to the Bureau to pick up the Neospider silk contract would have to wait for my next outing.
As I stepped out of the Magic Tailor Shop, a sudden wave of heat hit my face. I looked up and realized the sun had already reached high noon. Panic flared in my chest. To my mutated skin of my sixth evolution, the midday sun was an absolute nightmare, and the bright light made it even easier for people to spot the silhouette of my massive dark blood wings. I quickly gripped my heavy canvas cloak, pulling it down tightly over my head and wrapping it securely around my body to stay completely hidden in the shadows.
Reaching into my pocket, I jingle-jangled the thirty-four bronze coins. A grim realization washed over me, our food stock back at House 132 was completely dried out. Ever since I cooked that massive pot of Kaldereta yesterday, all of our canned goods and pantry supplies had been entirely wiped out. If I didn't buy groceries now, Evelyn and I would have nothing to eat tonight.
Deciding to use every last bit of my bronze coins for food, I wandered deeper into the crowded, bustling lanes of the 6th District's merchant market. The streets were packed with people, making me extra paranoid about my active fifteen-gold bounty. Even though my wings, missing arm, and face were buried under the cloak, the heavy crowds meant people were brushing past me. If anyone looked closely at the bottom of my cloak, parts of my black-and-white Victorian maid dress… especially the long, frilly skirt, were clearly visible.
I navigated through the sea of shoppers until I spotted a lively stall stacked high with preserved goods.
"Hey there, maid! What can I get for you today?" the canned foods merchant called out cheerfully, noticing the long skirt peeking out from beneath my heavy traveler's cloak.
To keep my voice hidden and prevent any scene, I set the clothing basket down by my boots. Using my single right hand, I quickly scribbled a message on a scrap piece of paper:
Give me thirty-four bronze coins worth of food.
I handed the note, along with the handful of loose bronze coins, directly to the seller, waiting silently in the shadows of my hood to see what kind of ration bundle he would put together for us.
The seller began gathering the tins of preserved food, but as he leaned over his counter, his eyes caught the distinct, dark iron barrel of the Death Chant Shotgun strapped securely across my back. Combined with the massive front-page reports in the morning paper and Nautilus Cotton's heavy public relations influence, it didn't take him long to put the pieces together.
The merchant's jaw dropped as he stared at my cloaked figure.
"Wait... you're Eirene Rynd! The S-rank bounty hunter!"
His sudden exclamation cut straight through the noise of the bustling market. Within seconds, a dozen heads snapped in my direction. The crowded lanes of the 6th District instantly erupted into excited whispers and frantic gossiping as ordinary citizens and merchants crowded around to catch a glimpse of me.
"Is that really her? The older sister of the new Luminous Knight prodigy?" one woman whispered loudly to her friend.
"Look at the shotgun! It's the girl who single-handedly destroyed Oksana's drug empire!" an old man remarked in awe.
"She's the mercenary who fixed the county deflation! The mines are safe because of her!" another merchant chimed in.
I stood completely frozen in the center of the crowd, tightening my grip on my canvas cloak to ensure my blood wings and missing arm remained buried, praying no one would make the connection to the Crimson Phantom bounty.
The seller's expression shifted from surprise to immense gratitude. He shoved my thirty-four bronze coins right back into my hand and gazed at me with profound respect.
"You're a true hero of Caria, Miss Eirene. I absolutely cannot take your money, and I certainly won't let a hero go home with mere basic rations. Here, take double the amount of canned foods in the house!"
True to his word, the generous merchant pulled out a large, heavy wicker basket and began piling it high with a wide variety of premium canned meats… pork, beef, and heavily preserved stews. Because he insisted on doubling the portions, the basket was practically overflowing by the time he slid it across the counter.
I gave the seller a deep, respectful nod of my head to express my gratitude, picking up the heavy basket of groceries in one hand while hooking Evelyn's new clothing basket over my elbow. Leaving the cheering crowd of the marketplace behind, I quickly melted into the alleyways to escape the unwanted attention.
With exactly fifteen minutes having passed, my chores in the merchant sector were finally coming to an end. It was time to head back to the laundry shop, claim our freshly cleaned clothes, and head straight home to prepare for Evelyn's return.
Balancing three heavy baskets with my single remaining right hand was an absolute athletic feat. My left arm, entirely mutilated and gone from past battles, left me with no choice but to awkwardly stack the overflowing basket of canned groceries underneath the basket holding Evelyn's new commoner dresses, using my hip and chest to keep them steady.
I pushed open the door to the laundry establishment, the thick steam wrapping around my heavy canvas cloak. The registrar lady looked up, her face lighting up with that same immense respect as she carefully lifted a neatly folded, pristine stack of our regular clothing from her counter.
"Here is your laundry, bounty hunter," she said warmly, placing the clean garments into a third wicker basket.
I leaned forward, taking a quick sniff of the fabric. The result was incredible. Every single dress looked absolutely brand new, the sticky, predatory slime residue from last night had been completely dissolved, replaced by a beautiful, fragrant floral scent. They had even been thoroughly dried inside their heat ovens, radiating a cozy, comforting warmth.
Now, I was tasked with carrying three distinct baskets. I offered the lady a deep, grateful nod, hooked the new laundry basket onto my crowded right arm, and carefully navigated my way out of the shop.
Using my six remaining silver coins to cover any necessary expenses, I began the long trek back, passing out of the bustling lanes of the 6th District and walking all the way back up to the fortified gates of the 3rd District.
As I approached the iron-reinforced archway, the familiar gatekeeper, Renny, was still standing guard, leaning casually against his halberd. He blinked in surprise as he saw my heavily burdened, cloaked figure struggling to keep the stacked baskets from tumbling onto the cobblestones.
"Greetings again, Eirene! Hard at work doing the household chores, I see." Renny called out, a sympathetic smile crossing his face.
I gave him a silent nod. I carefully set the top two baskets down by my boots for just a moment to reach into my purse, pulling out my official hunter's status card and the required silver coin to pay my return toll.
Renny took the silver and stamped my card, but as I reached down to pick up the heavy, stacked baskets with my single hand once more, he suddenly stepped forward and held out his leather-gloved hands.
"Whoa, hold on a second, I honestly feel bad just watching you struggle like this. Holding all of these heavy baskets with only one arm must be absolutely exhausting, especially after everything you've done for the county. Here, let me help you out."
Before I could politely gesture a refusal, Renny's profound kindness took over. He effortlessly lifted the heavy basket of canned meats and the large basket of freshly washed laundry into his own strong arms, leaving me to carry only the lightweight basket containing Evelyn's new dresses.
"Lead the way, Eirene, I'll escort you and your cargo straight back to your house."
I offered him a soft, grateful bow of my head from beneath the deep shadow of my canvas hood, incredibly thankful for the unexpected help as we began the final walk back to House 132.