Lowlife, Scoundrel, Bandit Queen

Chapter 189 189 - No half measures

"Deal!"

The words leave the mans mouth almost before I finish speaking myself. And that's probably why I earned that slight increase for my haggling skill just now. He said he doesn't like working based on guesses, but he still agreed to do the job without taking any measurements. Sure, his estimation probably isn't far off, but what seems like an enormously generous payment now might still turn out to cut it close to breaking even in the long run.

He still needs to provide other materials, leather, cloth and rivets after all. Let's not forget about the time he and his family will have to invest either. And of course he will have to sell any remaining scales on his own. That might turn out to be an adventure on its own.

At least I can be moderately certain that he will do his best to deliver a suit of armor that will meet or surpass my expectations. Although, maybe I better still add some more encouragement for him to not just ditch me to make a run with the scales? Yes, I better. As we shake hands to seal the deal I pull him up from his seat and close so I can whisper in his ear.

"You better not even think about running without delivering. And if you do, you better never stop running, because there won't be a place in this world where I won't find and get you. But neither of us needs to worry in that regard, right?"

My [Intimidate] skill ticks up a notch as he swallows hard. By the time he sits back down, his hand still clutching mine, he nods eagerly though.

"Of course. Wouldn't ever think of it!"

He shoots his daughter Marla, who is still busy fanning her mother, who is just coming around, a glance that promises an intensive talk some time in the near future. He'll probably want to know what kind of impression she left with me to make me suspect him of such lowly behavior. Before it can get really awkward though his attention is on me again.

"We should get precise measurements. This piece will be something else. This has to fit perfectly! Marla! Get the patterns for leather vests and bodices. Those should provide a good base. Ilone dear, please take our customer's measurements."

I guess I just learned his wife's name then, as the woman immediately gets a piece of wood with set of strings affixed to it, to take my measurements. Each string, with a unique mix of colors is used for one specific measurement which in turn is marked with a knot at the right distance. It's a simple yet precise and concise system that makes do without any actual units of measure.

I follow Ilona's instructions best I can. I don't want to give her a hard time after all. I really want this brigandine to be as good a fit as possible too, even if I could cheat a little using my ability to change shape.

Marla's father in the meantime is busy inspecting and measuring each individual scale. He sorts them too, first by width and among those of similar enough width by height. He has a look at their thickness too. He even tests how flexible they are. One of the scales that's already a little scratched up he even uses for a hardness test with a number of his tools. It seems he will be sweating quite a bit just punching the holes for the rivets. Well, or possibly Marla as his apprentice will do that sweating. It doesn't really matter to me as long as the work gets done. And just from what I'm seeing and experiencing right now I'm tempted to assume that they are all serious about this commission from me.

By the time Ilona is done with the measurements things are starting to come together already. She and her daughter get some sturdy cloth, probably for the innermost layer of the armor and start transferring a pattern onto it with chalk, adjusting it for my exact measurements as they go under the older woman's guidance.

This already allows the father to place the scales to figure out how to best use and overlap them. As I watch on its Marla who finally approaches me.

"You know, now that we have your measurements and the materials … you don't have to stick around and watch. Uh, that is unless you want to? It probably would be best if you drop by some time after noon tomorrow, so we can finish fitting the inner layer. That will improve the precision of the rest. Uh, if that is alright with you?"

She is clearly nervous. She is still very much aware that she will probably have to explain things to her parents too as soon as I'm out the door, but that's her problem. And anyway, I'm sure she will manage. Unless they somehow mess up this job could end up as a considerable landfall for her family after all. Especially right now while Sezemat's caravan is in town and a lot of business goes that way instead.

I already made it abundantly clear that I won't take kindly to any attempt at cheating me. I don't need to watch their every move either. Besides, I have some more places and people I should visit. And, if at all possible, I'd like to take advantage of the adventurers' guild dormitory for a change. I really feel like spending a night in a real bed for a change. Thus I nod in agreement.

"Fine. I drop by tomorrow after noon."

Since I have no hat to tip and since I don't want to disturb the busy pair already deeply engrossed with their work, I'm off with a casual salute and a wave. I just hope they don't forget about the things they have been working on, which need to be finished too, to avoid upsetting other customers. Well, I'm not going to explain to them how to run their shop. As long as I get my armor out of this I'm happy.

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

And right now I have one more important visit to make before I can really decide how to proceed with the rest of the day, or rather the evening. Time doesn't slow for anyone, not even me. Unless, maybe, one happens to know the right kind of spell. Oh, and maybe I should make another visit to the Flea and Flotsam too. I still need to get the things I wear right now fixed. That's not quite as important in the grand picture, but it matters to me.

This time around I move at street level since I don't have to cross the wall. I move at a slightly more leisure pace too, to have a look at what shops and eateries along the streets have to offer even though I have no intention to actually buy anything. That only changes when I slip into the Flea and Flotsam. I'm not aiming for a stealthy entry this time around. Instead I make sure to be easily noticeable without being obnoxiously loud.

The lady running the shop is the one greeting me.

"Welcome back! What can we help you with today?"

Polite, friendly and to the point. I like it. I move a little closer and point at the hole the lich's spell punched through bodice, blouse and me, although the latter is of no concern to this woman.

"I was wondering if you could do some mending for me. There are matching holes in the back."

The woman winces a little at the latter, as does her daughter who is peeking around a shelf. The older steps a little closer to take a look anyway. Finally she nods.

"It's a pretty clean hole. Whatever you took there tore right through. It didn't sever any of the strings of the bodice either. Shouldn't be too much trouble to patch that up nice and solid."

That is quite a relief. There is a little detail that is bothering me though. I scratch the back of my head and laugh in embarrassment.

"I guess I'll have to leave these things with you for the time being? It wouldn't do to rush you. I … I might need a blouse I can change into. You wouldn't happen to have something that would fit?"

She snorts in amusement.

"You adventurers. Always getting yourself into all kinds of trouble without even having a change of clothes."

Then she calls out to her daughter.

"Dear, would you help our customer to find a blouse."

Before the girl can even respond though, the shop owner turns to me once more.

"So, mending of blouse and bodice and a blouse, second hand but clean and without any holes that ought not to be there. One shilling and four pennies."

I groan dramatically, but at the same time this awakens a desire to haggle a little. I should do that more often anyway. For a change the price she asked allows for some wiggle room too.

"First you ask me to take off my last shirt and now you go after my poor purse too? I go out and risk my life fighting undead monstrosities and in the end all I'll have to show for it is a new blouse? If you take a shilling and two pennies you'll still turn a tidy profit, won't you? How about that?"

The girl waiting for me at the mouth of the narrow lane in between two heavily burdened shelves, starts to giggle as I counter her mother's offer, but she quickly reigns herself in as the older woman shoots her a stern look. In the end she reaches out to offer me her hand for a shake though.

"Fine. A shilling and two pennies. My girl will show you to the blouses. Just pick one. The price is the same for all. Leave the things that need mending with her too."

We shake hands and my [Haggling] skill improves another little bit. Then I hand her the coin, making sure she can't get a good long look at my not so empty purse in the process, which in turn makes my [Sleight of Hand] skill improve a little as well. Then I'm off to follow the younger of the duo to the section with the blouses.

The girls looks me over briefly to gauge my build. Then she pulls two garments that should fit me out of a stack of other blouses. She helps me out of the things that need patching too. As I try on the first blouse she tilts her head, her brows furrowing.

I raise an eyebrow in turn, to prompt her to speak her mind.

"It's the collar and the cuffs. I'm not sure the lace is your style."

I laugh out loud, but I can see what she means. This one, despite being patched up in a few spots, looks a little more fancy than what I usually wear. I change into the other which is more plain. I like the color of that one too. It's originally a rich red and not even the fact that it too has been patched with patches of two slightly different shades of red can change my opinion. This is the one for me.

The girl nods in approval too, which is good enough for me. I adjust the garment and my sword belt a little, then I'm ready to go. I don't leave right away though. Instead I nod at the things I'm leaving behind for mending. The girl is still holding those tightly.

"When should I expect you to be done with that?"

"Oh? Well, some time tomorrow should be alright. We might even have it finishes in the morning already. We do much of our mending over night."

I raise an eyebrow at that. Does the girl get enough sleep? Then another idea strikes me.

"Want a magic light for your workshop? I could use the practice. It's brighter than candlelight and it should last a few hours at least."

"For real? Uh … I mean, please?"

Now it's my turn to chuckle.

"Lead the way. This shouldn't take long."

The workshop in question is a rather cramped room in the back behind the shop. I look around, then I nod at a currently not lit lantern dangling from one of the rafters.

"Would there be alright?"

She nods. That's all the confirmation I need. I focus on a spot just below the lantern and channel some more of my spare Mana into the spell. My [Light] spell improves a bit and the glowing sphere bathing the room in bright warm light springs into existence as desired.

"There you go. It should be good for about six hours. Now, if you'll excuse me, there is a dragon I haven't visited in a while. See you tomorrow!"