novelraw Chapter 115: Shopping
Chapter 115: Shopping
Not only Mirrorheart, Loren also bought some accessories for the others, mostly necklaces and bracelets, since none of the witches had pierced ears, they couldn’t wear earrings even if they bought them.
"Hello…"
Finally, the woman from that young couple couldn’t help but speak to Loren, but she was greeted by Naclis’ curse:
"Get lost."
Naclis looked down on her with supreme disdain, golden eyes radiating a chill that made the woman feel the air around her instantly colder, as if one more step closer would mean instant death.
"Sorry…"
The woman backed away cautiously, then fled the jewelry store in embarrassment once she put distance between herself and Naclis. The man hurried after her.
"Do you think this is cute?"
Loren held up a hairband inlaid with sapphire and styled Naclis’ hair into Anna’s signature twin tails, then had her look into the mirror.
Naclis immediately lost her composure again. Every time she tried to project an imposing aura, Loren interrupted her, but she rather liked the way it felt.Seeing Naclis like that, Luna also smiled.
At first she had been a bit afraid of Naclis, but over this time together Luna had gradually come to understand her: she was still a child who hadn’t grown up, wanting to act spoiled but feeling embarrassed to do so.
So Luna’s gaze toward Naclis carried a hint of maternal warmth.
Today Naclis wore long pants and a long-sleeved top with a jacket—very neat—but that hairstyle made her look childish, which made her feel awkward.
"This is a bit off;
give it to Anna instead."
"No!"
Loren’s hand was on Naclis’ head, about to remove it, but Naclis cut him off.
"If you like it, keep it."
Loren casually ran his fingers through Naclis’ hair, looking at her with indulgent affection.
By rights, Naclis should be called Lorcoco, and Anna should be Lorna, but those names felt out of place in this world, so Loren abandoned the idea and kept things as they were.
"Do I have one too?"
When Luna received a necklace, she was pleasantly surprised and a little overwhelmed;
she still carried lingering insecurity.
The potions Loren had given her before were too abstract for her to grasp their value, but this pearl necklace had a price tag right there for everyone to see.
It’s like giving a villager a high-end watch—they might not sense its worth. Give them a bar of gold and it’s a different story.
"Of course, you’re family too."
"Thank you, Master Mentor…"
Luna did not refuse Loren’s gift. Her face held a smile that would not fade. Although Loren had always treated her this way, when he acknowledged it verbally, it stirred different feelings in her.
Long ago she swore she would protect Loren at any cost, yet so far she had found few opportunities to be of use—she had been the one constantly helped by him.
After paying promptly, Loren left the jewelry store carrying big and small bags. Back at the inn, it was time to start his research.
He still owed Laila an Abyssal Gaze Eye, and it would be best to finish it quickly.
While Loren worked on the Abyssal Gaze Eye, the others gathered around him. Anna lay with her head on Loren’s lap, watching his focused face while snacking and occasionally feeding him bits.
Laila and Luna joined Naclis in music lessons. Because it wasn’t convenient to use magic here, they stuck to plain practice;
the inn had plenty of instruments.
As usual, Loren cast the Shielding Spell when they entered the inn. He had studied shielding magic carefully, and with the boost from a high-level grade, his shielding now could even hide from gods.
So everyone spoke freely here without worry.
Scarlett was discussing maid duties with Mirrorheart. Ever since Mirrorheart helped Scarlett realize her dream, Scarlett trusted her implicitly—there had even been a time when Scarlett knelt at the door with Mirrorheart, waiting for Loren to return.
"It’s done…"
With previous experience, Loren’s experimental speed was fast. His earlier guess had been correct: it wasn’t necessary to use a specific gemstone, only that it matched the "ancient" characteristic.
"Laila, this is for you."
"What is this?"
Laila took the Abyssal Gaze Eye and asked. She had thought it might be a gift Loren made specifically for her, but the design was strange—this was the first time she’d seen something in the inverted cross shape.
This world also had crosses, mostly used for executing heretics and as a symbol of divine authority.
But each god had its own emblem. Crosses were not widely used;
compared to a uniform cross, the Church preferred its own symbols.
"This is a talisman. Carrying it will keep you safe. Everyone else has one."
Saying that, Loren slipped his hand into Anna’s collar, pulled out the Abyssal Gaze Eye, and showed it to Laila.
He didn’t mention that he could see through it;
he feared Laila might have reservations. After all, Laila still hadn’t openly stated her gender—she worried Loren wouldn’t accept her, since Loren had been calling her a good brother lately.
"Oh, okay."
Laila put the Abyssal Gaze Eye on. Loren closed his eyes and Laila appeared in his vision.
The Abyssal Gaze Eye was not only a protective charm;
its feature was providing a viewpoint, useful for surveillance. Loren could not only see the images, but also hear the sounds.
However, Loren did not plan to make too many of them. The device was a burden for him—these scenes were always available to him anyway, as if he had grown many more eyes elsewhere. Loren currently eased the burden by diverting his attention.
The Perpetual Observer’s authority was certainly not so simple;
Loren had not fully researched it. After all, the Perpetual Observer was the creator of the Tarot cards. Even when facing gods who possessed authority, most attacks were ineffective, yet the Tarot cards still worked.
"Reason, Eternity, Continuation, Truth…"
This string of authorities sounded complex. They seemed far more powerful than the authorities of the Orthodox Gods. Loren did not think their use was limited to merely watching others.
Still, Loren had no clear leads. Even his understanding of the Perpetual Observer was limited;
he could only research it slowly.
Dinner was handled at a casual restaurant and the day passed quietly. Loren was still waiting for Mara. For someone to make Loren wait this long, they must have enormous face.
Not even the kings of various countries could grant Loren that kind of face. This would be something Mara could boast about for a lifetime—though she would not have the chance. This voyage would be Mara’s death knell.