Assimilate All Talents

Chapter 363 Returning Customer

Thorwyn and Sol went from store to store throughout the city, buying food, tools, and whatever else they might need for their trip. At first, Sol prioritized a few essential stops, but it was only a matter of time before Thorwyn's curiosity led them down random streets.

"Awoo? (What's down there?)" Thorwyn asked, peering down a street leading into the housing district.

Sol shrugged. "Just houses, I believe. We can go if you want, but don't be too loud, we don't want to disturb anyone."

While Sol had explored Kerman before, he hadn't visited the entire city last time. This area was noticeably quieter, away from the bustling main road and commercial districts. The lack of pedestrians made it clear they had wandered into a more residential part of town, prompting his light warning to Thorwyn.

"Awoooo. (Okayyy.)" Thorwyn howled at a lower volume before heading down the street.

Before following, Sol glanced at his spatial ring and scanned its contents. 'We have just about everything. We didn't buy much food, but that's not a big issue since we can hunt. I just hope we don't run out of soap or other things that are hard to replace…'

While Sol had access to [Intermediate Craftsmanship] and [Tools of the Trade], some things simply couldn't be made without the right ingredients, or were beyond his skill level, like unique rarity items. If something like the Lipons or the Singularity Band broke, he wouldn't have the means or expertise to fix them. He'd have to be extra careful.

His mind then shifted to another concern. 'I also hope Amber can get the—'

"Awoo? (Are you coming?)" Thorwyn, now a bit ahead, noticed Sol standing still and called out to him.

'I'm overthinking it. It'll be fine.' Pushing the thought aside, Sol nodded. "On my way."

Together, they wandered deeper into the housing district, admiring the well kept homes lining the streets. It was only then that Sol realized they had entered one of the city's wealthier neighborhoods. The deeper they went, the larger and more luxurious the houses became.

'I could probably afford to buy a house…' As he entertained the idea of owning a home, he suddenly paused. His head turned toward a side road leading to more estates. His eyes narrowed, then widened in surprise.

"Awoo? (Is something wrong?)" Thorwyn asked.

Sol shook his head. "No. I just recognized a familiar mana signature. This way."

This time, Sol took the lead, guiding them deeper into the district, where the houses transitioned into full fledged mansions. There weren't many, but each was surrounded by spacious land, complete with meticulously maintained gardens, sculptures, and round the clock guards. It was clear that the people living here were nobles or absurdly wealthy.

Sol couldn't even begin to guess how much one of these mansions cost—if they could even be bought with just gold—but he kept his focus forward, passing the grand estates until they arrived at one in particular.

The mansion itself was similar to the others, but what stood out was the carriage parked out front. Unlike a normal carriage, this one had an opening on the side with a makeshift counter, resembling a mobile shop. Oddly, it lacked any horse or beast to pull it.

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Standing beside it, a young girl waved at the guards.

"Bye, Silven! Bye, Grenel! Tell Mom I'll be back before dinner!"

One of the guards, Silven, waved back with a smile. "I'll be sure to let her know. Be safe, Miss Chloe."

"Thanks! Let's go, Bob!"

As Chloe hopped onto the carriage, she happened to glance up and notice Sol and Thorwyn approaching. Her eyes widened for a moment, then sparkled with excitement.

Letting out a high pitched squeal, she jumped down from the carriage and ran straight toward Thorwyn, arms stretched wide.

"Big dog!" she exclaimed, practically bouncing with joy.

Thorwyn's ears perked up at the approaching small human. With equal enthusiasm, he howled, "Awoo! (Tiny human!)"

Before Chloe could get any closer, the two guards, Silven and Grenel, reacted instantly, stepping between her and Thorwyn. Silven held out an arm to stop her, while Grenel gave a firm warning.

"Miss Chloe, please don't run up to strangers like that. You never know who they might be."

Chloe pouted, crossing her arms. "But Bob is here, so it's fine!"

Grenel sighed. "Bob can only protect you properly if you're inside him, Miss Chloe. You should still be careful."

She looked ready to argue but then glanced to the side, finally noticing Sol standing next to Thorwyn. Her eyes widened again, this time in realization.

"Oh! It's okay! He's my customer!" she announced proudly.

Sol's eye twitched slightly. 'She didn't even notice me until now?'

He let out a small sigh but quickly brushed it off. Thorwyn was naturally more eye catching, especially to an excitable kid like Chloe. Rather than dwell on it, he focused on why he was here.

Stepping forward, he addressed the guards and Chloe with a polite nod. "It's true. I'm a customer. Actually, I happened to be in the area and saw you here. I wanted to buy some magic items."

Chloe's eyes sparkled even more. "Really? You mean it?"

"Yeah." Sol smiled slightly. 'Last time I was in the city, I only bought a spatial ring since I didn't have much money. But now that I do, I can buy some of the good things I saw last time.'

He had actually planned to stop by her shop earlier, but when he visited the place where they last met, she was nowhere to be found. He had chalked it up to bad luck and continued shopping, until Thorwyn's curiosity led them here, where he noticed Bob's unique mana signature.

Chloe puffed out her chest with pride. "Hehehe, you came to the right person! I've got lots of cool things!"

"Well, since we're here, mind showing me what you've got?"

Chloe beamed. "Of course! Come on, I'll show you everything!"

She dashed back to Bob and rummaged through a compartment, pulling out a small catalogue, a neat little book bound in dark leather. Sol recognized it as the picture book from last time. She held it up triumphantly before turning back to Sol and Thorwyn.

"Here it is! This has all the items I currently have in stock. There are some new ones since last time, too!"

Before she could hand it over, the front door of the mansion opened, and another figure stepped out.

A mature, elegant woman emerged, exuding a confidence and authority. A long, slender pipe rested between her fingers, faint wisps of smoke curling from its tip. Her sharp eyes swept over the scene before settling on Chloe.

"Chloe," she called, her voice smooth yet firm.

Chloe turned around. "Mom! Look, I was just about to make a sale!" She lifted the catalogue with both hands like a trophy.

The woman smiled faintly but shook her head. Stepping closer, she placed a gentle hand on Chloe's head, ruffling her hair slightly. "That's good, sweetie. But for now, I need you to head back inside with Bob."

Chloe pouted, clearly reluctant. "But I—"

Her mother gave her a look. It wasn't harsh, but one that left no room for argument.

Chloe sighed dramatically before nodding. "Fineee." She turned to Sol and Thorwyn, waving. "Come buy from me next time, okay?!"

Thorwyn wagged his tail. "Awoo! (Bye, tiny human!)"

Sol gave a small nod. "Of course."

Satisfied, Chloe climbed back onto Bob, who silently followed her as she headed inside. The door shut behind them, leaving Sol, Thorwyn, and the woman near the entrance.

The moment Chloe was gone, the woman's warm expression faded. Taking a slow drag from her pipe, she exhaled, then locked her gaze onto Sol.

She lifted her pipe, pointing it directly at him.

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Her next words were cool and sharp.

"I thought I made it clear that my daughter is off limits. A-Rankers like you should only come to me if you want something."