Whenever I think this city couldn't be any bigger, I'd take a walk outside and accidentally waltz into a district I've never heard before. The one thing that's always within my sightline as long as I look north, are the red-tipped towers at the northernmost part of Cynderace. Kain tells me those are where the mages live, and within them lies a powerful magic device that helps them detect monoliths.
I'm not out here sight-seeing though. After that date with Loraine where she was almost kidnapped has made me realize what I have to lose. I have someone in my life that I care about again. Someone who gives two shits about me, a flunkie who isn't good with anything but beating people up.
This world isn't any different from mine; if I want to keep what I got, I gotta fight for it.
With all the money I have, I figure I'd drop into the richer areas to buy a gift for Loraine. But I don't even know where I'm going. All I'm getting are weird looks from people.
"The fuck do you think you're looking at?" I size up a couple giving me a disgusted look as they walk by. The two of them lower their heads and almost trip over themselves power walking away. "Tsk. Ain't any different with people looking down on ya either..."
"Lady Micchi? What a coincidence seeing you here!" Kain dismisses the two guards flanking him. "May I join you?"
I put a joint up to my mouth and use Sacchan to light it. "Suit yourself. The hell have you been?"
"Assisting father in negotiating the bolstering of our defenses around the kingdom. No shortage of issues to be discussed and hammered out. Especially with another concern around the corner…" Kain says, trailing off.
"Something I should know?" I ask.
Kain shakes his head. "Nothing Mildred and I can't handle. I think."
We stop by a jewelry store in which an array of crystals are laid out behind glass to see. Gems that I've never seen before, trinkets too gaudy for me to wear, all of these are similar to the ones people this side of town love to wear.
Kain is also looking at the jewelry carefully. Maybe he's thinking about getting something for Mildred.
"So how'd you and Mildred become an item?" I ask him.
"Where did this come from?" He's taken aback by my sudden question. "I suppose it's no dark secret, but we were friends as far back as I can remember."
"And it came out of nowhere that you proposed to her that she's become so obsessed?"
His features soften, and for the first time, he shows an emotion different from apprehension when it comes to Mildred. "It was after Mildred lost her father to a demon siege. A monolith emerged in their village and he lost his life protecting her. I made a promise that I would never leave her side, and she has since taken that as a marriage proposal."
"Heh. So you do have princely qualities. Good on ya." I say, chuckling.
"I am a prince!" He scratches his nose in embarrassment and glances up to the spires. "Mildred is the one who created the resonance pendulum that detects monoliths. She truly is amazing."
"So you love her?"
"Eh— I, erm… yes, I do love her." he stammers.
I take a deep breath before responding. "I… I feel the same way about Loraine. I want to make it official."
"I thought you two were already married?" he asks.
I don't blame him for being confused. Loraine and I refer to her as my wife, but it isn't like we had a ceremony or wedding for it. First of all, how am I supposed to get married? Back in Japan we just sign certificates.
"Unofficially." I answer. "Loraine and a bunch of women were passed down to me after I beat Bracca. She's the only one who cared enough to stay."
"Oh! You came here to buy a gift for her with the intention of marriage!" he shouts.
I cover his mouth. "Don't go spouting that to anyone else. Keep this between you and me, got it? I wanna find the right moment to propose…"
Kain nods.
We head into the jewelry store so I can look for something to buy. Everything is behind a glass case. Each piece of jewelry just looks the same to me, and it dawns on me that I don't know what Loraine would like. All I really have is her amulet as a reference.
Kain wanders off to look at a rack of bracelets . My eyes are drawn to the front counter— in a glass case of its own, resting on a cushion is a platinum ring studded with three gems. They look to be two pearls and a larger opal set between them.
"The gems are shaped by the greatest gemcutter in Amarinth, and the band is tempered steel. That it has drawn your eyes means you have good tastes, madam." An older man unlocks the case and brings it onto the counter for me to see.
"How much is it?" I ask.
He pulls out a book and flips page after page until he finds the right one. "One hundred platinum."
I nearly choke on my own spit.
"However, I can tell by your discerning eyes this interests you. Perhaps a discount, say… fifty, instead?" he offers at a lower price that's still an unbelievable number.
I have a hard time telling if this is the right price or not. This world's economy is still a mystery to me, and I'm not used to being in the possession of a lot of money. It isn't that I can't afford it. I have the gold, but something seems fishy.
"P-P-Prince Kain?!" the clerk stutters as Kain comes up behind me.
"Planning to buy that?" Kain asks.
"What do you think?" I question back.
"My sisters are of the flashy variety, and mother always has me gift them jewelry. I'm no expert, but I am somewhat versed." He lowers his head to study the ring.
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"Oh? How much is it, Kain?" I ask, keeping my eyes on the clerk who is sweating bullets.
Kain stares hard at it. "Hmmm. Couldn't be worth more than ten platinum. I actually know the gemcutter from Ash'tar. How much is this man selling it for?"
"Tell him." I urge the store clerk.
He gulps hard. "One… hundred platinum… Your Highness, but I have discounted it to fifty!"
"That's… ten times the price increase." Kain puts a hand on the hilt of his sword. "My sir, an inflation this large needs to be reported to the crown's treasury. As Scoth is a member of the United Kingdoms of Dysentia, our trade pact may revoke your license to do business in Cynderace."
"You trying to gyp me?" I grab the store clerk by his collar and pull his head down to the glass counter. He shoots a pair of begging eyes to Kain who's turned his back to us. "Don't look at him, he can't help you. Look at me."
The old man raises his hands to shield himself. "Eeek! P-Please, don't hurt me! I didn't mean to mislead you… I just thought—"
"Thought I was some chump? What's the real going price? Haahh?" I shake hard, causing him to shriek.
"F-Five platinum…" he squeaks out.
"Hard to believe you after being lied to. Whaddya say we haggle down to one plat, and you earn yourself a returning customer?" I put a stack of gold coins in front of his face.
Just like that, I end up pocketing the ring at a bargain of its original price. I slip it into a secure pocket inside my jacket and sigh.
"It always seemed like Loraine was the aggressive one in the relationship. Seeing you take the initiative is refreshing," Kain teases.
"Look man, even I have needs. More than anything, I really want to see my girl in a wedding dress." I grab his shoulder. "You did me a solid back there. I owe you one."
"I imagine coming from you that means a lot. I'll keep that in mind, Lady Micchi," he says, bowing.
I part ways from Kain and head to Mildred's place. She's just finishing servicing a customer as I walk into her workshop.
"If it isn't my favorite brute!" Mildred levitates two glasses and pours wine for both of us. "I heard what you did to Oaks. Well done. You've cleared my debt for me."
"Then I hope you don't mind if I collect on that. I want this enchanted with the most powerful defensive enchantment you got." I place the ring on the counter.
"Fine make, but high tier enchantments require… a lot of work. More than the fifty platinum debt you wiped from my slate," she explains.
"Well, shit. You want me to sell my arm and leg, too?"
"Should everyone traipse around with enchantments as powerful as your club, demons wouldn't be a problem, would they? Unfortunately, that isn't the case. I need rare materials, time to enchant and sew magic into the ring— I'm exhausted talking about it." she sighs, waving a dismissive hand.
"Money isn't an issue. Whatever it takes." I raise my glass to her.
Mildred flashes her pearly white teeth at me and raises her glass, too. "Then It will be my pleasure. There is one thing, however..."
***
I head home after a long day wandering around the city. No matter where I looked, I couldn't find the last ingredient Mildred needed to enchant the ring— pristine dragon's scale.
I'll have to keep an eye out. Maybe hunt a dragon of my own.
When I head inside, I don't see Loraine in the living room. Instead she is cooking in the kitchen, an aromatic smell wafts into the room.
"Watcha making?" I ask, coming into the kitchen.
The dejected look on her face tells me she's had a fair share of failures. Many of them have been tossed into the trash bin, but there's no mistaking that she's making gyoza.
She holds up the only plate of the potstickers that look mostly intact. "I tried making them from memory according to how you described but… I'll throw these away and start again!"
"Wait!" I grab her hand. "I'll try them."
They suck.
I'd ask for a refund if I bought these from a restaurant. It's tasteless. The meat is too firm from being overcooked. The gyoza skin is soggy and falling apart. Despite that, it somehow tastes good.
This is more effort than anyone's ever put in for my sake.
Heat builds around my eyes, and I have to blink away the welling tears.
Loraine gasps, mistaking my grimace for repulsion. "I knew they were bad! Micchi, you don't have to—"
"You made these for me. Ain't no way am I gonna waste them." I scarf down the rest of the plate before she can stop me. "What do you say we make the next batch together?"
"Of course!" she exclaims, returning to the usual bright mood I'm weak to.