Leaving the alleyway market, with her pack full of supplies and a wallet much lighter, Mia was heading towards the more glitzy storefronts on the main road. She would’ve had to stop at the auction house but Samantha had loaned her half the expected value of the unique monster loot to be sold, in exchange for having a 5% share of the total sale. It was indeed a loss of money, but Mia was quite happy with the deal because it allowed her to buy more than was expected now, and hopefully enable her to make an even larger profit because of it. The day was going well to say the least.
“Hrm, I got the land upgrade set for tomorrow morning, seeds to plant, and some cheap ingredients. That just leaves the luxury expense…. What should I get?” Mia quietly thought aloud while walking down the boulevard.
Gazing upon the windows bright with wares, Mia became acutely aware of the early afternoon sun beaming down on her, heating up not only her but the street burning her soles.
That would be a great purchase! Mia thought to herself before jogging back towards the alley she had just come from. Arriving at the dead end, she faced not the store that she had just left, she faced “Frank’s tailoring for the working man”. Going inside, Mia was greeted not by the bustling roar of Samantha’s, but by a calm shuffling of clerks moving from client to client checking out the racks of sample styles.
“Good afternoon ma’am, do you know what you are looking for?” An approaching clerk kindly greeted her. “Here at Frank’s we strive to make your visit joyfully expedient and complete.”
A little taken aback at the odd approach to sales, Mia had a brief stutter in her thoughts before replying. “Yes I do, I need a pair of boots for both myself and my business partner.”
“What is the usage expected out of the boots?” The clerk quickly followed up.
“Fieldwork on the farm for both pairs, heavier usage on the male pair.” replied before following up with an addendum, slightly interrupting the clerks following query. “We are on a budget, but endurance of both the boot and wearer is a necessity.”
Having quickly gained a small grin with Mia’s added information, the clerk posed another clarifying question. “What tier of fieldwork will the boots encounter?
“Come tomorrow it will be copper. Both he and I are Stone averages though, I am not sure if that will limit our options or not.”
With a slight nod and somewhat disappointed blink that people give right before sad news, the man explained; “So the stone averages will affect the boots if we go with copper tier effects. You will be able to wear the boots either way, and the copper will be more durable, but any copper tier bonuses will not take effect until your average hits the same level. We could make a pair of stone tier boots with bonuses, but they will most likely wear out by year's end in a copper tier field.”
Tapping her chin in thought, Mia recognized that she needed more information. “Good to know, I was wondering about gear tiers. What are a few price comparisons? I would prefer a few different options for effects on each tier, and preferably something in stock.”
“That is easy enough to do, please have a seat and I will go fetch a catalog.” the man said while indicating a basic yet comfortable looking bench against the wall.
Within a minute the clerk returned from retrieving a catalog and having opened it along the way back. Now standing in front of Mia, he started with showing a few basic stone options and then following up with a couple copper tier.
Work boots
Stone tier
Boot durability +10%
~These boots were designed for low level workmen to have a strong, durable, yet cheap boot. They do not look good, nor are they very comfortable, but when you are often walking on sharp gravel, looks don’t matter.
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Comfortable boot
Stone tier
-10% stamina drain while encumbered with 90% or more of total capacity
~These boots were developed to help cargo haulers transport loads further on their backs before having to stop.
Farmer’s Boots
Copper tier
-20% stamina drain while performing farming tasks
~A boot designed to help low level farmers develop their farms more efficiently in terms of stamina. The thought process being that more stamina, meant more work in the fields. But further research has shown that it has led to no measurable increase in production, but rather to a large increase in leisure activities.
Guard Boots
Copper tier
Walking will not harm feet during normal wear and tear
~Originally designed to help guards during their long patrol routes, the boot design gained world wide popularity among most classes. With many classes needing to walk miles a day, this has become the most widely sold boot of Copper tier.
“That is interesting! The Copper tier descriptions are much more in depth when compared to the Stone tier.” Mia pointed out to nobody in particular.
“You are quite observant, they are indeed more informative. The description of gear gets longer the higher tier it is. Sometimes the descriptions can reveal otherwise hidden information about the item’s capabilities. The ‘Work boots’ are a fine example. They have added durability, but they are also highly cut resistant, even when compared to the leather used in its construction prior to becoming part of the boot.”
“Wait, so when the boot is produced, the leather gets stronger!?” the wide eye Mia asked.
“It does indeed.” The clerk responded, not giving any further information freely.
“The Guard boots are most likely the best pick from the perspective of usefulness from what I see…. Do you have any suggestions?” Mia asked.
“I would personally recommend the Guard boots. They are popular for a reason, and they are also the cheapest Copper tier boot in our store due to how prolific the design has become.” The clerk responded with barely any thought required.
“That they are….” Mia said, staring at the seemingly expensive figures in the catalog. And so with a grimace Mia asked for two pairs, one for each her and Brad.
“Excellent decision miss. I will go get the boots prepared. Will you wear yours out of the shop or is the female pair for someone else?” The clerk kindly asked.
“I will wear them out, lord only knows how far I still have to walk today.” Mia said dreading the walk, but excited for the return home.
“Understood, I will be right back with your purchases.” The clerk said bowing and then proceeding into the back storage room.
With nothing to do but to look around, Mia was impressed by the wide selection that Frank’s offered. Even though it was named as a tailoring enterprise, it was by all accounts a complete outfitter. With everything from thick wool jackets on display down to ear reddening swim outfits. It was not only amazing to her, but extremely inspirational. “One day I will build a brand like this and set the old line behind me for good.” Mia told herself.
“Excuse me ma’am, your order has been gathered. Would you kindly follow me over to the checkout counter to pay and receive your order?” The returning clerk asked kindly while motioning her over towards the sidewall.
“Oh, of course! I am excited to get them, I still have a long walk to go. Would you by chance have a catalog to take and order from by mail?” Mia asked.
“I am sorry to say that we do not. Our stores do not offer many luxuries outside of polite service due to keeping our operating costs low in order to pass on the savings.”
“That is quite okay, I understand.” Mia replied while thinking “I will definitely do mail order, but with Brad, it will be all but impossible to sell anything except specialty or high quality goods.”
Approaching the counter, Mia was greeted by a new attendant sitting behind a large ledger flanked by sheets of papers filled with notes and scrawls. “Hello miss, I will be the accountant assigned to your purchase. I see 2 pairs of Guard boots, one to go and one to wear out of the store. Do not fret, the price did not change for the difference mentioned. Here is your total, please check to make sure that it is correct.” The man in low glasses said, sliding over a sheet of paper with a number that was about to clear out the customer’s anemic bank account.