Horace hurried off to find a city guard while Rin stood there boasting a proud grin. He couldn’t wait to experiment more with the Partial Transmutation ability now that he could use it in front of others.

“You’ve surprised me yet again,” said Mikka. “Still got the swatch book?”

“Yes, it’s been fantastic!” Rin’s smile turned into a frown. “Still working on my mana weaves, though. They’re much more difficult than I thought.”

Mikka snorted. “Those take decades to master. You can’t expect to perform your first weave after a year of practice, let alone a few days …” The seamstress’s jaw hung slack as Rin formed a mana weave in the space above his hands.

The boy’s brow was furrowed deep in concentration. “See … this … is … as … far as I get!” He let out a gasp, and the essence dissipated into thin air.

“Flying farts of the gods, boy! That’s a ninth-degree weave with double-tucked edges and ambient overflow!” She withdrew a hip flask from a pocket, knocked back a shot, and jerked her head at his Monster Pack. “Let’s take a look at your swatch book.”

The boy happily obliged, passing it over with a wince as he caught sight of its dog-eared corners. It was looking substantially worse for wear than when he’d received it. Fortunately, Mikka didn’t seem to mind, ignoring its condition and turning to the contents page at the front. She ran her forefinger down the list of swatch types, humming to herself and flipping to a few sections.

After several seconds of silence, Rin couldn’t stand it any longer. “I’m sorry about the condition. I didn’t mean to damage it so badly.”

She shushed him, flipping more pages until she reached the back and clamped it shut with a slap. The seamstress shook her head and tsked. “This won’t do. This won’t do at all.” Her gaze locked onto Rin with piercing intensity, causing his body to tense up. He feared he was in for a good scolding. “Stay right there.”

Mikka disappeared into the back room as the shop’s front door chimed. Horace had returned with a city guard in tow.

“There they are,” he said, pointing at the two burglars pinned beneath a pile of steel webbing. “Robbed us at swordpoint, they did.” Horace nodded at Rin. “Fortunately our, eh, associate from Bastion here was with us. He made short work of them.”

The guard turned a critical eye toward Rin. Predictably, his face filled with doubt and he scoffed aloud. “A level 6 potato farmer? And Cursed as well?”

Rin coughed into a fist. “I have a powerful ability that most people don’t expect.” He flashed his hand forward, firing another web at one of the robbers. The man groaned on cue.

Nice. I barely needed to transform my hand at all that time!

The guard’s eyebrows rose so high, they merged with his hairline.

“Well, color me surprised. A Cursed that can defend himself! What will the gods think of next?” The man turned to Horace. “I take it you can vouch for him within the walls of the city?”

“Yes, yes, of course,” said Horace, waving his hand. “Put my name down, or whatever you need to do. Although …” he turned to Rin with a questioning look, “Will you be staying in Strathburn for long?”

“He’ll stay as long as it takes,” said Mikka, stepping from the back room. She blew a cloud of dust from the enormous book in her grasp. The title along its spine said “Barnaby’s Encyclopedia of Magical Materials.” She dropped the book on the counter with a bang that made everyone jump.

Rin eyed the tome apprehensively. “What’s that?”

“Your worst nightmare.” The corner of her lips curled upward. “It’s the largest list of magical materials in circulation.” She swatted away more dust from the book’s cover. “No swatches, I’m afraid, but lots of pictures and plenty of details. As you can see, we don’t refer to it often because most of its materials are … well, let’s call them esoteric. This book goes far beyond the hundred or so fabrics we use in tailoring. These are the weird ones that nobody uses. Too expensive, too rare, or too bizarre to be practical.”

Rin’s eyes lit up with undisguised greed.

“That’s right, lap it up, kiddo,” said Mikka. “Because you’re going to stay here with us in Strathburn until you’ve memorized every last material. All while employing that trick where you use ice and wind materials to cool the inside of the store.” She rubbed her palms together. “We’ll acquire hundreds of new customers just for the air conditioning alone!”

Rin’s indignation burned. It was one thing asking for help, but Mikka’s tone went too far. It was a demand and a presumptuous one at that.

His arms folded themselves across his puffed-up chest. “Why in Hask would I do all that?”

Mikka’s grin didn’t waver. “Because, my dear boy,” she placed a ring on top of the dense encyclopedia, “This will be your reward.”

Rin’s mouth fell open.

A storage ring!

“Ahem.” The boy tamped down his excitement, trying to downplay his eagerness. “Alright then.”

When he glanced at Horace, the man was nodding at his wife with glinting eyes. It was the kind of look that conveyed an entire conversation within a mere second; a look only possible between a married couple of extensive years.

The city guard ambled over. It had taken him all this time to extricate the criminals from the steel webbing, and he picked at the lingering strands clinging to his hands. The two robbers were shackled to a long glowing chain attached to his belt, not unlike the one the assassins had used. “We’ll be leaving now.” He pointed at Rin. “I’ll let you know if there’s any reward for their capture. It’s rare, but it does happen, especially if they’ve bothered enough businesses. What name should I put down for you? The one displayed by Identify?”

Rin stepped in close and discreetly pressed a gold coin into the man’s hand. “Actually, I’d prefer the opposite. I’m only looking to help out the Sonnig’s around the shop. Nothing sinister or underhanded, of course, but some people don’t take too kindly to a Cursed having a real job. Perhaps you could leave my name out of your report entirely?”

The man glanced at his hand. His eyes swelled when they caught a flash of gold.

“I’ll have to make some kind of report.” The man paused, licking his lips. “But it’s amazing how much paperwork gets lost in the shuffle. Why, it might take weeks for my filing to see the light of day. Even then, it’s quite common for there to be certain, ah, inaccuracies.” He pocketed the coin and lowered his voice. “Fair warning: If I hear any complaints, I’ll be knocking at your door. I’m all for avoiding paperwork, but keeping the peace is entirely different.” The guard’s tone was non-threatening but stern, leaving no room for argument.

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

The man pivoted on his heel and gave the chain a hefty yank, urging the two robbers to their feet. They followed him from the shop, trudging behind with downcast faces and slumped shoulders.

As soon as the door closed, Rin relaxed.

I’ve bought some time. Money well spent.

He turned to the two tailors. “When can I start?”

“Easy there, lad, easy.” Horace patted him on the shoulder and jerked his head to the rear of the shop. “Let me give you the grand tour of the place. Then we can get some lunch and settle you into your new routine. I’m sure you’ll have plenty of questions.”

The man led him into the back where the scent of aging fabrics warred with those of various dyes and detergents. Endless rows of racks spanned floor to ceiling, each hosting dozens of bolts of fabric. The racks were arranged in an organized sequence with their magical types clearly labeled. Near the room’s end, some fifty feet away, were four workshop tables with assorted needles, scissors, and tools of the trade strewn about their surface. There was even a living area tucked away against the back wall comprised of a lone bed, mana-powered washroom, and kitchenette.

“This is amazing!” said Rin. “A person could live back here.”

“That’s the idea,” said Horace, clasping his neck. “Every once in a while, we pull an all-nighter to get a rush order done. We’re out of the busy season now, so we don’t have much use for the bed.” He strode over to the kitchenette’s stone counter and began making sandwiches for lunch. “I’m glad you came, lad. I wasn’t sure we’d ever see you again. Looks like you’ve picked another ability, too, eh?”

“Something like that. I still have a long way to go, though. Two assassins got the drop on me back at Dead Man’s Barrow. Fortunately, they were more interested in capturing me alive than killing me. I got lucky.”

The tailor’s eyes grew wide, but Rin just shrugged, accepting a sandwich as he plopped into a nearby chair. “My defense is still weak. And I’m slow. All my attributes are still at level 6, except for a few clever abilities I can whip out in a bind.”

“You seem to be doing alright if you ask me.”

“Oh, and I forgot to introduce you! Trixie, you can come out now. I trust the Sonnigs.”

The ghost’s incorporeal head rose from the ground, and Horace leaped back in fright. Even after she stood and gave a graceful bow, he still didn’t relax, clutching his heart with one hand while the other gripped the countertop.

“Sorry,” said Rin, “I didn’t know you’d react this way. It’s okay, Horace. This is Trixie. She’s a friend.”

“A-a-a friend? I can see straight through her!”

“It’s because I’m deceased,” said the dark elf matter-of-factly. “Don’t worry, Mister Sonnig. I don’t think I could hurt you if I tried. I can’t seem to affect the living much.” She held out her hand. “Try and grab me.”

The man reached out trembling fingers that swiped straight through the girl’s hand. “See? No harm done,” said Trixie.

Horace continued staring at his hand.

“What’s wrong?” asked Rin. “What did it feel like?”

“Like someone walked over my grave.” He shuddered. When he saw the girl’s aggrieved expression, he hurriedly made amends. “B-begging your pardon, Miss Trixie. I’ve never seen a ghost before.”

The dark elf waved offhandedly. “We’ve made a bond, so I go where Rin goes. Roughly speaking.”

“A bond?” The tailor swallowed. “You mean you two … you two got married?”

Trixie barked out a loud laugh while Rin’s face twisted in disgust.

“Oh, gods no!” he said. “More like a business contract. I’m supposed to find her some food to eat, which she’s mostly done on her own so far. Plus, I have to find a way to upgrade her gear. In the meantime, she’s been my guide, helping me find stuff and gather information.” The boy shrugged, looking to the elf for confirmation. “It’s been going well, I’d say. Doncha think?”

“You forgot the third condition again,” she said, grinning as she waggled a finger. “The most important one. No funny business!”

Rin snorted. The friendly jibe helped Horace relax too.

The smile faded from Rin’s face, and he took on a grave tone. “Mikka’s serious, right? About the storage ring?”

“Aye. It’s an older ring, but it’ll suit you well. Thirty slots with an auto-sizing enchantment.” The man raised his chin, hiding a smile as he looked down his nose at Rin. “Provided you can hold up your end of the bargain. Think you can extend your new cooling ability all the way to the front of the shop? We plan to work you to the bone back here, y’know.”

“Ha! I’m not afraid of hard work. I farmed potatoes in the mountains, of all places. This’ll be a piece of cake in comparison. As for the ability, let’s see.”

The boy strode back to the front room and conjured a jacket with lengthy sleeves that draped along the edge of the walls. He retreated backward until he was once again sitting in the chair where he’d started. The ridiculous excuse for a garment went into his Memorable Outfits list with the name Cool Sleeves.

Memorable Outfits:

Smash Hat

Fire Sleeves

Monster Pack

Leg Spikes

Bed Time

Flight Suit

Light Collar

Slippy Cloak

Wing Blades

Cool Sleeves

To Rin’s surprise, the extensive size of the Cool Sleeves and their constant cooling effect created a noticeable drain on his MP despite its savings as a Memorable Outfit. He had to decrease the cooling output to the point where his Absorption would perfectly counter the MP drain.

“That’s the best I can do. My MP will bottom out otherwise.”

“No worries, lad,” said Horace, grinning. “It feels heavenly. It’s already ten degrees cooler in here.”

As if on cue, they heard the distant ringing of the front door chime. Apparently, several astonished customers had just dashed out to tell their friends about the shop’s latest amenity.

“I predict we’re about to be very busy,” said the tailor. “I’ll take these sandwiches to Mikka and get the encyclopedia.” He turned his body halfway, then slowly rotated back to face Trixie as if forgetting his manners. He nervously kneaded his hands together. “Is there anything at all I can get you, Miss Trixie? I’m sorry, I don’t know what ghosts typically, ah, require.”

“Oh, I’m fine and dandy,” she said. “I couldn’t help but notice one of your neighbors is a butcher.”

“Y-yes?”

She interlocked the fingers of her hands and stretched them out in front of her. “Think I might pay them a courtesy visit. They have something of a pest problem that I’m uniquely gifted to deal with.”

“You’re hungry again?” asked Rin. “You just ate an hour ago!”

Trixie shrugged. “I think I’m growing because rats don’t fill me up anymore. Do I look bigger to you?”

Rin opened his mouth to respond, but Horace stopped him with a firm grip on his arm. “Don’t answer that. It’s a trap.”

Rin laughed and shook his head. “Trixie, you look as lovely as ever. I do think your glow is a little brighter.”

Truthfully, the boy had no idea how often phantoms like her were supposed to eat, only that she seemed to eat a lot. She was already dining more often than he was. Thankfully, she could take care of the problem herself. It would be a real pain if Rin had to provide meals for the two of them.

“I think it would be a good idea to pace yourself,” said Rin. “We might be staying here a while.”

Without further encouragement, the ghost sank into the floor, vanishing without a trace.

Horace coughed, broaching the subject cautiously. “You’re lucky to have a bonded companion. They’re incredibly rare. And I’ve never heard of anyone bonding with a ghost. I’m surprised she hasn’t run away or something.”

“Oh, haven’t you heard?” The boy stifled a chuckle, trying his best to keep a blank face. “That’s the thing about ghost companions.”

“What?”

“People are dying to be one.”