11. Commerce / Gossip

On [Floor] 69, Merijest spent the whole time giggling for reasons Thesa couldn't figure out.

On [Floor] 68, they found a [Dungeon Merchant]. Like any [Dungeon Merchant], he could gain express access to any [Floor] as long as he did not attack anyone. (There was an exception for if someone tried to steal from the merchant, but basically nobody did that because the merchant in question would receive a huge, permanent buff to attacks against the specific thief.)

For a moment, Thesa worried they might need to hide from the mammoth-kin shopkeeper, but Merijest assured her that a [Dungeon Merchant]’s nonviolence would apply to even a [High Devil].

“You should never trust a [Dungeon Merchant] too much, but you'd be surprised how often they have a better relationship with us ne'er-do-wells in the depths than with the average adventurer from the surface,” Merijest explained. They were standing right outside the chamber, whispering. “For one thing, we're usually the only ones with enough power to potentially take them out. Not to mention, random adventurers usually have way less gold than a dragon’s hoard.”

“Wait, are you a dragon?” Thesa asked. She looked the demoness up and down. Her claws and maroon leg-scales supported the idea, but the black, feathered wings seemed out of place for a dragon.

“It's a metaphor, kitten.”

Suddenly Thesa was too distracted to say anything. Her fingers and toes were numb with an excitement that she was struggling to squash.

***

“Welcome!” The shopkeeper beckoned as Thesa and Merijest emerged into the chamber. A wide blanket acted like the rug of the shop with various items on small carts and trolleys.

Thesa was quickly taken by a table of useless knick-knacks. Merijest, however, did want something. [Dungeon Merchants] were one of the best ways for her to find out about things outside of the [Dungeon].

“Care to see my wares, lady Merijest? I’ve got potions, armor, and an assortment of reading materials if you just want the usual?” The shopkeeper gestured to a small shelf of books with titles like Reincarnated as a Human Woman in a World Without Magic?!, My Harpy Girlfriend, or Does Falling in Love with My Arch Nemesis at Mage School Make Me a Lesbian?, some of which would have made Thesa fall over if she’d noticed them.

Merijest laughed. “Not looking for reading material today, Lenum. What I’m most interested in right now, is information.”

“Ah yes, the most valuable commodity and yet impossible to put a price on,” Lenum, the mammoth-kin shopkeeper said, scratching his chin with his trunk. “What sort of information were you in the market for?”

“Just some basic news from up-top,” Merijest sighed. “I want to know if there’s been any discussion of Beautuk or the Convent of Knights.” She kept her voice low. No reason to rouse Thesa’s concerns.

“Tell you what,” the shopkeeper said. “I'll tell you the basics for free but if you want more it'll cost ya. Everyone can tell Beautuk is mad about something and it looks like the Knights are going to do something big. I can tell you why Beautuk is mad, and I even have some more about what the Knights are doing, but you gotta make it worth my while.”

Merijest nodded. “Pretty sure I know what pissed him off, but I'll give you some gold for more about the Knights.”

The two haggled over the exact amount before coming to an agreement.

“I was on one of the upper [Floors] yesterday. 32 to be exact, and I saw a party of three Knights making their way down this very [Dungeon].”

Three Knights? Is that normal?

“Do you have anything else? Looks? Names?” Merijest urged.

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“They were all in full regalia, helmets and all, but one of ‘em was real tall.” The shopkeeper said. “Only caught one name. Toress Kelreyn.”

Merijest nodded. She would need to break this to Thesa. “Thanks, Lenum.”

“Not a problem, ma'am,” Lenum replied. “Now are you sure you don't want any other wares? I'm rarely in the same place for long.”

She bought some new armor for Thesa. Nothing terribly special. The ‘dragon’s hoard’ she'd alluded to earlier wasn't actually very big…

Merijest approached her [Witch], who had been staring at an ‘ever-spinning top’ for the past few minutes. “Thesa,” Merijest said. “Take that off.”

Thesa nearly jumped clear out of her own skin. As she spun around, her flailing arms nearly knocked the whole display over.

“Take–do what? What?” Thesa looked around frantically like she'd been caught commiting a crime.

“I got you some new armor,” the demoness clarified. “Take off the mythril chainmail so we can sell it.”

The new armor was a violet breastplate with white detailing. In addition to a defense buff, the armor came with a low level enchantment that could cast [Back Up] once per day on the first enemy to strike her, unleashing a burst of magic wind to move the attacked back a few yards.

***

A few chambers later, they made camp for the night. Thesa cleaned her new armor. It was shiny and she wanted to keep it that way as long as possible.

“Merijest, can I ask you a question?” Thesa suddenly asked. Merijest looked up. She was in the middle of laying her protective hexes.

“A question?” Merijest stood tall.

Thesa’s cheeks burned. “I–uh– was just wondering why you don’t…um…wear armor?”

“You want to know why I’m naked?” Merijest replied with a grin.

“I just…uh…” Thesa’s head was about to go into meltdown. Of course she wanted to know that! She’d wanted to ask this entire time! She thought she found the perfect way to get her answer without the impropriety of it all…

“Cute.” Merijest said, devastatingly. “I’d hardly be a demoness if I complied with human standards of dress. I have other things to worry about. It’s completely casual, however. What’s so objectionable about a body?”

Smoke poured out of Thesa’s ears. “I don’t see how it can be casual for someone so attractive to be naked–uh!” Thesa realized what she was saying too late. Without further warning, she said “I have to go!” and hopped up. That was when she realized there was no good place to hide. Instead, she simply buried her head in her hands.

Merijest sighed. “I just realized I forgot something at the shop. The warding is set. You stay here and keep an eye.” The demoness set off for a quick stroll. Normally, she would revel in watching Thesa squirm like that. Still, it was only right to let the girl’s nerves settle before it came time to talk about that news.

***

“Thesa, you need to hear something,” Merijest said solemnly. Upon returning from her stroll, the demoness decided to cut to the chase.

“Um ok. What's going on?”

“I asked the merchant if he had any news from the surface about Beautuk or the Knights,” Merijest said.

“Oh.”

“I don't know if it's anything to worry about but the main thing is that there is a party of three Knights descending the [Dungeon] as we speak.”

Thesa was filled with astonishment, hope, and terror all at once. “That's abnormal. We train together, but usually we have to brave our own quests. Two Knights, I've seen that when a newbie needs a little extra support on their first quest. Three is basically unheard of.” Thesa’s head spun. “Maybe they think I need a rescue mission. Who did they send?”

“They all wore helmets. One was notably tall. Another was called Kelreyn. That's all I know,” Merijest reiterated. “And they were last seen yesterday on [Floor] 32.”

Thesa was going to make an excuse about her lack of a helmet when she first met Merijest (she lost it…) but was quickly distracted by the rest of the demoness’s words. “Kelreyn! Maybe it is a rescue mission! But if the tall one was Vicaress Garteth then that would mean…” Thesa said, trailing off.

“Vicaress…Garteth?”

“‘Vicaress’ is a title used for Knights with an Eminent Class. She could also be called ‘Sir’ like the rest of us. But it would normally be considered impudent to use a title like ‘Modess’ or ‘Toress’” Thesa explained. “Garteth is older. Doesn't really go on quests anymore. But when she did, they called her the ‘Executioner.’ I never found out why, but…” Thesa trailed off again. Her face was grim as her thoughts danced in an ever tightening knot.

“I mean,” Thesa added, “if they think I’m in trouble, it would make sense to send the best of the best, right?”

Merijest shrugged. She wasn’t convinced but she could tell Thesa didn’t need a factual debate right now.