Novels2Search
The Barber
Chapter 1

Chapter 1

The Averaged Barber is a strange name for a barber; still, Égon decided to have his shop named like that. The shop itself didn't look particularly outstanding and was quite small, and was in a relatively remote area of the city, still it had quite a few regular visitors.

A tall, muscular and well-dressed young man, Égon, was the owner and only barber in the facility. Despite being a barber, his black hair was not particularly styled; it was just simply cut to be quite short. In addition, he had unique coloured eyes, which barely any other person possessed: golden-coloured eyes.

Other than him, there was another employee in the shop. A woman who was about as old as Égon. Her name was Cirty. She wore an old-fashioned maid outfit, and her job was mostly cleaning. She had long dark red hair and slightly lighter red-coloured eyes. She was much shorter than Égon; her forehead just barely reached his shoulders. 

The barbershop offered three different services. The first one was a basic haircut, along with a quick hair wash. The second tier was considerably more expensive but came with a few extra services, such as a much longer hair wash, along with the head, neck and back massage provided by Cirty. The third was almost the same as the previous one. The only difference was the tools and ointments used for the services; they were imbued and enhanced with magic to further the customer's relaxation.

The shop's interior was quite simple. There was a single chair for the customer whom Égon was working on; other than that, there was a larger sofa with a short desk. And then there were three doors. One of the doors led to a staircase so that they could move between floors. The other was the toilet, and the third was Citry's working area. There was a small kitchen, and that room was some kind of storage room as well.

The shop was usually open till quite late, as Égon lived just above his shop, along with Cirty. On one particular day, Égon was working on the last customer's hair. He was open for business for all races without exception, which is why his sop was favoured by many. The last customer was an elderly goblin.

He only needed to have his hair cut a bit shorter, so Égon could finish in no time. He knew that goblin quite well, as he was a regular in the shop. Once he was done, Égon grabbed one of his smaller mirrors and moved it behind the goblin's head so he could see the back of his head.

"Will this do, or should I cut it shorter?"

Égon asked with a smile on his face.

"Perfect as always. Thank you very much!"

The elder goblin chuckled, and as soon as he stood up, he placed an envelope on the counter next to Égon's scissors. With a smile on his face, the goblin left the building.

"Will you not count the money he gave you?"

City spoke up as she stood up from the sofa. With haste, she quickly grabbed a broom to collect and then scooped up the hair from the ground.

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"You know he has been a customer for years. Cutting his hair takes only a few short minutes. Phew... It was quite an eventful day again."

Égon replied as he made his way over to the entrance and turned a small sign, on which previously "Closed" was written, and then, with his key, he closed the door.

"So, shall we have something to eat? I guess it is..."

Égon spoke up once again, but suddenly, his phone started ringing. He quickly looked at it; it was a number he couldn't recognise. With a smile, he picked the phone up. He had hoped that a potential next customer would call in for the next day.

"Yes? Égon here..."

"Good afternoon... Mr Égon, are you the owner of The Averaged Barber?"

On the other side, a young woman was. Égon could hear that she was breathing quickly, almost as if she had been running or exercising.

"Yes, that is correct... Would you like to have a cut? Please wait a moment; I will get my notes."

Égon said as he pulled out a tiny black book from the pocket of his shirt, and from his corner, he grabbed a pen. 

"Alright, Let me see... Could you give me a name please?"

"Oh, yes... It Is Réna... Daughter of Baron Rexion "

The girl replied after a short pause.

"It seems this will be your first visit... But I believe someone from your household had already visited us previously."

"Yes, that is correct... It was a recomendation, so I decided I would like to try out your skills."

"Oh, I am happy to hear that... So, which day would you like to come? Although I am quite full, I believe I could squeeze you in any day."

Égon replied as he jotted down the girl's name on an empty page.

"I apologise for the late announcement... But I would like to have it done today... and if possible at home... Our previous barber notified us at the last minute that they wouldn't make it... And  we will be having a tomorrow morning..."

Égon's smile froze and turned into a blank expression as soon as he heard the girl's reply. He understood that he was not exactly recommenced; he was more like a last resort in case of emergency.

"I am afraid it is just past closing hours... But seeing how it must be quite important, I am willing to make an exception. Still, it will be quite a bit more expensive. Plus travelling fees..."

Égon said with a straight face and noted a few things down in his tiny book.

"That won't be a problem."

"Alright, in that case, there are only a few more things I need to ask. First, which package would you like to choose? Basic, Premium or the Enhanced."

"The Enhanced version, please..."

The girl responded after a longer pause. Égon could gear up and say that she had swallowed hard before she finally spoke.

"Alright, I will need to pack and prepare a few things; in the meantime, please send me the address."

"Right away, and thank you again!"

The girl replied and then hung up the phone. Égon couldn't help but take a deep breath and groan lightly.

"What's the matter?"

City asked with concern.

"It seems I will have to work overtime... Could you pack the Enhanced gear in one of my bags... Then you can go and rest..."

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