As me and my new teacher walked through the medieval-esque village, towards an apparently very good tailor that Omnikia had his own robes made, I looked around and noticed just out of place I was.
It was my clothes that really did it, my modern clothes that had stuck with me since I got here definitely stuck out. The clothes of the people around me were similar to Omnikia’s clothes, but they definitely had a more simple design rather than the monk-like robe design that Omnikia wore. They still looked like robes, but definitely more like work or casual clothes compared to what Omnikia seemed to regularly wear, and usually made of different furs making an odd cross between Ancient Chinese and something that you might see a viking wearing in a movie.
Physically however, I didn't look too out of place like one would expect seeing as this was probably a different planet. They were definitely humans, looking more Chinese or Asian than anything. Of course even without my shredded and red stained foreign clothes, it seemed like the fact that drew more stairs to me was the fact that I was with Omnikia.
As we walked into what seemed like the heart of the village, which seemed more like a larger town then anything else, I could see and tried to ignore the people stopping by the side of the street to watch me and the old man pass, saying things that I couldn't quite make out but they definitely sounded excited.
I could hear the occasional sentence from these people, they really weren't quite being quiet about it, and most of them seemed… less than polite about how I looked and was dressed.
But besides having to ignore the incredibly rude behaviour of quite a few people, things went well and we moved through the village without trouble. We ended up making it to a large building after a few minutes of walking through the dirt streets. It had a sign above the door, with the name of the shop clearly painted on reading ‘Hasitin Tailor’s’. It was a nice building, with a definitely homey and well lived in feel, but that was practically the norm where buildings were built by hand and made to last.
“Omnikia, are all the clothes around here made from animal fur?” I asked him after seeing the glass display of a few different clothes, all of which I noticed were in fact made from a combination of leather and fur. If Omnikia found my question strange, he didn't show it but just gave a brief nod.
“Then do you think I could get clothes made from some furs that I got from inside the woods?” I asked my follow up question afterwards, this time getting a reaction from him that seemed more curious than anything before he told me “Yes, it is quite normal for hunters and Monks to provide the materials for their clothing.” and he walked inside the shop in front of me.
I stepped inside the dim, sun lit shop, and I looked around it at all the things that were inside. There were of course quite a few of the different clothing that people seem to use here inside the shop, probably for customers or on display, but there were also a lot of different leather and furs around the place as well. At a counter, there was a younger girl, probably in her early twenties, who was looking at us that I immediately pegged as an employee.
Omnikia smiled as he approached the girl, and I could see from the smile that the girl returned that she knew him at least a little. “Hello again, Scarlet.” The older man greeted the girl with a genial tone, which the girl smiled and replied “Hello yourself.” with a grin, making Omnikia chuckle and turn to me for introductions. “Young Arnold, this is Scarlet Hasitin, a daughter of a friend of mine. Scarlet, this is my new Apprentice Arnold Turtleback.” He told us both with a smile, making me give a nod of greeting while Scarlet's reaction was one of sheer surprise nearing shock.
“You said that you wouldn't be taking an Apprentice!” She said to the old man, clearly surprised by Omnikia. “Apprentice?” I heard a deep voice ring out from just out of sight behind a few racks of furs, and a big, balding and well muscled man walked out from behind them to see what was going on.
“Well, Young Arnold here made me decide otherwise.” Omnikia told Scarlet with a grin as he looked at the older man who had walked in, seeming to recognize him instantly. “Tobias, it has been a little while!” He said with a smile, to the other man. The man, Tobias apparently, just waved off the comment. “Were my ears playing tricks on me? You finally got yourself an Apprentice did you?” He said looking amused, then looking to me. “No, I am afraid that they did not fool you this time.” Omnikia said with a wizened old smile, “This here is Young Arnold, who will be my apprentice and will be participating in the tournament soon.” He said, gesturing to me with a smile.
“And this is Tobias Hasitin, an old friend of mine.” Omnikia added, introducing us. “Hello.” I said, raising my hand to shake his with a smile, which he reciprocated easily. “You must have done something really impressive to convince this stubborn old man to take you on.” Mr. Hasitin commented, looking me up and down critically though seeming more friendly then measuring me up to something. At his words, I gave a smile but I didn't comment which he seemed to accept with a brief nod before he turned back to Omnikia.
“Young Arnold came through the Eastern Woods, and when he found me he saved me from the Nemean Lion that had been threatening me. Killed it with his bare hands too.” Omnikia told the other man, with a twinkle of a joke in his eyes, that I didn't quite get. Tobias seemed to get it though and he smiled alongside Omnikia while also seeming impressed at the same time. Scarlet was also seemingly impressed by his statement
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.
“So, I presume that you are here to buy yourself some new clothes then.” Tobias asked me, looking at my tattered clothes. “Yes.” I said with a bit of a chuckle, “These ones didn't really last all that well.” I joked and then I recalled my camping backpack. “I dont suppose that you could make a backpack for me as well? This one is a bit… DIY I suppose.” I asked, motioning to my roughly sewn and cut bag on my back.
The older tailor looked at it momentarily, then he turned back to Omnikia with a questioning look. “I think that I can afford a little something extra for my Apprentice.” Omnikia said in response to my question, making me remember that Omnikia was in fact the one paying for everything. Maybe I shouldn't have brought it up, but I guess it's too late now…
“Well I suppose we can handle it then.” Tobias said with a momentary critical look to my makeshift backpack before he turned back to Omnikia with a more serious business face on. “Now, I am going to leave the details to you and Scarlet. I have some work to get going on.” He told us before giving a small wave and leaving Omnikia, Scarlet and me by the counter while he walked back to wherever he was before.
Omnikia turned to me after he left, “I believe that you said something about you having furs of your own?” He asked me, looking at my backpack. “Um, yes. I have quite a few.” I told them taking my backpack off my shoulders, “So, how many sets of clothes do you think I will be needing for now?” I asked Omnikia curiously.
“I believe that if you got six that would be enough.” Omnikia replied, “Though we will get you another set just for today with those.” He tells me as an afterthought.
I nodded, “So I should just pull out the furs that I want to be used then?” I ask, looking to Scarlet and Omnikia for confirmation, which they both confirmed before I opened my rough bag and I pulled out six different furs which I placed onto the countertop. “Alpha’s fur, the other four wolfs' fur, the bear… and the gorilla hide for the backpack.” I listed off as I pulled them out onto the counter, leaving the deer’s fur, the lizards hide in my backpack. I looked over the selection before realizing that that only left the deer fur for my bedding, and changing my mind.
“Actually, I think that the lizard hide would make a better backpack…” I said, swapping out the gorilla hide.
Scarlet seemed shocked at my amount of furs, and she immediately started looking closely at them, while Omnikia gave an impressed nod and a smile. “Sorry if they are a bit rough, I am new to that kind of thing.” I said, a little embarrassed.
Scarlet didn't really seem to care though, and she continued to look over the furs. “This is a Blue Flame Wolf's fur…” She commented with shock at seeing Alphas fur, which I noted was a terrible, but descriptive name. Then she moved onto the other four wolves' fur without comment before she looked at the Bear Fur next.
“Body Ki enhanced bear fur as well…” She identified it, though slightly less impressed with it than Alpha’s fur.
The lizard made her pause for a bit longer however, and I watched as she looked intently at it for a moment, “I don't recognize the exact species, but some kind of larger reptile species? Perhaps poison enhanced?” She asked, looking to me for confirmation, which I gave a nod to. It was honestly impressive how she identified the masses of fur and in the lizard's case, scales, so quickly and accurately.
“These are from your summons?” Omnikia asked suddenly from behind me, looking over the pile with approval. “Yes, I took care of the body’s in the woods, though honestly it was mostly so I didn't starve.” I told him honestly, as I looked at him.
Omnikia nodded at my statement, but Scarlet seemed even more surprised at my words.
Omnikia brought the girls attention to him though so she didn't get any time to really process anything, and he started summing up our purchases. “So I believe that we will be wanting the six Battle Monk robes from the furs, and the bag from the lizard hide. Also a set of casual clothes as a spare. Ah, yes I nearly forgot. I would also like an armour style robe for Arnold here from a special material.” He summed up, causing me to turn to him in curiosity. Armour style robes from a special material? “I think it should be a surprise though.” Omnikia tells the girl with a wink, and smiling.
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After Omnikia had paid for everything, which I was very grateful for, we left the shop, me wearing my new robe like clothes. They were a hell of a lot better than the rags that my old clothes became, that's for sure.
We then took a short walk into a street busier than any of the other ones I had been through so far, and it was clear why once we went in. The street had a… stall, I guess, with a big sign that told us that this is where the sign up for the local tournament would be taken.
When Omnikia and I entered the street, packed full of excitable teenagers and adults alike, there were whispers that started among the crowd of people. “The old hermit actually took on an Apprentice?” I heard from an older man, who was shushed by who appeared to be his wife. “Who even is that guy? He doesn't look tough. Why did that old man decide to take him?” I heard an almost whiny and jealous voice come from an older teenage boy, surrounded by his friends who were looking at me with similar expressions of dismissal.
Omnikia and I just ignored them however and walked right up to the woman at the sign up stall, and we signed up for the tournament before turning away from the table and walking away.
Omnikia seemed to be walking faster than normal however, which I thought was odd. As I walked slightly behind him in the crowd of people, I saw the same teenage boy that was whining earlier start to move forwards with his friends into my path. I gave a sigh when I saw that. I fought these types before, back on Earth, and they were a bunch of brats. Every one of them.
“Hey you!” I heard a call out from the group of teens, “You don't look so strong, I would wipe the floor with you! Look at you, all great and the Apprentice of the hermit… What makes you think that you are worthy of even stepping foot in the arena!?” He insulted, causing me to give a snort. Honestly…
I walked on through the crowds, not sparing the group a second glance.