The first order of business was Tailor Taylor’s. Amos had already left the group shortly after they passed through Eleanor's Gate. He went to the Slayer Office on the other side of Brightglen to finalize the hunt contract.
Somehow this left Aeric carrying all of the school uniforms that Elsie needed to have adjusted.
“Tailor Taylor’s is the best clothing store in Brightglen,” Lyric said, skipping ahead. “You'll both find things worth buying there.”
She's very energetic.
Being her roommate will take some getting used to.
They soon found themselves in front of a two story building with a big wooden sign in the form of giant scissors on the top left corner and a giant spool of thread on the top right corner. The words Tailor Taylor's were painted across the sign.
A bell rang over the door as they entered. Racks of clothes were everywhere in the store. A woman, probably in her late thirties, looked over her shoulder at them from where she was arranging men's button up shirts in the corner.
“Lyric, welcome!” The woman said.
“Hi Taylor,” Lyric said with a wave.
“Who are your friends? I don't think I've met them before.” She eyed the twins with curiosity.
“This is Aeric and Elsie Stormrider. They're the new summons! Elsie is having a little wardrobe trouble and I knew just who to bring them to.” Lyric pointed at the pile of clothes in Aeric's arms.
“Well I'm glad you did,” Taylor said. “Why don't we go in the back to get some measurements done to figure out what I'll need to change. You can just put the clothes over there on the counter, dear.”
Aeric set the clothes down where she indicated while Elsie and Lyric entered the back of the store with Taylor the tailor. He decided to look around the store while he waited.
The store was divided into two main sections: outfits made for combat and outfits made for fashion. He browsed the fashion section briefly. Dresses, suits, fancy hats. Most of the shirts were button-up. There were no plain t-shirts in the store.
He held up the price tag on one of the more plain looking button-up shirts. Twenty notes.
I guess this isn’t the store for comfort clothing.
I’ll have to ask Lyric where she found this sweatshirt. Taylor just asked me if I wanted to donate it to her as scrap fabric when she had me remove it for measurements.
I heard. Lyric looked pissed.
Aeric walked over to the combat-focused section of the store. Most of the clothing here was made out of thick, layered fabric or leathers. He found a display of belts with loops spaced out along them. A sign read Potion Belts above the display.
At the back he found a glass case with some fancy looking armors inside of it. Each one had a certificate providing details on its stats. At the bottom of the certificates were two seals of authenticity.
A black outfit similar to the one he had been given upon completion of his class selection trial caught his eye. He read the certificate beneath it.
| Midnight’s Run |
| Set Item - Three pieces |
| Each piece increases the wearer’s movement speed by a certain amount. This amount is decreased (down to 0) by the amount of sunlight or astrally generated light touching the outfit. |
| Stats when used in full darkness: |
| 1st Piece - Pants - 3% (Total 3%) |
| 2nd Piece - Shirt - 5% (Total 8.15%) |
| 3rd Piece - Cloak - 7% (Total 15.72%) |
| Transcribed by Oracle Beatrice of Brightglen. |
| Verified by Oracle Wortham of the Royal Academy of Astraeus |
| 1,399 Notes |
Aeric’s jaw dropped when he saw the price. He didn’t have anywhere close enough money to afford something like that. It did look similar to his own class outfit. He had chosen to wear the school uniform today instead though.
Were the clothes we received after our trials by any chance magical?
I’m not sure. It’s weird though because I haven’t noticed any sort of blue screen like we saw during the trial. I would have expected something like that to be popping up all over the place in this world.
Yeah I noticed that too. I also don’t see a way to pull up the status screen that we were shown right before being summoned either.
What does it mean for that Midnight’s Run outfit you’re looking at to be verified by an Oracle?
Maybe we can ask Taylor when she comes back out here.
Aeric looked at the other magic armors. He found one that matched the bumblebee motif that Lady Marcelle had given off. It had what Aeric would have called black yoga pants combined with a thin brown and yellow striped tank top. Fuzzy wristbands accompanied it, though the description called them power bracelets. Overall it reminded him of some workout leotard that might have been fashionable decades ago on Earth.
| Pixie’s Powerups |
| Enhances the wearer’s ability to cast any spells using Sylvan magic. |
| Enchanted with extra durable armor rating while maintaining lightweight armor type. |
| Body Piece of the Woods - Reduces astra usage of all Sylvan magic spells by 10% |
| Arm Bands of Health - Increases wearer’s healing and self-healing effectiveness by 15% |
| Transcribed by Oracle Beatrice of Brightglen. |
| Verified by Oracle Wortham of the Royal Academy of Astraeus |
| 1,899 Notes |
The next magic armor in the line reminded Aeric of a light gray neoprene wetsuit. The outfit had a rubbery hood with fabric in the shape of a shark’s tail attached to the back of it. The sleeves also had fins coming out of the forearms, arcing at an angle until they reached a sharp point. The certificate indicated that it would boost Firefin magic.
Does she sell any armors that aren’t so skin-tight?
There’s plenty of stuff back here that doesn’t look so flashy. I think Taylor just has the most eye-catching pieces out front where you are.
As expected after seeing the Sylvan and Firefin armors, Aeric found a Treewarden suit next in line. It looked more like a traditional business suit made out of brown fabric, likely some sort of wool. There was even a necktie as part of the set, though the armor did not come with a shirt itself: only the outer suitcoat. Aeric assumed it could be worn with any of the other shirts. Overall the aesthetic was very bland compared to the armors around it. It did not include any pants.
Hey, I want to see something. Try looking at it with your trace sense, Aeric.
It took him a little less than a minute to feel it out, but eventually Aeric caught hold of the feeling that was now becoming more familiar. He could see the connections: each of the set pieces in an outfit had its own internal astra channels. He could see connection points in the set pieces that he assumed would be able to attach to the wearer’s astral channels. Using the wearer as a conduit, he could see how each piece should be able to link up with one another harmoniously: even the armbands on the Sylvan outfit.
As he expanded his trace sense, Aeric noticed the glass between him and the armors also had astra running through it. Instead of being a series of channels it looked more like a waterfall office display of magic. He idly wondered what it did, while considering how much trouble he would be in if he used his power to try to disrupt it.
Aeric was leaning up against the glass, tracing the astra channels through the Firefin wetsuit when Taylor led the two girls back into the main shop.
“That glass is enchanted to be stronger than steel,” Taylor said. “Just in case you were wondering.”
Aeric stood up back off the glass. “No, ma’am. Just admiring your work. It’s beautiful.”
Taylor beamed. “It’s always nice to find someone who appreciates what I do. Are you interested in making a purchase?”
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“Maybe one day,” Aeric said. “The academy didn’t provide me with anywhere close to that many notes.”
“Ah. It’s even nicer to find someone who both appreciates what I do and has pockets deep enough to afford it. But I’m sure you’ll be a regular customer in no time.”
Lyric clapped her hands. “Enough talk, it’s shopping time!” She took Elsie’s hand and walked over to the non-combat section of the store. She wasted no time making suggestions as to what she thought Elsie should try on. Taylor watched them for a moment, then went back to tidying up her inventory.
“What is an Oracle?” Aeric asked her, pointing at one of the certificates.
“Hmm? Oh you were just summoned here weren’t you. An Oracle is a sibling class to Diviner that uses spells from the Sylvan magic set. Out of the three disciplines within Sylvan magic, they both have a combination more focused on cognition and spacetime than they do on health.”
“So they can see the future?”
“That’s what Diviners do, like Lyric,” Taylor said. “Oracle magic allows one to see the present in a different way.”
“How so?”
“I’ve obviously never experienced it myself, but they say they're able to make an astral connection to the mind of the Spark itself. They’re given knowledge not about what will be, but what is now, only as the Spark sees it.”
“And how does the Spark see things?”
“The claim to see all sorts of numbers and information. Things like this effect here,” she said, gesturing to the Sylvan outfit. “How could anyone know that it reduces astra usage by exactly ten percent? The set effects you’re reading on those certificates are what the Oracles informed me are shown to them by the Spark.”
It sounds like the screens we saw during the trial.
We should look more into it.
“That ability sounds… strangely convenient,” Aeric said.
“You know what would be even more strangely convenient? If every magical person in the world could pull up that information themselves without having to pay an Oracle for their services.”
“Fair point,” he said. “How do you know what effect you’re creating when you make these clothes then?”
“My Spellweaver class enables me to sometimes create magical effects as I sew these armors.”
“Spellweaver?” Aeric asked.
“It’s a Firefin subclass. I have access to the energy and bonding disciplines within that magic trio. It allows me to bond various forms of energy, usually just astral, into the materials I use in my crafts. Spellweavers like me are the primary source of any magical armors or other equipment you’ll find in our world.”
“So all the different crafting classes are a subclass of Firefin mages?”
“Sort of. More powerful classes will have access to more magic disciplines than Spellweavers. But if you want to have the ability to create magic items you’ll need at least energy and bonding, which are both under Firefin magic. Other disciplines might assist with non-magical crafting though.”
“Sounds like you have a good class for your trade then,” Aeric said.
“Oh I love my class. It still takes work though. For every armor you see out here there are countless failures I’ve had to scrap or else sell as mere costumes without any special effects. When it works perfectly though, I can feel what sort of effect I’m creating. I knew as I sewed this Firefin suit that it would increase the wearer’s swim speed. I just didn’t know exactly how much faster it could make someone swim.”
“Oracle sounds like a class that would be in high demand then,” Aeric said.
“They absolutely are. And they’re an epic level class rarity too. That’s why they get paid so well.”
“It’s interesting how much money non-combat classes are able to make in this world.”
“Isn’t that ideal though? Once the last of the Enthralled are stamped out, what good are all those fighters and archers and knights going to be besides spreading more bloodshed? There are non-enthralled monsters, sure, but they’re typically seen as much less threatening than our true enemies. Will we really need people who are such ruthless killers just to deal with them? I dread the day that pointless wars are fought just because people have spent so long focusing on the most efficient ways to kill the Enthralled.”
Taylor looked at her unsold armors for a moment, then shook her head and resumed tidying up her store.
Aeric stood with his hands behind his back, looking at the expensive combat armors. Contemplating.
---
A short while later Aeric was waiting by the dressing rooms while Elsie tried on different outfits. He had already tried on the few outfits he had selected for himself, and was now waiting for Elsie. Lyric sat next to him, holding her selections in a messy pile on her lap. She held up a floral print shirt and smelled it with a relaxed sigh.
“I love the smell of new clothes,” she said. “Especially ones I didn’t have to spend any of my own money on.”
“Taylor gives you things for free?”
“No way,” Lyric said. “Lady Ashdowne and Amos are paying for my trip today.”
“The assistant headmistress’s money was supposed to be for Elsie.”
“It is! Well some of it is anyway,” Lyric said.
“And the advance for the hunt? You said you wanted that for rain gear."
“That’s what these are for,” she said, holding out two umbrellas. They both had cat ears sewn onto the top for some reason.
Aeric checked the price tag. “Ah yes, I see that at least eight notes out of the fifty-five we gave you are going to their intended purpose.” Lyric poked at him with one of the umbrellas. Aeric responded by grabbing the other one and batting away her assault.
“En garde,” he said. It didn’t work out too well due to the pile of clothes on their laps. They stood up from their chairs, and all of their new clothes fell to the ground: the first casualties of their fierce duel.
Taylor gave a disapproving glare from across the store. “You are going to pay for those, aren’t you?” She asked.
Elsie stepped out of the changing room a minute later to find the pair sword fighting around the shop. She was wearing a light cream colored blouse with a button neckline and a flared waist towards the bottom. Beneath it she still wore her knee-length school uniform skirt. She briefly glanced in the full length mirror, then stood in front of the two duelists.
“Thoughts?” Elsie asked. Aeric lowered his umbrella, allowing Lyric to score the final hit. His twinborn sister rotated slowly around, raising her arms away from her sides like a ballerina.
Can I use your eyes?
You already are.
I know I can see from them, but I mean can I move them? You’re not looking at the clothes right. I need to see how they fit.
Just use the mirror behind you, you narcissist.
You’re better than a mirror.
That’s the nicest compliment you’ve ever given me. Fine. You have my permission to control Aeric’s eyes.
“Looks good, Elsie,” Lyric said with a thumbs up.
“Thanks, Lyric,” she replied, continuing to move around while she looked at herself through Aeric’s eyes.
Can you feel me moving them?
Kind of. I can somewhat tell that you’re controlling Aeric’s eyes. But it feels more like my body is moving on instinct rather than feeling like it’s out of my control entirely.
Okay, I think I like this outfit. What do you think?
It’s odd to me that you even need to ask that. Shouldn’t you know? And why do you care about my input anyway? It’s your body to control.
You know it’s both of ours in a way. Just like my moving Aeric’s eyes somewhat proves that his body is mine too. Besides, I value your opinion and want to hear what you think, obviously.
Fine. My opinion is that it’s too cold for a skirt. You should get some pants instead.
Okay, I don’t value your opinion that much, it turns out.
“Sooo, are you gonna get it?” Lyric said. It had appeared to her as if Aeric was watching his twin sister silently spin in a slow circle for a moment.
“Looks good, sis,” Aeric said abruptly. He turned away and gathered up his clothes from the floor. Lyric seemed unsure of what had just happened. A second later a mischievous grin spread across her face.
“Be a gentleman and get my clothes too, Aeric,” Lyric said.
It’s a trap.
Obviously. She’s either forgotten what’s in her clothing pile or else she is trying to set up some intentionally awkward situation. We both saw what she picked out when she thought Aeric wasn’t looking.
Aeric set his clothes on the chair and then bent down and bunched up all of Lyric’s clothes together in one big ball without looking at them. He unceremoniously dumped them into her arms.
“We should get going soon. I’m sure Amos is growing anxious waiting for us.”
“I just have a few more things to try on,” Elsie said, stepping back into the changing room.
Come sit back down and be my mirror again, servant.
Please be quick about this, your royal highness of fashion. But I still have to ask, why do you even care so much about what you look like? It’s not like I spent this long picking out my clothes.
We literally created me to be what we considered the pinnacle of beauty. It’s ingrained in my very genes to care.
Do you have genes? I guess you’d have to. I wonder how that works. That first screen said we won’t age beyond nineteen years old anymore. And anyway the pinnacle of beauty is not how I’d describe you after all: I think we created you by goofing around with putting certain settings at their max values just to see what ridiculous character we could customize.
I’m not ridiculous looking; I’m beautiful.
You’re beauti-full-of-yourself, that’s for sure.
---
“What took you all so long?” Amos said. “I’ve been waiting here for almost two hours.”
“We were making necessary preparations for our hunt,” Lyric said.
“There was hardly anything necessary about it,” Aeric protested. “Miss Fashion Queen over there took forever deciding what she wanted to buy.” He jerked a thumb towards Elsie. She was wearing the first outfit she had worn while using Aeric as a mirror.
“You’re going to catch a cold if you’re hiking through the rain in that,” Amos said.
“That’s what I told her!” Aeric said.
“Relax, I have a jacket in my bag if it really does get that cold,” Elsie said. She hitched the backpack on her shoulders a little higher.
“We also had to run our purchases back to the dormitories,” Lyric said. She also had her magically enhanced school issued bag on her back. “You didn’t think we were going to bring them on the hunt did you? These things don’t reduce the weight of what you put inside of them, remember?”
“Fine. Let's go get signed off so we can leave already. The Slayer Office wouldn’t sign the hunt order without proof that I really do have the required number of party members.”
“It seems like a lot of process just to start doing a job like this,” Aeric commented.
Amos shrugged. “Even this world has its own versions of scammers. The process is in place to protect both parties from each other.”
“Let me guess, this world has lawyers too,” Aeric said.
“It does,” Amos said. “There’s a class that focuses on magical contracts: Bondmakers. They’re a subclass of Firefin mages focusing on communication and bonding.”
“Not just lawyers, but wizard lawyers,” Lyric said with a devilish grin.
“And yet they are still somehow less annoying than you,” Amos said. “Let’s go.”