Siren’s Cry [A LITRPG Adventure]-Ch. 29
A/N: And here we are folks! The last slice of life chap before we return to the adventure! Honestly, this entire part took much longer than I expected, and I'm sorry-not-sorry to those of you I may have bored with it. Sorry because I genuinely don't want to write something that yall don't want to read, but not sorry because it was fun as he'll to write it all :3
Anyway, enjoy!
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The tailor Keira recommended is a small but upscale store near the city center, only a few doors down from the auction house. It's an unassuming wooden house, only two floors, and the only window is on the door itself. Honestly, I almost leave thinking it's the wrong place, but the sign above the door tells me that it is correct.
[The Spider's Loom Tailors]
Shrugging, I step inside to the chiming of a tiny bell. The interior is much more bare than I expected, with the only furniture being rows of mannequins dressed in every style of clothing imaginable. Everything from a modern-looking tuxedo, to a fairly revealing top and skirt combo, to normal clothing that looks like anything else you would see on the streets. A lone bell sits on a counter in the center of the room, the dim light from several lanterns setting the spooky mood perfectly. I take a few moments to inspect the mannequins more, memorizing a few of the designs that I might want to use for Nesuskape later. Striding up to the counter, careful not to hit anything with my tail, I ring the bell…
…and nothing happens. No sound, no ‘ding’ like I was expecting, not even a flare of mana to set off an alarm. Just continued eerie silence in the seemingly abandoned building. I wait for another minute, hoping that someone's here, but when no one appears I start to leave. Right as I grab the door, a thunderous crash from behind me nearly has me leaping into the rafters above. I spin around, wings flared and blades forming around me, only to dissipate as I see the absurd sight before me.
The counter has been crushed beneath a few hundred pounds of obsidian chitin, a tangled spider girl staring at me with pleading eyes as she struggles futilely against her neon pink self-imposed restraints. I can't help it; I laugh, doubling over as I struggle to breathe through the tears. Once I manage to calm down, I help free the now-glaring woman from the snares of chaotic webbing. She sighs in relief once I manage to cut away all the silk, and hauls herself to her feet with a little assistance from me.
“Oh gods, I'm so sorry you had to see me like that. I was testing a new type of silk and tripped… I didn't even see you in here until you rang the bell! Thank you so much though, I'm not sure how long I would have been stuck there if you hadn't helped me out. Oh! Where are my manners! Welcome to the Spider's Loom! I'm the owner, Cari. Please, if there's anything you'd like me to make, I can get it done!”
Now that she's free of the pink webs, I get a good look at Cari. She's almost nothing like what I would expect an arachne to look like, as other than having the upper half of a woman and the lower of a large spider it's significantly different. She only has one segment on the bottom, with four thick legs supporting her presumably large weight. Her human torso extends from the front half of her abdomen, thick plates of chitin spreading partway up her stomach and stopping just below her belly button (though why she has one is a mystery for another day).
Four spindly arms extend from her back, much thinner and more flexible than her legs are, with dexterous three-fingered ‘hands’ on the end of each. She still has two normal arms, but four eyes on an otherwise human face. Her eyes are a fascinating shade of ruby red, the complete lack of pupils giving her an otherworldly appearance. It's only when she shifts nervously that I realize I've been staring and cough awkwardly, looking away.
“Sorry about that. I've never seen anyone like you before, so I was simply fascinated by your eyes. I'm Siris, and I was recommended your store by a friend. If you're busy I can come back later…”
I give a meaningful look at the pile of shredded hot pink silk, and she blushes, tan skin reddening slightly in embarrassment.
“No no no, it's perfectly fine! I can help you right now, so what were you looking for?”
“Well, mainly undergarments. I have plenty of clothing,”
Not technically a lie
, “But I lack proper support, if you know what I mean.”
She looks me over with a professional gaze, all amusement and embarrassment fading instantly as she returns to her role.
“Alright, I can do that. What materials, style, and pieces do you want?”
Threading mana into my gloves, strands of silk begin pooling in my palms as I offer it to Cari. All four of her eyes snap to the silk instantly, and I swear I see her actually drooling over it.
“I-Is that dread weaver silk?! How are you making that and how do I get you to give me more?”
I chuckle at her excitement, waggling my fingers to draw her attention to the evening gloves.
“Got these gloves from a dungeon, from a hidden chest in the boss room.”
I get a strangely confused look before understanding dawns on her expression.
“Oh, you mean the Guardian's room? That explains it. How much would I have to pay you for the gloves?”
It takes me a moment to realize that indeed, she just asked to buy them. And it takes me another moment to realize that it may not be a bad idea. I really haven't been using these for anything other than making clothing, and while I could have some fun with the webbing with Keira, I can also do that with Nesuskape now.
“Hmm. These are epic rarity, so I can't part with them easily, but I will admit that I haven't been using them to their full potential. Tell you what, make me fifty feet of rope, ten sets of underwear and bras, and a pair of sturdy traveling cloaks from the silk and I'll let you have them. On the condition that if I pass through here again, I can get a discount on clothing. Does that sound fair? As for color and style, I'll leave that up to you.”
She nods so fast that I worry she's going to hurt herself, and I pass over the Dread Weaver's Evening Gloves with only a little hesitation. Cari takes them reverently, and almost the instant she slips them on, her dress and the gloves light up with a blood-red glow. My blessing triggers almost instinctively, and even I'm stunned by what I see now revealed in the gloves’ description.
-==×==-
Dread Weaver's Evening Gloves (Epic, Glove): A pair of spider silk evening gloves once worn by a disciple of the Dread Weaver Arachnea. Enchanted with self-repair, self-cleaning, comfort, and durability enhancements. Grants the ability to conjure and control threads using mana.
[Dread Weaver's Disciple (Set)]: When worn in combination with the Dread Weaver's Evening Gown, both items are enhanced and the wearer is granted the Dark Weaver's Blessing.
[Set Bonus: Weaver's Disciple]: Threads are upgraded to a mimicry of the Weaver's own silk, being stronger than steel yet soft as a cloud. Threads may be controlled without the use of mana.
[Dread Weaver's Blessing]: You have been chosen as one of the Dread Weaver's own disciples, those whose talent on the loom is unparalleled. Removes the mana cost for all weaving-related skills or spells. Does not affect items.
-==×==-
Well damn. Now I'm both glad and disappointed that I gave it to her… eh, if it means I get underwear that doubles as armour then I'll take it! Gonna have to bring Keira here later to get some upgrades as well.
Shaking myself out of my thoughts, I'm surprised to see that she's almost done with the order already. Silk spools from her hands, winding over her four insectile arms as they pluck and tighten threads like a living loom. A large coil of gray silk rope sits nearby, along with the requested sets of underwear and bras. Each bra matches a set of underwear with various colors and styles, and it's not actually panties that she made, but rather a looser style closer to boxers.
She must have noticed that I have something a little extra~
That thought sends me spiraling into horny fantasies for a second before I refocus on the arachnoid woman. A black and purple cloak that matches Nesuskape has joined the pile of clothing, and a plain gray one is taking shape under her skilled touch. Within moments, the entire order is done, and I collect everything into my bag and bid her goodbye.
“It was wonderful meeting you, Siris! Please, stop by anytime and thank you so so so much for the gloves! Anything you want, I'll make it free of charge!”
Waving to her, I leave the store and make a few quick stops by a Guild-run general store and a butcher shop for basic adventuring-slash-camping supplies and dried rations, respectively. Honestly, the entire cost came out to less than three gold, and I managed to make it back at around the same time Keira did. We ate a quick dinner together before retiring for the night, ready to leave in the morning.
Ch. 29
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