The deal with Renza had been made a bit too quickly in hindsight, I had no idea whether what was even agreed upon was a complete scam or not, they charged me 300,000,000 Ahn for clothes...fuckers.....
No amount of super high-quality silk could ever justify such an obscene price for an article of clothing in my mind. ''Oh, but it's the price the Kurokumos agreed to!'' Yeah? No shit, they're stupid.
Even looking past that exorbitant pricing, it wasn't exactly possible to recall ever actually telling him what kind of clothes he should even make, or the pattern on them or...just about anything that I wanted...
''Haah~ Maybe I did get scammed...'' A tired, dreary sigh came from my mouth. ''Whatever ~_~''
To be honest even if that was a scam, 200,000,000 Ahn was plenty to buy just about anything I want, and speaking of things I want.
GROWL
''Mhm...'' A small noise of dissatisfaction escaped my lips, it seemed like my stomach decided this to be a prime opportunity to remind me that it has been two whole days since a single bite of food went down my throat.
''Mhmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.....Damnit I'm hungry....''
My finger absentmindedly found its way towards my chin whilst I resumed walking.
''....Stupid Bishop...making me not eat for your stupid prescript...'' I muttered like a child, trying to bite on my fingernails to stave off the hunger a little, at least a question that's been on my mind for a while's been answered. Bloodfiends do in fact, need normal food[1]
''Haaaaaaaah~ Fuck. Where am I gonna find food here, this place is just a bunch of workshops....'' Throwing my hands in the air and cursing at nothing seemed to quell my rage a little bit
''...''
Continued to move in silence for a little bit, feeling very grumpy...
''Eh...at least I'm just hungry, just about the worst that can happe-''
DRIP
''....''
Slowly, very slowly, with barely constrained anger only hinted at by the twitching of my right eye, did I look upwards slightly, noting what was already known to me.
A single droplet of water rolling down onto the ground past my hair, and a very, very gloomy looking sky, obscured by dark grey clouds and the scent of rain hitting my nostrils.
''....''
DRIP.
DRIP DRIP DRIP.
DRIP DRIP DRIP DRIP DRIP.
''Haah~''
Took a whoooooole 15 seconds for it to begin drizzling lightly.
''Fuckin' hate my life...''
Over the course of a few minutes, that drizzle went from a few drops here and there, to a full-blown downpour, shrouding the already depressive looking backstreets in a dull grey, accentuated further by the light fogginess caused by all the rain.
I was drenched to say the least, from head to toe, completely wet, walking around like either a crazy loner or a very displeased cat, really a shame, Father did my hair nicely yesterday.
...N-not that I care of course.
''...''
Looking around confirmed to me that not a single person was outside, of course they weren't, it was raining to high hell, who'd even wanna be outside in the rain, to all those kids in their nice, warm, lit up apartments looking through the windows I probably just looked like I'm crazy.
''Haah~''
Peered down to look at my shirt with one eye closed and the other in a half squint.
''At least it's washing the blood off...-_-''
Or just spreading it further, can't tell.
The walk from here on out was uncomfortable putting it mildly and migraine inducing when you put it any other way, bare feet padding against wet concrete isn't very pleasant to experience and or listen to in any context ever.
''Mmh..'' Poutily looking down at my feet like they'd personally offended me wasn't helping either unfortunately.
''Haah....fuckin' he-''
''...''
I saw something from the corner of my eye, directly down the street.
Had a bright friendly sign hanging overhead, neon letters shining through the rain, warm light seeping through the windows...it was your run of the mill local market...
''Huh...''
Shelter from the rain and a place to buy food, two birds with one stone, with slow splashy footsteps, the trek over to it had begun.
Wasn't too far away, quite literally down the street, could somehow smell the scent of freshly baked cinnamon buns from here....made my mouth water slightly...or maybe it was just water cascading down my face, who knows.
Once the building came into view a bit further, I could clearly see a woman with her brown hair tied in a ponytail donning a green apron standing behind the counter with her hands held together in front of her.
....
Well, that and the fact she had turned to look right at me, eyes widening ever so marginally after she took a look at me...
Not exactly an unreasonable reaction, I was still drenched of a kurokumo member.
''Uh....shit...'' I scratched at my cheek lightly....fuck what do I do..
Nono, this was fixable, just gotta give people the right impression yknow...., and so, I lightly raised my hand to wave at her.
...
She took a step backwards.
''....Fuuuuuuuuck.''
People being scared of me should've been beneficial when it came to getting those annoying people off my back, but a sword with equally sharp edges it was, for actually nice and friendly people wouldn't wanna interact with me either.
...Whatever.
By this point I'd reached the market, standing at the porch, drying my feet off on the welcome mat whilst simultaneously trying my very best to ignore the visibly nervous look the woman from inside was giving me.
''...''
Took a side glance at her. She frantically turned to look away.
''Sigh.''
I just took a step inside, automatic doors sliding open for me.
The Interior was what you'd come to expect from a store in the backstreets, hardwood floors, your usual black wallpaper, plain white shelves, and all of it topped off with obnoxiously loud buzzing lights overhead.
It wasn't as if I particularly cared though, I'm here to buy things, not look at the scenery, although...
''...''
''You know its rude to stare.''
''A-ah!'' She threw her hands in the air in an attempt to appear nonthreatening, taking a step backwards as well. ''I'm s-sorry it's just...''
''Just what?''
''W-well uhm....''
''You're...not a shoplifter are you...?''
My eye twitched slightly at that, seriously? Me? A shoplifter? Thought I looked like I couldn't hurt a fucking fly...
''I can assure you I'm not here to shoplift, I'm a paying customer, and besides even if I was the security could just-''
Paused mid-sentence to momentarily take a look around the interior...there was not a single security guard in sight.
''Huh? Don't these places have security?''
''A-ah well...that's the issue...they called in sick today so....I'm all alone here....''
She was visibly nervous, fidgeting slightly and twiddling her fingers together, a pathetic sight really, grown woman acting like this...
''Mhm, my condolences I guess, now can you stop staring and let me shop in peace.''
''A-ah but-''
''No buts, the customer's always right, and besides.''
My hand reached into my pocket to reveal a stack of miraculously dry 10000 Ahn bills
''I got money'' And promptly waved them in front of her face.
Although still seeming hesitant, the woman gave me a reluctant nod, and thus, I calmly walked away.
I gently picked up a shopping basket with my hand, and got to shopping.
One by one, the foodstuffs and snacks we're plucked off the shelves, with the first order of business being eggs and dairy....
''...''
A brief look of contemplation crossed my features while staring at the items held in my hands...takes me back a little...it's...been a while since I went shopping...usually I'm the type of person to just eat street food...
''Sigh''
''Whatever'' Into the basket they went.
My little shopping misadventure proceeded smoothly after that one little mishap, the pile of items in the basket only growing with each passing moment, making sure to get basically as much of anything I wanted given the fact my pockets we're loaded, which, sure, did mean that half of this thing was basically just snacks.
''Pasta, cookies, soda, cookies again, chips, cheese puffs, more cookies, soda agai-''
I was busy muttering to myself and counting all the things I'd bought when my attention was redirected elsewhere...
A little stand in a far off corner of the store, had a bunch of accessories lined up on a plaque.
''...''
A light squint of my eyes to get a better look at it..
''Tch- I'm an adult...shouldn't be buying these things, they'd look tacky on me anyway..''
''...''
Fucking damnit why did I begin walking over to it.
Come on, I'm better than this, these all look stupid anyway, a bunch of cheap looking bracelets and rings? Who'd even wanna wear this? The gemstones on the amulets clearly looked fake too, even as a layperson was that apparent to me.
''Although that choker would look kind of cute on me..'' I thought with a slight blush...not like I was trying to look cute in any way, it would just make it easier to manipulate Father, that's all.
Right, that's it, that's the only reason my hand was reaching for this stupid accessory, grasping it gently so as to not break it was only me being a good customer.
''~_~''
Okay maybe checking myself out in the mirror wouldn't hurt.
Contrasted really nicely with the pale skin....the hair cascading down my shoulders as well...
''Damnit...'' I tugged at the collar lightly. ''This really does look cute.'' Again, not that I care, only buying it to make manipulating father easier by being cute, that little touchup I did a day ago when killing the Kurokumo clan? In the moment obviously, appearances are pointless.
''....''
My face scrunched up further while attempting to analyze myself from every angle possible, no matter how I sliced it or diced it, the thing looked cute.
''Tch-''
Gripped the shopping basket a little too tightly, and began walking back over to the counter.
''Oi.'' Snapped my fingers to get her attention.
''Huh-?''
''Checkout.''
And then slammed the basket onto the table.
''Now.''
''A-U-Uhm...r-right.....''
With slow trembling hands she began to scan each and every one of those items, her eyes briefly flickering over to my visibly disgruntled demeanor every now and then as to confirm that I'm not gonna pull out a knife to stab her with.
''Also.''
''A-A-W-WHAT!?''
''...''
''Calm down lady, just charge me for this too...''
''For....what....exactly...?''
''...''
Really gotta spell it out don't I huh..?
Ignoring the fact a light flush had colored my cheeks, I pointed towards the accessory around my neck.
''The...choker.''
''...''
''....''
''......''
Every pretense of fear on the woman's face, and in her body language, had vanished in just under a second after I said that, staring at me with wide glassy eyes that seemed as if she was looking at some point past me instead of directly making eye contact.
''Oh, alright then, everyone has their tastes I suppose, you're allowed to be into those kinds of thin-''
''THAT'S NOT WHAT THIS IS ABOUT OKAY!''
''Nono, it's alright, there's nothing to be ashamed of really, my husband also-''
''I DON'T WANNA KNOW, AND AGAIN, I DIDN'T- JUST- UGH!''
I began angrily bagging the groceries that we're previously scanned under the blank eyed mildly disapproving gaze of the woman at the counter....bitch...maybe people being scared of me is better after all.
''...''
Tried squinting as threateningly as was possible in the context of the situation.
''How much do I owe you.''
''500,000 Ahn.''
Patting myself down let me find the money quite quickly, and slamming it down on the table let me get out of this situation quite quickly as well, so once the bags of groceries were securely in my hands, I'd immediately went to angrily stomp outside.
The rain had stopped too, fortunate for me, means I don't have to walk around getting drenched.
And in a small puddle on the ground beneath my feet, I could see my reflection.
''....''
''Mhm....guess it's cute...''
[1] So, right, about this. The only info i have about bloodfiends requiring normal food is a throwaway line from canto 7 where sancho states, and i quote ''Yes father, i shall prepare the cookies baked with cinnamon'' this implies a few things, one of which being that the la manchaland castle both had the neccecary stockpile of ingredients, and the neccesary cooking stations to make those cookies, so yes, im extrapolating the fact bloodfiends need normal food from a fucking joke line. In all honesty though it's most likely that they can't die of malnutrition, but would still rather not go prolonged periods of time without eating