A new shop had opened in town after a whole month of renovation and advertisement by word of mouth. Adventurers were already excited for its doors to open, and the common folk who'd heard rumors about the folks running the place were no less curious. But as the sign for the shop went up, plenty of eyebrows were raised.
'Devil Away!' it read, and if the word of the slave woman was to be trusted, it was meant to signify how a single visit could drive the devil away from one's life. They sold potions, lotions, creams, cosmetics, and specialized items depending on a person's necessity. Whatever one had in mind, they could help with. To some, it sounded too good to be true, while others had convinced themselves that the claims were true; after all, it gave them hope that the troubles of their own lives could be cured with gold.
The story of Cecilia curing the living rot in the previous owner's grandson had already bolstered their claims. But even so, there were plenty of people who remained unconvinced. They wished the naive would go in first, and if everything worked out, only then would they risk their savings.
'What is all this stuff?' Even Freya was unconvinced while placing some of the potion bottles and some plants by a window that looked out to the open streets. As big as a doorway, the space would be her spot to be the eyecandy and draw curious customers in. 'Half of the items are wrapped in paper and rope-bound, the other half is stuff that I've never seen.'
Turning around, she leaned back against the window frame. Scanning the place with her eyes again, she was still quite shocked to find just how different the interior looked compared to when the merchant had bought it. A chandelier with flowers and vines stretching downward hangs in the middle with a bright red rug underneath. Magic light with a warm yellow glow cast the room with a comforting glow.
The section of the hall that was closest to the passage to the kitchen and bedroom was tucked under the stairs and yet stuck out just enough to be seen as soon as someone walked in through the door. A counter lay there, full of papers and drawers full of magical, but mostly ink and parchment to write down any customer orders.
The rest of the surrounding area was decorated with wall-mounted shelves, each adorned with items of different kinds, some curious enough to draw one's gaze, others too abstract in shape to know their purpose. But the most enigmatic of all were the items wrapped in paper and bound with rope. They seemed too important, and since Freya was never told what they were, she figured it was best if she never touched them.
'I doubt they will tell me what any of this stuff is, anyway.' As a woman who knew the ins and outs of running a successful business, the last thing she, herself, would ever do was give away one's business secrets. 'Well, whatever, I doubt we're getting any customers today.'
Turning her head to the front door, her lips twisted sideways.
'Not when the door is shut at least.' Returning her gaze to the hall, she wondered why Custer and his slaves hadn't opened the shop yet. All preparations were done, but then why was it that they weren't inviting any business? 'Once morning is done, everyone's gonna be at work. Only housewives and such might visit, but I doubt their husbands give them enough to spend in such a place.'
With nothing else to do but stand by the window, Freya chewed on the insides of her mouth and watched as the regular folks passed on by. Many returned her gaze, either smiling or with an awkward look, but one thing remained common in them all. They noticed her boobs and her cleavage before her face.
Still wearing her tight corset and blue gown, she appeared an aristocrat with her tits pressed tight by the stringed corset. It was far from the ideal wear for the case, but in her mind, there was one thing that always helped her draw business, her big tits, especially when they seemed as if they were about to pop out.
Taking in the cold morning air, Freya heaved a sigh and looked blankly into the distance. Resting her chin on her palm, she lazily wondered when the real work would begin.
'I hope Rudy and his friends are okay.' Allowing her mind to drift off, she worried for her son. 'They said they found some place that they were looking for, but I'm not sure if I want them to go anywhere dangerous. At least not yet.'
A whole month had passed since her son was taken by the goblins, and in that time, thanks to Custer and Aura's insight into monsters, the hero's party was finally able to clear the goblin dungeon as well as hunt some other rogue beasts that had been wandering through the forest. The road to the Luminos was finally safe thanks to them, and even the guild had recognized their efforts and awarded them with enough funds to upgrade all of their gear.
Still, a mother's heart aches with worry. Freya wanted to stop him, but after seeing what they had achieved in just a month, she could not bring herself to shatter her son's dream. Not to mention, their party seemed to be making more informed decisions and not making any harsh moves without thinking or consulting the monster experts.
'Blasted gods, now I feel like I owe these guys even more for helping Rudy.' Right as she was done with that, though, a hand came crashing down on her rear. Jumping to the stinging feeling on her ass, Freya quickly turned around with anger quite apparent in her eyes.
"What are you–"
"Daydreaming on the job, are we?" Smirking in front of her was Aura. "Stop wasting time and get changed into your new outfit!"
"What outfit?" Freya asked a question that she would soon regret, for the dress in question was far worse than what she already had.