The doors to the store slid open with the sound of hissing steam. A beautiful older woman stood before me, dressed in a provocative nightgown. Had I not known this woman, I would have said I had accidentally stumbled upon heaven. But I knew this woman. This woman with purple eyes that locked onto me with the precision of a beast.
It was no surprise to me that she would be pissed. Considering that I had told that girl to call Muller for help, Margaret finding out was only a matter of time. She rushed towards me, her heels clacking against the metal floor.
Normally, I would be shaking in my boots. A man who has seen hell knows what that woman's hands could do. And it ain't human by any means of the word. But the goddess above has tossed me a bone in the form of a strange, suspicious woman who stepped out from behind me.
Kelly, now ditching the hat, opted for her hair to flow more freely down to her shoulders. Her trench coat, once long and cumbersome-looking, was now trimmed to look like a dress. Her appearance alone managed to stop the beast in her tracks. While she looked more normal than she did out on the street, I wished she'd ditched the trench coat altogether. But I can't complain—progress is progress.
Margaret stared at me with a disapproving look. I grinned back, and she simply stared at me with a look far worse than a demon's. Every bone in my body preemptively creaked.
I explained to her why I came here with Kelly, purposely skipping the part where I was using Kelly to avoid her wrath for killing that crook.
"So let me get this straight," Margaret could not help but sigh as she sat behind her counter. "You took on her job knowing that you had another, more important one in progress?"
Wait, how did she know I was currently working on another job? Well, a job that I have no intention of honoring for Rinne's own sake.
"Sorry, am I interrupting something between you two?"
Before I could ask Margaret, Kelly spoke up. She was looking around the room awkwardly while appearing to look for something. I felt a weird feeling looking at her, but I would much rather let this play out. Besides, if I did anything based on whim alone, I'd be killed before I could be proven right.
"Yes, yes you are—"
"Not at all!"
I interrupted Margaret and placed my hand around Kelly's shoulder. Margaret gave us a disgusted look as if we were not even human. I felt my skin crawl, but I could feel Kelly trembling.
"This here is an old buddy. She hates it when I brag about my girlfriends. So forgive the bitchy look."
"Keep that up and I'll twist your limbs into a neat little bow." She scowled.
This was no empty threat; she meant it. Speaking of which, where was that person who entered the store before me? I half expected to see a trail of blood somewhere in the store, but everything looked normal.
"So, why are you here, just before the crack of dawn?" She asked, a forced smile creeping onto her face.
Originally, I came here for food and clothes for Rinne, but now I am also here because of an artifact. The latter I can explain, but Rinne, I'm not sure how to approach that. Telling her that Rinara's daughter just randomly appeared in my house just after that job at city hall would only be met with skepticism. At worst, an entire bottle of those pills will be shoved down my throat. So, I suppose I could just say that I need food and clothes.
"Your thinking face is not as cute as it used to be, you know," Margaret said while sighing. A more natural, warm smile took over her face, and she looked at me with slight worry. "You seem to have forgotten who I am, and it hurts this maiden's heart. But I am well aware of your guest and your goal of a few hours ago to get supplies for her."
"Scary how informed you are," I said jokingly. I turned to my side to find that while I was talking to Margaret, Kelly had wandered off.
I looked around the store to find her looking over a shelf with weird knick-knacks that Margaret believes will sell. Her eyes shone with curiosity toward Margaret.
"So you're the infamous informant?" She said. "This whole time I thought you were just some old cougar running a black market store." Kelly then disappeared behind the shelf.
"Oh, you know of me?" I turned towards Margaret, who was smiling—
"Scary," I muttered as I instinctively took a step back.
That was no ordinary smile. She looked as if the embodiment of wrath possessed her. I could see cracks on the counter web out from where her fists rested.
Blissful ignorance.
"Of course," Kelly spoke, returning from the shelf with an item in hand. Margaret's expression changed as quickly as it took a newborn baby to learn to breathe. With a forced smile of a shopkeeper, Margaret held out her hand. "The former Hidden Flower," Kelly continued. "Now that I am close to you, you've got a nice lavender smell. I think it suits your nightgown."
Margaret's expression relaxed. "Your words are not gonna give you a discount," she said. "Especially since you called me a cougar." She muttered.
"It's worth a shot." With a charming smile, Kelly handed Margaret an old artifact that had been collecting dust for about two years now.
A dagger sheath. It lost its power, which is why Margaret happily sells junk like it. The very image of the sheath brought back old memories where a cultist leader had used it, and its dagger, to turn a massive following into his personal army.
A dagger that could rewrite the memories of its victim with a cut, and a sheath that could control them like a puppet. A nightmare duo. It was a shame that we could not retrieve both artifacts, but the sheath alone made that case a victory. But seeing how Kelly immediately found it, something felt off. The only way I could confirm that would be to see her chest. If she were not wearing that coat, this would be a lot easier.
"Hey idiot!"
"Huh—ow!"
I felt something slam into my head. It felt as if I had run into something hard. I looked down to see a small cardboard box lying at my feet. It was dented badly.
I turned to look at Margaret, whose expression read: That was only a sneak peek.
"Yes…?" I said cautiously.
"She got enough to pay you after this?" Margaret was waving a sizable stack of cash while Kelly was admiring the artifact she had just purchased.
"Yeah, this time around, physical money is not my form of payment."
I could see Margaret's expression darken. Kelly's face turned a slight shade of pink as she tightened the trench coat around her body.
"I see," Margaret then smiled as she placed the cash into the register. She reached under her counter and pulled out two items I knew all too well. A set of brass knuckles and a brass gauntlet. "Would you like to choose?" She tilted her head with a menacing smile.
"Miss, you are very much jumping the gun here."
"Am I now?" She turned to look at Kelly. "What did he request for payment, dear?"
"Umm…" She squirmed around. "I told him that I would do anything if he were to protect me. He hasn't really told me what he wanted yet."
"Tch!"
"Why is that your reaction to my innocence!?" I shouted.
"Maybe try looking in the mirror and answer your own damn question."
She was right; I forgot that my clothes were still stained with blood that had begun to dry. It's hard to remember that you're caked with it when it was the only thing I smelled all day.
Margaret walked out from behind the counter and approached me with an enormous smile on her face. I tried to back away, but I found that my legs had given up.
Crap…
I turned towards Kelly, but before I could say anything, Margaret spoke. "Kelly, dear." She said while locking arms with me. The smell of lavender overpowered my senses, forcing the metallic smell out of my mind. "Watch the counter for me."
I was practically forced into the changing room. Margaret closed the curtain behind us and pressed me against the wall. Her gaze was deadly. She placed her hand around my neck, slowly tightening her grip.
"So, mind telling me what the fuck you did earlier was about?" She said in a low tone. "You are supposed to be a hero. Why did you fucking kill that man?"
This is what I wanted to avoid.