"I believe we should acquire outfits better suited to this world. What you're currently wearing is drawing a bit too much attention," Tiavus stated as we continued walking toward what appeared to be a tailor's shop.
Most of the people here wore medieval-style clothing, though some garments were clearly more than ordinary fabric. A few outfits shimmered faintly or moved in subtle, unnatural ways, as if they were either sentient or imbued with magic capable of producing uncanny effects. It was... quite a sight.
Strangely, I couldn't sense mana from most of the people around us. Yet those who lacked it seemed to possess far stronger physiques than those who didn't. It was an odd imbalance, one that didn't align with anything I was familiar with.
On a Training Planet like ours, encountering a completely manaless being was almost unheard of.
This place was far stranger than I had imagined.
As we stepped into the shop, a small bell chimed softly above the door, and we were immediately greeted by the shopkeeper.
She had the face of a cat... no, not just the face. Her entire body was covered in soft fur, and her hands and feet were replaced with padded paws. Her ears twitched slightly as she looked at us, her slit pupils narrowing with curiosity.
I'm trying my best not to sound racist here, but how am I even supposed to address someone like that without knowing what they're called? Should I just pretend to be mute? What am I even supposed to say? Tom wondered, doing his best to keep his mouth shut.
"Ah, esteemed guests, please tell me, what kind of exquisite clothing would you like to browse today?" the feline woman asked politely.
"I am merely here to guide these fine young men in acquiring some suitable clothing. Perhaps you could show us a few garments that might align with their preferences?" Tiavus said, stepping forward toward her. "I believe they would prefer something that doesn't restrict their movements... correct?"
"Yeah, that sounds about right, but I need to talk to him for a second, if you don't mind. Tommy, you can start browsing," I said, gently pulling Tiavus aside.
"What... uh, what do you have that's similar to my current armor?" Tom asked the shopkeeper, his voice unusually restrained, probably the calmest I had ever heard him speak. He was really trying his best not to say something racist.
Meanwhile, I lowered my voice.
"What kind of currency do you use here?" I asked Tiavus quietly, making sure the shopkeeper couldn't overhear us.
"If you're concerned about payment, you may leave that to me," Tiavus replied with a faint smile. "It would be rather selfish of me to gather knowledge from you while offering nothing in return, wouldn't it?"
He paused briefly before continuing.
"But if you're curious, our system is quite simple. We use gold, silver, and copper coins, each marked with the insignia of one of the ruling kings."
As he spoke, he produced a gold coin and held it up between his fingers. The surface gleamed faintly under the shop's light, revealing the finely engraved face of an elf.
"Huh... Wally, create some gold coins similar to that," I instructed quietly.
At once, Wally began reshaping the gold he had stored, molding it into near-identical copies of the coin Tiavus had shown us.
Within seconds, several gold coins, nearly identical to the one Tiavus had shown, rested in my palm. They gleamed under the soft light, their engraved surfaces catching just enough detail to pass at a glance.
"...How did you do that?" Tiavus asked, genuine curiosity flickering across his face.
"Technology," I replied calmly. "Before I leave, I could build you something similar. Not many of us can create a being capable of doing what Wally just did."
"You could have simply gone to a blacksmith," Tiavus said, tilting his head slightly. "They would do the same, for a price. Though... I suppose this method is far more efficient."
He nodded to himself, clearly intrigued.
"That certainly saves both time and money, now that I think about it."
His gaze shifted, studying me more intently now.
"What exactly do you call this being? Is it sentient? This... Wally?"
"That I am indeed," Wally responded politely, his voice steady and composed. "It is a pleasure to meet you as well, Sir Tiavus."
He didn't transform into his spider form. My suit had yet to recover from the damage, and for now, he remained integrated, serving as both my cover and my shield.
"Does it... I mean, do you have a soul?"
Tiavus had initially looked toward me as he spoke, but midway through the question, his gaze shifted downward, to Wally. By now, he had fully recognized him as a separate entity, one capable of independent thought and reasoning.
"Artificial intelligences like us do not possess one," Wally replied without hesitation.
The existence of artificial souls was still a mystery to most, and I had made it clear to Wally, no matter where we were, no matter who we encountered, he was never to reveal the truth.
"I see... that is quite interesting," Tiavus said, his tone thoughtful as we began walking back toward Tommy.
After a brief pause, he added, almost casually, "But for now, I will still be covering the expenses."
When we reached Tom, we found him standing before a tall mirror, adjusting a form-fitted set of black leather armor. The material clung closely to his frame, outlining his build while still allowing ease of movement.
"This feels like a downgrade compared to our usual armor..." Tom muttered, turning slightly as he examined himself from different angles. "Do you have anything better? Maybe something like those enchanted ones?"
"If you're looking for magical armor, you would need to visit the dwarves," the tailor replied politely. "We don't usually stock such items here. However, you could try your luck with traveling merchants. They occasionally carry enchanted gear... though their prices tend to be rather steep."
"That's fine. We'll take this one. And could you also show me a robe to go along with it?" I said, resting my hand lightly on Tom's shoulder.
"Right away, sir," the tailor replied before retreating further into the shop.
I leaned in slightly.
"Remember, we're trying to blend in for now. We don't actually need proper armor at the moment," I whispered.
"Yeah... gotta work with what's on our plate," Tom agreed with a small nod.