“I’d prefer to pick them up later, near the end of the day,” said Mizuki. “We have our work cut out for us before I can get back to the chiller, first with finding this Isra character, and then with going to the temple. I can pay now, so you’ll hold them?”
Alfric shifted slightly, getting ready to interject and bring the subject back to finding Isra, and Mizuki put a hand on his wrist, gentle, subtle, but firm.
“Oh, I would hold them for you anyhow, Mizuki,” replied the shopkeeper.
“I insist, it’s one less thing to worry about,” said Mizuki. She reached into her bag and pulled out a thick string, which had dozens of rings on it. She undid the knot without even looking at it and began quickly counting out rings. “Two loins, two and a half pounds total, does sixteen sound good?”
“For you, fifteen,” replied the shopkeeper. “But I might just take you up on that dinner one of these days.”
“I’d welcome it, but it would mean that I’d have to clean,” replied Mizuki with a smile. Their transaction completed, Mizuki retied the string her rings were kept on, again without looking, and slipped it back into her bag. “What do you know of Isra?” Mizuki asked. “Is she nice?”
“A bit cold, actually,” the shopkeeper said. “Given what she brings to
market, she must be a good hunter and trapper, because she has game even
in the long winter months. I think the beastmaster had to speak with her
once about taking too much, actually. Anyhow, a few months back I
offered her a standing arrangement for her game, and she rebuffed me,
which I thought was a bit rude, mostly in how she chose her words. It
might be because she
“I appreciate it,” smiled Mizuki. “I’ll be back for those venison loins later.”
“Of course,” the shopkeeper said with a nod. “And it was nice to meet you, young man. Alfric, was it?”
“Yes,” said Alfric, bowing. “I’m sorry, I didn’t inquire as to your name.”
“Marta,” she replied. “Good luck with your dungeon run. You know, I used to do the dungeons myself, when I was much younger. When I quit, I had twenty-eight under my belt.”
“Did you?” asked Mizuki, leaning forward slightly and not seeming in the least like she was ready to leave. “I would never have guessed. Why did you stop?”
“Oh, we had to go further and further afield for the dungeons,” said Marta. “And toward the end of it, I was pregnant with my first child, which would likely have put a stop to adventuring anyhow.”
“But what did you do?” asked Mizuki. “Let me guess, ranger?”
“No,” laughed Marta. “I was, in fact, a wizard, though only middling at best, and I’m sure I could hardly get a spark engine going, it’s been so long. I sold most of my old equipment off a decade back.”
“Well,” said Mizuki, “if we ever
“Ah,” said Marta, looking across the market. “There’s Isra now. Should I call her over for you?” She pointed to the opposite end of the market, where a teenaged girl with a loaded backpack was talking to one of the other shopkeepers. She was dark-skinned, as Alfric had already heard, and wore a headscarf that completely covered her hair. Attached to her stuffed backpack were over a dozen brown furs, all strung together, though Alfric knew virtually nothing about small game. As Alfric watched her, he noticed a glint of metal by her face, which he quickly realized came from piercings in her nose, lip, and one eyebrow.
“We can wait,” said Alfric. “I don’t want to spook her.”
“She doesn’t seem like she’d spook easy,” said Mizuki, who was likewise watching the girl. “But I doubt she’ll like you, no offense.”
“Big-city energy?” he asked.
Mizuki nodded. “Maybe let me handle her?”
“Sure,” Alfric replied. “Remember, it’s a fifth share, not much work or risk for any of you,” but before he could finish, Mizuki had already taken off.
“Mizuki’s a firecracker,” said Marta, from behind Alfric. “Nice girl, but not too responsible with her magic.”
“Hrm,” said Alfric. He watched as Mizuki approached Isra and tried his hardest to listen in on what they were saying, but it was too far away, and the market was too busy. All he could do was read the body language, Mizuki’s animated expressions and Isra’s folded arms. Mizuki pointed over at Alfric, and he gave a friendly wave, but Isra didn’t wave back. “Is she going to be a problem?” he asked Marta.
“Mizuki? Oh, I think she’ll do fine,” said Marta. “She reminds me a bit of one of my dungeoneering friends from back in the day. I won’t say all sorcs are of a type, but Mizuki certainly seems to be. If you find yourself in need of advice, I have some to spare. There are more old adventurers in Pucklechurch than you might think, most of whom would be happy to help.”
