26 - RECOMMENDATION

“A recommendation from a well-known figure, huh…” Fabby was tapping her finger on her chin, while strolling down a street. “We don’t know anyone in this place. This could get tricky.”

“Mm,” nodded Edgar. “Though he talked about impressing some masters of some sect, he also said that it’s very rare to come across them.” He was thinking back on how he spent five bronze for the food and five more for obtaining information. “So, I think we can only focus on the baronet of this town. Do you think we should go and meet him first?”

“No, that’s risky and reckless,” Fabby slowly shook her head. “Rather than us going directly to the big fish, it’s better that we go through someone else.”

“Someone else?”

“Let’s find out who are the important families in the town,” she stretched her hand out. “Give me the money.”

“Eh? You want to spend it for information again?”

Fabby smiled a bit late. “Relax. We need to first change our attire. After all, not many will be willing to hold a conversation if we look this way.”

Edgar was about to hand her half of the money, but she pulled the sack out of his hands, startling him. “F-Fabs!”

“Relax,” she said but then turned around and giggled secretly.

“I’m gonna be right beside you, so you better not be thinking about spending them all on dresses!”

“You’ve got such a low opinion of your sister that it hurts me to see your lack of understanding.”

“Hmph!” Edgar folded his arms across his chest and looked away.

Soon, they arrived at the market and went to the clothes section. Edgar’s heart was knocking already.

The shopkeepers were like crows, cawing non stop for attention. Fabby chose a smaller shop that had a very old owner, who was too old to continually call out for customers. However, soon as the siblings entered, the owner waved his hand, telling them to sit, and they did.

“What range?” asked the old man, his voice neither polite nor arrogant.

“Show us the best, for both of us,” replied Fabby, and there was a change in the old man’s eyes as she expected.

“Right away, miss.” He stood with effort and went over to the racks filled with clothes.

While Edgar pinched her waist, telling her to ask the old man for information, she caught his forefinger and bent it to shut him up. “By the way, sir,” Fabby asked, while holding her brother’s finger, “why are you working at your age? Don’t you have sons or daughters?”

“They are busy with their lives, just like I’m busy with mine,” the old man said, while bringing a bunch of clothes with great effort, by hugging them to his chest. “But since I own this place, they’ll become free when this old fellow joins his wife.”

“M-Mhm,” Fabby forced out a smile and let go of Edgar’s finger.

Edgar went to help the old man with the clothes, but the old man slapped Edgar’s hand and asked, “Are your hands clean, boy?”

“U-Uh,” Edgar was too startled to say anything.

“Don’t take it to heart,” the old man said right away while walking past Edgar. “If you leave sweat prints or dirt on these clothes, then their prices would go down.”

Still, Edgar looked salty as he came and sat beside his sister.

The old man put forward two pairs for each of the youngsters. After checking the quality of the fabric with her fingers, the dress the old man suggested made Fabby nod a few times, for she was impressed by the cloth and his selection. “How much?”

“Sixty bronze, but since you’re buying for the boy as well, I’ll give a five percent discount.”

Edgar’s eyes popped out of his sockets. (Sixty bronze? That’s ridiculous!) He immediately looked at the shirt and pants that the old man showed him. It looked okay, but when he touched the cloth, it felt so comfortable and smooth. In fact, it smelled nice. “W-What about these?”

“Ah, those are forty bronze, combined.”

“F-Forty, you say,” Edgar didn’t know what to say. He could get similar looking clothes for four to five bronze coins elsewhere. So he looked at his sister as if reminding her that it wasn’t necessary to buy such costly clothes, which weren’t luxurious by any means, but they were still on the high end among what common men would wear.

Fabby didn’t even look at him because she knew what he was thinking. Her focus was on the old man, “These clothes would get us into the wealthy houses without a problem, right?”

“Of course,” the old man confidently assured. “Which house are you thinking of visiting?”

“That…” she scratched her chin.

“Well, there are only two families in this town that are capable of making people buy new clothes before they visit their houses,” the old man said and chortled. “One is the Roy family of the Baronet, and the other is the Zha family. So you are visiting one of those two, am I correct?”

“Maybe,” Fabby said and faintly smiled.

“In any case, these dresses are perfect for your mission. They may not pull long stares, but they’ll be easy on rich eyes.”

“I really love these clothes,” Fabby wanted to wear them quickly. “But a five percent discount is a bit too low in my opinion.”

“Okay, how about six then?”

“Huh,” she made eye contact with them. “If it is sixty, then I can buy them.”

“S-S-Sixty?” the old man’s eyes drew in more light.