The Plague Doctor [RATED R] ✓

(8) Capo di Monte

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I STARE AT CLAUDIO, trying my best not to burst out in laughter because of how this man singlehandedly fooled an entire town into believing his family saved them from the plague doctor, not knowing that the doctor himself is standing right in front of them.

     Imagine their faces when they find out who he really is.

     "I would love to chat more, but I'm here to get my butler a suit," Claudio then tells the growing crowd while gesturing in my direction, automatically making everyone look at me. The kid that I even talked to was surprised.

     "Butler? Claudio has a butler now?" I could hear someone ask.

     "Well aren't you a handsome boy," an old woman says, almost grabbing my cheeks so she could pinch them. Thankfully master Claudio goes in front of me and blocks me from the granny's view.

     "If you may excuse us," he says instead as he heads inside the tailor shop first.

     I awkwardly smile at the crowd and bow my head to them before finally following master Claudio. The tailor shop called Needles N' Thread was a relatively small shop. It wasn't like those fancy shops where there were a dozen attendants and even suits displayed in a glass case. In fact, the suits were hung everywhere, and the entire shop smelled like fabric and scented candles.

     "Ms. Sunny! Ms. Sunny!" Claudio suddenly starts calling out. He heads to the counter, which was also filled with clutter, and starts checking if someone was attending it. "Is she not here?" he asks.

     "I'm in! Just give me a second!" a voice that's coming from the back answers just right after Claudio asked the question.

     I didn't really know what to do so I was casually just looking through the suits that are on display while Claudio waited for this Ms. Sunny person. After a while, a woman in a dress heads out holding rolls and rolls of fabric. I didn't know if I should help her or not, but surprisingly enough, Claudio approaches her first to take half of the rolls from the woman's hand.

     "Oh thank you, dear, I was a bit–" Rolls of fabric that was covering her face was removed, so she gets a better view of the good samaritan. When Claudio's bright smile welcomes her, Ms. Claudio almost dropped the rest of the fabric as she shouts, "Claudio!"

     Ms. Sunny was a man with a long beard and strong features, but at the same time, she has makeup on and was even wearing a dress. It was my first time seeing someone in such a style. It's quite interesting.

     "Claudio, why didn't you tell me that you were coming!" Ms. Sunny says, immediately placing the fabric on the counter to kiss the master on both of his cheeks.

Lucky.

     "I apologize, I didn't have the time to call," Claudio answers as he also puts down the fabric that he's also holding. "Anyway, how are you? You're looking amazing as always."

     "You know it, darling," Ms. Sunny says before shyly hitting Claudio on the shoulder. "But enough about me, you've been out of town for so long. I barely get to see you."

      "I've been busy, but thankfully I just got back in time for the party at the mayor's house. This time, the invitation was sent to me two weeks prior so it would rude of me not to go again," Claudio answers.

     "Is that so? Then what can I do for you? Do you need a new suit or do you need—" Ms. Sunny suddenly pauses when she caught a glimpse of me. For a second her eyes sparkled, but then a grin appeared on her face soon after.