Unsafe Working Conditions : A He Who Fights With Monsters 6+ Companion Story

Chapter 16 - Good Pair of Shoes

 The lift arrived at the main floor and they disembarked. Carlos turned and headed towards a nearby table. Unlike the desks that were located at each of the entrances this table looked like it was temporary, on it was an assortment of clothes. As he was less enamored with the banks of lifts that looked like rainbow colored trees that stretched up into the shadows of the distant ceiling, he could see that the tables were scattered out like a trade convention.

Above different areas were glimmering constructs that seemed to represent the different products that were offered in that area. Above the area they were currently in was an outfit that consisted of shirt, pants and socks. At least that is what it seemed to be, the outfit was shifting both its composition as well as its posture every handful of seconds. One thing was for sure, the tables were covered with clothes of different types and styles.

Carlos turned his head and began to talk, "We need to get you some more presentable clothes. And neither of you has a decent pair of shoes, not to mention armor of any sort." He stopped in front of a table. "I assume that you have your own finances but I will fund both of you three bronze coins." He handed the two men three bronze squares each before continuing. "I am going to head to the contract agent and select a job for us. Try and finish up so I can inspect your gear."

Liam turned to Henri after Carlos had walked off, "Give me a silver coin before you head out, and let's plan to meet back here in one hour." Henri nodded and reached into the belt at his waist and handed over the coin. "I'm going to get some shoes before anything else."

Henri was currently dressed in a full matching set of the uniform that he got from the room that he arrived in. While Liam was clothed in ill fitting rags that had more evidence of repair then undamaged areas especially his feet which were basically wrapped in torn fabric.

Liam turned to face the lady on the other side of the table next to them, "Excuse me where can I find a cobbler?" He was excited to find somewhere he could get a good pair of boots. The lady smiled and gestured off to an area on the far side of the hall. As he walked he soon was flooded with a memory of being in a store that had rows and rows of boots, they were of as many different styles as there were stars in the sky. The memory faded but the vision of the boots in his hands stayed.

Liam now had a mission, he followed the directions given to him. As he traveled he took notice of the tables he passed, there were coats, hats, scabbards, sheathes, packs, bags, capes, carpets, and tables of materials like petals and fabrics. Finally around a floating pair of scissors that was endlessly cutting a unfurling ream of fabric, he spotted a pair of sandals. Next to the sandals was a pair of boots, Liam had arrived.

With his ragged appearance he had been thrown disapproving looks during his journey across the hall. Most of them were indifferent, some were hostile and many had the look of a predator. The last ones descended upon him like fish to feed. Each area he entered he was soon surrounded by enough of the pushy vendors that they obscured the items on the tables. In his face were shoved different things, each similar in function to the area he was in, and each was apparently something he could not live without. Liam pushed his way through the throng, careful to keep his coins tightly held in his fist.

As he entered the area for footwear he was again surrounded but this time there were only a couple of aggressive vendors. Liam politely responded he was only there to browse, his haggard appearance encouraging two of them to continue pestering him for several more minutes. He started to look at the wares arrayed around him in earnest, he was looking for something specific and with the variety around him his hopes were very high.

Liam looked through each of the different vendors first, most showed an aura of disgust or dismissed him. These he passed by, if their mentality was already set based on his appearance he did not deem them worthy of his money. It was something at the core of his being he could not explain, he knew that if he was to select one of their wares he could possibly get what he wanted but not the service he desired.