Chapter 132: [132] Demonic Blinking Merchant

Since it was already late at night, and they had a rather sensitive topic to discuss, the shop keeper, Barbara, closed the place a little earlier than she usually did.

The three of them were in the changing area. Artie was seating on a chair in front of the dressing room, while Barbara was helping Yen into one of the dresses.

“So you are saying the baroness has not been seen outside for months now?” Artie asked, staring at the door to the room.

“Exactly!” Barbara’s perky voice came. “Normally, I’m not the type to listen in on gossip you know?”

’Sure you aren’t…’

“…but it is all the other noble ladies have been talking about for days now. Normally, they had already been discussing it, but the frequency at which it comes up has increased.”

Artie did not know much about human politics, but if the wife of a baron was anything like that of the elven lord’s wife, then it was strange that she had been absent for so long.

The baroness would naturally have tasks that were assigned to her, meaning it was her obligation to perform them.

“Has she always been the reclusive type?”

“Oh, gods no!” Barbara’s voice came. “The baroness is a social butterfly, in fact, she used to hold parties every single month until she shut herself in.”

“And how long has this been?”

“Hmmm, three months, more or less…”

The door to the dressing room swung open, and Yennefer stepped out.

She was in a pale golden ball gown decorated with white seams, her slender shoulders were exposed, the gown cutting just over above chest.

Yennefer held the sides of the gown and raised it up to walk, doing a little twirl.

“This feels weird, what do you think Artie?”

“It’s pretty, but it’s a little bulky. Why don’t we try something simpler?”

The shop keeper nodded and quickly moved to a row of clothes by the side.

“Three months is a long time…” Yen said, continuing the earlier discussion. “Surely, people must be talking.”

Artie nodded. “If she has not come out even after all the gossip, then maybe it is not that she doesn’t want to come out, maybe she can’t…”

Nobles were the type of people that would go to extreme lengths just to preserve their reputation.

If even after all the news flying around, the baroness was still silent, then there was definitely something wrong.

“The gossip is actually rather appalling. Some say she is on her death bed, others say she has been quarantined after contracting a strange illness, a few of them say she is with child for another man…”

“They say he is a handsome elf who fought her son and forced his way into the city.”

Artie glanced at Yen and the latter chuckled.

“Gossip was never reliable was it—ehh?!” She gasped as she was pulled back into the dressing room.

“And yet, there is truth to be found in the noise…” Artie muttered, now alone.

One thing was clear, there was definitely something going on in the baron’s house, and that would be the key to them meeting him.

“How do I look?” Yen asked as she once again stepped out of the dressing room.

This time, was in a pure white gown with wavy garments, creating a petal like pattern as it fell down past her knees.

The chest area of the gown was covered in amber gems, the designer clearly trying to highlight her eyes.

Although, Yen’s eyes still out did them in every way. Sometimes, they almost seemed… ethereal.

Artie smirked. ’I wonder how Eliron would react to this one…’

He was good at acting aloof, but Artie was sure that even him would be unable to keep a straight face.

Better still, if both of them dressed up? Artie laughed internally.

’I will love to see the look on his face!’ Artie never got tired of seeing his ears turn red.

“Artie?” Yen asked, pulling her out of her thoughts.

“Oh, you look great. We are definitely taking this— wait, what are you doing?” Artie asked as Yennefer and the designer grabbed both her arms.

“It’s your turn of course!” Yen smirked deviously.

“Wait, I can just try it at—”

It was too late, as they had already pulled her into the dressing room.

Now it was Yennefer and the designer who sat outside, waiting for Artie to emerge.

But getting Artie in a dress proved to be more difficult than they would have expected.

She was far worse than all the noble women Barbara had ever met—

Combined.

“Why is this material so weird?”

Swish!

A classy red dress, that could afford a family’s meal for a week, was tossed away as though it was a rag.

“It’s too long, how will I fight in this?” Another one was sent flying.

A prolonged sigh came out of the room. “What even is this? A bathing suit?”

Yennefer glanced at Barbara apologetically as she scrambled to pick up her clothes.

“Oh!” Barbara’s eyes brightened up. “I just remembered, some of the noble women spoke of a ball being organised soon. If you want to see the baron, your best bet might be to attend the ball.”

“Huh? What is a ball?” Artie’s muffled voice came, accompanied by another flying dress that Barbara jumped to catch.

“Oof—!” She exclaimed as she caught it. “It is a party of sorts…”

“I see… Send more clothes over, none of these are to my taste.”

Finally, after about half an hour, the door to the dressing room swung open, Artie stepping out of it with a graceful gait.

Barbara was drinking a cup of water to calm her nerves, but the moment she saw Artie, she spat out the drink, coughing uncontrollably.

Cough! Cough—!

“S-so you went for that one…” she muttered.

Yen on the other hand was munching on some snacks as she watched Artie, giving her a thumbs up.

“Nice pick!”

Artie smiled as she observed herself in the mirror. “I know right? This one feels just right…”

“Alright, let’s go… we need to find a way into that party.”

After all the clothes had been packaged and they discussed a few more things, Artie and Yen left, leaving Barbara alone in the shop.

She sighed as she watched them leave.

“I pity the man she has eyes on…”

Meanwhile, back in the tavern…

Three Stags, two bears and one racoon…

Each of them platinum gold!

“It is Gold Rush!” One of the onlookers screamed, unable to believe his eyes.

Gold rush was so rare, that it was said that most people would never see it in their lives.

“Someone finally beat Charlie!!”

But the chatter ceased the moment Charlie exposed his cards, a dark look in his eyes….

“To think you would go this far… it seems the gods do favour you.” Charlie breathed out.

“But alas…”

Thwack!

“Another gold rush?!” Someone screamed, sounding like he was on the verge of losing his mind.

The server immediately observed the cards, counting it out.

“Three stags… two bears…”

Eliron sighed as he stared at the cards. ’This guy is really something…’

’To think I would fail to win my first poker match.’

The server stood straight, a shocked look in his eyes.

“It… it—it is a draw!”

As the crowd began to murmur amongst themselves, discussing the outcome of the match, Charlie stood up, his gaze dark.

That was because although Eliron was unhappy about the result, Charlie had even more reason to be more than furious.

His perfect recons was now a thousand plus wins, zero losses… and one draw.

Eliron half expected him to upturn the table and throw a tantrum, but instea—-

“Hahahahahaha! What a match! You’ve really got some spunk kid!”

He glanced at the serving man. “Split the cash and have his own share ready.” Then he turned back to Eliron and Ash.

“As for you two, come to my office, there is something you would like to know right?”

<•••>

After receiving the location of the blinking merchant from Charlie, Eliron and Ash followed the instructions to an abandoned building in a shady part of town.

Eliron walked towards the door and grabbed the handle.

“This is it Ash, the Demonic blinking merchant’s hideout.”

Ash nodded, his hand inches away from his sword. If there were any unsavoury individuals, then he would cut them down in the blink of an eye.

Creak!

Eliron pushed the door open and stepped into the dark space, completely consumed by darkness.

Then the door was shut by itself. A lone candle sparked to life, creating a visage of an individual sitting cross legged on a dark throne.

On their face was a black demonic mask that shrouded their features in mysteries, and they wore a black cloak with runic markings all over it.

Eliron smirked as he watched them, then he clapped once.

“Heh? How amusing….”

More candles flickered to life, revealing a dozen masked figures around them, their blades gleaming in the faint lighting.

They were surrounded.

“Is this how you have chosen to greet me, Merchant?”

The Demonic Blinking Merchant tilted their head slightly. “Welcome to my domain, Lord of elves…”

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