Today was my day off, so I decided to finally do something I had been putting off—buying a familiar. As a member of the familiar club, I knew I needed to bring my own familiar to meetings, and my teacher Seiptor had been giving me disapproving looks every time I attended without one. Now that I had recovered from my injuries, I figured it was time to finally make the purchase.
[<Your body is not normal.>]
"I guess? I have three Legacies."
I smiled at Cleenah's comment, realizing once again how unusual my abilities were.
[...]
I noticed that Jarvis, my system, had been quieter than usual lately. It had started when Cleenah appeared, but it seemed to be getting worse.
He was still helping me with the SHOP, but I couldn't help wondering if something was bothering him.
Shrugging off the thought, I grabbed my jacket and snuck out of the dormitory. Once I was in an isolated corner, I pulled a blindfold out of my inventory and put it on. The blindfold functioned like a mask, changing my appearance while hiding my eyes. I didn't want to attract any attention or be recognized, so I had purchased it in the SHOP. I could have used Mary's ability and worn a mask, but I wanted to save that for a different occasion.
With my new white hair and blindfold, I was confident that no one would recognize me.
[<I think you will attract more attention with that weird style.>]
I shrugged off the comment and reminded myself of my purpose—to buy a familiar. I knew of a good shop where I could find one, so I took the mana train to the western part of the Dorian Capital. As Cleenah had warned me, I attracted quite a bit of attention with my unusual appearance, but as long as no one recognized me, I was fine.
[<Do you have any idea about which one?>]
"Yes, I think I know which one to get," I replied to Cleenah's question.
After walking for ten minutes, I arrived at a medium-sized shop. It wasn't flashy, but I knew it was a hidden gem. Smirking, I walked inside.
"Excuse me?" a voice called out from behind me.
I turned around and saw a normal-looking girl with brown hair. However, I knew it was just a disguise—it was Aurora.
"Hm?" I replied, trying to act nonchalant.
"I'm sorry, sir. I was wondering if you could help me. I'm looking for a shop that specializes in Familiar's treatment. I don't know much about it, just that the owners are kind and knowledgeable," Aurora explained, sounding a bit embarrassed.
I knew exactly which shop she was talking about. "Yes, I know the place. Did someone tell you about it?" I asked, curious as to how she knew.
"A friend of mine mentioned it. He lives nearby and also has a familiar," she replied vaguely.
I knew she was referring to Jayden. In the game, he had been the one to find the shop in the first place. Aurora and Jayden were neighbors and had a friendly relationship, so it made sense that he would mention it to her.
But something was off. "Why didn't your friend come with you?" I asked, trying to sound casual.
"Oh, it's complicated…" Aurora trailed off.
I had a hunch as to what had happened. It was probably because of me. When I had spoken out about her relationship with Jayden, rumors had spread throughout the academy. Aurora probably didn't want to be seen with Jayden, lest people get the wrong idea.
I couldn't help but wonder—had I ruined Aurora's route?
Hell yeah!
I can't be called a wingman anymore.
I already broke Kleah's and Aurora's routes
As I was walking towards the shop, I accidentally blocked Aurora's way. "Um..." she looked at me with a curious expression.
"Ah, I'm sorry." I apologized and moved to the side.
"Thanks." Aurora smiled at me and then asked, "If I may ask, are you injured in your eyes?"
I touched my blindfold and put on a sad smile, "Ah, this... Yes, I can see, but my eyes are not beautiful to look at." The truth is that since that day three weeks ago when I fought the Holy Church and Ronald, some strange burned marks appeared around my eyes? They were appearing and disappearing out of nowhere and I couldn't even hide them with any skin masks so I chose to boy that blindfold which worked quite well to hide them.
Now that I think about it...these marks are similar to the one the 'me' of the game had on his face and body...
"I don't think so. Beauty is more than appearance." Aurora shook her head and said.
I was impressed by her kindness and noble manners. It was strange to see Aurora speak to me like that, as she usually behaved differently when I was in my true form. Moreover, despite her current normal appearance, she seemed so beautiful and dazzling to me.
"It's nice of you to say that," I smiled back and continued walking towards the shop.
While we were in the shop, Aurora seemed a little lost and asked me, "Where do I ask for treating my Familiar?"
I replied, "That's at the end of the shop. You walk straight and take the right corner. The clerks should be there."
"Thank you very much," Aurora said, bowing her head slightly before walking ahead.
As she left, I couldn't help but think about how different she was acting towards me now that I was in my human form. It was a reminder of the societal norms and prejudices that existed even in this magical world.
"It should be here..." I muttered to myself as I walked towards the section selling eggs.
Yes, eggs.
I was going to choose an egg, and hopefully, it would give me a good Familiar.
As I made my way towards the egg section of the shop, my mind was consumed with thoughts of what type of Familiar I wanted. I had always been fascinated by these mystical creatures, and I couldn't wait to finally have one of my own. I mean they could be mythical creatures! Thinking that, I scanned the shelves, looking for the perfect egg.
The shop was filled with the smell of various herbs and potions. The walls were lined with shelves stocked with potions, powders, and dried herbs. The shelves were lit with small lamps, casting a warm, inviting glow on everything around me.
As I made my way to the egg section, I noticed that the eggs were kept in a glass case. The eggs were of all different shapes and sizes, ranging from small and round to large and oblong. They were all different colors too, some bright and vibrant, while others were muted and earthy.
I approached the glass case and pressed my nose against the glass, trying to get a closer look at the eggs. I noticed that some of the eggs had small cracks on their shells, while others were perfectly smooth. I wondered if the cracked ones were more likely to contain a strong and powerful Familiar, or if they were just more likely to be defective.
I couldn't help but feel a bit overwhelmed by all of the choices in front of me. I wanted to make sure that I picked the right egg, but I wasn't sure how to go about it. I decided to ask one of the shopkeepers for advice.
Excusing myself from the glass case, I walked towards the end of the aisle where a group of clerks were chatting. They all looked up as I approached, and one of them stepped forward.
"Can I help you with something?" he asked, his voice friendly and inviting.
"Yes," I replied. "I'm looking to buy an egg for a Familiar, but I'm not sure which one to choose. Can you give me some advice?"
"Of course," he replied. "What kind of Familiar are you looking for? Do you want one that's powerful, or one that's loyal?"
"I'm not sure," I admitted. "I just want one that will be a good companion and help me on my journey."
The shopkeeper nodded thoughtfully. "In that case, I would recommend choosing an egg that speaks to you. Close your eyes and focus on what you want in a Familiar. The egg that feels right to you is the one you should choose."
"I see…" I plastered a smile on my face and walked off.
"..."
What the hell is that?!
What does that mean, 'close your eyes and feel right'?!
As I perused the rows of familiar eggs at the market, I suddenly heard a voice behind me. Turning around, I saw Aurora holding a yellow bird in her arms, petting it gently.
"Are you looking for a Familiar?" she asked with a smile.
Surprised by her sudden appearance, I nodded in confirmation. "Yes...I am searching for a good one."
Aurora then offered to help me choose, and I was taken aback by her generosity. "Do you know how to choose?" I asked her, curious about her expertise.
With a smile, Aurora explained that her mother had taught her a lot about familiars, and the one she had now was chosen by her and was quite strong.
Grateful for her help, I followed Aurora as she inspected each egg, checking its weight, size, and color. She seemed to know more about the eggs than I did, and I was impressed by her knowledge.
After a while, Aurora brought me two eggs, both white with different patterns on them. "I think these are the best ones," she said, but quickly added, "Of course, I'm only advising you. You can choose another one."
I took the two eggs and examined them closely. They seemed to be of good quality, with proportional weight and unique coloring. I was convinced that they were the best choices I had seen so far.
"Thanks, I think I will take them," I said, feeling content with my decision.
Aurora smiled warmly and hugged her familiar to her chest. I couldn't help but notice how different she seemed when she was with her familiar, or maybe disguised? Without having to be perfect like her status compelled her to be. It was as if a weight had been lifted off her shoulders, and she radiated a sense of inner peace and joy.