Chapter 158 Fool's Gold and Dove Feathers

The Dove Feather Tailor Shop.

An ordinary tailor shop on Fool's Gold Street in Nym City.

The shop wasn't large, nowhere near the size of the [Stone Oven Bakery] next door.

Its interior decor was nothing special. In fact, it felt a little cramped, with shelves packed full of various fabrics.

Business, however, was surprisingly good.

The owner had likely conducted detailed market research before opening.

Matching the shop's unpretentious decor, the goods were mostly cheap, sturdy, and durable.

This perfectly suited the nature of Fool's Gold Street, a residential area for ordinary workers and their families.

Combined with a clever location—the nearest competitor was three streets away—the shop had already gathered plenty of returning customers despite opening recently.

Barring any accidents, if sales kept booming like this, it wouldn't take many years to recoup the initial investment and start turning a real profit.

This was practically Jeff's dream retirement.

A few months ago, when he lost his left leg during a seemingly ordinary transport mission, he had felt his future go completely dark.

Lying all alone in the Sun God Church in Kalanfor, he had even considered ending his life right then and there to spare his children the burden.

Fortunately, the kind and amiable Cleric at the church had consoled him, helping him pull himself together.

He realized that surviving the undead creature that night—saved by the two accompanying adventurers at the cost of only one leg—was already the greatest stroke of luck.

So, he had resolutely announced his retirement in the tavern and sold the caravan he had operated for years.

He returned to Nym City, bumped up his plans, and opened this tailor shop with his wife and daughter.

Now, a few months had passed.

Kalanfor had been reduced to ruins, and the once-grand Sun God Church was nothing more than a pile of scorched, broken walls.

As for the two adventurers who had saved him...

One was a Halfling whose current whereabouts were unknown, likely having traveled far away.

The other... seemed to have made a bit of a name for himself.

A while ago, while drinking and chatting with some adventurer acquaintances at the tavern, Jeff had heard him mentioned.

He figured that once the shop's business completely stabilized, he would find some free time, pack a few gifts, and head back to Rivervale Town to properly thank the man and catch up with old friends.

"Hey, do you have any more of that green one? I see there's only half a roll left on the shelf."

Inside the shop, a short, plump middle-aged woman stood with a hand on her hip, pointing at the shelf.

"We do, ma'am, right in the back storeroom," Jeff replied with warm enthusiasm, his wooden prosthetic tapping cleanly against the floorboards.

"Please wait a moment, I'll go fetch it now."

He turned around, gave a few instructions to his daughter, Lilina, who was managing the checkout counter, and went into the back room.

Standing by the shelf, the middle-aged woman watched Jeff disappear behind the door.

A shrewd, cunning glint flashed through her narrow eyes, which were squeezed tight by her plump cheeks.

Reaching out, she grabbed the remaining half-roll of fabric from the shelf and hurried over to the counter.

"This is too much hassle, just give me this one. I'm in a hurry."

"Give me a fifty percent discount, how about it?"

Holding a bag she had just pulled from under the counter, Lilina paused and hesitated. "Ma'am, our shop's listed prices are already..."

"Oh, why say all that? We're all neighbors here, just give me a discount."

The middle-aged woman waved a hand, cutting her off.

"This isn't the only shop in the city, you know. I can buy this anywhere!"

"And it's not like your quality is that much better than other places. I'm doing you a favor by giving you my business, understand?"

"Besides, if you sell it to me cheaper today and I find it good when I use it, I'll definitely come back. I might even bring a few more customers to your shop. You'll make a profit!"

"Hurry up and give me a straight answer. Are you selling or not?"

"If not, I'm leaving!"

It was a mystery where this middle-aged woman, who likely hadn't attended school for more than a few years, had learned this entire routine.

First, leverage her status as a "neighbor" to show that the Dove Feather Tailor Shop wasn't her only option and she didn't have to spend her money here.

Then, explain the benefits of selling to her at a discount—bringing in more customers—while subtly implying she could influence the shop's reputation among local residents with just a few words, applying pressure.

She spoke rapidly, pushing her agenda layer by layer.

In just a few sentences, she had completely seized control of the conversation's pacing.

Lilina, a naive girl who hadn't been out of the academy for long, found her emotions dragged along by the words and lost her ability to think clearly.

It felt as though simply refusing the discount would completely ruin the tailor shop's business.

Seeing the woman act like she was about to turn and leave, Lilina hurriedly raised her voice to stop her.

"Wait, ma'am, don't go just yet!"

Having already anticipated this, the middle-aged woman flashed a triumphant look. She spun right around, slammed her prepared coins onto the counter, and shoved them toward Lilina.

Meanwhile, her left hand smoothly slipped the half-roll of fabric into the basket slung over her arm.

"Little girl, you should have just done this earlier. Don't worry, you won't lose out."

"It's fine, I'm in a hurry, so there's no need to wrap it."

Saying this, she shot a glance at the closed back room door, turned hastily, and marched toward the shop's entrance.

But after those short, plump legs took only two steps, she suddenly froze in place.

At some point, several fierce-looking men with savage sneers and tattoos on their chests had blocked the doorway.

They ignored the middle-aged woman, who was rooted to the spot in fear.

The bald, muscular man standing at the front, evidently the leader, clasped his hands behind his back and leisurely strolled into the tailor shop.

He didn't speak, acting as if he were truly just an ordinary customer while his gaze swept over the colorful fabrics and clothes on the shelves.

Lilina stood behind the counter.

She instinctively turned, her lips parting slightly as if to call for her father in the back room.

But as though recalling Jeff's instructions over the past few days, she forced herself to stand up straight, squeezed out a stiff smile, and greeted him.

"Welcome to the Dove Feather Tailor Shop. Is there anything you need help with, sir?"

Seemingly surprised by Lilina's reaction, the bald thug raised an eyebrow. He stood still, not even looking at her. His eyes casually scanned the surrounding shelves as he spoke slowly.

"Give me an introduction."

Lilina didn't dare breathe too heavily. She hastily rallied her spirits, her mind racing as she recalled the pitch she had practiced countless times at home.

"Over here is old linen from Sheep Hoof Village near Nym. It's excellent whether made into grain sacks or used to hang cured meat. An ordinary person couldn't even cut through it with a knife."

"On the shelf to your left is reed cotton from the lower reaches of the Silver Scale River. It grows naturally from seeds carried by waterbirds and sprouted in velvet grass. It's as soft as real cotton. If you have children at home, it's perfect for swaddling cloths."

"And then, in front of the counter..."

Seeing Lilina start to speak more smoothly, the bald thug coughed dryly to interrupt her, speaking in a dark tone.

"The Feast of the Moon is coming up, and I want to have some clothes made for the brothers around me. I want a more comfortable material, like that cotton you just mentioned. Can you do it here?"

"Of course!" Although he looked fierce, he seemed to genuinely just be a customer looking to buy something. Lilina immediately sighed in relief and nodded repeatedly.

"May I ask for the approximate sizes and quantity..."

"Two hundred pieces."

The bald man stared at the stunned girl in front of him, and the savage sneer that should have been there all along finally surfaced on his face.

Grinning, he held up three fingers.

"I'll give you three days. I'll send someone over to collect the goods then, and if you're short even one piece..."

His smile grew more ferocious, the eyes in his deep sockets seeming to melt into the shadows.

"I'll smash this shop to pieces, you hear me!?"

"But two hundred pieces... two hundred pieces, even those large shops in the city center... And in only three days, I..."

Clearly, this sudden turn of events—a violent flare-up right after she had let her guard down—finally snapped the taut string in Lilina's mind.

Panicked and helpless, she babbled incoherently, not even knowing what she was saying.

It wasn't until then that Jeff finally limped out of the back room, carrying several large rolls of fabric.

Having traveled far and wide running a caravan for so many years, he didn't need the girl to explain. A single sweep of his eyes over the people in the shop was enough to figure out exactly what had happened.

He casually set the green fabric in his arms down on the counter, an ingratiating smile appearing on his face.

Stepping forward on his prosthetic leg, he hunched his posture and took the initiative to greet them.

"Oh my, you fine gentlemen are here. Why didn't you send someone to give us a heads-up?"

"This old cripple only just noticed you, I'm truly sorry."

As he spoke, he smoothly pressed a pre-prepared coin pouch into the muscular man's hand.

His gaze casually swept over the tattoo on the man's chest as he chuckled.

"So it's the gentlemen from the Gray Badger Gang. Look at me—I've been running caravans for so long, I almost forgot the rules."

"Take this small sum as a contribution for a candle at the Feast of the Moon for you fine sirs. Another day, this old cripple will personally pay a visit to apologize."

The thug didn't refuse. He took the pouch, weighed it in his hand, and glanced down at Jeff's prosthetic leg.

"You're a sensible old thing."

"But... with just this much, do you take me for a beggar?"

Jeff's expression didn't change in the slightest. Still wearing that humble smile, he replied, "Look at what you're saying, how would I dare?"

"It's just that last night at the [Iron Bucket Toad], I had a few too many drinks with 'Stubborn Donkey'. I lost control for a moment, ordered an expensive bottle, and spent all the money I had on me."

"My old lady even scolded me for it when I got home, haha."

As if a certain keyword had been mentioned, the bald man's expression suddenly turned cold. His eyes narrowed as he stared at Jeff in front of him.

He certainly knew the [Iron Bucket Toad]; it was a tavern nearby.

And "Stubborn Donkey" was the nickname of its owner.

Rumor had it that he spent a few years as an adventurer in Rivervale Town when he was young, later saving up some money and returning to Nym to open a tavern.

He had a lot of connections and knew quite a few people, and his tavern was a year-round gathering place for a large number of adventurers.

Recalling what this cripple had just said about running a caravan for a while, it wasn't entirely impossible that he had some sort of relationship with Stubborn Donkey.

But...

He still felt a bit of hesitation.

And in front of so many people, he couldn't just let it go like this.

So, deliberately lowering his voice, he growled, "Are you threatening me?"

"Of course not!" Jeff quickly denied. He took two steps back and was just about to say something.

But suddenly, a commotion came from outside the door.

It caused all three of them—Lilina, the thug, and Jeff—to look toward the shop entrance in unison.

What entered their vision was a young man with sharp facial features and messy black hair.

Sweeping his gaze over the overly young face, the bald thug frowned slightly.

Then he noticed the two swords on his back, one long and one short, as well as the metallic chainmail on his body that was visibly of Fine quality. His expression gradually turned serious.

And when he watched with his own eyes as this black-haired young man, dressed like a veteran adventurer, walked straight into the shop—while the lackeys who had blocked the door under his orders suddenly staggered back to either side to make way, as if pulled by something invisible—his pupils violently shrank!

"Jeff, why didn't you say anything when you opened a shop?"

"If I hadn't happened to come to Nym for a quest, I probably wouldn't have known until next year."

Xia Nan's tone carried a hint of complaint as he smiled and greeted his old friend.

The moment his voice faded, the bald thug's ferocious expression vanished, replaced by an intensely contrasting, enthusiastic smile.

He forcefully shoved the coin pouch back into Jeff's hands and draped an arm around his shoulders in feigned intimacy. "Ah! You should have said so earlier! I know Stubborn Donkey too. We're all brothers here. I came over specifically to support your business today, and you're being so polite with me!"

"Are you treating your little brother like an outsider?"

Saying that, he directly called over his lackeys outside the door, who had just regained their balance and were looking rather confused.

"What are you standing around for? Did you forget what we came here to do today?"

He casually grabbed a roll of fabric from the shelf, pulled out a pouch of coins, and placed it carefully on the counter.

"Keep the change!"

He waved his hand at Lilina with feigned generosity.

Under the threat of his glare, the lackeys—who still hadn't figured out why his attitude had done a complete one-eighty—could only follow suit, lining up one by one at the counter to pay.

Laughing awkwardly, the bald thug seemed to remember something else.

His expression suddenly turned cold, as if he had instantly reverted to the moment he first entered the shop.

Except this time, the target of his threat had shifted from Lilina and Jeff to the middle-aged woman, who was still lingering in the shop due to the group's sudden arrival.

"The prices in this tailor shop are already so affordable, and you still want a discount? Are you trying to stop them from doing business!?"

"Go on, make up the rest of the money for me!"