"Aqua, take care of my daughter on my behalf."
That was Oujian's final words to Aqua before she lost conscious. When she woke up, she was already somewhere in the middle of the streets where people don't usually passes to.
The only thing she finds in her obsession was the ring Oujian unknowingly stick in her finger. Unsurprisingly, it was storage ring which showed some letter inside and some coins. Around 70 gold coin
Slowly confirming her surrounding and everything she had, she reminded herself of Oujian's last word to her and nodded in determination.
***
Using the coins she had, Aqua bought a maid clothes and wore it. Maybe because Treasure Vantage was the country close to sea, or it's the land of pirates, the anchor mark strangely stand out amidst the blue cloth. Not to mention, the tissue-like fabric on top of her head.
Feeling something lacking, she bought another accessory to tie her hairs and a wristbands to wrap around her wrist for no particular reason. Maybe this is her fashion sense? Nevertheless it's look good. Author approves.
Looking at the mirror, she got satisfied with her own appearances. Next come the hell. From the time she was born(3 years ago) she have never talked with anyone but Oujian and his crews.
Although her age mentioned low, her mentality didn't say the same. She brought the clothes to the cashier nervously and took out the golds.
With a face lowered while her arms extended up, she laid the clothes to the table higher than her height.
"Little kid, that'll be 65 golds. Can you afford it?"
"Uh-uhn..."
Aqua nodded nervously while her words seemed to tumbles from time to time. Despite this, her action was clear as she took gold coins out of nothing. Exactly 65 gold coins.
"Storage ring? Oi, oi. Kid, come with me a bit. Someone do my work instead."
"Aye, boss."
The 'boss'(?) took Aqua's hand forcibly as other person who was drinking somewhere while looking at their 'boss' work, actually worked.
Meanwhile, Aqua was just confused why this man suddenly took her hand.
The place she was taken was nothing suspicious. Just inside the staff room where customer don't usually enters.
"This storage ring is Oujian's, right? Do you know where he have been?"
"Eh? Ah, um..."
Despite this appearances of him who are rush and like a drunk person, he was patiently waiting for Aqua to finally calm down and talk to him.
"Drink this first and calm down."
"Ah, un..."
She nodded and drank the colourless water the man gave to her.
"Oh?"
The boss 'felt' something weird going on with the liquid. The water he gave to her was just a normal water he stole- taken from heaven's royal court as it says, it is said to have an calming effects, enlightenment effects, assistances to meditation for mage, etc... nothing weird.
The water, was being sucked into Aqua's mouth and even a small vortex was being created.
"This girl!?!? She can achieve the world record of the fastest water drunk."
Aqua thanked the old man for the water because it actually helped her calm down. Strangely, the 'fear' she felt from stranger was also gone and she calmly explained the occurrences.
The Kuru's raid, his grand illusion ability which he said that he stole from greatest illusionist from Riseland's corpse.
Kushu's betrayal, Oujian's lost of arm, and after his last word, she fell unconscious. The method how she arrived here is unknown.
As for the 'Treasure Orbs,' since this old man, Aka Telen already knew about it, she also mentioned about it.
Finally, she said her goals right now, which is to be hired as maid at Oujian's house 'to take care of Marine.'
"I get the gist of it but..., at this state you wouldn't be hired, you know?l
"Eh? But... I don't have more choice..."
"I said 'at this state' as long as I am here, your success rate will raise to 100%."
"Really, Aka-san?"
"Yeah, leave it to me."
"The-then, what should I do?"
"Nothing."
"What?"
After saying this word, Aqua suddenly felt the intense stare in her. as if, the clothes she was wearing aren't enough to cover her. She was like naked in front of this old man.
"All right. I understood your body."
Reader mustn't misunderstand. This man isn't some Master Roshi or something. He is an respectable man. Although he likes joking around like Oujian, he is quite amazing in his own aspect.
His Hyperbolic 1st Sense was 'feeling' although this 'feeling' wasn't combatant 'feeling' ability, it was really useful for lifestyle 'feeling'
Combined with his Tailoring talents, he don't even need to measure his costumer's body to make a clothes fitting to him/her. Although that's not all of his ability, that is the story for another day.
"Hmm..., she don't need a short. But since she is a maid, she should wear a 'maid clothes' right? But maid clothes is too complicated to wear and it's annoying..."
Aka's hand moved like male's certain actions at toilet. Although aggressive and fast, it was also delicate and precise. Cutting the cloth, connecting it string to string, and not forgetting the anchor mark.
"Let's adds the automatic rune magic to fits it to your size as you grow... Hmm,"
Aka looked at his own creation as he shook his head in dissatisfaction.
"That woman is too lecherous. This clothes covers too many skin."
Thus, the white cloth that covered her chest was reduced in half to show half of the skin.
"The skirt is too long. Cut."
Thus, the skirt that could cover Aqua's feet, was reduced to only cover half of her thighs.
The complicated small text was written inside Aqua's outfit. Once the writing was completed, it completely disappeared as if it never existed in first place.
"This is free service."
Of course, only for Aqua. If he did this to all of his costumer, they wouldn't come to his shop anymore as they don't need to buy new clothes because the clothes would grow in size as they get bigger.
"Try wearing it."
The combination of ocean blue and snow white cloth was attracted Aqua. It was no doubt, the perfect clothes that was her type.
Excitedly, she nodded her head and tried the clothes.
Despite being maid outfit, it wasn't as complicated as when she tried the first maid outfit she tried to buy.
Excited, she ran toward Aka to brag the clothes he made.
"It feels like something is missing."
As if Kuro's 21's spirit possessed him, old man tilted his head in dissatisfaction.
"Give me whatever that is tying your hair."
"This is what Otou-san gave me."
"Oh."
Taking it from Aqua's extended hand, he wrote a smaller letters in it and after he was done writing, the letter disappeared.
"Try it again."
Of course, Aqua couldn't understand what he did and just tried as he said.
How mysterious! After Aqua equipped it, her hair twirled in amazing manner! Her appearance looks so chaotic yet, mysteriously adorable right now!
"I created a monster..."
If Aka had a grandchildren and his grandchildren asked him what was his masterpiece among the clothes he made, he will undoubtedly say "Aqua's maid outfit."
Thanking the old man, Aqua got out from the shop and went toward Marine's house.