Kieran’s second customer

Our story start with a high school girl who's just your typical nobody at school. No exceptionally grades, looks, popularity, and personality. She's just… flat. A folding screen. Nobody. Air. Trash. This is what she is. This is what she's met with everyday. Just a nobody, nothing, trash. She's depressed knowing this. She want to change, she desire it, she lust for it. But, day by day, nothing changed and even if she did do something, she's just too below ordinary to even be looked at

But, this changed the moment she went home. She had a feeling, it was instinctive, almost like it was speaking to her directly. She went to a shortcut path through an alleyway that she sometimes use to get home and nothing changed. Well, almost nothing

"Was this always here?"

She was talking about another path and at the end she could see a store or rather a house made out of wood. She thought it was strange since she'd never seen this path nor was the house there. And further more, who in their right mind would build their house inside an alleyway?

Either way, she went toward the house that her gut feeling was telling her to and knock on the door. A voice of a middle age man resounded from the inside

"Come in!"

She didn't know whether she should or not. What if her feeling was wrong? What if she had just walked into a total stranger's house and then got raped inside? Those things plague her thought but one thing cleared it up. Her gut feeling. It reassures her and make her feel confident, which she rarely does

She take a breath of fresh air and open the door. Inside, there was four lightbulbs above two outer tables that're sprawled with items of unknown material and nature. The middle table was much more bigger and had weapons. Swords, spears, shields, axes, bows, crossbows, all of the weapons you can think of

At first, she didn't know that the house was so big on the inside but then a powerful gust of wind push her in and the door slam shut behind her. That's when the same middle age voice resounded

"Greetings, customer."

"Ah, h-hello."

"No need to be shy. Anyways, you arrived just on time, although a little late but it was calculated. I got the right merchandise for you, young lady."

"H-Huh? W-what? M-Merchandise?"

"Yes! Merchandise! My merchandise to be exact. I'll go grab it for you."

Our protagonist was stunned by the man who's dressed like a butler and even had black gloves with a strange symbol on the back. He walk pass her and take up a rectangle box. The carving on it's lid was of a pair of beautiful angels blowing trumpets. Flowers rain down from around the pair and it was quite a beautiful carved picture. The man gave her the box in front of her

"This is a music box. Careful, it won't open and you can't force it or else it might accidentally broke. Anyways, it'll open on everyday and it'll fulfill a wish you dearly want. The wish can be manipulated by thinking about it when you go to sleep."

"W-what? I-I don't know."

She was getting sketchy feelings from the man in front of her. He was handsome and almost bewitching even. His expression and body language was smooth, indicating that he'd done this multiple times already, and his black eyes were deep and clear like the night sky

But, her gut feeling was telling her to grab the box in front of her and leave. It was a very specific feeling. Almost like… it was being manipulated. She try to deny this but it didn't work. It felt like if she didn't accept the merchandise the man is giving her, then she would forever live in her bleach and grey life with no way to make it exceptional

This strikes a nail into her already fragile heart. This made her resolve ignite and grab the box. The man flick his arm up and said in a clear voice

"Very wise, young lady! Now, if you require further business, then an appropriate price must be paid."

"H-Huh? Further… business?"

"Yes, you can purchase another merchandise and this time, it'll be of your own choosing but be careful, the price is very steep. And most likely you'll regret it."

"…"

The man now has a creepy and dark vibe around him. Almost demonic if she would say. But, her gut feeling was now empty. Like it'd run out of juice. She decide to just leave

"W-well. I-I'm in a pretty comfortable position, so I'll leave."

"Very well, hope to meet you at Road's End, dear young lady."

"…"

She didn't speak further and leave through the door. When she open and step out, a sudden change occurred that made her feel strange. She look back and see that the path was now a wall. And she was in the alleyway. She look down on the merchandise she was given and smile. She had a good feeling. She left the scene while Kieran was inside his shop, wiping his nonexistent sweat from his forehead

"Phew, now, where's my next destination."

Our protagonist's story, Celia's story, is another story that should be told in a different occasion (and I already got a handful of them already)