Chapter 14 – Running a errand date p.2

Returning to his maid master, like a mule packed with cargo, he had said nothing about his encounter, believing it was probably hogwash, even if the fortune teller did have mysterious powers. and– secured the contents of her soon-to-be gift. She did however look at him like had something to hide.

"Where the hell did you go off, and why are you sweating? Were you part of the performance?" 

"Uhh, I got preoccupied, never mind that. Where are we off to next?" he said, swallowing hard. It was best not to tell her anything about the strange lady. 

She let out a heavy sigh. He noticed that she seemed to sigh a lot. Did she have stress or depression or something? He'd pry her heart open sooner or later.

"To the alchemy shop."

Their next and final stop was an alchemy shop. It was assorted with a palette of jars, vials, and powders, painted by nature herself. Lined up shelves along the wall. A thick chemical scent, mixed with that of cooking herbs, made his nose burn with irritation.

He followed her inside, trying not to sneeze. 

She had approached the man at the counter with a list of stuff they had gathered. For the first time, he properly noticed how she carried herself. No-nonsense, confident, and disciplined. He could probably learn from her. 

"Red dust crystal powder, moon salt crystal, Fermented slime resin, tundra blossoms, and wizard chalk."

The clerk, a man with a thick black beard and a wizard hat, stroked his facial hair, raising an eyebrow. "Unusual shopping list," he said. "Planning for a festival or something."

She appeared annoyed, giving him an ugly glance. "We're stocking up on home resources, we just moved to a new place, is there a problem?"

"No, no of course not." the man buckled under a tense stare and disappeared into the back. "Give me a moment."

August leaned closer to her shoulder, in whisper distance. "Uh, what exactly are we buying? That man seemed suspicious of you."

She sighed, lowering her head. "If you must know, just general stuff for Fire-making, a good stew, medicine for illness, housekeeping. Perhaps cooking a perverted pig tonight."

He looked away like he didn't hear that last part. 

Her answers were vague but he wasn't going to push further. The man brought out half of the goods, a display of powders and glowing stones.

Curiosity got the hold of August, and he started poking at the crystal.

"Woah! Careful now." the man snapped, his sudden voice pitch making August jump into the air. "Some of those stuff Ain't meant to be mixed, you fuck it up, and the entirety of the royal palace will be here cleaning out the fire."

He was taken aback, "Ah, Sorry."

The clerk collected the rest of the ingredients, rehearsing each one, as he went over a variety of bottles. The red dust crystals had been put in a heavy and thick glass jar, handling them like they were a delicate babe. The moon salt crystals shimmered inside a sealed vial, The resin wrapped inside several layers of hard paper, covered in a balk. Tundra blossoms, in a closed icy bowl, the smell was intoxicating, almost hallucinogenic. Then there was the wizard chalk, covered with simple parchment, it gave off a soft vibrating sound. 

The clerk packed it all together, giving Alysse a stern frown. "Do… not… mix those crystals!"

"What would happen–hypothetically?" August asked drawing ire from the two others in the store. 

"Boom, forget the fire, this block will be gone. Ms. Alysse here has a permit. You!" he pointed at August with a metal stick. "I do not trust around alchemy."

He stifled out a nervous laugh. 

"We'll be fine. Thank you for the assistance." ALysse waved off the man. 

Just before they left, August's hand slipped on the bag, accidentally knocking one of the jars open, the other remained sealed thankfully. 

"Oops…" 

"Stupid girl, are you deliberately trying to kill us." For the first time in his life, shouting genuinely frightened him.

"Idiot!" the maid said, slapping him over his face, pain spiking in his face. 

He could feel the urge to cry, welling up. It was the first time a woman had slapped him.

He really didn't mean for it to happen, he was just clumsy. 

She grabbed the bag off the ground and beckoned him to get moving. The clerk started mumbling, with paranoia. "If I see a burned house in the Printing press, I will know who was responsible."

August felt genuine shame. Walking out slowly like he was wounded. He kept his head low.

As they stepped back in the sunlight. She approached him, rubbing his face as if the pain would be soothed. 

"I'm sorry," she said, her muscles tensing as if an apology was against her nature. "But you're pretty dumb sometimes."

He welled up his cheeks with air. The man he was before simply wouldn't have taken that slap that easily, all this dressing up as a girl, and the feminine male body he inhabited felt like some cursed roleplay.

"So why do you need block leveling crystals? Definitely not for cooking!" he shouted at her. 

She gave him a mischievous side eye, "Wouldn't you like to know."

Suspicions lingered as they made their way to the next stop, August felt unease and regretfully dumb about what he potentially could have done.

Returning 'home', Their master and mistress were nowhere in sight. They were alone in his house, at least he could do it one on one without a bystander judging him. He has never done such a thing in his life before.

He retrieved the contents of the gifts from the bag. Approached her while her back was turned. His heart was racing.

"What now, you need your tummy fed, you overgrown baby."

"No," he whispered. Holding the gift in her hands. "For you."

She turned around surprised, "Pudding?" 

Then she spotted the flower, and anger immediately flushed on her face. She snatched it from his hand. "How do you know about this, wha–why would you give this to me."

Pain flashed in her face, he could see a flicker of different emotions. Did Petalyn blue perhaps hold significance to her past? He wondered why she reacted that way. 

"I asked Miss Irina, what you would like. It's a peace offering. I was hoping you could forgive me for–"

"For ejaculating on my face, yes, yes…" her manic panic settled down, and she relaxed, tension disappearing. "Yes, I should have knocked. You have your ways of life."

A single tear struggles to get out of her face, threatening to fall down. She covered her eyes.

"Thank you," she spoke softly, but her face looked fragile. Maybe she isn't an ice queen after all