shopping Time

The late morning sun filtered through the gaps in Redfern Hollow's wooden rooftops as Liam walked with measured pace through the busy central market. A modest cloth bag hung from his right shoulder, already bulging slightly from its contents. Inside, he had packed dried apricots, figs, prunes, and raisins, the kind of food that would last during travel and require little preparation. They would serve their purpose.

Once he found a quiet alley between a blacksmith's shed and a narrow pottery stall, Liam slipped into the shade. He cast a brief glance over his shoulder. No one seemed to be watching. He knelt, opened the bag, and one by one transferred the contents into his inventory.

There was no flash of light, no sound to mark the act. The items simply vanished from the physical world, suspended in a space where time did not move.

Liam exhaled quietly. "No one can ever know," he muttered to himself. Not the shopkeepers. Not fellow travelers. Not even the gods, though he doubted such beings could be deceived.

Returning to the main street, he continued his shopping. He passed by a cobbler's stand and accidentally kicked something with his boot. Looking down, he found a silver coin nestled between two stones. He picked it up, palmed it, and slid it into his pouch with practiced ease. His expression never changed.

It wasn't the first coin he'd found today. In fact, by now he had collected over sixteen gold and more than two dozen silver coins. It had started as a curious coincidence, but now he barely gave it thought.

"Apparently, coin grows on dirt," he murmured, a half-smirk on his lips.

His next destination was a butcher's stall that sold dried meats and jerky. He had no particular taste for them, but he knew they would serve as practical rations. More importantly, carrying what others expected him to have would help him blend in. The fewer questions asked on the road, the better.

He purchased a generous supply, enough to last at least ten days, including any stops at Thornmere, then walked to the alley once again to store it safely. It all vanished into the inventory, leaving behind only a light cloth bag to suggest he had bought anything at all.

Liam tilted his head, thinking.

"The inventory's time-stop effect is absurdly useful," he thought. "Nothing spoils. Bread remains soft. Meat stays dry but edible. Even fruit doesn't rot. The only limitation is the twenty-meter range and the fact that living things can't go in."

He recalled a scenario he had imagined the night before: someone pointing a weapon at him. If timed well, he could snatch the weapon into his inventory, disarming the attacker in an instant.

"Would be poetic justice to turn his own weapon against him," Liam mused.

Before long, he reached the local baker's shop, a stall larger than most, with a glass-covered counter displaying neatly arranged loaves. The scent of warm bread drifted out into the street. The shopkeeper, a round-bellied man in a linen apron, greeted him with theatrical enthusiasm.

"Ah, good morning, sir! What can I tempt you with today?"

Liam leaned slightly to peer through the glass. "How much for the white bread?"

"Eight copper a loaf," the man answered cheerfully. "Maslin bread,that's the mixed flour, goes for three. The brown loaves and coburg rounds are two copper apiece."

Liam calculated quickly.

"I'll take ten of the white, and ten of the coburg."

The baker nodded with a practiced smile and began gathering the loaves, some from the display and others from the back shelves. He filled Liam's cloth bag to overflowing, and still had twelve loaves left to pack.

"Ah," the baker said, his tone shifting ever so slightly. "If you need an extra cloth bag, I happen to have some for sale. Only two copper each. Very sturdy."

Liam stared for a moment, then blinked. "So that's how it is," he thought. "Just like those vendors back on Earth, charging extra for bags after the purchase."

Still, he said nothing. He handed over three more copper coins and took the offered bags.

As he turned to leave, a sudden thud made him glance back. The shopkeeper had slipped, his heel catching on a flour-slick patch of ground. His forehead struck the edge of the counter with a loud crack.

"Agh! Gods damn it!"

Liam didn't stop walking. He didn't need to.

He already knew what had happened. His passive skill had taken effect again.

He returned briefly to the alley to store the bread, then proceeded to buy a few more essentials: a small flask of salt, some dried herbs to flavor bland food, a cheap flint firestarter, and a coil of twine. All of it went into the inventory.

By the time he returned to the Chestnut Inn, the sun was hanging high in the sky. The air had grown warmer, and his legs were beginning to feel the weight of the morning's errands.

Inside the inn, the common room was lively. Travelers were laughing over drinks and plates of stew, the scent of garlic and herbs thick in the air.

"Oi, boy! Over here, before your lunch gets cold!"

He turned his head toward the familiar voice. Merra stood near the hearth, wiping her hands on her apron. She was smiling, but her tone left no room for delay.

"Apologies, Big Sis," Liam replied as he approached. "Shopping took longer than I expected."

"So I figured," she said, gesturing toward the kitchen. "Elli's been waiting for you. Says she won't eat unless her brother joins her. Go now, before she starts crying and turns the kitchen into a pond."

Liam gave her a small nod and slipped through the swinging door.

He didn't even have time to call out. Elli barreled into him, arms wrapping tightly around his waist.

"Big brother! You're late! Lunch is getting cold!"

Liam chuckled, patting the top of her head. "My apologies, my lady. The market was a battlefield. But your knight has returned safely."

Elli grinned and grabbed his hand, dragging him toward the small table already set for two.

Two wooden plates, each with a pair of bread rolls. Two bowls of thick meat stew, still steaming. A small bowl of boiled eggs sat in the center.

Liam raised an eyebrow. "You certainly enjoy your eggs. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner."

"They make your hair grow shiny," Elli replied with conviction.

He laughed and ruffled her hair again. This time, she didn't complain.

They sat together and began to eat. Elli chattered cheerfully, recounting every mundane detail of her morning, how she helped sweep the floor, how Raine dropped a mug and blamed the cat, how she almost stole a cookie from the kitchen but got caught. Liam listened, occasionally responding with a small nod or a brief smile, but said little.

When the meal ended, he reached into his cloak and pulled out a chocolate-flavored lollipop.

"For dessert," he said, offering it with a slight flourish.

Elli's eyes sparkled. "You remembered!"

She took it eagerly, unwrapped it, and planted a sticky kiss on his cheek.

"You're the best, big brother."

"Glad to be of service," Liam replied dryly, rising from his chair.

It was nearly half past one. Two hours remained until departure.

Time to prepare.