Chapter 57: Dividing the tasks

Pov Kira:

hmmm

The next day I wake up feeling that something is holding me, when I turn around I see Diana sleeping beside me, I look down and see that she is holding my breasts from behind.

"Wake up Diana!" (I)

"Hmmmm... five more minutes Mari." (Diana)

She squeezes my breasts as she asks me to sleep some more and calls me Mari.

"Your breasts… have shrunk because… Mari?" (Diana)

"(Who is Mari?)" (I)

"Wake up soon you pervert!" (I)

"Hmmm...huh?" (Diana)

"Kira? Why are you facing my side of the bed." (Diana)

"Look again, you're the one who turned to my side of the bed, you're also the one holding my breasts." (I)

"..." (Diana)

She blushes and lets go of me before getting up, so she gets a better look at the bed and gets even redder.

"I'm sorry Kira, it looks like I changed position on the bed myself." (Diana)

"Okay, it's not like I care about that kind of thing." (I)

"But tell me, who is Mari?" (I)

"..." (Diana)

"How do you know Mari's name?" (Diana)

"Why did you squeeze my breasts while saying her name." (I)

"..." (Diana)

She gets even redder and tries to hide her face with both hands, for someone with the appearance of a brave warrior she looks very cute now, you really can't judge someone by their appearance.

"I can't believe I did this." (Diana)

"Probably because you two are Elves I confused you." (Diana)

"You still haven't answered me, who is Mari?" (I)

"She's an ex-girlfriend." (Diana)

"I stayed with her when she was still a novice as an adventurer, now she's retired and works as a receptionist at the Adventurers' Guild." (Diana)

"I must have dreamed about her today because I met her yesterday, she was the receptionist I talked to yesterday." (Diana)

"Well that doesn't matter since we're awake let's get ready and discuss today's plans." (I)

"All right." (Diana)

After we got ready, we went to get the weapons we left on the bed before I sat in a chair and Diana sat on the bed, we're facing each other.

"Let's re-divide the items from the Master's list, there are some items that might be impossible to get." (I)

"And how are we going to split it then?" (Diana)

"For a start, you don't need to ask around anymore about the third prince of the Cartoza Kingdom, I've already taken care of the information, someone much more capable and trustworthy will give me the information in five days." (I)

"That's great." (Diana)

"Then all that's left is the books and tools the master asked for." (Diana)

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about, let me get the blacksmithing items and you get the carpentry items." (I)

"Fine by me, but what about the cooking ones?" (Diana)

"You can get these too." (I)

"But leave the magic books to me, I'll try to find the best for the master." (I)

"I will then try to buy the Adventurers Guild books about monsters, jobs, and skills." (Diana)

"That's a good idea, these books are more complete than those elsewhere." (I)

"It would be nice to try and get a map too, but I'll leave that to you, the Adventurers Guild maps are more detailed." (me)

"The question is the book about the creative works, where am I going to get those?" (Diana)

"Since the master wants the basic books you should get them all from the bookstore, but they're going to be expensive." (I)

"Speaking of money, could you split half your gold coins with me?" (I)

"I can, but what happened to the ones you were with?" (Diana)

"I used it to pay upfront for the information." (I)

"Alright, here it is." (Diana)

Diana removes a leather pouch from her necklace and shares half of the gold coins she brought with her.

Then we talk some more and I put on a white hooded overcoat and leave the inn as quickly as I can through the front door.

"(I'll leave it to go to the Black Market in about four days, I'll try to look for the things that the master asked for before going there.)" (I)

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With that Diana and I spent the next few days going to various legal and illegal stores, during those days we got all the tools that the master asked for, we also got almost all the books.

I was lucky enough to be able to buy some books about the element of darkness, it seems that there are many uses of this element, much more than other elements.

The books I'm having trouble finding are the ones about the blood element and magical engineering, it looks like I'm going to have to go to the Black Market anyway.

On the afternoon of the fifth day, I go without a mask and wearing a simple dress to a pretty empty restaurant, as I enter I look around until I find a familiar figure drinking and eating heartwood, I go up to her and say.

"Are you drinking again?" (I)

"You were the one who said I should be seen for a few days drowning in booze." (Diana)

"You didn't need to take my words so literally, you've been drinking enough to drown one person a day." (I)

Sigh

She drops the mug on the table and looks sad.

"I know, but I miss the master, it's been days since we've been here, I want to leave soon so I can hug the master and smell him again." (Diana)

"I know how you feel, I want to see the master too, but we still have things to do." (I)

"Let me correct you, I already have everything the master asked for is you who still have to get the latest books and information." (Diana)

"If anyone listened to you they would think you put more effort into your tasks than I did, but we both know I was the one with the toughest tasks." (I)

"Alright alright, sorry for saying that, you're right, I ended up leaving the worst tasks to you." (Diana)

"Well you didn't have a choice in that, the things on the list I picked to pick up would be impossible to get legally." (I)

As we talked I sat in the chair across the table, Diana looking at me strangely.

"Why do you keep looking at me like that?" (I)

"I already said that if you keep looking at me like that every time we meet during the day someone might be suspicious." (I)

"Sorry, it's hard to see you in a dress and looking like that too." (Diana)

The truth is, I took advantage of the money the DM gave to complete the tasks on the list to buy an item called the Illusion Spirit Ring.

This is an item that uses spiritual energy to cast an illusion on the owner that magic and Ki users cannot or have difficulty seeing.

I'm currently using it to make just a small change to my appearance.

My appearance is now white skin, blonde hair, and blue eyes instead of my normal gray skin, black hair, and purple eyes appearance, with my current appearance I look like a normal white Elf.

I did this because it's not normal to see a Gray Elf in this town, it could draw a lot of unwanted attention, so I use this item to hide my appearance.

"Just get used to it soon, all I've changed is the color of my skin, hair, and eyes." (I)

"I'm not that different." (I)

"You're right, now let's get to the main point, when are you going to get the missing items." (Diana)

"I'll get the information tomorrow from my contact." (I)

"And about the books, I have to let you know I'll be late today." (I)

"Going where?" (Diana)

"I'm going to the Black Market, this is the only place outside the Mages Guild that will have these books." (me)

"You're right, but it's still risky, what assurance do you have that the books are real or their contents usable?" (Diana)

"The Black Market works the same way as the Commerce Guild, but they trade illegal items instead of legal ones." (I)

"They just like any merchant always seek to have a good reputation, which in the criminal world means that they buy anything regardless of its origin and that they sell anything regardless of the identity of the person who is buying it." (I)

"They always sell real items, anyone who tries to break into the Black Market to sell fakes will be lucky if he's just killed." (I)

"The Black Market cares a lot about their reputation for always selling genuine items, so I know if I find these books there they'll be real." (I)

"If what you say is true, then why didn't you go shopping there the first day?" (Diana)

"You can find anything for sale on the Black Market, but you have to know it will be more expensive than buying from other sources." (I)

"Usually things sold illegally are cheaper, so they can be sold faster, but the Black Market is different, it's expensive for two reasons, it guarantees the item you buy is genuine and guarantees your safety while you're in the market." (I)

"That's why I avoided going there, I wanted to save the money until I bought everything on the list." (I)

"I see, so now that only these books are left you can spend all the rest of the money, right?" (Diana)

"Exactly, that's why I want you to pass me what's left of the gold coins and most of the silver coins you have." (I)

"All right." (Diana)

Diana removes two leather bags from her necklace, one large and one small, then hands them to me.