Soon enough, the dwarf shopkeeper returned from the back, bringing with him two sets of clothes and armor.
"This ere's fer ya, lad. This one's fer the lil miss." He explained while passing the items.
With just one glance, the two liked what the dwarf picked. The color scheme of the selected set remained basically the same as what they already had.
Cassy has black-and-white-based body armor with silver-colored carbon-fiber-reinforced pieces protecting her vital organs. A white robe was used to hide it all, creating a unified and "clean" appearance.
Aster, on the other hand, was given an all-black outfit, creating quite a contrast to his dirty-white scarf. A black windbreaker with a hood, along with six-pocket pants and boots.
As a weapon, Cassy got a more proper-looking knife, one with a fine blade. Aster had something more: an upgrade of his rusty sword, along with an extra sidearm, a 9 mm automatic pistol, and five magazines of ammo, each loaded with 20 shots.
Aster got curious why Cassy didn't get a gun too, but before the dwarf could reply, she already answered.
"My marksmanship grade during the aptitude test was F," she added with an embarrassed smile. "So guns are just a waste on me."
After test-fitting the new garments and completing the final adjustments, the two left with their thick wallets becoming thinner in an instant. The 500 thousand they each had before leaving the guild was reduced to only around 50,000 Tels each!
Of course, that's after Cassy "paid" Aster for the money he spent on her during their first shopping for weapons.
Their money was a lot less than before, but still more than enough to last each of them a few days.
As they finished shopping, the two thanked the dwarf shopkeeper before leaving, heading to a nearby restaurant to have a late lunch or early dinner. During their meal, Aster decided to discuss an important matter with Cassy.
"A new member?" She tilted her head, curious.
Aster nodded with a serious expression, further explaining his thoughts.
"Although we could continue exploring with just the two of us, it's really hard when only one of us can watch over the surroundings."
Today, if they weren't too focused on slimes, they might have avoided such a close encounter with death. It did turn into a blessing afterward, but Aster wouldn't bet on having another bout of luck like that. If the same thing happened next time, he's confident they'd lose their lives for real.
---
"A new party member..."
On the top floor of the Mayor's Building, Mayor Magnus held a glass of red wine, watching as its contents swirled. He was reading Aster's party request requirements while contemplating various possibilities.
"If it's this, then... we could send that girl in."
He whispered with a sweet smile before pressing a holographic button nearby. "Someone, call for Kali Norma. Tell her to come to my office ASAP."
After finishing his order, he took a casual sip from his glass and then turned toward the door. "That was fast."
*Knock!* *Knock!*
A soft knock echoed from the door. Mayor Magnus smiled before answering "Enter" in a loud voice.
The door opened with a creak, and a woman entered. She had sharp blue eyes, white hair the color of fresh snow, and, on top of her head, two stiff cat ears standing tall and proud.
"You called, Mayor?" she asked in a cool voice.
Magnus looked at her from head to toe, then hummed as if having a hard time deciding. Without any warning, he asked, "Are you a virgin?"
*BANG!*
A gun, with its barrel still releasing smoke, was suddenly in her hands, aimed directly at Mayor Magnus.
"That's dangerous, you know?"
Of course, he wouldn't be a mayor if he were weak. Between his fingers, he caught a small lead bullet. The cat woman clicked her tongue in displeasure before holstering her small revolver.
"The question you asked is nothing but sexual harassment. I would inform the madam, you crazy bastard." She crossed her arms over her chest in a protective gesture.
"Oh, sorry. Did you misunderstand my question? I wasn't asking because I'm interested." He smiled cheerfully, as if nothing had happened. "Actually, there's a party I want you to join."