Helmut: The Forsaken Child - H.F.C Chapter 48 (Part 1):

“No, this will do.”

“2,000 marks, though… Credit might be a bit difficult.”

The shop owner cleared his throat again.

“I have the money.”

When Helmut took out a heavy purse and showed it, the shop owner’s eyes nearly popped out of his skull.

“Oh, no!”

His demeanor changed in an instant.

“Well, well, turns out you’re quite the wealthy one. You should have said so earlier.”

The shop owner suddenly became very polite, rubbing his hands together like a fly.

“Why don’t you try these on inside, sir?”

After Helmut changed into the clothes, the shop owner made a fuss.

“Wow, they suit you perfectly! As expected, you have a splendid figure. Perfect!”

The shop owner had a good eye. The purple traveling clothes fitted Helmut perfectly.

The clothes were a bit loose, but considering his growth rate, it was just right.

Indeed, changing from his worn-out clothes made a huge difference, like wings to his appearance. Helmut had to admit he looked quite poor before.

Helmut, about to pay, raised his head.

“By the way, do you sell any hair dye or wigs that could change one’s appearance?”

“Hair dye? Ah, since you’re a mercenary, perhaps for undercover missions. Let me see…”

Rustling came from the back of the shop, and the shop owner returned shortly.

“A wig might not be the best choice for you.”

He presented a bottle that radiated magical energy.

“This is a high-quality magic hair dye. It’ll turn your hair brown. The effect lasts about a month, though it may be shorter for those resistant to magic.”

Helmut pondered for a moment. Resistance to magic, he thought, but resistance only arises when resisting. If he controlled his Vis, the effect should last.

“And this too.”

Helmut took the item the shop owner handed him. It was a pair of glasses with thick black frames.

He knew of glasses, but weren’t they for people with poor eyesight?

“These are just glasses with plain glass lenses. They might be a bit uncomfortable, but there’s nothing better for changing one’s appearance. Your gaze is quite sharp, so this will definitely make a difference.”

With the glasses on, Helmut looked in the mirror. His iris, indistinguishable in its darkness, and the somewhat intimidating air he carried were gone, replaced by a more gentle look… more like a novice swordsman than a mercenary. The change in his appearance was definite.

Helmut nodded.

“Alright. I’ll take everything.”

“As for the price…”

“I was hoping for a discount since I’m buying multiple items.”

Following Sara’s tip, the shop owner’s face twitched slightly, but he soon smiled and said,

“Oh! Of course, we can arrange that. Ahem, you know your stuff.”

Eventually, he quoted a price slightly lower than he originally intended.

“3,800 marks, please. The hair dye is quite pricey.”

It was a stock item because people usually don’t dye their hair common brown, so it was beneficial for him to clear it out now.

“3,500 marks.”

Following the advice to call a price just under 10 percent lower, Helmut firmly stated his offer. He was so decisive it seemed he wouldn’t buy it at any other price.

The shop owner, initially wanting to haggle, soon raised his hands in surrender.

“Well, okay, that works!”

Thus, a satisfying transaction was made.

*

The next morning, as Helmut entered the mercenary guild, Sara greeted him with a bright smile.

“Oh my, Helmut? You’ve changed so much I hardly recognized you! You look splendid!”

“Really? Your advice was very helpful.”

The shop she recommended was good, and he even managed a discount. Interacting with others proved beneficial for Helmut. It was good to have access to valuable information.

“Ah, of course. I don’t take care of just anyone like this.”

Sara laughed pleasantly, then scrutinized Helmut, pointing out every change.

“Wow honey, you changed into better clothes and dyed your hair brown? And you’re wearing glasses. Trying to look harmless because you’ll be escorting a noble lady? Good thinking. Normally, you have black hair and eyes but a very white face, which gives you a strong impression. They might think you’re too intimidating to be a guard.”

‘My name?’

Helmut bristled at the new nickname.

“My name isn’t ‘honey’; it’s Helmut.”

“I know, I know. Oh dear, that’s something only a lover can call you, right?”

Helmut felt puzzled by her words. If ‘honey’ is a term of endearment, why did she call him that?

Was she interested in him? That seemed unlikely. Sara was an adult woman, and Helmut was just a fourteen-year-old boy.

A sign of familiarity? His guess seemed to be on the right track when Sara spoke up again.

“Anyway, the client is scheduled to come this morning, so just wait a bit. I sent your profile yesterday. I might have embellished a bit, emphasizing that you’re from the Pace Mercenary Corps. That should be enough to pass. There aren’t many mercenaries that fit the noble lady’s taste. They need to leave soon too.”

Sara chatted a lot with Helmut, seemingly out of boredom. It was a leisurely time.

Helmut paid attention to her casual remarks. Though his ears were a bit tired, this was better than silence. At least he could learn something.

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