Shop No. 4
The Head-Mirror Race was like this.
To this race, their outward physical shells were merely "public utilities." Their essence and core were consciousness-stream lifeforms drifting through the consciousness channels between one shell and another.
Their outward form was probably... points of light.
Every conscious lifeform was a floating point of light.
For that very reason, let alone their "true appearance," even conventional gender, physical traits, outward markers... and so on were unimportant to them.
Indeed, such so-called labels simply did not exist within their race.
When the beautiful face saw understanding dawn in Angel's eyes, she curled her lips into a smile. "None of that is important. It is all meaningless surface appearance. Back to the point: did our guest come here to experience meditation?"
Angel shook his head. "No. I only heard that this shop was run by the Head-Mirror Race, so I came to take a look."
The beautiful face froze. "You came specifically looking for the Head-Mirror Race?"
Angel nodded. "Yes. I have a few transactions I would like to inquire about with the Head-Mirror Race."
"Transactions..." The beautiful face muttered, "Why did the guest not use the catalog to contact us?"
Before Angel could answer, the handsome face beside her cut in irritably. "Are you an idiot? He doesn't have the slightest trace of Aggregation Energy on him. He is clearly a visitor from outside the Mirror Realm. Where would an outsider get a catalog?"
After the handsome face spoke, the beautiful face seemed to come to her senses as well. She apologized to Angel sheepishly, "I was not observant enough. Please forgive my presumption."
Angel said, "...It was not presumptuous."
Actually, Angel had wanted to say that he did have a catalog. It simply was not on him.
But after considering it,