Cloud Stone Market a thousand years ago
"Seamstress, I've arrived as promised! Look at this chest full of gold and silver treasures! I bet there are rare things you've never seen before!"
Young Cipher placed a large box of gold and silver jewelry in front of the " Goldweaver " tailor shop.
"Come on, as we agreed before, I'm going to buy your most valuable piece of clothing!"
"You petty thief, you have little manners but plenty of guts, daring to barge into my weaving workshop dressed in such shabby clothes?"
Aglaea looked at Cipher, "What did you bring? Let me see."
"Look around! These are all top-quality goods—" Cipher said, taking out a piece of azure gemstone. "Look at this sapphire, it's even bluer than Fagina's eyeballs!"
"What a magnificent luster... I've only ever seen such a Tears of the Ocean in my mother's treasure trove..."
"... What? You've met before? I thought I'd surprise you. Tch, what a disappointment."
"It's just a distant Remembrance. My family's property was burned to the ground long ago; this weaving workshop is the result of my hard work starting from scratch."
"Wow, a young lady who has revitalized her family business, how admirable! Stop joking, at least you did enjoy those luxuries."
"Heh..." Aglaea chuckled, "Rude wildcat."
Then she noticed Cipher's dirty hood. "I ask you, Cifera —where and by what means did you obtain these treasures?"
"Ha, I won it through a fair and square bet. What, you doubt me?"
Seeing that Aglaea did not respond for a long time, Cipher continued, "Speak up, seamstress! Give me a straight answer, will you accept these treasures or not?"
"That's really strange, you're clearly lying to my face..."
Aglaea stroked her chin. "But my gold thread... didn't tremble at all."
"That's because I told the truth every single word; I didn't lie at all."
"Is that really the case? But the scars and mud on your face tell me a different story."
"...!"
Cipher froze on the spot, then helplessly took off her hood. "You... oh dear, why all the nonsense in a business deal! Don't worry, I haven't left any evidence against you, no one will bother you."
"You're such a good liar, how can I be sure whether what you're saying is true or not?"
"... Dealing with rich people like you is such a hassle, such a waste of my time! Fine, if you won't take it, there are plenty of other people..."
Cipher looked back and saw a shop that was particularly special.
Besides Aglaea's weaving workshop, she has also 'visited' this dessert shop quite a few times!
"I have accepted your treasures. But these treasures alone are not enough to buy the most expensive garments of the ' Goldweaver '."
Aglaea smiled. "That being said, I do have an outfit that suits you perfectly."
She took out a pair of glittering gold boots from the shop. "Look, get a closer look."
"Wow! This is... sparkly gold, so beautiful!"
"These golden boots are considered one of the most prized treasures of the ' Goldweaver ' garments. Although their value cannot compare to the most exquisite robes, they possess magical power."
"Legend has it that Zagreus blessed these boots, granting their owner incredible speed and the ability to move without making a sound..."
Aglaea said with concern, "Put it on, Cifera, so you don't get caught again next time. Your beautiful face needs to be protected even more carefully."
"..." Cipher's lips trembled slightly. "Hmph, you rich people just love to meddle in other people's business! Well, I'm taking it now, and it'll be too late for you to back out!"
Aglaea nodded gently, gesturing for Cipher to put on the "golden boots".
"Um... yes... do you have a size smaller? These are too big for me..."
"Heh... then you can wear it when you're a bit older."
"... It's fake! It's fake!"
The voice of " Spirithief " Bartunik suddenly appeared in Cipher's memory.
Today, Styxia, the " Ancient City of Dragonbone "
Cipher snapped out of her daze, "... Do you really have to interrupt me in the middle of my story? It's fake, what's fake?"
"Your boots don't possess Zagreus's divine power at all!" Bartunik corrected.
" Amphoreus, the most cunning liar, was fooled by that Aglaea, hehehe!"
Bartunik let out a 'merciless' laugh.
"You foul-mouthed bastard, watch out or I'll throw you into the River of Souls to feed the fish!"
"Weren't you Curiosity how I got involved with that seamstress? Now you know. Are you satisfied?"
"Heh heh~ I didn't expect such a simple story, what a disappointment."
Bartunik began to offer serious critiques, not missing a single detail that Cipher mentioned:
"However, uh... Boss, there's also a possibility that Aglaea didn't mean to lie to you..."
"You... were you speaking up for her just now?"
Bartunik waved his hands repeatedly, "Uh... no, no!"
"I just feel that this story is so touching, it can't be ruined by a lie—if I had human tear ducts, I'd probably be crying my eyes out right now!"
"Ha! It's a good thing you have such a smooth talker skill, otherwise you would have been captured and made a doorman for someone long ago."
"But... did you know? These boots actually didn't belong to the seamstress."
Cipher rolled her eyes, taking the opportunity to check how well Bartunik had listened to the lecture.
"Oh? Boss, what do you mean by that...?"
"Think back carefully. Besides me and the seamstress, there's another hidden protagonist in this story."
"So... Big Sister, is there a reward if I guess right?" Bartunik rubbed his hands together.
Cipher tossed a coin, "If you guess right, the treasure will be split 30/70; if you guess wrong... guess?"
"A 30/70 split! Does that mean you get 30% and I get 70%?"
"That's right, you get three and I get seven."
Bartunik:...
Silence is golden.
The timeline remains the "holy city" of Okhema, a thousand years ago. As is well known, Aglaea's tailor shop is not the only one with a shop in the Cloud Stone Market; there is also a unique milk tea shop.
Ye Yan straightened his clothes. In Amphoreus, he not only had to take care of the " Eternity " project, but also realize his milk tea dream!
"Boss, I've arrived as promised! Look at this chest full of gold and silver treasures! I bet there are rare items you've never seen before!"
The familiar conversation began as young Cipher, having just left the " Goldweaver " workshop, turned around and ran to Ye Yan's shop, carrying up yet another large chest of gold and silver jewelry:
"Come on, as we agreed before, I'm going to buy your most valuable treasure!"
Ye Yan looked at Cipher, who was wearing a hood and looked a bit disheveled, and brought her a cup of milk tea as promised.
"Look, this is the most valuable item in the store."
"Haha~ It must be because I made the entrance wrong, shall we start over?"