Gift

Stopping in front of the shop, he looked up to read the sign hanging above. ''Flinders Fancies Clothes For All.''

With a chuckle to himself, Archer stepped into the shop. Inside, he was greeted by rows upon rows of clothing.

Meticulously displayed shelves adorned with an array of boots created a charming atmosphere within the shop.

As he looked at the selection, a man with a curious expression approached him. Archer looked at him. ''Why are you looking at me like I'm a rare beast?''

The man let out an awkward laugh before speaking. ''No, young man, I don't think you're a rare beast. How can I help you today?''

Archer pulled out the last pair of clothes he had. The man saw them and smiled. ''Ten black tunics with enough room to get over my horns and ten black pants, also a black cloak, please.''

The shopkeeper looked him up and down and nodded. ''I know the size you need. I'll be right back.''

While the man went off to sort his order, Archer walked around the store looking at the clothes. There were a lot of different colored tunics and pants. The style was pseudo-modern with a splash of Middle Eastern mixed in.

The weather on Thrylos is dramatic; mana powers the rain, snow, and any other weather phenomenon, and tsunamis and earthquakes are a lot more destructive here.

But the weather in the Avalon Empire seems stable, with warm weather all year round. Most Avalonians wear loose-fitting clothes made from a linen-like material and tall boots.

The women usually wear loose-fitting dresses and kaftans with slip dresses underneath and sandals.

Unless there were a formal occasion, then people would dress in more stylish clothes, Archer thought to himself as he looked at the merchandise.

'I wonder if anyone from Earth came here before me, seeing these designs, I wouldn't doubt it.' Archer thought to himself.

That's when he saw the man return with a pile of clothes. There were even boxers. Archer put the boots he picked on the counter where the man put his order.

The clothes reminded him of the ones a certain Witcher in the stories on Earth would wear.

He looked at the man and asked for the price. ''How much for everything?''

The man rubbed his chin. ''I'll give you it all for two gold and throw in two extra cloaks and undergarments. Sound good?''

Archer smiled as he thanked the man. ''Thank you.''

He took all the clothes except a cloak and boots, which he put on straight away, and threw the rest into storage as he left the shop.

Seeing the afternoon sun in the sky, he made his way to the guild while planning how to get into the castle to see Ella.

Not long after he started his walk, he entered the guild hall and walked up to the counter to see Sarah. But as he made his way up to the counter, everyone stared at him, not taking their eyes off him.

''What happened to the little elf? why does he have horns and scales.''

''Such a beautiful color.''

''Did you see his eyes? They look like a dragon's.''

Archer ignored all the chatter as he arrived, where Sarah was sitting behind the desk reading some papers.

''Hello Sarah.'' He said.

The brown-haired woman looked up, and her eyes widened in shock. ''Archer! Where have you been, and what has happened to you? You're different.''

He looked back at her with a smile on his face as he replied. ''Evolved when I hit level twenty.''

She looked at the boy in front of her like he was some strange beast, but pushed those thoughts aside and asked him. ''So you weren't an elf, huh?''

He shakes his head before answering. ''No.''

''Dragon-kin?'' She asked.

Archer narrowed his eyes at her. He didn't like that she was asking personal questions but answered. ''Maybe.''

She just rolled her eyes and moved on. ''So I assume you're here because you've completed the quest?''

Archer nodded and brought out a forest wolf corpse to prove it to her as he laughed. ''Here's one body. I have twenty-eight more if you want to see.''

Sarah had a dead-eyed look as she stared at the crazy boy who brought in a pile of bodies and now he's here with more bodies.

She sighed as she thought about how much paperwork she would have to do after dealing with this boy.

''Ok, follow me, Archer. You're a pain in the ass, you know,'' Sarah spoke.

They walked up the stairs near the counters and approached a different room than before; Sarah told him to go in and take a seat while she got more staff to deal with the bodies.

He walked into the room and took a seat. After a while, she walked into the room with two men while looking at him.

''Okay, Archer, this is Taul and Alric. They are the butchers of the Vassia guild. These two will be dealing with your mess.''

He looked at the brown-haired woman in front of him like she offended him, he got an idea to get revenge on her.

''Do your job better next time; maybe you won't have such a mess.'' Archer snickered as he joked around with her.

Sarah just looked at him, the two men behind her started chuckling, trying to be quiet so she wouldn't hear them.

But they weren't that lucky. She looked at both of them, who shut up instantly. She turned her head back to the little shit who thought he was funny.

Bop!~

''Ouch!''

Archer sat there rubbing his head. He looked up to her with injustice in his violet eyes. ''Why did you hit me for? I was joking, woman!''

''You may have horns now, but if you mock me anymore, you'll get hit more.'' She held up her fist in a threatening manner.

This caused Archer to nod his head; a smile appeared on his face before answering her. ''Yes, I won't joke with the lady anymore!''

Bop!~

''Ouch, stop hitting me, you gorilla woman. I'm only thirteen, and you're what? thirty?'' Archer complained.

Bop!~ Bop!~ Bop!~

''It's rude to ask women their age, you little shit!'' Sarah said after she bopped him.

The two men watch the two messing around and would off mistook them for siblings if it wasn't for the boy being a demi-human. ''I'm sorry, no more hitting, please.''

Sarah looked pleased with herself as she bopped him on the head. ''Okay, now that's all over with. Show us what you got this time, Archer?''

He took all the bodies out of his item box and dropped them on the floor before them. Two crocodiles, six wild dogs, and twenty-nine wolf bodies appeared in the center of the room.

A massive pile of beasts was in front of the three guild staff. Blood started leaking all over the floor.

Three heads turned towards him. Sarah then spoke up. ''Why do you have so many beast bodies?''

He didn't care for hiding stuff so he told them the truth. ''Well, the crocodiles ambushed me. I came across the dogs and played tag with the wolves.''

The three looked at him like an idiot, and Sarah spoke up. ''What's that, Archer?''

Looked between the body and her, then pointed at it. ''That thing.''

''That's not a 'crocodile'. It's a swamp drake.'' She explained while looking at him.

Archer looked confused and stared at the beast, it had all the features of one. Shaking his head and not bothering with it anymore, he turned to Sarah and asked. ''How many coins will I get?''

The two men were already going through the bodies. ''I don't know this time. Come back tomorrow and see if they have finished. I'll mark your quest as completed.''

Archer nodded, then got up to leave. ''See you tomorrow, Sarah.''

After leaving the room and walking down the stairs, he exited the guild. Once he got out, he looked for a shop to buy Ella a gift.

While he was walking down the road, he saw a small stall selling trinkets. He approached it and looked at the merchandise as the woman behind the stool looked at him.

''Boy, are you perhaps buying something for a lady?'' Archer looked up and saw the woman in her early twenties with dark green hair and green eyes.

He nodded at the woman's question.

''Well, if you can tell me something about the girl, maybe I can suggest something.'' She asked.

He started to think before telling her. ''Well, she's an elf. She has blonde hair and the most beautiful sky-blue eyes I've ever seen. She has cared for me for many years.''

As thoughts of her entered his mind, he began to appreciate her immense impact on the former Archer.

He recognized how she had selflessly supported him, even when he faced no hostility from others and grappled with his timid nature.

Ella was always there. She never left his side once after all those years. That's when the fusion of both Archer's souls showed itself.

He now knew how much the old him liked the girl. The old feelings were now his own, and it wouldn't be so lousy liking Ella.

She's a lovely girl. He felt terrible for liking her when he loved Alexa, but there was not much he could do until he can find a way to travel back to Earth.

The woman looked at him with a gentle smile, then started speaking. ''Well, I have the perfect thing for her here. Take a look.''

She hands him a necklace with a sky blue gem at the end of the chain, it shined brightly and matched Ella's eye color.