188 Cunning Intellect

“Heh!” Roberta gasped as Merida closed the door. She looked back at her father. “Did I say something strange?”

Gerald shook his head, “No, I doubt it.” He approached the door and knocked gently. “Hoi! Open the door.” He called with a deep voice.

“The shop is closed today. Please return in another day.” Merida replied from inside the shop.

BAM! BAM! BAM! Gerald gave the door a few good smacks, “Did something happen?” He shouted.

Thud! “Gerald and Roberta?” A familiar voice came from behind them. Roberta’s eyes lit as she stared back. “Arad.” She froze, seeing a large moose glaring at her.

“What is this?” She took a step back.

Arad stood there with Lydia riding Mc. Aella, Mira, and Lyla stood beside him as they glared at Roberta and Gerald. “You’re here to buy clothes as well?”

Thud! Gerald walked toward Arad. “Yeah. As merchants, we buy to sell in another town. We heard this shop has great products, so we came to have a look.” He sighed, glaring at the shop’s door, “They smacked the door in our face as if they saw a ghost.”

“Merida did?” Arad approached the door, “Merida, open the door. It’s me.”

Thud! Thud! BAM! They could hear someone stumble inside as they rushed to the door. CRACK! The door cracked open as Merida stared out with a smile, “You have arrived.”

Arad stared at her, “Why did you kick them out?” He pointed with his thumb at Gerald and Roberta.

“A custom of the city. If the shop’s windows are closed, you can’t see inside. It means it’s closed.” Merida stared at Arad, “Knocking at the door is rude.”

Arad looked back at Lyla. “She’s right. Most people build shops in their houses. You aren’t supposed to knock at the shop’s door if they closed the windows.”

Roberta stared at them. “I never heard of that. Is it only in this city?”

“I don’t know.” Mira glared at her, “I never traveled to other cities.”

Lyla smiled, “You won’t see it a lot. Most people here need money, so they never close their windows.”

Alina’s shops have windows that allow customers to look inside and see the goods. If only the door is closed, it means you can still knock, and they will answer.

If the windows are closed, that means it’s fully closed. The owners might not be inside, someone else might have moved in, or they could be just cleaning. It simply means. “We’re busy or having something private. You can’t come in.”

Merida stared at Roberta. “The shop is reserved today. Please come back tomorrow if you need anything.”

“Can you let her inside?” Arad looked at Merida, “She’s a great merchant, and I’m sure you will have a good deal.”

Lyla sighed, “Give up, Arad. Them trying to come in with the windows closed is like finding a stranger in your kitchen. You won’t invite them to tea.”

Mira looked at Arad, “Yeah, she will never let them in.”

“Of course!” Merida said with a smile. “If you say so, they can come inside as well.”

Everyone glared at her. Seeing her smile, they got even more confused.

“Are you sure?” Roberta stared at Merida.

“Of course. Arad said so, after all.” She opened the door, “Please come inside.”

Everyone walked in, and the shop seemed strange. The last time they were here, they had multiple types of clothes. Children to adults, men, and women alike. But now, the children’s clothes are nowhere to be seen.

Wooden shelves lined the wall with several dresses neatly folded on them. A line of large black and white linen clothes decorated with silver threads and frills blocked the stairs to the second floor.

Merida walked into the middle of the shop and stood beneath the chandelier, “I pulled out all clothes that I think would fit you. Please check them and tell me if you want anything.

Aella walked around the shop, checking the dresses. She turned toward the other girls. “Does anyone knows the color of the ballroom?”

Merida looked at her. “All nobles paint their rooms white with golden decorations.”

Aella looked around for a while and picked a mint green dress with tiny golden frills. “How about this one? It will stand out.” She showed it to Arad.

“Isn’t it a bit small for you?” Arad looked at the dress. The waist is a bit too thin.

Lydia stared at Arad with a smile, “Are you saying that she is getting fat?” she giggled.

Aella glared at her, “I’m not!” she cried out.

“This a bit too thin. I doubt I saw any woman in the city with a waist that can fit here.” Arad lifted the dree pointing at the waist.

Merida looked at them, “You’re supposed to wear that with a tight corset.” She pulled a corset from the shelves in the back, “This one should fit Aella.”

Arad looked at her, “Can she breathe with her torso squeezed? Can’t you make the dress wider?”

Merida stared at Arad, “Aesthetically, women like a thinner waist. Especially in the noble courts.”

The girls nodded, staring at Arad. “That’s how is it, young man,” Gerald patted Arad’s back. “Let them have it.”

Arad looked at Aella and the dress and glared at Merida, “Make it wider. She isn’t wearing a corset.” His eyes then approached Merida, “Can you fight with a corset?”

“No, it will make…” Merida paused, taking a deep breath. ^That’s right, how could I forget? We’re hunting vampires. Arad is keeping that in mind since dropping our guard could mean death.^ She started sweating as she glared at his face..

Merida wasn’t wrong. Arad’s draconic brain already made several plans for unexpected ambushes. What if they are attacked in the street? In a carriage? Right now, and even when they sleep. He made a counter-attack plan for each scenario so he could fight on instinct.

“We won’t need to fight at a party.” Lydia stared at Arad. “The place is filled with guards.”

Arad stared at her. Tilting his head to the side as he flashed a faint purple light. “What about the way there? How about when we’re coming back? What if an assassin maid snuck in like what happened with Gerald there?” Arad took a step forward. Everyone who saw the light in his eyes could feel a deep cunning and intellect that they found disturbing.

“I already messed up once by not accounting for Lyla being attacked in her house. I won’t make that mistake again.”

Lydia started sweating as she glared into his eyes. That’s right. She almost forgot as he stood in front of her like a human. He was a dragon. No one can tell what plans swim inside his head.

CLICK! The door opened, and Jack walked in like it was his house. “Wait! I locked the door.” Merida glared at him.

“I lockpicked it up,” Jack showed her two small iron rods. He walked toward Arad with a smile. “Arad, can you keep this on you?”

Arad looked at the pouch, “What is it?”

“Explosives, I want to get it past the guards in the party. Gotta be ready all the time.” Jack replied.

Arad smiled, “We think alike.”

Jack also smiled. “I met Abel on the way. He’s also getting in loaded. We should be defenseless there. So the bastards might attack.”

The two men stared at each other with evil smiles.

Gerald stared at Arad and Jack, smiling. ^Those two are talented. The king won’t have been poisoned if we had one like them in the royal guards.^