Chapter 727: The Expensive Starry Sky Cloak and the 'Night Ambition' Cape

The shop's decor was grand; its exterior walls were constructed from neatly stacked, undamaged stone bricks, appearing both sturdy and aged. However, Jier knew that Duoen Town had not actually been established for many years. Considering the information he had heard from his defeated foe, the so-called Lord of White Wall, Duoen Town was only built on this side of the Southern Province after the Noble who ruled the Baishi Chengqiang Guanka was driven away.

It was quite a bit like competing with the Baishi Chengqiang Guanka.

Both were trade hubs, but the Baishi Chengqiang Guanka possessed a solid defensive system and could be securely held under the control of a garrison. Furthermore, with the backing of Montoka City and the vast farmlands and villages surrounding it, its strength was profound.

Yet here in Duoen Town, there was neither garrison protection nor sturdy city walls, and there were no large cities in the vicinity to serve as a shield.

It seemed much worse, but based on Jier's actual observations, it was actually Duoen Town, with its completely deregulated local control, that should have held the upper hand in trade over the past years.

He could not figure out the underlying reasons in a sentence or two, so Jier let it go and began to wander around the shop at his leisure.

He had originally assumed that the lighting inside a clothing store with thick walls would be poor, but upon entering, he realized he was mistaken. The shop had a second floor and featured a central light well that connected through to the second floor.

At this moment, the thick wooden boards covering the light well against wind and rain were pulled open toward the south by ropes, letting in the sun's rays. In particular, the undersides of the boards were painted with a silvery-white lacquer, which increased the reflection of the light.

In this way, even though the shop's front wall facing the street was built from thick, solid stone bricks, the interior lighting was excellent.

Of course, necessary lighting measures were still in place.

Interestingly, no oil lamps or candles were lit in the shop, likely for fear that the flames might ignite the valuable clothing and apparel inside, so the items used for lighting were several glowing stone spheres embedded in the walls. These stone spheres were carved with dense, tiny characters and were even rotating slowly within semi-circular grooves along the walls.

Bright, soft golden light emanated from the stone spheres, making the entire shop appear opulent and warm.

In the four corners of the square-shaped shop sat a fully armed shop guard. Unlike the guard watching his horse at the entrance, these four men wore well-fitted chainmail and vibrant surcoats, and with the all-metal sticks at their waists, they looked exceptionally distinct, making it clear to anyone that they were capable fighters.

However, these four guards did not look at the fashionably dressed Jier; after all, Jier was smiling broadly at the moment, and his attire was intended for attending a banquet.

"Young Master, welcome to our 'Beautiful Apparel'. Would you like me to accompany you as you browse the shop, or is there something specific you are looking for? The shop is divided into two floors; the upper floor contains inner garments, while this floor contains outer garments."

A young shop assistant walked over, first glancing at the 'Wealth Fruit' Merchant Guild assistant following behind Jier, then striking up a conversation with the young man walking in front.

Although Jier was curious about the various clothes and apparel here, he knew it was already nearing dusk and there wasn't much time left before the moon rose after dark, so he said straightforwardly: "I am going to attend a local banquet. You see, among my clothes, this cloak of mine is not quite suitable. Lead me to the place where the cloaks and capes are; I want to buy a suitable one."

The shop assistant saw the issue with Jier's outfit at a glance, so after hearing Jier's words, he bowed and reached out to guide Jier toward one side of the shop.

The shop's layout was roughly a 'hui'-shaped space, with the men's cloaks and capes located on the left side toward the back.

After Jier walked over, his eyes brightened, and he was very pleased looking at the few cloaks and capes displayed outside the tall wardrobe.

"Young Master, look, this is a piece our shop's senior tailor Craftsman only finished making last month, the 'Starry Sky Cloak'!"

The shop assistant proudly introduced this cloak: "It was made using the colors and imagery of the starry sky above, modeled precisely after the popular style that came from the Royal Capital last year—the Astrologer Set—and modified."

"The deep color scheme is like the profound night sky! The sparkling, bright parts are diamonds and various Gems fixed onto the cloak using a special technique, naturally representing the stars twinkling above our heads! It is rumored that every twinkling star is actually one of the gods residing high within the Pantheon!"

What this person said was very blustery, but no one present believed his nonsense.

However, while the words were tall, the cloak itself was very dazzling—no, 'dazzling' was not quite right, as the entire Starry Sky Cloak was generally very restrained and deep, yet the large number of Gems and diamond fragments spread across the cloak, even if the grains were small, still manifested luxury.

However, the reflection and colors of the Gems could only be seen when close up; from a little further away, the charm of the Gems and diamond fragments seemed to be obscured by the deep night color.

Jier was, of course, very fond of this proud work of the shop on display.

He opened his mouth and asked: "Very good item, so, what is its price?"

The shop assistant's answer caused Jier's subsequent words to be choked in his throat.

"Young Master, it is priced at one hundred and ninety-eight Gold Coins, less than two hundred Gold Coins, guaranteed to make you the center of attention at any—no, at least at any banquet in our Southern Province!"

One hundred and ninety-eight Gold Coins—good heavens, this price not only left Jier speechless, but even the core Merchant Guild assistant from the 'Wealth Fruit' Merchant Guild behind Jier was so shocked that his mouth hung open.

"It is indeed a price that attracts attention, haha, to tell you the truth, this price has already exceeded what I can afford."

Jier said with a face full of regret.

"No problem, besides this proud work of the shop, we have many other cloaks and capes; we will always find one suitable for you! So, do you need me to help you choose, Young Master? After all, looking at the sky, there isn't much time left before the start of a typical banquet."

Facing the shop assistant's help, Jier nodded in agreement: "Then I will trouble you. If you pick one that suits me and the price is satisfactory, I will give you a reward."

"Thank you for your generosity, this is all what I should do." The shop assistant's face blossomed with a smile; he proudly raised his eyebrows at his fellow assistants who were chatting idly not far away, then opened the large wardrobe containing the cloaks and capes and diligently brought over a rare square full-length mirror.

A large mirror itself was very valuable; although glass manufacturing in this other world was already quite mature, the transportation of large mirrors was not easy. Starting from the glass workshops in large cities, the further away one went, the higher the price of the glass mirror became. So this full-length mirror alone was worth at least one or two Gold Coins.

"Young Master, I see you are wearing a cloak, so specifically for attending a banquet, do you need a cloak that can also be used for everyday wear, or a cape where the decorative aspect is greater than the daily practicality?"

Jier thought for a moment: "Either is fine. I have a few other cloaks, so if it's a cape, that would be quite nice too."

Hearing the young Jier's words, the shop assistant walked to the large wardrobe where the capes were kept, his fingers flicking through the various capes of all styles and colors hanging neatly.

"Young Master, regarding color, which color do you prefer? This also has to match your personality. If you are passionate and brave, I recommend red! If you are calm and wise, I recommend blue. If you are cheerful and lively, orange is very suitable; if your personality is steady and powerful, choosing black is definitely correct. If you belong to the pragmatic faction in your family, I recommend gray! Additionally, due to legal requirements, we also have the noble purple in our shop, but you must show proof of your family's Noble title."

"If you have a corresponding Faith, you can also say so. The most popular in town is golden yellow; ah, it represents the color of the Church of the God of Wealth, and it is also the color that those who truly possess wealth and pursue wealth should choose."

The shop assistant said a lot in one breath; clearly, the other party was an excellent shop sales assistant who was well-versed in these matters.

As for Jier, he rested his chin on one hand while carefully examining the capes of various colors with his eyes.

He considered for a while, and no one else made any moves, all waiting for him to speak.

"Red! And black! Do you have any good-looking capes here that combine these two colors?"

Jier put forward a unique request, but this did not stump this premier clothing shop in Duoen Town.

The shop assistant searched through them one by one with a confident smile, first picking out the red and black capes, then putting back the solid-colored and other-colored capes. Finally, he had three black and red capes in his hands.

"As you can see, I have selected them according to your requirements. Now, please try them on in front of the full-length mirror and pick the cape you like. Of course, if you find it hard to choose, buying them all is also a wonderful thing, saving you the trouble of choosing."

Facing these words from the shop assistant, the Merchant Guild assistant from the 'Wealth Fruit' Merchant Guild sneered and shrugged, whistling softly under his breath.

Although he acted this way, the mocked shop assistant did not dare to glare at the other party; after all, the clothing and accessories on the Merchant Guild assistant showed that the other party was a member of the 'Wealth Fruit' Merchant Guild, which was part of the Merchant Union—the actual administrators of Duoen Town.

Although the 'Beautiful Apparel' clothing store had a large business and a similarly profound background, they still did not dare to actively provoke people from the Merchant Union on someone else's turf.

Jier untied the knot of his cloak, bundled the ordinary black-gray cloak into a bunch, and then rolled it up for the Merchant Guild assistant behind him to hold.

Then he took a black and red cape from the shop assistant's hand. Before even putting it on, just by holding it in his hand and looking at it carefully, he frowned.

It wasn't that there was any problem with the cape's construction, but the combination of the two colors on the cape was a bit simple and poor. It looked like they had simply cut two solid-colored black and red capes and then sewn them together in pairs.

"Forget this one, the style is a bit simple."

Jier returned the one in his hand and took the next one.

This one was much better. At a glance, it had a black base with bright red trim, and the edges of the cape were decorated with interlocking diamond-shaped silver threads.

Nodding with satisfaction, Jier spread the cape out and draped it behind him. He grasped the silver Lock at the front of the cape with both hands, and after observing it, he brought the two silver Locks together and then firmly fastened them with the steel hooks on both edges.

Click.

The cloak was put on Jier.

From the cloak buckle between the chest and neck, to the soft fabric spreading out toward both sides on his shoulders, down to the trapezoidal hem hanging to his knees behind him, the entire cloak weighed less than a pound; it was beautiful and lightweight.

Jier swayed his body left and right in front of the full-length mirror, then flicked his hand to unfurl the cloak behind him; it was very handsome and fitting.

No longer picking, Jier smiled with satisfaction and said: "This is the one, I won't try on another. Does this cloak have a name? What is the price?"

The Shop Assistant first offered a couple of flattering remarks about the person and the cloak, then answered Jier's question: "The names of the clothing and accessories in the shop are generally chosen by the makers themselves. If it is a cloak, you can find the name of the tailor who sewed it, as well as the name they gave the work, behind one of the silver buckles on this cloak."

Jier chuckled: "So this wasn't made by a master Craftsman?"

"Hehe, in reply to this Young Master, the works made by Craftsmen are the magnificent pieces that serve as the shop's main displays. It's not that the works of other tailors aren't good, it's simply that they cannot compare to the Craftsmen in terms of fame and skill."

While listening, Jier flipped over the silver buckle on his chest and discovered that while the surface was a shell made of silver, the hook mechanism itself was made of more durable steel components.

Behind the two interlocking silver buckles, one was smooth and clean, while the other had a few words engraved on it. He then read them aloud: "'Night Ambition', good heavens! What a name. Tsk tsk, the maker is, tailor apprentice Boli-Oulizesi."

Upon hearing the name of the cloak's maker, the Shop Assistant's eyes lit up, and he immediately added: "Young Master, this tailor Boli-Oulizesi has now been promoted to a Craftsman! Although he isn't particularly famous, he has some relatively well-known works sold in shops across various regions. Our shop only maintains deep cooperation with Craftsmen to ensure we can always sell their latest works."

Jier rolled his eyes: "So, what about the price? Surely you aren't going to charge extra for a work made by a maker who is now a Craftsman, from back when he hadn't yet become one? That's not how the math works. For these Craftsmen, their latest works are always the best in quality, especially when the Craftsmen are still relatively young. So even for a famous master Craftsman, their early works, while of great collectible value, are hard to compare to their other periods in terms of practicality."

"At most, it can be considered quite good. I happen to know the Kingdom's famous stone-carving master, Lianxiude; let's keep the price reasonable."

Jier's words left the Shop Assistant unable to refute, so he could only mumble in agreement. Finally, when Jier asked for the price of the cloak again, the Shop Assistant had to temporarily excuse himself, saying he needed to ask the shop Steward.

Soon, the Shop Assistant returned: "Young Master, our Steward says you are right, and it should be so. Plus, out of respect for the 'Wealth Fruit' Merchant Guild, we are giving you a discount; the final price for this cloak is two Gold Coins and six Silver Coins."

Jier nodded. Although this price was still expensive, given his current wealth, he could barely accept it, especially since he had made a significant haul when he raided the Bandit lair earlier.

He had a small bag filled with various Gems alone, the value of which was hard to calculate. He had harvested over a hundred Gold Coins, and even more Silver Coins, double the amount. As for Copper Coins and Iron Coins, he mainly used them as petty cash for his team.

"The price is acceptable. Here, take it."

Jier took the coins from his purse and handed them to the Shop Assistant. He gave an extra Silver Coin as a reward for the other party.

The Shop Assistant, holding the coins, left in high spirits to hand them to the Steward, then returned carrying a wooden box; this was for packing the cloak.

"No need, I'll just wear it to the banquet."

After saying this, Jier took the Cloak he had been wearing earlier from the Merchant Guild assistant, folded it, pressed it down, put it into the small wooden box, and had the Merchant Guild assistant help carry it.

"Alright, although there are still many good things in your shop that I like very much."

As Jier said this, his eyes were fixed on the Starry Sky Cloak on display, his face full of regret.

This piece was too expensive; it was not something his current wealth could afford.

"But I still have a banquet to attend tonight. I'm off."

After Jier finished speaking, he proudly flicked the magnificent cloak behind him and strode out.

Behind him, the Merchant Guild assistant held the small wooden box, following behind Knight Jier. Further back, the Shop Assistant who had just received his reward waved his hands happily and said: "Safe travels, noble Young Master. I wish you a pleasant time at the banquet tonight, and I wish you a long and healthy life."

Jier heard this, chuckled twice, hopped lightly outside the shop, braced his hand on the Muan, and swung into the saddle.

"Let's go, take me to the other jewelry store. We need to hurry."

Jier looked at the sky above; the color had already turned deep blue, and night was about to fall. Once the western mountains swallowed the sunlight and the sky turned from deep blue to black, the night would arrive.

By then, according to the calendar, it wouldn't be long before the first moon rose from the eastern horizon.

If the date was calculated correctly, tonight's first moon would be a full moon. As for the other two moon goddesses, one was shy and budding—this period was the waxing crescent, gradually unfolding. The other moon goddess would be veiled in shadow, briefly bidding everyone farewell; it was the waning crescent about to enter the Hidden Moon.

To put it simply, the time for the banquet to start was almost here.

Clearly, the Merchant Guild assistant following Jier understood this meaning. He nodded and trotted along the street toward the center of the town: "Lord Knight, it's just ahead, just ahead. Turn the corner, and the largest shop is the one."

Jier tapped the belly of Tianxuecao lightly, and the horse lifted its hooves, catching up to the leading Merchant Guild assistant in a few easy strides.

"My Lord, this horse of yours is truly excellent—tall, sturdy, and nimble when it runs."

The Merchant Guild assistant looked with envy at the prairie horse that stood half a head taller than him.

Tianxuecao seemed to have heard the praise from the little person beside it, so it proudly snorted and flicked its ears excitedly.

Jier smoothed the mane on the horse's neck and smiled proudly: "Of course it's excellent. This is the bloodline of the famous 'Old Overlord' horse from the Western Province. It's not something you can get just by relying on wealth; if you want to become its master, you have to subdue this horse first."

"Then what is your secret, Lord Knight? I've saved up a sum of money and have been wanting to buy a fine prairie horse as well."

Jier laughed heartily and answered the Merchant Guild assistant's question: "I lifted it up, that's how I subdued it! Otherwise, it would still be a stubborn horse."

"Lifted, lifted it up?!!"

The Merchant Guild assistant was stunned, only then remembering that the young man in front of him, dressed in such attire and even younger than himself, was actually a Knight from the North.