“I was asking you about your Ghost Pot and the skills you’ve learned,” Widow’s Sigh sighs, not even deigning to look at me after I asked him if he understood my first impressions of Broken Servants.
Tch! So he’s not interested in things that happened before I was part of the Sect? What about after? Hmm? How’d he chastise me for interrupting a ritual for the Disciples, and why should I care?
-What do I have to compare to?- I grumble, my shoulders stinging from my longer scales snagging. -Who told those Disciples they’d be rewarded for stopping me from farming the Resentment in Sorrow’s Roost? Why weren’t they told to avoid harming the monks? Those guys have good ways to farm Resentment.-
“It is difficult to protect your soul from outside influence, so most Disciples will have one soul in their Ghost Pot for a year if they’re cautious. For the more ambitious Sect members, 10 souls in their Ghost Pot, locked in unpowered corpses to stop them from roving around, of course, and daily meditations to gather Resentment until they feel strong enough to actually risk having an active corpse under their command.”
Shiz, if 10 in a year is good, my Pot is amazing. I’ve got 120 helpful spirits actively improving my knowledge, Regard and Karma, and who knows how many hidden ones who are unwilling but still helpful trying not to get et.
“As for why the Sect didn’t stop the others from attacking you...? A tree cannot grow strong without adversity, hmm? You’ve excelled have you not? Prospered, even?” Widow’s Sigh chuckles.
I smack my lips and give him a flat look. This bish is saying that he knew I’d survive? What if I hadn’t?
-What I’m hearing is you keep saying “you’re welcome”,- I shrug, wondering if he’s being for real or just talking shit.
“If you haven’t noticed, I’m not one of the old masters. I’m not one of the revered monsters. I’m an investor, and I’ve decided to invest in you,” he says and I can hear the smarmy smirk hidden behind the mask.
-Tell me another bed-time story, grampa,- I murmur, yawning loudly.
Silent Howl:
You do realize you said that out loud?
Shit. I shift my eyes away from Widow’s Sigh, not that I can see his face, and it doesn’t stop me from hearing his light chuckle.
“Have you not noticed I’ve been there every time you’ve been dragged back to the Hovels? Who do you think put in those requests when you attracted too much attention to yourself?” He says, reminding me that I’d already noticed he was always there. Did not make the connection that he was the reason I kept getting tackled...
-Uh-huh. Then why was I being punished like a Sect member if I didn’t have the same protections?- Come on, bish. Lie to me!
“You think there weren’t Death’s Quarter Disciples looking to make a new pair of robes out of you?” he intones, and I feel the weight of his regard. “I had to turn in quite a few favors to keep some of the more dangerous, more studious members from taking an interest in such a simple thing as a low talent training exercise. Making more powerful spirits indeed.”
Oh... Right. Corpses are valuable, but I’m a rare spirit beast and a cultivator. Well, shit.
“Go in here. Tell Healing Song that you’d like to become their apprentice. Try not to fuck up,” Widow’s Sigh barks, growling lightly at the end as they turn away from me. “Oh, and do try to make yourself useful. You’re well known for your valuable production methods, but you’ve shirked on your quality lately,” he drones, looking pointedly at the girls in their tatty robes.
-Gonna go out on a limb and guess that one of the favors is that I’d be producing silk again?- I ask.
He doesn’t bother answering, snorting and walking away. When he gets near one of the ever burning flames he disappears. Guess those are markers here, too.
-Come on, girls. Little Corpse? You want in on this?- I pause before going into the building before me. Double doors open, no colors, the air looking surprisingly clear.
-Why not?- comes his decidedly exhausted reply.
If there was a riot there’s probably a ton of cleanup. Shit. And my Ghost Pot is in my void, innit? Are the corpses unpowered? Were they?
-There were a lot of ghosts with their own Resentment capable of possessing the corpses,- Little Corpse sighs. I hand him Tear because I’m pretty sure he’s running out of steam. -Thanks. I don’t have enough Resentment.-
-He’s not like other girls,- I lisp, earning a snort from Little Corpse, and a glare from the girls. -That’s a good point.- I realize that he was broken, doesn’t have a ton of Resentment, and hadn’t told me some horrific backstory. -What’s your deal?-
-I’m just a commoner from the country. A Disciple needed practice, and I was there,- he shrugs. -They killed me easily, but had no skill. I guess my untrained soul was strong enough, so here I am.-
-Huh,- I snort.
Commoner my ass. He was probably an untrained genius to survive. Pretty sure the girls’ were lesser nobility, and probably got trained in shiz. Should probably ask.
-Tea Setting.-
-Flower Arranging.-
Speaking of “girly” things, I need to go back to the Weaver Sisters’ memories. Can I make some cheap stitching thread? There’s lots of corpse preparation, so they need stitches and sutures, right? Embroidery thread...
“Why are you making so much noise in my shop?” someone snaps, and I turn to see a concerningly top-heavy woman, missing way too much upper robe material, glaring at me like she’s about to demand to speak to the manager because I’m not helping her even though I told her I don’t work here, and I really don’t give a fuck what corpse she’s fucking that has any connection to the company in question. My brain catches up.
-Your shop? Widow’s Sigh said I can learn how to condense Resentment weapons here. I’m supposed to apprentice myself to someone who sounds the opposite of soul acid eating bullshit...- How the fuck did I forget the name already.
I close my eyes, cross my arms, throw my head back and then curl up trying to force the memory up. I just had this conversation. It was less than five minutes ago!
“Our master would like to apprentice to Healing Song,” Little Corpse says, bowing with his hands clasped in what I’m assuming is respect.
-Was that it? “Healing Song” does sound anti acid bullshit, unless they’re bad at singing...- I trail off as I think about donkey-braying singers or startled dog wailers.
“Doesn’t answer my question,” she snaps, glaring at my comparatively undersized breast.
-Hello, fellow busty person, if you’re referring to my ability to broadcast sends, I assure you that I can focus them privately as well,- I try to reassure her, but the others just groan. -*What? I’m not used to meeting someone with boobs bigger than mine.
-And she has hips! I’m so proud of you,- I coo, reaching out for a companionable hug before there’s a loud snap. I look down and gargle in disgust at the sight of her wrist coming out of my chest, her hand having punched right through my drum. -Oh! I forgot about that...- I step back to let myself repair only to notice she’s wielding a Resentment dagger, -- yay! No acid eating bullshit! -- and wearing an expression of absolute disbelief. -I was hanging around a bunch of monks. They’re cool. And assholes. But mostly cool.-
“Is that why you’re trying to purify my shop?” she asks with that same cock-eyed expression that screams “I’m having a stroke” or “I just stepped in dog shit and now it’s on my leg”.
-Iono. I collect things. This...- I gesture at my newly repaired drum, - -- is just part of that. Although something happened with my scales, and I still haven’t figured that out yet.-
-My head is killing me...- Little Corpse shivers and shakes, slowly bringing a hand to their head.
-Go... meditate or nap or something,- I tell him as I send him back to my void. -He’s good people, but things have been crazy lately. How do I condense Resentment into weapons?-
“Like I’m going to tell you anything,” she snorts, her expression going even, both brows and her eyes screwed up with a smirk in the smarmiest “slap me” expression I’ve ever seen. “You can probably barely condense a Century Stone!
“What? You think just because you disrupted a pissant event, you deserve special treatment? Please! You’re a bank bug? Do you even know how to use the stuff you store?”
[Resentment Shard -10,000 x20 -Resentment]
[Resentment: +759840/-362032]
[-200000 -Resentment]
[+1 Con. Qi]
[-1000 Qi]
[Resentment Wallet: 0C.St.,40R.Sh. +20]
[Max Will: 9,579,451]
[HP: 9,579,451]
[Resentment: +759840/-162032]
[Current Condensed Qi: 1831539/24549211]
[Current Qi: 1514395/957945100]
[Current Karma: 98196847/107275977]
[Resentment Wallet: 0C.St.,60R.Sh.]
If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
[Mortal Wallet: 12E,692K,180P,697R,179Da,258De,2605k]
[Spirit Wallet: 0Dr,0Ph,0Th,1325Di,126Co,10679St]
-*Tears of Resentment. Ten-thousand Resentment per Tear. I just made 20. I think the rough stones are ugly outside of garden decorations,*- I say flatly.
It’s satisfying to see this pale bish turn corpse-like. Egh?! Maybe I’ve been around the Sect too long. But I can’t go to the monks... Ooh! I’ll purify the Death Moth caverns!
-Welp! Guess that counts as a fuck up. Let’s go find something to eat,- I tell the girls, turning and walking away. I barely catch a faint wisp of Resentment fog moving past me and into the shop. Huh. Guess if they’re using it they need to collect it. I shrug and turn back to the path as the girls follow after me silently. -I’m thinking of selling a shit ton of death imbued string to the shop for practicing stitching up corpses. Think they’ll buy it?-
-They’ll want it because it’s imbued, regardless of how good the silk is. Can you really do that?- one girl asks, and I stop to stare at her in confusion.
-... I really have been out of the production game for a while,- I grumble, turning back around and continuing to walk around. -What other shops are there? We should probably find a style of robe you two like that isn’t “little bride”-y.-
-Let’s see,- the girls look around before holding hands and taking off at a light skip. -Let’s look at the fabric patterns!-
-How many of the soldiers had weapons?- If I can eat enough I might figure it out enough to reproduce it.
-Soldiers are weapons. You need to loot servants or greater Guardians, not just foot soldiers. Maybe advanced Soldiers condense Resentment.-
I look back at the girl who just thoughtfully dumped information on me and wonder what they’re reading.
-There’s literally a starting manual, but of course you don’t read,- the other snarks.
-I read tons! What do you think the Logs are?- I snark back, trying to subtly open the Sect window without looking super obvious.
-It’s on your first page. The manual says so,- one of the girls drones, both of them looking at me with narrowed eyes.
Tch! I go to the Sect screen, reach for a cup of tea, then realize I’d like some snacks while I read. I sigh, shaking my head and shooing the girls to hurry to the shop so I can dump some silk, so we can go home, so I can eat and read the manual.
[1yds Death Silk x10 Produced]
[-100 x10 Qi]
[-100 x10 Karma]
[Max Will: 9,579,451]
[HP: 9,579,451]
[Resentment: +759840/-171917]
[Current Condensed Qi: 1831554/24553068]
[Current Qi: 1498395/957945100]
[Current Karma: 98212272/107275977]
-Oh.-
-He really can make imbued silk.-
-Aren’t your robes imbued?- I look at them in confusion as I drop my silk on a counter. -How much is this silk worth?- I ask, the shop filled with fabric with two examples of outfits on display. Simple colors, elaborate cuts.
“Sell that to the general shop. We have a supplier,” the shopkeeper says, sitting on a stool, leaning on their elbow on the counter, a book in their offhand. They didn’t even look at me.
Long, straight, healthy, shiny black hair. Clear skin. He doesn’t have long eyelashes or the weird super fine bone structure of the guys mistaken for women, but he’s still handsome enough. No weird eye color, but he’s definitely got the strange “young master” vibe. Large elaborate robes with strange rope belts and tassels. Probably has several fans for different events. Or I’m prejudiced against anyone who screams “noble”.
After my initial petty judgemental glare, I stare at him blankly, smack my lips, and bank the silk. Guess I have to go to a general shop. I turn to leave and the girls are giving me big wet eyes while idly touching some of the more colorful fabrics. Tch! I go to touch some of the fabric, expecting something smooth but heavy, and it actually feels pretty good. Well... I am pretty hungry, and they do want new robes... This will probably help improve my own produce substantially.
-Disciples are encouraged to purchase robes to help them collect Resentment,- one of the girls says quietly, avoiding looking at me when I look at her with suspicion.
They want new robes and the manual I haven’t read yet says we should get new robes? Right...
-How much for robes for all of us?- I ask the shopkeeper, dragging Little Corpse out while the shopkeeper sighs and keeps reading. -Two corpse maidens, a Ghost Soldier, and a me.-
The shopkeeper’s head comes level, still not looking at me as they slam their book shut, placing their hands on the counter, stiffly spin to look at me with pursed lips and furrowed brows, and just stares at me. Didn’t even ogle the girls, who hit me right as I point it out. Just zeroed right in on me. How’d he even know I was the one talking?
“Why would you want robes for a Ghost Soldier?” they ask, leaning forward onto their elbow. They don’t sound condescending at all.
-Cause I want to?- Why does he care? Saying “why does he care” out loud sounds too rude now that he’s paying attention.
“Full robes for four people? Multiple sets? About 1000 each if you all get three sets. New robes, under robes, belts. All of the robes are meant to draw Resentment,” he sighs, picking his book back up, and resetting.
-Four thousand Resentment?- I ask, the shopkeeper.
“You asked,” he sighs.
[-1 Tear of Resentment]
[Resentment Wallet: 0C.St.,60R.Sh. -1]
[Max Will: 9,579,451]
[HP: 9,579,451]
[Resentment: +759840/-181802]
[Current Condensed Qi: 1831569/24557174]
[Current Qi: 1483395/957945100]
[Current Karma: 98228697/107275977]
[Resentment Wallet: 0C.St.,59R.Sh.]
[Mortal Wallet: 12E,692K,180P,697R,179Da,258De,2605k]
[Spirit Wallet: 0Dr,0Ph,0Th,1325Di,126Co,10679St]
-I have a few questions, and do you have any other styles?- I set the Tear down and wait for the shopkeeper to notice.
“I don’t know what this is,” he sighs, pulling up a weird tray that looks like it’s made of death wood, but I doubt it. He picks up the shard, throws it on the tray, swipes his hand over it with another put upon sigh, and then his eyes bug out.
-It’s 10,000 Resentment,- I say before he can try to claim that it’s worthless and he’s going to keep it.
“Where’d you find this?” he gargles, voice strangled as he points at the shard then looks up at me, pale and tense. I didn’t rob an “old monster”, but you’d swear I did by the look he’s giving me.
-I condensed it like this because just making bigger stones is inefficient.- Why do they have to make me feel like I’m the one being weird? Whose idea was it to make a bigger rock? -I don’t know how to make fabric or weapons. How do I learn that?-
“Huh,” he grunts, sliding the tray under the counter and coming around to the shop floor. He doesn’t say a word, just waving for me to follow as he walks up to the others.
He’s actually a very competent tailor. He doesn’t answer any of my questions, the only ones he asks are about the fit of the clothes, and what we’ll be using each set for. He’s literally tailoring the different sets. Cuts for wandering around town, pants for flight, and subtle yet elegant robes for more formal events. Three casual robes, three combat robes, and two sets of elegant clothing. The elegant clothes are the most expensive.
[-1 Tear of Resentment]
[Resentment Wallet: 0C.St.,59R.Sh. -1]
[Max Will: 9,579,451]
[HP: 9,579,451]
[Resentment: +759840/-419042]
[Current Condensed Qi: 1831929/24655724]
[Current Qi: 1123395/957945100]
[Current Karma: 98622897/107275977]
[Resentment Wallet: 0C.St.,58R.Sh.]
[Mortal Wallet: 12E,692K,180P,697R,179Da,258De,2605k]
[Spirit Wallet: 0Dr,0Ph,0Th,1325Di,126Co,10679St]
-And that’s how you spend 20,000 Resentment in one shop,- I sigh, the girls wanting trunks, cabinets and stands for their robes, so we shift their furniture into their bedroom in the manor so that they can redecorate their room in the void again. -We’ve still got a few weeks before you get all the robes. Apparently these things normally take time.-
-The fact that it only takes weeks for them to make so many robes is a testament to their skill,- Little Corpse groans. I lead them to my room, waving for him to take the bed, and he just chuckles and sits on the ground in the corner. -I need a few days to meditate,- he sighs before nodding off.
-He needs a few days, but I still need to do the production thing,- I walk to the girls room where they’re still trying to design the rooms. They’re going to have to wait for Little Corpse. -Wasn’t he going to train an assistant?-
-They’re still cleaning up after the riots,- one girl snaps. ? Ooh~, I’m interrupting them finding new ways to ask me for stuff. ? -Tch!-
-Let’s see if we can’t find useful items in the General Shop,- the other girl says softly, tugging at the girl’s sleeve.
-Like what?- I ask, because I’d honestly like to know what they think they’ll find in a shop that I don’t already have the ability to reproduce.
The answer is soaps and perfumes. Would also be makeup, but I threatened to eat any makeup they brought into my void. They don’t need makeup, and they’re dead. I don’t care if they have living bodies. No. No painting up. We can wear pretty clothes, why you need to paint your faces? Ooh. Hair dresser.
Back out of the void, down the lanes in an area that looks like large manors with small grounds, and we find a shop with food, tools, and clothing. Out with the silk, place it on the counter, ask how much it’s worth, and then stare in confusion.
“Death silk? Yiddits? 1000 Resentment per meter. 3000 Resentment per Yiddit. 10 yiddits? 30,000 Resentment.”
-But it’s not good quality... It’s not robe quality. Or embroidery quality! It’s only single strand!- I stammer. My silk is so weak now, why’s it worth so much? -You can’t use it for clothing.-
“Imbued silk? This is Death Essence imbued?” he asks, holding up the bundle of looped silk thread.
I look at him, his hair in a half-ponytail, long and dark, standard dark eyes. Okay. Rough cuticles, which is new, cracked nails. Interesting. His robes look worn, but well kept, with some minor repairs. He has a rope belt over his robe belt, with loops and hooks with worn tools hanging from them.
-But it breaks easily,- I say weakly, the inner voice in my head finally catching up with the “shut the fuck up” glare from the girls. Why am I trying to talk the price down? -Deal...-
The shopkeeper immediately bends down, pulling up a sheet of paper, feather, and ink stone. He makes some ink by popping the stopper off of a gourd hanging off his side, pouring it on a flat plate, grinding a weird paper wrapped oily looking clay against said plate, hands staying clean before he dabs a brush in the resulting mixture and starts drawing. He fills out the form, pulls out a stamp, stamps it, then sprinkles some fine grit he’d had stashed under the counter. When he’s waiting for the grit to dry the ink, absorb it, memories click into place.
Ink stick, ink stone, and he’s essentially writing me a receipt for a bank note he’s about to give me. A bank note for Resentment stones? I accept the paper and he waits patiently for me to verify the information, the girls and Silent Howl explaining the name of the shop, the shopkeeper, who owns the note I’m about to receive, and that the receipt is the shop’s information, banner, motto, identifying information on paper, along with time and date, -- should pay attention, but why? -- and it says that I’ll be receiving 30,000 Resentment in 10,000 Note form to be withdrawn from the shop’s accounts if I go to exchange the Notes.
