Chapter 28: The Bank

The inn was a three-story building near the waterway, with a large courtyard for the guests’ various mounts and carriages.

Gima’s room was on the second floor. If she walked out the front door like a normal person, she would definitely be seen by the ever-present inn staff. And being seen meant that when George, the fun police, got back, he would surely deduct points from her score.

Gima did not want to be spanked. Fortunately, she had already figured out the staff’s routine over the past few days. She waited for a moment when no one was looking, slipped out the back door into the courtyard, and, under the convenient cover of a large carriage, successfully snuck out of the inn.

“I’m free!”

Gima walked on the street, taking a deep, satisfying breath of the sweet air of freedom. Without George watching over her every move, it felt so wonderfully, liberatingly different. She had the overwhelming urge to duck into a small, dark alley and just disappear forever. But then she remembered one of the more annoying functions of the slave contract. Unless permitted by her master, if she was away from him for more than three days, she would become weak and her legs would cramp up horribly. And her master could find a runaway slave through the contract.

Gima dismissed the thought with a sigh. Besides, life with George wasn’t so bad. Except for having to copy and memorize those mind-numbingly stupid stories, everything else was… tolerable.

Gima walked on the white stone-paved sidewalk. People came and went around her: wealthy merchants in gold-embroidered robes, their servants pulling mules laden with goods behind them; teams of city guards in gleaming chainmail and yellow helmets patrolling the streets. Compared to the cesspool known as the Tinder District, it was like heaven and earth.

Gima passed an intersection and saw a large, bustling square not far away, and beyond it, the magnificent, soaring spire of the Fellen Brothers Bank that she had been dreaming of. A significant part of her inheritance was sitting safely in the impregnable vault below.

I really, really want to roll around in a giant pile of my own gold coins.

At that thought, Gima’s pace quickened.

Just then, a shop called “Miracle Potions” caught her eye. The shop wasn’t large. A few golden, sparkling potions were displayed at the entrance to attract customers. Through the window, she could see neat, organized rows of potion bottles.

Gima didn’t hesitate. She immediately changed direction and walked towards the “Miracle Potions” shop to inquire about the materials for her advancement potion. A shop that could afford to open in a place like this must have some decent connections.

As Gima stepped into the dim, shadowy storefront, a pungent smell of licorice and something vaguely fishy wafted out to meet her. A bell tinkled merrily. From behind the counter, a shiny bald head suddenly rose. Seeing that it was a cute little girl who had walked in, he cracked a wide smile, showing eight pearly white teeth in his dark face.

“Welcome, welcome! Looking for a ‘love potion’ so early in the day?”

Gima stopped in her tracks, staring at him, and at his ridiculously, blindingly shiny bald head.

“Is there something on my head?” the bald man frowned, casually placing a glass bottle with the words “Miracle Hair Growth Oil” on the counter next to him.

Gima opened her mouth and asked, “Weren’t you the one on the river selling that… that…”

“Ooh~~ you mean the top-grade love elixir, personally refined with the magnificent dick of the great Demon Lord Kima?” The bald man’s eyebrows relaxed into a lecherous grin. “Actually, from an alchemical point of view, the dick is the most insignificant part. The most essential part, the balls, I’ve been saving them for your esteemed master. As everyone knows, the Demon Lord Kima could slay fifteen women in a single night. The elixir I make can make your master even more powerful than the Demon Lord Kima in bed…”

That’s right. It’s him. It’s that shameless, lying, unscrupulous vendor who was profiting from my tragedy by selling my own junk in a jar!

Gima’s phantom balls ached with a burning, righteous fury. Her face twitched, and she had to suppress the overwhelming urge to smash the bald man’s head so hard it went into his own chest cavity.

She said coldly, “You seem to have mistaken me for someone else.”

“Ah, aren’t you Viscount Toffle’s little servant?” The bald shopkeeper then leaned forward and got a clear look at Gima’s face. “No, you’re not. Viscount Toffle’s little maid isn’t nearly as pretty as you.”

His ingratiating smile instantly vanished. Just then, a lazy, sultry female voice came from behind him. “Darling, are you busy with work?”

A woman with wavy red hair hugged the bald shopkeeper from behind. She was wearing an alluring off-the-shoulder dress and rubbed her chest against his back coquettishly. “I’m getting impatient.”

“Almost done, darling. It’s just a playful little kid who wandered in.” The bald shopkeeper said, waving his hand impatiently at Gima. “Go away, little kid. Go find your parents.”

“I am here on behalf of my master to purchase some expensive and very rare materials,” Gima said, lifting her small face, her tone dripping with the arrogance of a well-kept lackey. “He pays very well.”

“Did you bring money? Let me see it.”

“I can give you a deposit.”

“Right now, the shop is not open for business. If you want to ask for prices, go somewhere else.” The bald shopkeeper couldn’t help but stroke the red-haired woman’s hair. “Hurry up and leave. I’m closing the door.”

Gima didn’t have much time. If this shop had the materials she needed, it would be much more convenient.

She immediately activated her Eyes of Desire. My, my. What do we have here? The purple whirlwind of lust in the bald shopkeeper’s chest was as large as two fists, easily twice the size of all his other desire whirlwinds combined.

She immediately flicked her little finger at the blue whirlwind of greed. The blue whirlwind instantly grew a size larger. Then, she flicked at the purple whirlwind of lust, reverse-stirring his desire! The purple whirlwind slowly, pitifully, began to shrink.

At the same time, Gima said, her voice full of disdain, “My master has always been generous. He only cares about time, not price.”

After these few deft operations, the whirlwind of greed gradually, but surely, surpassed the whirlwind of lust.

The bald shopkeeper’s head, which had previously been clouded by a fog of pure horniness, cleared up instantly. He sized Gima up again. Such a beautiful little girl. Her master must have spent a great fortune on her. He must be incredibly rich then. I’m really lucky today. A big order has come right to my door.

His love for gold coins instantly, and completely, surpassed his desire for procreation. He looked at the alluring red-haired woman. He could have a fling with a friend-with-benefits anytime he had money, but if he missed out on a big score like this, the money was gone forever.

The bald shopkeeper decisively pushed the red-haired woman away, cleared his throat, and asked in a much more professional tone, “What does your master need?”

“One whole dream-grass, the nose of an adult dream-eater, and a bottle of high-proof dwarven spirits.”

“Do you need potion-making services?” the bald shopkeeper asked, his eyes gleaming. “My skills are proficient. If the potion doesn’t work, I’ll give you a full refund.”

“No,” Gima didn’t want to reveal her precious formula. “How much?”

“Dream-grass is only used for making sweet dream potions, and the nose of a dream-eater is also quite rare. I’ll have to ask some of my old friends to acquire them. It’ll be difficult,” he lied smoothly. “A total of nine hundred… no, one thousand gold coins.” The bald shopkeeper decided to quote four times the actual price.

“Alright. How long will it take to prepare?”

“One week. The deposit is ten percent—”

Before he could finish, Gima walked to the counter and slapped five gold coins on it with a satisfying clink. “I didn’t bring that much money with me. I’ll be back in a week to pick them up.”

Normally, this was against the rules. But the thought of a thousand gold coins made the bald shopkeeper’s heart pound with greed. Besides, the other party didn’t seem to be playing a prank. What kind of child would use five gold coins for a simple prank?

“Alright. Come back in a week to pick them up. Hey, why is your little finger twitching like that? Do you want to buy a bottle of anti-cramp medicine? It’s very effective. I’ll give you a discount.”

“I’m fine.”

Gima said faintly, retracting her little finger, which had just flicked the bald shopkeeper’s lust whirlwind a total of thirteen times. She turned around and walked out, closing the shop door behind her with a soft click.

“Darling, I’m so sorry to have made you wait,” the bald shopkeeper said, turning to the dissatisfied red-haired woman with a placating smile. “I’ll make it up to you later. I promise.”

“Alright,” the red-haired woman smiled seductively, her anger seemingly forgotten.

But the bald shopkeeper found that his well was completely dry. He felt nothing. Not a single spark. Something... something was terribly wrong. His… thing was completely, utterly limp.

It must be because that sucker just now gave me too much money. Yes, that’s it.

Ten minutes later.

“Strange, I still don’t feel anything.”

“Don’t look at me like that. Sometimes a man is just not in the mood. Wait, let me get something.”

After downing three vials of powerful aphrodisiacs, there was a slight, but very disappointing, change.

“Please use your mouth. I’ll buy you a little gift… Yes, yes, just like that.”

Five minutes later.

“Hmph! If you’re sick, go see a doctor!”

“Please, just give me one more chance!”

“Get lost! You’re all show and no go!”

The culprit, Gima, was hiding in a nearby alley, watching with great satisfaction as the red-haired woman stormed out of the shop. The bald shopkeeper came out, his face full of pleading. “Please don’t say anything! If you do, my reputation will be…”

As he spoke, he desperately stuffed some money into the woman’s bosom.

That’s what you get for cashing in on my good name.

Gima couldn’t help but cover her mouth and giggle. Pretending to be an innocent passerby, she walked towards the Fellen Brothers Bank. Across the street, the red-haired woman was still arguing with the bald shopkeeper. Apparently, they had not yet reached a satisfactory agreement on the compensation for his… poor performance.

Gima, in a rare act of kindness, considered that for a bald shopkeeper who primarily sold aphrodisiacs, once such a reputation spread, it would cause great, irreparable damage to his brand. So, she extended her little finger and quietly stirred the red-haired woman’s greed whirlwind, effectively helping the two of them reach a mutually beneficial agreement on the monetary issue.

Her Eyes of Desire were still active. Gima enjoyed the feeling of being able to use her skills whenever she wanted. She admired the swirling desires of the crowd. Seven colored whirlwinds swirled around everyone’s chest. They partially floated upwards, forming a seven-colored, psychedelic cloud above the street. Among them, the blue of greed was by far the most prominent.

What a vibrant, lively street… If I go to the special service area, I wonder if greed will still be the dominant one, or if it will be lust?

Just then, a cart pulled by a short-legged horse passed by. Near its large wheel, there was a sudden crisp sound, like a dry branch breaking. A child suddenly cried out, clutching his leg and falling to the ground. “My leg! My leg is broken!”

Instantly, the passersby stopped and gathered around to watch. A group of children swarmed towards their fallen companion, shouting, “Locke! Locke! What’s wrong?”

The coachman stopped the cart and cursed, “Bad luck! Can’t you watch where you’re going, you little brat?”

“His bone is broken!”

The little boy named Locke’s face was pale, and he was covered in a cold sweat.

The scene was pure, unadulterated chaos.

Gima also wanted to join the crowd and see what was going on. It was always fun to watch a good show.

But just then, a faint, stinging sensation pricked her. She stopped in her tracks, looked around, and saw a few children mixed in with the crowd. The blue greed whirlwinds in their chests shone like the morning star, bright and intense. The stinging sensation came from these children.

She instinctively understood that she was the target of these children’s greed.

She immediately left the chaotic crowd and walked to the side of a wall. A child who had been walking towards her immediately changed course and, with a small, sharp knife, easily cut a money pouch from the pocket of an unsuspecting onlooker who was engrossed in the drama.

They’re thieves. Their greed was not only directed at her, but at everyone in the crowd. So the Eyes of Desire have this hidden, defensive function. It can sense when I am the target of a strong desire. Tsk, the system is really stingy with its words. It could have mentioned that.

Gima stood at a distance, watching. In less than a minute, a group of children came over, shouting that they were going to take the boy with the broken leg to see his mother, and they quickly carried him away. The street returned to its normal state, except for a few unlucky people who suddenly found their wallets missing.

Gima walked towards the Fellen Brothers Bank, her “Eyes of Desire” still active. She naturally, and with great confidence, stepped over the threshold, showing no signs of timidity whatsoever.