Chương 42: Chapter 40 – Running Errands

"It says it plainly on your stats. Infernal Hellspawn Demon. I don't understand the confusion," Bodarex explained.

"Okay. Okay. You're right, it does say that," Chelsea said slowly, trying very hard not to sound annoyed by the god's increasingly condescending tone.

"I get what demon means. Horns, tail, wings. Got it. What does the infernal hellspawn part mean exactly? Explain it to me as if I were a child." Bodarex stared at her for a long moment before laughing again. The sound rolled through the foggy realm around them like distant thunder. Chelsea hated how much she enjoyed hearing him laugh.

"Ah. You truly do come from another world." The massive floating head shifted slightly in the mist.

"Demons do not stay the same forever, much like monsters. They evolve." Chelsea blinked.

"Like Pokémon?"

"I do not know what that is."

"That makes sense." He ignored the interruption.

"Humans focus almost entirely on classes. Warriors become knights. Mages become archmages. Assassins become shadows and so on. Monsters and demons are different. We evolve our race alongside our class." That actually got Chelsea's full attention.

"So the race changes too?"

"Yes." He sounded pleased she was following.

"Lesser demons become greater demons. Greater demons become nobles. Bloodlines split and branch endlessly over time. Some evolutions are earned through strength. Others through lineage. Others through acts tied to concepts." Chelsea sat down cross-legged in the mist.

"Okay, that actually sounds cool as hell."

"It is cool as hell," Bodarex replied proudly.

"So what exactly am I?"

"You are an Infernal Hellspawn Demon," he repeated.

"Infernal refers to your alignment with higher hellfire bloodlines. Hellspawn refers to your branch of demonkind. They are one of the oldest and most politically powerful infernal bloodlines. Much of the time they look down on even slightly lower bloodlines." Chelsea pointed at herself.

"Me? Political?"

"You specifically?" He laughed.

"No. Not remotely. Your kind in general."

"Wow. Rude."

"You asked." She waved him onward.

"Continue, oh mighty explainer of demon racism."

"Bloodline politics," he corrected.

"That somehow sounds worse." Bodarex continued as though she hadn't spoken.

"Infernal Hellspawn are considered a late-stage evolution. Most demons never reach it. Many die long before they evolve beyond lesser forms." Chelsea frowned thoughtfully.

"So if this is already considered advanced... what the hell was I before?"

"A very bleh human."

"Fair." The god chuckled again.

"Honestly, I was surprised how far your transformation progressed from a corrupted summoning. I assumed that would result in unstable mutations, malformed body, ruined mind. You somehow landed near the upper ranges of infernal evolution immediately." Chelsea slowly raised a finger.

"Wait. Are you saying Magalesa accidentally made me stronger than intended?"

"Oh absolutely." Chelsea slapped both hands over her face and groaned.

"That woman cannot do anything correctly."

"She truly cannot."

"Like seriously."

"She summoned a human champion and accidentally created an upper-tier demon noble," Bodarex replied.

"That is impressively incompetent." Chelsea started laughing so hard she nearly fell backward.

"I knew it!" she wheezed.

"I knew she was bad at her job."

"And yet somehow," Bodarex added, "you continue surviving entirely through spite and confidence."

"Those are my best qualities."

"Debatable." Chelsea pointed accusingly at him.

"You know, for a god, you are surprisingly catty."

"And for a mortal, you are surprisingly comfortable insulting gods." She grinned.

"You haven't smited me yet."

"Because it's entertaining." Chelsea leaned back on her hands.

"Okay. So infernal hellspawn is basically demon royalty bloodline stuff. Good to know. That explains why everyone keeps reacting weirdly to me." She paused.

"So, I'm not like a vampire or succubus or something?" The god let out a booming laugh.

"Not even close on either account. Vampires have snub noses, and succubi have an aversion to clothes, much larger chests, and an unquenchable need for sex." His fiery eyes narrowed slightly.

"You don't seem to have those problems." Chelsea immediately grabbed her chest protectively.

"Bigger boobs?" She let out a horrified noise.

"Don't even joke about that." Bodarex laughed harder.

"You mortals are fascinating creatures. It is fulfilling speaking with you." Chelsea gave a dramatic little curtsy from where she sat.

"Thank you. I try." He continued, "Consider this a favor, the monster currently cuddling you like a stuffed animal, do not use The Eyes on it immediately after it returns from missions." Chelsea frowned.

"Monster? Monster that's cuddling me? I don't understan…" Her eyes fluttered open. Morning sunlight filtered softly through the curtains. There was an arm wrapped tightly around her middle. Chelsea's brain immediately short-circuited. What did you do last night, Chelsea? Then she rolled over and came face-to-face with a deeply asleep Adriane, who was still clinging to her like she was afraid Chelsea might disappear during the night. Chelsea wanted to wake her immediately. The excitement hit her first.

Adriane was back. Safe. In one piece. Chelsea had half a mind to shake her awake just to confirm it was real. But then she looked at her. Adriane was peaceful. Completely still. The intensity she carried while awake was gone, replaced by something softer. Younger. For once, she didn't look like the strongest person in the room. She just looked… tired. Chelsea couldn't remember ever seeing her like this. She must be exhausted.

Instead of waking her, Chelsea shifted closer and carefully spread her wing over her, tucking it in so it wrapped around Adriane like a blanket. Adriane instinctively leaned into it, her grip tightening slightly. Chelsea smiled faintly.

'Don't use The Eyes on the monster.' The words came back to her. But why? What would she even see? What's so bad about it? Chelsea hesitated for all of two seconds. Then ignored the warning completely. She focused and activated The Eyes. Adriane, The Silver Sword. Chelsea blinked. That was it. She frowned slightly.

"That's it?" she whispered to herself. She replayed Bodarex's words in her head. Don't use it right after it returns from a job. Something like that. Her gaze drifted over Adriane again. There were no visible injuries. No strange titles. Nothing unusual at all. Chelsea let out a quiet breath.

"Stupid mayhem god," she muttered under her breath.

"Being cryptic for no reason. What else is new?" She pressed closer, settling into the warmth of Adriane's hold, and closed her eyes again. —"Chels." A hand brushed gently against her cheek.

"Chelsea." There it was again. That soft voice. Chelsea's eyes opened slowly to find Adriane already awake, watching her with a small smile.

"Welcome home," Chelsea whispered.

"Thanks." Adriane's voice was warm, though there was still a hint of fatigue behind it.

"You, ma'am, have a big day today. I'm excited to see how you do. How has training been going?" Chelsea yawned, stretching slightly under the wing.

"Going well," she said.

"Though all we've really done is Bea beats the crap out of me for ten minutes, then we work on my thrust for the rest of the time. Every day. Three times a day." She rubbed at her neck.

"Going to have to pay Marie extra for all of the blood I've left in the tub." Adriane laughed softly.

"Then it sounds like it's going perfectly." She reached up, brushing a strand of hair from Chelsea's face.

"I'm so proud of you. I know you'll at least pass the F-class assessment. I'm hoping you'll pass the E assessment today too." Chelsea blinked.

"I didn't know that was possible."

"They'll explain everything when it's time," Adriane said. Her hand shifted slightly, fingers tracing along the back of the wing still draped over her.

"This is way cozier than I'd expect." Chelsea smiled.

"I'm glad you like it." She hesitated for a second before her expression brightened.

"I do have news." Adriane perked up instantly.

"Don't get too excited," Chelsea added quickly, "because I haven't fully confirmed it yet, but I think I figured out how my enhancement ranks up." Adriane's eyes lit up.

"Explain." Chelsea shifted onto her side, propping herself up slightly.

"I made friends with a shop owner," she began.

"He sells armor and has been letting me experiment. Don't worry, he has no idea what's actually happening." Adriane nodded, completely focused.

"If I put on broken gear that's a higher classification than what my enhancement can convert into, it either ranks me up or builds toward it," Chelsea continued.

"Like right now, it's at Tier seven. That means it can convert things into rare plus two." Adriane's brows furrowed slightly in concentration. Find this and other great novels on the author's preferred platform. Support original creators!

"So if you wear something stronger than that…"

"It pushes me closer to the next tier," Chelsea finished.

"If I put on a broken rare plus three piece, it counts toward ranking up." Adriane leaned in closer now, fully invested.

"That's… actually incredible."

"I know," Chelsea said, a little smug.

"It means I don't have to rely on leveling to get stronger. I just need access to better broken gear." Adriane smiled.

"That's incredible. That means it's going to be difficult to level up too much higher, though," Adriane said, a hint of disappointment slipping into her voice.

"Maybe." Chelsea shrugged, not nearly as bothered.

"So? Tell me about where you went. And how much money did you make us?" she added with a playful wink. Adriane huffed out a quiet laugh.

"I have no idea how much I made. I have a Chelsea for that now." She stretched slightly, rolling her shoulder as if working out stiffness that still lingered.

"As for what I was doing, I was hired for a labyrinth carry." Chelsea perked up immediately.

"That sounds cool."

"It can be," Adriane replied.

"Typically, a group of C or B-rankers will pool their money together and hire an A-rank party to carry them through a labyrinth. Safer, faster, and they still get credit for completion." She paused.

"This group wanted more than one carry." Chelsea raised an eyebrow.

"More than one?"

"Back-to-back." Adriane let out a slow breath.

"Multiple labyrinths in a row. No real downtime. That's where it gets dangerous. A-rank parties start making mistakes when they're exhausted."

"And that's where you come in," Chelsea said.

"Exactly." Adriane gave a small smile.

"They opted for an S-ranker instead. I cost more, but I don't slow down the same way in lower-tier labyrinths." Chelsea leaned forward slightly, intrigued.

"What's the point of doing that?"

"There are a few reasons," Adriane explained.

"Sometimes people are chasing specific reagents. Certain creatures only appear in certain labyrinth types. Other times it's about reputation. Clearing multiple labyrinths quickly can earn recognition with factions. There are titles as well…" She shrugged.

"Or they're just impatient and rich."

"Fair," Chelsea said with a nod.

"We ran quite a few," Adriane continued.

"I was paid per labyrinth. You're my math girl now, so you can figure out what that adds up to." Chelsea grinned.

"Sounds awesome to me." She stretched her arms overhead before rolling out of bed.

"I've got a few errands to run before the assessment," she said, walking toward the small desk where she kept her broken gear.

"Edgar is great and all, but I'd rather hire you to be my babysitter for the day."

"Oh yeah?" Adriane smirked.

"I don't come cheap."

"Good thing I'm in charge of your money then," Chelsea shot back, reaching out to boop her nose. Adriane swatted her hand away with a quiet laugh. Chelsea turned back to the desk and started sorting through her armor pieces, slipping on her chest piece with practiced ease.

"How are you on food, by the way?" Adriane asked, watching her.

"Really good," Chelsea replied.

"I added a bounty to a bunch of guild jobs. Anything involving bandits or similar. Three silver per heart, max of four per job." She adjusted the armor slightly.

"Fiona waves the bounty if I read jobs for her." Adriane blinked.

"You're paying people in hearts now."

"I'm very efficient," Chelsea said proudly, turning back toward her.

"Though, small issue. I'm under strict orders from the guildmaster not to read for anyone anymore. I kind of got in trouble." She held up a hand quickly.

"Don't worry. I can still use my magic reading powers for the family." Adriane tilted her head.

"Why did you get in trouble for reading to people?" Chelsea snorted.

"It's a long story," she said.

"One that I would love to tell you… after your bath." She wrinkled her nose slightly.

"Sorry, but you definitely need one." Adriane froze for half a second. Then slowly looked down at herself. Then back up at Chelsea.

"…Do I?" Chelsea just smiled.

"No really, you don't have to talk to her. It's all dealt with and I already have a plan to deal with that jerk," Chelsea pleaded as they entered the bank. The Grand Bank felt just as polished and quiet as before, all gleaming stone and soft voices that made even breathing too loudly feel like a crime.

"Ah, Miss Wixx, welcome back," the concierge at the entrance said.

"How can we help you today?"

"Hey, I need to check a couple of things. Current balance and most recent deposit into the account," she said.

"Very good, I will have that information straight away," he gestured to some plush couches.

"Please, make yourself comfortable while you wait."

"Awesome, thanks," Chelsea replied as she headed that way.

"Oh hey, do you happen to have the time by chance?"

"Certainly, it is 847, Miss," he replied.

"Threeish hours. Perfect," she said, dropping onto the couch with far more casualness than the room deserved. Adriane followed, though she carried herself with the same composed posture as always. Chelsea leaned back, stretching her legs out just a bit before catching herself and pulling them back in. Even she wasn't that chaotic.

"You have an incredible talent, Chels," Adriane said quietly.

"You shouldn't have to limit yourself just because this jerk is holding the guild hostage."

"I know," Chelsea admitted, resting her head back against the cushion.

"But even Edgar agrees. I don't have time to read everyone's job postings for them." Adriane tapped a finger thoughtfully against her arm.

"What if you set a scheduled time with the guild that you would be willing to work? Like you will read posts for an hour every morning?" Chelsea blinked.

"That… actually, that's something I hadn't thought of." She sat up a little straighter.

"Then Easton and his harem would have to actually be adventurers instead of leeching off other adventurers."

"Eww, a harem?" Adriane asked, her nose crinkling in clear disgust.

"He's one of those guys!?" Chelsea snorted.

"To be fair, he is actually kind of hot. Looks. Not personality."

"That somehow makes it worse," Adriane muttered. Chelsea opened her mouth to reply, but the concierge returned before she could.

"Here you are, Miss Wixx," he said, handing over a card. Chelsea took it casually at first. Then her eyes bulged. Then her brows pulled together.

"That… doesn't look right." Adriane leaned slightly closer, watching her reaction.

"There must be some mistake," Chelsea said, tapping the card lightly.

"The prorated interest payment from our previous loan hasn't been deducted. It should have come out two days ago."

"Prorated?" the concierge asked, clearly out of his depth. Chelsea nodded.

"Yeah, like the partial interest that builds up before the refinance kicks in. It should still be there." The man hesitated only a moment before straightening.

"Let me go ask the branch manager. He can look into it for you further."

"Sounds great," Chelsea replied, then turned to her sister.

"And you." Adriane narrowed her eyes slightly.

"Chels, you're scaring me. I didn't like those faces." Chelsea didn't even try to hide it. Her expression had gone, not angry… something… intense, focused in a way that usually meant something ridiculous or brilliant was about to happen.

"How many labyrinths exactly did you run? And at what rate!?" Chelsea asked quickly.

"We ran thirteen in total," Adriane answered.

"I don't know what the rate was. I was assured it was a rate for an S-class by Willow. Why?" Chelsea stared down at the card again, then back up at her.

"According to this, you added ninety-seven thousand five hundred gold to our account." Adriane blinked.

"That… sounds like a lot."

"That means," Chelsea continued, already halfway through the math in her head, "you were paid seven thousand five hundred per labyrinth." Adriane hesitated.

"That's… good?" Chelsea leaned forward, eyes wide.

"That's insane. It's beyond good. I was expecting you to come back with maybe twenty thousand based on previous months." Adriane leaned back slightly, clearly unsure how to react to that level of enthusiasm.

"Well… the group who hired me almost died… twice."

"Worth it," Chelsea said immediately. Adriane gave her a look. Chelsea grinned.

"Mostly joking."

"Mostly," Adriane repeated flatly. There was a brief pause before Adriane shifted the topic.

"So what was the thing with that guy?" Chelsea's attention snapped back to the card.

"Right. So, your old loan." She tapped it lightly.

"It added interest monthly. When we paid it off, we were really close to the next interest cycle. So technically, we should have owed a partial amount for the time we were still under the contract."

"Prorated?" Adriane asked carefully. Chelsea pointed at her.

"Yes. Exactly. Since we paid before the month was up, it should only apply to the days we were still under the loan. So, like twenty-five out of twenty-eight days." Adriane stared at her.

"That's why you're the boss here," she said.

"None of that makes any sense to me. Might as well be speaking Bontune again." Chelsea laughed. They didn't have to wait long. The branch president himself stepped out from the back offices, moving with the same composed urgency as before. The armored man shadowed him closely, eyes scanning the room out of habit.

"Miss Wixx," he greeted.

"I understand you are confused about your previous loan?" Chelsea stood slightly out of politeness, then sat back down as he approached.

"Yes, it's so good to see you again," she said.

"The loan was nearing its time for interest to be applied again, so I assumed there should have been a prorated amount added after it was paid off. Am I incorrect?" The man smiled faintly.

"Ah, I see your confusion." He clasped his hands lightly in front of him.

"The terms of that style of loan dictate that the interest is added at the beginning of the billing cycle. If the loan is paid off before the next cycle begins, then there is no outstanding balance to apply interest to." Chelsea froze. Her brain ran through the numbers again. Then again. Then one more time just to be sure.

"Oh." Adriane leaned slightly toward her.

"Oh?" she echoed. Chelsea looked up slowly, her voice quieter now.

"Then we have a lot more money than I anticipated." The bell jingled again as the door closed behind them.

"I'll be right with you," a woman from the back room called out.

"Take your time. We can look around," Chelsea yelled back, already drifting toward a rack like she owned the place.

"Chelsea?" the voice called again, closer this time.

"Yeah!" she answered.

"A dress shop?" Adriane whispered, stepping in after her.

"Chelsea, you said this stop was for me."

"It is," Chelsea replied casually, flipping through hangers with practiced ease.

"I got an adorable dress for Bea that Edgar was all about. I have one. Mind you, it was to get my Charisma up. But you're the only one of us who doesn't have a dress, and you deserve nice things."

"Chelsea, I can't fight in a…" The shop owner appeared from between two racks mid-sentence, and Adriane immediately cut herself off, posture straightening, expression smoothing into something polite and neutral.

"Maggie! Hey, I brought someone else who needs to be fitted. Can you help me out?" Chelsea said brightly.

"Oh, of course. Hey, where is Edgar? Doing that outside thing again?" Maggie asked as she moved toward a nearby cart, grabbing a measuring tape without even looking.

"Oh no, he has the day off," Chelsea said, waving a hand.

"Oh, thank the gods." Maggie let out a breath.

"Chelsea, that mask terrifies me. When he looks at you, it's like he can see straight to your soul."

"I know!" Chelsea said immediately.

"The first time I met him, I felt the exact same." They both laughed.

"Don't let Bea hear you say that though," Chelsea added under her breath.

"So, who's your friend?" Maggie asked, finally turning fully toward them, tape in hand.

"Oh, right." Chelsea gestured casually.

"She's on babysitter duty today. This is my oldest sister. I don't know if she's ever owned a dress, but she…" Chelsea stopped.

"Hey, Maggie, are you OK?" Maggie had gone completely still. Her eyes were wide and her mouth was slightly open. All the color drained from her face so fast it was almost impressive. Adriane shifted slightly beside Chelsea, clearly confused but not yet concerned.

"Maggie," Chelsea said, softer this time. No response.

"Maggie!" Chelsea snapped, a little louder. The woman jolted like she'd just been pulled out of a trance.

"You're Adriane Wixx?" she whispered. Adriane slowly turned her head toward Chelsea, giving her a look that said explain this immediately.

"Yeah, hi," Adriane said.

"Adriane, this is Maggie," Chelsea said quickly.

"She's Marie from the inn's daughter. She also happens to be a huge fan of everyone's favorite S-ranked adventurer, 'The Silver Sword.'" Maggie didn't move.

"Adriane Wixx is in my shop," she whispered to herself, like she was trying to confirm reality. Adriane stepped forward anyway, extending a hand.

"It's nice to meet you." Maggie stared at it. Did not move. Chelsea sighed, reached over, grabbed Maggie's hand, and physically placed it into Adriane's."'Huge fan' may have been an understatement," Chelsea said.

"Uh huh," Adriane replied, still holding Maggie's limp hand. Maggie looked down at their joined hands like she might pass out"Hey, Maggie," Chelsea said, nudging her lightly.

"If this is a bad time, we can come back later." Maggie blinked.

"Oh no, no no. This is a good time," she said quickly, still a little breathless.

"The best time. Yes!" She finally released Adriane's hand, though it looked like it physically pained her to do so, and immediately went into motion. The measuring tape came up, her hands steady even if the rest of her seemed ready to burst. She worked in silence, but her eyes kept flicking up. Shoulders, waist, posture. Then back to Adriane's face like she needed to confirm she was real.

"Would you like to try on a few pieces?" Maggie asked, voice tight with contained excitement.

"That way, I can get a feel for what you like." Adriane looked at Chelsea. Chelsea nodded quickly. Very quickly.

"Yes," Adriane said. It came out controlled, but she was clearly out of her depth. This was not a battlefield. There was no monster to stab. No enemy to read. Just… fabric. Maggie disappeared into the racks with purpose.

"Chels!" Adriane whisper-yelled. Chelsea immediately turned away and covered her mouth, shoulders shaking with silent laughter.

"Just try on the dresses," she whispered back.

"Maybe tell her a story or two of defeating something. I don't know. Whatever it is you go off and do." Adriane stared at her like she had suggested she juggle knives.

"Alright, Miss Wixx, the dressing room is ready for you," Maggie said, reappearing and gesturing behind her.

"Please follow me." As promised, three dresses hung neatly on the same peg Chelsea had used a few days prior.

"Please head in. Try it on and let me know what you do and do not like about it." The curtain closed. Maggie froze. Then she spun around.

"Chelsea!" she whisper-yelled.

"I wish you would have told me she was coming. Look at my hair." Chelsea glanced at it. It was… slightly out of place.

"Maggie," Chelsea said, completely unimpressed, "I am covered in blood ninety percent of my day. She is used to seeing the worst there is. Slightly tousled hair isn't even going to register for her." Maggie opened her mouth to argue... The curtain moved. Chelsea bit the inside of her cheek. Hard. Adriane stepped out in a canary yellow ball gown that looked like it had been stolen from a very enthusiastic noble's wardrobe.

The skirt was full, the white underskirt peeking out beneath layers of bright fabric, the whole thing far too… delicate for someone who regularly fought things larger than buildings. Adriane stood there. Very still.

"I, uh," she started. Chelsea lost the battle.

"She hates everything about it," Chelsea said immediately. Adriane gave a small shrug and a confirming nod.

"Ok, good. That's good. That starts to narrow it down," Maggie said, completely unfazed, already adjusting mentally. Adriane disappeared back behind the curtain without another word. Maggie turned back to Chelsea, recovering quickly.

"How is your dress holding up?" she asked.

"I noticed you didn't wear it in today. You and it seemed inseparable since I sold it to you."

"Oh, it's good. It's super good," Chelsea said, trying and failing to sound convincing.

"I have my guild assessment in a couple of hours. That's why I'm in armor." Maggie tilted her head slightly.

"Do you have the dress with you?"

"Yeah, of cour..."

"May I see it?" she asked immediately. Before Chelsea could answer, the curtain swept open. Adriane stepped out wearing another fitted dress. This one was almost identical in cut to Chelsea's own, except it was baby blue with white accents instead of black and red. Adriane looked deeply uncomfortable.

"I really like the color of this one," she admitted.

"But I feel gross. The way it fits. Like the shape of it, I mean." She gestured vaguely at herself.

"I feel, please don't take offense to this, whorish." Chelsea's mouth fell open.

"Adriane!" Maggie immediately broke into hysterical laughter.

"What?" Adriane protested, looking between the two of them.

"I do! Look at how much it's revealing my chest." She pointed lower.

"And this!? I'm not opposed to finding a man, but not the type that this would attract." She frowned at Maggie.

"Why is she the one laughing?"

"That's my dress," Chelsea grumbled.

"Different colors, but that's my style." Adriane's expression changed instantly. Her eyebrows rose.

"Oh." Chelsea crossed her arms.

"Oh no no," Adriane corrected quickly.

"I'm sure it looks great on you, Chels. With your large ches… wait, you really wear this?"

"Happily!" Chelsea shouted. That only made Maggie laugh harder. She had to lean against a rack to stay upright.

"Fine, fine," Adriane muttered.

"Let me go try on the other one before I accidentally join that one reading guy's harem."

"Adriane!" Chelsea yelled again as the curtain closed behind her. Maggie finally got herself under control, wiping tears from the corners of her eyes.

"Always fun having you in my store," she said, holding out a hand.

"Now let's see the dress." Chelsea immediately clutched at her bag.

"It's mine," she hissed, baring her fangs dramatically.

"The dress," Maggie repeated patiently. She was clearly not intimidated. Chelsea rolled her eyes.

"Fine." She pulled the ruined remains of the red-and-black dress from her pack. Maggie stared at it in horror.

"Chelsea."

"It's fine!" Chelsea defended immediately.

"Like I said, I get frustrated sometimes when taking things off. Little fingertip knives don't help."

"I don't think I can fix this," Maggie sighed, carefully lifting one of the shredded sections.

"It's fine," Chelsea repeated, trying much harder to sound convincing.

"Spooky demon magic. Remember?"

"So it makes a tail hole and repairs clothes?" Maggie asked skeptically. Chelsea gave her brightest, most innocent smile. The curtain opened again before Maggie could continue questioning her. Adriane stepped out in the final dress. This one kept the same colors as Chelsea's favorite, but the style was completely different. Simpler. Softer. The skirt fell more naturally, and the fit was loose enough to move comfortably in while still flattering her figure. It looked practical. Comfortable. Very Adriane.

"This. But in that blue and white. Do you have something like that?" Adriane asked, her tone more decisive than excited.

"Yes, of course! I can make you that exact dress," Maggie said quickly.

"I can have it ready by tonight if you would like to swing back by. It will be free of charge."

"Oh, we can pay for it," Adriane replied.

"Talk to Chelsea about it, and she will pay you." She slipped back behind the curtain.

"And I'll take the other dress," Chelsea's voice called out loud enough for Adriane to hear.

"The one she thought was whorish. In fact, what other colors do you have in that style? Don't worry about size. Spooky demon magic."