Four days later, Alice knocked on Luo Xun’s door.
She wasn’t wearing a long dress today.
Instead, she had changed into a set of dark brown hunting attire that allowed for easy movement.
A white veil still covered her face, and a short sword and a small leather pouch hung from her waist.
Seeing the language textbook in Luo Xun’s hands, she nodded.
“Pack up.
We’re going out.” Luo Xun put down the book.
“Did your father agree?” “He agreed, with conditions,” Alice said, her tone unreadable.
“We can only go to the commoners’ district in the lower market.
We aren’t allowed into the noble commercial street.
Kaelan will accompany us, along with two guards.
We have no more than two hours.” After a brief pause, she added, “You need some things of your own.
Clothes, daily necessities.
Our family isn’t in the habit of hosting guests, so you’ll have to buy these yourself.” Luo Xun looked down at the plain cloth clothes he had been wearing for four days.
“These clothes are enough.
It’s not like we’re out in the wilderness.” Alice smiled.
“I’ve seen you wear that same outfit for days now.
You need to prepare a few more sets.
I change mine daily.” Luo Xun grumbled silently in his heart.
*Can I even compare to you?
If I had a father with influence that reached the heavens, I’d change every day too.
No, three times a day.* Still, having a girl buy clothes for him felt somewhat awkward.
“I don’t have any money,” he said, feeling a bit embarrassed.
“I do,” Alice said.
“Think of it as an advance.
You can pay me back when you’re able.” This was said very directly, free of any patronizing air.
It felt more like a business transaction.
This girl was clearly skilled at managing people’s feelings.
Was this how all nobles were?
Luo Xun ultimately nodded.
Downstairs, Kaelan and two light-armored elf guards were already waiting in the foyer.
Kaelan held a cloth pouch and bowed slightly when he saw Luo Xun—still maintaining his strictly professional attitude.
The two guards stood straight as spears, their sharp gazes sweeping over Luo Xun before turning away.
They did not speak a single word throughout.
The streets of Silvermoon City were more crowded than Luo Xun had expected.
Although most of the buildings remained in ruins, the main thoroughfares had been cleared and paved with new flagstones.
Temporary stalls lined both sides of the street, their wooden frames hung with various goods: fabrics, pottery, herbs, dried meats, and fresh fruits and vegetables.
The air was a pungent mix of spices, baked bread, and some kind of magical potion.
There weren’t many pedestrians, but it wasn’t empty either.
Most were elves, though occasionally one could spot stocky figures who were clearly dwarf merchants from Ironforge.
Luo Xun couldn’t help but take a closer look.
This race was much taller than depicted in movies and television, but they were incredibly robust.
Everyone on the street was in a hurry, rarely stopping to chat.
Luo Xun walked half a step behind Alice.
Kaelan walked on her left, while the two guards framed them from the front and back.
This formation drew many eyes.
Most showed respect for Alice.
Nearly every elf who saw her bowed their head slightly, and Alice politely acknowledged them in turn.
From this, it was clear that the girl’s high standing among her people had a solid foundation.
Naturally, there were also curious and wary glances directed at Luo Xun.
Humans were rare in Silvermoon City, especially in the inner districts.
Several children followed their group, staring relentlessly.
He felt a bit like a giant panda in a zoo.
“Lady Sunfire.” An old elf selling fabrics stood up and bowed to Alice.
“Do you need anything?
Fresh silk, just arrived from Stormwind.” Alice stopped and ran her fingers over a bolt of deep blue cotton fabric.
It was rough to the touch, but thick and sturdy.
“How much is this?” she asked.
“Five silver coins a yard,” the old elf said, his eyes darting to Luo Xun.
“Or an equivalent amount of arcane dust.” Alice counted fifteen silver coins from her leather pouch.
This was the first time Luo Xun had seen the currency of this world.
The silver coins were slightly larger than a one-yuan coin, with finely ridged edges.
The front was engraved with a sun pattern, while the back featured a delicate vine design.
The old elf took the money, expertly measured out three yards of fabric with a wooden ruler, cut it, folded it neatly, and tied it with hemp rope.
Throughout the entire process, he did not look at Luo Xun again, displaying a very professional demeanor.
Fifteen silver coins for three yards of fabric.
Luo Xun had no idea if that was expensive or cheap.
They continued forward.
The next stall sold leather goods: belts, gloves, and scabbards.
The owner was a middle-aged elf with two missing fingers on his left hand and a scar running from his brow to his chin.
He froze for a moment when he saw Alice, then quickly lowered his eyes.
“My Lady,” he said in a gravelly voice.
“I need a pair of gloves,” Alice said.
“Suitable for drawing a bow.” The owner pulled a pair of brown leather gloves from a rack.
The leather was soft, with reinforced padding on the palms and precise cuts at the fingers to ensure flexibility.
Alice took them and handed them to Luo Xun.
“Try them.” Luo Xun put the gloves on.
The fit was perfect, and the padded palms would effectively reduce the friction of the bowstring.
He flexed his fingers and nodded to Alice.
“How much?” “Twelve silver coins,” the stallholder said.
This time, he glanced at Luo Xun, his eyes lingering for a second on the compound bow slung across the human’s back.
“Or…
if you have any spare bowstrings, we can trade.” Luo Xun’s bowstring was made of a custom composite fiber brought from Earth.
There was no way to replace it here.
He shook his head.
*Exchange a bowstring for a pair of gloves?
If he made that trade, he’d have to use his belt to shoot arrows later.* Alice paid the money, of course.
They went on to buy more daily necessities: two sets of underwear, a spare pair of boots, soap, a towel, and a waterskin.
Alice paid for every transaction.
The stallholders all avoided looking at Luo Xun when they took the money, which made him admire the professionalism of these elves.
Only a culture with a deep heritage could produce citizens like this.
It was a pity that this race was also so prone to self-sabotage.
This cooperative atmosphere lasted until they reached a meat stall.
The owner was a fat elf wearing a greasy apron.
He held a meat cleaver, hacking at a piece of bone-in meat.
Several strips of dried jerky hung from the stall, fresh poultry hung from iron hooks, and various organs soaked in a wooden tub.
The smell of blood was heavy.
Alice wanted to bypass it, but the fat elf had already seen them.
“Well, well, if it isn’t the young lady of House Sunfire,” he drawled, his voice coarse and laced with street-level flippancy.
“Out walking your human pet?” The two guards immediately placed their hands on their sword hilts.
Kaelan’s face went dark.
The air seemed to vanish from the market instantly.
*Pet?* Luo Xun looked at the fat elf, then at the onlookers.
Some were watching for entertainment, some were nodding silently, some looked worried, and others were gloating.
He suddenly realized that the fat elf wouldn’t dare provoke them publicly unless there was more to it.
Was someone backing him?
Or did he think House Sunfire was currently weak enough that anyone could trample on them?
Luo Xun suddenly felt like laughing.
A human, in elf territory, being called an elf’s pet.
This script definitely wasn’t in the transmigration manual.
He looked at the fat elf.
The elf looked back, his eyes clearly writing: *Who do you think you are?*