"Much obliged! Man, you really saved my neck. You don't often find a ship capable of hauling this much volume in one go."
Having finished the unloading, the portly merchant from the trading company tapped away at his terminal with a look of pure satisfaction.
A notification chime rang out from the handheld terminal in my pocket. The total payout for all thirty-two lots came to 960,000 credits. Even after the fees were deducted, I should have been left with a small fortune.
...At least, that was the plan.
"…That's steep."
"It certainly is."
Immediately after leaving the trading company, Lucia and I had stopped in front of a display window.
We were standing before a clothing store that was high-end even by this colony's standards. This wasn't a shop for your average citizen; these clothes were built with the durability and functionality demanded by spacers. On display were jackets and trousers with a modern silhouette, and even a few charming one-piece dresses—but the prices on the tags were anything but charming.
Impact-resistant/Stain-resistant Jacket: 120,000 credits.
"A hundred and twenty thousand for a single jacket? Compared to actual combat gear, the price-to-performance ratio is terrible, but since it technically qualifies as armor, I guess it’s somewhat reasonable?"
"It appears to possess basic protective capabilities and an integrated self-maintenance function," Lucia analyzed calmly. "Even so, this is the bare minimum—nearly the lowest price point available."
The economy of this world felt strangely distorted to my modern sensibilities. As soon as a product involved industrial manufacturing or high-quality specs, the price jumped by a decimal point. I suppose the people who could afford this gear were the only ones positioned to make even more money.
By my math, one jacket would eat over ten percent of my payout. In any normal world, the idea that a single three-day delivery could cover that with change to spare would be insane.
"It’s a necessary expense," I said, mostly to convince myself. "There’s a limit to how many bluffs we can pull off if we’re both walking around in 'starter gear' rags."
Considering ammunition costs and emergency funds, splurging here was painful, but looking the part was a tool of the trade. This was a production colony, and there was no shortage of large-scale transport contracts. To land the big ones, we needed to look like we belonged there. Besides, Lucia’s earlier joke probably held a grain of truth.
"Welcome... Oh?"
As we stepped inside, the elderly proprietor at the counter adjusted his glasses. His eyes widened as he looked at us—or more accurately, at Lucia, who stood half a step behind me.
"Well now... this is a surprise. You’ve brought a truly 'fine specimen' with you."
"…You can tell?"
"Indeed, indeed. It’s my profession, after all. I can’t sell the right clothes if I can’t recognize a quality wearer. The skin texture, the silent servos, the fluid movements... This is a far cry from a mass-produced Service Droid. A bespoke, special-order model... I’d estimate the value at several million, at least. No, forgive me. It’s not my place to pry into a customer’s affairs."
The shopkeeper’s voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper.
In this world, androids weren't exactly rare. However, traveling with a unit as sophisticated as Lucia—someone easily mistaken for human—was the equivalent of driving an ultra-luxury supercar. Just having her around would make people wonder, Who is this guy? A noble traveling incognito?
"Something like that. We have our reasons."
I didn't bother confirming or denying it, simply offering a knowing smile. In situations like this, it was best to let the other person’s imagination do the heavy lifting.
The shopkeeper’s demeanor became noticeably more deferential.
"Quite so, quite so. ...Now then, what kind of attire are we looking for today?"
"Clothes for her. Something functional that doesn't stand out too much. Our budget is... 500,000 for the both of us."
I threw the number out there with confidence, hoping my Negotiation Perk would pull its weight. As a Japanese person, haggling didn't exactly come naturally to me, but I was going to give it my best shot.
"Leave it to me. Putting a young lady like this in flimsy, ready-made rags would be a crime against craftsmanship."
The proprietor disappeared into the back and returned with several outfits in his arms. He reverently unfurled one of them for us to see.
It was an apron dress with black and white frills—a design that clearly followed the motif of a classical maid uniform, but updated with modern materials and a refined silhouette.
"This is the latest Nano-fiber Blended Battle Dress. While the design is based on traditional service wear, it was a bespoke piece commissioned for a high noble’s personal guard android."
The shopkeeper spoke with genuine passion. This wasn't just a costume; the fabric had a unique luster and looked incredibly durable.
"Normally, a custom order like this wouldn't go for a credit under 600,000... but I could let it go for 450,000 as a special offer."
Still expensive. I could tell it was high quality, but that alone would devour ninety percent of our budget. What was I supposed to wear, a trash bag?
"A noble’s custom order, huh? Why is something that fancy sitting in a shop for the general public? A cancellation? Or did it 'fall off a truck'?"
"N-now, see here, that’s..."
The shopkeeper’s eyes darted around. Bullseye. If the item had "baggage," then I had leverage.
"I won't be tactless enough to ask how you got it. But think about it, Shopkeeper."
I gestured between Lucia and the dress.
"When is the next time a customer with a unit capable of pulling off that outfit is going to walk through those doors? A year from now? Ten? If you're unlucky, it’ll just gather dust in your warehouse forever."
"Ugh..."
"Isn't it smarter to sell it to us for cash right now rather than sitting on dead stock?"
The man groaned, breaking into a sweat. The problem with niche luxury goods was that they were too selective about their buyers. If we walked out, that dress was going back into a dark box.
"So, here’s my proposal. This Battle Dress... and that Reinforced Jacket set in the window. 500,000 for the pair."
I deliberately offered my original budget ceiling. It was more than his asking price for the dress, so he’d still see a profit. However, compared to the combined list prices, I was essentially getting the jacket for free.
"Both for... 500,000..."
"It’s a fair deal. Which do you prefer? Half a million in cash today, or sleeping on inventory you might never move?"
The shopkeeper agonized for a long moment before finally dropping his shoulders in defeat.
"…You win. You’ve got a sharper head for business than you look, customer."
The deal was struck. Lucia vanished into the fitting room, and a few minutes later, the curtain pulled back. Standing there was a perfect "Maid."
"…It suits you."
When I offered my honest praise, Lucia remained expressionless, but she lightly lifted the hem of her skirt.
"No restrictions on range of motion. The protective rating of the material is exactly as specified. Excellent."
"What did I tell you, sir? A magnificent fit!" The shopkeeper puffed out his chest as if the victory were his, his previous near-tears forgotten.
I also changed into the Reinforced Jacket he’d picked out. It was a standard piece, but it looked a thousand times more professional than a jumpsuit.
In the end, the bill came to exactly 500,000 credits. More than half the reward was gone, but it felt like a solid investment.
"Master," Lucia said softly as we left the shop.
"Yeah?"
"Did my clothing not account for the vast majority of our expenditure?"
"…I told you, it’s a necessary expense. Besides, it wouldn't look right if you were dressed to the nines while I looked like a derelict."
"I see."
Lucia looked straight ahead, her voice dropping just a fraction in pitch.
"…My thanks, Master."
Hearing that made me feel like the expensive purchase was worth it. Still, money really does vanish in the blink of an eye. I’ll have to give the next job everything I’ve got if I want to keep us in the black.
Cosmetic gear in games is always so expensive...