Chapter 318: I Have ’Television’ Now
Solaris owned one dress, one coat and one pair of boots. She had already complained about two of them.
Lancet took her to a clothing store three streets away.
The staff, who had also seen the news, recognized her before they reached the first rack.
Within minutes, Solaris had been placed in a private fitting section while two attendants carried in enough outfits to clothe a small family.
The first was a red dress with a high collar.
Solaris emerged, turned once and looked at Lancet. "The sleeves restrict my shoulders."
Lancet’s face was all red as he stared at her. "They... uhm... it looks fine to me."
Solaris lowered her hands and gaped disappointedly. "That was not what I asked."
"You asked me to tell you which ones are nice."
"Suitable," she corrected. "I don’t care at all about nice. I desire comfort and freedom to use my powers if I need."
"Well it’s..." Lancet stammered, staring at her cleavage as it popped out of the low sleeved dress. "...suitable."
Solaris immediately went back inside.
The second outfit was a long black skirt and cream blouse.
Solaris looked down at the skirt. "This catches at my ankles."
"You’re walking like you’re preparing for battle."
"I should be able to fight in anything I wear."
"You’re buying clothes for normal life."
"Lancet. You are aware I can still be attacked in a normal life."
One of the attendants nodded as though that made sense.
Lancet looked at her. And the attendant immediately readjusted.
The third outfit had fitted brown trousers, a gold blouse and a short ivory jacket.
Solaris walked out, moved both arms and lifted one knee.
"This is better."
Lancet nodded. "Yeah. It suits you."
She looked at herself in the mirror.
The gold worked with her hair and feather-crown without making her look as though she had dressed entirely in fire.
Solaris touched the jacket’s collar. "The cut is strange."
"Thata just how it is. It’s a modern clothing."
"Modern people enjoy wasting fabric in some places and removing it from others."
"That’s fashion."
Solaris looked at herself one more time. "I’d call it confusion."
Regardless, she still kept the outfit. After that, she became more willing to test things.
She rejected a blue dress because the color made her look "cold." She kept a dark green coat after Lancet said it made the gold feathers stand out.
She chose several loose shirts for the apartment, two long dresses for formal occasions and enough trousers to avoid ever complaining about restricted movement again.
At one point, she walked out wearing a black evening dress with a split along one leg.
Lancet stared too long.
Solaris noticed.
"This one is acceptable. Very very acceptable."
Solaris didn’t know she was redcheeked, and the attendant covered a smile.
Lancet looked at her. "Add it."
When they were done, they said their goodbyes to the staff and left the store. Solaris was carrying nothing while Lancet carried four bags. The rest were arranged for delivery.
They went for provisions next.
Solaris understood food better than clothes, though her choices became strange very quickly.
She placed six boxes of honey cereal into the cart. Lancet removed two but she put them back.
"What are you doing?" he almost scolded her. *You don’t need six boxes of cereal."
Solaris glared at him, her phoenix brows wriggling. "I have no food."
"Okay but that’s six boxes of the same thing." He pointed at the cart.
"The grains are sweetened, and they remain edible for a long time."
"You can buy more later."
Solaris added another box. Lancet stared at the cart, dumbfounded.
She also chose roasted seeds, dried fruit, honey sticks, sugared nuts and several packets of grain crackers.
Lancet lifted one packet. "Really?" He looked at her.
She made a self conscious expression. "I like what I like. You cannot hold that over me."
Lancet said nothing else and returned them to the cart. As they continued shopping, the pattern became impossible to ignore.
Anything sweet, grain-based or full of seeds interested her immediately. Phoenix instincts, apparently, came with a grocery list.
She also bought fresh fruit, spices, flour, butter and enough baking supplies to justify the apartment’s oven.
Then toiletries and such came way after. And Lancet was the one who had to not just remind her about them but explain why they were important.
In the end, Lancet paid again.
When they returned to the apartment, the clothing delivery had arrived. They spent the next hour putting everything away.
Solaris arranged the food herself, moving the cereals to the front of the cupboard and placing the baking supplies in strict order. Lancet carried clothes into the bedroom while she inspected the television channels from the couch.
When he came back, she had found a documentary about the building of the bastion cities.
Cinderhold appeared briefly on an old map.
Solaris stood so fast that the couch shifted behind her.
The presenter called it an early settlement later absorbed into Carrion Spire. Her face changed.
Lancet reached for the remote but Solaris stopped him. "Leave it."
She watched until the segment ended. Then she wrote down the name of the historian who had spoken.
Lancet decided not to ask what she intended to do with it.
By evening, the apartment looked lived in.
Clothes filled the bedroom. Food occupied the kitchen. A stack of old maps Lancet had ordered through the Academy archive rested on the dining table. The television continued playing quietly while city lights began appearing beyond the windows.
Solaris stood near the kitchen counter with a cup of sweetened milk between both hands.
Lancet picked up the empty shopping bags.
"That should be everything for now."
Solaris looked around the apartment once more. "More than everything."
Lancet paused near the door.
She set the cup down, took a deep breath, then said, "Thank you."
The words came without ceremony, but she did not look away after saying them.
Lancet smiled. "Happy to help."
Solaris touched the edge of the counter. "I enjoyed today."
Lancet’s brows raised. "That sounded painful to admit."
She smiled awkwardly. "I admit it was unfamiliar."
She looked toward the clothes folded across one chair, then to the television and the boxes filling the kitchen.
"I have not done something without war, duty or death following behind it since I was a child."
Lancet’s smile softened. "Well, now you have an apartment and a dozen boxes of cereal."
"A dozen and one."
Lancet looked toward the cupboard and huffed out a chuckle. He looked back at her, she’d been staring deeply.
"Tomorrow," he said, bringing her back to the present, "Frieda will be coming here."
Her expression returned to business. "The Fire Mage."
"Yes. Try to be nice to her."
"I agreed to train her, Lancet. Not be her friend."
Lancet opened the door. "Just don’t make her cry in the first ten minutes."
Solaris considered that. "I can attempt fifteen."
Lancet stared at her. A faint smile reached her mouth.
He pointed at her. "You’re learning jokes too quickly."
"I have ’television’ now."
"Hah!" They shared a small laugh before he stepped into the hall.
"I’ll see you tomorrow," Lancet said.
Solaris nodded. "Goodbye, Lancet."
He closed the door behind him and started toward the lift.
Ding!
The chime of his system stopped him before he reached the opening doors.
Golden text opened in front of him.
[ Congratulations! You have achieved Character Exploration with your Heroine, Solaris. ]
His brows rose. Ding! A second chime followed.
[ You have explored multiple characters recently. Please check your Character Exploration progress and receive your rewards! ]