Chapter 115: Shopping Mall
After their applications for the matching banquet were approved, candidates were permitted to ask a Healer-class individual out on a date in advance. This practice was allowed by The Empire, provided, of course, that the Healer-class individual consented.
The purpose was to allow them to get to know each other before the matching, so they wouldn’t be going in completely blind.
Of course, there were also some who already knew each other and had a good relationship before the matching. In such cases, they could absolutely choose one another during the event.
Thus, in the three days leading up to the matching banquet, Sophie Wexler received a steady stream of invitations. These could be sent by any of the approved applicants, and while there were many, she didn’t accept a single one.
The candidates who received rejection notices stared at their message inboxes, each one deep in thought. ’She rejected me... Does that mean she chose someone else?’
’Who is that someone else?’
Every one of them was a top contender from their respective clans. Before applying, they had all been told that the final choice would likely be one of them.
So they were all wondering, ’Who on earth did she say yes to?!’
’This won’t do. We have to find out.’
Immediately, they all began to mobilize their networks and ask around.
As for Sophie Wexler, she headed out after rejecting all the invitations.
She hadn’t been out much recently, preferring not to leave unless absolutely necessary. Today, however, she wanted to record a video but realized she didn’t have a musical instrument, so she went out to buy one.
Before leaving, she asked Benjamin Wyatt where she could buy one and took a flyer straight there.
Standing beneath the enormous building that pierced the clouds, she felt utterly minuscule. She couldn’t tell what material it was made of, but it shimmered magnificently in the sunlight. Another structure beside it was even floating in mid-air.
Sophie Wexler looked up, craning her neck until it ached. She sighed inwardly. ’This is The Capital Planet, all right.’
Finally, she stepped inside the building.
Only upon entering did she realize that the exterior was nothing compared to the interior. It was dazzlingly brilliant, with glass walkways branching in all directions, transport rails, levitating elevators, and countless virtual screens everywhere she looked.
A flash of awe crossed Sophie Wexler’s eyes, but she quickly composed herself.
She headed for her destination. Benjamin Wyatt had told her the instrument shops were on the third floor, but he never mentioned how hard it would be to get around on this level!
Sophie Wexler’s legs were already starting to feel numb. No wonder she’d seen everyone riding on a simple version of a flyer when she first came in. It wasn’t to look cool; it was because the place was just that big.
She was tired. Spotting some for sale nearby, she turned and asked, "Hello, may I ask the price of this flyer?"
The salesperson gave Sophie Wexler a professional smile. "Hello, miss. This model is 5.88 million Star Coins."
Sophie Wexler: "How much?!"
’5.88 million Star Coins?!’
’Seriously? With prices like these, you’d think I was Lord Caspian.’
’That’s so expensive!’
The salesperson saw Sophie Wexler’s shocked expression, but their own face remained unchanged as they simply repeated, "5.88 million Star Coins, miss."
Sophie Wexler thought for a moment. ’It’s only up to the third floor.’ Compared to the price of the flyer, she suddenly felt like she could make it on foot after all.
Having made up her mind, she said, "No, thank you."
’I can do this!’
"Very well, miss." The salesperson smiled as she walked away.
This scene did not go unnoticed. Someone nearby sneered, "Another one up from the lower planets."
’Because of the matching banquet, there are a lot of people from the lower planets around these days. A bunch of country bumpkins who’ve never seen anything before. Everything is a novelty to them.’
’And they dare to shop here when they think a simple flyer is expensive.’
Sophie Wexler had no idea that this was the largest shopping mall on The Capital Planet, and the goods sold inside were equivalent to luxury brands on Aethel, with prices to match.
Benjamin Wyatt had recommended this place to Sophie Wexler, firstly because he himself belonged to this consumer demographic, and secondly, because he knew she wasn’t short on money.
Furthermore, he figured that for something like a musical instrument, she would definitely want to buy a good one, so he had naturally recommended this place.
He had simply forgotten to mention the prices.
Sophie Wexler was completely unaware that she had just been ridiculed and looked down upon.
She walked for twenty minutes before stopping, a look of utter despair on her face. If she had known it was this far, she would have just bought that flyer.
’Ugh! It’s too late for regrets now.’
It would take even longer to go back, so Sophie Wexler had no choice but to grit her teeth and press on.
After nearly another twenty minutes, she finally reached her destination.
Sophie Wexler let out a long breath, steadied her breathing, and then stepped inside.
The space inside was enormous, filled with a dazzling array of musical instruments of every imaginable type and variety.
If an instrument existed in The Galaxy, you could find it here.
Back on Karath, Sophie Wexler had spent some time learning the instruments of The Galaxy. Compared to when she was a complete novice, she could now play some of the simpler ones.
This time, she was just looking for a common instrument.
A sales associate saw her enter and immediately came forward. "Hello, miss. Are you looking for anything in particular? I can give you some recommendations."
Sophie Wexler: "I’ll just browse on my own for a bit."
Sales associate: "Of course."
Some customers didn’t like being followed. The associate smiled and said, "In that case, miss, you can use this bracelet to call me if you need anything."
With that, the sales associate handed Sophie Wexler a bracelet bearing her employee ID number.
Sophie Wexler nodded to show she understood.
She wandered around for a while. The selection was indeed vast, and there were many instruments Sophie Wexler didn’t recognize.
Finally, Sophie Wexler found what she was looking for and pressed the call button. The same sales associate appeared before her moments later.
"Hello, miss. Have you made your selection?"
Sophie Wexler hummed in affirmation. "This one, this one, and this one." She pointed to several in a row.
One of them was what she needed; the others looked interesting, and she planned to buy them to learn how to play.
"What’s the price?"
The sales associate glanced at the items and quoted the price. "Miss, the total for these models comes to 11,068,800 Star Coins."
Sophie Wexler: "..."
’I think I need to completely re-evaluate my understanding of prices in The Galaxy.’
’It wasn’t like this on Karath!!!’
’This is all Benjamin Wyatt’s fault for not telling me what the prices were like here.’
"Please get them for me," Sophie Wexler said, her heart bleeding with every word.
"Of course, miss." The sales associate smiled. "You can have a seat over there and wait. I’ll go get them for you."
Sophie Wexler nodded with a hum.
She walked in the direction the associate had pointed. She was truly exhausted—tired from all the walking, and now, after hearing that price, tired in both body and soul. She desperately needed to rest.
As she was walking, she saw something and stopped dead in her tracks.
Her eyes blinked slowly. ’Isn’t that...’