Ah, it’s another beautiful day. I had gotten along with Elise and our bond has grown. Sure, do hope nothing bad happens. I stretch out my arms. The shop door is right in front of me. Yes, our own shop. Elise and I.
I open the door wide open. The stupid bell rings but whatever today is a good day.
“Hello, Claude.”
Aw. She’s greeting me.
“Hello to you too, Elise.”
“Hehe.”
Aw. She’s giggling. She is so happy to see me. Cute. Adorable even.
“Hey boss! Over here!”
Klein sometimes you’re too overly excited in your greetings. Tone it down a little.
“Hello, my dear worker Klein.”
“You seem happy boss.”
“Why thank you, I am. After last night, my world has changed.”
“Hey Claude? Can you do me a favour?”
Huh? Elise has her hands clasp as she shyly sways. Stop being so cute.
“Anything for you Elise after all we do get along now.”
Yep that we do. I had to nod proudly.
“Oh, thanks.”
Elise has her hands behind her back as she walks over to her side of the store. She hums a sweet tune as she grabs something off her counter. An item to symbolize our bond perhaps?
“Okay, here.”
Huh? Oh, It’s just a potion. She wants me to try a potion? Well since we get along.
“You want me to try that?”
“Mmhmm.”
Elise nods in a very cute manner. She seems super excited. Well whatever.
I walk over and grab the potion in my hand. It’s a light blue color reminding me of the Crescent cross skies we shared last night.
“Okay, I’m taking it.”
I pause for a second. Elise stares at me in anticipation. She has her fists raised up.
“You’re so slow, Claude. Hurry.”
Why is Elise being so childish right now. It’s kind of cute really. And it’s really sweet to make a potion for me.
“Okay here goes.”
Gulp.
Thump.
“Boss!”
What in the? Is this poison? No, I’d be completely knocked out by now. But it tastes awful. I can see Klein rush over towards me. Ah, what a great employee concerned about their boss. Rare these days.
“Wait Elise? What did you do?”
“Hm?”
Don’t “Hm” me. What did you do to me?
“What did you put in this potion? What’s going on with me?”
“Relax you’re not going to be hurt. Well I hope.”
“You hope?!”
“Hehe, bye.”
“Elise, how could you?”
“Hate me yet?”
“What? Elise never. Even if I don’t know what you put in this potion. I could never hate you. You’re too precious to me.”
“Aw.”
“Wait, why do you want me to hate you?”
I gave her this sad look but it did not faze her. Heartless women she is sometimes.
“Well I want the store so…” Elise softly speaks.
“I thought we agreed to share the shop?”
I grabbed her ankle as I was slouched on the counter. My back was pressed right against it. I was resting on my side at this point.
“Hm?”
“Elise, why?”
“Treason.”
“I can see that!”
“Goodbye Claude.”
“Explain.”
Elise presses her index fingers together while looking slightly shy.
“Well, Lara said I could have the store if you magically disappeared. So magically disappear.”
“Go poof.”
“District store manager!”
I slam my other hand on the ground. The ground shook from my anger. Hana’s eyes widen in terror.
“Oh.”
I swear under her peaceful demeanor the district store manager is an evil demon. Why would she tell Elise that?
“I thought…I thought we were going to be partners?”
Ah I can taste this spicy flavor in my mouth. I don’t like it. Bleh.
“Ah. Gross.”
“So, you want to leave now right?”
Elise kneels down with her hands on her cheeks.
“Never Elise. I’m staying with you. Nothing is going to make me leave.”
“Please?”
Elise tilts her head to the side.
“Never Elise. I will be with you until I die.”
“Aw.”
“Ew. This flavor is really gross.”
“Yeah, it’s a potion that coats your tongue and makes it so everything you taste is spicy. Should be gone in a few minutes.”
“Elise.”
Elise gives an evil grin as she walks back behind her counter.
“Klein help me up.”
“Yes, boss!”
Klein carries me up by the shoulder. I lean against Klein’s chest as my head sways lifelessly.
“Klein why did this have to happen?”
“I don’t know boss.”
“Elise!”
“Elise this. Elise that. You love my name.”
“Elise!”
“Stop calling out my name.”
“I want you.”
“Yeah?”
“I want us to run this store together.”
“Okay.”
“I’m serious.”
The door slams wide open. The bell is infuriating me.
“Hello how are we all doing?”
It’s the district store manager!
“Lara, what did you tell Elise?”
“Huh?”
Lara looks frantically around the store before finally meeting eyes with Elise.
“What do you mean?”
“Elise just poisoned me! And she said you were the one who planned it. Mastermind huh. I knew you were always evil. Even if you made Elise and I share the same store.”
“Huh? Elise?”
“I did not poison you. Hehe.”
Why are you laughing under your breath Elise?
“District store manager explain.”
“I don’t know what’s going on.”
“Elise and I got perfectly along until you said something to her.”
“Not really, Claude.”
“We do though. Stop being coy around our new bond.”
Ah, this gross spicy flavor again. Bleh. I have to spit.
“Huh?”
The district store manager is still confused. Elise sighs.
“Lara, you said if Claude disappeared, I could have the store.”
“Ah. Well yes, I said if he left you could have the store technically.”
“District store manager!”
“I didn’t tell her to poison you. I just said if you had something urgently come up and wouldn’t return back, say many years, she’d probably have control over the shop. Like isn’t that obvious?”
I turn to Elise. She gives me a coy look.
“So, you just twisted her words?”
Elise looks away.
“Haha. You think you can get rid of me Elise. Think again.”
“So, you guys are getting along? Or no?”
“We did. No, we still do.”
“He is so persistent, isn’t he?”
Elise pokes me on the cheek.
“Is there something wrong with that, Elise?”
“Well, no.”
“Well I have to do some inspection of your inventory. I have to make sure you’re selling what you’ve actually told us!”
Lara puts her hands on her hips as she breathes out confidently.
“Inspection?”
“Yes, inspection.”
“If you’re selling say weapons as a fruit stand owner, you’ll be arrested. So, we check for these things.”
“Oh.”
Elise’s eyes beam in amazement. What are you up to? Elise just gave me an evil smile.
“Elise be my fellow inspection officer.”
“Does it work like that?”
I was confused. Elise isn’t a neutral party.
“Okay.”
But Elise agreed anyways. Happily, even.
“Okay, we’re inspecting Claude’s shop first and only his.”
“Hey. Why not Elise’s?”
“Oh, I known Elise for a while. I visited when she was working under someone else.”
“Wait this is corrupt.”
“Sorry, Claude.”
Elise tilts her head at me and giggles.
“Klein do you want to go over there for me?”
“But boss.”
“Klein, I’ll be fine.”
Klein places me back onto the ground and rushes behind our counter. Lara gets her quill pen out.
“So, Klein what do you sell?”
“Um, gems.”
Klein stop shifting your eyes around. You’re looking suspicious. You know we only sell gems.
“Why’d you say it like that? Something up?”
“Lara, it’s only gems. It’s only gems.”
I had shouted across the store. I look at Klein and nod. He nods back.
“Okay, gems got it. Anything else?”
“Well, you see- “
“Klein.”
“Yes, boss.”
“Hm. Something is suspicious around here.”
Lara leans over the counter and tries to see if there is anything else.
“Oh, I found something bad.”
“Oh? What is it, fellow inspection officer?”
What is it now Elise?
“A naughty book.”
“Hey no! I don’t look at such materials.”
“Claude why are you blushing?”
Elise giggles.
“There’s no naughty books around here. There is a book about cooking though.”
“Arrest him!”
Elise be quiet.
“Now, now, I don’t think Claude is selling books as well as gems.”
“Exactly.”
“Ah ha, Lara there is another illegal item.”
Elise tries acting all surprise. What is it now?
“Elise go on.”
“A potion.”
Elise pulls out a potion from under the gem pile on the counter.
“Claude was selling potions too?”
Elise clutches the potion in her hands as she looks all around the store.
“Elise that’s your potion.”
“Bleh.”
She sticks her tongue out at me. Childish.
“Elise stop framing Claude.”
“But it’s not my potion.”
Liar.
“Hm, it seems you’re clean Claude.”
“We used to sell plushies.”
Klein what the heck. Shut your mouth.
“Oh?”
Elise you better not.
“Plushies?”
Lara tilts her head in confusion.
“Yes, stuffed animals. I make them and boss said it was fine to sell my work so I would. I’m so sorry boss.”
“Um, well I think it’s fine.”
Lara pauses to regain her composure.
“You see we don’t take it too seriously if you sell other items. It’s really only if it’s potentially dangerous. Like blacksmiths are only allowed to sell weapons and the like, no one else.”
“Haha, you guys were all acting scared.”
It’s not funny Elise, I thought I might have to leave you.
“Ah, Claude you’re selling poison? Lara seize him!”
“Elise that’s another potion.”
Lara taps Elise on the shoulder.
“Stop being a little devil Elise.”
Devil. Yeah devil. That’s what she is. A devil at times.
“Devil.”
Elise hears me and puts her index fingers near her head. She points them upwards signaling horns. She gives me a menacing grin.
“Well I’m sure everything is fine. And I got you Elise to snitch if anything happens. But no lying to get Claude out of here.”
“Yeah, devil.”
“Okay.”
Elise smiles at me.
“I’ll be off now.”
“Wait district store manager stay a little longer.”
“Hm? Why?”
“Elise has an evil smile.”
“Hm? No, I don’t.”
Elise gives this innocent look to Lara. I can see through you devil.
“Elise isn’t doing anything. She is behaved.”
“No, please.”
“I have to go Claude.”
She leaves, with Elise closing the door for her. Elise turns to me, with her arms behind her back she slowly approaches me.
I had finally regained my composure and stood back up.
“Elise, whatever you thinking of doing do not.”
I slowly eye her as I walk back to my section of the store. Huh? Something poked my back.
“Ah, Elise has a dagger.”
“Oh? It’s just a potion. Elise don’t scare me like that.”
“Haha.”
“Elise, we’re going to stay together and run the shop. No more pranks.”
“But I don’t think it’ll work out.”
There she goes pulling her shy innocent act to get me to bend to her will. Elise I’m staying with you.
“It will, Elise. I promise I will make this the best store ever. With you by my side.”
“Hm?”
“Um Elise?”
She inches close to my face.
“Claude, you really want to be with me? I do as well.”
Y-you do? I blushed a little.
“Haha.”
She didn’t mean it?
“Devil.”
“Yeah, I still want the store to myself.”
“And I want to share the shop.”
Elise puts her index fingers near her head and points them upwards.
“Then looks like you’re going to have the share the shop with the devil.”
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