Skin Merchant (2): Mana Skins for Sale
The skin-selling youth sells skins. Just like the ones the game devs hawked in-game, he peddles clothes with slick designs. The catch? They're crafted from mana.
Since they're made from an entire human's worth of mana shaped into fabric, they naturally ping on any mana scan.
"Unia. Let's do a quiz. Nail it, and it's free. Whiff, and the price doubles."
"W-Wait, this was for sale?!"
Unia shoots me a betrayed look, like she's been stabbed in the back.
"How much were you gonna charge anyway...!"
"Who knows."
The price is set, but this ain't just some in-game transaction.
"Unia, you only thought of money 'cause I brought it up, right? Wait, can't I just make more?"
"Uh, um..."
"Exactly. Just like your published non-attribute mana theory, anyone could do it if they knew how, yeah?"
I clasp my hands in front, press my index fingers together, and stretch them out long. Gray mana gathers between my fingers, elongating like thread soaked in water, shimmering brightly.
"Spin this into yarn, weave it without breaking, and boom—clothes."
"I get why you're showing me this technique, Phoenix."
Maybe 'cause it's mana-related, but Unia's face turns dead serious as she eyes the thread.
"One: Not just anyone can pull this off easily. Drawing mana out this thin and long? Tough stuff. You'd need at least B-rank mana control—nah, A-rank minimum."
"Control's the key, yeah."
"Right. Unless you're as precise and delicate as you, Phoenix—tweaking even mana inside someone else—A-rank at best, and that's if you're lucky."
Unia extends her hands. She interlocks her fingers like I did and pulls them apart side to side.
Snap, crack.
Five pairs of fingers: thumbs and pinkies snap their mana. Index and middles come out thick as ropes, not thread. The ring fingers' strands sparkle rainbow, screaming "total RGB disaster suit" if woven.
"Two: It's not plain mana thread. Illusion magic's woven in, right?"
"Bingo. Tuned it so anyone sees 'clothes,' no question. Like this."
I point inside my shirt.
"Weave the fabric with magic circles etched in. Boom—enchanted."
"No way."
"Just parlor tricks. Theoretically possible, but takes insane effort."
And.
"Unia, I get you wanna research this, but no all-nighters, okay?"
"......"
"I'm only spilling these secrets 'cause it's you. Anyone else? Not a word. Wouldn't even hint at what it is."
I tap the bit of tanned skin I'd flashed.
"So, Unia. What's your offer?"
"......"
"Sure, grinding to make your own builds experience, but can you nail designs like these?"
I summon mana. Clap hands like prayer, then slowly spread them apart.
"I've got countless mana patterns locked in my head."
I pull from memory—hell-forged records, refined endlessly.
—Like 3D printer blueprints in modern terms. Chang Yeom said it.
—Hard to design first time, but once done? Just print. No different from magic circles.
Yeah. This is refinement based on magic circles.
"Ta-da. Whaddya think?"
"......Why panties, of all things?"
"Fastest, surest to whip up."
I dangle the stretched-out undies in front of her.
"C'mon. This quality? Worth buying, right?"
"...W-Well, they're pretty cute."
"Focusing on 'cute,' huh? Guess you're a girl after all, Unia."
"They're cute, so yeah, I'd buy. If they were drab gray? Nah."
"Gray fan? How 'bout this?"
I toss the mana-skin undies aside, spin new mana, craft another pair.
"Ta-da. Banded version."
"Hmm... This one's not bad either..."
"Buy now, and I'll throw in the first one."
"Oh, really?"
Unia stares me down, then.
"Gotta measure for size, right?"
She spreads her arms wide toward me.
"No point custom-making if it pinches. Gotta fit perfect."
"Fair point."
"Ready. Or... should I strip a layer? Easier measuring?"
"No need."
I press index fingers, stretch mana into a tape measure.
"This does the trick."
I step up to Unia.
"Unia, arms together?"
"Sure."
She obeys. I snake the mana tape behind her back.
"Now arms up."
"Uh..."
"What?"
"N-Nothing. Just thought you'd... smear mana on by hand or something."
She points downward, face flushing, even as she follows orders.
"Could. Easier that way."
Measuring with tape's fiddly—plaster-casting mana gel and hardening works too.
"Like wrapping in a barrier-suit. Quick and simple."
Though it'd end up more armor than cloth.
"Want that? Design'd be plain as dirt."
"Well..."
Unia swallows hard.
"...Gotta compare options to shop smart, right?"
She looks up with a sly grin.
"Clothes are meant to be tried on. You know?"
"True. But."
I cinch the tape, gauging her mana pouch.
"That's adult-only territory."
"...Huh?"
"Can't just grope a girl willy-nilly."
"......Huh?"
"Even I draw lines. Some spots are off-limits without grown-up status."
"......."
Unia's 17.
"I'll measure proper, custom-make it. Want hands-on? Research solo or wait three years. Ma'am?"
"I'm fine."
"I'm not."
Her eyes narrow.
"...No one's watching?"
"Old school building? Playing blind man's bluff."
"Outside, then?"
"Eh."
I shrug lightly.
"Not some dreamworld dodging real rules. Tricky anywhere. Hmm, roughly 10...1?"
"Huh?"
"101. Mana tweaks bumped it a tad. Bigger than pre-enrollment."
"For real... bigger?"
"Yup."
She might not notice, but I do. +1 means max level-max mana up.
"Lemme see... This should do."
I step back, mold her ordered tank top from mana.
"Try it later."
Custom-fitted, adjustments done.
"Nope."
Unia takes the mana tank top but shakes her head firmly.
"Gotta try it on now. Check fit, comfort—everything."
"Now?"
"Why wait? When else?"
Her hand hits shirt buttons.
"Hold up. Not—"
"No."
I grab her hand.
"Why? Scared someone'll see?"
"It's new now. Wear it once? Used goods."
"......What?"
"This ain't Silverstar's clothing rack, ma'am."
I tug the tank top she's clutching—
"Unia?"
"...I'll buy it."
Unia grits teeth, clings to me.
"Buying, so spill. How much? All of it—the stuff you made. Now."
"Unia, got the cash?"
"Short? I'll earn it. Old school or not, student jobs start next week."
"True."
First week's comms-focused, but next? Part-time gigs for pocket money. Esta'll brief Monday—old school jobs.
"If short, tab it..."
"Broke that bad?"
"Huh?"
"Truth."
I whisper in her ear.
"Meal's worth. One sitting."
"...Not some fancy feast? Like Silverstar five-star course?"
"Nah."
I scoop the tank top, undies beside it.
"Pasta. After-dinner coffee."
"......."
"Stuck in old school awhile, but academy's got terminals everywhere—north, south, east, west. Food tour's fair game."
"So... that price buys a full set? Mana clothes?"
"Duh. Think I'm gouging?"
"...Ah."
Unia grins, snags the clothes.
"Whatcha craving? My treat. Or... that?"
Her eyes crescent-moon.
"Custard cream pie."
"My pick, but can't force it. We compromise, yeah?"
"Sure? Then me..."
Unia licks her lips.
"Banana drowned in sweetened condensed milk."
Shortly after. Deal with Unia sealed, I head to my room. Immediately tweak all data in my head.
'Adjust every Unia-exclusive skin to her current build.'
Complex, yeah. No program—manual memory edits, hand-tweaks.
But mana? Handy as hell sometimes. Human limits? Leaps over.
"Unia skins done..."
I extend a hand.
Fwoosh.
Gray flames bloom; a tiny bird like a chickadee spreads wings atop my palm.
Mana-forged chickadee. Mini-Phoenix.
'Check Unia's status. Report back.'
Crack door, send mini-Phoenix out—to her room.
No hitches.
Maxed hypnosis and illusion, plus perception impairment.
Even—
Swish.
Slips through her door crack.
'As expected.'
She's wearing the mana clothes. Twirls before full-length mirror, satisfied grin, flops onto bed.
Snore, snore.
Out quick, but I see it.
"Heh heh hum..."
Dream.
"After graduation..."
Unia's dreaming. Probably post-adult future.
'Peek?'
What kind? No contact needed—like with Esta. Those massage hands? Mana too.
Mana-touch dream-dive? Cakewalk.
Unlike Esta, can't script myself in—but.
'If I'm in the dream? Different story.'
Stick mini-Phoenix to her.
If dream-access? Fine. No? Mana crushes it, pop.
"......Bingo."
Lucky. She's dreaming of me.
Then—
'Link.'
Sync, engage.
"Huh?"
"Hehe, gotcha."
Unia—at least 20-ish looking Unia.
"Blanket and all, no escaping...?"
She's straddling me, pinning me flat.
"Been waiting for today. Graduation day."