Chapter 21

“Please take note that I am not a department store! I do not sell clothes!” The [System] coldly replied.

“I will pay for it. How much for one set of pyjamas? 50 copper coins? Or 100 copper coins? Even if it is 2 gold coins, I could accept this price.” Michael remained calm and look at his remaining credit. He still has 616 copper coins in credits.

The [System] kept quiet for a moment, then it responded, “A set of children pyjamas is 2 gold coins. An adult pyjama cost 3 gold coins. A set of children clothes is 3 gold coins, a set of chef uniform is 3 gold coins. You may choose the design and colour.”

“Then I will first purchase a set of children pyjamas and a set of chef uniform.” Michael looked at Amy and noticed that Amy is turning sleepy.

He told himself that this price could not be considered too expensive. Right now, the most important thing for him is to complete the task of purchasing 3000 gold coins worth of ingredients from the [System].

Suddenly his mind was swamped with a wide assortment of children pyjamas of all colours and different designs. Michael was quite flustered that the bewildering number of choices he had. He looked at Amy and asked, “Amy, what type of pyjamas do you like? What colour you like?”

“I love purple colour ones! If there is a teddy bear design, it would be great!” Amy thought for a while and replied. She was looking at her father with anticipation.

Recently, her father’s magic is nothing short of amazing. The house that he conjured up, as well as the clothes that he plucked from the air, are all very nice. Therefore, she was looking forward to the new clothes.

“Then it should be this set.” Michael looked at a set of purple coloured pyjamas. His eyes shone. This pyjama was made using a material that feels like the fur of teddy bears. It is soft and nice to the touch. There is even a hood that had two nice bear ears. There was a picture of a very cute brown colour bear on the front of the pyjamas.

“I will go out to get the pyjamas for you.” Michael saw that the [System] had indicated that the pyjamas had already been delivered to the closet. He informed Amy, and immediately walked towards the cabinet. When he opened the door of the wardrobe, he saw that a new set of pyjamas and a set of chef uniform had already been placed inside.

Michael placed the new set of chef uniform on the bed, and took the pyjamas into the bathroom. He looked at Amy and grinned, “Do you like it?”

“Wow! That is really pretty!” Amy was covered in a towel, and when she saw the pyjamas in Michael’s hand, she immediately shouted out in joy.

She feverishly nodded her head and replied, “En En! I love the colour purple. If I wear this pyjamas, I can become a bear. I super love this! Papa, you are really nice!”

Michael saw how happy Amy was, and felt very satisfied. He took another towel and said, “Then I will help you dry your hair. After that you can wear this pyjamas and take a nap.”

“En En” Amy nodded her head. She quickly tilted her head towards Michael for him to dry her hair. She could not wait to put on the new pyjamas.

Michael used the towel in his hand to wipe Amy’s hair. Then he used a blow dryer to dry her hair. Finally, he helped her to put on her new pyjamas.

“Oh, it is so soft and comfortable.” Amy raised her hands and rubbed them on her face. Her face revealed how much she was enjoying the feel of the pyjamas.

Michael looked at Amy. The soft fur-like texture on the pyjamas made Amy looked like a purple coloured little bear. It contrasted well with her smooth white skin, silver colour hair, and the pointed half-elf ears.

“Papa will carry you to take a look at Amy, our little bear!” Michael pull the hood over her head, and carried her so that she could see herself on the mirror.

“Woah! Little bear is coming, coming to eat you.” Amy looked the image of a little purple colour bear in the mirror, and opened her mouth wide and pretended to have claws in her hands as she looked at Michael.

“Have some mercy, little bear. Mercy!” Michael grinned and played with her. He shouted for mercy, and squatted behind the door to hide himself.

“Do not worry! There is no need to be afraid! I could not bear to eat Papa dearest!” Amy opened her arms and enveloped Michael’s face in a hug. Then she kissed him on the cheek and stroke his hair to console him.

“En, I am not afraid anymore. Oh, right now, you smell wonderful. It is time for your nap.” Michael tried hard not to laugh. This little girl is really so adorable! He sniffed and carried Amy to her bed.

Amy lie on the bed and grabbed Michael’s finger. She shook her head and said, “Amy could not fall asleep. Papa, maybe you tell me a bedtime story?”

“All right, then I will tell you the story of the ugly duckling [1].” Michael nodded his head. Then he pulled a stool and sat down beside the bed.

“All right, I want to listen to this story.” Amy nodded her head.

“In a faraway place, a mother duckling was sitting on a nest of eggs….” Michael begin to tell the story of the ugly duckling. Almost every child had heard of this story before, and Michael had a reason for selecting this story.

Amy had very little confidence in herself. One of the reason is that she felt that she was very different from the other human children, and also different the elven children. Therefore, she was sometimes bullied and teased. Just like the ugly duckling before it transformed into a beautiful swam.

Therefore, he wanted to use this opportunity to tell her that she is not strange, but rather, she is special and unique. And will become more grand and majestic than the other children in future.

Of course, as long as he is here, he would not allow others to harm her.

The ugly duckling was hatched among the duck eggs. Because it looked different from the rest of the duckling, and different from the rest of the animals, she was abandoned. She was pecked by the duckling, cowed by the birds, teased by the cat, and chased by the servants who were in charge of the farm.

It drifted alone in the river, and left the place that caused it so much misery. After the chill of the winter where it was almost killed by a farmer’s wife, summer had finally arrived. Looking at the beautiful swans that flapped their wings and took off into the sky, only then did it discovered that it was actually a swan, and can fly into the sky, and get the love it never had.

Michael was telling the story using his flair for words. Under his expertly crafted story that deviated from the original storyline, Amy was totally absorbed in the story, and her fists were clutched tightly.

She looked as if she was worried about the ugly duckling. When she finally learned that the ugly duckling was able to run away from the farm, she heaved a sigh of relief. But when a new danger appeared, she immediately tensed up.

When she learned that the ugly duckling finally become a swan and fly high into the sky, and discovered its companions, she was all smiles.

“Papa, am I an ugly duckling? When I grow up will I become a beautiful swan? Amy asked Michael. She looked very anxious.

“No, right now, you are a beautiful swan. When you grow up, you will become a much more beautiful swan.” Michael grinned as he shook his head. He used his hand to stroke Amy on her hair.

“And, as long as Papa is here, I will not allow anyone to hurt you.”

“En. I believe you Papa.” Amy looked into Michael’s eyes, and indicated that she trusted him by nodding her head.

She hesitated for a bit before speaking out, “Papa, I have small request.”

“Oh?” Michael used an encouraging gaze to look at her.

“Can we keep an ugly duckling as a pet?” Amy asked very softly.

“Amy love swans?” Michael was surprise. It is not easy to find swans in town. But If Amy really want it as a pet, he could find a way.

“En, once it grows bigger, we can eat roasted swan.” Amy nodded her head in earnest.

“……….”

Notes:

[1] The ugly duckling by Hans Anderson, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ugly_Duckling

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