The space that Opal created in the small shop was surprisingly bright and airy, by Meisje’s estimation. There were high ceilings, light coloured walls, a bright chandelier that cast even lighting over the whole space.

It was magnificent, and as far from her impression of Rae as humanly possible.

"Oh, this is lovely. Somehow, I suspected something different."

Rae laughed, and gestured upstairs. "The rooms that you’re thinking of are up there. Dark and sexy and filled with things that make mothers blush. Follow me, I will show you all of it, since you will be running the shop most of the time."

Meisje followed her up the stairs and found that the upper floor was actually separated into three separate "rooms", separated only by a pillar in the middle of the room and a colour scheme. But somehow Opal had managed to make the lighting in all three zones different.

"This will be the gowns and finery. I do make some menswear, but that goes on the main floor. Then that is the lingerie section, and this section is just for sexy stuff and leather that isn’t armour."

"Leather stuff that isn’t armour?"

"You know, essentials like restraint hardware, flogs, handbags and such."

Meisje blinked slowly. How did those things go together, other than all being made of leather? 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

"Uh, I think that fashion accessories and bedroom accessories go in different sections, even if they’re all leather."

Rae frowned. That wasn’t how she organized things.

"Well, we can try it your way. If you believe that you have better spots, I will let you try. It’s a growing experience. Now, I will put everything out, and you tell me what needs to be moved."

Rae quickly arranged the shop to her usual standards, and Meisje shook her head as she saw how Rae had arranged the leather section.

It looked like a junk drawer, there was no organization.

"Alright. First off, let’s find a spot for handbags on the main floor. Move all the bedroom equipment to the right wall, where you will only see it if you’re looking for it. That will draw everyone’s eyes to the clothing and the leather accessories.

Those will be higher volume goods. The shops back home used to sell a lot of accessories and trinkets. The rest looks good, with the gowns in front, so that the ladies have to pass all the expensive dresses to get to the other stuff.

The lingerie section is... scandalous. I don’t know if it’s appropriate to have mannequins that realistic."

Opal laughed. "They’re not mannequins, they’re the lingerie section staff. Gargoyles shaped like Elves. I figured since you’re part Elf, having all Elves working here would be comfortable."

"Not when I can see their nipples."

"You’re weird."

Opal adjusted the outfits of the lingerie gargoyles to ones that covered marginally more, with a translucent white silk toga over them, so that they could model for customers without fully undressing.

"How about you put actual clothes on them, and have them model in the back by the changing rooms? Not out in the open."

"Ooh, I like the way that you think!"

Meisje shook her head in dismay. The Fae was definitely on a different page than she was.

The outfits changed to simple long dresses with wide sleeves, and a black spiderweb pattern over white. They were still low cut and form fitting, but they were safely on the elegant side of Meisje’s sensibility.

"Are those the uniforms for all the gargoyles?"

"Do you like them? They’ve got soft slippers, so they move silently and don’t distract the customers." Rae informed her.

Then, she held up a stone with a victorious smile. "The Karl made us the stone that I needed. This one makes the Dark Elven Priestesses to work security and the cashier. They’re perfect, and they have the skills that I needed."

"Skills?"

Rae nodded. "The stone lets them have an actual skill. So, I had Karl give them Runic Tailoring. That way, they can do alterations, if a design isn’t quite what the customer wanted.

It will also take my name off items they customized. They should just say ’Altered by the Darklight Silk Emporium’ instead of ’Created By Rae Bloodbath’. That way people don’t mistake customer requests for things I made myself."

"Oh, I thought that they would have combat skills, since they’re security."

Opal laughed. "They’re also Epic Golems. They have all the skills and combat power of a Dark Elven Priestess dungeon boss. Healing, shadow magic attacks, paralysis, agony. All the essentials of a High Priestess of the Spider Goddess."

Rae summoned the Priestesses, who she then equipped with Epic Grade leather armour under their Priestess robes, and a pair of daggers that had an [Agony] effect and paralytic poison.

If you upset the staff enough that they drew weapons, you would definitely regret it.

For a long time.

"Let me get this right. She is a dungeon boss, just summoned here to help run the shop?"

Rae nodded happily, and the Priestess came over to give Meisje a hug before straightening the girl’s uniform.

"Oh, you are lovely, aren’t you? We’re going to be great friends.

Don’t worry about anything, just keep the place stocked and do the promotions. We will keep the customers in line and handle the payments. We’re System linked, so we can accept and transfer directly from the Guild Accounts."

"We?" She had only noticed the one.

"There are two more Priestesses here in the shop. One over by menswear and one upstairs. I’m on counter duty for now, so I started near the front."

There was grumbling from the Priestess in menswear, and the counter clerk smirked.

"She’s just mad that I got the good spot. If people cause trouble, it’s almost always when they enter, or when it comes time to pay. So, I get first dibs on dealing with it."

"Nope, that’s not terrifying at all. Especially not coming from such a beautiful Elf."

The Priestess preened with pride, and Rae winked at her new apprentice.

"There are no ugly things in this shop. It’s a point of pride. So, we’ve got the Priestesses, the Woodland Elven assistants, and you. And you are adorable. That covers all three major aspects of beautiful things."

Practical, sexy, and cute.