The man pinches the bridge of his nose, exhaling slowly through his teeth. He breathes slightly easier, having finally voiced his request, and glances up to see merchant's reaction. Across the counter, the towering, shadow-cloaked figure regards him with glowing, unreadable eyes. It blinks slowly, once, before asking with some hesitation.

  “You are certain this is what you want?” the creature asks, its voice thick with skepticism. One claw idly taps against the wooden surface. “Because, my friend, there are… other solutions. Have you tried your pharmacy? Or spoken to your doctor?”

  The man’s pointed ears twitch. “I don’t need a doctor,” he says, his patience thinning. “I need a horn growth potion.”

  The creature pauses, one talon stroking its jagged, bark-like chin. “Ah,” it says, drawing out the syllable. “Seeking… improvement.” Its luminous eyes narrow slightly. “No shame in that. Happens to many at your age.”

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  The man’s ears twitch in irritation. “Obviously, improvement. I need dramatic growth.”

  Silence.

  The creature tilts its head, its expression unreadable. “Ah,” it says at last, nodding knowingly. “For endurance too then, I assume?”

  The man rolls his eyes. “Well, harder would be better, but what I'm really after is growth.”

  “And…Enhanced vitality?”

  “Well, sure, I guess, but I'm not really sure how...”

  The creature taps a claw against the bottles on the counter. “And of course, a general confidence boost?”

  The man sighs, exhaustively. “Yes, fine, I guess, whatever. But what I really need..” The man grabs his own forehead and brushes his hair back, pointing at the two small, barely visible nubs protruding from his hairline. “I mean horn growth. As in, these need to get bigger.”

  The creature’s luminous eyes flick to the tiny stubs. Then back to the man’s face. Then back to the stubs.

  Another long pause.

  “…Ah. Micro-horns. I've.... seen this before.”

  A slow, deliberate nod.

  “I may have… miscalculated your needs,” the creature admits, awkwardly clearing its throat. It gestures toward the bottles on the counter. “Yes, well, these won’t help you at all. Give me a moment - I believe I have something more appropriate in the back.”

  It turns, slinking into the shadows, muttering under its breath. “Honestly, he should have said so in the first place…”