The Merciful Female Boss Chapter 04
Kevin pulled an orange safety helmet out of the bag.
It was light. Very light.
It was also thin. Terrifyingly thin.
The entire helmet was just a flimsy piece of plastic. There wasn’t even a protective liner inside.
A gust of wind made the helmet wobble in Kevin’s hand.
Meanwhile, Renzo’s team was holding helmets made of aerospace-grade carbon fiber composites.
Inside, they had thick, military-grade shock-absorbing foam lined with Outlast temperature-control fabric- the stuff NASA developed for astronauts to absorb impact and regulate heat.
Renzo’s guys were already trying them on, shouting in excitement.
“The fit is perfect! I don’t even have to adjust the strap!”
“Custom-made really hits different. This is insane!”
“My old one was either too loose and wobbly or so tight my head throbbed. This is pure comfort!”
Kevin’s team wasn’t laughing anymore.
Chloe shot us a look of pure disdain.
“Captain, it’s not like we’re climbing Everest. We don’t need heavy helmets. They just slow you down.”
Nick pulled a pair of shoes from his bag.
“The soles… where’s the grip? There’s no traction.”
Chloe pointed at the faint patterns on the bottom.
“What do you mean? That is the grip.”
“Sophia really brainwashed you guys. You don’t need fancy spikes. All that extra stuff is just for show.”
Nick put the shoes on and took two steps. They were stiff and pinched her toes.
She angrily kicked them off.
He angrily kicked them off.
“I can’t wear these. My feet are killing me already!”
Renzo’s team, however, was losing their minds.
“The grip on these is legendary! I feel like Spider-Man!”
“How is it this durable and this light? I feel like I’m wearing nothing!”
Snow, one of the climbers, stared wide-eyed. “This… it fits perfectly…”
“I’m always between a seven and an eight. One’s too tight, the other’s too loose. This is the first time a shoe has actually fit my foot.”
I nodded with a smile.
“You have a narrow foot. Standard sizes increase in width as they go up in length, which is why you’re always
uncomfortable.”
Snow jumped up and hugged me.
“Sophia, you’re a literal god!”
Kevin and his crew watched us, their expressions a mess of regret and confusion.
Chloe scoffed.
“A bunch of suckers. They’ll be broke before the season’s over.”
Kevin stayed quiet, holding onto a final shred of hope as he pulled out the climbing rope.
It was thick and heavy. At least it looked sturdy.
But when he saw the carabiners, his face went totally dark.
“Chloe, is this a carabiner? Are you kidding me?”
The hook was barely thicker than a wire. He could actually bend it with his bare hands.
Kevin’s voice jumped an octave.
“This is soft! How are we supposed to use this? Do you want us to fall to our deaths?”
Chloe looked wounded.
“This is what my family sells. I’ve never heard of anyone dying.”
“The gear is just an aid. Climbing is about your own arm strength and core.”
“Real pros climb without any gear at all!”
The competition was fifteen minutes from starting.
Kevin stopped arguing with Chloe. He shoved past her and walked up to me, looking incredibly embarrassed.
“Uh… Sophia. We want to buy the old gear after all.”
“Is your shop far? I’ll pay for a rush delivery. Just get it here, okay?”
I shook my head.
“I didn’t manufacture any for you this time.”
Kevin froze.
“Manufacture?”
