As long as it takes.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Niki's uncontrollable laughter rang out across the marketplace.

"All right," Shiroe said, "I'll pass on the climbing pitons, for now. But I'm going to need some rope. Let's say... 50 feet of each type?"

"NO! NO! NOT THE RIBS! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"And I can't decide between the rucksack with the extra pockets, and the one with the loops on the sides."

"Hey, uh... it's none of my business... but isn't that your traveling companion?"

Shiroe glanced over where the merchant was pointing. Niki was pinned against the wall of a building, being mercilessly tickled by some local ruffian with pink hair.

"Yes, that's her. She'll be carrying all this, so don't worry too much about the weight."

"PLEASE! PLEASE! NO MORE! HE'LL SEE! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"She's... kind of peculiar, isn't she?"

"That's what I hear. How much do I owe you?" Shiroe's arm suddenly shot out, grabbing the wrist of a seedy-looking fellow who'd been reaching towards the merchant's cash-box.

"Don't."

As the would-be thief ran off, Shiroe collected his belongings and slowly made his way over to where his bodyguard lay sprawled on the ground, beat-red and whimpering. As he drew close enough for her to count as "in the party," he could sense that her hit points were completely full.

Also, apparently "Afterglow" was a beneficial status effect in this world.

"What's she done, this time?"

The pink-haired catgirl practically jumped out of her skin when Shiroe spoke. She'd been so focused on tormenting the musclebound warrior that she hadn't even noticed the approach of the quiet man in glasses.

"Ah! Well, you see, um." The catgirl cleared her throat. "I'm Fang, and this is the, um. Claw Control." Something about Shiroe's demeanor made it difficult for her to bounce back. "We're Enforcers. We keep the peace around here. And THIS WOMAN--" she pointed down accusingly at Niki, and only just now seemed to recognize the absolute state she was in. "Er... this woman..."

"...has been thoroughly defeated, yes. Nicely done. She put up quite a fight there, for the last four minutes, but now that she's finally stopped laughing, the marketplace will know peace. I'll take it from here. Come on, Niki. Get up."

"Fuck... you..." Niki gasped hoarsely.

"Not in public. Ugh... Cantrip: Instant Bath."