Chapter 71: Maybe Some Exercise
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 71: Maybe Some Exercise
It seems the world is surprisingly full of people who harbor hostility toward others for no reason at all.
"Oh, Aven! Where are you going?"
"Ah, Sera. I have some plans. I'm not sure how long it'll take, but would this evening be alright?"
"Yes, Tresha is here, so it's fine. Are you going to the Labyrinth?"
"No, not the Labyrinth. I have some business in the Northwest."
"Will you be back by dinner?"
"I think so... but I can't say for sure."
"Alright. I'll make something delicious for dinner, so look forward to it."
"I will."
The moment I stepped out of the inn, hostility began to bloom from an unspecified number of guests. I didn't know why, but it wasn't a particularly serious level of animosity.
Since they weren't exactly picking a fight, I wondered if my Evil Eye was just glitching a bit. I worried they might try to harass Sera, but her father was there, so she should be fine.
"Phew, it's a cold world out there."
Two days had passed since then. My helmet still wasn't finished, so I had been staying quiet at the inn, but I had a scheduled appointment in the Northwest that I had to keep.
Theodora said she had prepared a gift to celebrate my promotion, and I was already curious about what it could be.
Since my face was somewhat known now, I couldn't just wander around openly. I pulled a hood low over my head and headed toward the Northwest. The streets were quieter than expected, and there were almost no people radiating hostility. When I arrived at the monster dismantling workshop located on the outskirts of the Northwest, a guard was standing out front as usual, staring blankly into the distance while guarding the entrance.
"Halt for a moment. Who... Ah. Young Master, welcome."
"Yes, hello."
I could never get used to the title "Young Master," but I let it slide. From their perspective, I suppose that's how I looked. I was a guest personally invited by the precious young lady of the Lymain family. It would be awkward to get angry and insist I wasn't a "Young Master."
"I will escort you."
"Thank you for your hard work."
"It's nothing."
No matter how many times I saw them, this place was full of fascinating monster species. They were strong, capable, and hard-working, yet they were beings who couldn't blend into human society because of their appearance. It was a pity.
"The Young Lady is inside."
"Yes, thank you."
Following behind the beastkin guide, I arrived at Theodora's office. I knocked on the ordinary-looking wooden door, and Theodora's voice answered from within.
—Who is it? Aven?
"Yeah, it's me."
—Wait just a second.
Today, it wasn't "Come in," but "Wait just a second." I gave a casual reply and leaned against the wall to wait, and then I heard Theodora talking to herself.
Given that I could only faintly hear it even with my high-performance auditory organs, she must have put quite a bit of effort into soundproofing.
—Ugh, what should I wear...?!
It sounded like she was choosing an outfit.
"Just wear whatever and come out."
—Y-You can hear me?!
* * *
"Ahem! Welcome, Aven. Or should I call you Yoo Eon?"
"Why bother? Either is fine."
"Actually, Aven rolls off the tongue better, even though I wanted to call you by your real name."
For some reason, Theodora, who had been agonizing over her clothes in the office, emerged a few minutes later. She was wearing a plain white shirt and black shorts—was that really a combination that required such deep thought?
"So, what's this gift?"
"Just try not to be too surprised. Follow me; your gift isn't here."
Theodora led the way with an air of triumph, her hair fluttering behind her. Since she said she'd give me the gift at the workshop, I had expected her to prepare the corpse of some incredibly powerful monster, but I guess that wasn't it.
Then again, she never actually said she was giving me a monster corpse. She just said she'd prepare something nice.
We left the workshop and got into a carriage. I thought we were going somewhere far, but we were moving from the outskirts of the Northwest toward the center. It was a place where even the air felt expensive; everyone looked high-class, and the atmosphere was heavy. It was incredibly uncomfortable.
'Wow, isn't it hard to walk around in a skirt like that?'
Outside the carriage, I saw someone wearing a wide skirt that looked like something out of a cartoon. You know, those skirts people wore in old Europe.
"Aven, you haven't eaten yet, have you?"
"I haven't eaten anything in particular."
"That's a relief. Is there anything you want to eat?"
"As long as it's not a monster..."
Lately, I hadn't had to tear into raw monsters with my teeth, so I was doing better, but thinking about the old days was still gruesome. Not that it was actually that long ago. I could see her snickering at every word I said, as if my answer was the funniest thing in the world.
Theodora had a low threshold for laughter. Then again, there weren't many fun things in this world. Though with the Labyrinth being a game of Russian roulette with your body as collateral, there was no shortage of dopamine.
—Knock, knock.
"My Lady, we have arrived."
Perhaps because it was a carriage pulled by two very high-bred horses, we arrived faster than expected. I thought she was going to buy me a meal as a gift, but the place we arrived at wasn't a restaurant.
"What? I thought you were buying me food."
"Honestly. Are you a child? I'll buy you food too, so just wait."
"Ah."
The carriage had stopped in front of a clothing store. A very expensive-looking one at that. Are these people in another world doing that well? Is the Labyrinth a joke to them? To pour money into clothes like this. Still, since I was a polite young man who knew how to appreciate a favor...
"Clothes, huh."
"You always wear that same outfit, don't you? It's not that it's poor quality, but where on earth did you even buy it?"
"I didn't buy it; I got it from the Mayerbridge Union."
"What...? You have a connection with the Mayerbridge Union?"
"They invited me to join, but I turned them down."
"Why?! Ah, well... I see."
Turning down an invitation from the Mayerbridge Union—was he crazy? Since he was already Gold Grade when she met him, it meant the invitation must have come when he was at least Silver Grade. Theodora was momentarily horrified in her mind, but she soon changed her tune.
'If he had joined, he wouldn't have been able to enter the Labyrinth with me.'
"Anyway, you should at least dress properly when you're out."
"Isn't this good enough?"
"It's absolutely not enough if you're going to be seen with me."
Theodora led the way to the entrance, and the hulking guard blocking the door moved aside like an automatic door. It seemed Theodora was a frequent visitor here. I guess rich people really do buy their clothes in places like this.
"How luxurious..."
"Hurry up and follow me. We have to go up to the third floor."
The clothes were clearly very expensive, but the concept of "ready-to-wear" didn't really exist in this world. Since clothes weren't mass-produced in factories, most were handmade with diverse designs. The common practice was to pick something out and have it roughly tailored to fit.
Alternatively, you could bring your own fabric and ask them to make something, which, if cheap, would result in a "tunic"—basically a loose garment with holes for the head and arms. Most people wore tunics.
"Why are we going to the third floor?"
"To buy clothes, obviously. Did you think I was going to buy you dinner at a clothing store?"
"Fair point."
Passing the second floor and entering the third, there were no clothes to be seen. Instead, the spacious interior was lined with what looked like bookshelves. Upon closer inspection, they were mostly bolts of cloth, like fabric and silk, used for making clothes. There were also buttons, metal pins, and various other decorations.
"Oh my, it's been a while, Lady Theodora."
"Ms. Ariel! It's been so long!"
Theodora ran up and gave a warm hug to a woman. There was something about her bespectacled face that felt incredibly sophisticated. She didn't look old; in fact, she looked quite young. Was she an elf? Looking at her ears, that didn't seem to be the case.
"And the gentleman behind you?"
"This is Aven. Um, he's with me..."
"H-He's! It's something like that! We go to the Labyrinth together!"
"Oh, I see. Have you formed a fixed party?"
"Yes! That's it!"
"Yes... that's right."
That was an accurate description. Someone I went to the Labyrinth with as a fixed party. The woman called Ms. Ariel looked at me intently while linking arms with Theodora, then turned her gaze back to Theodora.
"Theodora."
"Uh, yes...?"
"You've got good taste."
"W-What are you talking about all of a sudden?!"
"Welcome. It looks like you need some clothes?"
"Yes, that's right."
"I need to take your measurements for a moment. Is that alright?"
"That's fine."
"Good."
As Ms. Ariel reached out and placed her index finger in the center of my forehead, thin red threads emerged and began to wrap around my body. It wasn't tight enough to feel like pressure. It just felt like something was touching me.
"A magnificent physique. Your height is about 188cm, which is quite fitting."
"Is that so? Thank you for the compliment."
"Theodora is 167cm, and with heels, she'll be at least 175cm. You could say it's an ideal height difference."
"Hmm, I see."
I wasn't sure what made it an "ideal height difference," but since she said so, it felt good. Do you get a debuff based on height when entering the Labyrinth or something?
"Theodora, what are you doing with your back turned?"
"N-Nothing! I'm just looking at some fabric!"
"That's the way to the stairs."
"I don't care! I'm just looking!"
Look at her, her ears and tail are fluttering like crazy. If she practices a bit more, she might actually be able to fly. But don't beastkin shed? There's expensive fabric everywhere; what if her fur gets on it?
Meanwhile, I stood there like a mannequin, waiting blankly as Ms. Ariel looked me over from head to toe. This was my first time having clothes made, so I wasn't sure, but was it okay to just eyeball it without taking exact measurements?
'It looks expensive, too.'
As I stood there with idle thoughts, Ms. Ariel spoke.
"Could you lift your arm?"
"Sure."
"Now your right leg. Just lift your knee to waist height."
"Understood."
For a while, it felt like a physical exam. Can you walk? Yes, you're fit for service. Do your best. I was wondering when she would actually start making the clothes, but then Ms. Ariel said she was finished.
"When will the clothes be ready?"
"They're finished. Would you like to see?"
"Already?"
A mannequin came walking over from somewhere, wearing a very high-end outfit. This mannequin even had the exact same body shape as me.
"Whoa."
"What do you think? Amazing, right? It's Ms. Ariel's magic."
"That is impressive..."
I thought it would take a long time, but not at all. I could respect this kind of speed.
"Now, hurry up and go change. Let's go eat in those."
If this kept up, I might not be able to eat the delicious dinner Sera was making. What should I do?
"Alright, I get it."
I'll have to get some exercise on the way back.