Festival Maid Ambitions

"Come on, Hyunjin sunbae! Pick whatever you want to eat."

"...From the school cafeteria?"

"Aww, there's plenty of good stuff in the cafeteria. You should get in line too, sunbae."

Choi Seungah, the vice president of the Business Administration student council, says this while lining up for cafeteria food. After class ended, she grabbed me, saying she needed a favor. The place she brought me to, claiming she'd treat me to something tasty, turned out to be the student cafeteria inside the university.

"Isn't it a bit cheap to ask for a favor and then treat someone to cafeteria food?"

"Aww, come on. You're loaded anyway. Didn't you say that cafe you told me about last time is half yours?"

"Where'd you hear that?"

"I just know things."

As the department's vice president and quite the social butterfly, she probably heard it from Park Naeun, who she's been getting close to lately. Seungah points at the cafeteria kiosk, urging me to choose quickly. I pick the most expensive option: Tangbokbap, half sweet and sour pork and half fried rice. Seeing that, Seungah frowns.

"Wow, the rich really are something else."

"You said to pick whatever I want. I'll decide whether to help after hearing the favor, so watch your tone."

"Yes sir, loyalty loyalty!"

It must be quite a big favor if her attitude flips that fast. I grab my Tangbokbap and sit across from her. After watching me take a bite, she finally brings up the request.

"Sunbae, remember that tanghulu you made last time?"

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

"Ah, the one I made for Naeun?"

I'd made strawberry tanghulu to cheer up Park Naeun and even packaged it nicely. Apparently she'd shared it with Seungah. She must've liked it, because if the favor was just to make strawberry tanghulu, I could've done that once. But that wasn't what she wanted.

"You want me to make tanghulu during the festival?"

"Yes! Just one day during daytime hours—no, two days. Please help me out."

Gukhan University's ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠festival runs for three days in early May. Each department or club sets up one stall. For the Business Administration department, the tradition is selling simple drinks and snacks during the day and turning it into a bar at night. Seungah's request is for me to make tanghulu during daytime to boost sales. She must've decided it was worth it after trying what I made.

The reason she's going this far, practically begging to increase revenue, isn't just because the university gives an award to the highest-grossing stall. It's mainly because of the rivalry with the neighboring International Trade department.

"Tough year again?"

"Yeah, probably..."

International Trade. Same business college, same building, similar curriculum. Both departments have large student bodies, so there's a natural sense of rivalry. Whenever they're bored, they hold what they call the "Gyeongguk Daejeon" and bet their pride on silly competitions. Since running a stall is basically business, they compete over who makes the most net profit during the festival. The stakes aren't huge, but with departmental pride on the line, things get intense. Last year they suffered a crushing defeat, and I remember the student council getting roasted by both current students and alumni.

"So you're asking someone who's not even on the student council to work two days for free?"

"...You know how much I like you, sunbae, right?"

"Haven't you used that line way too many times already?"

When I show reluctance, Seungah puffs out her cheeks like a child and starts whining.

"Ugh, it's for the department's honor! You can help! Besides, I worked really hard covering for you during the Kim Eunha incident!"

"Hmm."

When Kim Eunha quit being a rental girlfriend, she also confessed to embezzling student council funds. Normally it could've gone to the police, but the amount wasn't large, she repaid everything, and Seungah, as vice president, defended her vigorously—so it ended with just a warning. Knowing it was thanks to her that Eunha got off safely, I reluctantly agree.

"Fine. I'll help."

"Really? Yes!"

"But you have to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠do exactly what I say."

I deliberately grin wickedly, intending to tease her. She flinches, as if something just occurred to her.

"W-what are you going to make me do?!"

"What are you imagining? I'm just saying I'll have full authority to direct things."

"There's no weird meaning, right?"

"I'm going to make you cosplay, though?"

A festival is the perfect legal venue for cosplay. Clothes you couldn't normally wear become perfectly acceptable under the name of "festival." Since I'm doing this anyway, I decide to indulge a little personal interest while I'm at it.

"Sunbae, your eyes look super perverted right now, you know that? Even for a festival, anything that goes against social norms is off-limits."

"Don't worry. It's just a normal maid outfit."

"Hmm... Well, a maid outfit should be fine, I guess."

Seungah reluctantly agrees, still giving me a wary look.

'A maid outfit is every man's dream, after all.'

-That man's dreams sure are plentiful.

Seria chimes in after hearing my inner thoughts.

-Are you going to make it yourself?

'Well, I did get the Crafting skill, so I figured I'd give it a try.'

The points I earned from Kim Eunha last time totaled 271P. I used them for two draws.

[Crafting]

- Allows the user to create or repair ordinary items. A basic skill that anyone in the other world can easily learn.

At first glance it looks good, but what you can make with it are just ordinary items with no magic power, only decent appearance. In that world, equipment or clothes without magic power are considered trash. But here on Earth, it's fine even without magic power as long as it looks good. After all, to ordinary people who can't use magic, regular items and epic items all look the same anyway.

'Plus, it has great synergy with [Dexterous Hands].'

With those two skills, I can now make pretty much any clothing or item look convincing. I check my stats and the skills and items I've obtained so far through draws.

Out of the seven Elixirs of Growth, I'd used five to increase my height. The necklace had been given to Yoo Soyeon as a gift. It was nothing compared to my hero days, but it was the result of steady effort. I close the status window and head to Dongdaemun to buy fabric and tools for making the maid outfit. Back home, I picture the maid uniform I want to create.

"Should I start with the imperial maid uniform?"

There are many types of maid outfits. From extremely revealing ones that barely qualify as maid uniforms to elegant, dignified ones. Among them, I recall the uniforms worn by imperial maids and begin replicating one.

"Put this here... and for the chest area..."

My hands cut the fabric without hesitation, as if measured by a ruler. The stitching is precise and even, like it was done by machine. Since it's my first time making clothes, it takes three hours of intense work before a passable maid outfit is complete. It's embarrassing to compare it to the original imperial maid uniform—the fabric and finishing are all lacking—but it's definitely better than store-bought ones. A black-and-white maid outfit. It might look plain at first glance, but it exudes dignity and luxury.

"Not bad for a first attempt."

It could even work as a uniform for Cafe Serer employees. It was that kind of maid outfit—maid-like yet not quite. But after finishing it, I realize this isn't what I was going for. I immediately search for maid outfits online.

"Yeah, this is it."

White stockings, a short skirt that reaches ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠just above the knees, a top with a neckline that shows a hint of cleavage. Not too vulgar, not too stiff—cute yet sexy at the same time. The kind that looks like it would provide both daytime and nighttime service for its master. I immediately start making this version. Having made something similar once already, it doesn't take long to complete another maid outfit. But something still feels missing. I realize a maid outfit isn't truly complete until a maid is wearing it.

"Who should I try it on?"

I really want to see someone wearing it right now. I go through the women I can call in my head.

"Park Nayoung's probably at the cafe right now. Park Naeun and Baek Jina won't fit the size anyway..."

Then Kim Eunha, who recently started working part-time at our cafe, suddenly comes to mind. Since it's a weekend shift, she'll probably be free, and the size looks like it'll fit perfectly. I call her immediately. After about ten seconds of ringing, she picks up.

-Hello?

"Hey, it's me. Are you busy right now?"

-Why?

"If you're free, want to come over to my place?"

-Hmph, do you think I'm the kind of girl who comes running when you call?

"Ah, got it. If you're busy, let's meet next time. Since someone said they have plans, I can't call them over for personal reasons, so I'll hang up—"

A flustered voice comes through the phone before I can finish.

-I-I never said I was busy! Just this once, I'll make an exception and come over.

Before I can say anything, the call ends.