"Please let me keep it!" Louna whined as I tried to pull her off my latest creation.
It was the morning after the festival, and since Satou was busy with Karina and Zena, I ended up making a supply run to the capital branch of the Echigoya Company in his place. It turned out to be a nightmare. The ladies working there were working themselves to death and didn't see any problems with it.
"Manager! The Seventh Order of Holy Knights contacted us again about their Magic Sword order." "Manager, the Tenth Order—"
When I arrived, I heard them trying to keep up with orders and drinking the nutrition supplement potions instead of taking breaks. I had worked at some black companies in Japan that had long working hours and limited breaks, but none of them worked their workers as hard as these girls were.
It took a while to get them to take a break, and it would have been impossible if Satou hadn't given me some sweets and pastries to give to them. In the end, the sweet smell of tasty snacks won out over their desire to keep working.
I decided to stay behind and make sure they took a break, so while I waited, I started working on my latest creation—a unicorn golem. I made it out of adamantite because it raised its level when turned into a golem. I originally wanted to make a horse, but when I thought about how much trouble I get into, I wanted something else. In the end, I went with Mia's suggestion since the unicorn's horn could be used as a weapon if I needed it to.
So, after making the body, painting it white and adding the magic circuitry, all I had left to do was fine-tune it. It was my mistake to do it here. I had just finished and was about to start testing when a certain short-statured red-haired person jumped onto its back.
"Is this a new golem for the store?" Louna smiled excitedly as she powered the unicorn. "It's so cool."
"Louna! What are you doing?!" Eluterina, the company manager, tried to stop her, but it was too late.
So was I. It required a skill at operating golems to use this one, so I didn't think she would get it started. I was wrong. I should have none better since Louna was always riding around on one of the store's stone foxes.
In less than a second, the unicorn started moving. It was faster than the wolves, but Louna seemed not have any trouble controlling it. While she was fine until…
"Wow! This is so cool!"
By accident, Louna caused the unicorn to start running on thin air, almost hitting her head on a ceiling beam. I used the practical magic spell Cube to create this effect. I had tried other spells first, but the unicorn was so heavy that they used too much magic to be efficient. On another note, it also wraps the rider in a protective barrier using the practical magic spell flexible shield to protect them from branches, bugs, and whatever else they could be struck by while riding.
I was prepared for her to panic and cry for help. Everyone but Mia and Satou, who tried to ride it before, did. But Louna didn't have a fear of heights like Pearl, so she didn't freeze, squeeze her eyes shut, and hug the unicorn like Pearl had. She didn't get stuck doing corkscrews like Nana had. I still have no idea how she managed to do that. And since she was wearing pants, she didn't have the same trouble mounting it as Sara had with her robes.
In the end, Louna was surprisingly good at riding this tricky golem.
"Louna! Get down here!" Eluterina called out, but Louna was too busy giggling as she ran laps around the room. "Louna!"
When she came close, I reached up and grabbed hold of one of the unicorn's rear legs, bringing her to a halt. She squiled in surprise from the sudden jolt but froze when I pulled her down, and she was met with Eluterina's glare.
Which brings us to my current situation.
"Please let me keep it!" Louna whined as I tried to pull her off my latest creation.
It took some time to get her away from my unicorn without either breaking her arms or the unicorn's neck, but I managed to do so in the end. I almost felt bad for Louna once Eluterina started lecturing her, but I kept quiet and stored my unicorn away as Louna was forced to kneel and listen to the manager's lecture. She even had tears in her eyes by the time it ended.
"Miss Eluterina, do you know of any noblewomen in high society who wear fashionable dresses?"
Leaving Louna to console herself with one of the fox golems, I asked a question I had come here to ask. Satou wanted the info to make a dress for Karina, since she had been invited to the next tea party hosted by the viceroy's wife. Karina seemed to like relatively conservative dresses, so I asked about nobles who weren't setting trends with flashy new outfits.
Eluterina gave me the names of a few noblewomen, so I made a note of them to hand Satou later. Several of the girls whose names she'd mentioned were having a tea party together later today. As much as I didn't want to encourage this kind of thing, it would be a good time to spy on them and get a look at their dresses. Clairvoyance was a pretty scary spell, now that I think of it.
"Remember always to take regular breaks, no matter how busy you are," I said as I was getting ready to leave.
Once I put some fresh stock in the basement storage and took a list from Tifaleeza listing the supplies they need, I had nothing left to do here. I should ask Satou to keep a closer eye on them when I get back, since, despite my words, they already seem likely to return to that overwhelming workload.
<0>
I had to get changed quickly as soon as I got back. Everyone else was already wearing the clothing Satou made for them, except Sara, who already had her own. We weren't going anywhere fancy, but we still couldn't wear our casual clothing or armour.
"It's still tight," Nana said with a blank expression as she tugged at the modified chest area of her dress.
At first, the black dress showed a bit of her cleavage, but Arisa and Mia forced Satou to change that area. The dress still looks good on her with its short sleeves and recently altered skirt. Arisa and Mia also forced Satou to remove the slit in the side that showed off a bit of Nana's long legs.
"You can ask Satou to adjust it later," I told her. She would have to wear it again in a few days for the viceroy's wife's tea party, so there should be enough time for Satou to make some adjustments. "Just bear with it for now, it will only be for an hour or so at the most."
"Yes, Hero Kura," Nana said, still tugging at the chest area.
I'll ask Satou to make those alterations a priority. Nana's isn't struggling to breathe, but with how much the material is stretching, they could burst out. Hopefully, that won't happen.
"Kura," Mia poked me before doing a twirl.
She was wearing a green sleeveless dress that made her look cute. The slight redness in her cheeks even made her look cuter.
"That's very cute, Mia."
"Mm."
Mia nodded happily. She had a dress from her homeland, similar to a miko-style outfit, like the high elves, but she hadn't worn it since Mia seemed to like matching the others in western-style dresses.
"Do I really need to wear something like this?" Pearl muttered.
"You only have to dress up for formal occasions," I assure her.
Pearl wore a black, shoulderless dress, which Satou also had to alter after Arisa and Mia made further complaints about the chest area. It wasn't as daring as Nana's had been before the alterations, but it still fell under the duo's complanits. Still, unlike Nana, Pearl joined in the complaints, her face red as she wore the original design.
I can't really argue with her complaints, though. Back in Japan, I had no problem wearing dresses and stuff, but in this world, I prefer armour mainly because I have to deal with marriage arrangements at parties. Not to mention the overwhelming difference between other ladies and me in this world. I can't help but sigh when I look down and look up to find Sara standing in front of me.
She was wearing a formal version of her usual priestess outfit. It had the same design and look, only fancier with the colours popping more. She was adjusting a holy symbol on her chest that fills out her outfit far more than I can ever fill out my dress.
"And how do I look?" Sara asks with a small smile.
"As beautiful as always," I replied.
"Heehee,"
"Mmmm,"
Sara smiled happily, while Mia, for some reason, started grumbling and puffed out her cheeks adorably. I couldn't help but poke them.
"Shall we get going?"
I hired a carriage and a coachman for today. Lulu offered to handle it, but I didn't want to interrupt her plans with the other maids. I'm not sure what she is teaching them today, but whenever Lulu gives cooking lessons, we usually have a feast that night, so I'm looking forward to dinner today.
The driver arranged a step to assist us into the box carriage, but while the others used it, Pearl hopped in. I considered scolding her since we would soon head to the capital, and such actions could cause issues, but she tripped on her dress upon landing, so I chose to let her embarrassment serve as her own punishment.
"That's why you should use the step," Was all I told her as our carriage set off.
Our destination wasn't far, and we could have walked, but with how dirty the streets of this city were, it would only ruin our dresses. We were heading to the guesthouse where Henry was staying. She invited us to a tea party she was hosting to catch up with her friends.
Ten minutes later, we arrived. The guest house is half the size of the manor we live in, but somehow looks even fancier. It must be the garden. While ours isn't barren, the guest house's garden is filled with colourful flowerbeds that fill the air with a pleasant scent, making them just as much a treat for the nose as for the eyes.
"Welcome, Lady Kura and company," A maid greeted us at the door. "Please follow me."
Owing to the size of the guest house, it didn't take long before we reached the back garden where the party was to be held. I have been to tea parties before where the maids would take a longer route to showcase artwork the family had brought, and I have attended parties at houses too large for the families living there, a few times, left waiting for a while if the host family supported someone like Sokell or Sharorik.
Still, those weren't as bad as the tea parties where I was invited to the lounge and had to either refuse marriage or loan requests. The parties became quite awkward after that, and I couldn't leave without breaking some etiquette rules in this kingdom. Normally, I wouldn't mind giving loans, but most of the people seeking money just want to pay off gambling debts or need hush money to cover something up.
"Hero Kura, welcome." Henry greeted me with a smile.
Standing at a table surrounded by rose bushes, Henry, wearing a pure white dress, smiled as the others rose to greet me, too. The once sickly and bedridden daughter of the Vicecount, Shina, also smiled, wearing a green dress with a floral pattern.
"It's a pleasure to see you again, Miss Hero," Shina curtsied.
"The pleasure is mine," I returned to smile. "I'm glad to see you are doing well."
"It's all thanks to that tasty drink you provided," She replied, touching her lips.
"It really was tasty, wasn't it, no,"
Surprisingly, Princess Meetia, the 6th princess of the Nolork Kingdom, was here. No, I think it makes sense that she and Henry would have met by now. Apart from the princess and Shina, Henry had also gathered some more familiar faces.
"You still haven't told me about your latest trip into the labyrinth," Mary-Ann Dyukeli, Baronet Dyukeli's daughter, was also here.
It has become something of a regular thing for me to tell her about my trips into the labyrinth whenever I have free time, even if this arrangement did start from her begging me to take her into the labyrinth nearly every day until I got her to settle on listening to stories instead.
"Thank you for inviting us,"
An hour passed, then two, as small talk turned into stories from me after people lost interest in all the topics that came before. I had plenty to tell them, but it was getting tiring. I never knew people could ask so many questions.
I told them about my battle with the demon army led by the former plunder turned demon, Ludaman, leaving out the comments he made about what he planned to do after the battle. I told them about the fight with a demon lord, not mentioning that the Dogheaded Demon Lord, Crow, is still alive. That story got the most comments since the Dragon God personally intervened in the battle.
Even though her actions saved my life and those of my friends and a lot of other people's, I still feel embarrassed just thinking of the cheesy one-liners the Dragon God said during that fight. Hermina, the Shiga Eight Swords gun user, who watched the battle from a distance, even told me that the Dragon God made me look like some maniac during the fight.
It was a relief when the tea party ended. I don't think I have ever talked so much in this life or the one I lived before in Japan. My throat was sore, but the food and tea were good, so it wasn't all bad, even if at one point I thought Nana would protect the small sweets she thought were cute. The taste won out in the end, so nothing happened with her.
"Tired," Mia yawned, leaning against me once the carriage started moving.
After me, Mia was the one who was the next star of the party. It started with boredom. Mia lost interest in the party early on and began playing a tune on her lute, prompting requests for song after song. But everything she played was magical.
Pearl and Sara had the easiest time as they sat and talked with Princess Meetia for most of the party, but Pearl was starting to look bored by the end of the party.
"Do we have to do stuff like this again?" Pearl grumbled, looking just as tied as Mia.
"Unfortunately, once we reach the capital, stuff like this will become a regular thing."
I wanted to lie and cheer her up, but it was true. Even if I wish it weren't. If the number of marriage proposals and loan requests weren't bad enough already, they are almost guaranteed to get much worse once we reach the den of the nobles in the capital.
<0>
"Byooti-full."
"Like princesses, sir."
Pochin and Tama greeted Karina as she finally left, or should I say was dragged from her room by her maids. Her dress was made of crimson silk from Lalagi, embroidered with a lovely pattern and gemstones that would stand out. I'm not sure if it is a good thing given how much attention they will draw, but the Heaven's Teardrops gems Satou added really do look beautiful, sparkling like a rainbow. I hear the dress Satou made for Zena is just as beautiful, but I haven't had a chance to see that one yet.
"Much better,"
"Mm. Safe,"
Arisa and Mia nodded after looking Karina up and down. Apparently, the original dresses Satou had picked out for Karina and Zena showed off a bit more skin and cleavage than the finished dresses. Satou had mentioned it was normal in the city, but Arisa, Mia, Karina, and Zena still protested the dresses.
"D-do I have to go… in this… d-dress?" Karina muttered, trying to hide her oversized weapons by crossing her arms, only to somehow make them bigger.
"You need to get used to socialising," Satou replied as Karina continued to turn redder and redder. "Once we are in the capital, you will be invited to teaparties and maybe balls and banquets, so you should practice while you can."
"But… but…" Karina turned to me for help, but I shook my head.
I knew how she felt. I'm not much of a fan of all these fancy parties and would rather go into the maze, but I have a duty to fulfil as a noble, and so does she. That still doesn't stop me from being envious of Pearl, Nana, Mia, Sara, and the others for being able to explore while I had to talk and smile until my lips hurt from the effort.
Normally, I would at least have Sara. Being treated like a noble despite leaving her house, and a orical priestess usually gets her an invite, but today she said she had something to do at the temple. From what she told me, she will be praying with other members of the Tenion temple, and it is something every temple does leading up to the new year.
So, with Satou, I help drag the still complaining Karina into the waiting carriage, trying to ignore the look in Satou's eyes as Karina presses close to him with those… things brushing his face as she climbs in.
<0>
"Welcome, Sir Pendragon, Lady Kura. And it's a pleasure to meet you, young lady. I am Reythel, wife to Marquis Ashinen, the viceroy of Celivera."
The viceroy's wife greeted us as soon as we entered the parlour. Marquis Ashinen's family was arranging a carriage to collect Zena, who was also invited, from her lodging house, which was why she didn't arrive with us.
"…Lady Karina."
Karina immediately froze up, so Satou gently nudged her to introduce herself.
"I—I am Karina Muno—erm, the second daughter of Baron Leon Muno of the Muno Barony. Pleased to meet you."
"The pleasure is all mine, Lady Karina. Please have a seat right here."
Karina made a mistake with the order, but still introduced herself successfully. Karina, her face still tense with nervousness, sat on the sofa that the viceroy's wife had pointed to. Satou sat next to her, but that probably will make things worse if the look in Lady Reythel's eye is anything to go by.
"My, what a lovely outfit you're wearing."
"Is that the latest fashion from the royal capital?"
No, Satou definitely made things worse. The other noble ladies have that same look in their eyes as they close in.
"This fabric is crimson silk from Lalagi, is it not? Material of this quality is rarely found on the market." The young women already in the salon easily recognised the material of Karina's outfit. "The embroidery on the silk is lovely as well, but these little inlaid jewels… Could they be Heaven's Teardrops?"
"Goodness, they're sparkling like rainbows. Even small ones like these are terribly rare."
"What a gorgeous dress. I'd expect no less of a baron's daughter or a close friend of Sir Pendragon."
The women all gazed eagerly at Karina's dress. As she was shy, Karina appeared very uneasy.
"Most impressive of all is that ruby brooch with your house crest. Imagine carving a crest into such a large ruby without hesitation… The Muno Barony must be quite prosperous."
It wasn't the topic of conversation I expected to happen, but it is probably only a matter of time before the subject of love comes up. The question is whether it will come up before or after Zena arrives. So, I grab a drink one of the maids was offering and find a seat to the side of the room where I can enjoy the show, hopefully without being dragged into it.
The lesser nobles, ladies, and wealthy merchant daughters were surprised when I joined their table, even more when Henry joined too, but they soon got over it, and we had some pleasant conversation. At the same time, I listened in on Satou and a very shy Karina struggle to give an answer that wasn't a yes or no. Even with Satou helping her, it looks like this party is going to be torture for Karina.
"Lady Karina, are you, by chance, engaged to Sir Pendragon?"
It happened pretty quickly, it turns out. Once the subject of clothes and accessories had mostly dried up, Baron Ralpott's wife, who loved gossip and romance, broached this matter with a sly smile. A smile that still sends a shiver down my spine. I lost track of the number of times I have seen that smile while she tried to drag something to gossip about from me.
The question caused Karina to turn bright red and drop her head. Her mouth opened and closed as she tried to reply, but not even a whisper came out. Once again, it was Satou who came to her rescue.
"Lady Karina ought to marry someone of far higher class than the likes of me."
Satou attempted to change the subject, but the baron's wife mentioned her fifth son, who was nearly thirty, before he succeeded. Good thing too, since that son was in love with another woman anyway, so that relationship wouldn't have been off to a good start.
It didn't help that Karina shot Satou the moment he said she should marry someone other than him. The fact that everyone but Satou seemed to catch only made things worse for him.
"But don't you perhaps harbour some intentions on Sir Pendragon, dear Lady Karina?"
Another wife attempted a similar attack on Karina, but she shook her head and said.
"No?" Karina answered with a shake of her head, glancing at Satou.
It's unfortunate that Satou is so oblivious when it comes to romance. It must be difficult for Karina and the others to try to convey their feelings to someone like Satou. I can't imagine not being able to notice such things.
In the end, when Satou had the maids bring out the shortcakes and cheese tarts he and Lulu had made that morning. But something else was happening. A lady-in-waiting who entered the room whispered something to the viceroy's wife, who then hid a mischievous smile behind her fan and glanced in Satou's direction. I guess it's time.
"It appears our other guest has arrived. Please come in."
Zena, dressed in her finery and accompanied by a lady-in-waiting, entered the room. Satou really needs to get some acting lessons; the act he puts on is way over the top, as if he didn't know Zena would be here or that he made the dress she's wearing. Still, that act did make all the noble ladies smile. Henry's one in particular had me worried. I hope the plans I heard her muttering about making aren't too crazy.
"Oh my, it's quite unusual to see our coolheaded Sir Pendragon get so flustered." The viceroy's wife chuckled. "So this one really is where his heart lies."
"I am the daughter of Sir Marienteil, hereditary knight of Seiryuu County, Zena. It is an honour to make your acquaintance." Zena delivered a somewhat formal, military-style introduction.
"My goodness, she's adorable and chivalrous." The viceroy's wife gazed at her with an approving smile.
"Lady Zena's rank seems closer to Sir Pendragon. Could she be his fiancée?" Nosy as ever, Mrs Ralpott waggled her eyebrows.
Karina's gaze fixed on Zena.
"N-no, no! I-I'm Satou's—I mean, Sir Pendragon's—um, f-friend? That is—I'm his close friend, but…" Zena's eyes began to spin, but Satou quickly intervened to help her.
"Miss Zena was very kind to me when I visited Seiryuu City. As it happens, she saved the lives of some of my comrades, too." Somehow, Satou's explanation didn't seem to excite the other ladies.
"But Lady Zena is definitely fond of Sir Pendragon, hmm?" At this comment from Baron Ralpott's wife, the innocent Zena turned bright red.
"Ah, to be young again." Baronet Dyukeli's wife gave Zena a warm smile. "Lady Zena, is your dress not made of jade silk from the Ougoch Duchy, perhaps? Just as with Lady Karina's crimson silk, that's quite a high-quality fabric that's hard to find on the market."
"Is it made by the same designer as Lady Karina's dress, by chance?"
"It's small, but Lady Zena's pendant has the same style of carving."
"How impressive to carve a family crest into a stone as hard as sapphire…" Baronet Dyukeli's wife shifted the subject, and the other wives did the same. "Could it be that they were both gifts from Sir Pendragon?"
The jewels in Karina's and Zena's brooches were actually artificial gems created by Satou using the Earth Magic spell Create Stone Object, making them very inexpensive to produce. So, Satou nodded and took credit by saying h e h ad some craftsmen make them. But that was another mistake he made today.
"You're quite knowledgeable, Sir Pendragon. But in this case, I'm afraid your studies are incomplete. Only the most talented of Earth Magic mages can alter gemstones with Create Stone Object. And even then, it would require an incredible amount of concentration and talent to modify such stones without affecting their translucent quality."
"Oh, I see…"
I can only imagine the comments Arisa would have made if she overheard that. I'm pretty sure Satou barely paid attention to what he was doing when he made them, too. Just how overpowered is he?
"Do you know who made those gemstones?" One of the girls at my table asked.
"I haven't met them in person," I replied, shaking my head.
Maybe I should have said something else? No, I definitely should have said something else. Anything that didn't imply I could have identified the maker of those gems. Even before I could think of leaving, I felt something on my arm and saw Henry's grip on my wrist. She had the same look in her eyes that had formed in the eyes of the ladies at my table.
"So, you've seen that person?"
"Do you know where they are?"
"Can you introduce us?"
Yes, I made a big mistake with my answer. I doubt I would be getting out of this any time soon.
<0>
I feel like I've died.
"Come on, sir. Eat this and feel better."
"Jerky is the best when you're feeling down."
Pochi and Tama were standing over me as I lay where I collapsed on the sofa. Karina was just as bad as I was at first, but she said it was reassuring seeing a hero struggling as much as she was, and she felt better in no time.
The tea party only served to confirm one thing. Noble ladies are terrifying, doubly so if you have something shiny they want. I lost track of time as I tried to keep the fact that Satou made those gems from slipping, but those girls knew every trick and never missed a misstep I made. So what started as an entertaining time of watching Satou fall prey to nobles who love gossip and romance quickly became an integration for me.
At least Pochi and Tama were right about the jerky. Its taste does make me feel better, even if it doesn't make me any less dead. I don't want to go to another tea party again.