Chapter 10
47.
The day that everyone has been waiting for finally arrived. With the help of the royalties, everything is going great. The flow is organized, every area has a maid to assist, and the program is accurately being followed as all are doing a fantastic job at the moment.
Mittsy's observation is definitely on point. Several Royal Guards, in fact almost 70% of them were assigned to a different mission. The remaining ones are in the event, accompanied by the maids hired for this day.
Prior to the event, Princess Grace secretly had a meeting with Kita's group. She instructed that one of them should sneak out of the event. Someone who can participate in the Evil Mimi battle. Hana and Lulu cannot do it since they are the models, the choices are between Yuna and Kita. The other maids know the plan as well, it's their job to cover things up and prevent Mae and Mittsy from knowing the truth. Thus the story continues.
The event starts as the ceremonial opening welcomes the entrance of Queen Elenoria, mother of Princess Grace. Right after that, the program titled the Grand Reopening immediately begins. Duke Nasmuir is the one who leads the event. Princess Grace intentionally tied him to this duty, so that she could prevent any mistake that the Duke might unintentionally make. Besides, Duke Nasmuir has tons of experience in these types of events. He hosts multiple parties and homecomings after all.
As the event continues, lots of businesses are showcasing different forms of entertainment to market their store. Each one of them has a designated amount of time to do anything that they want as a way of advertising. Duke Nasmuir dictates the phase of the event as every Kemi is observably having fun in the Grand Reopening.
Different stalls are also scattered around the Royal Castle. Allowing small businesses to use different strategies depending on what they want. They can either give free samples, offer discounts, or sell their products at a lower rate, it's for the sake of promoting their products after all. All of those are authorized as long as they don't cause harm to anyone. The goal is to make everyone stay at the Royal Castle as long as possible.
Meanwhile, the maids are dishing out free samples in smaller portions. The bigger versions are for sale, at half of the original price. The fashion show will be the last item on the program. That is why they still have the time to prioritize the stall first.
"My nerves seem to not stop shaking…" Mae said as she trembled.
"I think I'm on the same boat now. The presentations are too good…" Mittsy responded as they watched the other Kemis performing on the stage.
"Don't worry, we can do this!" Lulu said as she comforted Mae and Mittsy.
"Let's trust Aoi's creation, they are splendid! I'm sure that everything will be alright." Hana added.
"My creations suit each and every one of nyu. All nyu have to do is be yourself. There are 3 different dresses for everyone and I'm sure nyu can present all of them perfectly." Aoi also responded.
"Hai!" Mae happily replied as she got her spirit back.
"Speaking of each of us presenting those dresses… Where is Grace? I haven't seen her since we did a quick dress rehearsal." Mittsy questioned.
"I haven't seen Kita as well…" Mae added.
"Ah.. ano… Grace told me that something came up. That must be why she left immediately, though she promised that she would return before our performance." Aoi answered as she fabricated a story.
"I told Kita to get some herbs from our store, our stock here is unfortunately not enough," Lisa said while brewing some tea for free samples.
"I guess handling a business is sure tough…" Mittsy commented.
"I do hope that Grace won't be too exhausted before she returns here…" Mae worriedly mentioned.
"I hope so too…" Aoi replied in the same manner, she knew the real reason behind Grace and Kita's disappearance.
On the other hand, Princess Grace and Kita made their way to the Southeast area of the land by riding a chariot. That is where Kita saw what was really happening in the kingdom for the first time. A lot of Evil Mimis are attacking the barricade as the Royal Guards use spears to pierce and kill them. The area definitely looks like a battlefield as a few numbers of Evil Mimis push the area. Good thing the residents there already evacuated.
"I never knew that there were this many…" Kita said.
"That is why I rarely show up. So far the only thing that we know is that sharp objects kill them. But with your help, we were able to identify them even more." Princess Grace replied.
"We also learned more about them because of nyu. I do wonder how we will inform our friend from Riverania. We need to update her about what we found out as of now because she is uniting the tribes there." Kita responded.
"Don't worry about it, just write it all down and I will entrust it to my messenger Kemi." Princess Grace said.
"Oh, a messenger Kemi? I hope they can make it in time." Kita commented. She is thinking of the delivery Kemi where they receive stocks for the cafe.
"Our messengers can fly really fast. It will only take them just a few days I suppose." Princess Grace replied.
"WAIT THEY CAN FLY?" Kita questioned.
"Nyu haven't encountered a flying Kemi?" Princess Grace responded.
"Well our Tribe Leader is an Owlman, but I did not know they could truly fly. I thought they were just a part of their bodies since I haven't seen them fly…" Kita answered.
"You're a silly one." Princess Grace said as she laughed. "Follow me, let's meet the commander of the Royal Guards for the update," she added.
As they proceeded towards the meeting room, the Kemis started to exchange information. Since Kita's group already calls those creatures as Evil Mimis, they temporarily labeled them as such. This will help them in terms of communicating with others that are involved with the case.
The commander speculates that the Evil Mimis potentially came from the nearby country, which is the Zenshin. The trajectory from where they kept on coming from is what gave the commander the idea. When they compared Kita's group experience in Riverania, the trajectory also suggested the same thing, proving their hypothesis about the Zenshin.
48.
The meeting took more than an hour. The discussion went heavy as they tried to figure out a way to fully stop the Evil Mimis. Not just by merely defending and keeping them off the continent. A plan for the long term is always better than a temporary fix.
Eventually, as everything was concluded, Princess Grace and Kita left the area to travel back to the event. The Princess offered Kita to deliver the message now but Kita refused. She said that it would be better if Hana or Yuna constructed the content of the message. Kita does not want to screw up such an important task.
While they were inside the chariot, Kita started to ask some questions.
"Sooo… The other guards are searching the area right?" Kita asked.
"Hai, thanks for the information about the Runecrystal, the assigned leader for the search is using the artifact to make things easier." Princess Grace answered.
"Does it mean this event will solidify your movement in making use of the Runes?" Kita added.
"Hai, this will be a significant help for our movement. Why did nyu ask?" Princess Grace responded.
"No particular reason, I'm just not used to this kinda controversial setup. Back on our land, everything is less complicated." Kita replied.
"Riverania is indeed less complicated, also sounds adventurous from what I heard." Princess Grace agreed with Kita.
"It is! The place is definitely free-spirited! By the way, don't get me wrong, I also love this place." Kita said.
"I'm glad to hear that, I do hope that I can visit your place some other time." Princess Grace responded.
The conversation between the two leads to a lighter mood as they both appreciate the differences of where they came from. It is actually the first time that they have had an informal and relaxed discussion like this. Creating a new bond, more than just work-related.
A couple more minutes passed and eventually, they made it back to the event, with enough time to prepare before their performance. The maids closed the stall in the meantime as they put an "On stage" sign on the table. They want to support the models as they help them in changing outfits one after the other.
"And for the final performance for this event. I've been a regular customer of this shop. Others might even say some harsh feedback about them. Because it's the truth, especially if you dined in this cafe last month or so…" Duke Nasmuir started his introduction the way that everyone knows about the cafe.
"But I watched them grow, change, and seemingly be better each day. Other royalties who dined in this cafe recently can vouch for that. None of this would even happen if it wasn't for them. The offer was actually a grand reopening for their cafe, sponsored by yours truly. But when the word reached our beloved next-in-line Queen, we realized that maybe all that they need is a chance to prove themselves. Blessed by our current Queen, this program is now for everyone here on our Land." The Duke added as he explained how the event occurred in the first place.
"They proved that change is possible, anyone can do so! From the humble streets of Kemitopia, this maid cafe is truly an inspiring one. Please welcome as they showcase a fashion show for this event, Trio Brews and Sweets!" Duke Nasmuir energetically introduced as the audience cheered.
With that said, the fashion show begins. The maestro leads the classical band as they harmoniously play upbeat music, best suited for the theme. Mae started the show as she elegantly showcased a summer theme maid dress. The mixture of cream blended with other light colors, the dress is surely an eye-catcher.
"Right in front of you is a summer-themed maid dress. We all know that heavy-colored dresses absorb more heat. This type of dress will be an in-demand one during the blazing hot days." The Duke narrated as Mae walked through the runway.
Next up is Mittsy, an innovative sporty type of dress, allowing the maidens to comfortably move freely. Slightly loose body fit, knee length, and fitted arm sleeves, this dress is definitely a unique one.
"The dress for the sporty. This design is intended to make the wearer as comfortable as they could be. Perfect for active events." The Duke said as Mittsy demonstrated how she can easily move with her dress.
After that, it's Hana's turn. Wearing a long formal dress, a dark blue theme highlighted with small marble sequence that beautifully reflects through light. The best dress at a night ball.
"An elegant long formal dress. Wearing this design will surely be a head-turner at night gatherings. Truly this dress will be the highlight of the night." Duke Nasmuir introduced as Hana elegantly walked through.
Followed by Hana, Lulu made her way to the stage. Wearing a pink theme small dress, with sky blue lily pattern as the design. A bubbly theme, perfect for young maidens.
"Kawaii! This is definitely a heartwarming one, we can truly see the cuteness. Young maidens will surely be perfect with this." Duke Nasmuir said as Lulu showcased her cuteness.
The last one for the first set, next in line is Grace. Wearing a black long skirt with slit on the side, white body-fit long sleeves, and a black vest to top it all up. Perfect for business meetings.
"GGGRACEFUL! Have a meeting to attend? Perhaps something formal but not a night ball? Then this dress is definitely the one that you are looking for. Simple yet classy, very smart looking appearance~" The Duke said with a bit of bias in his introduction, as Grace walked with her natural elegance on the runway.
Since there is enough time to change dress right after the last model, the second set immediately comes through. Each one of the models has their own theme to display; Mae is for maid uniforms, Mittsy for sporty type dresses, Hana for nightgowns, Lulu for cute bubbly dresses, and lastly Grace for formal attire meetings. The theme stays the same but the design is what changes each set. Hence the models continue to showcase their styles.
49.
The fashion show continues and the Kemis are having fun. The plan is to incorporate the themes as uniforms which they will change monthly. Not only that, someone can be their business partner, a perfect advertisement for Trio Brews and Sweets. It will all boil down if the fashion show is a definite success.
Each dress that was highlighted in the event gained different reactions. Some appreciate a certain theme more than others. The same thing goes for every category. As a matter of fact, this is actually Aoi's goal in the first place. She's been testing multiple designs, and Aoi realized something when she first saw Kita's group. The uniqueness of their wardrobe gave her the idea that the Kemis on their land lacked variety in dresses. As she interacted with the group further, she gained a deeper perspective on how character affects style.
"I hope they appreciate my creations…" Aoi said while watching from backstage.
"I'm sure they are, nyu can hear the crowd from here," Rin replied.
"I've been observing the audience and it looks like most of them wanted to buy those," Lisa added.
"But I don't have any other copies of those dresses," Aoi replied.
Moments later, someone approached them. A sophisticated royalty maiden, who owns the most famous clothing line in the land. Wearing a slick white dress with sheep's fur surrounding her neck, her name is Francois, a white Foxgirl Kemi.
"Excuse me, who is the Kemi that made those dresses?" Francois asked.
The maids are stunned by the royalty's beauty. "I… I am…" Aoi answered while stuttering.
"I see…" Francois handed a card that indicated her address and her clothing line logo. "Whenever you are free, I'm inviting you to my place~" she added as Francois walked away.
Right after the royalty left the premises, that was the time when they inspected the card and realized something.
"I.. It's… IT'S FRANCOIS! THE MOST FAMOUS CLOTHING LINE HERE!" Aoi said as everything finally sank in.
"That explains why she was that beautiful…" Kita commented.
"I'M SO PROUD OF NYU!" Rin said as she hugged Aoi. Lisa and Coco joined as well.
Tears are flowing down Aoi's eyes, she is not even aware of it. The maids celebrate their success backstage.
Eventually, the fashion show comes to an end. They all walked towards the center and took a bow. The scenario feels ecstatic as the audience is cheering for them. Some of the small-time businesses are even shouting "THANK YOU," due to what they heard from the Duke.
Since the last performer is done, it's time to wrap it all up. With the lead of Duke Nasmuir, the event is now in its closing ceremony. Afterwards, everyone goes back to their homes peacefully. It's been a long day and a nice and secure place to rest is indeed what everyone needs. Thanks to the Royal Guards working behind the citizens' radar, they successfully fulfilled their mission. Only a single Evil Mimi was extinguished during the search. There were no further sightings of them inside the land.
In the end, it looks like the maids accomplished their individual goals. Lisa is happy when she figures out that most of the Kemis prefer tea to coffee. Coco was flattered by the feedback she got from the customers, not to mention, she saw Lulu modeling cute dresses. Aoi finally received an opportunity where she could pursue her talent. And of course Rin, actually for her, the accomplishment of the cafe is for her pawrents, seeing her loved ones happy is what makes her even happier at this point.
As of now, the maids are setting themselves back to the cafe while the models are changing back to their regular clothes. Mae, Mittsy, and Grace joined the maids as they once again rode the chariot. When they reached their destination, fatigue kicked in. Everyone was either head bowed down on the table or completely lying on the floor. They are planning to celebrate but it looks like that is not an option right now.
"I'm beaten up," Kita complained while lying on the floor.
"The tension earlier finally caught up…" Rin responded while resting on a chair.
"I thought we were gonna party?" Mittsy questioned, even though she was completely lifeless on the floor.
"Nyu can't even stand," Mae argued while her head was on the table.
"Bwahfahala aa aa," Hana responded but no one could understand her words. She is resting the same way as Mae.
Grace could not even participate in the conversation. She is the most exhausted one among the rest.
Minutes later, Duke Nasmuir showed up. He enters the shop and energetically says "Well done! A magnificent perfo-" He was about to congratulate everyone but the current state of the cafe stopped him. "I suppose everyone is exhausted… I see I see…" He added while thinking of something that would lift everyone up. No one was responding to him.
"To compensate for all your hard work, I'm inviting everyone to my mansion. Tomorrow, we will celebrate with a pool party! My treat!" Duke Nasmuir offered.
"Nyatta~" They all reacted but with low energy. The maids are happy about the offer, though fatigue prevents them from responding joyfully.
"Well then, I shall take my leave. All of you can just continue what you are doing." The Duke said as he walked back towards the door. He puts up the "Closed" sign before leaving and closing the cafe. "They did grow a lot, I'm glad that they already have someone to lean on. Kuro and Emily, I promise to continue guiding your daughters…" The Duke muttered as he went back to his chariot.
Duke Nasmuir always has been there for the three sisters. He treated them like his own daughters. His duchess cannot conceive a child because of her health condition. That's why at some point the Duke has been longing for one. When Kuro and his wife Emily died in an accident, Duke Nasmuir was the one who was pulling the strings behind the curtain. Supporting the maids to prevent bankruptcy in the capitol. His loyalty to the next-in-line Queen is just a ploy to put the sisters in a better state.
50.
The long tiring day finally comes to an end. Mae, Mittsy, and Grace went back to their homes the moment they got their strengths back. Since there will be a pool party tomorrow, they all decided to rest for now. They cannot celebrate in their current state anyway.
The next morning, everyone made their way to Duke Nasmuir's residence. Lulu and Mittsy brought their Tameable Mimis as well. Lulu is with Pily while Mittsy brought her 3 pink Tameable Mimis with her. The Duchess is the one who welcomes everyone since the Duke is busy preparing the place. The duchess also prepared tons of swimsuit attire that the group can choose from. Allowing them to enjoy as much as they want, without worrying about anything. With that said, all of them started to choose what attire they wanted to wear.
After some time, they all changed into their desired outfit for the pool party. Splashes of water, laughter, and a lot of unexplainable noise can be heard. Some of them are relaxing under the shed of a palm tree, others are enjoying the food, while the rest are just fooling around in the pool, and even the Tameable Mimis are playing around. Everyone is genuinely having fun at the moment, truly a well-deserved leisure time for them.
Tons of activities occurred and when they ran out of things to do, the Catgirls decided to exchange stories instead. Mae, Mittsy, and Grace shared their experiences in the maiden school, and of course, some rants about their studies as well. Rin, Lisa, Aoi, and Coco also opened up about all of the struggles that they endured back then, it was a bittersweet story at this point. Lastly, Kita, Hana, Yuna, and Lulu told everyone about their journey toward this land. The adventure that they had, the life-threatening things they encountered, the misunderstandings that wasted a lot of their time, and the hardship that they experienced on the shipping vessel. Those are the reasons why they are tougher each day.
Reminiscing the past is indeed helpful sometimes. It reminds everyone how far they've traveled. Showing growth through time. As the long leisure day finally came to an end, this pool party opened an opportunity for them to build a greater bond.
As fun as it is, they are completely aware that Kita's group will be leaving soon. When the topic shifted a sudden melancholy feeling took place. Because of that, Mae and Mittsy asked if they could do part-time shifts in the cafe. They cannot fully commit since they have classes to attend. The maids gladly accepted the 2 new trainees, hoping more Kemis would apply to fill the soon-to-be vacant positions.
Eventually, the star settles and the group is preparing to leave the vicinity. They all showed their gratitude towards the Duke and his duchess for the hospitality. As they all waved goodbye to each other, there was a lingering feeling that the next farewell might be the last one.
The next morning, the maids are summoned to the Royal Palace where Princess Grace acts as the next-in-line Queen. Her mother, Queen Elenoria is just an overseer at this point, she wants to assess if Princess Grace is ready for the throne before passing it down to her.
Princess Grace prefers having a meeting in a closed room where they can discuss over table talks. Using the Royal throne is not to her taste, hence the meeting started.
To equally inform everyone, Princess Grace updated the rest of the group about what happened while they were busy at the event. With the help of Kita, the explanation went smoothly.
"With that said, I want to know what's the plan for Kita, Yuna, Hana, and Lulu." Princess Grace asked.
"We haven't talked about it but we will probably go to Zenshin," Kita answered.
"It sounds dangerous…" Hana commented.
"It is indeed dangerous, but I agree with Kita. Now that we can update Maiko, knowing what's happening in Zenshin will be a huge help for her." Yuna argued.
"I.." Lulu said while her voice was shaking. "I was not able to help in fighting the Evil Mimis, even though Maiko said that I am the key to finding them. That is why this time, I want to face my fears!" Lulu firmly stated. Seeing everyone take this matter seriously pushed her to do more. Everyone smiled genuinely, they were proud that Lulu was ready to face her fears.
"Well if the youngest one has the courage, who am I to back out?'' Hana humorously said.
"I am glad that everyone is on the same page. With that, I would like to offer a proposal. Kita, Hana, Yuna, and Lulu will train under my supervision. In this way, they can protect themselves from the Evil Mimi. The schedule will be organized by me and Rin. To compensate for the inconvenience to the cafe, their debts will be cleared in the Capitol. That will help the maids to employ other Kemis as well." Princess Grace offered.
"Sounds good to me," Yuna replied.
"The event was surely a success, employing other Kemis won't be a problem if our debts are cleared. I agree to the offer as well." Rin answered.
"Well then, if there are no further objections. Then the deal is sealed. Looking forward to working with everyone here." Princess Grace said.
Moments later, the Royal Guard who was assigned to be the leader of the search for Evil Mimis, entered the room to give back the Runecrystal. As he was walking closer, the Royal Guard tripped, making him fall, dropping the Runecrystal. Kita picked it up and in that instant, the Runecrystal glowed dimly.
"Chuuu! The Runecrystal glows! That means it's for Kita, while the Runecrystal that I was carrying back then is for Yuna!" Pily said.
Everyone was stunned, another Runecrystal was triggered and this time it was Kita. Now Lulu, Yuna, and Kita found themselves connected to a Runecrystal. It will only be a matter of time before they can unlock different abilities like Hana.
In that instant, Princess Grace was astounded as she realized something. She brought out the Runekey that she's been keeping for a long period of time, and gave it to Kita.
"Listen, the Runecrystal that nyu triggered is connected to this Runekey. I believe that this will help me find my father back. With the current state of the land, I cannot travel across the UniPaws to find him. Would nyu try and see if nyu can help me find my father?" Princess Grace requested.
The mind-blowing scenario kept on piling up, and Kita could not say a word.
"I will help nyu in any way that I can. Just, please… I'm begging nyu…" For the first time, Princess Grace kneeled in front of other Kemis. She feels like Kita is the answer to her problem and she cannot let this opportunity go to waste.
The Kemis are confused. Due to the immense pressure that she is under, Kita accepted the request without thinking about it thoroughly. Princess Grace hugged her tightly, and with some tears on her face, she felt like there was finally a way to find her father.
"Well, I guess we are set for another mission," Yuna commented.
"I still can't process what's happening right now…" Hana added.
"IT'S THAT GUY'S FAULT!" Lulu blamed the Royal Guard that was tripped earlier.
Even though everything is in utter confusion, the Kemis can't help but laugh. Kita's group never fails to entertain everyone with their reactions. The meeting for this day finally comes to an end.
As the story continues, Kita's group stays for another 2 months in Kemitopia. Day by day, they learned different ways to fight and protect themselves. On the other hand, Hana is also training with the help of other Kemis who are knowledgeable about the field of healing. There's a study that says that water can heal wounds. With Hana's talent, she can fight and heal using her ability.
After 2 months of training under the royalties' supervision, it's evident that they developed tremendously during the process. Kita, Yuna, and Lulu can now trigger the Runecrystal in a dimmer way once they hold it. Meanwhile, the cafe finally found someone to fill the vacant positions. With that said, it's time for them to finally say goodbye. For one last time, they held a farewell party in the cafe. Slowly but surely, tears fall as everyone finally gives their last message to Kita, Yuna, Hana, and Lulu. It's a heart-melting part but the journey must continue. The group must fulfill its purpose as they travel to another land. Thus the story in Kemitopia closes its chapter.
End of the Tale of Kemitopia