Outside the Hilda Tailor Room, temporarily turned into a changing area.
Allen stood at the door, his black formal suit draped over his arm.
He glanced toward the living room.
Rudy was discussing fabric types and the state of the tailoring industry in the capital with Hilda—unlike Allen, dressed in a swordsman's uniform, Rudy's shirt and pants could match with a short jacket, so he didn't need to wait outside for his turn.
"How is it, Allen!"
With a bang, the door flew open and Eris dashed out from inside.
A fiery red presence assaulted the eyes.
That overwhelming aura forced itself into his vision.
The striking crimson, combined with Eris's red hair, made her every step set the skirt's hem in motion like tongues of flame flickering over her body.
Yet the flowing tassel design softened that "burning" sensation, tempering her sharpness.
It created a harmonious visual balance.
Allen, however, quickly turned his head away.
Sylphy was still changing inside. Since they were both girls, they had no need to avoid each other.
"It looks good. Compared to your usual black-and-white dresses, bright red suits your temperament better—your presence is stronger."
"Presence? What do you mean?" Eris closed the door behind her, walked over to Allen, and folded her arms.
"It means you draw attention."
The corners of Eris's lips curved up as she turned and ran over to Hilda.
"Mother, Allen says it suits me!"
"It certainly does. Looks like both you and Rudy won't need size adjustments. The style works very well—adding the tassels was the right choice."
"Mother, you're amazing!"
Allen silently watched Hilda's gentle smile and Eris's lively expression.
The sunset poured over their red hair.
So bright and hot, it felt like it would burn into his eyes.
Then—
Creak.
From beside him came the sound of a door opening.
Allen instinctively started to turn his head but froze mid-motion.
Even the North King's sword had never made his neck stiff like this. Yet right now, he could feel the blood in it struggling to flow.
The evening gown's image stabbed into his mind like a blade, making him hesitate for a rare moment.
Why?
From the moment the changing started until now, he'd been thinking about the suit Hilda had personally made for him.
It rested on his arm.
The fabric was wonderfully smooth, comparable to some mid-range suits from before he crossed over—showing how much care Hilda had put into it.
But at this instant, the thought of seeing Sylphy in an evening gown made it real.
Sylphy.
Evening gown.
In pure white—his favorite, and most suited to her.
Low-cut.
A low-cut evening gown… on Sylphy?
No way… seriously?
His drifting thoughts moved in sync with his neck as his eyes followed the light in the room.
The sunset spilled across his vision, casting halos.
It passed over the walls, doorframe, and door.
It stopped—
On the narrow opening.
Just one glance—
And the confusion and floaty feeling in his mind slammed back to reality.
Allen's sharp expression, which had returned to its old state since October, faltered.
In his sight—
The door was open only a crack.
Sylphy's face peeked through, with part of her small body stepping out.
Hesitant, unsure.
Her white hair spilled against the doorframe in graceful arcs.
Beneath those arcs—
Her bare, slender shoulders radiated the delicate fragility of a young girl.
The pale line of her neck flowed down from her jaw.
Two necklaces rested there.
One was a choker, lying smoothly over her collarbones, the bones lifting the skin slightly and branching toward each side like gentle peaks.
The other was a pendant—
Resting just below the collarbone, nestled against softer skin.
As she leaned forward, it swayed slightly in the air.
Silver light.
Dancing over white skin.
And then—visibly—turning pink.
It wasn't the sunset tinting the sight.
It was Sylphy's skin flushing.
She was shy.
The next moment—
The door opened fully.
Only then did the evening gown reveal itself entirely.
But Allen immediately snapped his gaze away, staring instead at the weaving machine inside Hilda's tailoring room.
Strangely—
Even the machine seemed… delicate to him now.
"Is it my turn to change?" he asked.
Sylphy lowered her eyes and hummed softly.
She stepped aside.
Allen nodded, stepped inside.
Click.
The door closed gently.
Allen ran a hand over the suit on his arm and silently let out a breath.
He set his pants on a nearby machine and reached to undress—
When an odd feeling "woke" him.
A heartbeat.
Faster than usual.
Coming from behind.
Very close!
Allen's eyes widened, his head snapping around faster than Eris could swing a sword.
There she was—Sylphy, leaning against the door.
Looking up at him.
She hadn't left.
And now, Allen could see exactly how the gown looked on her.
Below the swaying pendant—
The soft white straps tied at the base of her neck, falling to either side, trailing down along her waist and hips, pooling on the floor.
So soft—
It made him think of moonlight in the snowy valley.
Sylphy spoke.
"Allen."
"Ah?"
"Will the clothes fit?"
Allen blinked, then nodded.
"They… fit well."
Sylphy's eyes fluttered as she looked away, her ears twitching slightly.
Her tone took on a subtle emphasis.
"Not… this one on me."
"These past days, I've been helping Madam, and she took my measurements. She adjusted this dress, so of course it fits me."
Allen froze, then realized what she meant.
If she wasn't talking about the gown she wore—
Then whose clothes?
Obviously, she meant the suit in his hands.
Even though she couldn't hear his thoughts—
She was answering his unspoken question from earlier.
Allen looked down at the shirt and jacket in his arms.
Hilda had never measured him.
So how could the suit fit so well?
Then—
A hand reached into his view.
Sylphy's hand.
She took his wrist and led him toward a wardrobe.
Hilda's tailor room was small—just a few steps brought them to the wardrobe.
She opened it.
Inside hung rows of finely made men's clothes, in every size, for every age.
Packed densely together.
Allen stared.
Why did the suit fit so perfectly?
The reason was simple.
By chance.
By coincidence.
By—
Fate.
(End of Chapter)
[Check Out My P@treon For +20 Extra Chapters On All My Fanfics!!][[email protected]/euridome]
[Thank You For Your Support!]