A gorgeous and elegant woman. Her golden blonde hair was styled uniquely, with its curled ends highlighted in gold. Various decorations such as symmetrical golden laurel wreaths could be seen on her hair. Her chosen attire, akin to a gown, showcased her shoulders. It is slitted on the lower portion, revealing her fair long legs.
Looking at the 'drunkard' last night who wasn't apprehended, a rare trace of surprise appeared on her face. She thought it was a dwarf or a short person, but she didn't expect he was a child.
A child drinking alcoholic beverages at night…
Her motherly instincts almost flared up.
Shi Tian felt a chill in his spine. It wasn't until Hysilens arrived behind him did it stop. She merely gave him and Aglaea a look before falling silent.
Everyone knew of Dux Gladiorum's reputation. She is the Imperator's most important general, capable of turning the tides of war all by herself. Although Aglaea is puzzled by her acquaintance with this child, she did not lose her composure. Her mind drifted back to the boy's original request.
"What kind of garment is it?"
"Oh, this."
Only now did she notice the lengthy wooden tube he brought. Thick stacks of white paper were rolled neatly inside. Pulling them out, she saw different kinds of outfits drawn elegantly. They also have specific measurements written within along with the description on what that measurement is taken from.
Seeing the confusion in her eyes, Shi Tian explained:
"This one is a school uniform."
"...A scholar's uniform?"
"Yes. It is worn by girls."
The more Aglaea looked at it, the more… fashionable it seemed. The sailor uniform design is a completely foreign outfit. The short-sleeved version did not reveal a lot of skin. Its skirt also went beneath the knees. A proper Eastern School uniform is far less revealing than any of Amphoreus' traditional outfits.
"This part can be modified. The wearer can choose whether to shorten the skirt or not."
"...It is a convenient feature."
He nodded enthusiastically before pointing to a new design.
"This one is a set. The inner wear is a sleeveless sweater. The outer wear is a trench coat. This one is a skirt…"
For the next twenty minutes, Shi Tian 'enlightened' Aglaea with a bunch of otherworldly clothes. The never-before-seen cultures sparked her eyes with interest. It did not dwindle her curiosity about this boy who brought these blueprints.
"These are all women's outfits. May I know why it is as such?"
Her question stumped Shi Tian.
'Yeah. Why is it… Let's stop this farce.'
He couldn't fool himself. He wanted to dress up Cerydra and Hysilens with these outfits. That's all there is to it.
Thinking about his childish form, an escape plan formed inside his mind.
"I want to see beautiful sisters wear them."
"..."
"You can also wear them, too. Look, this black dress…"
Shi Tian's plans worked.
After another session of yapping, he escaped from Aglaea's scrutiny. She accepted his batch of commissions, promising to deliver them two weeks later.
Once they got away, Hysilens spoke:
"Those clothes… For whom are those?"
He jolted. He faced away from her, hiding his somewhat flustered look.
"You'll see in the future."
She nodded at those words.
Just then, a screeching sound came from afar. Sounds of torn fabrics arose. Before Shi Tian could react, a long dark sword descended from the skies.
Bam-!
Rumble-!
A huge cloud of dust swept through Okhema's streets. The entire city shook with unprecedented tremor. The Marmoreal Palace's pillars dropped small fragments of rocks.
Hysilens was the first to react. Her eyes widened, she used a single swing to brush off the dust cloud. The following sight shook her to the core.
A tall figure clad in a worn-out black robe stood. His gauntlet held a firm grasp over the sword's handle. A crescent-like design acted as its guard.
The sword, deeply rooted on the ground, impaled Shi Tian's chest. The white robe he wore was stained in sparkling golden blood. They uncontrollably spilled out of his mouth.
His dazed eyes recovered. He eyed the person behind the bone-like mask, but to no avail. The shock of having one's 'heart' crushed filled his very being.
"You… shouldn't… be here…"
'I… not here..?'
Any questions regarding his origins were thrown at the back of his mind. He could feel his life slipping away from his hands. Only a few seconds were left until his death timer.
Rustle-!
Bam-!
Hysilens' figure rushed towards the robed man. She targeted the arm holding the irregularly shaped sword. This forced him to let go of its grasp. Hysilens' figure made the man pause.
She was about to tend to Shi Tian's wounds when a sudden change startled both. A blinding golden light swept through their surroundings.
[...eted Memetic Superimposition activated. Establishing a temporary stable connected with the Remembrance Path. Path Energy Detected. Connection established. Estimated Time: Five Minutes]
[Chosen Memoria: King of Knights, Artoria Pendragon]
[Identity mismatch detected. Shifting to summoning state…]
Clank-!
Shi Tian remained rooted on the ground… but there was an additional person present. Her neatly-braided golden hair swept along the gust of wind. Her armguards creaked as she held the black sword's handle.
With a swift movement, it was thrown away to the ground.
Thud-!
Her kneeguards rang softly as she knelt on the ground. A sheathed sword appeared on her grasp. She did not hesitate to pull out the sword before pressing the sheathe onto Shi Tian's body.
True to its miraculous origins, the sheath sank onto his chest. Motes of golden light emerged out of thin air, causing his hideous wound to close rapidly.
It was then did Hysilens react. Taking advantage of the robed man's stillness, she struck a killing blow to his neck. Her deadly sword was about to meet its newest victim… or not.
Sou-!
He easily dodged it. His tall body arched outward before charging straight at her. He delivered a punch to her transparent abdomen, sending her flying away.
Bam-!
Disregarding Hysilens, the robed man faced the knight who appeared out of nowhere. She reciprocated his look by pointing her sword straight at him—held by both of her hands.
"It is you who harmed my master. Be prepared to receive my blows."
Without giving him time to react, the King of Knights lounged at him.