A bath and a square meal.
Ria requested bigger portions than usual.
White shirt. Black skirt.
A fresh change of clothes.
"My lady."
"I'm fine. The doctor just came by. Nothing but a bit of exhaustion."
Hikari stood over her.
White shirt. Black skirt.
The scaled-up version of Ria's outfit.
A simple, plain outfit she wears when she has to receive guests at the estate.
Her loose tops were too suggestive, and her wyvern skin was too intimidating.
They were in Hikari's wardrobe area.
"Now, I have some important news. I'll be attending a ball, and I want you to escort me."
"Yes, my lady."
"It's a big event for both of us. It's a ball for the young knights of the houses entering the academy. Knights, merchants, bureaucrats, and generals would all be in attendance. It'll be a great opportunity for you to see the world."
A large container beside the wardrobe.
Hikari flips it open with her finger.
"What is this?"
"Your outfit. I'm sure you'll like it."
Sheets of black silk imbued with weaving and telekinetic runes.
Hikari disassembles her outfit, floating the sheets into the pigeonhole slots in her wardrobe.
Hikari lifts the black silk from the container.
The silk floats around in the air.
Ria watches in awe of her knight's mastery of magic.
Hikari was confused at how the sheets were in different shapes and sizes.
Nevertheless, she tries to assemble them.
She managed to stitch one piece together.
The shape was weird.
She couldn't figure out where it fit.
Disassemble.
The weaving runes were confusing.
Identical square sheets were easy to work with.
But the silk sheets curved and turned.
"Hikari? You seemed to be having trouble?"
"Yes"
"I have an idea."
Ria reaches for her bag and pulls out a dress.
White with pinkish embroidery.
It fits her slim curves and exposes her shoulders.
Silky long sleeves stretching from her hand to the middle of her upper arm.
"Here, let me get you a better view."
Ria climbs up the ladder onto the wardrobe, standing level with Hikari's blossoms.
Hikari examines the address.
"My lady."
"Yes? Do you like it? I modelled your dress after this one."
"Holes."
"Well, It's not a suit of armour. It's meant to make yourself appear more appealing to others. Perhaps a potential partner?"
Hikari was visibly confused.
Ria holds up a piece of paper with a drawing.
"If you're still confused, here's the semantics for the dress."
Hikari studies the drawing, performing calculations in her head.
The silk swarmed onto her body, assembling itself into a dress.
Shoulders exposed.
Long sleeves.
The contours of her muscles.
The silk wraps tightly around her waist.
Her abdominal muscles.
A slit from her waist down, revealing the length of her leg.
Her calves exposed.
Her messy, untied silver hair.
Her lady stares.
Jealousy and awe surge through her.
Hikari was beautiful.
Beauty far beyond her.
Her perfect body.
So strong.
Unlike her skinny and frail body.
Especially her blossoms.
The dress exposes the tops.
Each of them was more massive than her whole body.
Men will have eyes only for her.
They will not spare a glance for the frail lady.
She feels so inferior to Hikari.
"My lady."
"Oh!"
Ria slaps her cheeks. She was in a daze again.
"Silk of a black spider. It doesn't have the most elegant texture, but it's tough and very elastic, which makes it perfect for you."
Hikari flexes her arms to test the silk's elasticity.
It stretches to several times its length without signs of tearing.
She leans forward and flexes her arms below her chest.
Her exposed back.
Ria blushed.
Strength and beauty.
Hikari was superior to her.
Her knees weakened as she trembled in the presence of the living goddess.
Hikari fidgeted with the slit exposing her legs that was making her uncomfortable.
She tried to close it, but the weaving runes were absent.
"My lady."
"Yeah?"
She tugs away at her dress uncomfortably.
"Hole."
"Oh, that's on purpose. The dress is supposed to expose just enough of your leg to grab a man's interest without giving too much away. "
Hikari was even more confused.
She holds the two ends together using her telekinesis.
She tries to tuck her leg back into the dress.
A habit for when a part of her armour is breached.
She raises her hands to guard her exposed shoulders.
"Just let it be. We're going to a ball, not the front lines. It's held at Moradale, one of the most heavily guarded places, no less. A volley of musket fire is not going to fly at you."
"Yes, my lady."
Ria scans Hikari from head to her stomach.
She peers over the ledge and sees Hikari's bare feet on the ground.
Badum! Her heart pounds.
"My lady."
"Oh, right. We're not done yet."
Hikari picks up another box and places it atop her wardrobe beside Ria.
An ivory casing with barrier runes.
Hikari could sense its mana.
A pair of locks.
Ria takes out a key and inserts it into the locks.
"What's this?"
Blood-red crystals, embedded in polished silver, resting on snowy white bedding.
"Your jewelry. They go well with your eyes. The silver accents your black dress and complements your hair nicely."
Hikari picks up a necklace and puts it on.
The large blood crystal rests atop her blossoms.
The cold silver touches her skin.
It glows in response to her mana.
Her lady blushes.
"Mana."
"Yes, the blood crystals can store mana. But no one uses them that way. Pick up the mirror."
Carefully, Hikari placed the mirror atop the wardrobe.
She stepped away, giving her a full view of herself in the mirror.
A tall, muscular woman.
Flawless skin, an elegant silk dress.
She can't remember the last time she looked at herself in the mirror.
"Well, what do you think?"
"Hm."
Hikari scratched her cheeks.
A strange feeling came over her as she looked at herself in the mirror.
"Try the rest on. You look absolutely gorgeous right now."
Hikari walked back to the wardrobe.
Her lady standing beside the jewel case blushed like a tomato.
She looked up at Hikari with her tiny blue eyes.
Her skinny, frail lady.
Her toned, muscular body in the mirror right beside her lady.
A wave of pleasure came over her.
She did not know why.
One by one, she picked up the jewels from the casing.
A pair of wrist bracelets.
Another pair for her ankles.
A hairpin.
Hikari pierced it into her silver hair.
She looked at herself in the mirror.
The blood crystals glowed.
Her tiny lady in her plain dress stood beside her reflection.
Hikari exhaled in pleasure.
Her lady blushed.
Hikari walked back to the wardrobe.
Ria met her eyes.
"My Lady."
"What is it, Hikari? Are you liking your new dress?"
Hikari nudged and fidgeted in her dress for a bit.
She shuffled her foot around.
"My lady."
"Yes? Is something wrong? Is the dress too tight? I can order more sheets of silk?"
Hikari fidgeted uncomfortably.
"It's airy."