episode_0106

“It’s unfair.”

Helena said, clenching her fists.

Mercy sympathized, but could not agree.

“It’s unfair… !”

Helena spoke again.

In fact, it was difficult to say that it was unfair.

Because it’s not unfair not to win the lottery.

Still, Helena felt unfair and was indignant.

“Me too, I wanted to go too… !”

Mercy sighed lightly.

Kati, who remained with us, was calm, but the mood was gloomy.

With her eyepatch-covered head lowered, she played with the ring on her left ring finger.

Since the day she stole her lips, Kati has never moved the ring from her ring finger to another finger.

Ian hadn’t noticed yet.

Even if she found out, Kati had no intention of changing anything.

Helena, who was huffing and puffing, took a deep breath and sat down.

“Banquet… . Mercy, have you been to the banquet?”

“Ugh, I’ve been there a few times. Didn’t Ian tell me that if I became famous, I would be invited to banquets even if I didn’t like it? It happened often when I was in charge of a party in the past, and I also participated in it.”

“What do you do at the banquet?”

“Umm… . Many people come to say hello, serve delicious food or drinks, and dance… .”

“Dancing?!”

Helena jumped up.

“Are you saying that Lee, Ian, Ian can dance, dance, dance, dance?!”

“Huh? Oh, that never happened. I was offered it a few times, but I turned it down every time. In fact, Ian was only doing it out of courtesy. They say it’s something that has to be done even if it’s annoying.”

“Is that so…? .”

Helena was both regretful and relieved.

I didn’t know why I was relieved, and I didn’t have time to worry.

I was just busy imagining what Ian would look like if he danced.

‘Ballroom dancing involves standing closely with your partner, facing each other, holding each other’s waist and shoulders, holding one hand, and dancing lightly to the music… .’

Mercy’s lament flowed into those thoughts.

“It was my first opportunity to see Ian in a suit up close… .”

“Suit-?!”

Helena broke out of her thoughts and shouted.

In my imagination, Ian was suddenly dressed in a stylish suit.

Kati, who was still, also sighed lightly at those words.

“Phew… .”

It was a small and light sigh, but it was a very strong reaction for Kati, who never expressed her opinions.

Helena even felt a sense of detachment from the world as she became gloomy.

“Does Ian wear a suit…? ?”

“Yes, yes. Still, wouldn’t formality be important in such an event? Ian has that level of courtesy. Even though it doesn’t look that way on the outside.”

“… … .”

Ian dressed up in a suit.

Helena thought of his two companions.

Vivian and Lucia went with Ian to Ruby Taylor’s clothing store to get a banquet dress tailored.

Maybe Ian is also wearing a suit.

“We didn’t draw lots, but there’s a law against looking at clothes, right?”

“… oh! That sounds right!”

“Just going sightseeing… .”

“Let’s go.”

Before Helena finished speaking, Katy stood up.

There was no need for further conversation.

The three women walked towards Ruby Taylor’s store.

***

Ruby’s first doll was Vivian.

She was taken somewhere and appeared with a completely different appearance.

Ruby asked from next to me, smiling contentedly.

“How do you feel?”

The wavy red hair and the gold earrings that were visible at a glance went quite well together.

The dress with gold embroidery was a turquoise color that went well with her light green eyes.

Because of the collarbone and below… There’s no place to focus your eyes, but it suits you well.

Vivian kept turning her head back and forth, holding on to the hem of her skirt as if she was embarrassed by her appearance.

I gave a short answer to Ruby’s question.

“Good.”

Of course, once you become famous, you will be invited to banquets.

Like the first party, it will tour the city and show its face to people.

At that time, how you appear on the outside is very important.

I didn’t buy full-length mirrors for the kids in the first hero party for nothing.

Every time something like that happened, Ruby followed me around and helped me decorate it, and I did the final inspection.

Although I don’t have as great an aesthetic sense as her, I was able to see what kind of image people would see, regardless of aesthetics.

“You look like someone else, right?”

“Hmm. Vivian is definitely shy, but if you look at her actions in isolation, she is.”

The impression was different after the makeup was done.

Vivian usually looks somewhat fierce and foolish, but now her makeup and clothes combined to give her a fierce look, giving her an unfathomable mystery.

Of course, I would have to leave out that embarrassed reaction with a face as hot as your hair color.

“Sister, try it like this.”

Ruby suggested a few poses, and Vivian stiffly followed them.

“Oh my goodness. Why are you so shy? You need to be more confident! Just like a noble lady!”

“Ear, ear, noble lady… .”

Ruby, who couldn’t bear it any longer, moved her hands and struck a pose here and there.

She surrendered herself like a marionette and closed her eyes tightly.

This is how Vivian is.

“I may improve it a bit more here, but the overall feeling will remain this way.”

Ruby said, standing Vivian in front of the mirror.

Vivian observed herself, moving little by little, as if her reflection in the mirror was fascinating.

“Because I trust Ruby’s insight. I trust you will take care of it.”

“Sure.”

Vivian, who was checking the mirror, hesitated and stood in front of me.

“This is strange… ? lol… .”

I guess it feels awkward to keep fidgeting with the hem of my skirt.

Well, how many times have you had the chance to wear clothes like this?

They will have to adapt as quickly as possible, so you should praise them when they do this.

“It suits you well.”

It’s true that they actually fit well together.

“… … .”

I’m not sure how effective praise is.

Because my face is getting redder than before.

After hesitating, she cautiously turned her eyes towards me and asked.

“Well, really… ?”

If you’re that shy, it makes me want to tease you again.

“Hmm… .”

As Vivian paused and frowned, she pursed her lips as if she was nervous.

“They fit so well that I think I can just take them as is… .”

“Ahh! Really!”

I played it off and shrugged my shoulders.

This is the responsibility of Vivian, who has a good hitting feel.

Vivian, who was upset, smiled again and looked into the mirror.

Meanwhile, Ruby came out next, bringing Lucia with her.

Vivian, who had been looking in the mirror, also looked back at her.

“Elegant… .”

With her long purple hair pulled to one side, her square collarbone was clearly exposed.

The dress was a dark purple, similar to the color of her eyes, and trimmed with black lace.

Overall, the clothes were tighter than Vivian’s, so the lines of her slender body were clearly visible.

Unlike Vivian, Lucia looked down at her outfit with calm eyes, perhaps accustomed to this type of outfit.

The ends of her loose sleeves fluttered as she tucked her hair behind her ear.

She also wore a silver tiara on her head.

He makes eye contact with me and grins.

“Why do you look at me like that? Because it’s pretty?”

“… … .”

Why, I don’t want to admit it if I say it myself.

“Why are you quiet? You spoke kindly to Vivian?”

“Didn’t you say it clearly with your own mouth?”

“Hmm. It means pretty.”

“… It suits you well.”

Although he was looked down upon by his family, he exuded a relaxed elegance, perhaps because nobles were nobles.

Compared to Vivian’s extravagance, she was dressed rather plainly and calmly.

It actually made me feel more like a noble nobleman.

Both are changes and appearances that people will be excited to see when touring the city.

“Ian?”

Ruby quietly approached and called out.

“Yes?”

“Ian should wear it too, right?”

At those words, Vivian and Lucia quickly turned around.

“Ah. I got it right last time… .”

“No, you can’t. If possible, try a new one. I’ll do it for free.”

“No, not really… .”

“Hasn’t it been a while since you last wore it? The size may have changed, and trends have also changed these days?”

“It’s really okay… .”

“Well, it’s unfair to only show it to us… !”

Vivian expressed her opinion timidly.

“That’s right. Where can I watch alone?”

Lucia agreed.

“No, what am I… .”

“Guess.”

Ruby, who had given up on persuading, spoke almost intimidatingly.

Although he was smiling, there was an unexplainable shadow on his face.

“… I will wear it.”

I’m just participating in the auction because I have the artifact I need.

Why on earth did this happen… .

I had no choice but to follow Ruby’s instructions and move into the store.

***

“Oh my, Helena?”

The person who greeted Helena, who came by surprise to the store, was Vivian, decked out in a gorgeous dress.

Helena was speechless at the princess-like appearance of Vivian.

“Mercy and Katy are here too.”

Those were Lucia’s words.

She leisurely pushed her hair back.

“Well, it’s a shame not to be able to go, but it’s even sadder if I can’t even look at the clothes.”

Although I said this out of pure concern and sympathy.

To the three eliminated people, it sounded like sarcasm.

It was a feeling of entitlement.

Aside from that, the old-fashioned charm radiating from Lucia also left me speechless.

Mercy looked at the two people in turn and nodded.

“Ruby’s skills are always amazing… . Aren’t they both so beautiful! I almost didn’t recognize you!”

“Ehihi… . Well, not to that extent… .”

“Thank you. This is my first time decorating like this, but I think it suits me well.”

Vivian tilted her head at Lucia’s words.

“Is this your first time?”

“Yes. There, I was family in name only.”

“Ah… . Well, it’s so natural and relaxed… .”

“Even though it was just a name, I learned something.”

His original personality was like that.

Katy, looking around, asked.

“Where is the master?”

“Ian is not visible!”

Helena followed suit.

Lucia gave the answer.

“Ruby took me to get a new suit.”

“Huh!”

Helena grabbed her heart and took a step back.

Lucia was startled by that strong reaction.

Vivian, on the other hand, kept glancing in the direction Ian had been taken.

What kind of form will it come back in?

A suit.

A person who is as unsuitable as heaven and earth with such a neat outfit.

On the contrary, if you try to wear something like that, doesn’t it seem like you’ll just kick your tongue and rip it off?

Ah, that’s in its own way… .

Lucia asked while Strawberry was running her delusion circuit.

“Have you two ever seen Ian in a suit?”

It was a question asked of Mercy and Kati, who had been with Ian longer than the three warriors.

They both nodded.

“Oh… . I have a hard time imagining it. To begin with, Ian just keeps wearing the same clothes he used to wear, right?”

“That’s because there are several sets of similar quilted armor.”

“… Incredible. So, what do you think of Ian’s suit?”

“Umm… .”

Mercy grinned.

“It would be better to see it in person.”

at that time.

-Tap.

The sound of heavy shoes was heard from the direction where Ian was dragged.

Five people all turned their heads in that direction.

-Tap, knock.

The sound of shoes kept getting closer.

*

Sylvia stood in front of the mirror.

This is a full-length mirror that Ian gave me.

Whenever I move from place to place, I carry it with me carefully so that it doesn’t break.

“Mmmm.”

She turned around and observed herself in the mirror.

I liked it and smiled slightly.

It was the dress Ian bought me.

Although it was a simple outfit that could be worn alone, it had a simple and neat charm.

Her navy blue dress, the same color as her hair, was knee-high and flowy.

The flower-decorated headband she wore on her head was cute and pretty.

‘Sylvie.’

I remembered Ian’s hand and voice as he checked my clothes.

Suddenly, tears flowed.

Sylvia tried to hold back.

‘matches well. today.’

The more I tried to hold back, the clearer the voice became.

The hand that put on the headband and organized the collar.

It was all a distant yet vivid memory.

I miss you so much that I can’t bear it.

The wound on my side hurt again.

As if telling Ian to quickly go and inform him.

I’m sick.

Because it hurts, please understand it quickly and treat me kindly.

“Black, bff… .”

Sylvia eventually couldn’t hold it back and burst into tears.

I hated seeing myself falling apart in the mirror.

I walked weakly and got away from the mirror.

“Ugh… .”

Under my distant vision, I could see my dress.

When I look at it, a distant dream comes to mind.

Once, I dreamed of dancing with Ian.

I hoped so.

His suit was so cool that it made me feel hot, and it was also rare to see, so my heart pounded every time I saw it.

There was a time when I wanted to get close to him and dance lightly.

Ian was rejected every time because he hated dancing.

Come to think of it, I haven’t asked Sylvia to dance since she confessed.

If it were then, wouldn’t I have accepted it at least once?

Even if you pretend not to.

Although I put it off after killing the Demon King.

Because Ian loved himself too.

Maybe he, too, had wanted to dance with himself.

“Ugh… . Wow, black… .”

I miss his warm embrace.

It wasn’t winter, it was indoors and she felt chilled.

My trembling body feels as if it has been left alone in the middle of a snowy field.

Since when did it start?

Every time I cry, I unknowingly create ice crystals.

Probably, it was from the time when my confession was rejected by him and I cried out in tears.

“Hmm… .”

Sylvia let out a shallow sigh and wiped away her tears with the back of her hand.

It shouldn’t be like this.

You have to look as pretty as possible, but you can’t waste time crying.

Originally, I wasn’t planning on meeting them but just seeing them from afar.

But right now, Sylvia couldn’t think rationally.

I forgot that fact for a moment.

Longing and sadness to see Ian.

And, the excitement and excitement of seeing Ian soon paralyzed my reason.

‘If you look pretty, Ian’s heart might be swayed… .’

Sylvia stood in front of the mirror again for inspection.

Like in the past, Ruby and other staff members put in a lot of effort into decorating, and although she was clumsy in doing her makeup by herself, it was quite acceptable.

My makeup was smudged from my tears, but it was okay because I wasn’t going to cry in front of Ian.

‘Ian, I want to see you quickly… .’

Sylvia wiped her red eyes and forced a smile.

It wasn’t easy, so I ended up lowering my eyebrows.

I don’t know the names of the flowers provided in the room.

Come to think of it, I didn’t even know the name of the herb flower that Ian used to give me because it was my favorite scent.

What do you know about Ian?

Do I really have the right to say that I love him?

Sylvia thought in a daze, shedding tears.

There was no answer.