Chapter 74: Chapter 74 – Wings (4)
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"Welcome, Young Master Edwin."
"It's been a long time, Mrs. Morton. Have you been well?"
"Hoho, I've not been doing too well, waiting for the young master to come. But who is this young lady?"
"Ah…hello…"
As Mrs. Morton turned her gaze, Eugenia flinched and lowered her head.
She had looked a bit dispirited since seeing the flashy exterior of the clothing store, and she became even more timid when a stranger spoke to her. She seemed to be doing a little better when we were alone, but looking at her now, it seemed that she still had a long way to go.
"Hmm…now that I think about it, I heard the end-of-the-term ball was moved up…then is the person beside you…a partner…? Oh my, what's this…"
Mrs. Morton covered her mouth with her hand as if she had come to a conclusion all on her own.
The clothing shop, "Morton's Wardrobe," also offered a laundry service, which was how I was able to become acquainted with the owner, Mrs. Morton.
Today, I rented out the store for a few hours after paying a fee, and currently there are just the three of us here – myself, Eugenia, and Mrs. Morton, with no other customers or employees.
"I was quite curious about who you'd bring, but you've chosen a truly fitting partner. She's really like a fairy…"
"Hauu…hauuu…"
Eugenia's eyes started to spin wildly, losing focus after hearing Mrs. Morton's compliment.
"Madam. As you can see, my friend is quite shy…so I'd appreciate if you could refrain from making teasing jokes."
"Teasing? I was merely stating facts, hoho. But since she's so embarrassed, I'll try to restrain myself a bit."
""I appreciate your consideration. And the reason for my visit today is not other than… to show you a dress?"
"…Yes…"
Eugenia, having barely regained her composure, handed the dress she had brought, carefully wrapped in cloth, to Mrs. Morton.
After cautiously checking the contents inside, a slightly ambiguous expression appeared on Mrs. Morton's face.
"Hmm… this is…"
"I'd like to get it altered before the ball. And I would also like to have a new dress made. The ones I used to wear are all too big now."
"Alterations shouldn't be an issue, but…Mr. Edwin. Please come this way for a moment."
"Understood. Wait here for just a bit, alright? I'll be right back."
"It's okay… Take your time…"
As I followed Mrs. Morton into the inner room, she spoke in a small voice that Eugenia could not hear.
"But… is there a reason why it has to be that dress?"
"Why? Is there a problem?"
"The fabric doesn't seem too worn, so maintenance seems decent, but it's quite an old-fashioned style… It feels like something from about 10 years ago…"
"Ten years…? Is it that old?"
"Almost, I'd say… Nowadays, the trend is more fitted styles that accentuate the figure. But this dress has excessive shoulder padding, too many unnecessary embellishments, and the length seems somewhat ambiguous… While I could certainly attempt alterations, there might be limitations."
"Hmmm…"
"It doesn't seem like the young lady from such a well-off household…..The young ladies from those families will be wearing the latest fashions, and she'll be even more compared to them if she's next to them. Women are sensitive to that sort of thing, so there could be some light teasing or even bullying. And she doesn't seem to be very assertive, so do you think she'll be able to handle that kind of situation…?"
Mrs. Morton's whispered words all seemed to have a point.
The academy had a uniform policy to prevent a sense of alienation, but that rule was exceptionally applied to a few major events like this one. Since it was a rare occasion, there would be quite a few people who would naturally dress up to the nines.
As Mrs. Morton said, this dress would definitely have its limits.
Come to think of it, I think there was a mention in the original story that there was some light teasing because of that outfit…
If Eugenia were to wear that dress as is, or even have it altered and wear it, it's possible that such a situation could arise.
And even though it's a very slim chance, if she loses control of her emotions for a moment…
"This is difficult…"
As I fell into thought, Mrs. Morton, who had been watching me, made a suggestion.
"Instead of doing that, how about this?"
"Yes?"
"You said you were going to have a suit made as well, right? Well, while I'm at it, I'll make the young lady's dress for free. In return, how about you have your suit made a little more expensive than usual? That way, you'll be happy and the young lady won't feel too burdened. What do you think?"
"Yes? I'm fine with that, but wouldn't that be a loss for you? No matter how expensive a men's suit is, it can't compare to a women's dress…"
At my half-sentence, Mrs. Morton waved her hand and said coquettishly.
"Ho-ho, never mind, I'll give you this much, after all these months. But come visit me more often. Don't just bring me laundry all the time, come in and order new clothes sometimes. And don't sneak in like you did today, but come more openly, so you can attract the ladies."
In other words, Mrs. Morton was saying that if I had my clothes made expensive, she would throw in Eugenia's dress for free. However, since women's clothes are much more expensive than men's clothes, she would be at a loss no matter how you looked at it.
But even so, judging from the way she's talking, it seems like she's willing to take a small loss for the sake of the future. And I see no reason to refuse Mrs. Morton's offer.
"Of course I can do that… then may I ask you a favor, Mrs. Morton?"
"Alright. We're done talking, right? The young lady must be waiting. Let's hurry out."
Following Mrs. Morton out of the inner room, I saw Eugenia looking at the clothes on display. And her gaze lingered particularly often on a forest green dress that was exactly the same color as her hair.
"Wow…it's beautiful…"
"Sorry, did you wait long?"
"Hic… I was surprised… it's Edwin…"
"What about that dress? Do you like it?"
"Huh…? Well… I think it's pretty… but… hehe, no…"
Eugenia seemed to be about to give a positive answer to my question, but then she shook her head with a resigned smile. I turned to Mrs. Morton behind me and asked, "Mrs. Morton, do you think this dress is possible?"
"Of course it is. The young lady definitely has an eye for fashion. Let's see… I think we just need to adjust the length a bit?"
"Yes..? What do you mean…?"
Eugenia trailed off with a dazed expression, unable to follow the conversation in front of her.
"While I'm getting my clothes tailored, Lady said she'll make a dress for you too for free. So, is this dress yours?"
"It… was given to me by my mother's friend in the neighboring village… I thought it might be needed…"
"In that case, let's keep this one aside for now and make a new one for you later. Right, Mrs. Morton? Can we do that?"
"Yes, of course. Come this way, young lady. Let's take your measurements first…"
"Uhhhh…?"
While Eugenia was still in a daze, Mrs. Morton almost dragged her into the back of the dress shop. And a moment later, Eugenia's new scream rang out through the shop.
"Howow… it's… it's too tight. This is too much…"
"Ho ho. That's the fashion these days, so don't worry about it at all."
"And my shoulders… my bare skin… ugh…"
"It's fine, I tell you. Someone like me can't wear it because of my weight, but you're so lucky compared to me. Oh my… it fits perfectly, it really fits perfectly…"
As Mrs. Morton's voice of admiration rang out, Eugenia's screams gradually faded away.
After a long time, Mrs. Morton finally appeared with a satisfied expression on her face, followed by Eugenia, who was trailing after her.
"…H…how…is it..?" Eugenia asked in a trembling voice, as if she was about to cry.
She seemed a little shy at first, but there was also a hint of anticipation in her voice.
"Uh…"
The skin exposed over her collarbone and shoulder was pale, almost white, and the green dress fell to her ankles, faithfully exuding the beauty of her curves. Unnecessary embellishments and bloat were kept to a minimum, and only the most necessary parts were expressed in a sophisticated and luxurious way.
The reappearing Eugenia was, without a doubt, the embodiment of a fairy.
As I struggled to find words, Eugenia lowered her head and murmured in a barely audible voice, "Ah…I guess they don't look good together after all…"
"Oh dear, young lady, what are you talking about? Anyone can see that it suits you perfectly. Young master, you're not saying anything, so she's misunderstanding. Say something," Mrs. Morton glared at me lightly and urged me.
"It suits you."
"Really…?"
"Yes. It really does. Honestly, I never thought it would suit you this well…"
"Howow… that's a relief…"
Eugenia exhaled loudly, raising her hand and sweeping it across her chest. Mrs. Morton, watching the scene, can't help but smile.
"It's a masterpiece, a masterpiece. With just a little more makeup, you'll be unstoppable no matter where you go. Young master, you two make a really well-matched pair."
"Thank you. It's all thanks to Mrs. Morton's care."
"Hoho, what did I do? But even if I take your measurements today, it will still take a few days for your suit, young master. So shall I give you the dress first? What do you think?"
"Well, I don't really mind… what do you think?"
"…I'll take it with you, together…"
"You're right, it would be better to receive it together. Then let's do that, and now it's your turn, young master. Come this way."
* * * * *
"Phew… it's been a really crazy day…"
"I know… I'm a little tired too… I didn't know getting clothes made would be so hard…"
Time passed swiftly, and before we knew it, it was evening, with the sunset painting the sky. On our way back to the academy, Eugenia couldn't hide her excitement.
"…But it was still nice… hehe…"
"Is that so? I'm glad you liked it. But come to think of it, why were you so surprised by what Mrs. Morton said earlier?"
"…She just said that you're a good man…no, a good friend…and that we should be close friends…"
"…But that's not what she said…?"
"That…it's just that I must have misheard her then…hehe…"
Eugenia's white skin was flushed red, perhaps because of the reflection of the setting sun. She stuck out her tongue slightly and fumbled with her answer, then suddenly stopped in her tracks and called my name.
"E, Edwin…"
"Yes?"
"…Just…thank you…for being my friend…and helping me with my studies…and now this…"
"What? It's fine. I'll help you if you ask me."
"But even so…the clothes are one thing, but the gramophone too…it looked really expensive when I saw it earlier…"
"It's okay. I did some research, and it seems that it can be difficult to keep up with the beat if you practice without music. That's why I bought the gramophone."
"…I feel like I'm just taking and taking from you…I don't have anything to give you in return…"
There was something she could do — all I asked of Eugenia was to continue to hone her abilities with the same passion she has now.
From that perspective, she was already giving more than she received.
"It's really okay. If it really bothers you, you can pay me back when you become successful later."
"…Do you think I'll be that successful…?" Eugenia asked, sounding unsure of herself.
"Don't worry so much. This is a secret for now, but when it's revealed that you're a spirit mage, there will be a lot of commotion. At that time, you'll have to succeed even if you don't want to."
"Howow…"
Although I said it to comfort Eugenia, it wasn't exactly a lie.
If she were to be revealed as a spirit mage later on, her value would skyrocket beyond imagination.
And if she were selected as a member of the Hero Party, piles of various treasures and items would flood in as sponsorships, in addition to the financial support. At that time, she would be able to buy hundreds of dresses like this one and still have money left over.
"You can't pretend you don't know me when you become successful, okay?"
"…Of course not…I'll always be with you…"
Eugenia, hearing my joking remark, smiled slightly.
If you want to read the first 25 chapters for free and read up to the final chapter for a cheap price patreon.com/Makima02
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