章 23: Before the party
On the bustling central street of the commercial zone, Raziel, Eve, Clarice, and Sylfi made their way toward Bysco, one of the capital's most famous stores. Known for its vast selection, Bysco was a high-end retail haven where you could find almost anything—from clothes, accessories, and furniture to weapons, magical staffs, and enchanted armor.
When they arrived in front of the store, Clarice was struck by the sheer size of the building. She never had the chance to enter this place before.
This was understandable. After all, she didn't have money, and the cheapest item there would likely cost an average person a month's wage. Even the customers leaving the store looked like nobles or wealthy merchants, all dressed in fine clothes with golden embroidery.
As they stepped into the store, an attractive woman in her thirties, dressed in a stylish black suit, approached the group. She asked if they needed any assistance, and Raziel quickly instructed her to guide the girls to the women's clothing section.
The woman nodded and signaled for the girls to follow her. As he watched them go, Raziel headed toward the men's clothing section to find a suitable suit. Thanks to his memories, finding his way was easy since the original Raziel always bought his suits from this store.
While searching for a suit, he spotted a white, fancy one displayed on a wooden mannequin. The outfit exuded an elegance reminiscent of attire worn by sophisticated villains, instantly catching his attention.
Raziel quickly called over a nearby employee to retrieve the suit for him. After trying it on in the changing room, he decided to make the purchase. Satisfied with his choice, Raziel settled into the waiting area with a book, knowing the girls would take some time to reappear.
However, what he hadn't anticipated was that they would take far longer than he had expected.
@@@ Girls POV @@@
As the girls arrived in the women's clothing section, Eve was the first to rush over to the suits, practically drooling over them. Meanwhile, Clarice and Sylfi decided to stick together, browsing through a selection of fancy dresses.
Clarice asked Sylfi for help choosing a dress, as she didn't have a strong sense of fashion. Sylfi, thrilled by the opportunity, eagerly dragged Clarice to the changing area, showering her with a variety of dresses to try on. Realizing how much time this would take, Clarice braced herself for a lengthy shopping session.
"Hey, Miss Sylfi, if I try on all these clothes, we're going to waste a lot of time," Clarice said, eyeing the pile of dresses Sylfi had handed her.
"I don't think the young master will like it if we take too long."
"Don't worry about it. He wouldn't mind; in fact, he'll be overjoyed with the final result," Sylfi said, carrying two more dresses with her.
"Are you sure about that?" Clarice asked, a little doubtful of Sylfi's statement.
"Of course I am," Sylfi confirmed, shoving another dress into Clarice's hands.
While the two girls reviewed various dresses, Eve stood in a separate fitting room, holding a fancy black dress in one hand and a sleek black suit in the other. She was uncertain which to choose, wanting to impress Raziel but unsure of how to best capture his attention.
"Which one should I choose? Hm... I like the suit, but it's not feminine enough, and the young master might not see me as a girl..." she muttered, letting out a small sigh of frustration.
Her thoughts drifted back to the earlier incident, and just thinking about it made Eve's cheeks flush red. She cringed inwardly, remembering that Raziel had probably noticed her childish panties. The embarrassment was so intense she wished she could dig a hole and hide.
'AAARGH! I really should stop wearing these kinds of panties, but... they're so cute...' Eve then found herself in a dilemma over whether she should stop wearing cute panties or not.
@@@ End of the POV @@@
Three hours passed, and the girls still hadn't shown up. Raziel knew they would take some time, but this was getting excessive. Bored of sitting around, he decided to ask an employee to take him to where they were.
But just as he got up from his seat, he saw the girls returning with the same woman who had accompanied them earlier. The woman had a very satisfied look on her face, indicating she had made a good deal with the girls. Raziel could only hope his wallet could handle it.
And then he remembered, 'Oh right, my mother owns half of this place.'
When Raziel went to the cashier to pay for the girls' clothes, he handed over a golden card that granted him a 70% discount. This surprised some customers, but they quickly recognized him as the sole heir of the Harvestead family.
His face was well-known among nobles and wealthy merchants because, at most parties, Mikael always presented him as the future of the Harvestead family. Of course, Mikael did this to boast, but the truth was that his father knew his son was incompetent.
As the shopping session concluded, Raziel asked Clarice to call a carriage for them. Before she could do so, a familiar voice called his name from behind.
"Raziel, is that you? What a delightful surprise~"
'Oh no, what is this girl doing here?' Raziel thought, sighing heavily as he recognized the voice.
Raziel turned to face the girl who had called him, putting on a deadpan expression.
The person who had called him was Anya, who greeted him with a cheerful, cute smile. Standing beside her was another girl in a traditional black Japanese kimono. Raziel was initially surprised to see her with Anya but soon remembered that they were somehow friends—or at least, that's what Nozomi believed.
"Yes, it's me, Miss Anya, and I'm 'delighted' to see you too. However, I can't chat right now; I really need to get home," Raziel said, trying to dismiss her as quickly as possible.
"Oh, what a shame. I really wanted to have a little 'talk' with you. I enjoy your company very much, you know?" Anya retorted, her tone feigning sadness while sounding sarcastic.
"But I won't waste your time now. We'll have plenty of time to talk tonight," she said, her voice taking on a suggestive tone that made Raziel understand what she meant.
He knew she would attend the party as well, given that her family were wealthy merchants, and Mikael had good relations with her father. It was only natural for the Beltremont family to be part of the event.
With a slight bow, Anya walked away with Nozomi, who had remained silent the entire time but glared at Raziel intensely during the talk, making him feel uncomfortable.
While Anya passed by Sylfi, who didn't even bother to look at her, she whispered, "Tonight is going to be really fun, dear Sylfi."
Just like Raziel, Sylfi knew that Anya's sweet personality was merely a facade. Since the day they fought, Sylfi had felt that this girl was not trustworthy and had a lot of venom to spit on others.
Upon hearing her double-edged words, Sylfi suspected that Anya knew something she didn't. A sense of nervousness began to rise within Sylfi, telling her that something really bad was about to happen.
Seeing that the complicated person had left, Raziel sighed once more before asking Clarice to call a carriage, which she promptly did.
Meanwhile, Eve stood silently, lost in thought. She hadn't even understood what had just happened, her mind wandering to how Raziel would react to the dress she had chosen after asking for help from one of the female employees.
And that's how their little shopping trip ended, with Raziel feeling tired, Sylfi stressed, Clarice confused, and Eve daydreaming.
***
The night had fallen, revealing a beautiful, bright full moon in the sky. Raziel was in the living room, already dressed in his new white suit, complemented by a red tie and black shoes, giving him the sophisticated image of a noble gentleman.
He waited for the girls to get ready so they could leave together in the luxurious carriage his father had sent to pick them up. It had already been two hours since they started dressing, while he needed only five minutes to finish. Not even Eve, who cared the least about appearances, had shown up yet.
As he pondered this, the first person to show up was surprisingly Sylfi; he had thought she would be the last.
The silver-haired girl appeared in a beautiful, long white dress adorned with a blue rose pattern. Her hair seemed to shine in the candlelight, as if polished, and she wore a pair of round golden earrings. When she noticed Raziel staring at her, she quickly composed herself and told him not to ogle her like a hungry wolf.
Raziel rolled his eyes and said, "Don't worry, the person I'm interested in hasn't shown up yet."
His comment somehow made her feel angry, but she only let out a loud "hmpf" and sat on the other couch across from him.
A few seconds later, Clarice appeared. She entered the living room, feeling a little embarrassed since it was the first time she had dressed like this.
The blonde-haired girl was clad in a modest yet eye-catching long light yellow dress with a golden trim pattern. Her hair was neatly arranged with intricate braids on top of her head, resembling a majestic natural crown, which was very different from her usual loose style. To complement her stunning appearance, she wore a modest pair of silver cross-shaped earrings, the same kind her mother liked to use.
Clarice timidly gazed at Raziel, who gave her a thumbs-up and offered heartfelt praise, saying, "Are you sure you're not a princess or something?"
Sylfi, hearing his attempt at flirting, gave him a look that seemed to say, 'This is the best you've got?'
Upon hearing such praise, Clarice's cheeks turned slightly red. To hide her embarrassment, she decided to sit on the same couch as Sylfi, who had already anticipated this would happen.
A few minutes passed, and Eve still hadn't arrived in the living room. Raziel began to grow worried and asked the girls to call her, but they simply looked at each other.
Sylfi then said, "I think it's better if you do it."
Raziel picked up on something in her words and decided to follow her suggestion. After arriving in front of Eve's room, he knocked on the door and asked if she was ready. However, the girl responded with such stuttering that he couldn't understand a word she said.
He then decided to open the door, trusting that she would likely be dressed, and entered the room. This turned out to be the best decision, as when Raziel saw Eve, his mouth fell open and his eyes widened in surprise.
The orange-haired girl wore a stunning black dress that accentuated her curves with elegance. Her typically loose hair was styled into a sophisticated chignon, with soft bangs delicately covering her left eye. The modest neckline of the dress showcased her D-cup bust, enhancing her allure and sophistication. The dress's sides subtly revealed glimpses of her elegantly attractive legs, further enhancing her overall charm and captivating anyone who looked her way.
Her current appearance made Raziel instinctively exclaim, "Who are you!?"
Eve timidly fidgeted with her fingers, her face flushed with embarrassment.
"I-I-It's me, E-Eve," she stammered.
"Wow... Eve... You're absolutely stunning," Raziel said, struck by the contrast between her usual cute demeanor and her striking appearance.
Noticing Raziel's ogling gaze as he admired her entire body, Eve became even more embarrassed and covered her face with her hands.
It lasted for at least five minutes before Raziel snapped back to reality, apologizing for his rude behavior. Eve merely shook her head, saying she didn't mind and that he could stare as much as he wanted. This made Raziel pray internally not to make any impulsive moves toward this dangerous yet innocent girl.
"L-Let's head downstairs, Eve. The other girls are waiting," Raziel said, feeling a bit nervous in the presence of someone who was supposed to be just a tomboy childhood friend who didn't care about her appearance.
Eve nodded and boldly clung to his right arm, following the advice Tiyara had given her earlier. She had used a communication stone to ask how to make Raziel see her in a more feminine way.
Her sudden bold action startled Raziel a bit, but he didn't try to push her away. The comforting sensation of her bosom against his arm only reassured his decision.
When they arrived in the living room, the two girls looked at Eve in disbelief. They had underestimated her, especially since she usually didn't act like a typical woman. The sight of her happily clinging to Raziel's arm made them exchange curious glances at the affectionate duo.
With everyone ready, they left the house and entered the luxurious white carriage, adorned with engraved golden details.
Inside the carriage, Raziel began to discuss the various ways the party could end that evening, quietly praying for everything to go smoothly.
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