Chương 30: New Clothes
~~ Author Note ~~
https://discord.gg/6PBf4ccNCT
Hello, readers.
I'm as slow as always.
As always, I hope you enjoy the chapter.
~~ End Author Note ~~
***
"What made you decide to adopt a new daughter?" Semiramis questioned.
Dianthus was stroking the sleeping Sylvie's matted hair. He slowly and gently brushed away the knots in a way to not wake the tired girl. She had fallen asleep shortly after being introduced to everyone within his realm. The only exception was Peony, who couldn't be seen by anyone other than himself and Kikyo.
He didn't blame her for being so tired. The girl's life had taken a drastic turn so suddenly. She went through quite the ordeal, from being captured to being adopted out of the blue. Not to mention meeting so many new people and being introduced to an entirely new realm.
"The look in her eyes made me want to extend an olive branch to her. I couldn't possibly kill a girl with such a strong desire to live."
Semiramis smiled at Dianthus. "I see... That's certainly not the only reason, is it?"
"How unfair is it that Shiro would never have an older sister. She's going to be an older sister yet would never experience the love of an older sister."
Semiramis' smile twitched upon hearing his reasoning. "Your logic is as ridiculous as I assumed it would be. Also, how would you even know what having a loving older sister is like? You didn't get along with your siblings."
"While that may be true, I've seen caring families before. I want my daughters to have more love than they know what to do with. I don't want them to experience the same things I've been through."
"I guess you have a point." The goddess lovingly stroked her stomach. "I want the best for our daughter as well. I suppose two sisters to love and care for her would be better than one."
Dianthus chuckled. "I'm glad to see you coming around."
"You know what would be better than two sisters?"
Dianthus smiled wryly. He already knew what Semiramis was hinting at with her question.
"Maybe you should focus on making a few more siblings to help build our loving family.
"I don't think that it is such a great idea at this time," Dianthus responded with a tired voice.
The goddess giggled at his hesitation. "You can escape it for now, but I doubt Scáthach will accept such a half-hearted reason."
"She'll probably kill me rather than demand a child," Dianthus said with a sigh.
Semiramis joyfully giggled at his expense. "I'm sure she will enjoy thrashing you, but she certainly won't kill you. At this point, you are as unkillable as the god of cockroaches."
"Wow," he frowned, "I'm flattered."
She placed her hand on his cheek and turned his head. The goddess gently pressed her lips against his. "You know what I mean," Semiramis said upon pulling away from the kiss.
"Ahem..."
A light cough sounded from Dianthus' lap. In the middle of their flirting, Sylvie had awoken. If prompted why she woke up, the girl would come up with excuses. She would refuse to admit that she awoke upon no longer feeling Dianthus stroke her hair.
"Fufufu, I'll take my leave now. I'm rather fatigued, after all. I'll leave the father and daughter to talk alone." Semiramis stood and left the room.
Sylvie felt somewhat awkward being left alone with her new father. Despite being around him for nearly half a day, she was unsure how to act. Her birth father abused and abandoned her; what about this new adoptive father? Would he kill her for showing any selfishness? She believed he might change his mind about her at any moment.
Dianthus could tell what she was thinking. He wanted Sylvie to believe in him but had no control over such a thing. Only consistent care and time could heal whatever wounds the poor girl had suffered.
After giving it some thought, an idea appeared in his head. The only time she had acted her age since he met her was when she first saw this realm. The amazement she held in her glittering eyes upon seeing this world full of flowers was quite like a girl of her age. Not to mention she ran around the field excitedly before remembering her fear.
Dianthus placed his hand on the girl's head. "What do you say you and I explore a new world together?"
"A new world?" Sylvie mumbled in curiosity.
He nodded his head at the girl's questioning eyes. "You could consider it as father-daughter bonding. We'll head to a new world that even I haven't been to and explore together. What do you say?"
Sylvie was hesitant but couldn't deny her curiosity. The thought of things she had never seen before had her heart pumping in excitement. Before she knew it, she had unwittingly nodded her head in agreement.
Dianthus flashed her the same warm smile solely reserved for his daughters. To the girl who was always surrounded by heavy darkness, his bright smile caused her body to feel lighter. So much so that she slightly cringed at the unfamiliar feeling.
"First, we should both bathe. After that, I'll need to have some clothes made for you."
Sylvie flinched. She believed he thought of her as filthy, hence the preparation being a bath and clothes.
Dianthus shook his head. "I'm not saying this because I think you're dirty. If I don't have you change out of those torn-up clothes, it'll look like I'm abusing you."
Sylvie's face grew red when she realized he had discovered her thoughts. "I'm sorry."
He patted her head lightly. "There's no need for you to apologize." Dianthus picked her up. "Let's go. I'll show you where the bath is."
Dianthus brought her into the changing room, connected to the open-air bath. "You can change out of your old clothes and mask here," he said as he let the girl leave his arms.
"Umm, you're not entering with me, are you?"
"I didn't plan on it. I can enter and help you wash up if you'd like. I help Shiro wash her hair since she dislikes doing it, but I didn't think you would want that."
Sylvie was relieved when she heard that he wouldn't enter. As much as she craved the attention like a normal daughter, she didn't wish to show him the horrific damage on her body. Also, she couldn't fathom being near her new father when he wasn't clothed, not after hearing the three women's conversation.
"I'll leave new clothes for you once you get out."
She tilted her head. "How will you know my size?"
"Magic is quite convenient," Dianthus said with a smile. "Just try on the clothes once you get out, and you will understand what I mean."
After telling her such vague words, he left the room. Sylvie shrugged her shoulders. 'I guess I won't know until then,' she thought to herself.
She disrobed, leaving her ragged robes in a pile on the floor. After which, she removed her metal sōmen and left it on top. Sylvie turned and stared at her naked body in the full-length mirror nearby. She felt disgusted seeing her disfigured and scarred appearance in the reflection.
Her mind began to run wild while staring at her reflection. 'How could such a hideous girl become the daughter of that handsome man. His actual daughter looks so cute, yet an atrocity such as myself dares to claim to be his daughter. It's laughable.'
"You should get in the bath now. Unless, of course, you were waiting on me to enter with you."
Her father's voice echoed from outside the room, bringing her back from her thoughts. She immediately grabbed a nearby towel and rushed to the bath.
Outside the changing room, Dianthus sighed to himself. He wasn't fully aware of Sylvie's thoughts but understood that they weren't anything positive. The girl clearly lacked trust, both for others and herself.
He shook his head, knowing that he couldn't forcefully solve the problem. Instead, he focused on his next task. He needed to acquire new clothes for Sylvie. Also, he wanted to give her a surprise.
Engulfed in a swirl of violet petals, Dianthus disappeared from his realm. His destination was an old friend's clothing store. It was the same place he acquired the clothes for himself and the girls living with him.
***
A small bell chimed as the door to a vacant shop opened. An older man seated behind the counter didn't bother to look up. Instead, he focused on polishing the blade in his hand.
"What do you want now, ya stinkin' wolf?"
"Oh, come on," Dianthus smiled widely at the old man, "don't be like that. Your rudeness is what drove away all of your customers, Faisal."
"How would you know if I have any customers?" Faisel scoffed.
"So, do you still have other customers?"
Silence hung in the air between the two men. Dianthus' grin only continued to widen while waiting for a response.
"Why does it matter," the old man grumbled. "Just tell me what you want."
"Alright, alright," Dianthus raised his hands in surrender. "I need some clothes for a young girl of about twelve to thirteen years old."
"What sizes?" Faisel asked without looking up from his polishing.
"I don't have exact measurements."
"So magic adjustments then?"
Dianthus nodded. "Also..."
He explained his ideas for the design of the clothes. Dianthus had already decided everything other than size before arriving. He left Faisel to figure out the specifics when creating the attire.
"Got it." Faisel pointed toward a nearby table. "Wait over there while I complete the order."
Dianthus obliged and headed to the table. He watched Faisel head to the back of the shop. He thought he'd be able to take it easy while the clothes were created but knew he was wrong.
Shortly after Faisel had disappeared from the counter, killing intent flooded Dianthus from behind. He swung his body around and raised his hand upon sensing the growing intent. His open palm collided with an oncoming blade. The wielder of the blade clicked their tongue.
"I thought I could at least get you with a surprise attack," the attacker said as they pulled the shattered blade away.
Dianthus shook his head tiredly. "Don't you ever tire of this routine, Almeida?"
The beautiful tan woman threw her hands on her hips, causing her voluptuous breasts to shake. "I won't give up until you surrender or I win the wager."
A cup of tea was placed in front of Dianthus from the side. "You might as well surrender. You know full well how stubborn she is."
"Why don't you try to convince her as well, Acantha? She should at least listen to her mother." Dianthus said to the brunette beauty who had approached from the side.
"Why would I do that? I stand to gain from her winning as well. Not to mention, she never took an interest in smithing until you became her goal."
Dianthus looked between the mother and daughter duo and sighed. "You know Faisel will kill me if I accept, right?"
"Damn right I would!" Faisel's voice echoed from behind the trio. "I'll never hand my daughter and granddaughter over to some stinkin' wolf."
Acantha giggled at her father. "Dad, you know you couldn't beat him if you tried."
"Yeah, grandpa. You're too weak." Almeida's words echoed behind her mother's.
Their words pierced the old man as he doubled over, clutching his heart. "I can't believe my most cherished family betrayed me."
Faisel felt a hand land on his shoulder and looked up. Dianthus was giving him a look of pity while kneeling near him. Faisel couldn't believe that the only comfort he received was from the man he despised. He couldn't help but think that maybe Dianthus isn't as bad as he thought.
"You really are too weak," Dianthus said as he shook his head.
Faisel immediately frowned. 'Nope. This bastard is worse than I thought.'
"Just take your damn order and get the hell out of my shop," Faisel growled. He threw a small bag at the irritating wolf in front of him.
Dianthus caught the bag and peered inside, nodding his head in satisfaction. He couldn't help but admire the old man's skills. Not only was his work top-notch, but his speed was something else as well.
The energetic Almeida attempted to look over his shoulders but failed as she was too short. "What's in the bag? More clothes for your wives? Maybe your daughter?"
"They're for my new daughter."
Acantha tilted her head. "I thought your wife just recently got pregnant. How do you have another daughter?"
"I adopted."
"Why does your adopted daughter need a mask?" Almeida asked as she brought an elegant white and blue kitsune mask out of the bag.
Dianthus adorned a sad smile while thinking of Sylvie. "She's been through a lot. Her face and, most likely, her body is scarred. She doesn't want to show it to anyone, not even me. I hope she'll open up to me eventually. Till then, I'll pretend not to notice."
Acantha placed her hand on Dianthus' shoulder. "Once that happens, make sure to introduce her to us. I'm sure dad will be happy to see her as well."
"Like hell, I will," Faisel grumbled. "Don't come back."
Acantha brought her mouth closer to his ear. "Dad might act like that, but he's always happy when you visit. He also enjoyed meeting your daughter. It made him feel like he had another granddaughter to dote on."
"Don't worry. I know the old bastard is just shy."
Dianthus didn't attempt to speak quietly. He purposely let the older man hear him. His words caused the Faisel to scoff.
"Stinkin' wolf. You're older than me, yet ya call me an old bastard."
"Well, you certainly look far older than me," Dianthus smirked.
Faisel stormed over and snatched the mask from his granddaughter. He lightly tossed it back in the bag. "Get the hell out of my store," he said while shooing Dianthus with his hands.
Dianthus smiled. "I'll see you all next time."
As he disappeared into the torrent of petals, Dianthus could hear Faisel's voice.
"There won't be a next time. Don't come back."
***
Sylvie exited the bath after thoroughly cleaning her body. Even though Dianthus said he didn't think she was dirty, she still desired to be as clean as possible. The thought of him thinking that she smelled weird made her as thorough as possible. She didn't relax in the bath for even a second.
She looked into the basket where her clothes and mask were left prior to entering. The first thing she noticed was that her previous clunky metal mask was gone. In its place was an ornate blue and white kitsune mask. The beauty of the design was incomparable to what she had worn before.
She gently picked up the mask and traced her hand across the surface. Sylvie brought it to her face and secured it in place. The difference was immediately noticeable to her. Her prior mask was made for adult men, so securing it on her head was always tricky and often painful.
Next, her eyes trailed to the clothes folded neatly at the bottom of the basket. She immediately recognized the kimono and its accessories, though everything, including the underwear, looked too large to fit her slender frame.
She hesitated while looking at the clothes. Maybe they weren't meant for her. If she took them, she might get in trouble. Sylvie didn't want to upset Dianthus.
"They're yours. Just try them on."
Dianthus' voice reverberated through the changing room, startling Sylvie. She quickly glanced around the room with a flushed face. Upon seeing that he wasn't in the room, Sylvie began to calm down. She realized that he was most likely outside of the room. She didn't know how he knew what she was doing but assumed it was due to the magic he had talked about before.
Shaking the thoughts out of her head, Sylvie picked up the underwear first. She curiously tried on the oversized fabric. The undergarments shone a light blue color upon wearing them and shrunk to hug her body lightly.
Her eyes glowed in amazement beneath the mask. The clothes are adjusted to fit the wearer automatically. It was a spectacular sight in her eyes. 'This must be what he meant when he said magic is convenient.'
She quickly began to wear the remaining clothes, starting with the tabi socks. Layer by layer, sylvie put on the traditional kimono. It was somewhat difficult to wear as she had only worn a kimono once before. At that time, her mother had helped her to wear it.
While she was getting changed, Dianthus was outside the room, leaning against the wall with his eyes closed. To say he was excited was an understatement. Despite the clothes being his idea, Faisel's work brought them to another level. He couldn't wait to see his new daughter wearing such beautiful clothing. It was just a shame that she didn't wish to show her face.
"Umm..."
Dianthus felt a slight tug on his sleeve. He opened his eyes and turned to the nervous girl.
"I'm having trouble tying the obi." Sylvie's bright blue eyes looked at him through the mask's slits. She fumbled with the messily tied obi. "W-will you help me?"
Dianthus kneeled in front of her and smiled. "No need to be shy." He took the ends of the obi in his hands. "Of course, I'll help you."
He quickly and expertly wrapped the obi around her. Upon ensuring it was not too tight, he tied it neatly.
Dianthus stood up to admire his work. He nodded his head happily. "As I thought. You look adorable."
While he was nodding, a small body tackled his waist. "Thank you, dad."
Sylvie spoke in such a small voice that most would not hear her, but Dianthus heard it clearly. A warm smile broke out on his face that Sylvie could not see.
"You're welcome, princess."
Sylvie hugged his waist tighter so he wouldn't see her developed blush. Of course, she had forgotten her face was hidden under a mask.
"Now that you're all set, how about we head out now. I have already let the others know that we are leaving."
"What about your bath?" Sylvie asked.
"I used magic to clean myself. So, I'm all set."
"Magic really is convenient."
"That's right," Dianthus chuckled and scooped her up into his arms. "Let's go explore!"
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