The book scheduled for release on August 25th has reached number one in the new arrivals ranking within the Overlap Bunko Kindle edition, so here’s a surprise update.
The disciple thought deeply with regret, “He could look so cool if only he’d take things seriously.”
“Hm? Is something wrong?”
“No, nothing.”
Before the disciple stood the splendidly adorned figure of the master. The newly tailored black robe was a sleek, fashionable design that highlighted the master’s physique, undoubtedly the work of Lord Raizenitz’s talented team of tailors. The figure revealed a body sculpted far beyond the typical mage, as if to flaunt its athletic form, proclaiming the perfection of dressing well.
Furthermore, the master’s solid gold hair was intricately braided and let flow gracefully down the back, an elegant touch that even noble young ladies might envy. Though never to be mistaken for a woman given the well-defined physique, some might be misled by the back view alone.
Moreover, the dignified yet calm face, untouched by rouge, glowed with a gentle peach hue, captivating anyone who looked. It was a sight that even other women might envy to the point of irritation.
In terms of pure appearance, it was hard to believe that this was the same figure who was revered and mocked in equal measure at the Magic Academy under the name, Lord Drift.
“Hmm… well, this will do, don’t you think?”
“Ah, yeah, it’s fine I guess?”
Tilting her head at the disciple’s gaze, the master, however, sought no further comment, merely asking for opinions on appearance. The disciple, understanding fully that this question was solely focused on whether it looked unbecoming, offered a casual response.
After all, no matter what feedback one might offer, this man would only interpret it as a simple confirmation that he didn’t look sloppy.
Besides, the disciple had long ceased mentioning the overly modest single-ear earring, which seemed inappropriate for a professor of noble standing. Despite being told countless times by others, the master had silently ignored these remarks with a smile, making it clear there was no chance of removal now.
This master truly cared little for appearance. This attire was merely worn because it was provided, and the hair was surely carelessly styled by the surrounding fairies. Yet his being dressed up by others only led to a series of misunderstandings, causing unnecessary fuss.
If only the master would take a little more interest in his reputation or public image, things might be different.
“Anyway, isn’t this collar style a bit too trendy? It’s uncomfortably tight.”
“Don’t open it. When you do, it…”
“Only looks worse, right? Got it, got it.”
As the master irritably poked at the collar and shook his head, the disciple couldn’t help but want to lecture him: “You make it look lascivious when you do that.” The master, in becoming a professor, had picked up a knack for manipulating atmospheres for negotiation purposes, but it often backfired, creating inappropriate vibes.
It was exasperating when young ladies, or even some men, misunderstood as a result. For the disciple, this led to nothing but unwanted trouble.
“Well, shall we go?”
Taking the staff with the ominous glowing blue gemstone from beside the mirror, the master’s voice unusually brimmed with motivation. Normally, for such ceremonious occasions, he would sigh with an obvious display of reluctance, but today he seemed uncharacteristically cheerful.
However, his enthusiasm was beneficial. If the master handled social interactions smoothly, the disciple would have fewer opportunities to be dragged into messy situations.
“Have a good day.”
“Wait, what are you saying?”
When the disciple attempted to bid farewell as usual, the master, genuinely puzzled, took her hand, saying matter-of-factly, “You’re coming, too.”
The disciple stared into the mirror, wondering how things had come to this.
A plain, somewhat unattractive girl with a dull, dirty blond hair, freckles sprinkled across her cheeks, narrow and charmless eyes stared back at her from the flawless mirror.
Though her height had increased a little, her frail limbs gave her a lanky, unappealing figure. How could they attempt to dress someone like this elegantly? With a heavy sigh, deeper than ever, the disciple despaired.
“Isn’t green better? See, this deep emerald velvet matches your hair like the fields of our homeland.”
“No, no, white is perfect! This pure silk white, giving an almost glistening effect, is my top pick! It accentuates purity and gives her a dignified presence; there’s no other choice!”
“Nah, I think red might be the best choice. Someone with such strong will certainly suits this crimson.”
As the master and his friends, along with the elders of his influential circle, pushed expensive fabrics the disciple’s family could never afford onto her, the disciple observed them curiously as if they were strange creatures. They effortlessly took out brocades from the shelves, declaring loudly, debating which fit best using the design images provided by the tailors.
How on earth did this happen?
“No, but this one suits our girl best, surely.”
When the master confidently produced his chosen design, the disciple involuntarily groaned aloud with an unbecoming sound. Credit must be given to the education that managed to limit this noise audible only to herself.
The design the master pulled out was reminiscent of a princess’s evening gown. Though sparing in frills, the dress compensated with elaborate draping, luxurious folds, and an overwhelming elegance. The embellishments of jewels woven into the fabric hinted at a debutante princess’s level of opulence.
Absolutely, this was something the disciple would never wear. Narrowing her already narrow eyes further, she felt a deep sense of refusal.
“No! Something this plain is unacceptable!”
Plain…? Is this plain? Perhaps… Maybe… Hell no. Struggling through the cognitive dissonance between her understanding of plain and what was presented, the disciple, with mental fortitude restored, was confronted again by Lord Raizenitz’s preferred design.
If the master’s idea of a princess was anything to go by, Lord Raizenitz’s concept elevated that to an extravagant royal princess.
The pure white evening gown extended dramatically with long hems and sleeves, creating unique silhouettes with the use of a corset. The expansive skirt, reinforced with crinoline, featured exaggerated puff shoulders, with so many ribbons and frills it made the viewer uneasy.
“Please, spare me this.”
It was truly unbearable. She wanted to question Lord Raizenitz on what kind of image led him to think this would suit her. Despite knowing his excellent taste when it came to clothing for others, why did he suddenly veer so dramatically when it came to her own attire?
Worse than even the master’s suggestion was yet to come.
“No, both of you, hold on.”
In the midst of their discussion arose the voice of the young prodigy of the Threefold Empire, someone revered by the disciple perhaps even more than the master. Just as her head tilted hopefully, …
“The current trend is Eastern style, you know?”
Who could have foreseen that after bad and worse, a farfetched Eastern-inspired design would be introduced? The three-dimensional model shown by Baron Schponheim featured a remarkably tight dress, clearly designed with a glossy material to hug every line of the body, showcasing the waist and chest boldly. Slits in a diamond pattern cut from the waist down to the knees served an unclear purpose, and the sleeves flared triangularly from the forearms, connected to the shoulder by thin cords.
How could her master’s unappealing proposal suddenly seem tolerable compared to this? The disciple wanted to curl up and hold her head in despair.
The source of this trial was the impending debut presentation, as Lord Drift judged that his disciple’s fundamentals were now solid enough to introduce her to the group.
Though carefree in demeanor, the master loved his disciple deeply, hidden beneath a light-hearted attitude. The everyday robes given to her were embroidered with protective spells by his hand, the standard wand was made from a tree at an important spiritual site procured through substantial donations, and consecrated by a high-ranking cleric.
The textbooks provided were carefully revised according to his own theories and were presented like simple copies despite their immense value, with only safe materials allowed for experiments.
This man was incredibly excited about taking on his first disciple, and such fervor had maintained consistently for years.
Even Lord Raizenitz was influenced by this excitement and volunteered to become patron. Meanwhile, Baroness Redskirt, having developed a strong affection for her friend’s disciple, could not resist joining the preparations.
The three brilliant—indeed, extraordinarily and remarkably so—mages gathered around the disciple, along with the tailors, discussing various designs.
Then their brilliant minds came to one conclusion:
“Alright, we’ll do a three-part transformation for each change.”
“Ah, good idea!”
“Indeed… you truly are a genius, Dame Darlbek!”
The disciple’s anguished cries to stop, gripping onto Lord Raizenitz’s chosen design, were futile as the presentation outfits were decided.
After a few hours of enduring the ordeal, she sighed in relief unaware the upcoming days held even greater tribulations.
It went without saying that dresses alone weren’t enough. Suitable shoes, accessories, jewels, and even ceremonial staffs had to be tailored.
Again, a crowd would gather around her, debating over the merits of sapphire versus ruby gemstones, gilded versus magical alloy platforms, and the list went on.
Three days later, she received from her master’s sister, who usually treated her distantly, a trove of “hand-me-down” jewels—all of which were pristine and unused, causing great confusion.
[Tip] The debut presentation is the occasion when a mage formally introduces their disciple, a tradition that originated approximately a century after the academy’s founding. Even though everyone knows whose student the disciple is once they start attending lectures, officially presenting them to the community carries deep significance in the noble culture, resulting in elaborate and extravagant preparations.
A pair of figures sat exchanging drinks around a softly crackling hearth within the study of Lord Darlbek.
Surrounded by bookshelves full of tomes and adorned with a well-used longsword on the mantelpiece, this was a quiet, studious haven. The expansive desk was pushed aside, making room for two comfortable chairs before the hearth.
One was rarely invited to this inner sanctum of the workshop where vital knowledge was kept. Yet Baroness Schponheim herself sat there in a fresh garb, her surroundings perfumed with a soft, sweet fragrance.
She had worn a scarlet, loose robe earlier in the day but now donned a glossy white mohair robe that accentuated her curves, leaving little to the imagination. With her rich black hair tied up, she sipped her amber-hued liqueur, exhaling sensuously.
“Ah, delicious… it tastes like candy with a lingering touch of oak. The taste is lingering but subtle, just my preference.”
“Of course, I picked it specifically for you. I’m delighted you like it.”
“Did you really? But it feels far from your tastes. Don’t you lean more towards smoky, peaty flavors?”
A little surprised by the question, the peer replied with a mischievous grin, suggesting accommodating one’s friends wasn’t a bad idea once in a while.
“Still, Eric…”
“Hmm?”
“Can’t you try to instill a bit more self-awareness in your disciple?”
“Aah, that’s exactly what I’ve been contemplating myself…”
Amidst their drink sharing, they revisited the topic of the disciple. The master of said talented apprentice let out a subtle sigh, running a hand through his slightly disheveled hair.
“The girl was long overlooked as the youngest daughter of her household… her self-evaluation is terribly low.”
“Ah, I see. It truly is difficult to change something like that… Watching her repeatedly reject her own appeal, despite being so lovely… It’s truly painful.”
“That’s why I’ve been pushing her into elegant attire. But she perceives it all as wasted effort on her ‘ugly’ self, which is disheartening.”
The topic returned to the apprentice they had adorned earlier.
The girl, on the brink of womanhood, objectively held a commendable appearance. Her golden hair, reminiscent of a bountiful harvest and evocative of the God of Fertility, was a sight to behold. A face with sharp eyes indicative of a strong will exuded a dignified demeanor, promising to become the subject of much gossip within the academy in a few years.
Her physique, while lacking feminine curves, was beautifully proportioned with long limbs that enhanced her poised and intelligent aura more attractively than any artificial femininity could.
Yet the girl, believing herself an unremarkable and scrawny child, evaluated herself harshly.
“Surely, you haven’t been failing to give her proper compliments?”
The friend, sending a teasing glance, received a defiant pout in return. The master claimed to often shower her with praise, introducing her proudly as his apprentice.
“Just that… well, perhaps how I conduct myself day-to-day… she doesn’t seem to genuinely believe it…”
“Understandable given your usual self.”
“That’s harsh.”
“You might benefit from occasionally viewing yourself from an objective perspective.”
“Which I aim to do,” replied the friend, refraining from further retort out of a kind-heartedness Mika shared. The master knew better than to delve deeper, lest the conversation veer into even more troublesome territory.
Both master and disciple faced a challenging situation that demanded resolution. The intelligent mind of the professor at the Magic Academy began pondering potential solutions over their drinks. Unfortunately, lubricated perhaps too liberally by the alcohol, the thoughts veered aimlessly, failing to align properly.
Ultimately, she shrugged off the unproductive thought process, choosing to trust that time would solve the issue. In due course, an enthusiastic suitor or two would emerge, forcing self-awareness upon her.
For now, focusing on enjoying the precious time together seemed the better choice. Despite the mischievous nature of the thoughts from a dawn pioneer, Professor Darlbek maintained his charm and elegance, holding an empty glass to his friend with a seductive smile as he requested a refill.
[Tip] For a mage, their study is a place as precious as life itself.
A long-planned plot twist. Both similar in nature, they shared the same thought patterns, and the now somewhat antagonistic NPC Erich was caught doing the things he himself despised in the past.
And finally, an announcement: the individual page for Volume 2 has been created.
The first 41 pages are now available for preview, with one illustration revealed. Please check it out if you have a moment.
https://over-lap.co.jp/Form/Product/ProductDetail.aspx?shop=0&pid=9784865547184&vid=&cat=BNK&swrd=
If you enjoy it, I’d truly appreciate it if you’d consider preordering.
