Should I be grateful to von Raizenitz for no longer being intimidated by fine clothing? Or should I feel ashamed for having gradually catered to her inclinations?
Truly, a proposition with two equally compelling choices. In front of this dilemma, I looked at my reflection in the mirror and settled with a temporary sense of satisfaction.
The combination of a high-collared black satin doublet and slim white tights underneath a pair of breeches gave off an appearance both refined and austere, fitting for a retainer. More than that, it was suited for an advanced servant who could entertain high-ranking guests with propriety.
The design, neither ostentatious nor overly plain, subtly indicated a servant’s role through meticulous attention to detail, leaving no doubt in anyone’s mind as to my station. Such considerations truly made one think, “Ah, these people really have money…”
After all, there would be little reason to keep such attire stocked at home unless it was necessary. When a guest arrives who requires being attended by retainers dressed at this level, it speaks to the household’s capacity to maintain servants of such high quality. Indeed, this must be an exceptionally noble house. Their name does not carry a title, likely due to political reasons for declining noble status while still wielding considerable influence. There are also, though rare, families that have served faithfully for generations, being allowed to bear their names and carry weapons like the local magistrates of old in Edo.
“Oh my, you do make a proper figure,” said Kunigunde as I stepped out of the dressing room. This kind of attire, unlike the simple shirts and doublets worn by commoners, involves quite a bit of “tightening” here and there, making it difficult for someone unaccustomed to wear properly.
“Well, there have been a few things,” I replied vaguely.
“You’ve the bearing of someone who could serve in this household,” she complimented.
While being guided, we enjoyed some lighthearted conversation. Although regrettably, the gap in our station makes it nearly impossible for me to serve as a senior retainer. Incidentally, from the bits of idle talk, even the lowest-ranking senior retainers in this house are paid in gold coins. If this household steward is richer than a country baron, it may not be a lie after all.
Walking for a while while enjoying the conversation, my awe of the impossible wealth continued in the corridors, carpeted even where they shouldn’t be. We arrived at a greenhouse built at the end of a narrow walkway.
This greenhouse, supported by birdcage-like pillars and adorned with expensive glass—uniform glass panels, which at this stage of civilization are as rare as jewels—seemed less about showcasing plants and more about providing a pleasant space to hold tea parties even during the cold winter months while looking out over the landscape.
However, the oddity was that despite the glass panes, the inside was pitch black, making it impossible to discern what was going on inside.
“This is where you’ll wait for a bit,” Kunigunde informed me, leaving me to observe the space I had been led to.
My brain paused momentarily as it struggled to register the surroundings. It was night.
Inside the greenhouse, where grass had been planted, there was a slice of night. The round moon loomed above, accompanied by stars that shone radiantly, and the cool, serene air filled the greenhouse, a gentle night suffusing everything.
“…Seriously, what kind of high-tier blessing is this?” I muttered.
Without much thought, it was a miracle. Pure, unmistakable, undeniable divine wonder. Night, the domain of the vampire species, was the only time they truly found peace, and this was undoubtedly a type of holy relic bestowed by the God of Night Shadow to ensure serene moments during the day.
Even I could sense the lingering divine authority, indicating a miracle brought about with considerable favor over a long period. Could this be a lineage of humans who continuously received the blessings of such a miracle, Lady Cecilia?
Regaining my composure, I took my seat at the lower end of the round table set up in the middle of the greenhouse.
Now, I’ve got some time to think and organize the situation…
No, first, I should check my accumulated proficiency.
A warning stone was flung at me by my calm self, advising against escapism, but the situation has become so convoluted that I’m lost. My memory of being rescued when I nearly died became blurry due to the excitement, and afterwards, I was bombarded with surprises, making my ability judgment plummet. If I were to roll dice today, the expectation value would surely be below five.
So, diverting my consciousness to something enjoyable wouldn’t hurt, would it?
“Huh…”
When I summoned my abilities, I couldn’t help but exclaim at the sheer amount of accumulated points. The accumulation of daily training and work, coupled with an adventure of a scale where I nearly died, had exceeded even the amount I received when I first cleared the mansion Lady Agrippina had thrown me into. Perhaps because I spanned days doing various tasks, it was treated like completing a campaign.
This amount is a joy. If I can receive this much experience, perhaps even the GM’s mistakes in balance, throwing enemies at me that were clearly off-balance, can be forgiven.
Though, when I was actually defeated, the entire group cheered me on, saying, “A sorry excuse for an apology! Do more!” Eventually, everyone laughed and forgave me.
As for the next game? Everyone abandoned the enjoyment-based approach, enhancing themselves physically, eradicating all conspiracies with strength checks. Before the brute force of a monster whose brain was muscleified, all conspiracies in this world are powerless.
This is wonderful. My long-cherished desire, reaching either “Divine Realm” or “God’s Favorite,” “Dexterous” and “Battle Swordsmanship,” and with the remaining ample experience points, I can develop combos and even reach out to explore other fields…
…And also, there’s the “Faith” skill showing off the unlocking of high-tier miracles from the God of Night Shadow. Is this a reward for helping believers? Or perhaps consideration due to involvement with a bloodline deeply connected to the God of Night Shadow?
Anyway, for now, I’ll hold off. The defensive and restorative miracles of this deity, befitting a mother goddess, don’t entirely mesh well with my build. Though I am drawn to blessings that improve sleep quality or enhance night vision, it feels shallow to take them just for that purpose.
Faith in this world is different from merely visiting a shrine during exam season. When divine messages are literally sent as telepathic broadcasts, solely focusing on utility when worshiping a deity eventually feels disrespectful, and it’s troubling.
Certainly, diving into extravagance would be one path, but starting preparations to become an adventurer also wouldn’t be bad. It would be good to upgrade the “Camping” skill, left at a basic level, to “Simple Outpost Construction” through some simple architectural knowledge I learned from Mika. It would be fun to pick up convenient skills like “Camping Cuisine,” “First Aid,” or “Simple Medicine,” which would be useful for long journeys.
And if I eventually become an independent adventurer and lead a party, some skills and traits related to influencing people would be helpful. Not some cheap CG set skills costing a couple hundred yen—besides, skills that convenient hardly exist, and reconstructing similar magical spells would be costly—more like things for commanding small teams or constructing battle formations.
There’s no harm in leveling up the “Negotiation” skill, and various traits that give a sense of trust are attractively dazzling as well.
Additionally, there are skills that stir certain feelings I didn’t have when I was younger…
“You kept me waiting.”
My wandering thoughts were immediately halted, not by cold water, but by liquid nitrogen. I stood up without tipping my chair backward, most likely due to some divine blessing. Why does this person appear without any warning? Even Lord Raizenitz usually has his attendant report before entering.
“Wow…”
But that indignation disappeared in an instant.
I was captivated by Lady Cecilia’s elegance in her luxurious dress, leaving no spare computing power for idle thoughts.
“This… It’s embarrassing when you look too much.”
“It’s fine; forgive this niece’s charm. There was some trouble with selecting the outfit… The complaints were endless, from wanting monk robes for no reason to forbidding any clothing that showed the figure…”
“But! Uncle, the dresses Lady Franziska recommends are out of fashion! Modern dresses don’t expose the shoulders like that, nor have slits!”
Lady Cecilia wore a classical lunch dress. With its puffed shoulders and grand skirt, the gown imagined first when hearing the description sparkled like a wet sheen in a color that complemented her black hair perfectly.
The flowers embroidered with matching threads weren’t large, gaudy blooms typical of current trends but dainty flowers scattered throughout, enhancing her refined and modest air. Though borrowed from Lady Franziska, the dress seemed as if it was tailored just for her.
“Yet, you resemble this person greatly, with features suited to extravagant adornment. Plain clothing and light makeup waste the bloodline you bear. Look at what you’ve chosen—clothing for women over fifty! At least let me put some rouge on you.”
“This is fine! Besides, Uncle, what are you wearing! That isn’t a dress—it’s almost like tying cloth with ropes! Are you not the least bit intelligent?! Exposing knees, let alone thighs!”
Her hair was elegantly styled to match the lunch attire, modestly adorned without being overly showy. She exuded the air of a daughter from a prestigious family, making one want to kneel in reverence upon seeing her.
What shall I say? This is not the aura of a person who earned their nobility but someone who was born into it, with royal blood flowing since birth. If I had such noble traits, would I appear this way to others as well?
…Hmm, characteristics affecting impressions do matter. I’ll contemplate and remember this. I’m nearing adulthood, after all.
“That’s what they call Eastern style. It came from the Eastern trade routes that were active at the time. It’s rude to mock another’s culture.”
“Don’t mix different wines in the same bottle, they say! Plus, Uncle, the Eastern trade route is being revived by God herself now!”
I realized their conversation had heated up while I was momentarily lost in admiration. I pulled out the chairs for the two of them to sit, but I wasn’t sure what topic they were arguing about.
“Don’t you think? A style that highlights the fabric is far more suitable for this niece than one that resembles an old matron’s dress.”
“What..?”
My reply came out awkwardly when suddenly addressed. A bit of applause for not completely deflating the moment wouldn’t be unwarranted.
“The finest display is in baring your long limbs rather than covering them. Though it might be difficult to imitate the style, avoiding sleeves and capes in evening gowns would be wise. Why cover such beauty…”
“A proper lady conceals herself! Surely even you, Erich, would agree?”
“Absolutely.”
Ah, so this is a conversation about fashion. It wouldn’t be prudent to naively agree that Lady Cecilia would look good in anything, just as I did in my past life and regretted the thirty-minute rant that followed my comment.
“But, do you not wish to see your niece’s allure in something other than her nightwear?”
The voice, filled with charm and dripping with seduction, evoked the image of Lady Cecilia in her night attire. Coupled with certain images imprinted in my brain—when did my brain become a marketplace for the New Year and year-end?—I could feel my cheeks flushing red.
However, I am an adult now. Quickly regaining my composure, I replied, “Your current outfit is very becoming.” After all, an openly lecherous man would only be accepted in a tavern, even if he were handsome.
”Although… the most suitable dress for you would be, I think, a priest’s robe of the God of Night Shadow.”
Wait, what was that last comment? Did I actually say that? Though it was honest, I’m aware that undermining her current outfit like that wasn’t appropriate.
Then a heavy thud sounded, and I noticed Lady Cecilia had her forehead against the table. Upon closer inspection, her fair skin, indicative of a vampire’s bloodline, was flushed red, even to the tips of her ears.
…Seems like I accidentally triggered a special moment…
Lady Franziska, observing the sunken niece, opened her fan and laughed joyfully, then rang the bell to prepare the tea after a brief laugh. “Ah, it’s a good thing we haven’t served tea yet,” she chuckled. “Though I was considering rewarding you, but this situation… this is it, isn’t it?”
The arrival of the black tea and the elegance of the tea service lifted my spirits. How could an inhabitant of the Threefold Empire not become elated by tea?
“Perhaps allowing my niece herself to be the reward would be better,” she suggested.
“But Aunt!”
Indeed, this person seems to excel in breaking the atmosphere. While I almost dropped the tea I was holding, Lady Cecilia rose from the table as if to break it, reaching for her aunt over the disturbing statement.
Ah, her dramatic entrance was dynamic enough, but this conversation is surpassing all expectations.
Contemplating future preparations, perhaps storing points for later use wouldn’t be a bad idea, I idly thought…
