23. Auction Banquet (2)
“It’s unfortunate.”
Helena clenched her fists and said.
Mercy also sympathized, but could not.
“It’s unfortunate… !”
Helena spoke again.
In fact, it was a difficult situation to say that it was unfair.
It’s not unfair that I didn’t win the lottery.
Still, Helena was unfair and resentful.
“Me too, I wanted to go… !”
Mercy sighed lightly.
Kati, who was left with her, was calm, but the atmosphere was gloomy.
With her blindfolded head down, she fiddled with the ring on the ring finger of her left hand.
Since the day her lips were taken, Katie had never moved the ring from her ring finger to any other finger.
Ian hadn’t noticed yet.
Even if he found out, Kati had no intention of changing.
Helena, who had been fuming, took a deep breath and sat down.
“banquet… . Has Mercy been to the banquet?”
“Yeah, I’ve been there a few times. Didn’t Ian tell you that if you become famous, you’ll be invited to banquets even if you don’t want to? I used to do that often when I was in charge of parties in the past, and I also joined them.”
“What are you doing at the banquet?”
“Um… . Many people come to say hello, be served delicious food or drink, and dance… .”
“A dance?!”
Helena jumped up.
“You mean Lee, Ian, Ian-nim dances, dances, dances?!”
“Yes? Oh, never. I’ve been offered several times, but I’ve turned it down every time. In fact, Ian has only done so much to keep his seat out of courtesy. Even if it’s annoying, it’s something I have to do.”
“Is that so… .”
Helena was both sorry and relieved.
He didn’t know why he was relieved, and he had no time to worry.
I was just busy imagining what Ian would look like if he could dance.
‘Social dance is a light dance to the music while holding each other’s waist and shoulders while facing each other closely and holding one hand… .’
Mercy’s lament flowed into that thought.
“It was a chance to see Ian’s suit up close for the first time in a while… .”
“suit-?!”
Helena broke her thoughts and cried out.
In my imagination, Ian was dressed in a stylish suit.
Kati, who had been still, let out a shallow sigh at those words.
“Whoa… .”
It was a small, light sigh, but it was a very strong reaction to Kati, who doesn’t express herself at all.
Helena even felt the aloofness of losing the world from the gloomy woman.
“I-Ian wears a suit… ?”
“Yes. Still, isn’t formality important in such a position? Ian has that much respect. Even though it doesn’t look like it from the outside.”
“… … .”
Ian in a suit.
Helena thought of two of her companions.
Vivian and Lucia went to Ruby Taylor’s clothing store with Ian to get a banquet dress tailored.
Maybe, Ian is also matching the suit.
“We couldn’t draw lots, but there’s no law against looking at clothes, right?”
“… oh! That sounds right!”
“It’s like going to see… .”
“Let’s go.”
Kati jumped up before Helena could finish her sentence.
No further conversation was necessary.
The three women made their way to Ruby Taylor’s.
***
Ruby’s first doll was Vivian.
After being taken somewhere, she appeared with a completely different appearance.
Ruby from the side asked with a satisfied smile.
“how about it?”
The wavy red hair and the glimpse of gold earrings looked pretty good.
The gold embroidered dress was a turquoise color that went well with her light green eyes.
Because of the collarbone and below… I don’t have a place to put my eyes, but it suits me well anyway.
Vivian held on to the hem of her skirt, perhaps ashamed of her appearance, and kept turning her head back and forth.
I gave a short answer to Ruby’s question.
“It’s good.”
Of course, when you become famous, you will be invited to banquets.
Like the first party, you will be touring the city and showing your face to people.
At that time, the outward appearance is very important.
I didn’t buy full-length mirrors for the kids from the 1st Hero Party for nothing.
Every time something like that happened, Ruby followed along and helped decorate it, and I finally checked it.
I don’t have as good an aesthetic sense as her, but I was able to see what kind of image people would show me apart from aesthetics.
“It’s like someone else, right?”
“Hmm. It’s definitely Vivian that I’m shy, but if you look at her behavior alone, it’s like that.”
After the makeup was done, the impression was different.
Vivian is usually fierce and flirts like an idiot, but now, her makeup and clothes are harmonious, giving her fierce impression a mystery that can’t be understood.
Of course, I would have to subtract that reaction of embarrassing him with his face heated up like his own hair color.
“Sister, try this.”
Ruby suggested some poses, and Vivian stiffly followed them.
“Oh dear. why are you so shy? You have to be a little more assertive! Just like a noble lady!”
“Ear, ear, aristocratic lady… .”
Unbearable, Ruby moved her hand and posed here and there.
Leaving herself like a marionette, she closed her eyes tightly.
This is how Vivian is.
“I’m going to add a bit more here, but the overall feeling will go as it is.”
said Ruby, standing Vivian in front of the mirror.
Vivian observed herself in the mirror, moving little by little as if it were strange.
“Because I believe in Ruby’s eyes. I believe you will take care of yourself.”
“sure.”
Vivian, who was checking the mirror, stood in front of me hesitantly.
“This is strange… ? Hehe… .”
It must have been awkward to keep wiggling the hem of her skirt.
Well, how many opportunities have you had to try on something like this?
You’ll have to adapt as quickly as possible, so you should praise him at times like this.
“Fit well.”
It’s true that they fit really well together.
“… … .”
I’m not sure how effective compliments are.
Because your face is getting redder than before.
Hesitantly, she looked at me with only her eyes cautiously and asked.
“I’m really… ?”
If you’re so shy, you want to tease me again.
“Hmm… .”
After deliberately frowning, Vivian kept her mouth shut as if she was uneasy.
“It suits you so well, I think I can just take it like this… .”
“Ahhh! Really!”
I shrugged and shrugged.
This is Vivian’s responsibility with a good sense of hitting.
Vivian frowned and looked into the mirror with a smirk again.
In the meantime, Ruby brought Lucia out next.
Vivian, who had been looking in the mirror, also turned to her.
“Wow… .”
Thanks to her long, purple-tinged straight hair, which was swept to one side, her square collarbone was exposed.
The dress was a dark purple, the color of her eyes, and was trimmed with black lace.
Overall, because the clothes were tighter than Vivian’s, the lines of her slender body were revealed.
Unlike Vivian, Lucia looked down at her own outfit with a calm gaze, probably familiar with this outfit.
Her loose sleeves fluttered as she tucked her hair behind her ears.
A silver tiara was also worn on her head.
They make eye contact with me and smile.
“Why do you look at me like that? Because you’re pretty?”
“… … .”
Well, I don’t want to admit it with my own mouth.
“Why are you quiet? Did you talk to Vivian well?”
“Didn’t you say it well with your own mouth?”
“Hmm. It means pretty.”
“… It suits you well.”
Even though he was ignored by his family, aristocrats were nobles, so he had a relaxed elegance.
Compared to Vivian’s splendor, her outfit was rather simple and calm.
Rather, it made me feel the dignity of a more modest aristocrat.
Both of them are changes and appearances that people will be enthusiastic about when they see them during their city tour.
“Ian?”
Ruby sneaked up and called out.
“yes?”
“Should I wear this too?”
At those words, Vivian and Lucia quickly turned around.
“ah. I have something that I matched the other day… .”
“No, no. If possible, make a new one. I’ll do it for free.”
“No need… .”
“Hasn’t it been a while since you’ve worn the last one? Maybe the size has changed, and the fashion has changed again these days?”
“Really fine… .”
“Well, it’s not fair that only we can show you… !”
Vivian timidly expressed her opinion.
“Right. Where are you watching alone?”
Lucia agreed.
“No, what am I… .”
“Guess.”
Having given up persuasion, Ruby said almost intimidatingly.
He was smiling, but for some reason a shadow was cast over his face.
“… I will wear it.”
I’m just participating in the auction because I have the artifact I need.
Why did this happen… .
I had no choice but to follow Ruby’s guidance and move into the store.
***
“Oh, Helena?”
It was Vivian dressed up in a fancy dress to greet Helena, who came ambush her into the store.
Helena was speechless at the sight of Vivian like the princess.
“Mercy and Kati are also here.”
Those were Lucia’s words.
She tucked her hair back effortlessly.
“Well, it’s unfortunate that I can’t go, but it’s even more sad if I can’t even look at clothes.”
I said it out of concern and sympathy with a pure heart.
It sounded like sarcasm to the three dropouts.
It was a sense of entitlement.
Apart from that, the old-fashioned charm emanating from Lucia also made me speechless.
Mercy looked at the two in turn and nodded.
“Ruby’s skills are amazing no matter how you look at them… . Aren’t they both so beautiful! I almost didn’t recognize you!”
“Ehehe… . It’s not that much… .”
“thanks. It’s the first time I’ve decorated it like this, but I think it suits me well.”
At Lucia’s words, Vivian tilted her head.
“Is this your first time?”
“yes. I was a family there, in name only.”
“ah… . That, that’s because it’s so natural and relaxed… .”
“Even though it was just a name, I learned something.”
Originally, there was something like that.
Kati, who was looking around, asked.
“Where is the master?”
“I can’t see Ian!”
Helena did too.
Lucia answered.
“Ruby took me to get a new suit.”
“Huh!”
Helena grabbed her heart and took a step back.
Lucia was taken aback by the intense reaction.
Vivian, on the other hand, kept glancing in the direction Ian had been taken.
What shape will you come back to?
it’s a suit
With such a neat outfit, a person who doesn’t fit like heaven and earth.
If you try to wear something like that, don’t you think you’ll kick your tongue and tear it apart?
Ah, that in its own way… .
Lucia asked while Strawberry ran the delusion circuit.
“Have you two ever seen Ian in a suit?”
It was a question I asked Mercy and Kati, who had been with Ian for a long time, more than the three warriors.
Both nodded.
“Ohh… . I can’t imagine. In the first place, Ian just keeps wearing the clothes he was wearing most of the time, right?”
“That’s because there are several similar quilted armors.”
“… Incredible. So, how about Ian’s suit?”
“Um… .”
Mercy grinned.
“It would be better to see it for yourself.”
at that time.
-Tbook.
The sound of heavy shoes came from the direction Ian had been taken.
All five of them turned their heads in that direction.
-Tboob, tumble.
The sound of shoes kept getting closer.
*
Sylvia stood in front of the mirror.
A full-length mirror given to me by Ian.
Every time I move, I carry it with me carefully so that it doesn’t get lost or broken.
“Mmmm.”
She turned around and looked at herself in the mirror.
I liked it and smiled lightly.
It was the dress Ian bought me.
It was a simplified outfit to be worn alone, but it had that much modest and neat charm.
The navy blue dress, the same color as her hair, reached knee-high and swayed.
The flower-decorated headband on her head was moderately dainty and pretty.
‘Sylvie.’
Ian’s touch and voice as he checked his clothes came to mind.
Suddenly, tears flowed.
Sylvia tried to hold it in.
‘matches well. Today, too.’
The more I tried to hold it in, the clearer my voice became.
The hand that put the headband on and tidied up the collar.
All of them were distant yet vivid memories.
I miss it so much I can’t stand it.
The wound on his side ached again.
As if telling Ian to go and inform him.
I’m sick.
It hurts, so please recognize me quickly and treat me kindly.
“Hey, geuk… .”
Sylvia finally couldn’t stand it and burst into tears.
I hated seeing myself crumbling in the mirror.
I walked helplessly out of the mirror.
“Ugh… .”
Under the distant view, he could see his own dress.
Looking at it reminds me of a distant dream.
Once, I dreamed of dancing with Ian.
I hoped so.
His suit was so handsome that it made me feel hot, and it was so rare to see it that my heart was pounding like it would explode every time I saw it.
There was a time when I wanted to be close to him and dance lightly.
Ian was rejected every time because he hated dancing.
Come to think of it, since Sylvia confessed, she hadn’t asked for a dance.
If that was the case, I wouldn’t have accepted it at least once.
Even if you pretend not to.
Even if it was postponed after killing the demon king.
Because Ian loved him too.
Maybe he, too, had wanted to dance with himself.
“Huh… .ぅ, black… .”
I miss his warm embrace.
It wasn’t winter, it was indoors, but she felt a chill.
The shivering body seems to have been left alone in the middle of the snowy field.
since when
Every time he cried, he unknowingly smoked ice crystals.
Probably, it was from the time when he refused to confess and sobbed and scattered hailstones.
“Huh… .”
Sylvia let out a shallow sigh and wiped away the tears with the back of her hand.
It shouldn’t be like this.
I have to look as pretty as possible, but I can’t waste time crying.
Originally, I plan to go and see them from afar without meeting them.
But now, Sylvia couldn’t think rationally.
I forgot about that for a while.
Longing and sadness to see Ian.
And, the excitement and excitement of seeing Ian soon paralyzed his reason.
‘If it looks pretty, it might shake Ian’s heart a little… .’
Sylvia stood in front of the mirror to check again.
As in the past, Ruby and servants worked together to decorate it with all their heart, and it was clumsy to do makeup alone, but it was quite manageable.
My makeup was smeared from tears, but it was okay because I wouldn’t cry in front of Ian.
‘Ian, I want to see you soon… .’
Sylvia forced a smile as she wiped her reddened eyes.
It wasn’t easy, so I finally dropped the corner of my mouth.
I don’t know the name of the flower in the room.
Come to think of it, I didn’t even know the name of the herb that Ian used to take care of because it was his favorite scent.
What do you know about Ian?
Do I really have the right to say I love him?
Sylvia blankly shed tears and pondered.
No answer came out.