Chapter 112 - Birds of a Feather Flock Together
As Dahlia boarded the carriage returning from the royal palace’s stables, she finally let out a sigh of relief.
Lucia, sitting beside her, seemed to feel the same. A long sigh escaped her lips. Perhaps it was the wine from earlier, but her cheeks were faintly flushed.
“Lucia, are you okay?”
Lucia wasn’t very good with alcohol. Though she had only had less than half a glass of wine, she might have already gotten quite drunk.
“...Their posture earlier was really cool...”
Lucia didn’t answer Dahlia’s question and instead let out another long sigh.
Ivano, sitting across from them, was watching with an indescribable expression.
“Ah... I want to strip those three and dress them up...”
“Lu-Lucia...”
Dahlia was grateful they were in the carriage. If Lucia had said this in the palace, she would have had to stuff a handkerchief in her friend’s mouth.
“Scalfarotto-sama could pull off colorful outfits, and I think he’d look good in ruffle shirts in white or black. Oh, a long coat would suit him too. Jedda-sama’s silver hair is so beautiful, so maybe something in pastel tones? Ah, intricate patterns would work well too. Fortunato-sama always wears suits, but I think knight-style or riding outfits would suit him. Maybe even something princely...”
Lucia’s dayflower-colored eyes grew distant, as if searching for something only she could see.
Once she got like this, Lucia wouldn’t return to reality until she had expressed her thoughts. Dahlia, who sometimes has the same look when working on magical tools, understood this well.
Dahlia handed her a sheet of off-white paper and a pencil she had brought along with her flashcards.
“Use this. But don’t draw their faces, okay? It wouldn’t be respectful.”
“Got it! Thanks, Dahlia!”
The sound of pencil scratching on paper began as Lucia started sketching outfits modeled after the three men. Though they were men’s clothes, they were slightly more decorative than usual, reflecting Lucia’s unique style, which differed from the capital’s current trends.
“Um, Dahlia-san, does Lucia-san like making clothes?”
“Yes. She loves it, and she’s really good at it. All of Lucia’s clothes are self-made.”
“That’s amazing...”
Whether she didn’t notice Ivano’s gaze or simply didn’t care, Lucia began drawing a figure resembling Volf in a long coat with an asymmetrical hem. She must have regretted not having colored pencils with her.
“Lucia, what do you think of Volf-sama and Luini-sama?”
Ivano called out to Lucia, who was diligently continuing her sketches. She answered without looking up.
“Volfred-sama is tall, so clothes look great on him. Fortunato-sama is also quite tall, and his hair is long, so changing his hairstyle could really expand the possibilities for outfits. Ah! Both of them would look good with precious metals and fur!”
“As a woman, don’t you ever dream of dating someone like them?”
“Not really. I wouldn’t want to deal with all the etiquette and formalities that come with dealing with nobles. I don’t think we’d have much in common outside of work. If they’d just let me dress them up without complaining, that’d be fine, but otherwise, I’m happy with just their portraits or memories of them.”
Lucia didn’t hesitate in her response.
“Surprisingly, there are people who are fine with Volf-asma, huh?”
“Ivano-san, what exactly are you trying to confirm...?”
“Nothing, really. It’s just that for people associated with our company, it’d be better if they weren’t easily swayed by such things. I’d like to avoid any unnecessary trouble.”
Indeed, it would be problematic if someone were so captivated by Volf or Fortunato that they couldn’t focus on their work.
But whether that bar was high or low remained a mystery.
“Lucia-san, if you don’t mind me asking, do you have a lover right now?”
“Nope. I’d like to go on dates, though.”
“What kind of person do you like?”
“If I were to date someone, it’d probably be a girl. I’d love to dress her up in cute outfits. Oh, or maybe a slender boy. It’d be amazing if they could pull off both male and female fashion.”
“Huh?”
As Ivano stared in astonishment, Dahlia quietly explained.
“Lucia’s older brother once said that her lovers are fabric, lace, and ribbons.”
“...I can see that.”
“If you go out with her, you’ll inevitably become her dress-up doll.”
“Dahlia, you’re tall and have a great frame, so clothes look good on you. I’m glad you’ve started wearing outfits that suit you and even doing your makeup. How about spending a whole day with me next time?”
Lucia said this while meticulously noting down fabric details on the paper.
“I’ll think about it.”
“Come on, it’ll be fun. We can stay at the magical tool shop all morning, and then hit the clothing stores in the afternoon.”
“Afternoons are longer than mornings though.”
“Well, there aren’t as many magical tool shops, and they’re smaller. There’s not as much to see, right?”
“The number and size of the shops don’t matter. Magical tools take time to examine one by one.”
“But with clothes, there’s lingerie, shoes, and accessories too. That takes even more time.”
“Magical tools also come in all sorts of varieties—things for home use, outdoor use, combat use. Even similar items have different specifications, so they take time to inspect.”
Dahlia realized she had gotten a little too worked up and paused.
Across from her, Ivano was smiling with just his eyes.
“Then let’s make it fair—one day for each. First, we’ll visit the magical tool shops you want, and then next time, we’ll do clothes. In the morning, we’ll get ready at my place with makeup and outfits, and then hit the stores in the afternoon. Sound good?”
“Lucia, how many outfits are you planning to make me try on?”
“As many as I can, obviously.”
Whether this was a conversation typical of young female friends or one befitting a magical tool maker and a fashion designer, it was hard to say. The seemingly endless discussion showed no signs of wrapping up.
Ivano smiled softly and leaned back against the seat.
“Ah, this must be what they mean by ‘birds of a feather flock together.’”
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