Break

"Finally she came."

Opening a tailor shop was not a random decision. It was made with Christa's personality type in mind.

A girl who doesn't care what people think of her and enjoys doing what she wants, if she finds something she likes, will enjoy it even if they tell her not to.

"And she has great taste in fashion."

Despite her attitude, Christa shared a love of clothes like the vast majority of Rosenheim ladies. So she often visited tailor shops that caught her eye.

"The surest way to meet her was this."

Approaching her directly was not a good idea. It would have drawn the attention of the Schmetterling family, and things would get complicated. Therefore, I could only rely on my ability to sew garments and get her attention through my tailoring.

"It was a plan that relied quite a bit on luck, but it seems to have worked."

Leading Christa to the back of the store, I showed her the various designs we had on display; she looked at them all with a smile as she examined them carefully.

"Very good quality fabric; it's quite soft."

"In addition to aesthetics, we also focus on consumer comfort."

"That's a very good guideline; some sell suits that look spectacular but are hell to wear."

She said with a chuckle before turning and looking at me.

"Everything seems to be pretty good; I'd like to place an order with them."

"Alright, this way, please."

At my comment, Christa didn't move and looked at me with a strange look on her face.

"You don't seem to know who I am."

"I really do; it's hard not to recognize someone with your features."

"Haha, I guess I do."

Instead of getting angry or offended at the comment, Christa laughed good-naturedly.

"So it's okay then? I don't have a very good reputation to speak of."

Christa not only had a bad reputation in her family but in the noble circle in general, this because of her sharp tongue and laidback behaviors that were not fit for a member of the nobility. And that, added to her constant skirmishes with the sons of local nobles, led her to be seen in a bad light.

Because of this, many tailors did not want to accept her orders, as they did not want to get into trouble with the nobles of the city, which could lead her store to ruin. So in many situations, she used to go in disguise or without telling anyone to some stores to get clothes.

This time she didn't do that because she visited the tailor shop on a whim. She would see if the costumes made were really of good quality and try to order something.

But she didn't expect the owner to accept her so easily, knowing her reputation.

"Well, there is a saying that a certain successful businessman always said."

I said as I looked at her with a smile.

"Race, ethnicity, skin color, reputation—none of that matters, as long as you have the money."

Christa looked at me dumbfounded for a few seconds before bursting out laughing.

"Hahahahahaha, that's something a money lover would say."

"And boy, did he love money."

Money was that businessman's favorite thing, as for who he was? Well.

I was myself.

After laughing for several seconds, Christa managed to calm down and spoke while wiping a tear from the corner of her eye.

"Haha, it's okay; I have the money, so could you make me a garment?"

Her gaze upon seeing me had changed. Now, instead of being indifferent, she seemed more friendly.

"Gladly, this way, please."

I took Christa to Livia, or well, Mari, to take her measurements. Once that was done, we began to discuss about the design of the outfit she wanted.

"High boots to below the knees, black pants and shirt, and finally a white colored coat with raven feathers on top, hmm, you would look good in this."

"Ay, you flatter me; it's a design I've had in my head for a long time but never got around to trying."

"I can do it; since I already completed my previous orders, it will take me about a week and a half to complete."

"Wow, that's pretty quick."

"My hands are skilled."

Once everything needed for the suit was discussed, Christa said she had to go now. He invited her for a cup of tea, but she declined, though before she left she said that if the offer still stood she would come over tomorrow for cups.

"It seems the first approach was successful."

In the brief encounter they had, he seemed to have managed to please Christa.

"I'll get her to trust me little by little, and then when we're close enough, I'll tell her my plan."

If things went well, maybe he could settle everything before the festival.

***

At the same time Arthur was putting his plans into action, Kein's group was searching for him all over town.

"We got nothing again."

Leticia said in a tired voice as she leaned back on a bench.

It had been two days now, and they still didn't have a single clue as to Arthur's whereabouts. They asked guards and passersby, but no one seemed to have seen him.

"How the hell did he hide so well?"

"Maybe he already left the city?"

Suggested Akiyama, who was resting under the shade of a tree.

"No, that can't be; there have been no carriages leaving the city in the last few days; they are all preparing for the festival that is close to coming."

Beatrice, who was sitting next to Leticia, quickly dismissed Akiyama's theory.

"But then where the hell is he?"

Alexander asked with annoyance.

At first they thought it would be an easy mission; after all, they only had to catch Arthur, someone who was neither particularly smart nor discreet. Therefore, even if he was hiding, they thought that with a little investigation and help from the guards they would manage to track him down and capture him. But two days of arduous searching had already passed, and they still hadn't found anything.

Freydis, seeing the somber aura surrounding the group, finally spoke up.

"How about we call it a day and take the afternoon off?"

Hearing her suggestion, the group members turned to look at her.

"I don't know..."

Beatriz said with a complicated tone, After all, they had come to the city not on vacation but on a mission to catch a criminal. Spending a whole afternoon doing nothing just didn't seem right.

"Come on, we're all tired, aren't we? Let's just take a little break so we can give it our all tomorrow."

Freydis said with a smile and bright eyes, as if begging them to accept.

The group looked at her with complicated expressions, wondering if they should accept the offer to take the afternoon off or continue searching for clues.

"I'm done with this nonsense; I'm off to do something more useful."

Suddenly a voice was heard, and when they looked, they could see Alexander walking away.

"H-hey, wait!"

"Well, that confirms it; let's go!"

Beatrice, seeing him walking away, wanted to stop him but was stopped by Freydis, who grabbed her arm and started dragging her away.

Leticia just watched them and followed in silence. After all, she too was tired and wanted to take a little break.

With everyone gone, Kein and Akiyama were left alone. There was Kein somewhat nervous, as he didn't know how to deal with him.

"So, um... are you going somewhere?"

"Well, I haven't had a chance to see the rose garden yet; I guess I'll go there."

"Oh, that's good; then, um, have a good one."

"Yeah, you too."

And with that awkward goodbye, they parted ways.

***

"I don't know, Freydis."

Leticia, Freydis, and Beatriz were walking through the colorful streets of the city of Rosenheim, with Beatriz still seeming hesitant to take an afternoon off.

"Come on, Beatriz, a job done by a tired person never turns out well."

"I think Freydis is right about this, princess; you've been working too hard."

"But..."

As they walked, Freydis' eyes found themselves drawn to a pastry shop from which a delicious fragrance was wafting.

"Oh, that place looks good!"

She immediately grabbed Beatrice by the arm and dragged her to the pastry shop. Once inside, the delicious aroma became more intense, attacking their noses.

"...It does smell good."

At such a sweet smell, Beatriz couldn't help but drool a little.

"Let's go buy some pastries. I brought my purse, so money is no problem!"

Freydis said enthusiastically. Beatriz watched her and then turned to look at Leticia, who was also looking at her with an expectant look.

"I guess a cake wouldn't be bad."

" Yay!"

At Beatriz's confirmation, Freydis immediately took her to see what cakes they should buy.

***

Meanwhile, on the other side of town, in a forest, was Alexander sitting in a lotus position.

"This thing is annoying."

He said as he looked at a bracelet that was attached to his wrist.

Before heading to Rosenheim, Takehiko had given him this bracelet.

"Put this on and don't take it off during the mission; if I find out you took it off, I'll give you a pat down when you get back."

That's all he said before turning and leaving without further explanation.

"That fucking bastard."

Once he put the bracelet on, he could feel his mana being immediately sealed, only being able to use a small part of it, and even that small part was extremely difficult to manipulate. It was like trying to climb a steep hill, carrying 100 kg of weight on each limb.

"Fu~"

Letting out a sigh, Alexander closed his eyes and tried to circulate his mana.

It was extremely difficult.

It was like trying to swim against a raging current; even though he tried to move forward, an enormous force pulled him backwards.

"Whew!"

Letting out a heavy sigh, Alexander opened his eyes, sweat running down his body.

Two hours.

That was how long he had been trying to circulate his mana, but even after all that time, he had only managed to muster enough to cast a mediocre second-degree spell.

" Dammit!"

Dissatisfied with his results, Alexander resumed his position and tried again to circulate his mana.

What this one didn't know was that if a normal mage had put on that bracelet, he wouldn't be able to use his mana at all, and even if he could, it would take him almost a day to gather the amount of mana needed to cast a fireball that would be no different than a candle flame.

But there was no need to tell himself that.

***

Woosh-! Woosh-! Woosh-!

With the sound of the wind being cut, Kein brandished his sword with pressure.

He didn't know the city at all; he didn't want to disturb the girls on his way out. Akiyama seemed to enjoy being alone more, and Alexander... well, let's just say things wouldn't have gone very well.

So, the only thing he could think to do to make the most of the time was to train his sword skills.

Woosh-! Woosh-! Woosh-!

[■■■■■]

"Ugh, that feeling again."

Kein stopped the swinging of his sword and pressed his temple with his fingers.

Ever since he had left the academy... No, ever since he had fought the Fenrir in that test, Kein had felt strange; only that feeling intensified when he left the academy.

"Just ignore it."

With that resolve, Kein swung his sword again.

Woosh-! Woosh-! Woosh-!

[■■■■■■]

Woosh-! Woosh-! Woosh-!

[■■■■■■]

Woosh-! Woosh-! Woosh-!

"Eh?"

Kein stopped abruptly, but not because the sensation he felt bothered him but because he realized something.

"When did I...?"

Kein paid attention to his stance, which, despite not being noticeable to the naked eye, was completely different from before; even the grip on his sword had changed. These were things that a skilled swordsman like Kein would notice immediately, but he hadn't noticed until now.

"This is...better?"

His stance, which before, while fine, now felt much firmer and more stable; the grip on the hilt of his sword also felt much firmer. His shoulders, hips, head, ankles, everything had subtly shifted, creating a better posture than before

"It could be..."

Woosh-! Woosh-! Woosh-!

Kein swung his sword again.

[■■■■■]

"There it is."

The feeling that had been bothering him. This time he doesn't try to ignore it but instead concentrates on it as he brandishes his sword.

Woosh-! Woosh-! Woosh-!

[■■■■■■]

Left leg, a few inches further to the right and shoulders higher.

Woosh-! Woosh-! Woosh-!

[■■■■■■]

Wrist looser, movements more fluid, breathing more stable...

Woosh-! Woosh-! Woosh-! Woosh-!

[■■■■]

Sword centered, grip firm, shoulders high, legs in position, gaze steady, breathing steady.

Then.

[■]

Woosh-!

Lowering his sword, Kein drew a perfect straight line when he stopped his sword at the exact spot. A powerful gust of wind shook the vegetation around him, blowing away the petals of the flowers that were close to him

"Ha...Ha...Ha...Ha!"

With sweat pouring down his face, Kein wore an expression of utter surprise. He looked at his sword in amazement and muttered something that was carried away by the wind.

"A voice?"

***

"Tch! Stupid Cyclops, in the end she didn't go to see the headmaster, and they ended up scolding me."

Dorothea complained as she walked down the street.

Her stupid big sister hadn't listened to her and, as usual, went off to do whatever she wanted.

"Really, if she keeps this up, she'll end up getting kicked out of the family."

While she might like that, she always talks about how she wants to leave everything behind and leave town.

"But...what am I going to do if she leaves?"

Stupid sister, never paying attention to those around her.

Feeling increasingly angry, Dorothea increased the pace of her steps, and before she knew it, she was in front of the city park.

"I ended up heading here unconsciously...".

This was the most famous park in the city. That was because it contained the most famous attraction in it, the rose garden.

"Well, as long as we're here."

Whenever she felt upset or really overwhelmed, Dorothea always visited the rose garden; it was something that helped her calm down.

Entering the park, she could see a large number of people, mostly foreigners or tourists; they were all busy in the stores buying souvenirs or rose garden-themed food.

Ignoring all this, Dorothea continued walking and entering the park, passing the noisy crowd; finally she arrived in front of a fence, and what she was looking for appeared in front of her eyes.

A huge field where beautiful roses of vibrant red were gathered as far as the eye could see. As the wind was especially strong today, there were several petals flying through the air, adding more charm to the fabulous views.

But this was not enough.

Walking through the crowd, Dorothea slipped away, making sure not to be seen. As she had done this countless times, she already knew a safe path through which she could pass.

She continued walking until she found a part where the fence was broken. Cautiously, she approached and stepped over the fence through the gap.

"I'm surprised they never fixed this; well, the garden is huge, so they couldn't possibly control everything."

The rose garden was exceptionally large, stretching across hundreds of miles. So, despite having a large staff looking after it, they weren't able to monitor the whole garden.

It is thanks to this that Dorothea was able to wander into an area where there were no people around.

Breathing the fresh air adorned with the pleasant scent of roses, she felt all the worries that flooded her mind disappear.

Twirling around like a child but making sure not to damage any roses, Dorothea was relieved of all her worries. This went on until she accidentally tripped over something.

"Ack!"

She fell to the ground, but fortunately the roses broke her fall.

"What was it...?"

Thinking she might have tripped over a rock, Dorothea flew up to look, but what she saw was something that was completely out of tune with the scenery around her.

Long black hair that waved eerily in the wind, extremely pale skin, and amethyst eyes stared back at her.

"Ah..."

Dorothea paled and frozen.

'A...A ghoooooost!!!'

She was about to scream, but a strong gust of wind caused the petals of the roses around her to rise gracefully into the sky, dancing to the rhythm of the wind. At the same time, the abundant black hair that covered most of the 'ghost's' face was pushed aside by the wind, allowing Dorothea to see his face.

'A...A handsome ghoooooost!!!'

The 'ghost' was extremely handsome. His features were fine and his pale skin only added a touch of delicacy and vulnerability, like a delicate flower that could fall apart if handled too harshly.

'What the hell, He's totally my type!'

Dorothea couldn't help but blush at the appearance of the 'ghost' who exactly met her preferences.

As Dorothea sank deeper into her emotions, not knowing whether to feel scared or embarrassed, the 'ghost' held out his hand to her and asked in a soft tone.

"Are you all right?"

Dorothea, who until a few moments ago was being overwhelmed by her conflicting emotions, went blank at the sound of the 'ghost's' voice, taking a few seconds to compose herself.

"Y-yes! I'm perfectly fine!"

She said as she stood up hurriedly.

"No, wait! Who are you!? What are you doing here!?"

She asked hurriedly as she pointed at him.

"I'm Akiyama Fujita, and as for what I'm doing here, well..."

Suddenly, the 'ghost' who seemed to be called Akiyama Fujita lowered his head and seemed hesitant to answer the second question, but after a while he answered with a red face while fiddling with his fingers.

"'I got lost...'"

At such behavior and attitude, Dorothea could only think of one thing.

'How cuuuuute!'

The 'ghost' in front of her started to look extremely adorable, but she quickly shook those thoughts away.

"I-I see, well, you shouldn't be here anyway."

She shouldn't be here either, but there was no need to tell her that.

"I understand, but would you allow me to stay a little longer? I find the roses in this place extremely beautiful."

The 'ghost' suddenly asked. Dorothea felt that if she said no now, then he would leave without insisting further, but his extremely sincere tone and looks made it hard for her to refuse.

"Fine! But just for a little while!"

So she ended up'reluctantly' agreeing.

"Thank you very much."

The 'ghost' thanked her with a bright smile, and Dorothea had to turn her head so he wouldn't see her blush.

But then, unable to contain herself, she glanced sideways at the 'ghost' who was now squatting down looking at the roses and stroking their petals. This scene seemed very out of place: a gloomy 'ghost' was admiring the flowers in a large and colorful rose garden, but, for some reason, this scene did not seem at all unpleasant to Dorothea.

"Do you like flowers?"

After looking at him secretly for a while, she asked him a question that she herself doesn't know why she asked.

"Yes, I like them very much; they help me relax."

"I also usually come to look at the flowers to relax."

Dorothea then walked over and squatted down beside the 'ghost' to admire the roses.

"Do you have a favorite kind of flower?"

"Hmm, well, I wouldn't say my favorite, but I think orchids are very beautiful."

"I like violas, although I never really saw one, but from the pictures I managed to see in books, it seems to be a very pretty flower."

"In my hometown, they grew a lot of those."

"Oh, really?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact, my parents, upon seeing the color of my eyes..."

And so before she knew it, Dorothea abandoned all shyness and was engrossed in a lively talk about flowers.

This free afternoon served the students well to calm their minds and relax, or even to improve themselves and reach new heights.

But all in all, if there was anyone who was not having such a good time this afternoon, it was certainly Johann Schneider, the owner of a certain tailor's shop that has been gaining a lot of fame lately for its beautiful quality garments.

And that was due to the customers who had just entered his store—three beautiful, stunning-looking young ladies.

One with golden hair and blue eyes.

Another with blonde hair, thick eyelashes, and green eyes.

And also a silver-haired elf who was giving him an intense stare.

"Welcome, how can I help you?"

But despite the difficulties, a good businessman always has to go ahead with a smile and continue with his work.

But seriously.

What the hell are they doing here?