Demonstration (3)

Two weeks before the banquet.

Reed was choosing clothes in his room with Phoebe.

"Hmm...."

Magicians typically have extreme physiques.

Either very fat, or bone thin.

Among them, there was a man like Helios, the Master of Sky Chamber Tower, who had a large and muscular physique, but it was extremely rare.

Reed Adeleheights Roton was originally one of the extreme physiques like other magicians.

However, he began to train his body to adapt to the Magnesium Gauntlet, and now he has a sturdy body like a swordsman trainee.

Phoebe, who was checking Reed's clothes, spoke with a troubled face.

"As expected, none of the clothes fit."

"It was okay when I wore my uniform."

"Well, I always prepare your uniform."

A question arose in Reed's head at her words.

"Is there a difference in preparing?"

"If I think it might fit, I give you a size larger."

Reed was inwardly surprised.

Preparing clothes was Phoebe's job, but he had never imagined she would prepare so meticulously.

'I thought she only did laundry...'

He wasn't sure whether to like it or not.

Phoebe, taking out clothes from the wardrobe, said.

"Anyway, you should call a tailor to make a new suit."

"That seems better. Rosaria will also need a suit."

"Oh, is the young lady going with you?"

"Experience is important. Don't notify her in advance. I will tell her."

"Yes~."

Phoebe was grinning, possibly happy about Rosaria's participation.

"I plan to make a request. Do you have any specific designer or tailor in mind?"

"No, I'll trust your judgment this time."

"My, my judgment...."

When everything was completely entrusted to her, Phoebe felt pressured.

However, she soon shouted with a confident voice as if she couldn't succumb to such pressure.

"I will bring a good tailor, even if I have to beat them up!"

Beat them up.

Her words sounded odd, but it was clear she was going to give her best.

"...What kind of design do you want?"

It's only natural for the protagonist of the party to draw attention.

But Reed did not want to be noticed at that banquet.

"Make it calm. I don't like anything too flashy."

"Hmm, then shall I ask them to make a dress uniform in the style of the one you're wearing now?"

"That sounds good. For Rosaria, ask for something similar to what other 7-year-olds wear."

"Understood~."

Phoebe nodded her head.

"And we need to make another suit."

"What kind of clothes are you talking about?"

"Clothes for a woman in her twenties."

Upon hearing that, Phoebe's face flushed and her mouth flapped like the lid of a boiling kettle.

"Could it be, that I, I have the honor of going too...?"

"...?"

"Phew, but... there are people who are afraid of me, and I still haven't found someone capable of managing the tower, what if I leave my post as the tower's deputy..."

'What is she talking about?'

Seeing Phoebe run away with her thoughts, Reed shook his head and said,

"It's not for you, it's for the princess of the HupperKingdom, Adonis Hupper."

"Ah...!"

"She might not have a dress for the party, so it'd be nice to gift her one."

"Ah, that makes sense...."

Phoebe's face turned bright red as she realized she had jumped to conclusions.

Phoebe, patting her own face, asked Reed,

"What about her dress? Should it also be subtle...."

"No, make it flashy. Her body is overall slim, so a dress that can accentuate her figure would be good."

"A dress that can accentuate her figure... Understood."

Phoebe remembered Reed's words and thought of Adonis Hupfer.

'She was a beautiful woman.'

She was a woman who would suit any dress with her bright blonde hair and green eyes as if holding a forest.

She looked somewhat masculine in armor, but she was a woman whose slender figure seemed to suit any clothing.

Hearing Reed's words about giving a dress to such a woman, Phoebe was caught in a strange sense of jealousy.

On the other hand, Reed was thinking about the banquet.

'The banquet is filled with nobles, so manners are even more important.'

He had etiquette ingrained in his body, if not in his head, but this was the first time meeting an unspecified number of people.

If he said he wasn't nervous, it would be a lie.

'There's music, so there will be dancing....'

Dancing is not something one does alone but with a female partner.

Reed tried to imagine himself dancing with a woman, but the image wouldn't form properly.

Practice is essential to show a perfect performance!

Reed turned his head and said to Phoebe,

"Phoebe."

"Yes....?"

"Do you know how to dance?"

"Huh? Oh, I remember a dance I learned a long time ago."

"That's fortunate. I was in need of a practice partner, you can help me with that."

"Me?"

Phoebe, whose aura of jealousy had completely dissipated, looked at Reed with sparkling golden eyes, asking again in surprise.

It seemed like she might have misunderstood something, so Reed explained to her in more detail.

"I haven't danced in a while. If I accidentally step on my partner's foot, it would be a huge discourtesy. I was hoping you, being familiar with dance, could assist me."

"Can, can I really do that? I'm not that great at dancing either...."

There were definitely people who were better dancers.

Or there were instructors who taught the dances of the nobility, he could have learned from them.

But Reed didn't want to let other people know about this.

If he had to tell, he wanted to tell only the people closest to him.

Right now, the person closest to Reed, both physically and mentally, was Phoebe.

Of course, excluding Rosaria.

"It has to be you."

It has to be you.

Those words echoed in Phoebe's head.

"Phoebe?"

"Uh, uh...."

The clothes she was holding slipped and fell.

But Phoebe didn't care at all.

It has to be you.

That sentence filled Phoebe's mind completely.

After standing blankly for three minutes, Phoebe finally opened her mouth.

"Even..."

"Even?"

Tears rolled down Phoebe's flushed cheeks.

"Even if I die, I'll have no regrets."

Reed merely found Phoebe's crying strange.

Reed informed Rosaria that he would be attending a banquet.

Contrary to what he thought would be great excitement, Rosaria tilted her head.

"What's a banquet? Is it something to eat?"

It was a word she was hearing for the first time.

"It's like throwing a party. You meet many people there, eat food, and dance."

"A party! A place where you eat and dance!"

Finally, she reacted as he had anticipated.

She tugged at Reed's sleeve, throwing out the questions that were in her head without hesitation.

"Will the prince be there?"

"The prince will be there. He's about the same age as Rosaria."

"The same age?"

"A kid just like Rosaria. You might be able to make friends."

"Friends!"

At the word 'friends', Rosaria cheered and started jumping up and down.

She looked like she wanted to rush to Cohen right now.

"Can Rosaria be friends with the prince?"

"Of course. But to do that, from now on, you have to listen well to what the other sisters say, understand?"

"Yes!"

Rosaria, puffing her nose, nodded her head.

She had learned some manners through other magicians, but having never really applied them, she had certainly forgotten everything.

And the magicians, knowing this fact, were ready to jump in and re-educate her.

Those who carried the name Roton were expected to garner attention in the Silence Tower.

Especially as Rosaria was the most anticipated talent and the daughter of the tower master, any critique related to manners could impact the tower's master.

No doubt, driven by the responsibility to prevent any disgrace to the tower master's reputation, they would be stricter in educating Rosaria than before.

***

Adonis Hupperwas on her knees in the royal chamber, waiting for the king's words.

Adonis, kneeling, harbored doubts about the current situation.

'Why did he summon me?'

Indeed, it was the first personal call in several years.

Simply performing her duties like any other knight, and reporting was all her life had been.

Being not of royal status, she didn't have as many conversations with her father, Morgan, as other fathers and daughters do.

If there was something to report, she would report it, and they maintained a minimum distance while carrying out their respective tasks.

That was the current relationship between the king and her.

Therefore, this summons was both worrying and exciting.

"Adonis."

At Morgan's words, Adonis responds.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"Have you heard the news of the banquet being held?"

"Yes, I have. I have been informed that I will be taking up the task of escorting at the event."

Then Morgan shook his head and spoke.

"The escort and security will be entrusted to other knights."

"Then?"

"You will also participate in the banquet."

"The banquet... You mean?"

Adonis was a bit taken aback.

She doubted her ears, wondering if she had misheard.

"This banquet is the occasion to introduce my proud daughter."

For the first time since becoming a knight, she felt a fluttering sensation.

Her jade-colored eyes slowly welled up.

"Thank you for bestowing me with such honor, Your Majesty."

"No, I'm rather sorry that I couldn't provide such an opportunity until now."

Morgan had treated Adonis more as a knight than as his daughter so far.

'I have been recognized.'

That's what Adonis thought.

She put her hand over her heart in joy and bowed.

"As Adonis Hupper, the commander of the Third Knight Division, I will never disappoint you, Your Majesty."

After finishing the royal audience, Adonis returned to her room, trying hard to suppress her pounding heart.

Once she was back, her mind had calmed down.

"Ah."

The sight of her room spread out before her eyes.

Sword, shield, and plate armor.

On the desk, there were tools and oil for metal maintenance.

The only somewhat feminine item in sight was an aroma candle to remove the smell of oil.

'Looking at it... I don't have anything a woman would normally have.'

Just a few dozen minutes ago, she could not have imagined that she would be attending the banquet.

Of course, she didn't have a dress to wear to the party.

'I need to get one made.'

Just as she thought that, a palace maid came into Adonis's room carrying a bundle of something.

"Excuse me, Commander. Tower Master Reed Adeleheights Roton has sent a gift."

"Isn't he... the Master of the Tower of Silence?"

Adonis knew that name well.

"He said he thought you might not have a proper dress and sent this gift."

"... I see. Leave it and go."

The maid left the clothes on the bed and went back outside.

Adonis admired Reed's swift action.

'How did he see my situation so accurately?'

Adonis checked the item sent to her.

A dress that fits her body perfectly.

There were even jade accessories to enhance the dress.

'How did he know that I would be attending this banquet?'

Even if he knew, why would he send such an item?

The only conversation she had with the Master of the Tower of Silence was about the Starfall Village.

There were no other points of contact, so this favor was questionable.

'The banquet itself is a demonstration by the Master of the Tower, so... he may be preparing for all possibilities.'

She usually dressed like a man in armor or uniform, so he could have guessed what her wardrobe might be like.

Even with these doubts, Adonis couldn't take her eyes off the dress.

The dress he sent captivated her, a knight, at first sight.

'It's beautiful.'

She didn't know how she would look in it, but it was a dress that would undoubtedly shine if worn by another woman.

She wondered if she really could wear it, to the point where she couldn't easily reach out for it.

For now, Adonis hung the dress and accessories in the closet.

"Hmm?"

Something she had not noticed earlier came into Adonis's sight.

It was a glass bottle of a color distinctly different from the clothes and accessories sent by Reed.

"Is it perfume?"

She opened the upscale bottle and smelled it.

A unique and soft fragrance of sharp cinnamon and gentle rose wafted out strongly.

And there was a very small note attached to the bottle.

-For your successful debut.