Chapter 5:Clothes

"You look really tired. Did you stay up late playing games again?" Jack rolled his eyes. His coworker Rick was as annoying as ever. "Like I told you, if you keep this up, you'll end up in the hospital from exhaustion."

"Thank you, Mom." This time, Rick rolled his eyes. "Take my words seriously, Jack. This is no joke."

Jack sighed. "I appreciate your concern, but Otome Games are life."

Rick didn't care anymore. He knew he couldn't convince Jack. After a brief glance at him, Rick sighed. "You're buying me dinner tonight."

"Why?!?"

"Because I've been buying food for 3 weeks," Rick said. Jack scratched his head in embarrassment. "Tch, fine, I'll pay."

Rick flashed a satisfied smile and then went back to work.

"We can leave in half an hour." Jack sighed, thinking about the bill he'd have to pay. Still, a promise was a promise.

Half an hour later, they arrived at a fast-food place near work.

"Seriously?" Rick raised an eyebrow. "We're really eating at a burger joint?"

Jack ignored Rick's disappointed expression and patted growling stomach. "I said I'd treat you, but I didn't say where we'd go."

Rick sighed. It was 5:30. He checked his watch and shook his head. "Fine, whatever. After all, you're paying."

Rick laughed and entered the fast-food place, with Jack following behind.

"What would you like, sir?" Jack looked at the cashier and smiled. "Two of the cheapest hamburgers, please."

Rick turned his head in embarrassment, giving the cashier an apologetic look. He could only curse Jack silently.

"They'll be ready in five minutes, sir. Would you like a drink with that?" Rick wanted to order before Jack could speak, but Jack was quicker. "Two waters, please."

The cashier nodded, and Jack and Rick sat at one of the empty tables.

"Do you really have to be this stingy?"

"My granddad doesn't pay my rent, so I need to save up." Jack said nonchalantly. "Come on. Only God knows how much money you have on that credit card."

Rick didn't believe him. He had seen Jack's house. He had an excellent computer system, thousands of games. "You know, just your PC alone is a £10,000 system. Are you really poor?"

"I really am poor," Jack said as he rubbed his stomach. Rick leaned back against the table and rested. "Your order is ready."

Jack picked up the food and asked the price. "£12, sir."

Jack paid the bill and then bit into his burger greedily. Ketchup dripped onto his hand, but he kept eating.

Unlike Jack, Rick ate more gentlemanly. "Can't you eat like a human being?"

"That's how you eat a burger," Jack replied after swallowing his food.

Shortly after finishing their meal, at 6:00, Jack and Rick parted ways.

On his way home, Jack bought 10 packs of noodles, 2 sodas, and some snacks, arriving home 10 minutes later.

As he opened the door, Jack breathed in the familiar scent of his home, took a deep breath, and smiled. "There's no place like home..."

Jack placed the sodas and noodles in the fridge and sat down at his computer, waiting for it to boot up.

Two minutes later, after it started, he selected the game from his game folders and launched it.

Upon entering the game, the first thing he did was check what had happened. In the short time within the game, 3 days had passed.

Morrigan still had 3 days left before going to the Academy. During this period, she should have received good training from Thomas.

"After all, Thomas's teaching ability is extraordinary." In the game, Thomas was not only training people but also selecting individuals from among the Nobles or the common folk and inviting them to the Hades Sect.

During this time, Thomas provided the basic training.

"Let's see what Morrigan is up to." Jack focused on Morrigan. She was undergoing Mana control training from Thomas, who was astonished by her theoretical knowledge.

"Lady, relax and don't think about anything," Thomas said. "Keep it up, and you'll master Mana control in no time."

"Stop talking, I can't concentrate because of you." Morrigan's brows furrowed in frustration. Thomas's voice was distracting her.

Morrigan, who had been trying to control her Mana for 2 hours, was drenched in sweat.

Instead of her Gothic society attire, she was wearing more casual clothes, and her hair was tied in a low ponytail.

Jack had to admit that Morrigan looked very beautiful.

"That's what matters, Lady." Thomas explained like an expert. "No matter what happens, don't let anything break your concentration. In Mage battles, your opponent won't give you time to control your Mana."

Morrigan nodded. Thomas looked at her with a satisfied smile. "Do you remember what I taught you?"

"Yes," Morrigan said. "In a fight between Mages, it's not the one with the most Mana who wins, but the one who can control their Mana best."

"Well done," Thomas applauded. "Now, what you need to do is control the Impure Mana produced by my Soul."

Thomas continued. "If you can't do that, don't even think about using Pure Mana."

Morrigan raised an eyebrow. "But aren't Pure Mana and Impure Mana the same?"

Thomas, upon hearing Morrigan's question, denied it. "Spells created from Pure Mana are much stronger. To give you an example, it's as different as a God is from a human."

Morrigan was surprised. "Is it really that powerful?"

Thomas rested his chin on his hand thoughtfully. "Pure Mana is something even stronger than the Mana of Gods. It comes with its own dangers."

"If you can't control Pure Mana well enough, the spell will backfire," Thomas explained. "Someone who can masterfully control Pure Mana can even kill Low-Class Gods."

Morrigan leaned back, resting, and absorbed the new information. "So, how strong are you?"

Thomas smiled at this question. "There are very few people in this world who could be my rival."

Morrigan looked at Thomas with curiosity. "Who are they?"

"First, there was a woman named Isolde." When talking about Isolde, Thomas looked down nostalgically. "Even though she was blind, she managed to land a blow on me."

Morrigan tried to remember who Isolde was. She recalled reading her name in a book. A sudden memory struck Morrigan. "Wait, is that blind woman the Priestess of Roses?!"

"Bingo, you hit the nail on the head," Thomas said cheerfully. "That woman was really a challenge for me."

"Thomas, can you kill a God?" Morrigan asked seriously. Although Thomas was surprised by the question, he adjusted his glasses and answered. "Yes, if it's a Mid-Class God."

Thomas, seeing Morrigan's serious expression, was puzzled. "What are you thinking, Lady?"

"Didn't you say Isolde was as strong as you?" Thomas nodded. "Yes."

"What about the Light Goddess?" Morrigan asked. "How strong is the Light Goddess?"

"If even her believer is this strong, how powerful must she be?" Thomas chuckled. "Good question, Lady."

"Probably strong enough to destroy the world," Thomas said but clapped his hands and stopped Morrigan from asking more questions. "You still have 3 hours of training. That's enough questions for now."

Morrigan nodded, assumed her position, and closed her eyes. She would meditate for the next 3 hours.

******

As the sun's rays entered the room, Maria entered her lady's quarters and gently called out to the still-sleeping Morrigan. "My Lady, it's time."

Morrigan opened her sleepy eyes, brushing away the strands of hair that had fallen on her face. "Is the bath ready?"

"Yes, My Lady. It's prepared," Maria said with a bow. Morrigan nodded and pulled herself out of bed.

After entering the bathroom and being cleaned by Maria, her hair was brushed, and she dressed.

Maria stroked Morrigan's beautiful and clean hair, unable to resist complimenting it. "Your hair is so beautiful, My Lady."

"Really?" It was the first time Morrigan had heard a compliment about her hair. She touched it and looked at Maria in the mirror. "Is my hair truly beautiful?"

Maria covered her mouth with one hand and took a strand of Morrigan's hair. "It's incredibly soft and silky, like Elven silk."

Although Morrigan's eyes remained emotionless, she felt a quiet joy inside. "Your hair is beautiful too, Maria."

Maria shyly turned her head and offered a gentle smile. "Thank you, My Lady."

At the sound of a knock, Thomas's voice was heard. "My Lady, the carriage is ready."

"My Lady, are you excited about getting new clothes?" Maria asked Morrigan. Morrigan's only response was to stare blankly at Maria. "Why should I be excited? It's just a piece of clothing, isn't it?"

"No, no! Every woman should care for herself and wear beautiful clothes!" Maria said, waving her hand in a gentle yet firm tone.

"Does that include me?" Morrigan's question made Maria pause for a moment. Why didn't the Lady behave like a typical woman?

"My Lady, you deserve the finest clothes and jewelry! Please, don't underestimate yourself!" Morrigan was surprised by Maria's words.

"Isn't that just a waste?" Maria looked down sadly. Lady Morrigan had never lived the life a woman should.

"My Lady, I will make this the best day for you!" With sudden determination, Maria grabbed Morrigan's arm and pulled her along.

Before Morrigan could understand what was happening, she was being dragged away by Maria.

When Morrigan set off in the carriage, she had to calm Maria down. After half an hour, Maria's excitement finally subsided.

They were heading toward the city of Velorya, the closest city to Morrigan's mansion. Velorya was a city governed by Count Aldric Valenor, known for being a fair and cultured man. Additionally, Velorya was famous for its fashion and mining industries.

However, it was not a place frequently visited by nobles. Nobles believed that shopping in the same place as commoners would damage their reputation. Therefore, Velorya was considered a fashion paradise for the middle class.

The Valeron family, who had been in the fashion business for 250 years, once gifted a high-end garment to the king of the time. Impressed by the garment, the king granted the Valeron family the title of baron and a small piece of land. Through the efforts of the Valeron family, that small piece of land transformed into the famous city of Velorya.

One reason nobles looked down upon the Valeron family was due to their common origins. As a result, the Valeron family had little interaction with other nobles, except for those from the Thornvile Duchy.

When the carriage stopped, Maria opened the door. "My Lady, we have arrived."

As Maria guided Morrigan, the surrounding crowd took notice. Morrigan, stepping out of a luxurious carriage, drew all eyes toward her.

When they arrived at Velorya's most famous fashion store, Morrigan was the only customer inside. The reason for this was simple: the store had been closed for a day in preparation for Morrigan's visit. This was due to a basic fact: a noble could spend more in a single shopping trip than a thousand middle-class people.

"Welcome to my humble shop, My Lady. I am Amelia," said a middle-aged woman with glasses and hair in a bun as she greeted Morrigan.

"I want 100 dresses," said Morrigan. Amelia's eyes widened in surprise at this request. She quickly turned to the staff behind her. "Bring out all the luxury dresses! Quickly, now!"

After a while, Morrigan and Maria began selecting from dozens of dresses. Morrigan was indifferent, but Maria struggled to find a dress that suited Morrigan. "My Lady, I can't find a dress that fits you perfectly, I'm so sorry."

"It doesn't matter, this many dresses are enough," Morrigan replied as Maria sighed in disappointment. Thomas chuckled and suggested, "Why not have a dress made from scratch?"

Hearing this, Maria felt a bit foolish, but her determination remained. "My Lady, I can create the most beautiful dress for you in three days," said Amelia, with a proud expression.

Maria's eyes sparkled with excitement. Then Amelia took Morrigan's measurements.

"The color should be black and blue. It shouldn't be too loose or too tight." As Morrigan listed her preferences, time seemed to fly by.

An hour later, as the sun illuminated everything, they left the shop.

"Let's return to the mansion," Morrigan said. Thomas nodded and drove the carriage back toward the estate.