I was more than satisfied by the suit. I didn’t even want him to change anything. With one look, he had created what seemed like the perfect suit for my appearance and personality.
But now, it was time to bite the bullet, so I asked.
“How much is this?”
“That depends on the material it will be made out of. If you want defensive properties capable of stopping Authority 6 attacks, this suit will cost about 500 thousand coin.”
“Ouch. Now, if I were in a situation to wear this suit, would I really need to rely on its defensive properties?”
“That depends on your own securities. I’ve tailored many knights and warlocks who fight in the suits and dresses they bring out of this place. Our pieces are more than capable of acting as a full set of armor, along with it bringing comfort, convenience, and style. So for someone like yourself, a summoner who may rely more on his armor, it might be wise to always be prepared.”
“Hm.”
I didn’t immediately agree, looking at the suit a bit more.
I had no intention of fighting in this thing. I had my coat for that. So I suppose my only hesitation in not asking for something less came from the fact that I didn’t want to seem cheap and sparing.
But when I looked at the other suits, I just shrugged.
“With Authority 4 defensive properties, how much are the second and third suits?”
“That would be 50 and 150 thousand coin respectively.”
“And the fourth with Authority 5 properties?”
“300 thousand.”
“Alright.”
Nodding, I looked to Umara. She was gawking at the prices, but I ignored that.
“What do you think about the latter three?”
“Hm? Oh, I have no issues with any of them. But try them on. I want to see you in them.”
“Mm.”
After I agreed, Hans went on to help me dress in the others. I also got to try out the color changing functions of the third suit.
In fact, after I dressed in them, he made a few other small alterations to make it fit me better.
Umara seemed satisfied, so after making sure I was good with everything, I decided to pull the trigger.
After redressing in my original clothes, I went back out.
“I’ll take the latter three.”
“Understood, sir. Follow me to finalize the sale.”
Hans led me out to another private room where Umara and I were seated for a few minutes.
We were served drinks and some snacks, of which I indulged, before Hans came back with a card.
“This card will be our method of contact. When your suits are finished, this card will flash gold. Come back with it, and you will receive your suits.”
“Alright.”
“Now, the total for your purchase today will be 500 thousand coin. If you don’t mind, please deposit the coin here.”
“Sure.”
With a nod, I took out my Platinum Card from the Polaris Bank. I then designated the amount to be taken out, and just like that, stacks of Gold Bullion were withdrawn.
I set them all on the table between us. Before long, 10 stacks of coin were arranged before us.
Before I could make the trade though, I felt Umara’s hand grab my arm.
“I-I’m sorry, Hans, but could we have a moment?”
“Hm?”
Hans looked up at Umara, then at me. I was confused, but nodded, prompting Hans to leave for a moment.
Once the door to the room closed, Umara spoke.
“John, you don’t have to get the suit. I am in fact going to bring you to noble gatherings. Events like the King’s Court Ball are included, even though you aren’t a noble. Simply being my boyfriend, or more like my potential husband, will demand your presence. But… I didn’t realize how much this was going to cost you. Look, we can get you suits for the occasions that come up. I don’t know how much you have, but there’s no way this isn’t a lot for you. Hell, it’s a lot for me. Only my mother has spent more than this in a single sitting, and she’s the Duchess.”
“...It should be fine.”
I smiled at her, thinking it was nice to have someone so considerate with me.
She looked worried, and I didn’t blame her. Though she didn’t know it, I was spending half of my savings on three pairs of clothing. Granted, these suits could be worn for the rest of my life. I may never have to buy another pair again, so this could be considered an investment.
But I was still buying this because of her. We’ve already had conversations about the events that we would be going to, and in fact, one of them would occur before our next trip out to a military base. That was only two weeks away.
But even so, I didn’t feel like I was making a mistake. If I had done something like this on Earth, people would think that I was moving way too fast with this girl and couldn’t think straight.
And I had never done something so drastic with or for a girl before. But that was because here, things were different.
The very fact that Umara had just called me a potential husband proved that. Here, relationships were taken far more seriously, especially with nobility. Hell, throughout history on Earth, it was also like that. Chastity and exclusivity were a given. People got married before or during their 20s, and there was hardly any such thing as a divorce since keeping the family together was more important than anything else.
Umara had also spoken to me about many of the noble customs and unwritten rules. I wanted to learn since I was getting involved, and basically, every relationship was a big deal. It represented new alliances, shifts in power structures, and the ushering of a new generation of powerful children.
And it was especially taboo to break commitments. Marriages were always final, divorce was unheard of, and to have sex and break up would ruin the reputation and prospects of the involved parties, including the parents.
So no relationship was started casually, and it sure as hell wasn’t advanced easily either. Every step forward took very careful consideration and would come with an increasing amount of strings and consequences.
What this told me is that Umara was taking me very seriously. I was her potential husband even though we had only been on a single date and had been cuddly for a month. While she was taking a lot of unseen pressure, she was still moving forward with me. And all I was doing was enjoying her.
So I saw this as an opportunity. I was investing in both high class garments as well as her. Because I too took her seriously.
Besides, I was never that afraid of spending money. If I knew that I could handle the expenditure, I didn’t hesitate much. And just because I was spending a large chunk of my savings didn’t mean I couldn’t handle it.
I sat there for a little while looking at Umara. Her slightly pale but beautiful face, her worried purple eyes, her ashy gray hair sloped in front of her shoulder.
I remembered how gorgeous she was in that purple dress during the date, how she stunned me into silence and made me look subpar.
And I decided that I should be more than capable of matching her. That was a matter of principle.
I smiled at her, taking her hand into my own.
“It’ll be fine. There’s no reason I shouldn’t be wearing them at some point, right?”
“R-Right. But it’s still 500 thousand coin for some suits. You could use that for so many other things, like armor to protect yourself.”
“That’s true, but it’s not like I’m going broke with this purchase. You want to know how much I have?”
“...”
She didn’t answer, probably because she didn’t want to pry into something personal. I could already tell that, despite being the daughter of a Duchess, she was money shy.
So I brought out my bank card, tapping it a few times and showing her the amount within my account even after withdrawing so much.
Her eyes widened.
530,446.
That was how much coin I had stored. What I had taken out was actually a bit less than half of my savings, though not by much.
I had spent months saving all that up, and now months of work was turning into three pairs of suits. But I didn’t mind all that much.
So after letting Umara see the number, I put the card away.
“You think we could find some good armor with that?”
“...Yea.”
“Alright.”
I smiled and stood, going to the door and bringing Hans back in.
Once he sat down, I motioned to the coin.
“Sorry about the delay. I’m going to get the suits.”
“Of course. Allow me to assure you that none of my clients have ever been dissatisfied. In this place, quality is placed above all else. And when you go to put on that suit for the first time, I know you won’t regret it.”
“Mm.”
I nodded and leaned back a bit. At the same time, Hans clapped, ushering in a butler who collected all the coin and left.
Then, we all stood, Hans and I shaking hands.
“Pleasure doing business with you, Mr. Cooper. If you ever need a couturier in the future, our doors will always be open. That includes the lady.”
“Thank you.”
With that, we were led out of the establishment.
It was a bit disorienting when we exited, going from absolute pitch black to normal daylight.
And once outside, I pulled Umara in and kissed her.
Her mouth opened, letting me in for a deep kiss that lasted only two seconds before I pulled away.
She looked at me, shocked and embarrassed.
“Why?”
“I just wanted to. Come on, we still got the whole day left. Good for a date.”
“O-Okay.”
She smiled and linked arms with me as we took a stroll through the market.
……
…
When morning of the next day came, I woke up a bit early and left the Magisterium.
I decided to stop by a certain apartment.
I arrived just as the sun began to rise above the horizon, making the sky a faint blue, light beginning to wash away the fatigue of the night.
And I waited outside the door. I seemed to have good timing, because not long later, Rayla appeared.
She stiffened a bit when she saw me, but I just smiled and waved.
“Hey.”
“Hey. What an unexpected surprise.”
“Well, I haven’t heard from you in almost two weeks. I thought I should check in.”
“...”
She was silent, standing there for a second before walking over and unlocking her door.
We both walked into the dark apartment. I couldn’t help but feel nostalgic as I looked around. It seemed the same, but it felt like I had last visited years ago.
The first thing that caught my eye though were the six empty wine bottles sitting on her counter.
It made me sigh. I knew she hadn’t taken it that well.
“Sorry about the mess.”
“It’s fine. How’s work been?”
“Well, same as always. Although exciting, things don’t exactly change much. Though, I’ve picked up a few jobs in the Trenches. Seriously, I don’t know how you managed all that time working there. I feel sick just thinking about that place.”
“I can’t say I had much choice. I guess I just because a bit numb to it after a little while.”
“Mm. So, what brings you by?”
She asked while taking out another bottle of wine, popping the cork and pouring two glasses.
I nodded when she handed me one, taking a sip before speaking.
“I wanted to ask, though I didn’t expect things to go that way. What do you think of Umara?”
“Her? She seems nice, but I was surprised to hear that you were dating the daughter of Duchess Talerria. I suppose I can only say that I’m impressed. Still, being her boyfriend will come with its difficulties.”
“Yea, it will. Things are calm now, but we’re going to be attending a certain event soon. I’ve been told that it’ll stir things up.”
“Oh? What event?”
Her red eyes glanced at me curiously.
“It has something to do with the Magisterium. Basically it’s a gathering of the noble students in the fourth year. I’m not exactly sure what its purpose is other than to socialize, but regardless, Umara and I will be appearing in an official capacity, which is apparently a big deal.”
“...I can imagine.”
She nodded softly before glancing down, seemingly lost in thought.
I watched her for a few moments before continuing.
“Anyway, I just wanted to come here and make sure you were okay. I know my news came suddenly and in a crude fashion.”
“...Why wouldn’t I be okay?”
“...”
I didn’t respond to that, watching as she lifted her gaze and gave me the slightest smile.
Why wouldn’t she be okay? We both knew exactly why she wouldn’t be, and it was obvious she wasn’t.
In fact, ever since we walked through the door, I felt nothing but distance from her. It was clear as day how she was already treating me differently, not to mention how she hadn’t said a word to me since the day we came back from our trip.
But she was making it seem like it was nothing, like I had come over here, worried about her, for nothing.
I felt a bit of indignation, but I didn’t show any of that on my face.
It wasn’t her fault. It wasn’t mine either. This was simply how she felt about the situation.
Perhaps, all this time, she was hoping for a different outcome. Maybe she had spent all that time being friends with me in hopes that we would eventually take it a step further, that I would become willing to take that step.
And now, I had shattered all hopes of that. I made it clear that we wouldn’t go beyond anything other than good friends, and she was upset.
For a while I stood there, processing a lot of different things, mainly about why I hadn’t chosen her.
Her trauma, the depressive atmosphere, our radically different paths in life and how they would only continue to diverge until we stood in two entirely different worlds.
For the foreseeable future, I would be fighting the Scourge, whether it was at the Magisterium or in the military. In my mind, I was prepared to be doing this for the next decade until I could reach whatever limits my talent had before retiring and perhaps working with Sawn.
And Rayla would continue to remain in the Capital at Divine Distribution, delivering packages and making tons of money until she finally decided to get a home and retire for good.
Even if I wanted to, making our relationship work would be extremely difficult. For me, not entering the military wasn’t really a choice, mainly because I felt called to fight the Scourge. I wouldn’t forsake that calling.
Rayla had a lot of good points, but there were also many cons that weighed too far into the negative for me.
It was unfortunate… for her.
I couldn’t say that I was losing much. For me, it was simply a relationship that never came to be.
For her, it was the loss of a potential lover who could replace her late husband.
I wouldn’t be him, and by now, I no longer felt sorry about that. I suppose that’s why I so easily pursued Umara.
So I wouldn’t blame her, nor myself.
After several seconds, I smiled at her.
“You’re right. Nevermind.”
I raised my glass as she stared at me, downing the rest of my wine before placing the empty glass on the table.
Then, I turned and walked toward the door.
“I’m glad you’re okay. Since I need to go to class soon, I’ll take my leave.”
“...”
She was silent as I opened the door. But I didn’t immediately leave.
I lingered in the doorway for a bit before speaking.
“You know I’ll always be there for you, right?”
“...”
Once again, I heard no response. So I left, closing the door behind me and walking away.
I sighed while walking through the Capital, taking out a cigar and lighting it.
“How unfortunate.”
I was more than satisfied by the suit. I didn’t even want him to change anything. With one look, he had created what seemed like the perfect suit for my appearance and personality.
But now, it was time to bite the bullet, so I asked.
“How much is this?”
“That depends on the material it will be made out of. If you want defensive properties capable of stopping Authority 6 attacks, this suit will cost about 500 thousand coin.”
“Ouch. Now, if I were in a situation to wear this suit, would I really need to rely on its defensive properties?”
“That depends on your own securities. I’ve tailored many knights and warlocks who fight in the suits and dresses they bring out of this place. Our pieces are more than capable of acting as a full set of armor, along with it bringing comfort, convenience, and style. So for someone like yourself, a summoner who may rely more on his armor, it might be wise to always be prepared.”
“Hm.”
I didn’t immediately agree, looking at the suit a bit more.
I had no intention of fighting in this thing. I had my coat for that. So I suppose my only hesitation in not asking for something less came from the fact that I didn’t want to seem cheap and sparing.
But when I looked at the other suits, I just shrugged.
“With Authority 4 defensive properties, how much are the second and third suits?”
“That would be 50 and 150 thousand coin respectively.”
“And the fourth with Authority 5 properties?”
“300 thousand.”
“Alright.”
Nodding, I looked to Umara. She was gawking at the prices, but I ignored that.
“What do you think about the latter three?”
“Hm? Oh, I have no issues with any of them. But try them on. I want to see you in them.”
“Mm.”
After I agreed, Hans went on to help me dress in the others. I also got to try out the color changing functions of the third suit.
In fact, after I dressed in them, he made a few other small alterations to make it fit me better.
Umara seemed satisfied, so after making sure I was good with everything, I decided to pull the trigger.
After redressing in my original clothes, I went back out.
“I’ll take the latter three.”
“Understood, sir. Follow me to finalize the sale.”
Hans led me out to another private room where Umara and I were seated for a few minutes.
We were served drinks and some snacks, of which I indulged, before Hans came back with a card.
“This card will be our method of contact. When your suits are finished, this card will flash gold. Come back with it, and you will receive your suits.”
“Alright.”
“Now, the total for your purchase today will be 500 thousand coin. If you don’t mind, please deposit the coin here.”
“Sure.”
With a nod, I took out my Platinum Card from the Polaris Bank. I then designated the amount to be taken out, and just like that, stacks of Gold Bullion were withdrawn.
I set them all on the table between us. Before long, 10 stacks of coin were arranged before us.
Before I could make the trade though, I felt Umara’s hand grab my arm.
“I-I’m sorry, Hans, but could we have a moment?”
“Hm?”
Hans looked up at Umara, then at me. I was confused, but nodded, prompting Hans to leave for a moment.
Once the door to the room closed, Umara spoke.
“John, you don’t have to get the suit. I am in fact going to bring you to noble gatherings. Events like the King’s Court Ball are included, even though you aren’t a noble. Simply being my boyfriend, or more like my potential husband, will demand your presence. But… I didn’t realize how much this was going to cost you. Look, we can get you suits for the occasions that come up. I don’t know how much you have, but there’s no way this isn’t a lot for you. Hell, it’s a lot for me. Only my mother has spent more than this in a single sitting, and she’s the Duchess.”
“...It should be fine.”
I smiled at her, thinking it was nice to have someone so considerate with me.
She looked worried, and I didn’t blame her. Though she didn’t know it, I was spending half of my savings on three pairs of clothing. Granted, these suits could be worn for the rest of my life. I may never have to buy another pair again, so this could be considered an investment.
But I was still buying this because of her. We’ve already had conversations about the events that we would be going to, and in fact, one of them would occur before our next trip out to a military base. That was only two weeks away.
But even so, I didn’t feel like I was making a mistake. If I had done something like this on Earth, people would think that I was moving way too fast with this girl and couldn’t think straight.
And I had never done something so drastic with or for a girl before. But that was because here, things were different.
The very fact that Umara had just called me a potential husband proved that. Here, relationships were taken far more seriously, especially with nobility. Hell, throughout history on Earth, it was also like that. Chastity and exclusivity were a given. People got married before or during their 20s, and there was hardly any such thing as a divorce since keeping the family together was more important than anything else.
Umara had also spoken to me about many of the noble customs and unwritten rules. I wanted to learn since I was getting involved, and basically, every relationship was a big deal. It represented new alliances, shifts in power structures, and the ushering of a new generation of powerful children.
And it was especially taboo to break commitments. Marriages were always final, divorce was unheard of, and to have sex and break up would ruin the reputation and prospects of the involved parties, including the parents.
So no relationship was started casually, and it sure as hell wasn’t advanced easily either. Every step forward took very careful consideration and would come with an increasing amount of strings and consequences.
What this told me is that Umara was taking me very seriously. I was her potential husband even though we had only been on a single date and had been cuddly for a month. While she was taking a lot of unseen pressure, she was still moving forward with me. And all I was doing was enjoying her.
So I saw this as an opportunity. I was investing in both high class garments as well as her. Because I too took her seriously.
Besides, I was never that afraid of spending money. If I knew that I could handle the expenditure, I didn’t hesitate much. And just because I was spending a large chunk of my savings didn’t mean I couldn’t handle it.
I sat there for a little while looking at Umara. Her slightly pale but beautiful face, her worried purple eyes, her ashy gray hair sloped in front of her shoulder.
I remembered how gorgeous she was in that purple dress during the date, how she stunned me into silence and made me look subpar.
And I decided that I should be more than capable of matching her. That was a matter of principle.
I smiled at her, taking her hand into my own.
“It’ll be fine. There’s no reason I shouldn’t be wearing them at some point, right?”
“R-Right. But it’s still 500 thousand coin for some suits. You could use that for so many other things, like armor to protect yourself.”
“That’s true, but it’s not like I’m going broke with this purchase. You want to know how much I have?”
“...”
She didn’t answer, probably because she didn’t want to pry into something personal. I could already tell that, despite being the daughter of a Duchess, she was money shy.
So I brought out my bank card, tapping it a few times and showing her the amount within my account even after withdrawing so much.
Her eyes widened.
530,446.
That was how much coin I had stored. What I had taken out was actually a bit less than half of my savings, though not by much.
I had spent months saving all that up, and now months of work was turning into three pairs of suits. But I didn’t mind all that much.
So after letting Umara see the number, I put the card away.
“You think we could find some good armor with that?”
“...Yea.”
“Alright.”
I smiled and stood, going to the door and bringing Hans back in.
Once he sat down, I motioned to the coin.
“Sorry about the delay. I’m going to get the suits.”
“Of course. Allow me to assure you that none of my clients have ever been dissatisfied. In this place, quality is placed above all else. And when you go to put on that suit for the first time, I know you won’t regret it.”
“Mm.”
I nodded and leaned back a bit. At the same time, Hans clapped, ushering in a butler who collected all the coin and left.
Then, we all stood, Hans and I shaking hands.
“Pleasure doing business with you, Mr. Cooper. If you ever need a couturier in the future, our doors will always be open. That includes the lady.”
“Thank you.”
With that, we were led out of the establishment.
It was a bit disorienting when we exited, going from absolute pitch black to normal daylight.
And once outside, I pulled Umara in and kissed her.
Her mouth opened, letting me in for a deep kiss that lasted only two seconds before I pulled away.
She looked at me, shocked and embarrassed.
“Why?”
“I just wanted to. Come on, we still got the whole day left. Good for a date.”
“O-Okay.”
She smiled and linked arms with me as we took a stroll through the market.
……
…
When morning of the next day came, I woke up a bit early and left the Magisterium.
I decided to stop by a certain apartment.
I arrived just as the sun began to rise above the horizon, making the sky a faint blue, light beginning to wash away the fatigue of the night.
And I waited outside the door. I seemed to have good timing, because not long later, Rayla appeared.
She stiffened a bit when she saw me, but I just smiled and waved.
“Hey.”
“Hey. What an unexpected surprise.”
“Well, I haven’t heard from you in almost two weeks. I thought I should check in.”
“...”
She was silent, standing there for a second before walking over and unlocking her door.
We both walked into the dark apartment. I couldn’t help but feel nostalgic as I looked around. It seemed the same, but it felt like I had last visited years ago.
The first thing that caught my eye though were the six empty wine bottles sitting on her counter.
It made me sigh. I knew she hadn’t taken it that well.
“Sorry about the mess.”
“It’s fine. How’s work been?”
“Well, same as always. Although exciting, things don’t exactly change much. Though, I’ve picked up a few jobs in the Trenches. Seriously, I don’t know how you managed all that time working there. I feel sick just thinking about that place.”
“I can’t say I had much choice. I guess I just because a bit numb to it after a little while.”
“Mm. So, what brings you by?”
She asked while taking out another bottle of wine, popping the cork and pouring two glasses.
I nodded when she handed me one, taking a sip before speaking.
“I wanted to ask, though I didn’t expect things to go that way. What do you think of Umara?”
“Her? She seems nice, but I was surprised to hear that you were dating the daughter of Duchess Talerria. I suppose I can only say that I’m impressed. Still, being her boyfriend will come with its difficulties.”
“Yea, it will. Things are calm now, but we’re going to be attending a certain event soon. I’ve been told that it’ll stir things up.”
“Oh? What event?”
Her red eyes glanced at me curiously.
“It has something to do with the Magisterium. Basically it’s a gathering of the noble students in the fourth year. I’m not exactly sure what its purpose is other than to socialize, but regardless, Umara and I will be appearing in an official capacity, which is apparently a big deal.”
“...I can imagine.”
She nodded softly before glancing down, seemingly lost in thought.
I watched her for a few moments before continuing.
“Anyway, I just wanted to come here and make sure you were okay. I know my news came suddenly and in a crude fashion.”
“...Why wouldn’t I be okay?”
“...”
I didn’t respond to that, watching as she lifted her gaze and gave me the slightest smile.
Why wouldn’t she be okay? We both knew exactly why she wouldn’t be, and it was obvious she wasn’t.
In fact, ever since we walked through the door, I felt nothing but distance from her. It was clear as day how she was already treating me differently, not to mention how she hadn’t said a word to me since the day we came back from our trip.
But she was making it seem like it was nothing, like I had come over here, worried about her, for nothing.
I felt a bit of indignation, but I didn’t show any of that on my face.
It wasn’t her fault. It wasn’t mine either. This was simply how she felt about the situation.
Perhaps, all this time, she was hoping for a different outcome. Maybe she had spent all that time being friends with me in hopes that we would eventually take it a step further, that I would become willing to take that step.
And now, I had shattered all hopes of that. I made it clear that we wouldn’t go beyond anything other than good friends, and she was upset.
For a while I stood there, processing a lot of different things, mainly about why I hadn’t chosen her.
Her trauma, the depressive atmosphere, our radically different paths in life and how they would only continue to diverge until we stood in two entirely different worlds.
For the foreseeable future, I would be fighting the Scourge, whether it was at the Magisterium or in the military. In my mind, I was prepared to be doing this for the next decade until I could reach whatever limits my talent had before retiring and perhaps working with Sawn.
And Rayla would continue to remain in the Capital at Divine Distribution, delivering packages and making tons of money until she finally decided to get a home and retire for good.
Even if I wanted to, making our relationship work would be extremely difficult. For me, not entering the military wasn’t really a choice, mainly because I felt called to fight the Scourge. I wouldn’t forsake that calling.
Rayla had a lot of good points, but there were also many cons that weighed too far into the negative for me.
It was unfortunate… for her.
I couldn’t say that I was losing much. For me, it was simply a relationship that never came to be.
For her, it was the loss of a potential lover who could replace her late husband.
I wouldn’t be him, and by now, I no longer felt sorry about that. I suppose that’s why I so easily pursued Umara.
So I wouldn’t blame her, nor myself.
After several seconds, I smiled at her.
“You’re right. Nevermind.”
I raised my glass as she stared at me, downing the rest of my wine before placing the empty glass on the table.
Then, I turned and walked toward the door.
“I’m glad you’re okay. Since I need to go to class soon, I’ll take my leave.”
“...”
She was silent as I opened the door. But I didn’t immediately leave.
I lingered in the doorway for a bit before speaking.
“You know I’ll always be there for you, right?”
“...”
Once again, I heard no response. So I left, closing the door behind me and walking away.
I sighed while walking through the Capital, taking out a cigar and lighting it.
“How unfortunate.”
