After the magic power filled my body and I could move again, I ate the bread porridge
"Mine, should I have your Attendant's everyday clothes prepared here, or will you prepare them yourself? What do you want to do?"
"Where would I even buy everyday clothes? The secondhand shop my family uses wouldn't work, right?"
Even Commoners too poor to make new clothes have children who grow constantly—myself being the exception. Kids keep needing bigger sizes, and smaller clothes become unnecessary.
Since you can't clutter a cramped house with junk, everything except expensive garments like Festive Clothing gets sold to the secondhand shop the moment it's outgrown. Then you buy your next everyday outfit from that same shop. That way, you save however much the trade-in covers, and get your next set of clothes cheaper.
The general attitude is "as long as it's wearable, it's fine," so getting dirty is a given. Patches? Consider them decoration. Designs? Those don't exist. What matters is fabric thickness and durability.
If the fabric gets too thin overall, the shop won't take it, and it ends up as baby diapers or cleaning rags.
"Don't be an idiot. Don't let her wander around the northern district in clothes like that."
The Attendants who accompany me to the
"I don't know any high-quality secondhand shops, and I have no idea what kind of clothes are suitable for an Attendant, so I'll leave it entirely up to you,
"I'll take you tomorrow, if you don't develop a fever. I also need to check on the progress of the restaurant renovation, so you're coming along too."
"Understood."
When I nodded, Benno turned his gaze to
"Lutz, it's your day off, but you're coming too."
"I know."
"Sorry, Lutz. I'm dragging you along."
"No, actually, I was thinking it'd be nice to get some affordable clothes to wear outside of work, so this works out perfectly."
Lutz, who apparently planned to keep accompanying me even after I entered the Temple, wanted clothes he could wear around the northern district on his days off.
Unlike everyday clothes, the Gilberta Company apprentice uniform had to be washed after every use. Since it was a customer-facing job, neat appearance was essential. But the more times you washed something, the faster it wore out. I didn't want to damage mine, but the only clothes Lutz had that he could wear in the north were his apprentice uniform.
"If I don't have something to wear outside of work hours, I'll have to make another apprentice uniform, won't I?"
Hearing Lutz's words made me want my own clothes too. Like Lutz, the only outfit I had that I could walk around the northern district in was my apprentice uniform.
"Benno, could you pick one out for me as well?"
Buying clothes just to find something to wear was virtually unheard of here. Tomorrow would be a shopping day, and I headed home with Lutz, buzzing with excitement.
"See you tomorrow then!"
"Not yet, Mine. I haven't finished my report for today."
"...Huh?"
Just as I was about to part with a bright smile, Lutz glared at me. I flinched with a small "gh," but of course, there was no stopping his report.
"Why don't you ever take care of yourself?!"
"Turi, don't cry!"
"I'm not crying! I'm angry!"
I knew Turi had been worried about whether the Self-Eating would really stop once I went to the Temple, or whether it might suddenly vanish entirely, so being yelled at through her tears hit me with the worst sense of guilt.
"Sorry. I'm sorry. I won't do it again."
"...You'll eat lunch properly?"
"Of course!"
When I nodded vigorously, Turi's eyebrows relaxed just slightly.
"Can you talk to someone important about the magic power?"
"Mm-hmm."
"And you won't forget your promise even if you're reading?"
"...Ugh..."
"Mine?"
Turi stared at me with those intense eyes, but I couldn't make a promise I knew I couldn't keep. The moment a book was in front of me, my rationality would fly right out the window—I was certain of that.
"...I-I'll have my Attendant remind me! She's a serious person, so it'll be fine!"
"So you can't even keep promises to yourself? Geez."
Turi shrugged with an exasperated sigh, but I had no confidence about keeping promises. The family looked fed up, but the anger seemed to have mostly subsided, so I changed the subject.
"Hey, Turi. If you don't have work tomorrow, want to come along with us?"
"Huh? Where are you going, Mine?"
"I'm buying clothes for my Attendant. Since they'd be clothes for people living in the northern district, it'd be a good learning opportunity even at a secondhand shop, right?"
Besides, the one picking out the clothes would be Benno. As the owner of a shop that handled aristocratic fashion, it would be an excellent experience for Turi.
"...Is that really okay?"
"We have several stops tomorrow, so you'd have to tag along for those too, but if that's fine with you..."
"Mm, I'm looking forward to it!"
Turi beamed with a happy smile. I let out a quiet sigh of relief at her usual soft grin.
Good. Her anger had melted away.
"What's this? Turi, you're not heading to the forest today either?"
Just as I was about to head out from the well plaza toward the main street with Turi and Lutz holding hands, a voice with a slightly reproachful edge called out from behind.
"Oh,
"Big brother Ralph."
We turned around to find Ralph, Lutz's older brother, chasing after us in everyday clothes with a basket on his back. Ralph was dressed for a trip to the forest.
He took in Turi, who was wearing her nicest outfit for heading north, along with Lutz and me in our apprentice uniforms, and his face tightened just slightly.
"Where are you headed?"
"Today we're studying clothes. You're going to the forest, right, Ralph?"
Turi used to go to the forest often on her days off to exchange information with friends she'd started working alongside, but considering the household finances, it was no longer a must like before.
The number of days I spent bedridden had dropped dramatically compared to a few years ago, and with both Turi and I now earning money, our family's finances had improved considerably.
However, Lutz's family had four growing boys who all ate a lot, and even with all the kids working, their budget hadn't changed much. Apprentice wages were low, so if anything, with reduced forest harvesting, their food situation might have actually gotten tougher than before.
So on days off, gathering in the forest was the norm, and the family apparently didn't think favorably of Lutz, an apprentice, going to the shop on his days off. "They say they'd rather get the forest harvest than have me pay him double the apprentice wages for actual work," Lutz had grumbled.
Until we reached the main street, Turi walked alongside Ralph while Lutz trailed a little behind with an uncomfortable expression. I held Lutz's hand as we walked, occasionally noticing Ralph's glances in our direction, each one drawing a quiet sigh from Lutz.
"Well then, Ralph. Do your best!"
"Yeah."
At the main street, Ralph headed south while we turned north. Turi waved energetically to Ralph, then grabbed my free hand and held it tight.
We started heading up the main street toward the northern district. Turi, excited about studying clothes, dominated the conversation while Lutz, following Mark's advice, played the good listener as Turi chatted away.
When I happened to sense someone watching and looked back, Ralph stood at the spot where we'd parted with a look like he wanted to say something. The moment our eyes met, Ralph's expression shifted to one of having discovered something alarming, and he abruptly turned on his heel and sprinted south.
The ever-widening distance between them felt like a reflection of the emotional gulf between Lutz and his brother, and I quietly lowered my eyes.
When we arrived at the Gilberta Company, everything was already prepared for our outing, and I could see Benno working in the shop, giving instructions to Mark and several other employees.
"Oh, Turi's joining us today too? Corina was saying you're turning into quite a skilled tailor."
"Really?! I'm so happy!"
With his perfectly polished social smile, Benno praised Turi.
Today I would be going out with Benno instead of Mark. In the morning, we needed to inspect the Italian restaurant renovation and verify that everything was being built to specification and that the construction materials hadn't been quietly swapped for cheaper substitutes.
"The renovation's already started, hasn't it?"
"The location was decided faster than expected. Right now they're expanding the kitchen and building the oven."
The Italian restaurant had been purchased from a dining establishment association that originally ran a restaurant in the northern district. It was currently under renovation—first the kitchen would be set up, then all the floorboards would be replaced, and the interior would be fitted with expensive furnishings befitting a restaurant serving aristocratic cuisine.
The concept was a high-end dining establishment where customers could feel like aristocrats while eating. Benno apparently planned to hold tasting events to attract the owner of his large shop, who handled aristocratic business.
"Ah, copying the Guild Master's—"
"No! The tasting event was your idea, so it's not copying the Guild Master."
"...I see."
Judging by appearance, the lumber, bricks, iron, and other materials, as well as the craftsmanship, all seemed to be in good order. The oven wasn't finished yet, but once it was, they planned to bring in a chef and have them practice until the opening.
"Everything seems to be going smoothly," I said as Benno carried me through the construction site for a full tour. Benno's expression turned complicated, and in a low voice only I could hear, he murmured.
"No, problems are piling up."
"Huh?"
"...No, that's not something I need to tell you. Come on, let's go to the next shop."
He called out to Lutz and Turi, and we set off toward a secondhand shop with close ties to the Gilberta Company.
"I wonder what aristocratic food is like? I'd like to try it at least once."
Glancing back at the construction site, Turi bounced her braids as she chatted. Walking slightly behind Benno with Lutz, I looked at her over Benno's shoulder and thought about the recipes I had in mind.
"Hmm, about thirty percent of the recipes are ones Turi's already tried at home. Fifty percent would be new dishes and sweets using the oven. The remaining twenty percent would be creative dishes adapted from Ilse's recipes... I think?"
Turi's expression soured slightly at my answer.
"...Wait, the food served at that restaurant—those are going to be your weird recipes, Mine?"
"Turi, that's so mean! You always eat them looking so happy!"
Stung by being called "weird recipes" by a sister who always devoured them with a smile, I deflated. Turi quickly added an explanation in a flustered tone.
"They're delicious! Really, really delicious. But if someone makes your recipes for the first time, they'd be pretty surprised, I think? I'm just used to it by now."
"As long as it tastes good, who cares?" Lutz shrugged.
Even Lutz, who said "who cares," didn't bother to correct Turi's "weird recipes" remark. It was true that my cooking methods sometimes differed from what was standard here, so I couldn't fully deny it.
"...What? Have you two eaten Mine's cooking before?"
Since the shop was under renovation and the chef couldn't cook, among the four of us, only Benno had yet to try my food.
At Benno's words, Lutz and Turi exchanged extremely complicated expressions.
"Hmm, the recipes are Mine's, but... right, Lutz?"
"Yeah, since we're the ones actually making it. You don't really feel like you ate Mine's cooking, do you?"
Fair point.
The two of them kept growing while I barely changed at all, so our builds were completely different. In terms of my memories from the Reonore era, the gap was roughly between a kindergartener and a middle-grade elementary school student.
With that much physical difference, our reach was different, our arm strength was different. What we could each do was on entirely different levels. My capabilities had barely increased, while the two of them could do more and more without any help from their parents.
"I want to grow bigger too..."
My muttered innermost thought apparently reached only Benno, who was still carrying me. Since I hadn't been aware I'd spoken aloud, his light, reassuring pat on my back made me flinch with guilt.
My failure to grow was an unavoidable symptom of Self-Eating, but if Turi and Lutz heard my complaints, they'd worry about me and fret—I was sure of it.
I carefully glanced back to check whether the two of them had heard. Seeing them chatting happily about something delicious made from my recipes, I let out a relieved sigh.
Both the shop under renovation and our destination—the secondhand shop—were in the northern district, so it didn't take long to arrive.
Sure enough, the secondhand shops in the northern district were completely different from the one my family used. My usual shop had clothes of mostly gray and brown piled in baskets sorted roughly by size. This place was different—everything except undergarments hung individually on cross-shaped hangers, and the colors were vibrant. Since each piece was custom-made, there were no wrong sizes or color variations, but the shop's atmosphere reminded me of a small-town boutique from the Reonore era run according to the owner's personal taste.
The moment we stepped inside, a woman who appeared to be the shopkeeper rushed over with wide eyes. Her neatly pinned hair was a rich brown, and her matching eyes sparkled with curiosity.
"Oh my, Benno! What brings you here? Since when did you have this many children...?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Well, you never come here with any scandal attached, and now you show up at my shop with a whole group of children? I should milk this juicy rumor for all it's worth among my circle!"
"Cut it out, will you?"
They clearly had a long history, given the casual back-and-forth. While we stood there gaping at their exchange, Benno cut the woman off and explained our purpose.
"I'm here to buy clothes for these kids. And I figured I'd let my apprentice learn a thing or two while we're at it."
"Apprentice? What are you having Lutz learn, exactly?"
"Listen, Mine. If a Gilberta Company apprentice can't even pick out a single outfit, what good are they?"
Lutz choked on his words. Having grown up in poverty where durability was all that mattered, neither he nor Turi had developed an eye for fashion. Benno intended to make them realize that and drill them on it.
"Mine, around here would suit your Attendant. The designs are relatively modern, and the short sleeves look easy to move in."
"That area—
"...That works. As for the other two, I haven't looked closely enough to say. Based on what you picked for Fran, though, it's probably not far off. Just choose something reasonable."
"Okay!"
I was set down by Benno and started searching through the small-sized children's clothes for outfits that would suit
Even when told to choose, there weren't that many options in similar sizes, so the selection was quite limited. Naturally, decisions came quickly. All that remained was having Lutz try things on to confirm the sizes really worked.
If only there were more variety...
The lack of choices dampened my spirits. What a luxury the Reonore era had been—clothes were everywhere. Back then, I hadn't been particularly interested in fashion, but now that they were gone, I wanted them. How troublesome.
"Lutz, Lutz, mind if I ask you something?"
"What is it, Mine?"
"Gil is about your height, so I'd like to hold these up against you."
I held the three boys' outfits I'd been carrying up against Lutz. There didn't seem to be any size issues. I held one out toward him.
"Among these sizes, this one looks like it'd suit you best. This one's probably more Gil's style?"
As I compared the outfits in my hands, Benno let out a light sigh.
"Mine, where did you learn to pick out clothes?"
"Where? ...I never studied anything like that."
I'd read plenty of books on color coordination and magazines on fashion, but I'd never formally studied it. If forced to name something, maybe school art classes.
"Thinking about it when it comes to you is just a waste of time."
"Right. Please just accept that that's how it is. Lutz, try this one next."
When I showed Lutz the dress I'd picked for Deria, he shook his head violently. In front of the relatively cute red-based dress, he crossed his arms in a big X.
"Ask Turi to do that! I'm not doing it!"
"But Turi's bigger than you, and Deria's smaller than you. It won't work with Turi."
Lutz resisted, but I used his back to size the Deria outfit too, since Turi and I were both different sizes anyway.
"Alright, Lutz. Start by finding colors that suit Mine. For example, this green and that green—although both are called green, they're different shades. Which one suits Mine?"
Just as I'd held clothes up against Lutz, now clothes were held up against me. After Lutz and Turi studied me and the outfits with serious expressions, they simultaneously pointed at the same one.
"This one!"
"Right. This color suits Mine's skin tone. Now, what about this one and this one?"
Benno launched into explanations about analogous colors, complementary colors, intermediate tones, saturation, and value, all while holding fabrics against me. As I sat in a chair being draped with cloth after cloth, I thought wistfully that this accumulated knowledge, compiled from experience, was probably what those color coordination books I'd read were based on.
"Once you've drilled a few colors that suit the customer into your head, next comes choosing the design. Clothes are the clearest expression of one's status and position. Wearing the wrong class of clothing causes all sorts of trouble. The most familiar example is Mine's
"Au..."
"The clothes I'm picking for Mine today are for visiting the Temple. They're the kind worn by someone who has an Attendant, and the sleeve length is the key."
Come to think of it, I recalled Benno wearing an outfit with long sleeves when we went to the Temple. They had been almost as long as formal kimono sleeves—clearly impractical for any kind of work.
"It signifies that you're in a position where you don't need to move yourself, since your Attendant handles everything—so you don't need to worry about getting your clothes dirty. People who actually work can't afford to let their sleeves dangle."
"Huh? But Mark wore long sleeves too? They weren't nearly as long as yours, though, Benno."
"That's the Attendant uniform for visiting aristocrats. Since the destination will have its own Attendants and servants, Mark would hardly need to work. Conversely, if an aristocrat visits the shop, Mark has to be ready to rush around in short sleeves to provide hospitality. ...Not that aristocrats ever come to our shop, though."
I nodded in mild fascination, but Lutz and Turi were listening to Benno with sparkling eyes.
"Right, so keeping all that in mind, pick out clothes that suit Mine. Lutz, Turi—who do you think will do better?"
They locked eyes with fierce determination for a moment, then immediately dispersed through the shop and began selecting clothes. Watching them, Benno let out an amused laugh.
"Well done, Mine. Having competition speeds up growth at a surprising rate."
"I'm glad it's a good learning experience for Turi too."
Watching the two of them diligently comparing clothes, I asked Benno about things to watch out for in aristocratic society. But Benno shook his head with a grunt.
"You and I are in different positions. I can teach you how a merchant deals with aristocrats, but for navigating within aristocratic circles, you'd be better off asking Fran. Like Lutz does—ask every little detail. The other person has no idea what you don't understand."
I nodded at Benno's words just as Lutz and Turi came dashing over, arms full of clothes.
"Which one are you choosing, Mine?"
"...Huh? Um..."
Pressed by Lutz and Turi, I looked at what they'd picked, feeling cornered. Turi had chosen a cute pink dress, while Lutz had selected a blue-toned one.
"Just for walking around outside, Turi's is cuter, but considering we're going to the Temple, Lutz's feels more appropriate. This is tough..."
"Try them on."
At Benno's instruction, I headed to the fitting room with the shopkeeper, carrying the outfits Turi and Lutz had selected. After the shopkeeper helped me into Turi's choice, I was placed in front of a well-polished metal mirror.
"...Whoa."
For the first time, I saw my own face. Rather than the delicate egg-shaped features and porcelain skin I might have expected, I looked sickly and pallid, with dark navy straight hair that only accentuated the blueness of my complexion.
The mirror reflected large, slightly swollen eyes—somewhere between golden and ochre, a yellowish hue—now wide with surprise. My straight nose and full lower lip resembled my mother's, and aside from the eyes, I didn't look much like Turi.
If I had the cheerful openness of a child, I'd unquestionably be a cute little girl by Reonore-era standards. But in this world, I had no idea how I'd be perceived. Lutz had called me cute before, so perhaps the aesthetic sense wasn't all that different.
Ugh, I fretted, then went to show off the outfit.
"Wow! Mine, you look so cute! That really suits you!"
Turi raved about the dress she'd chosen, but Lutz tilted his head with a thoughtful "hmm." His expression was frustrated enough, though, that it probably suited me well enough to be hard to find fault.
Benno gave a wry smile and waved his hand as if to say "go try the next one."
"I told you, this one suits you better!"
I changed into Lutz's selection and went to show them, and this time it was Lutz who praised me with a beaming face. Turi pouted, looking a bit sulky, insisting "the one I picked suits you better," and the two of them started arguing about which looked better.
As their debate heated up and I turned to Benno for help, he was stroking his chin and surveying the shop.
"You saw your reflection in the mirror. Which one do you think suits you best?"
"Um... considering the purpose as well, maybe this one, this one, and this one?"
The first thing I picked up was a white blouse. The long sleeves and lace trim at the collar and cuffs gave it a simple yet aristocratic feel. Next was a blue skirt perfect for visiting the Temple—it had floral embroidery, but once I put on my blue Shrine Maiden robe, it would be hidden. Finally, a red bodice-like garment with floral embroidery and lace.
"With these, just buying or swapping out one piece would completely change the look, and I think they'd go well with my current apprentice uniform too. What do you think?"
When I looked up at Benno, he was smiling quietly and watching Lutz and Turi. The two stared at the clothes I'd chosen with stunned expressions.
"Lutz, Turi. Not everything here is a dress. Throw away the notion that women's clothes mean dresses."
Poor girls' clothes only came as one-piece dresses because making separate tops and bottoms required more fabric. They might layer for warmth, but never for fashion. Blouses with replaceable collars or lace-trimmed cuffs—such clothes simply didn't exist in their world.
"Study up properly before next time."
"Yes, sir!"
The two, who had been looking dejected, perked up in unison with expressions full of rivalry and determination—for some reason looking straight at me.
I couldn't make it to the Temple because Turi was too cute.
I can go to the Temple now that I've bought secondhand clothes.
Next time: Lutz's anger and Gil's anger.