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Chapter 44 – Tailor and Measurements
Despite the daytime, the tailor’s shop was dimly lit.
The buildings were packed too closely together, blocking out the sunlight.
Years of accumulated dirt had dulled the vibrant ochre color of the earthen walls.
Calling it “historic” might sound nice, but it was really just a shabby old house.
The boy who had guided them knocked on the gate quickly and walked straight inside.
“Buck-san! We’re from the Welcome Trading Company. We’d like to request tailoring for this customer!”
“Hohoho. Welcome! Is this the customer?
“Nice to meet you. I’ll be relying on you.”
The person who came out was an elderly, hunched man.
He wore a thin, long-sleeved shirt under a waistcoat.
His face was gentle, and his hair was slightly thinning, yet his appearance was impeccably neat.
Perhaps because he tailored his own clothes, despite his poor posture, he looked distinguished.
Behind him, several craftsmen worked silently on tasks such as sewing and cutting fabric.
Inside the shop, numerous rolls of fabric were pinned to shelves, and cut pieces hung from hooks.
Many pieces were nearly complete.
Despite the calm atmosphere, the craftsmen moved swiftly, and their skilled craftsmanship was evident in the air itself.
“This is Buck-san, one of the town’s foremost artisans, a true maestro. Well, then, I’ll take my leave! I hope you get some great clothes made!”
“Thanks for guiding us!”
Mariel pressed some coins into his hand as a tip.
He was probably heading back to the store to work.
After the introduction, the apprentice boy hurried back with a brisk stride, full of energy.
Buck let out a “Heave-ho!” as he stood from his chair and narrowed his eyes to look at Wataru and the others.
“So, you’re the customer?”
“Yes, I’d like to have a winter suit made. I brought some fabric with me. Would that be okay?”
“Ah, if you have preferences, let’s take a look.”
“Aire, bring out the fabric we brought.”
“Yes! Excuse me, sir!”
“Hoho. What a lively young lady.”
Aire pulled the fabric out of the bag.
They had decided on it after researching various options on Earth.
After placing it on the table, Buck examined it closely, lightly testing its texture.
“Hmmm, it’s an unusual fabric. The dye is a vivid blue. The texture feels soft. The sheen on the surface has a certain allure.”
“It’s indigo blue. It’s a fabric from my homeland.”
“I’ve been in this business for many years, but I’ve never seen anything like it. Still, it’s a fine cloth.”
The fabric Wataru had prepared was Venetian wool.
Originally from Venice, Italy, it was characterized by a smooth sheen and a soft, fluffy texture.
During the flashy bubble era, it was often used to create a larger-than-life look, in contrast to the modern preference for classic styles that hug the body closely.
Japan during the bubble era and this other world shared a similar sensibility in some ways.
Rather than stripping away excess, they saw excess itself as a symbol of wealth and power.
To Wataru, the color seemed flashy, but he respected Mariel and the others’ opinions when selecting the fabric.
Buck was intently observing the Venetian fabric, certain that he was seeing it for the first time.
The sharpness in his eyes made Wataru’s heart skip a beat; he might recognize the fabric as originating from another world.
However, even if he did, he wouldn’t ask about it directly.
“…Very well. Then let’s take your measurements. We’ll do a fitting first, then make adjustments afterward, so you’ll need to come back several times.”
“Understood. I’ll make time whenever possible.”
“So, whose clothes are we making?”
Buck’s gaze shifted from Wataru to Mariel, Aire, and Cloche.
They were making Wataru’s clothes this time, but it seemed they could also make women’s clothes.
“For me. I plan to attend events like dinner parties.”
“Right. Well, excuse me then.”
“Huh? Wh-what is it?”
As soon as he said that, Buck began touching Wataru’s body.
Wataru’s eyes widened in surprise at the sudden contact, but Buck remained calm.
He touched every part of his body—shoulders, chest, pelvis, and thighs.
He touched and examined sensitive areas without hesitation. If the old man hadn’t been so serious, Wataru would have pushed him away.
Seeing Wataru’s extreme reaction, Mariel stepped in to explain.
“Master, he’s checking your bone structure, which can’t be determined by a tape measure.”
“Is this kind of thing normal?”
“Well, yes. For women’s tailoring, a woman takes the measurements, but they still touch you.”
“Hoho. It’s hard to say this in front of the young ladies, but some tailors even touch your private parts.”
“Are you serious!?”
“Deadly serious.”
The human body appears symmetrical, but various parts are actually asymmetrical.
For example, the number and position of organs aren’t symmetrical, and differences in development arise due to dominant hand and foot preferences.
Full custom tailoring achieves exceptional comfort by making fine adjustments to balance these natural imbalances.
After hearing Buck’s explanation, Wataru was somewhat convinced.
However, the shock and discomfort of being suddenly touched by a stranger made him, for the first time, understand how someone who has been molested might feel.
Chapter 45 – Invisible Enemy
After taking the measurements, Wataru was quite exhausted.
After checking by hand, more precise measurements were taken with a tape measure. To assess his movement patterns and flexibility, his shoulder, elbow, and back movements were examined.
Though Buck, known as the maestro, made no wasted movements, he was also a craftsman who checked measurements with almost neurotic precision, so he didn’t let Wataru go easily.
Incidentally, it was revealed at this point that, compared to the stunningly styled Mariel and Aire, his legs were quite short.
Although he had noticed this when sleeping next to them, seeing it quantified was, in its own way, rather saddening.
“All right, that’s all for the measurements. Good work. Based on the measurements we took, we’ll do a fitting and adjust it again.”
“Thank you. Whoa, it’s gotten pretty dark out.”
By the time they left the tailor shop, the sun had set.
The Craftsmen’s Street, already dim, was now shrouded in deep darkness.
Unlike Japan’s bustling downtown areas, there were almost no lights.
Sparsely, lights could be seen in the distance, but between them lay darkness so thick that you couldn’t see your own feet.
“Because it gets this dark, I usually go home by evening… This is a mistake.”
“I can see perfectly fine, so I’ll lead the way and guide you all.”
“Aire’s eyes are incredibly reliable in situations like this.”
“Fufu, you could rely on me a bit more, Master.”
“Then shall we all walk behind Aire?”
“I’ll take the rear position.”
The densely packed buildings along Craftsmen’s Street made the path extremely narrow.
Moonlight and starlight were blocked by the buildings, barely reaching the ground.
On top of that, visibility was poor, and the ground was unkempt.
Even though his eyes had somewhat adjusted to the darkness, he felt increasingly uneasy.
Had he been alone, he would have genuinely freaked out and frozen in fear.
“Should we stop by the warehouse?”
“No, let’s just go straight home. It’s so dark that the warehouse would be hard to use anyway.”
“Right. There shouldn’t be anything urgent we need to do.”
“Got it. Master, watch your step. There’s a small bump up ahead.”
“Got it… Whoa!? Whoops!”
“Seriously. I told you to be careful. Maybe we should hold hands until we get to a wider spot?”
“That’d be nice.”
He’d been warned, but he couldn’t see properly.
Wataru stumbled and nearly fell, but Aire caught him and steadied him before he did.
In the darkness, he felt Aire’s soft body.
“Aire…”
“Hm? What is it?”
“Nothing. Thanks.”
“Nishishi, you’re welcome.”
His impaired vision heightened his other senses.
He could feel the smoothness of her moist skin and smell her sweet, pleasant scent.
Most of all, the warmth transmitted through his hand wiped away the unease from the darkness.
Nothing was scary if he left it to Aire.
Now, Cloche had joined them, too—the strongest warrior in the famed mercenary corps and her younger sister, who could rival her.
Wasn’t this an ironclad formation bordering on excessive firepower?
“Onee-sama, be alert. We’re being watched.”
“Huh… Really? When did…?”
“I don’t know. I didn’t notice until just now. They leave almost no scent. But there’s more than one.”
“H-hey! What is it?”
“Someone’s watching. I can’t see them. They’re quite skilled.”
Alerted by Cloche’s warning, Aire scanned the surroundings.
Her eyes, which could see in the dark as easily as in the light, carefully scanned the shadows, but she still saw nothing.
She concentrated on her sense of smell and finally detected a faint trace, but she couldn’t pinpoint its location.
An invisibility accessory. No, this is something higher-tier than that.
“Master, turn on the light.”
“R-right.”
At Aire’s request, Wataru pulled out his smartphone.
Even without a signal, the flashlight could still illuminate the area.
He hadn’t used it before because it was too conspicuous, but now it’s a different story.
The smartphone’s flashlight illuminated the surroundings.
Suddenly, the surroundings became faintly visible.
But to Wataru’s eyes, no one could be seen.
There’s no one here. Was it just a mistake?
As Wataru felt nothing and his anxiety grew, Aire scanned the area and confirmed his sense of unease.
“There!”
With a shout, Aire threw something.
The projectile flew with tremendous force, but passed through without impact. It landed on the ground with a loud clang!
“Dodged!?”
(Onee-sama, let’s move. We’re heading to the main street.)
(Right. Staying in this narrow space puts us at a disadvantage. Master, Mariel, this way.)
Light draws attention.
Aire ended up holding the smartphone.
Even if they were attacked, Aire could handle it on her own.
In the tense, sticky air, they advanced cautiously in the slightly brighter light.
As they neared the main street, there were more signs of people, even on a night road.
“…Gone. Maybe they feared being seen.”
There wasn’t even a hint of them trying to escape. Whoever they were, they were quite skilled.”
“An opponent that even Cloche and I would struggle to notice? That’s not normal. I think they had a special enchantment that made them invisible and concealed their presence. An assassin or a spy…”
“I don’t recall anyone holding a grudge against me.”
“…Really?”
“Mariel? You think someone hates me?”
Even after reaching the main street, Wataru and the others hurried toward the gate.
They continued talking along the way, but Mariel suddenly voiced a question.
He was surprised that Mariel would be the one to bring it up.
“The sugar Master provides must be a major threat to those who originally handled its distribution. Also, there are probably people who resent Baron Moye’s rise to prominence. So, yes, there might be people who hold a grudge.”
“I see. So, some people are unknowingly inconvenienced by things I did, thinking they were good?”
“You haven’t broken any laws, Master. You’re conducting legitimate trade. It’s just resentment, though.”
“I guess I’ll have to avoid walking the night streets from now on.”
Maybe he should take a few more precautions to protect himself, too.
Wataru was starting to think that perhaps the fabric he’d intended to use on Earth could be tailored into something here, too.
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