Chapter 143
Before leaving the Owl.
Ian first went to greet Dolores. She was standing in front of a woman who looked like a tailor, having her measurements taken. Fortunately, no one had any clothes off, so nothing awkward happened.
“I’m heading out. If there’s another chance, I’ll see you again.”
“Ah, yes. Please get home safely!”
Screeeak.
She replied while placing the tape measure around her waist. After confirming Dolores’s exact waist size, the tailor turned to Ian. The tailor, wearing a bizarre monocle, let out an admiring exclamation.
“Oh... You’re quite a fine model. The mask is impressive, and your body... well, it’s decent enough.”
Her tone made it sound as if she were openly appraising him. Before Ian could even voice his displeasure, she made the first move.
“If you ever want clothes made, come see me. I’ll do it for as cheap as I can.”
“...All of a sudden?”
“A great tailor is naturally drawn to a great model. If I photograph you and submit it to a newspaper ad, I can get some publicity out of it too, so is there any need to be so prickly?”
She smirked, set the tape measure down, and snapped her fingers. The skeins of thread floating in the air quickly unraveled and gathered again, forming a black business card. The card made of thread had a texture that was both soft and firm.
The tailor blew on the card to imprint it, then flicked it at Ian. Ian barely managed to catch the card as it fluttered toward him.
[Ivriato Poryane]
[Tailor of the Clock Tower]
The gold lettering glittered in the light from the ceiling. Ian glanced down at the card for a moment, then turned to the tailor.
“That’s an unusual name. Where are you from?”
“South America. I was born in a rough neighborhood. I got lucky and became a mage.”
“South America, huh... Don’t people from there usually learn voodoo-like sorcery? Not magic?”
“And you, being from the East, don’t use Taoist arts either, do you? We’re the same.”
An argument with no room for argument. Ian let out a small laugh and stuffed the card into his pocket.
“I’ll gratefully accept the favor. Come find me if I ever have a reason to stop by later.”
“Sure. And the woman behind you is...”
Ivriato’s gaze snapped to Yuna. Yuna flinched at the sudden look, and Ivriato quickly scanned her from head to toe.
“Hmm... That kind of body is hard to tailor for... The face is fine, though...”
“W-what?”
“I can’t give you a cheap rate. Even American mages aren’t as big-breasted as you. It’ll take some work to get the fit right.”
“Y-you...! That’s sexual harassment...!”
Yuna shouted weakly, her face bright red. Ivriato snorted.
“What does it matter if it’s among women...? Still... hmm, right. Girls like you—milk cows—do show up from time to time. Keep the card. With this, other tailors will gladly take you on too.”
“I-I’m not a cow...!”
The corners of Yuna’s mouth twitched. She instinctively hugged her chest tight. The flesh she couldn’t quite cover spilled over beside her forearms, but Ian did his best not to look at her.
“Wow. That’s insane.”
“How very violent, indeed.”
Ari and Dolores did not hold back either. At those blatant exclamations, Yuna ran out of the shop, and Ian let out a long sigh and took the card for Yuna as well.
“Don’t go that far...”
“What did I do?”
Ivriato tightened Dolores’s squirming corset and picked up the tape measure she had set aside.
“If you come back next time, make sure you’ve decided what enchantment you want. I need to sort and weave the thread in advance, whether it’s temperature-resistant thread or high-defense thread.”
“Is it hard to enchant both at once?”
“Impossible. Not just me—even other skilled tailors can’t do it. You can only imbue one kind of magic into a single garment.”
“...”
“If you’re thinking it might be fine to enchant a coat and a shirt with different spells, forget it. If you wear clothes enchanted with different magic on top of each other, neither one will activate. Just like magnets with the same poles repelling each other, the spells will repel each other too and eventually cancel out.”
“Understood.”
Ian nodded obediently. Ivriato grinned and placed the tape measure against Dolores’s hips.
She went back to focusing on her work. After exchanging quick glances with Ari and Dolores, Ian stepped outside the shop. Yuna, crouched against the wall, lifted her head and looked back at Ian.
“...A-are you done?”
“Yeah. Let’s go.”
“Mm...”
Yuna sniffled and pushed herself to her feet.
The two of them headed straight back up the stairs they had come down, passing through the misty corridor where the door had vanished. Unlike going down, there was nothing special they needed to do on the way up, so they were able to enter the used bookstore without trouble.
The bookstore owner, Erik, was sitting in a chair reading the original Moby-Dick. He didn’t even look at Ian and Yuna. Likewise, the two of them didn’t speak to Erik either. They simply left the bookstore quietly.
It was still daytime. Just past noon. As soon as Ian stepped out of the alley, he squinted at the blazing sunlight and spoke.
“I was thinking of going to my godmother’s place. Do you want to come too, or should I take you home?”
“L-let’s go together. I was curious about this person called your godmother too...”
“Sure. I’ve already gotten permission, so we just need to go.”
Ian took Yuna with him and first stopped by his own house. He unloaded the things he didn’t need there, and packed only the items to be delivered to Eunha into his bag. The lighter load eased the weight on his shoulders more than before.
He left the house and started the bike in the parking lot. With a vroom, the dashboard lit up. Ian handed Yuna the spare helmet he had prepared in advance.
“I’m not sure it’ll fit, but put it on for now. It’s never been used, so it won’t smell.”
“N-no, the smell is... actually... h-hm...”
Yuna mumbled softly as she struggled to pull the helmet on. Ian checked that it fit properly and fastened the strap for her.
“Luckily it won’t slip off. Step on the footrest here and sit down. As for your hands... just relax. There’s no chance of an accident anyway.”
“Mm... okay...”
Yuna nodded. Ian smiled, tapped her helmet, put on his own helmet, and sat down first. Nerves apparently getting to her, Yuna swallowed hard and carefully settled onto the seat behind him. The bike shifted under her weight.
“Heeek...!”
She let out a strange sound and squeezed Ian’s waist tight. Thanks to that, their bodies naturally pressed together, but Ian paid it no mind and kicked up the stand.
“We’re leaving. Hold on tight.”
“Mm...! Eek! Heeaaack!”
Vroooom!
The bike left the parking lot and merged onto the road. Startled by the speed, which was faster than she’d expected, Yuna squeezed her eyes shut and screamed at the top of her lungs.
“It’s still only 30 km/h...”
“Hweeeek! Ieeaaack!”
“...Mm.”
Ian let out a low groan and lowered his helmet visor.
*
The godmother’s house wasn’t all that far from Ian’s home. Thanks to that, they arrived in less than thirty minutes.
“Huff...! Huff...!”
The parking lot of the apartment building where Eunha lived.
As soon as Yuna got off the bike, she panted and her legs shook. Ian, who deftly locked the bike, let out a dry laugh.
“I wasn’t even going that fast...”
“L-liar! Y-you definitely went over a hundred...!”
“I didn’t even go over 50 km/h. What are you talking about...? The gear stayed in first the whole time.”
“Is that really true...?”
Ian waited in the parking lot until Yuna calmed down, and got on the elevator once she seemed better. Yuna grumbled while thumping her waist with her fist.
“I-I’m never getting on a motorcycle again... Cars really are better...”
“Do you have a car of your own?”
“I don’t, uh, have a driver’s license...?”
“...”
Ding.
While they were talking, the elevator arrived at its destination. The thick iron door slid open, and Ian walked down the hall and knocked lightly on Eunha’s door.
A moment later, a soft voice came from the intercom.
[Who is it... Ah, Mr. Ian. Just a moment. I’ll open it.]
“Yes. Take your time.”
As soon as he said that, the pattering sound of bare feet came from beyond the door. Ian stepped back a little and waited for it to open.
Click.
In less than five seconds, the door opened softly. Eunha’s head peeked out through the gap. Her faint black hair flowed down naturally, and Ian’s face was reflected clearly in the mint-colored eyes altered by her contract with a demon.
“Welcome, Mr. Ian. This is the second time you’ve come to my house.”
Eunha gave a faint smile and pushed the half-open door all the way open.
Then Yuna, who was standing behind Ian, also came into Eunha’s view.
“Gasp.”
“...”
Their gazes collided in midair. Yuna’s pupils trembled at the sight of a face she’d never seen before, while Eunha examined Yuna’s face with an impassive expression.
“...You look more normal than I expected. Strawberry Yogurt Smoothie? Are you the real one?”
Eunha asked. Yuna smiled awkwardly and gave a slight nod.
“Y-yes... g-godmother...”
“...So that kind of speech ending in ‘...geoyo’ isn’t actually used in real life, huh?”
“Y-you still use honorifics in real life, godmother... Are you maybe a little off in the head...?”
“I’m perfectly normal.”
“R-right...?”
“Yes.”
“I-I see...”
“Yes.”
“...”
“...”
“...”
“...”
The awkward silence weighed heavily on both their shoulders. Ian, caught between them, wore a wry smile.
Han Yuna, who gets around outdoors just fine but has trouble talking and interacting with others, and doesn’t really think that’s all that important herself.
The shut-in Yoo Eunha, whose communication skills are perfectly normal but who practically never crawls out of the house unless she has to.
The conversation between those two, which already sounded monumental just from hearing it, went wrong from the very start.