Chapter 40
The next morning.
I woke up when Roger woke me.
"Leon-sama, the tailor will be coming today, so it's almost time to get up."
"Mmm... I'm still sleepy..."
Maybe it's because I used unfamiliar healing magic yesterday. My magic power has mostly recovered, but my body still feels sluggish...
"Leon-sama, you look pale. Are you all right?"
"Yeah... I'm just a little tired, so I'm fine."
I have to get up. All right!
I steeled myself, sat up, and stretched as far as I could to wake up.
"Whew. I'm fine now."
"Then please use these."
Saying that, Roger brought me a small bucket of water and a cloth.
I washed my face with them, changed clothes, and got ready. The clothes were on loan from the ducal household.
"I will prepare breakfast now, so please wait in your seat."
Roger said that and began setting out breakfast from a cart another servant had brought.
He really was incredibly efficient... He sure was good at his job. While I was spacing out and thinking that, breakfast was ready in no time.
"Thank you, Roger. Let's eat."
Hmm... Delicious. Breakfast was made up of slightly soft bread, jam, a small omelet, and tea.
I was glad cooking had begun to develop in this world. If it had been the bland, awful food so common in otherworld stories, I wouldn't have been able to stand it.
This jam is loaded with sugar and so sweet. Mmm, I'm happy.
After finishing breakfast and settling down for a moment on the sofa, it seemed the tailor had arrived at the ducal household.
"May I show them in?"
"Yeah. Please do."
"Understood. Please remain seated on the sofa, Leon-sama. You need not stand when the tailor arrives, so please stay as you are."
"Got it."
Even though I was a commoner and technically on the same social level as the tailor, apparently a guest of the ducal household wasn't supposed to bow to the tailor.
Social distinctions are complicated. I'll have to learn them eventually.
After waiting a while, the people from the tailor's shop arrived at my room. They were carrying lots of fabric and things that looked like design sketches.
"Thank you for having us come today. We will make clothes perfectly suited to you, Leon-sama."
The middle-aged man leading the three greeted me.
"Yes. I look forward to working with you."
"Then, may we begin by taking your measurements?"
"Then please do so behind this screen. Leon-sama, this way."
Roger guided me behind the screen, so I followed. I didn't really know what I was doing, so I figured I couldn't go wrong leaving it to him.
Once behind the screen, the young man from the tailor's shop and Roger quickly took my measurements.
With the measurements finished, it was time to choose the designs. The middle-aged man and I sat facing each other on the sofa.
"How many outfits would you like us to make today?"
Hmm, I had no idea. Roger knew, right?
"Roger, how many outfits should I have made?"
"Yes. Three outfits suitable for wearing at the Royal Academy, roughly on par with those of lower-ranking nobles. Then two sets of nightwear. And one formal outfit suitable for the Royal Palace, also roughly on par with a lower-ranking noble's."
That many outfits!? Being a noble must cost a fortune... I'm glad someone else is paying this time.
"Then we will make those six garments."
"Understood. Then let us begin by choosing the design for the formal outfit."
From then on, I looked over design sketches and decided on designs, fabrics, decorations, and so on.
I didn't know anything about noble clothing, so I left almost everything to Roger. He would choose clothes that wouldn't embarrass me.
By the time we'd decided on all the clothes, about two hours had passed.
I'm exhausted... Personally, I feel like clothes are fine as long as I can wear them, but apparently there are all sorts of conventions.
I'm really glad the ducal household had my clothes made for me this time. If I'd had to do it myself, I wouldn't have known what sort of clothes to choose.
"Then, once the clothes are finished, shall we deliver them to the ducal household?"
"Yes, please deliver them to the ducal household."
"Understood. Thank you very much for today. We will take our leave now."
With that, the people from the tailor's shop left the residence.
I'm really tired, and I'm hungry.
It's lunchtime already, isn't it? Our business was settled yesterday, so I suppose I could go home now, but I wonder if they'd let me eat lunch first...
"Roger, is lunch prepared for me?"
"Yes. The head of the household sent word that you may remain at this residence for as long as you wish, Leon-sama."
I'm not planning to stay that long, though. Whether I like it or not, I'll be living here in about six months anyway.
Well, the food here is better, and there's a bath and a flush toilet, so it's convenient and comfortable.
But I only have about six months left with my family, so I need to cherish them. At first, I couldn't think of them as my real family, but they've gradually become more and more important to me. Thinking about them is making me want to go home. I'll leave soon after lunch.
"Roger, could I at least have lunch? I'll go home after I eat."
"Understood. Please wait a moment while I prepare lunch."
After lunch, while I was taking a breather, someone knocked on the door.
Knock, knock.
"Alban speaking."
It's Alban-san. Could something have happened to his health?!
I hurriedly told Roger to open the door.
Although Alban-san was still thin, he was moving briskly, just as he had when I'd seen him before. His complexion was good, and he looked a little less haggard. At least he seemed to be all right.
"Leon-sama, thank you for taking the time to see me."
"No, I'm fine, but has something happened to your health?"
"No, nothing like that. I feel very well. I came to thank you again today."
Thank goodness nothing was wrong with him. It was my first time using healing magic to cure an illness in a person, after all.
"Thank you so much for curing my illness yesterday. I will never be able to thank you enough, Leon-sama. To tell you the truth, I thought I was done for. To be this healthy again and able to work... It feels like a dream. I am truly grateful."
Alban-san said this and bowed deeply. His eyes seemed to be brimming with tears.
I nearly cried myself, so I hurriedly wiped my tears and asked Alban-san to raise his head.
"I'm glad I was able to cure you, Alban-san. If anything changes with your health from now on, please don't hesitate to tell me."
"Yes. Thank you very much. I promise I will be of service to you from now on, so please call on me if anything comes up."
"Yes. Thank you."
With that, Alban-san left the room. I'm glad to have gained a power that can earn this much gratitude. I need to practice so I can make better use of it.
Feeling refreshed, I climbed into a carriage to return home from the ducal household.