I spent almost an hour deciding on what cloth should I wear for tonight.

It was a choice between a red stylish western suit-like cloth or an asian-specifically a Japanese traditional-styled cloth. Come to think of it, upon checking all the clothes that were given to me, Lots of them gave off the familiar vibe of the cultures on earth or perhaps that some cultures from the other world naturally coincided with ours.

Still what is plaguing me right now is simple. I think a black colour would evoke a mysterious feeling but it’s kind of gloomy. The red colour is bold and passionate but it’s too showy.

I think I’ll better take both of them, combine some part, and see where it goes.

Take out the kosode and the red jacket. I think the western suit-like trouser is better so I’ll go with that.

Then combine the haori jacket-like cloth with the red undershirt.

Since there is no mirror in this world, I have to ask for someone else opinion.

“How do I look?”

I asked Erganisu who was looking at me curiously from the side.

“Fine?”

…

Being a fashion inept as well, I also agree with his opinion and decided to keep it this way. The fusion of both black and red is refreshing, for me at least.

“Aight, let’s go Erganisu.”

Erganisu got up from the chair and nodded to me. He didn’t bother to change the cloth he was wearing. It was the same one he wore when he was first summoned but it was constantly washed and cleaned.

I guess his perception was that clothes are only necessary to keep appearance and keep warmth. I don’t refute that but I can’t fully agree either.

We went out of our Fhagec and when we reached to the junction on our lane, we met up with the rest of our group.

“Thank god it’s not pink.”

August was saying that like he was the one who was summoned naked at that time.

We then began to walk.

“Well yeah but if you thoroughly think about it, what’s wrong with men associating with the colour pink?”

I do find it to be trivial as the progressive line of thought that us 21st century humans so lovingly engendered had given rise to change of what is manly and what is not. Pink was long associated with the side of femininity and whatnot and unfortunately, this world also espoused the same view.

What more, the Eomancy of pink had some unsavoury effect further exacerbating the notion…

“I don’t see the problem with it? In my world, a cloth is something that is only necessary because even on the short spring and summer, it is cold if you don’t have a sufficient amount wore.”

I expected something like that coming from Erganisu.

“Less cloth is better in my part but the tradition of the blacksmiths of my world dictates that we have to wear this thick robe until we have produced two thousands weapons and armours. The problem is I lost count on how many I produced so far.”

Akujin offhandedly gave his comment with a little knowledge of his world.

“It’s really doesn’t matter what kind of clothes we are wearing right? I think it’s pretty common that the type of clothes that we wear were to change on every generation.”

Kiefy said as such with a pondering expression.

“… Guys, you all are going off the tangent here. We were talking the colour pink and what it engendered but somehow we change it into ‘is it better for more or less clothes?’ and the ‘generational change in fashion’. Anyway, we’re here already.”

As I put an end to our deviated discussion, we had arrived near the portal and the guard that was on stand-by was Nytar.

I greeted him and he congratulated me on receiving the Feather of Harakav.

After that, we entered the portal.

--

The Heirs are not here while the rest of the summoned including the newly-arrived us was present.

It was quite a modest banquet, with all the tables that were near the walls were decorated and lined up with various types of foods.

There were guards posted on every corner and in the middle of the room, there was dance floor of a sort.

“Huh, where are they? I thought them being the Heirs, they would have arrived earlier.”

August quizzically looked around.

“Perhaps they have some complication? It’s not strange for them to have something that delayed them like wardrobe malfunction or...”

Kiefy suggested as such with little inflection.

“Well no use in thinking about them. Let think about how to enjoy ourselves.”

I said.

It’s no use talking about why their late or what not. Vefal on my left side perked her ears as she looks around. The rest of the group had already walked to the table designated with our group name given by Gavrau, ‘Egazov’.

“What’s wrong?”

“Someone just mentioned your name just now.”

I asked her and she scanned around. A lot of the summoned, the inheritors and also the guards were talking with each other so I was quite impressed on her acute hearing.

“Was it a male or a female voice?”

“I think it was a female…”

I too look around just to make sure. After a while, I couldn’t find anyone mentioning my name, so I turned to Vefal.

“Let’s just take our seat.”

Vefal nodded and we both walked towards our table.

“So what were you going to do if you find out who was talking about me?”

“Just eavesdropping.”

“That’s kind of kinky.”

“Oh it is!? Really, Ruigne… Anyway, I just wanted to know what the other group think about you and maybe corrected the facts that they got wrong about you.”

We conversed as such while walking.

We then sat down and resumed our conversation.

“Well hearsays and rumours are bound to happen, good or bad. I think one who is so concerned about that would never have a peaceful life.”

“Alright then, it’s just that I heard something along the line of ‘Ruigne doesn’t seem capable of doing such strategies. He must have been relying on those twin elves.’ Sort of line.”

“That’s alright, only a foolish man would be offended about a trivial verbal slander about his intelligence. Let them think whatever they want because I think foolishly underestimating someone is the last thing you wanted to do. A wise man knows how to utilize the ignorance around him.”

I spoke while sipping the cup that was in front of me. It was of a sugary flavour with an aftertaste of sourness sort of an alcohol.

Vefal smiled and nodded while sipping her.

After a dot of an hour had passed, the Heirs had not arrived yet.

The Inheritors decided to send one of the guards to inspect them.

Sir Thomas got up and started to glow in a subtle white-like light. I think this is Eomancy of deep orange, that which manipulate the sound that the caster produces.

“We have a slight problem as the Heirs haven’t arrived yet but we shouldn’t delay this anymore, I usually make a speech around here but I’m sick and tired of making one after eighty years or so, so drink to your content!”

Everyone cheers as they lifted up their drinks and chugged them down.

We ate the foods on the table with delight and various conversations crop up from all around.

Akujin and Erganisu was eating and drinking moderately probably out of habit while they talked with each other. August and Kiefy hardly touched their foods as August looked a little bit depressed as they conversed while Kiefy tried to comfort him. He still hasn’t reconciled the fact that he had killed or nearly died.

“My brother is quite concern about August. He had been sulking ever since the attack. Did something happen to him?”

Vefal while enjoying her food, asked me.

I took a swig from my cup and stared at Vefal.

“In our world… Killing is a crime that is usually frowns upon. We don’t have any incentive in killing others as surviving doesn’t require us to kill anyone else and most countries have laws that strictly prohibit and punish those who do. We have a word to describe people who kill like ‘inhuman’ or ‘murderer’.”

She furrowed her eyebrows.

“You meant he is upset because he had killed? But it was self-defence right?”

“Be that as it may be but try to imagine that you were born in an era that had foregone violence solution. A violent solution like killing is the worst of the common denominator in term of crimes. The thought of taking another one’s life are both out of norm and bizarre in the part of the world where we live in. For me and him, Killing whether self-defence or not, is something that we cannot mentally comprehend due to our environment.”

“… I see. I supposed in this case, he only need the time to heal.”

After we finished conversed, we had idle talks as we ate. After some times, the guard that was sent to check the Heirs came back. He whispered something to the ear of Sir Thomas.

Whatever was the content, Sir Thomas looked quite surprised.

……

Now that I think about it, I realized what I had forgotten. I remembered the Heirs said something about taking their Weapon Pills around the time an hour ago last night.

If that was the case, then if it were the same as the Specialization Pill, all of them must have been rendered unconscious.

I turned to my group.

“Guys, we need to leave after an hour and rest back in our Fhagec.”

“Why?”

Erganisu cocked his head to the left as he asked me.

“Well, noticed how the Heirs aren’t here? They’re in their Fhagecs, probably rendered unconscious by the effect of the Weapon Pills.”

As I told everyone in my group that, the look of realization dawn on their face.

After we had a suffice amount of foods stuffed, we promptly got up and left the banquet. Before we go, Kiefy had informed the Inheritors about our ‘condition’ and they understandingly released us.

We left the party early.