# Chapter 10
Del’s words came true. Both statements he had made before leaving the hotel. One was, “No one will recognize you,” and the other was, “Today will be busy.” Thinking that buying clothes and personal items couldn’t make them that busy had been a miscalculation. Now Ethan had some idea of how nobles could be so busy they couldn’t even properly learn basic living skills.
“My, look at this young master. So tall and handsome—it’s a pleasure to make clothes for you. And what a nice physique.”
“Do you carry fabric from Ashtika?”
“Of course. If you can’t find a fabric in Chellion, you won’t find it in the capital either. However, the price is a bit…”
“If I were concerned about price, I wouldn’t have come here. Please have Madame choose colors that suit him.”
“How generous you are!”
Taking measurements for a single outfit took over an hour. Throughout the endless conversation, Ethan grew increasingly dazed. While Del chatted with Madame, his eyes would occasionally flash with something, though Ethan couldn’t determine exactly when or why. It seemed that under the pretext of tailoring clothes for Ethan, Del was hoping to hear certain information. Though Del hadn’t yet explained what that might be, Ethan could sense it.
As Del had promised, Ethan experienced an incredibly busy day. The first place they visited was a hair salon, where Ethan, who had only ever heard of such establishments, was helplessly dragged in to watch his hair being snipped away. Not only was the concept of paying money to cut hair incomprehensible, but being alone in a place filled with women was quite embarrassing. Of course, Del was a boy inside, but outwardly he fit in perfectly among them. After that, they went to a clothing store to take measurements, drape fabrics, and measure for shoes until lunchtime when they finally got a break. And now, they were repeating the same process at another store.
“Can’t they share measurements between stores?”
“The tailoring styles are different here, so the measurements are taken differently too. Be patient.”
“This feels like the most torturous thing I’ve ever experienced…”
“Think of it as visiting a foreign country.”
“The language barrier part certainly feels the same.”
Their whispered conversation must have looked quite friendly, as Madame smiled warmly from across the room. Honestly, it wasn’t a particularly pleasant feeling. After all, the person inside those clothes was a boy like himself. But since no one had apparently ever discovered this, it seemed unlikely anyone would recognize it now.
“The young master must be pleased too.”
The busy tailor, taking measurements and draping fabrics, remarked. She seemed the happiest of all, having found a customer who spent money so freely, purchasing expensive fabrics for numerous garments. Ethan maintained a stiff expression as instructed, saying nothing. It was Del who responded cheerfully:
“As milk siblings, isn’t this only natural?”
“Such a good relationship. Though the young master’s expression…”
“He’s naturally stoic. Isn’t that charming in its own way?”
“Ho ho, indeed it is.”
Ethan nearly choked at their exchange.
As Del had said, no one recognized Ethan. One of the people they encountered at the tailor shop had clearly been a former “client.” She approached Ethan with a puzzled expression, but when he merely nodded curtly at her greeting, she backed away. Ethan’s lack of response made her doubt he was someone she knew. She probably thought he just strongly resembled someone, and others reacted similarly.
Could Del have cast some magic? Ethan could almost believe that people were seeing him completely differently from how he had appeared until now. Del shrugged as if it were obvious.
“Clothing and demeanor alone can dramatically change one’s impression. People might not remember faces, but they remember clothes and behavior. When those change, the person feels completely different.”
“I think I understand.”
“Most people lack imagination.”
They lack the imagination to think a slum boy could be fitted for the most expensive clothes at a high-end tailor shop overnight. Indeed, who would imagine it? Even Ethan himself felt dazed by how drastically his situation had changed in a single day. The women at the tailor shop began talking about “a handsome boy who was the childhood friend of a wealthy noble girl” rather than “the slum boy Ethan.” The topic of the slum boy didn’t last even thirty seconds. Though they looked very similar, this one had class! Of course, one day seemed a bit short for developing natural refinement.
Del handed his measurement chart to Madame, who was trying to recommend clothes for him as well, and left the shop. Madame seemed to want to take Del’s measurements in detail too, but nodded when Del said they were busy. Del’s impression must have been as strong as his aggressive approach to shopping. Ethan clearly saw Madame’s eyes scanning Del up and down—like a professional, she would surely fill in the missing details herself.
At the jeweler’s, Del tried on all sorts of jewelry—around his wrist, neck, and fingers—before purchasing and ordering a few not-particularly-large gems. He didn’t even glance at the enormously expensive-looking stones. Yet the shop owner’s expression was one of indescribable gratitude. The reason became clear when Del paid. Ethan knew jewels were expensive, but was it necessary to pay this much?
Living up to his promise that they would be busy, Del seemed to have visited every expensive shop from morning until evening. The phrase Del uttered most often was “the most expensive and finest.” Upon hearing these words, shop owners would practically dance as they brought all manner of goods to Del, who would select the most expensive-looking items, try them on Ethan from various angles, and then pay. In those moments, people’s gazes would turn toward Ethan. What exactly was the relationship between these two? Ethan could almost hear their imaginations running wild in their heads, but he maintained his stoic expression while standing straight. In truth, he himself didn’t know what his relationship with Del was. Well, a special employment relationship perhaps?
By the time they returned to the hotel, it was completely dark outside. Upon opening the door, Ethan made a disgusted face seeing the items they had ordered neatly arranged and piled in one corner. Most of those items were more expensive than several months of his salary. In fact, comparison was impossible.
“Not even half has arrived yet. Don’t be surprised. You look so provincial.”
“Do we really need all this?”
“It’s not so much that we need the items, but we need to spread rumors.”
Indeed. Purchasing this many goods in a single day would have already spread quite a juicy rumor. A rumor about a girl from a foreign land, accompanied by a desert coachman and a handsome boy, buying out all the expensive shops. In a city that was prosperous but isolated, rumors spread faster than one could imagine. Del’s actions clearly took this into account.
“Why?”
“While looking for you, I need to run some errands too.”
“I don’t know what kind of errand this is, but it’s impressive. Do we have to do this tomorrow too?”
“Probably, if our objective isn’t achieved.”
“Ugh. What’s the standard for achieving our objective?”
“Until we’re overwhelmed with invitations coming in like slaps to the face.”
Perhaps Ethan should get a good night’s sleep. The thought of doing the same things tomorrow made him pale. He had lightly assumed standing around wouldn’t be that tiring, but it had been no ordinary task. Then suddenly, Ethan remembered something.
“By the way, is it okay to work me like this without signing a contract?”
“Oh!”
He forgot. He 100% forgot. Though Del tried to maintain a neutral expression, Ethan clearly saw his composure momentarily crumble. Del hastily said:
“I was just about to do that now.”
“Hmm, really? Did I bring it up for nothing then?”
“No, your timing is perfect.”
Ethan decided to let it slide. Though they had only spent two days together, Del’s small head seemed so overwhelmed with complicated thoughts that he appeared completely distracted. Ethan asked:
“How should we write up the contract?”
“Huh?”
“I can’t write, so…”
Of course, at this point Ethan didn’t think Del would try to cheat him—after all, Ethan had nothing but his body to offer—but still, one never knows. Del tilted his head before belatedly understanding what Ethan meant.
“Ah. Since you’re in a special situation, we don’t necessarily need a written contract.”
“Then?”
“Would you prefer blood, or something more romantic?”
What a strange set of options. Ethan couldn’t help but ask:
“What’s the difference?”
“Literally mixing blood to form a contract, or…”
“And the romantic option?”
“A kiss. Choose whichever is more comfortable.”
Ethan thought briefly. His deliberation wasn’t long. A momentary discomfort in feelings was better than physical harm.
“The kiss option is better.”
“Yes. That one doesn’t hurt and is better for me too.”
“Do we do it right now?”
“I’ll do it. Wait.”
Before he finished speaking, a bluish light appeared in Del’s hand. What looked like lines and dots found their places in the air, creating a magic circle with a round exterior and intricately interwoven interior. It seemed to contain stars and birds. Though faintly glowing, it reflected clearly in Ethan’s eyes.
“Open your mouth.”
It felt less like the prelude to a kiss and more like a dental exam. As Ethan slightly opened his mouth, Del’s fingertip touched his tongue. The finger wandered inside his mouth before settling on his tongue. Saliva dripped down, but Ethan couldn’t close his mouth. When Del’s probing finger finally withdrew, the magic circle at his fingertip had already disappeared. From the tingling sensation on his tongue, Ethan could sense where it had gone.
Is that all? Just as Ethan thought this, Del’s face drew closer. His green eyes were too intense. Feeling as if he might be pulled in, Ethan closed his eyes as their lips met. This time, Del’s tongue encircled the same spot his finger had touched. While it was clearly an attempt to connect with the magic circle by pressing their tongues together, Ethan couldn’t help the strange feeling that made his hands tense. Just the act of meeting and licking each other’s tongues a few times strangely lifted his mood. Opening his eyes, he saw that the actual participant in the kiss seemed to have little emotion about it. Thinking that Del was kissing him with the same sentiment as a cat or dog licking a hand made Ethan feel somewhat offended.
“Mmph?”
Gently gripping the back of Del’s neck, Ethan deepened the kiss, entangling their tongues. What had been light touches became deeper contacts as he caressed teasingly. He traced Del’s teeth with his tongue, then gently scratched the underside of his tongue and the roof of his mouth, causing Del to tap frantically on his chest. Thinking he might have gone too far, Ethan pulled away, but not before making a smacking sound against Del’s lower lip. When he finally withdrew, Del’s face was bright red. That looks quite satisfying, Ethan thought, though he kept the thought to himself—saying it aloud would likely earn him a slap across the face.
“You’re unnecessarily good at that.”
“Is it really unnecessary?”
Del didn’t answer. After cooling his face with a hand fan, he took a deep breath.
“The contract has been established.”
“Ah.”
“What do you mean ‘ah’? Tomorrow will be busy again, so you should plan to rest well.”
As Del walked away with heavy footsteps, Ethan stood dazed for a long while. For a moment, he had forgotten that this act was for the “contract,” focusing solely on the act itself. That was disconcerting.
He had never forgotten before, not even once.
But what could he do about it? Ethan moved his feet. As Del said, it was just a contract. For him, just that and nothing more.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
