Thus, I entrusted clothes-making to Batemy. But of course, it will take some time for her to bring out the finished products.
In the meantime, I immersed myself in my own work.
I wanted to expand the house now that weâve got more residents with us, but I also want to finish making the kiln for making ceramics. The bathhouse isnât even complete yet.
While I was busying myself attempting to finish them one by one, I heard something.
âDo you really need it that bad, Batemy?â
âYes! No matter what!â
It sounds like the voices of every female resident of this land; Platy, Veil, Mrs. Astres, Belena, and Batemy.
The reason behind my assuming tone is that their voices are coming from one of the rooms inside the house.
While I was walking down the corridor, I heard the girlsâ voices from inside the room, grouped together as if thereâs some meeting going on, so I pressed my ear against the door and listened attentively.
âWithout it, it will never be a success!â
This voice must be Batemyâs. I can picture her speaking with such a zealous voice that her saliva is all over the place.
But what in the world are they doing?
âPlease⊠Let me measure everyoneâs sizes!!!â
Sizes?
âI was appointed by the Saint to make your attires! Itâs a sacred duty assigned to me so to speak! Please, I request everyoneâs cooperation!!!â
Did I really give Batemy that grave of a responsibility?
I think sheâs getting a little too worked up, but I guess itâs good to be highly motivated.
âWhat makes a good article of clothing is its perfect fit on the wearer!â
âBatemy is on fire todayâŠâ says her colleague, Belena, in a composed voice.
âSo, please let me measure your height!â
âOkay!â
âAs well as your bust, waist and hip sizes!â
âHUH?!â
Everyone other than Batemy shouted in unison.
âŠ
âŠAh, their three sizes.
I heard that making womenâs clothing is particularly important. I only realized now the risk Iâm putting myself in by eavesdropping on their conversation on the other side of this door. If I value my safety, I should get out of here right away without making a sound.
And yet, my legs refuse to move.
They definitely havenât noticed me eavesdropping.
I can hear their coquettish voices from the other side of the door.
âWell then! In order to measure everyoneâs sizes as accurate as possible, I need everyone to strip from top to bottom. Now!â
âFrom top to bottom?!â
âOf course! Any miscalculations on the measurement will greatly affect the finished product!â
âEven so! Being nude in front of everyone else is just too embarrassing!â
âWhat are you saying Miss Platy? I know all about the time you first met Lord Saint utterly stark naked!!!â
âGyaaaaa! Stop! Donât make me remember!!!â
I can recognize that feminine shriek from anywhere.
âI didnât know much about land-dweller etiquette back then, okay?! Iâm already used to life here so itâs also embarrassing for me! I will never do that ever again!!!â
She wonât?!
Somehow, that makes me sad.
âBatemy. Doesnât the demon army frequently measure our sizes to make our custom clothes and armor? Is there really any need for you to measure them again?â
Thatâs Mrs. Astresâ voice.
âDoes Her Majesty really believe that the size you measured yesterday will be the same as todayâs?â
âW-what?!â
âLord Saint makes good food, doesnât he? Her Majesty even asked for seconds of ginger pork this morning.â
âWhat point are you trying to make, Batemy? I did not gain weight! I repeat, I did not!!!â
âBut donât they say that the power of love makes you fat once youâre married?â
âThat only applies to the gents, not us women!â
âWould Her Majesty prove that for us, then?â
âOf course!â
Here we see a Heavenly Kingâs subordinate tricking her own superior.
âI just have to take my clothes off, right?! Fine! Belena and Platy, you two strip as well! Weâre all going to the grave together!!!â
âSheâs dragging us in?!â
From the other side of the door, I heard the sound of clothes rustling. Over. And. Over. Again.
âChop, chop, now! Please take those clothes off faster. For what reason do you think I brought everyone to this cramped room?â
Judging from her voice alone, I can tell that Batemy is getting excited.
âYikes! Is it just me or your chest got bigger again, Miss Astres? Was your femininity stimulated after getting married?â
âDemons have dark skin tone, so I always wondered what color that specific part was. Now I know.â
âMiss Platyâs on the other handâŠâ
âAre so slippery.â
âSlippery indeed.â
âShut up!!!â
This is quite the spicy gossip!
As a gentleman, I know I should stop prying on their conversation any more than this.
And yet, my legs refuse to move!!!
âIâll start the measurements now, starting from Miss Astres!âȘâ
âHyah! Donât just touch my skin all of a sudden! The cold startles me!â
ââŠYou did gain weight.â
âLike I said, donât startle me!!!â
Mrs. AstresâŠ
Iâll decrease your portion a little tonight.
âAh, but thereâs nothing to worry, Miss Astres. Your waistline is the same. Only your chest got bigger.â
âReally?!â
âHer Majesty sure sounds relieved. Your hips got bigger, though.â
Female hormones are secreted in excess once they get married, huh?
âAs for Miss Platy⊠Actually, before that, whatâs with your skin texture?! Itâs so smooth!â
âNot only does Miss Platy look smooth, she also feels smooth?!â
âWow, youâre right! Itâs like Iâm touching a blueback sardine. Do all mermaids have skin like this?!â
Batemy, Mrs. Astres, and Belena all spoke in order.
âGyaa! Stop! Donât touch me! Only Dear can touch that place!!!â
I wonder where theyâre touching her.
âIâll begin with the measurements⊠Miss Platy is also quite the busty lady, huh? As expected of the Mermaid Kingdomâs princess!â
âYou wonât announce our actual sizes, right?â
âYes, I wonât.â
Confidential, huh?
Oh well. Not announcing the actual measurements has its own pros and cons. Besides, their unit of measurement is probably different from meters, so even if I ask them, I wonât be able to understand it.
But am I really all right with that?
âYouâre next, Belena. Flat-chested as usual. Thatâs all.â
âHave a little more sympathy for me, Batemy!â
Does that mean Batemy has a note or memory of Mrs. Astres and Belenaâs sizes?
As expected of a tailorâs daughter. I wasnât mistaken in entrusting this to her.
âUgh, how ridiculous.â
There was another voice coming from inside the room.
Is that Veil?
âYouâre all so concerned with the littlest things about your body. What difference does it make having such a minor variation?â
I didnât even realize Veil was there. She wasnât speaking all this time.
âKuh, you transcendent being of a dragon!â
âCome to think of it, Veil. On what basis does your human form depend on? If your dragon form is fat, does it also make your human form fat?â
I can hear Veil scornfully laughing from the question she was asked.
âThe extent of a dragonâs human form depends on the magic it possesses, so I can change how I look according to my will. It doesnât matter how much I eat!â
âYou- â
All the other girls are totally hating on her right now.
However, Veil didnât mind this and continued to boast about herself.
âMy clothes are also made from magic so thereâs no need for me to be measured. But for the sake of letting you peasants know the overwhelming difference we have, Iâll let you measure my body!â
Flap! Goes the sound of clothes being removed.
She mustâve proudly removed her clothes in one go.
âWhile youâre at it, you should burn this image in your memories! The Grinzel Dragon Veil possesses the ideal body you girls so desire!â
I can hear Veilâs triumphant voice through the fusuma, butâŠ
âTheyâre small.â
âRight?â
âA loli body?â
âDonât tell me a dragonâs sense of beauty comprises of this?!â
I guess she didnât receive the appraisal she expected.
âHuh?!â
Well then.
Letâs stop eavesdropping here and leave before I get found out.