A taut measuring tape

Gabriel and his followers fled ignominiously after their one-sided defeat on Training Ground Two.

Though the skirmish was rather noisy, the outcome proved satisfying. At the very least, I anticipated an undisturbed period, free from any insolent interruptions.

However, upon our return to the S-class lounge, Beatrix unexpectedly raised a rather pressing concern.

“Lady Lilliana, regarding the battle robes for the Silver Moon Magic-Martial Festival…”

The knightess stood before me, her expression grave, as her gaze meticulously swept over my elaborate academy uniform.

“Academy regulations mandate that participating teams must wear unified, battle-appropriate attire. Moreover…”

She paused, her eyes lingering on the layered lace hem of my skirt.

“Forgive my frankness, but while your current attire is undoubtedly noble, it is hardly suitable for the arena. Imagine if an enemy spell snagged your hem, or if it became soiled with mud…”

“You have a point.”

I immediately nodded in agreement. While I had no intention of engaging in combat, I certainly didn’t wish to stand around in this suffocatingly heavy formal wear.

If I could don something lighter, perhaps even as comfortable as pajamas, I would be absolutely delighted.

“Then we shall have them custom-made,” I declared casually.

“Since it’s our team, I shall decide the style. I will design one that is… most comfortable.”

The moment they heard “I shall decide,” Ella’s and Beatrix’s eyes instantly gleamed.

“Yes! To wear battle robes designed by your own hand, my lady… what an immense honor!”

“In that case, we require your measurements immediately.”

Beatrix retrieved a measuring tape and a notepad from a nearby cabinet.

“Though the academy employs its own tailors, those vulgar commoners are unworthy of touching your exquisite form.”

She knelt on one knee, her gaze burning with fervor.

“Please allow me… to personally take your measurements.”

“I want to help too!” Ella chimed in, unwilling to be outdone.

“Two people will be faster! Besides… besides, I also wish to know your ladyship’s measurements… for future garment preparations!”

Observing the two with their eyes glinting green, my instinct was to refuse.

Yet, a second thought occurred: rather than having strange tailors paw all over me, these two, who knew me well—albeit being a little perverted—

It seemed…

Slightly better?

“…Fine. Just be quick about it.”

I rose, spread my arms, and adopted a posture of resigned submission.

“Yes.”

“Click!”

“Swish!”

The lounge door was locked, and the heavy curtains were drawn shut.

Once more, that damp, ambiguous scent, which always made my scalp prickle, permeated the air.

“Pardon the intrusion.”

Beatrix, measuring tape in hand, approached me from behind.

Instead of immediately beginning, she first extended a hand and gently…

Undid the sash around my waist.

As the constriction loosened, my breathing became slightly easier, only to be followed by a sudden chill.

“…Waist circumference.” Beatrix’s voice was a little hoarse.

The cool measuring tape encircled my waist. To ensure accuracy, she pulled it a tad snug.

“Mm…” I instinctively sucked in my stomach.

In front of me, Ella was crouched on the floor, tasked with measuring my… thigh circumference.

“Lady Lilliana… your legs are truly so straight…”

Ella’s cheeks were flushed, her fingers gripping one end of the tape as it slowly slid down from the base of my thigh. Her fingertips brushed the edge of my stockings, deliberately or not, sending shivers of tingling sensation through me.

“Stop touching me unnecessarily,” I warned, looking down.

“I-I’m not touching unnecessarily! This is… this is to ensure the battle robe’s trousers won’t be too tight and restrict your movement!” Ella retorted with feigned indignation, though the guilt in her voice was unmistakable.

Behind me, Beatrix was equally relentless.

After measuring my waist, she didn’t withdraw the tape. Instead, she smoothly moved it upward, positioning it for my bust.

Her body pressed even closer. I could feel the softness of her chest against my back, a continuous warmth infused with the scent of soap.

“Inhale…” she whispered into my ear.

I complied, drawing a breath. The tape tightened.

“…Just as I thought.”

Beatrix’s eyes flickered with a complex emotion as she observed the number.

“Fuller than it appears, indeed.”

Was such a comment truly necessary?!

The entire measuring process was nothing short of torture.

These two behaved as if appraising some rare treasure, not only taking incredibly detailed measurements—down to the millimeter for my wrists and ankles—but also performing their duties with an utterly…

Clingy demeanor?

“Ah… Lady Lilliana… your scent…” Ella repeatedly used the excuse of adjusting the tape to press her face against my lower abdomen or thigh, emitting satisfied sighs.

“Mm…” Beatrix, meanwhile, would gaze at each measured area with a possessive stare every time she called out a number, as if etching it into her very mind.

By the time it was finally over, I felt as though I had run a marathon, a thin sheen of sweat covering my body.

“Excellent! Data collection complete!”

Beatrix closed her notepad and carefully tucked it into her bosom, keeping it close to her person.

“Rest assured, we shall immediately seek out the finest tailors in the Royal Capital and have them work through the night. We will present you with the most perfect battle robes before the competition, without fail.”

Seeing their spirited enthusiasm, I truly couldn’t bring myself to tell them that my design was, in fact…

A hooded robe paired with loose trousers.

Don’t ask why; the answer is simply for ease of sleeping and sitting cross-legged.

The next day, to escape the two still engrossed in their fervent discussion about the battle robes, I sought refuge alone in the first-floor corridor of the library for some fresh air.

The sunlight here was pleasant, and due to the rumors of the Witch, few dared to approach.

As I leaned against a pillar, resting my eyes, a hesitant set of footsteps halted nearby.

I opened my eyes.

Alexis von Lumiere.

The once spirited Prince now stood about three meters away from me. He was without attendants, dressed in a simple shirt with two buttons undone at the collar, appearing somewhat disheveled yet lacking the usual air of lofty pretense.

Upon seeing my eyes open, his body visibly stiffened.

“…Good morning, Miss Eckhart.”

“Good morning, Your Highness.” I was rather surprised. After the day he delivered the books, I had assumed he would avoid me.

Alexis pursed his lips, seemingly steeling himself.

He didn’t rush forward to question me as he might have in the past. Instead, maintaining a respectful distance, he retrieved a folded piece of parchment from his pocket.

“This… is for you.”

He placed the note on a nearby stone table, then immediately retreated two steps, as if fearing I might misinterpret his intentions as hostile.

“What is this?” I didn’t reach for it, merely glancing at it from afar.

“…A layout of the Church’s sacred magic circles,” Alexis stated in a low voice, taking a deep breath.

“While that fool Gabriel poses no real threat, the higher echelons of the Church… they are serious this time.”

He looked up, his deep blue eyes gleaming with a complex light.

“They have installed a large-scale purification array beneath the competition grounds, specifically targeting dark-attribute users. Once activated, ordinary dark mages would have their mana instantly drained, or even… suffer soul damage.”

I raised an eyebrow. This was highly classified information. As a member of the royal family, he and the Church were supposed to be allies.

“Why tell me?” I met his gaze. “Is this… a betrayal?”

“Betrayal?” Alexis let out a self-deprecating laugh. “Perhaps.”

He turned his head, looking towards the distant, imposing clock tower.

“Before, I believed light was justice and darkness was evil. Upholding the Church meant upholding the stability of the kingdom.”

“But… that day in the grand hall, when I witnessed the Holy Appraisal Stone turn to dust in your hands…” His voice trembled slightly.

“I suddenly realized… how fragile and hypocritical that so-called black-and-white justice truly was.”

He looked back at me. In his eyes, there was no longer adoration, nor hostility.

Only a certain…

Obsession, like a mere spectator, eager to witness something.

“Lilliana. You once said that books come alive when they are read.”

“So… I wish to see for myself.”

“When confronted with a targeted trap like this… what answer will you, and the world through your eyes, provide?”

Having spoken, he seemed to shed a great burden, giving me a slight nod before turning and departing.

This time, his retreating figure no longer stumbled. Though still solitary, at least…

It was a path he had chosen for himself.

I walked over and picked up the parchment. It meticulously detailed the array’s nodes and mana flow.

A large-scale purification array, then?

I observed the complex runes, a faint, subtle smile gracing my lips.

‘If I were an ordinary dark mage, this would indeed be a death trap.’

‘But alas, Your Highness.’

‘I am Chaos.’

‘Purification?’

‘For a glutton who devours everything, it is merely…’

‘A more lavish buffet.’

“Thanks,” I murmured softly to his disappearing back.

With this intelligence, my grasp on the Philosopher’s Stone felt even more secure.

And…

I touched the note in my hand.

‘It seems, besides the Saintess and the Knight, my bookshelf might soon gain…’

‘Another awkward observation diary.’

‘However, that is not important.’