Chapter 7
Crow
“Now, Lady! Once you’ve decided on the outfit, of course, you must try it on! Time waits for no one. Su, Rina!”
Clap clap!
The cheerful sound of applause echoed throughout the fitting room.
Once again, Nigel’s opinion wasn’t considered at all, and Su and Rina led him behind the partition.
They smiled at Nigel in a way that made it impossible to guess their intentions.
And a short while later…
“Waaaah!”
From behind the partition came a series of shrieks, almost like the cries of a wild beast.
“Hmm~ hhhmm~”
Madame Ludin, despite the earsplitting noise, inspected Nigel’s clothes and jotted down corrections in her notebook.
Shlarack!
By the time all of Nigel’s everyday clothes had been examined, the partition was thrown open with a flourish.
And…
…thud.
Ludin’s notebook fell limply to the floor.
“…Good heavens.”
She clasped her hands over her mouth.
Su and Rina looked at their employer with proud eyes.
Even they knew they deserved praise.
The dress, made by hand from strands of silver-threaded fabric, flowed beautifully along Nigel’s body.
With every small movement, the elegant blue shimmer of the threads sparkled in every direction.
The heart-shaped neckline revealed the neck and chest, emphasizing Nigel’s straight neck and making him even more striking.
The sleeves, gradually flaring toward the ends, followed a popular design among young ladies, adding freshness and innocence.
In a single word…
“El-e-gant!”
Indeed.
Ludin circled around Nigel, looking at the customer with eyes full of admiration, as if in love with the way the clothes perfectly conveyed their intended charm.
Su and Rina followed close behind, nodding repeatedly.
‘…This is like giving diamonds to a crow.’
But Nigel frowned at his reflection in the mirror. His hair was as dark as a crow’s.
The dress itself was fine. The problem was him.
Su and Rina had applied some unknown oil to his broom-like hair and brushed it meticulously, but the neglected strands still looked brittle.
His face, so bad it was painful to even describe, was rough with accumulated fatigue, with dark shadows under the eyes.
His reflection was as awkward as a beast tied to a rope for the first time.
“…Is this really okay?”
Nigel jabbed a finger at himself in the mirror.
“Of course not.”
Madame Ludin, who had been spinning frantically around Nigel, stopped and said firmly:
“Lady Nigel, the fitting is barely complete. The dress isn’t finished yet. Come back next Tuesday, and it will be tailored perfectly to you, oh-ho-ho!”
“…Right.”
Nigel let out a hollow laugh.
‘…Well, whatever. It’s not even my money, and any dress would look ridiculous anyway.’
Yes, clothing or not, it didn’t matter.
Had he worn Ludin’s dress, his thin frame would look even paler next to the voluminous gown; in silk, he’d be compared to the heroine.
“Ah, shall I prepare a corset for you next week? It would make you look even more beautiful.”
“No.”
Nigel refused outright.
While appearance might affect life, he preferred eating lunch comfortably even if he was a little thick-set, rather than suffering to achieve a slender waist.
“Since the fitting is done, may we let you go now?”
“Oh, yes, of course.”
Clap-clap!
The annoying applause sounded cheerful for the first time.
“Su, Rina! Help the Lady change.”
Finally free from the fitting ordeal, Nigel emerged from behind the partition in his clothes from when he first arrived at the shop, walking lightly.
“Lady, would you like a few sets of casual wear sent over today?”
“Yes, please.”
Nigel, without being asked, had already written the inn’s address on a piece of paper and handed it to Ludin.
“Understood. Then we shall see you next Tuesday morning, Lady.”
Nigel nodded and left the shop quickly without farewells.
“Huh…”
Even though it was early morning, the sun was already high in the sky.
It was definitely time for lunch.
After finishing three bowls at his seat, Nigel grumbled inwardly about the water prices and settled the bill.
Then he headed toward the central bank of the Evans Guild.
It didn’t take long to find; all he had to do was walk straight toward the tall, lavish building adorned with gold.
Though he entered a few dead-end alleys, that was negligible by Nigel’s standards.
Inside, the staff greeted him with smiles similar to Sally’s from before.
“How may we assist you, sir?”
After waiting for his turn, he approached the counter, and the employee welcomed him politely.
Though smiling cheerfully, a closer look revealed no life in his eyes.
“I’d like to deposit 2 gold 6 silver.”
The man’s eyebrows raised slightly at Nigel’s words, then returned to normal.
“…Please, follow me to the reception room, sir.”
He led Nigel from the counter to a private reception area inside the bank.
Nigel sat on a plush sofa and sipped the fragrant tea he was served.
Though he glanced at the elegant desserts, he had to save his appetite for dinner at the inn.
He needed to finish business quickly.
Tap.
Nigel set his teacup on the table.
“I’m here to use the vault.”
What Nigel had just said was code used by clients requesting anonymous vault access.
The anonymous vault was heavily warded; no unauthorized person could enter.
“Yes, understood, sir. But for security, please enter the password on this magical device first.”
Nigel entered the alphanumeric combination, and the device displayed 314-5.
314-5—the vault number of Zeronin.
“Confirmed. You may now access the vault. This way, please.”
Following the guide, Nigel took the elevator to the basement of the bank.
Ding!
“You’ve arrived. Be careful of the gap between the platform and floor when exiting.”
Nigel followed his instructions and stepped out carefully.
“I’ll wait here. Feel free to take care of your business, sir.”
Nigel pressed his hand against the black wall marked 314-5, where a single vault door stood.
It glowed and swung open, as if granting him entry.
Creeeak.
As Nigel entered, the door closed automatically.
Inside, there was yet another door—part of the carefully designed security system.
He opened the second locked door easily.
Most vaults store cash, valuables, weapons, or mana stones, but Zeronin’s vault was different.
A crate of gold was shoved in a corner, while the walls were lined with potion bottles.
Only a few rows were full; most bottles were empty.
Buzz.
Nigel closed his eyes and layered multiple magical barriers with his mana, producing a low hum.
Now, whatever happened in this room would remain unknown to anyone but Nigel.
“Phew…”
He exhaled and closed his eyes.
Soon, the room was filled with golden light. The mana was so vast that even Nigel, releasing his own power, struggled to keep his eyes open.
About five minutes later, Nigel opened his eyes.
His body, stiff as if carrying a heavy burden, felt light.
The once-empty potion bottles were now filled with a sparkling golden liquid.
The labels read “Reparo” in elegant cursive.
“Finally… some relief.”
It had been over a month since he had last released his mana in such a chaotic way.
Since around age ten, when he first manifested his divine power, Nigel had suffered from mana addiction.
Mana addiction occurs when one’s body accumulates an overwhelming amount of mana over time, potentially fatal.
It typically affects children whose bodies haven’t fully developed and usually fades as they grow—but Nigel had suffered into adulthood.
He had never met another saint to compare, so he didn’t know if this affliction was common or unique to him.
Zeronin had discovered Nigel collapsed from mana addiction in the orphanage yard—an incredible stroke of luck.
From childhood through the academy, Zeronin had produced potions, eventually converting divine power into mana recovery potions.
Nigel had extended his life by releasing his power into intricately designed potion bottles monthly, while Zeronin profited from selling them.
Zeronin was the only person aware of Nigel’s status as a saint and quietly supported him.
Yet, his presence remained as irritating as ever—full of nagging.
“I’ll take some with me.”
Nigel opened the crate in the corner and stuffed a handful of gold into his bag.
Clink clink.
The sound reached the ears of the bank employee waiting in the elevator.
It was a familiar and beloved sound: the beautiful harmony of gold coins clinking together.
He immediately put on a professional smile and greeted the young customer warmly.
