GILF Hunter

Time flew by in an instant, leaving no room for any proper preparation.

The victory party Ian had told her about was suddenly only a day away.

With only one day left before the party, Elena, thinking the timing was finally right, visited the mercenary group’s dormitory.

’Oh my.’

’Ah....’

Elena, having come up the stairs, happened to run into Airi in the common room. She looked surprisingly relaxed.

Usually, a person attending such a large party for the first time would be extremely nervous, constantly checking their attire and preparations with an anxious face a day before the party.

Airi seemed a bit tense, but otherwise, she didn’t seem to have any particular worries.

She might look timid at first glance, but a mercenary is a mercenary. Was she actually bold by nature?

Thinking that, Elena asked Airi.

’Have you finished all your preparations?’

’Preparations?’

’I mean for tomorrow’s party.’

Hearing Elena’s words, Airi replied with a puzzled look.

’Ah... that. The preparations are done, but... how did you know?’

’I was invited as well.’

’Pardon...?’

Airi had a very strange expression on her face.

Elena... at a mercenaries’ victory party?

She seemed like someone who didn’t fit in such a place at all.

If anything, she was someone who looked more at home at an upper-class party where noble-like people gathered.

Completely unaware of Airi’s thoughts, Elena set down the bag she had brought from the workshop. It was a bag filled with accessories.

Since harmony is the most important part of dressing up, simply piling on flashy items would only make one look tacky.

She planned to check Airi’s party outfit in advance today and find the most suitable combination.

’Then, may I see the outfit you’ve prepared?’

’My outfit? I’m planning to go just like this....’

’...?’

Elena’s head slowly tilted to the side.

Airi’s current attire was her usual one. In other words, typical mercenary clothing.

Elena, who remained frozen for a long while unable to comprehend Airi’s answer, asked with a bewildered face.

’What? Why....’

’I asked the Leader, and he said as long as it’s clean, I can go in my usual clothes....’

Elena realized a fact she hadn’t considered.

This party wasn’t just a social gathering for the upper class, but a place to invite promising mercenaries. Moreover, since this was Labyrinth, known as the city of mercenaries, the dress code was free enough to far exceed Elena’s expectations.

Since the influence of high-ranking mercenary groups in the city was significant, the upper class had conversely been influenced by the mercenaries.

’Th-then... what about a dress?’

’A dress all of a sudden...? I don’t have anything like that....’

Elena realized she had to discard all the accessory combinations she had previously conceived.

’...A dress certainly wouldn’t fit. You’re a mercenary, so forcing a dressed-up look wouldn’t match the concept.’

Adornments should be tailored to the user. Matching the person to make the accessories stand out was putting the cart before the horse.

Realizing she had been thinking wrong until now, Elena quickly revised her plan. She was slightly flustered by the unexpected turn, but there was no problem.

’Alright, leave it to me. I’ll make sure you’re styled properly like a mercenary.’

’Eh? I mean, I’m just going as I am....’

’First, we’ll buy a new one for this part... and I saw some new equipment in the storage, so let’s try those on.’

’Huh? Hieek....’

Airi was suddenly grabbed by Elena and dragged away to get a new party outfit fitted for a long time.

Hearing the news belatedly, Ian went to Elena’s workshop.

’Miss Elena? Is something going on with Airi?’

’Ah, Leader. You’ve come at a good time.’

Airi, who had been treated like a dress-up doll for hours, stood in the middle of the room with a face as if her soul had left her body.

It felt like she had tried on more types of accessories today than she would use in her entire life.

Elena smiled as she showed Airi’s appearance to Ian.

’I was preparing her outfit for tomorrow.’

’Ah... the party outfit for tomorrow?’

Airi’s outfit looked similar to her usual attire, yet it definitely exuded a high-class atmosphere.

It was thanks to several pieces of equipment replaced for design rather than practicality, and accessories subtly added with an almost imperceptible presence.

One could certainly feel what a professional’s touch was like.

’And finally....’

Elena brought out a luxurious box from one side of the room.

Since Ian had arrived, she planned to finally reveal the item she had been hiding.

As Elena opened the box, Ian and Airi felt as if a dazzling light was pouring out from within.

Inside the box was a brooch made by processing a red stone.

The object didn’t emit any actual light, but it felt as if it were radiating an invisible red aura.

’Wow....’

Airi, who had become sick of looking at accessories for hours and was no longer moved by them, let out an involuntary exclamation.

’Is this really... made from that stone?’

’Of course. It was a truly excellent material.’

The stone back then seemed quite expensive, but now that the processing was finished, it looked like an incredible luxury item.

It was scary to even take it out of the box for fear of scratching it. If even a small blemish occurred, it felt like it would immediately cause a loss of dozens of gold coins.

Elena carefully took the brooch out of the box.

’Now. Try it on.’

’It looks like such an expensive item, will it be okay....’

’What are you saying? It’s your item, Miss Airi.’

That certainly was the condition....

Airi had an expression as if she couldn’t believe at all that the accessory, which looked like something she could never buy even if she saved money for her entire life, was hers.

Airi stood frozen like ice while Elena personally pinned the brooch on her, afraid that if she moved carelessly, she might damage it or drop it on the floor.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

[Tears of Sagittarius]

- Accessory Item

- When possessed [Charm +30]

- Effect of applied [Fame] +20%

- Treats opponents with neutral affinity as [Positive]

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Ian also checked the options of the accessory Elena had created.

...It’s [Charisma].

Ian, who hadn’t expected her to process that stone into an accessory with such options, was a bit flustered.

Neutral affinity is the default state one has when meeting for the first time, excluding basic hostile relationships.

In other words, it meant people she met would unconditionally have a [Positive] level of affinity from the start.

If obtained in the early stages, it was a function that would allow for a very comfortable speedrun.

After pinning the brooch on Airi, Elena nodded with a proud face after a final check of the coordination.

Although it was an outfit put together hastily today, it was a satisfying result with no flaws to find.

’...Ah, right.’

Elena’s expression, which had been a pleased smile while looking at Airi, stiffened slightly.

Her mind had been so focused on Airi that she hadn’t realized... she belatedly noticed there was one more thing to check.

Elena turned her gaze toward Ian.

’By the way, what about the Leader’s preparation...?’

’It’s finished.’

’...Leader, you come here as well, quickly!’

In the end, Elena’s party preparations continued until late at night.

＊　＊　＊

A new carriage stopped in front of the party hall.

A street gathered with luxury residences in the southern district. It was the garden of a large mansion right in the middle.

Airi looked around with a dazed expression.

It was a large mansion with a garden that looked like something out of a painting.

It was the place with the most expensive land prices in Labyrinth, yet a vast piece of land large enough for several buildings was being used merely as a garden.

It was so surreal that she couldn’t even form any thoughts.

’Now. Let’s head in, both of you.’

Unlike the two who looked like mercenaries to anyone, Elena, dressed in a flashy dress, led Ian and Airi ahead.

’Leader Ian and Miss Airi of Ian’s Mercenary Group, and Miss Elena have arrived!’

As the three entered the party hall, the attendant called out each of their names, announcing their arrival inside.

Airi felt that the gazes of everyone in the party hall were gathered toward her, and felt as if they were whispering something about her.

In fact, it wasn’t just Airi’s imagination; it was actually happening.

Every time she passed by people while walking into the party hall following Elena, everyone’s gaze gathered toward Airi.

Even after Airi passed by, people’s gazes followed her back.

Elena and Ian started a conversation with someone in front, but Airi couldn’t hear anything.

The Leader had definitely said that since she didn’t know anyone, she could just stay quietly in a corner and come back.

Far from being quiet, even though she was just breathing, everyone’s gaze was directed toward Airi.

Taking a very slow, deep breath, Airi realized.

Mhm. It’s a nightmare.

Because she had often had such nightmares lately, she was almost used to it by now.

Airi, accustomed to such nightmares, handled it as she usually did when having a nightmare.

It was to stand still without reacting, no matter what happened around her. If she just stood there like that, she would soon wake up from the nightmare.

’That person over there is....’

’Is that Miss Airi.... She’s as cold and blunt as the rumors say.’

...Strangely, this nightmare didn’t seem to end and continued on.