Casual Heroing, Chapter 235

ABOUT TO MAKE AN ENTRANCE! 👨🏻‍🎤👨🏻‍🎤👨🏻‍🎤

Next chapter comes out on January 28th!

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Chapter 235 – Carriages

Clodia stood outside the Valerii estate, looking at the many carriages streaming in from the path through the forest. The Gens Valeria did not just own a large patch of Amorium that they kept green, but they also owned a massive castle right at its north-westernmost point.

"Joey's going to cause trouble tonight," Amelia sighed.

"You don't know that," Clodia gave her girlfriend a confused look.

"No? Then, you don't know Joey," Amelia shook her head. "He shouldn't have come Clodia. This is an Elven celebration."

"The Scarlet Hunter invited him herself."

"It doesn't matter," the oldest of the Saturnia sisters replied. "This is not the right place for his antics."

"Amelia, do you have a problem with Joey?" Clodia asked with a challenging voice.

"Me? No. The rest of all the rotten people here, though? Most definitely."

As they kept going back and forth about the argument, three carriages came to a stop in front of the large gate where a few Valerii [Guards] were checking the guests and their invites.

The doors of the three carriages opened at the same time. Out of them came three women.

Lucinda, in a head-turning glittery red dress.

Tullia, Truffles's mother, in a massive, peach-colored gown.

And last, but not least, Flavia Saturnia, in an aquamarine dress.

"Your sister looks pretty tonight," Clodia told Amelia. "She might put you up a tree tonight, Amelia. That dress is reallynice."

"Joey's friend's parents made that for her," Amelia noted with a hint of annoyance in her voice.

"Are you jealous?" Clodia laughed.

"Maybe next time, I'll ask your mother," the other snapped.

Clodia went silent at that.

"Sorry," Amelia cringed. "I didn't mean to—"

"It's ok. Look, there's the rest of them."

Right after the girls came the boys.

"Wow," Clodia stated, looking at a dashing Stan coming out with an interesting arrangement of clothes that she had never seen before—or maybe she had? She couldn’t remember.

"Who made that?" Amelia joined in the stupor.

"You have to ask?" Clodia smiled.

Soon, the rest came out of the carriages.

Joey, Truffles, Chrysantus, Lucillus, Antoninus, Tiberius, and Quintus.

They all came in black suits and ties, making every head waiting outside or in line to enter the castle turn their way.

...

Getting out of the carriage in a bunch of suits was meant to impress everyone – all those Elves that usually look at me with a holier-than-thou disposition while I walk down the streets of Amorium. When I initially commissioned the suits to Fulvia – something I knew would be a massive undertaking even for someone with all her levels, as bespoke suits are not easy to make – I thought this would be my statement.

In a country of Elves, you can look cool by simply following the weird Human around the city. You don’t need to be a rampant racist—imagine it as, ‘look, Humans are cool too.’

But as we climb out of the carriage and draw the eyes of everyone present, I can’t help but gulp at the magnificence of the place. The Gens Valeria apparently owns a bona fide castle, and it’s so tastefully decorated that it dazes me. And I cannot even begin to describe all the lights, the many vivid dresses, and, most of all, the spontaneity with which these people carry themselves.

If you have ever been to any kind of costume party, you can feelthat the people are wearing costumes. Even if you went to the Met Gala, you’d still get the impression that there’s an invisible layer between the suits and the people underneath. However, as I stare at all these people, it feels like it’s impossible to tell where flesh ends, and lace begins, where the gold, the green, and all the myriad of colors are supposed to belong to the garment and not the people there.

“It’s beautiful,” I say to no one in particular, making a few of my friends turn and nod. Other than Stan and Truffles, his family included, none of the other men have apparently been invited before. And so, we stare. They stare because it’s a wonderful expression of their society, something close to the most beautiful thing you can find in it. But I stare because I’m feeling selfish.

Yes, selfish.

The suits look tremendous on us, but they do mark us as some sort of invaders to the colored party in front of us.

My worries, however, are soon quelled by Lucinda, who approaches me and wraps her arm around mine.

“You’re the one invited,” she justifies herself with a small cough. “I’m the plus one.”

“The best plus one I could have hoped for,” I say with a warm smile.

A bit too saccharine, I know, but I do like this woman. A lot.

“So,” I say, looking around at everyone. “We’re all here. Shall we?”

...

We’re waiting in line as I look around and surreptitiously ask Clodia, “What’s on the menu?”

“It will mostly be served as walking refreshments and manned tables,” she explains. “The [Princess] told Camilla to prepare a host of salted pastries, meat-filled pies, and so on. Toward the end of the night, after the speech by the Novafamilia, we’ll bring out our signature pastries and cakes. Flaminia worked her skills off like you wouldn’t believe it. She looked possessed.”

I turn to Flaminia who, almost as if on cue, turns and smiles at me. I smile back and turn back to Clodia.

“Clodia, could we have a word when you have some time? Maybe not tonight. But...”

The muscled woman, whose strong arms poke out of a sleeveless dress, nods back at me. She has taken off most of the tattoos she got from her [Druid] class. She sighs. “Yes, I think we have to.”

Oh?

“You know what I want to talk about?”

This time, she looks at Flaminia.

“Yes.”

I lower my voice a little, “So, I’m not imagining this...”

“Nope.”

“What are you two talking about?” Comes the crystalline voice of Lucinda, who was chatting with Amelia. The oldest Saturnia sister has been eyeing my date a bit too daringly tonight, but at least it’s kept her from making snide remarks about the suits.

“Heh, I was asking what they did in my absence and stuff,” I shrug, feeling just a tinge of heat at the top of my ears. “What’s new for you, Amelia?” I say, turning to the tall, drop-dead-gorgeous woman who would give a young Angelina Jolie a run for her money.

“We were discussing your attire,” she replies.

Heh, not saved from the snide remarks then.

“You like a man in a suit?” I ask, attempting a smile.

“No. I’d be curious to see your girl in it, though,” Amelia says with a smug smile.

I look at Lucinda, who takes it as a harmless compliment, but I can’t help but feel a tinge of jealousy pop up in my heart as I look at the woman.

“Well, it seems like it’s almost our turn,” I say, holding her gaze before looking meaningfully at Clodia.

“Amelia, come, let’s get behind them,” my ex-boss says, catching on the vibe that I’m putting out.

As I arrive in front of the gate, I say hi to the guard and take out of my bag of holding the invite that Diana, the Scarlet—something, something—had sent me a while back.

I’m about to step forward when the [Guard] puts his arm out.

“I’m sorry, sir. This invite is not valid. Please, step aside.”

“Excuse me?” I ask, confused. “I was invited by Lady Diana.”

“I have a list here, sir. Lady Cornelia Valeria double-checked it herself.”

“I’m sorry,” Clodia steps forward and confronts the man. “The Gens Valeria extended a broad invitation to all the staff of Aurora’s Bakery. We were guaranteed that all our employees and staff members could come and would be placed on the list.”

“Yes,” the [Guard] nods respectfully. “I was dutifully instructed as such. However, his name is not on the list. I was told that all the Elves from the caterer company would be allowed in. Miss, he’s not an Elf.”

“Listen, you fucking dumb idiot,” that’s Flaminia barging in like a bulldozer, pulling Clodia to the side. “Do you know who’s really catering this event? Have you heard of the rotten [Princess] of Lucerna?”

“Miss, please, step back,” the [Guard] says, putting a hand on his sword.

“Woah, Flaminia,” I tell the pink-haired woman. “Calm down. This is not a big deal. I’m sure we can just notify—”

“I said,” the woman ignores me and looks straight at the man, “this man is the owner of the bakery catering to the event. You can either let him through, or you can tell your [Lady] Cornelia that we will take back all the food.”

“Flaminia!” This time, it’s Amelia. “Stop making threats that we can’t—”

“Shut up!” Flaminia snaps back like a tiger pouncing on its prey. “I don’t remember asking your opinion. It’s your boss we are talking about. Without this man, you would still be bickering with your two sisters back in that hole of a bakery! So, shut your rotten mouth if you don’t want to get fired!”

Christ, I say, recoiling.

I see Antoninus and Lucillus making their way forward when a familiar voice roars with laughter.

“Oh, my! I can’t believe I almost got here too late! HA!”