#454 The Fifth Element

Hey, it’s me, Batemy.

The same Batemy who works as the farm’s seamstress.

I’ve received an order from Lord Saint.

He wants me to tailor Lady Platy’s wedding dress.

They’re having their belated wedding after circumstances such as the farm’s development and their ‘marriage’ being done on the spur of the moment prolonged things.

When Lord Saint came to tell me this, I thought, “It’s finally here!”

Ever since I realized my lifelong dream of becoming a tailor on this farm, I’ve made all sorts of clothing, including wedding dresses.

The first wedding dress I made was for my former boss, Miss Astres.

She wore it during her wedding with His Majesty back in the Demon Kingdom.

Then, I made one for the second Demon Queen, Glasya.

I honestly didn’t want to since she has been Miss Astres’ rival since their days as Heavenly Ones. But I couldn’t disobey Miss Astres after she ordered me to. Anyway, I did my best to make the dress. I don’t cut corners and deliver a mediocre piece of work just because I don’t like the person I’m making it for.

I put my pride as a craftsman on the line and designed the dress elaborately so that even a brawly-looking woman like her would look pretty in it.

And then, there’s Lady Puffer’s wedding dress.

This one’s still fresh in my memory.

I also made a wedding dress for Lampeye around the same time.

Recently, all I’ve been making are wedding dresses.

But that’s also why I’m acquiring more know-how and skills.

...To tell you the truth, I have incorporated a secret theme into the wedding dresses I just mentioned.

As I am the tailor who decided on this theme myself, I did not share this with my clients.

The wedding dress worn by Miss Astres is Wind, Lady Glasya’s Earth, Lady Puffer’s Water, and Lampeye’s Fire.

I incorporated these themes into each wedding dress to suit each individual’s image.

And then, I eventually find myself with all four elements!

No, I didn’t plan this from the start.

Miss Astres’ unemotional behavior embodies the wind, and Lady Glasya, who has always been a powerhouse, makes a good fit for the earth.

Water is perfect for Lady Puffer, the mermaid queen, and no other theme would better fit Lampeye than fire, what with her being the Witch of Hellfire and all.

As a result, I ended up with wedding dresses of earth, water, fire, and wind.

Somehow, I feel thrilled.

I’ve conquered all the four elements!

And then, when I received Lord Saint’s order to make Lady Platy’s wedding dress, it was like my time to shine had also come!

Now that I’ve made wedding dresses with the four elements, I’m going to try my hand at the fifth wedding dress!

There is no one more suitable to wear it than Lady Platy.

Now’s the time to create the fifth wedding dress that surpasses the previous four elements.

If this revelation has presented itself to me, I shall gladly take on the task!

***

...Ah, by the way, I also made a dress for my colleague Varlina when she got married.

I didn’t have any particular inspiration for that, so I made it spontaneously.

***

Now...

I better start working on making Lady Platy’s wedding dress.  

This project is even more exciting because I’m not restricted to using adamantine silk.

I’m itching to put my skills to use if it’s not obvious.

But first, I need to visualize things.

The theme is the fifth element.

I want to give the dress a new power that surpasses all four natural elements.

At this point, you’re probably wondering what I’m blabbering on about, but it doesn’t faze me.

This is a necessary process to create the most powerful wedding dress on earth!

So!

What exactly should the fifth wedding dress be?

If we were to go beyond the four elements, hmm...

“...Light?”

The Light Wedding Dress?

Mhm, that sounds strong.

A wedding dress that shines radiantly!

Being bathed in its light dispels every single evil spirit and vampire!

Doesn’t that sound cool?!

And once Lady Platy wears it, it’ll look even more powerful.

The wife of the strongest, supreme, one and only saint and the proprietress of the farm: Lady Platy.

Her ceremonial dress deserves a radiantly shining light!

Yes! That’s it!

Lady Platy’s wedding dress... shall be the Light wedding dress!

“I wonder about that...”

“Uhyah!”

Whoever spoke behind me freaked me out for a sec!

Belena!

If it isn’t my former colleague, Belena!

Don’t just barge into my workplace like this!

“Looks like you were conceptualizing Lady Platy’s wedding dress, huh? Going with light doesn’t sound so bad. But don’t you realize there’s a potential fifth element that could rival that?”

“What? An element that rivals light...?!”

“Darkness!”

Darkness?!

Yes, indeed, where there is light, there is darkness. Darkness is the ultimate power comparable to light!

A wedding dress that embodies the power of darkness!

“Wait, no.”

No matter how you look at it, darkness is never appropriate for an auspicious event, most especially a wedding.

“Don’t just suggest things based on how cool they sound, ex-colleague.”

Belena is unreliable because she sometimes starts going down this weird track.

“Aww... But what else would be good then?”

“That’s what I’m thinking right now... Wait, the way you’re sitting down nonchalantly... Don’t tell me you’re going to brainstorm with me?!”

“Of course! I’m always happy to help out Lord Saint and Lady Platy to repay all they’ve done for me!”

If anything, I think I’ll wander off course with you around...

“This is the fifth power we’re talking about, right? Since there’s light and darkness... how about the sky?”

Sky, huh?

That actually sounds pretty good...!

“While we’re at it, how about the void? But that would mean Lady Platy would go to her wedding nude...!”

She shows up stark naked and says, “This is the ultimate wedding dress!”

That does also sound impactful.

“Also, I was thinking, why don’t we take it to the next level?”

“The next level?”

“Let’s think about what the sixth, seventh power will be. I learned a new word from Lord Saint the other day! It’s ‘araya-shiki.’”

“Araya-shiki?!”

An araya-shiki wedding dress?

I don’t know what it means, but it sounds awesome and strong!

“Doesn’t it make you want to make an Araya-shiki wedding dress?! It’s the perfect theme to put all your heart and soul into making!”

While it does shake up my artisan spirit... Lady Platy can only wear one dress.

I should only choose one of the suggestions we came up with!

At first, I thought I was firm on the Light wedding dress, but the Araya-shiki and Void wedding dresses both sound intriguing!

And now, I find it hard to abandon the Darkness wedding dress idea too!

Oh, what should I do?

Which theme should I choose?

“How are things, Batemy?”

And then, Lord Saint arrives.

I think it’s a good idea to ask my client for his opinion.

“I forgot to tell you something. I want a variety of dresses for Platy to change in, as is customary in my world.”

“Huh?”

A variety of dresses?

I’ve never heard of such a custom.

“To put it bluntly, the bride changes her dress several times during the ceremony. I know it’s a lot of work, but you’re the only one I can count on.”

And with that, Lord Saint leaves the room.

Preparing several kinds of dresses...?

That means...

“Yaaay! I can make multiple of themmmmm!!!”

We can try this theme... and that... and...!

Wahahaha!

Time to go all outttttt!!!

----------

Araya-shiki (Jap. for Sanskrit alaya-vijnana, ‘storehouse-consciousness’). The eighth and foundational level of consciousness in the Buddhist Hossō school. It stores impressions received from other forms of consciousness and retains them as a potential for further actions and thoughts.

a little explanation regarding the 'sky' and 'void' themes since they're less related when translated into English. the kanji for sky (空) can also mean empty, which is why Belena suggested 'nothingness' (無) or 'void,' as my attempt in translating it.