The gold embroidery on the black robe and the insignia wrapped around one shoulder covered only one arm. I don’t know if it was made on just one side of the robe. The same gold embroidery was engraved on the red insignia, making it look more like a double garment. The most shocking thing was that there were no buttons.

But how? I wondered. Is it made with some kind of magic? I understood that the front opened like a gown, but I could see no strings or buttons to close it. It stretched till his knees but the material didn’t look very stuffy. The collar that wrapped around the neck was also embroidered with gorgeous gold, creating the illusion that his whole body sparkled.

It was an outfit that only Kaichen could pull off. It looked ascetic because it covered his body without any gaps. It was more suitable for a priest than for a magician. No, those clothes would be too flashy for a priest. Yes, ascetic. That word was most appropriate.

That outfit that didn’t expose anything, yet it looked the sexiest in the world. He was dressed like a neat freak who disliked contact with anyone. That made me even more intrigued. It is said that the more something is hidden, the more curious one is about it.

I sound like a pervert. I was flustered. It had been worthwhile to avoid Kaichen for a week to be greeted by this. I had been dying to meet him because I had avoided him long enough. Is it natural to drool at a handsome man? It was such an embarrassing thought that I wondered what kind of a person I really was. A person could look this sexy without revealing too much.

On the other hand, my dress was very revealing, as Kaichen had pointed out. I was really surprised when I put on the dress for the first time. The upper body was tight and the waistline was emphasized.

The dress had a deep V-shaped neckline and was decorated with a gorgeous gold belt. The ornament in the form of a round ring holding the dress on the shoulder was also of gold, specially made to match the jewelry on my wrist. The dress was made of soft satin, with one shoulder hanging from the same material as a cloak, and the other hanging from the arm in the form of a sleeve. Above all, the bottom of the dress was unique, like a rose blooming below the waist.

The front was a bit open so whenever I moved, I could feel a cool breeze on my leg. It was comfortable to move in. But definitely… It’s a little racy. I didn’t know what dresses aristocratic women wore for a ball in this world. I wasn’t really interested in finding out either. So, I wore whatever Julius had sent for me.

I glanced at Kaichen. He was truly gorgeous. When the carriage reached our destination, he got out and held a hand to me. He looked even more dazzling in the sunlight. I smiled softly and took his hand.

As I descended from the carriage, Kaichen whispered, “It’s pretty.”

“What?” The shock stiffened my body. And I almost stumbled. The hand which held mine tightened.

He leaned close to me. “I said that you look very pretty today.”

I couldn’t even hear him well over my pounding heart. “A-All of a sudden? You didn’t even answer when I asked you.” I was so startled that I forgot to even speak. I blushed bright red. I could hardly look at him. I could only stare at the tip of his chin. I didn’t dare look up at him.

“I wanted to answer properly.” I slowly raised my gaze to see him smiling slightly. Is he laughing at me?

‘Hah, he really is crazy…’

It was a compliment that I might never hear again. I couldn’t make myself look into his eyes. My heart was beating so fast. My face was burning. If I looked at him right then, I might just explode. I felt like I might bleed from my nose like last time. My head and body felt like separate beings. I thought I was malfunctioning.

“If you give out compliments suddenly like this, I can barely handle it,” I said jokingly. Our hands were still clasped. I could feel Kaichen’s warmth. I clenched my teeth, took a big breath, and exhaled. I gathered my courage and opened my eyes. Because I had to do more than this today.

“Teacher, you really look handsome today. I know you always look handsome but today, you look gorgeous.”

“…”

“Well… I’m sure you know it.” His gaze looking down on me was intense. I couldn’t handle it. I lowered my eyes. I was proud of myself for handling it like I did, anyway. Calm down, I told myself, calm down…