Chiori still vividly recalled her homeland, where even the claps of thunder felt like a comforting reminder of home.
Born into a merchant family, Chiori never had much interest in business itself. While other girls learned refined arts like tea ceremony and flower arrangement, she spent her time climbing trees, catching fish, and hunting bugs alongside the other children.
"Chiori isn't exactly a quiet and demure child," her parents would often tell relatives.
Being quiet and demure wasn't a bad thing. Nor was being spirited a flaw.
Her parents, being remarkably open-minded, recognized that she wasn't the type to sit still quietly. So, they enrolled her in Kendo lessons.
But...
"Why are you carrying two swords?"
"Isn't the Dual Blade Style supposed to be really strong?" Chiori asked defiantly.
The Kendo teacher could only shake his head and sigh.
"Dual blades are notoriously difficult to control. One plus one doesn't necessarily equal two; it could just as easily be zero. Besides, my school doesn't even teach the Dual Blade Style—"
"Then isn't that just because your school isn't strong enough?"
The Kendo teacher's face darkened, and he promptly dismissed her.
Pouting and indignant, Chiori stormed home to complain to her parents.
"They say Inazuma's martial arts were passed down from the Shogun herself. How come they can't even wield two blades? The Shogun could probably handle three, right?"
"Three blades? How would you even use three blades?" her father asked, puzzled.
"...Maybe bite one?"
Or strap blades to each foot! Wouldn't that be a Four-Blade Style?
Modern Kendo truly lacks imagination! young Chiori mused absentmindedly.
How can Kendo ever become stronger if it's so rigid and stuck in its ways?
Rigid things? Disgusting.
Boring things? Disgusting.
What she craved was something she could control completely, something that allowed her to express her will freely.
Just like the building blocks she'd played with as a child—with imagination and a willingness to experiment, she could assemble things that existed in the world, or things that never could.
Then she saw the roll of high-quality fabric her mother had brought home.
Gently stroking it, she marveled at its softness, its smoothness, and its vivid, vibrant colors.
This was why she still loved Inazuman fabrics to this day.
How is this made?
What can I create with it?
Driven by these questions, Chiori enrolled in numerous tailoring classes.
The more Chiori learned, the more she found her teachers too "timid," unwilling to accept or acknowledge her designs.
Whenever she argued back, the outcome was almost always the same: expulsion from their tutelage.
Inazuma offered nothing she desired.
And its so-called "authorities" would never allow her designs to reach the public eye.
She also loathed tailoring clothes for those arrogant "big shots."
"Fontaine..."
As Chiori slumped over her desk, the name slipped from her lips, stirring something deep within her.
The books she'd read described Fontaine as the nation of fashion and art.
"Chioriya Boutique in Fontaine..."
The thought jolted her upright.
This is it!
She would forge her own path, defining fashion herself instead of letting others dictate it.
She bid farewell to her friends and delivered a sharp warning to her "enemies": "The name 'Chiori' will return to Inazuma long before I do!"
"I'm leaving tomorrow."
Her parents, though surprised, didn't try to stop her.
"Be careful on your journey," they simply said, urging her to pack extra supplies and giving her a generous sum of Mora.
To this day, Chiori remains deeply grateful for her parents' open-mindedness.
Though reluctant, she packed her luggage, accepted the Geo Vision offered by Tamoto, her longtime puppet companion, and left Inazuma without looking back.
In a foreign land, the biggest challenge was unfamiliarity.
Where can I buy fabric?
Which quality is better?
Unscrupulous shops were plentiful, and her blunt, outspoken nature only brought her more hardship. Yet, in a tiny room, she poured her heart into designing.
Those were simple, joyful times.
No need to overthink; she merely created the beautiful clothes she envisioned.
"Do you know about Fashion Week? If we can showcase our work there, both our dreams will come true!" her collaborator at the time exclaimed excitedly.
Their shared dream was to create clothing that was unique, broke free from tradition, and set new trends. Fashion Week was the perfect stage to convey their aesthetic and vision to the world.
But on the eve of Fashion Week, he shook his head and sighed.
"I don't think I can create such designs anymore... You can't either. Let's give up."
"Saying such defeatist things is your business. Don't drag me into it," Chiori retorted irritably.
"...You're definitely going to suffer."
Her collaborator glared at her, then turned away dejectedly.
"..."
Parting ways was common.
Originally, they had only been partners, exchanging design techniques and ideas.
His decision to give up after being rejected by investors and the public was his own cowardice.
Yet Chiori couldn't deny a knot of anxiety tightening in her chest.
Breaking from tradition meant taking immense risks.
Will all my efforts be recognized?—the eternal question of every creator.
"But I refuse to admit defeat..."
Even if it meant staking everything, she had to take the gamble!
Since she was participating in Fashion Week, she had to create her absolute best work.
From the overall design to the smallest details, there couldn't be any significant flaws... Chiori quickly realized she could cut up her own clothes to make the competition garments.
But what about the accessories?
She couldn't possibly make all the accessories from her own clothing fabric.
Details make or break a design. I can't afford to neglect them.
Her thoughts turned to a rare material she'd recently heard about: a unique flower with petals as lustrous as gemstones.
If she could obtain its petals, the accessories would be perfect.
But where could she find this flower?
Uncertain, she had no choice but to post a quest at the Adventurer's Guild.
Katheryne mused, "This material... actually, one of our rising star adventurers is currently searching for it. If you don't mind, you could go find her."
Chiori asked, "A rising star adventurer?"
"Yes, blonde hair and red eyes—she's quite easy to recognize."
"She only recently joined the Adventurer's Guild, but her strength is remarkable. She'll likely become one of our elite members soon."
Chiori showed little interest, nodding curtly. "What's her name?"
"Luna."
"Is she at the Guild?"
"No, she's not. Would you like to wait for her?"
Wait? There's no time for that.
Chiori shook her head. "Tell me where she is. I'll go find her myself."
Katheryne marked Luna's approximate recent activity area on the map. Chiori thanked her and ventured into the wilderness, following the marked location for quite some time.
Bang!
A thunderous gunshot suddenly rang out.
Chiori frowned, tensing up, and cautiously approached the sound.
Then she saw...
A golden silhouette flashed by, a cold glint appearing in her hand as three throwing knives pierced the wooden shield simultaneously. Lightly stepping onto the hilts, she propelled herself upward, her crimson eyes gleaming brilliantly in the sunlight.
Gripping a one-handed sword, she flipped through the air and slashed downward in a fluid motion.
"Last one!"
The blade flashed, and the monster collapsed with a final shudder.
Only as the last monster fell did Chiori notice the surrounding "corpses."
Clockwork Mekas, Hilichurls, even bandits groaning on the ground... There were quite a few of them, and her sword was chipped, her clothes torn.
How shabby. That was Chiori's first impression.
"Who's there?"
An indifferent voice cut through the air, as sharp as the gaze that accompanied it.
Chiori's eyes locked onto her face.
Though bloodstained, her captivating beauty remained undeniable: jade-smooth, ice-clear skin; thin, sakura-pink lips that seemed softer and more radiant than the finest silk.
Truly beautiful. This was Chiori's second impression.
Golden hair and crimson eyes—she must be Luna, the rising star adventurer.
"...Someone I don't recognize. Just passing by?"
Luna's expression softened, realizing Chiori wasn't an enemy.
"Are you Luna?"
"Yes."
"I have a quest for you."
"Alright."
Chiori paused, slightly taken aback. "You're accepting it without even asking what the quest is?"
"You're a tailor or someone in the fashion industry, right? I can tell. The quests you people give adventurers are always either about collecting specific materials or escorting goods."
Incredibly perceptive. This was Chiori's third impression.
Luna tossed her sword aside, casually picked up a bandit's blade, and raised her foot. With a swift stomp, she knocked the bandit unconscious.
Chiori crossed her arms. "What if I told you this quest involves danger?"
"That's fine. I'm not afraid of danger. In fact, I crave it."
"...A weirdo."
What a strange girl. This was Chiori's fourth impression.