After wrapping up some business with Asfi, Alice headed home feeling quite pleased with herself.
The moment she stepped inside, she found that Lili had also returned. No sooner had Lili spotted Alice than she came rushing over, holding two dresses—one black, one white.
"Lady Alice!"
"Come! Quick, try these on! Lili picked them out especially for you! They'll suit you perfectly, absolutely!"
Lili's eyes shone with anticipation. Nothing made her happier than having a real-life doll she could dress up to her heart's content.
"Huh? Dresses?" Alice eyed the two garments in Lili's hands, which looked rather delicate, and felt a bit troubled. "For a banquet, what I'm wearing now should be fine, don't you think?" Alice's current dress suited her appearance and temperament perfectly.
Moreover, compared to the predominantly practical clothing found in Orario, Alice's dress was quite ornate. Even at a formal banquet, wearing it wouldn't seem out of place at all.
Hearing this, Lili immediately protested with serious conviction, "No, that won't do, Lady Alice!"
"Although it hasn't been long since we met, even in these few days, Lili has noticed that you're far too unaware of yourself as a young lady!"
"You're so beautiful, with such lovely grace, and a figure anyone would envy! With just a little effort, you could be even more stunning!"
"But! Every day, Lady Alice is either buried in magical research or holed up in her workshop making dolls, completely wasting her natural gifts as a girl!"
"So!"
"Even though Lili knows this banquet might not be all pleasantness, I still want Lady Alice's charm to shine through completely!"
"Therefore, Lady Alice! Please try on these two dresses!"
Faced with Lili's passionate outburst, Alice found it hard to refuse.
"Alright, alright. Just these two, right? I'll go change." Taking the dresses from Lili, Alice returned to her room and slipped into the white one.
Though, if she were honest, Alice felt black might suit her better than white. Her complexion was already quite fair, and her golden hair would stand out more vividly against black. But white was nice too.
The moment Lili saw Alice in the dress, she was instantly captivated by her beauty, as if she'd drunk divine wine itself.
"This should be fine now, right?" Alice asked helplessly.
Snapped out of her daze by Alice's voice, Lili's eyes lit up, and she promptly ran off, leaving Alice rather puzzled.
But soon enough, Lili returned, dragging a large suitcase, and stood before Alice.
"Next, Lady Alice! Please try on every single outfit in here, one by one!!" Lili opened the suitcase to reveal it packed with all sorts of garments.
Alice's mouth twitched slightly at the sight.
--+--
Three days—no matter who you asked, it wasn't a very long time.
Apollo, however, was eagerly looking forward to tonight's banquet.
That soul, which had caught his attention with just a casual glance, without even seeing her face, and while she was drunk no less... it was truly intriguing.
Gods were unchanging, but the children of the lower world were fickle. Every soul was different, yet a dazzling soul could also be crafted, if one had the right raw material.
Among Apollo's divine domains was the arts. As a god of arts, he was also skilled in sculpture. Taking a piece of material and carving it into a form that pleased him was something Apollo greatly enjoyed.
Hyakinthos was the finished product, sculpted according to his preferences.
And that girl named Alice—though he hadn't seen her face, he doubted it would disappoint. She seemed like excellent material indeed.
He wanted to carve her himself.
"Hestia, do you think that child will come?" Apollo lounged in his armchair, gazing out at the bright moonlight, and addressed Hestia, who was busy devouring fruits in the room.
Although he had ordered the children of his familia to bring Hestia and her child here by force, he couldn't go too far. So, for these three days, Hestia and Bell had been treated quite well.
"Alice-chan? How should I know?" Hestia sat on the sofa, apple in hand, glared at the preoccupied Apollo, and took a fierce bite.
"How many times have I told you these past three days?"
"Alice-chan and I are just neighbors. Even though I've been eating at her place lately, that's just a transaction—I'm teaching her Divine Script."
"Alice learns incredibly fast. To ensure I get good meals until my child grows stronger, I've been deliberately slowing down the lessons!"
"If Alice-chan manages to learn all the Divine Script during these three days, where am I supposed to get my meals before Bell-kun becomes strong enough?!"
Hestia fumed at Apollo.
"Bell?" Apollo's tone lifted slightly, then he recalled. "Ah, that little kid of yours who's still so lost."
"He does have a decent feel about him, but that child is still searching. If he could find something to strive for, I might quite like him."
"So, Hestia, you'd better keep a close eye on your child. If he grows just a little more, just a tiny bit, I might very well fall for him."
Apollo looked at Hestia with a teasing smile.
Hestia immediately bristled at his words.
"Listen here, Apollo! If you dare lay a finger on my Bell-kun, I'll make you regret it!"
"Oh? And how exactly will you make me regret it? I'm quite curious." Apollo laughed, looking at Hestia.
Just then, a knock sounded on Apollo's door. A young woman's voice came from outside.
"Lord Apollo, most of the gods have arrived. As the hosts, we should make our appearance."
"Daphne, is it? Understood. I'll be right there." Apollo recognized the voice immediately.
Rising from his chair, he turned to Hestia.
"Well then, Hestia, let's go together. Bring your child along as well."
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 2 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
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