Chapter 27: Summer Event <Elegance> / Tierra in a Yukata

Good grief, I certainly enjoyed that "Summer Vegetable Keema Curry."

The freshness of the summer vegetables created an exquisite harmony with the spicy curry.

The natural sweetness of the vegetables seemed to be the exact opposite of the heat from the spices, and yet I was made to realize just how completely different they were. Perhaps it would be appropriate to describe it as a duet between the singing voice of an angel and the singing voice of a demon.

Even when the summer heat kills one's appetite, surely a dish like that would be the exception.

The spicy aroma stimulates the appetite, while the freshness of the summer vegetables soothes the body.

It was a dish worthy of being called summer cuisine.

Tierra-san had disappeared somewhere after the meal, but after a while, she returned together with Kizuna.

And her appearance was—

To be struck speechless by beauty... surely this was exactly what that expression meant.

It was as though a flower had blossomed beneath the light of the moon. In fact, perhaps that description would be far more convincing.

It existed in a realm of beauty that could hardly be considered attainable by a human form.

"Tierra-dono. That attire is..."

"Does it not suit me?"

As if it didn't suit her. There couldn't possibly be anyone who would say such a thing.

If there were, I could only declare that their eyes were utterly useless.

"No. Absolutely not. I was merely surprised because it resembles the clothing of my homeland. It suits you exceedingly well."

I see. I thought it was unfamiliar clothing, but it was something from Nanashi's homeland.

I had heard that Tierra-san had wandered from place to place for a long time. Perhaps this was clothing she had acquired during those travels.

The world was vast. Who would have thought there were clothes capable of adorning a woman to such an extent?

No... Perhaps it was simply because it was Tierra-san.

"I am ashamed of myself for so casually assuming that black, lustrous hair was the only thing that could look most beautiful in such attire. You wear it with remarkable natural grace. I am deeply impressed."

"Hehe, you're very good with words, Nanashi-kun. Thank you."

The way she wore it. Yes, that was what this was about.

I did not know much about the clothes she was wearing. But clothing, as a concept, had its own particular "way of being worn."

Even more so when it was something traditional... something representing a culture or civilization. Behind the way it was worn and the manner in which one carried oneself lay a history as deep as the sea. It was nothing less than the weight of history and culture.

Anyone could imitate it. One could copy the appearance, at least. Even a skilled mercenary wearing the attire of a knight should be able to look the part to some extent.

But that was where it ended. A mercenary could not behave like a knight. Truly understanding the essence of something and making it a part of oneself was not easy.

But what about Tierra-san?

She wore it so naturally that I could believe it if someone told me she had lived her entire life accustomed to it.

If I had to give examples, it was like night and moon, sky and bird, flowing water and fresh greenery. It was as though being together was simply the natural order of things.

Just how much time must she have spent before she could make those clothes a part of herself...

"She's incredible! She's so freaking beautiful! She's totally smokin'!"

"Thank you, Pahal."

"Ahhh! That smile is priceless! Can I take you home with me!?"

"Please don't do that..."

No. That was a foolish question.

A woman who showed such dedication to cooking would never cut corners when it came to the clothes she wore for an important occasion.

It wasn't merely the appearance. She must have understood the essence of it as well, behaving with a thorough understanding of its history and culture.

It was something for which the word "natural" was perfectly suited—

"Tierra-san, as expected of you. Would you call it the charm of a mature woman...? I must also strive to acquire such charm myself."

"Thank you. But I like the current Liz just the way she is. You're adorable."

"Being told that while you're dressed like that is enough to make even someone of the same sex blush..."

—Yes. "Natural."

When one sees exquisite beauty in human form, one would normally associate it with works of art, such as paintings or sculptures.

But that did not suit her.

The beauty she possessed was something far more fundamental. Mother Sea, Father Earth, the trees and grass as friends, the distant sky. That way of existing itself was the source of her beauty.

"Mrrrow, this is cheating... She's way too pretty. You can't use a secret weapon all by yourself, nya..."

"Hehe, Piska. There are times when not showing something is precisely what allows you to captivate someone..."

"Mrrrrow. I'll admit defeat today, nya. But I'm definitely not losing next time, nya."

"I'm not going to take anything away from you, so don't worry."

"This is a matter of pride, nya! True victory means becoming number one in every way, nya!"

A revealing swimsuit was, indeed, perhaps one form of beauty.

The fact that so many of the artworks famous throughout history depict nude women and men proved as much.

It was true that since ancient times, humans had found beauty in the body as it naturally was.

But at the same time—

For just as long, humans had continued to pursue the beauty of the clothes they wore.

Their shapes, their colors, how they were combined, how they were worn.

And thus, beauty that was hidden was also one of the pinnacles of beauty.

"Honestly, it's amazing, nya~"

"The craftsmanship is, nya~ not very good, though~"

"But on you, nya~"

"It suits you, nya~"

"I can't lose either, nya~"

"I'm getting fired up too, nya~"

"I don't have the materials right now, nya~"

"So I can't do it yet, nya~"

"But next time we meet, nya~"

"You'd better be ready, nya~"

"I'll make, nya~"

"The outfit that suits you best, nya~"

"I'll make it for you, nya~"

"So remember that, nya~"

"Yeah~"

"Tatta-kun, Saho-chan. Hehe, I understand. I'll look forward to that day."

The swimsuits the twins had made really were magnificent. The materials, the comfort, the workmanship... every aspect could be called a work of art.

Compared to those, the craftsmanship of the clothing Tierra-san was wearing was probably inferior.

But this wasn't a matter of the quality of the clothing itself.

It was about how well one could wear the clothes they had.

"Tierra-san."

"Padron-kun."

Now then, I would like to give my own thoughts as well.

When a woman wears something different from her usual attire, it is only natural for a nobleman to offer his opinion.

However, showering her with an endless stream of words here would be foolish.

Certainly, there were countless words that came to mind to praise this beauty. I could probably weave together as many compliments as I wanted.

But that would only satisfy me. Even if a woman were showered with words one after another like falling rain, she would only become flustered.

When complimenting a woman, she should come first. One must not make it all about oneself.

A word or two is enough. Keep it simple. There is no need for difficult or roundabout expressions.

Ordinary words are perfectly fine. After all, it is impossible for any words to completely express a woman's beauty in the first place.

That was precisely why I would condense all my praise into a single message.

What mattered was how it was conveyed.

Being embarrassed oneself was the worst thing one could do. The woman was the one who should be embarrassed. After all, she had gathered the courage to dress differently from usual.

Look straight into her eyes. Speak calmly. Keep it simple and say what you most want to convey.

"You look really good in it. Honestly, I couldn't take my eyes off you."

"When you say it that directly, it somehow makes me blush... But I'm very happy. Thank you."

You don't compliment a woman because you want her to think well of you.

Thinking that you should compliment her differently from everyone else so that she would remember you was foolish.

You compliment her simply because you want to compliment her.

"Mama, pretty. I want to wear it too."

"How many times do I have to tell you I'm not Mama...? I'm sorry, but I only have one of these. It won't fit you, but would you like to try it on later?"

How many times had we already gone through that exchange? She did it at least three times a day...

Honestly, I felt a little bad for Tierra-san, but they looked nothing short of mother and daughter.

Rene's childish behavior and atmosphere. And Tierra-san's calm demeanor, warmth, and caring nature.

All of it perfectly portrayed the bond between a mother and daughter.

"No. That's not it. I want to wear it together. I want us to match."

"Rene... You're right. Someday, let's wear matching ones together."

"Okay. Promise."

"Oh, that's right, Rene. Speaking of promises, let's fulfill the promise we made earlier today."

"The special surprise, right?"

Come to think of it, Tierra-san had said something like that earlier, when Rene was feeling down because she couldn't swim.

Something about having a "special surprise" that could only be enjoyed at night...

"Then. Let's enjoy a summer night activity. Let's set off some fireworks."