IMPORTANT AUTHORS NOTE:

This chapter was rewritten on May 25, 2026.

This is the old version of the chapter, which has been preserved for archival purposes.

Please move on to the new “Chapter 67 - Noble Nonsense” unless you wish to compare versions or see my earlier writing style.

Thank you. <3

“Well, either way, it’s nice to see you again,” Cari says, grinning happily. Her hand never releases mine though.

I try to follow up, fish-mouth for a moment, then finally get some words out.

“H-hi, Bella.”

She smiles, but doesn’t look directly at me. Her attention says focused primarily on Cari.

Oh, gods.

“The pleasure is mine.” She sets her teacup down and stands, straightening herself up a bit before approaching us with steady steps. “I admit, I’m rather excited to have roommates, though I'll confess to not knowing much about you. I recall Emilia calling you her sister, but…”

I can already tell she’s probing, for whatever reason. Still, the idea that she’s interested in my relationships makes my heart flutter. Just a bit.

Stupid hormones.

“Oh, we’re not actually siblings,” Cari giggles. “We’re both orphans, so we kind of just adopted one another.”

Her hand tightens around my own and I return the gesture with a pleased smile.

“I see! That would explain how close you two seem. And what of you two? Is having me as your roommate going to pose any… problems?” she asks, but it comes out hesitantly.

Like she’s afraid of the answer.

“Of course not! You’re great!” I blurt, the words bursting from my chest all on their own.

We all pause for a moment, and feel the moment my face turns crimson. “I mean you’re great for asking to have us as your roommates!” I start, searching the room for more words. “Uh… right. Just look at this place! It’s incredible. Why would I—er, we say no to this?”

Cari gives my hand another gentle squeeze, but I can tell she’s struggling to hold back her laughter. Still, she jumps to my rescue.

“Aside from cleaning the place, I don’t see any issues. We’ll have to work out a chore rotation or something, because this is… a lot.”

Bella scoffs a very 'as if' scoff, then seems to chuckle at the idea.

Cari stiffens, indignance practically oozing from her.

“Chores are important, you know,” Cari says defensively, and I nod along. “It’s not like the cleaning will do itself, and with a place of this size—”

Bella holds a hand up to stop her mid chuckle. “No, no, that’s not it. I’m sorry, it wasn’t my intention to imply that I wouldn’t do chores. I’m laughing because you think there will be any to do in the first place.”

“Huh?” I ask brilliantly.

“This is the great Elderwynd Academy!” Her arms sweep out wide. “You’ll need to get used to that, you adorable fox. Both of you will. There are maids and butlers to handle all of that. Neither of you will ever raise a broom again for as long as you are here.”

Cari and I stiffen at that, but for wildly different reasons. Cari seems to be properly absorbing the implications of not needing to do menial chores ever again.

Meanwhile, my brain is frying itself trying to register the compliment Bella just gave me.

There’s a sudden knock at the door and we all turn to it. Bella walks around us to open it, and on the other side is a small wolfkin woman draped in fabrics and a measuring tape. She seems a right mess, but when her gaze locks onto Cari and I, her eyes brighten and takes on a dangerous glint.

CrafterLevel ??

Great, even their crafters are higher Tier than me. I’m not against being humbled, but isn’t this getting a little ridiculous?

“You must be Emilia and Cari! I’m Carmine, purveyor of fashion and one of the head tailors here at Elderwynd. I’m here to take your measurements and make you both every uniform you’ll need going forward,” she says, her voice bright and airy.

Then she all but barges into the room, though Bella steps aside to let her in as though this was expected.

Once she’s in, she starts tossing truly stunning quantities of fabrics and tailoring tools all over our living rooms central table, turning it into a chaotic mess. Bella closes the door as she does and guides both of us closer to the eccentric woman.

She organizes a dazzling assortment of cloths and fabrics in mere seconds before turning back to us.

“Right, let’s make this quick! I don’t have a lot of time to put your outfits together, what with the semester nipping at our tails. This’ll just take a few seconds, then I have some questions for you both.”

Bella’s eyes widen at that, suddenly concerned, and she holds a hand out to stop her, mouth poised to speak… then Carmine turns into a blur in my vision.

And just like that, I’m suddenly naked.

Right in the middle of the room.

With Bella standing right in front of me. Her eyes are on me, but it’s the wrong moment. It’s supposed to be on my terms. In my timing.

The shock hits first, but something deeper, and more primal snarls beneath it.

Not like this.

My instincts recoil so violently it’s like my own body tries to fold in on itself. Not because Bella is watching, but because this isn’t the way it’s meant to happen.

Not now. Not stolen from me.

A tape measure appears and disappears all over my body in fractions of a second, seemingly wrapping itself around me in intricate angles and turning me into a twitchy mess. I desperately try to cover myself, to hide… but my hands are shifted this way and that, kept out of the way as she works her craft.

My core flares in outright rebellion. I need order. Ritual. The right looks, the right steps, the slow warmth. Not anything intimate, just… the order of things. The rhythm my instincts cling to.

Not this violation of the sequence.

I know I’m shy, but this feeling is on an entirely different level. I don’t know why, but every ounce of my being rejects this scenario. It isn’t modesty, or even the humiliation.

Some invisible rule of my estrus has just been torn apart so violently that I can’t even begin to understand it beyond the sheer panic from its loss.

I try enabling All For One to the maximum and overcharging it, but it doesn’t help. I can make the woman out better, but she’s still much, much faster than I can react to.

Less than two seconds pass before my clothes are suddenly back, as if they’d never left. All that’s left behind is the feeling a wrongness so deep and integral to a who I am that I can’t do anything but cry. I wrap my tail around and hug it to myself until it hurts, then hug it just a little tighter.

Carmine appears before us once more in a blur, and I flinch away. Hard.

I tumble back unceremoniously in my attempts to get as far from the woman as I can, fearing she might shatter some other unspoken rule that makes me what I am.

Cari, on the other hand, stands stock still in the same spot she was before this all started. Except I can see her entire body trembling. Her face is a mask of pure fury, and I know she’s just as upset. She glances at me, and her eyes blaze with rage at the sight of my current sate.

“What the fuck?!” she screeches, rounding on Carmine and barely holding herself back. “Why would you do that in front of… in front of anyone?! You didn’t even ask!”

Surprisingly, it’s Bella who rushes to my side, pulling me into a tight embrace and burying my head in her bosom. It takes the view of the room and Lyra away, and offers a tiny measure of calm back to my mind.

When she speaks, her voice vibrates through her chest, tingling against my skin. “Lady Carmine, if you have your measurements, please step outside for a moment. I’ll fetch you when I’ve calmed them down.”

Her tone is icy. More cold and empty than I’ve ever heard it, even when she confronted the Attendant at the train station. It chills the room around us, her discontent made palpable in the air itself.

But as she speaks, she caresses my hair gently, offering what little comfort as she can.

It’s too soon. Why? Why?!

“O-of course. Excuse me!” Carmine says before I hear the sound of her footfalls, rapid enough that I’m certain she’s all but sprinting outside.

She doesn’t even take the time to bring any of her things with her.

Warm hands find my cheeks, tilting my head up and forcing me to look at the only thing they can.

Bella.

“Breathe for me and listen closely, okay?” she says, her voice low and soothing.

I just nod numbly into her hands.

“What she did wasn’t done with malice or ill intent. It’s how tailoring is done,” she starts.

“B-but—” I stutter out, only to be shushed.

“I know. I know. Noble tailors handle things differently, and she didn’t know you’d never seen a noble tailor,” she says, and my mind shifts to just how much she doesn’t actually know.

To how much even I don’t know.

It’s not about never having been to a tailor that caters to nobles. It’s about…the timing. The pace had just been broken, and I have no idea how to fix it. I don’t even know if I fully understand what it means.

“I’m sure she assumed—given the dorm room we’re staying in—that you’d seen many,” she says, taking a hand from one cheek to motion the room.

“How does that explain anything?” Cari demands, still furious.

Bella glances back at her before answering. “This is one of the rooms reserved only for royalty or extremely high nobility.”

Cari’s eyes widen almost comically, then her face shifts into one of bitter annoyance.

Bella nods. “Given how unreasonably attractive you are and the location we’re in, it’s no stretch for her to make that conclusion. I only know you’re a commoner because of the time we’ve spent together.”

Any other time, I’d flush at a compliment from her, but right now I just focus on what she’s trying to tell me. A bit of normal indignance returns to me, and my mind wanders for a moment.

So this was supposed to be… what? Normal? Yeah, hells no. Nobility are fucking insane. Even brothels are more conservative! I would know!

Er… wait, that sounds even worse…

“Besides, we are all women. She was likely chosen specifically because she’s a beastkin as well, to help you be more comfortable. It’s kind of standard practice…” she says, trailing off sheepishly.

Both she and Cari watch me, waiting for my response. Cari looks like she has her own complaints, but she’s deferring to me as the aggrieved party, I suppose. Mustering my courage, I try to voice what is truly bothering me.

“That’s… part of the problem, honestly. I’m a… uh… well, you know, my estrus, and… well, I like girls,” I say, barely managing to squeak out the last words before hiding behind my tail.

“You don’t say?”

My head pops up at the obvious sarcasm, then I find myself frozen by her intense gaze. The intention in that look sends a flood of heat into my cheeks, but it’s impossible to look away.

She leans forward, and her smile transforms into a grin as my eyes widen at the closeness of our faces. Then she suddenly pulls me into a hug once more, turning her head to the side and planting a kiss on my cheek.

My cheek that is still blazing hot from the current development.

Even still, the embrace is warm and soft, and I find myself even releasing my tail to pull her closer.

I indulge in her comfort a little longer than I probably should, but when she finally pulls away, she whispers into my ears before helping me up.

“We should talk soon.”

The words send a thrum of nerves through my… everything. Instinct rages at me that things have gone too fast, and that everything is ruined. Another part of me shakes with anticipation.

All the while, Cari watches on with a smirk. Then Bella speaks, and at her words, Cari returns to scowling.

“She’s probably realized what happened by now. If she hasn’t, I’ll spell it out for her in depth. They are usually much, much more gentle with first timers. There’s usually lot’s of talking beforehand to tell their customer how the skills work, and what to expect. Us noble ladies also have our mothers with us to walk us through the first few times,” she says.

After I nod, she continues.

“And for what it’s worth, sorry about that. I should have warned you, but thought she’d ask first at least. I should have expected this, given your looks. Your clothes really are flawless on you. How high is your Charisma again?” she asks, eying me with visible interest.

“Over thirteen-hundred…” I mumble.

“We are definitely going shopping at some point, then. You have nearly two-thirds my own Charisma, and it’s one of my focus stats. I won’t have you walking around in clothes that merely look good on you—I’m going to make you shine like a proper lady,” Bella says, her resolve clear on her face.

I shudder at the idea of visiting another tailor.

By then, we’ve reached the door, Cari close on our heels. What we find on the other side shocks me.

Carmine is kneeling, her forehead firmly planted on the floor, arms locked behind her back. Her ears are folded flat against her head, and to my shock, even her tail is tucked firmly between her legs.

Like Bella said, she likely realized what she did wrong. I just wasn’t expecting such a potent reaction.

Bella looks at me questioningly, and I give her a reassuring smile. It’s weak and faltering, but enough. I understand, fundamentally, what has happened. It still bothers me, and likely will for some time, but I can’t find it in me to blame the woman for such a simple misunderstanding.

Bella nods at me encouragingly, and after checking with Cari, I turn back to Carmine with a sigh. She twitches at the sound, but doesn’t rise.

By some miracle, nobody else seems to be in the hallway, so we thankfully don’t have any lookers-on.

“It’s okay... well, no, it isn't okay. At all. But Bella told me what that was all about. Please, just come in,” I say, stepping aside with Bella so she can fit through the door. “She didn’t tell me the details, and I’d rather you discuss it before we move on to the uniform talks. If you’re okay with that?”

I tried to sound as calm and soothing as I can, and though she does raise her head, her ears and tail stay tucked. There’s nothing but regret in her eyes, and I can see some puffiness, showing that she must have cried at least a bit before we came to fetch her.

“I’m so, so sorr-” she starts, but I interrupt her with a halting gesture.

“Just come in first, then we can talk,” I say, motioning for her to enter.

Once she’s inside and the door closes again, she collapses into her previous bow once more while apologizing profusely. I can only handle a few seconds of it, and just as I open my mouth to tell her that it’s enough, both Cari and Bella stop me with a shake of their heads.

It takes everything I have to just endure it.

When she finally finishes, several minutes later, she stays where she is, completely still, until I finally get a nod from Bella and tell her to get up.

“Okay… look, can we go through this whole process as if we’ve never done this before?” I say, gesturing between Cari and myself.

She nods meekly at that, her ears and tail still firmly tucked away from shame.

“Again, I’m so sorry," she says, offering a bow. When she straightens, she fidgets for a moment brfore gesturing to the couches. "Uhm, then, please have a seat. I’ll go over all the skills that will affect you, then I’ll send for another tailor to take over and finish—”

“Nope! Stop right there,” I interrupt. “I don’t want another tailor, I just want things explained before you move ahead. You seemed perfectly friendly when I first met you. Energetic, even. Bring that Carmine back and help me work through this whole thing. Please?”

We go back and forth for a while, Bella helping me to get Carmine to open back up a bit, but Carmine was apparently absolutely certain she’d lose her job at the Academy for this. Bella tried to reassure her, but it only got through to her when I personally spoke up.

“We don’t want you to lose your job. I won’t even talk about this ever again, as long as you promise to just ask everyone if they’ve ever been to a tailor before from here on out.” I say.

Her gaze is filled with both hope and regret, but she nods emphatically.

“Always!” she says.

Blessedly, after that we finally get down to business. We spend some time going through all of the tailoring skills that I need to know about, of which there are many.

All the while, I focus on calming myself down. When we move to sit, I keep Cari and Bella close and groom my tail as I listen.

It… helps. A lot more than I thought it would, but I won’t complain.

Apparently the Skill she used on me already, Exact Measures, is also the most invasive Skill outside of niche cases for more sensual outfits due to it being from a Combat Class. Skills like it are apparently staples for the highest end tailors.

Even with my modesty firmly maintained and Carmine sitting respectfully across from us, my instincts still make me twitchy whenever she moves a little too fast.

I think everyone notices it, but nobody acknowledges it, and I’m grateful.

The way she explains it, much like Bella told me earlier, is that it’s normal for women to come to tailors with friends and get measurements done in groups before having their specific designs discussed. Bella confirms this, adding that it was something she often did with her own mother, and occasionally other noblewomen her family trusted.

However, she emphasized that her exposure with others in that way was fairly limited in comparison to most other noblewomen, due to her being royalty.

“Do keep in mind, however, that such a Skill is only used by top-end profession Classes. Tailors, Engineers, and even Alchemists may rely on the Skill, or something like it. We rely on speed and precision to get and record hundreds of measurements in a matter of seconds. It’s… efficient. But not gentle,” she says.

She pauses for a moment, visibly hesitant to continue. We all stare at her, willing her to keep going.

“It… doesn’t outright strip everyone. That was… well, I apologize. That was me. But I promise I only did it to gather more accurate measurements!” Carmine finishes, bowing her head deeply once more.

“Well, if anyone tries doing that to us again without asking, I’m summoning a void storm,” Cari grouses.

Bella nods along, her face uncharacteristically grim.

For a moment, I can’t help but to imagine it. My mind conjures the image of a tornado of ethereal purple tentacles flying through the air, battering whoever was unfortunate enough to gain her ire.

I barely keep myself from giggling.

The other skills were nowhere near as invasive, but still required physical contact to place fabrics and compare them. Some of the skills help Carmine speak in a more understandable way for her customers, or better intuit what her customers are asking if they are less savvy in regards to fashion.

Ah. People like me, basically.

The depth of involvement of crafting Classes, and their interactions with other people, scares me a bit.

And I thought Entertainer Classes were weird.

***

Authors Note:Even more craziness. A hint into how potentially dangerous some Skills can be. Noble shenannigans. Angry Cari. Estrus Cycle getting all uppity.

Ah... I had fun writing this.

Happy holidays once again, everyone <3 I hope you all had a wonderful time!

Edit: Seems like I'll end up editing this chapter a bit in the next major Update Log. Several of my readers found Carmines actions more problematic than I'd intended, and while the world I made is a harsh and violent place, it's not exactly my goal to make it seem as though I'm removing peoples autonomy.

My intention was to show that even at her power, she can be taken down a few pegs by fairly normal people if she isn't careful just from sheer stat differences alone, but it looks like I flopped there. Some people picked up on that, but just as many didn't. And that's no good.

So I'll give it some thought over the next few weeks. When the time comes for the update log, I'll change it up a bit.