Our New World. Chapter 1 Part 6

You know what? Screw tenses.... I'll write in present tenses.... Even if it was a consensus in English that said story must in 3rd person past tenses....

Part 6: Princess Star’s New Clothes

Yuuto was in his 『Personal Room』. Previously, after picking and receiving Kiyomi’s dresses, the other girls went back to their own rooms to try and self-customizing their dress, and then they will gather again in 『Great Square Room』 at 16:30. Yuuto also went back to his 『Personal Room』 for the same reason after telling the Guardians about their side preparation and to convey message to Mitteherz about another change in schedule.

At first, Yuuto considered to just customizing his extant equipment, because he didn’t have any equipment that resembles formal outfits.  But then he decided to experiment with『Artificier』’s skill 『Tailoring』 to make a suitable suit, because he want to test if RAHO 『Production Skills』 can be used in this〚New Reality〛.

 Back when RAHO was still a game, the 『Tailoring』 skill was used to produce equipments from leather or clothes, while the stronger metal based armors were created by 『Smith』’s 『Armorcrafting』 skill. RAHO is unique in giving players high degree of freedom in equipment appearance customization. Even if the outward appearance is different, RAHO only considered the base materials, enhancement, and equipment effects to calculate the equipment’s defense rating. So it was not a strange thing if a brassiere or jacket made from the same materials is considered had an equal defense rating. Even if other job players can customize the equipment’s outer appearance to some degree, some appearance options are only available to Production-Class Jobs.

But, when he try to press the skill button on the skill window the skill didn’t automatically activated like when it was in the game. It should brought a window about what materials he wanted to use, the outer appearance customization field, and enhancement option, etc. But now, only a 『Skill Information』 window appeared. It appeared that Yuuto can’t use skill like it was back in the game.

Skill Information

〖Tailoring: Skill and Knowledge to make clothing and armor from clothes, leather and other sheet-like material. This includes the designing, sewing, knitting, embroidery, and other needed needlework or clothesmaking skills. Higher Skill proficiency is needed to make superior clothes and use .

Current Proficiency: 750/750〗

He then conducted another trial. He speak loudly: 『Tailoring』!

But nothing responded, just like an empty room....

Strange... It should worked.

He tried to self-customizing the equipment he wears now. He selected the armor in the 『Equipment』 window, and a circle with several options appeared. He choose 『Self-Customize』 and the self-customizing window appeared like normal. Also he already confirmed that he could use 『Instant Movement』 from the window.

So why he couldn’t use 『Tailoring』 skill?

In RAHO, there are 3 ways to activating skill.

The first one is to choose the skill from window.

The second one is to activate it from shortcut button on the controller.

And the third one is by activating it with voice using voice-to-input feature.

But the first and the third didn’t cause anything to happen, while the second is impossible since there is no controller.

Yuuto miss Gemfaqs already...

But... Maybe... since the game become real... then...

Yuuto took out 『Midnight Silk』 from his inventory. A sheet of blue-black luster silk like clothes then appeared in the air. Yuuto then spoke, “『Tailoring』”. Then, suddenly the usual Tailoring window popped out on the top of the clothes.

“So... different from the game, we only can use production skill if we specify the materials we want to use.”

He then spend the next ten minutes creating what can be said a suit with style that resemble a three-tiered suit of 19^th Century Continental Europe formalwear. But the similarity is only in exterior as the suit could be considered a proper armor.

The outer coat-jacket is tailored from 『Midnight Silk』 a grade 6 material. The middle-blazer is from 『YellOwl Feather Cloth』. The inner shirt is from 『Ferricotton』, both was grade 5 material. His trouser also comes from 『Midnight Silk』. The underwear and socks is made from soft 『Cloudmist Cotton』 also a grade 5 material. While lastly, the shoes is made from 『Tyrant Dragon Leather』 a grade 6 materials. Of course there are other tidbit materials consumed for decorations, buttons, and sewing.

Because of his high proficiency in Tailoring, all the equipment had quality grade of 7 『Legendary』. He also properly enhanced it to the max levels and giving it various effect like 『Defense Rating(+5)』, 『Enhanced Rejuvenation(+2)』, 『Swift Move(+3)』, 『Environmental Control(+5)』 and other effects.

A little about RAHO equipments:

RAHO rated the material using a scale of 1 to 10 to denote it strength for making equipment. A grade 1 material is not much better than cotton or cheap leather. Modern High Grade Steel Alloy is considered a grade 5. The ultimate material in RAHO, Adamantium and Deuxion, is grade 10.

RAHO also rated the equipment quality by a scale of 1 to 10 to represent it performance rating. From the least to most, it was, 『1 – Common』, 『2 – Fine』, 『3 – Superior』, 『4 – Excellent』, 『5 – Masterwork』, 『6 - Perfect』 『7 – Legendary』, 『8 – Mythical』, 『9 – Divine』, and 『10 – Creation』. The equipment quality grade also represents how high it can be enhanced or strengthened by infusing it with 『Crystal』 or other 『Addition』 materials to gives the equipment beneficial effects or quirks.

A max enhanced Creation Iron Sword (material grade: 3, quality grade: 10) can be much more stronger than max enhanced Common Steel Sword (material grade: 5, quality grade:1).

So Yuuto who use Grade 5 and 6 materials, and even perform enhancement on it to create his formalwear suit that he may only wear only for this occasion can be considered outlandish and extravagant. But he didn’t really care because for him Grade 5 or 6 materials is just like pebble or rock that he can found anywhere. Also, Yuuto was the type of person who goes all the way if found thing interesting. There is a reason why his 『Smith』, 『 Artificier』, and 『Alchemist』 skill proficiency was almost maximal.

As he was admiring his own creation and considering to experiment in Armor and Weapon Crafting Skill, a window that shows 〖Stellahymne – CALLING〗 is suddenly showed. Yuuto was now didn’t surprised anymore.

Before they separated, Kiyomi had showed how to use 『Phonecall』 function to the others. By clicking a Guildmember name, a menu with 『Phonecall』 function would appear. This is helpful considering he and others belong to generation that had been used to the presence of instant communication gadgets.

“Hello?”

“Hello. What’s up Stella?”

“Can I go to your room now?”

“Sure... Why?”

“I really need a help!”

“So... what’s wrong?”

Several minutes later, Stella was sitting in a chair inside Yuuto’s Personal Room. Different from before, she didn’t wear her usual flashy frilled dress, but in, what seemed like, a sports jersey.

“Make me a dress!”

“Huh? Why? You had dresses aren’t you?”

After all, Stella didn’t participate in Kiyomi’s dresses fair, so Yuuto thought she had prepared a dress for herself.

“Just take a look...”

Stella takes out her dresses from her inventory; all was flashy, colorful, filled with ribbons or laces. It resembles Gothic Lolita or Magical Girls fashion that you can find in Akihabara or Ikebukuro in real world. Oh yeah, these were what Stella’s avatar wear.

“Aren’t this your dresses? I think it was nice dresses.”

“Aho ka? Are your eyeballs was just an accessory?”

“Pardon?”

Yuuto is rather taken back and confused by the suddenly hostile Stella.

“How can I wear these flashy dresses...”

“But you just wear this kind of dress not long ago...”

“It is because I haven’t realized that my avatar appearance is based on my real body.”

“Is that a problem?”

“Of course it is! Are you brain not working? Do you forget what I was look like in the game?”

Yuuto look at the frantic (or rabid?) Stella. Stella’s game avatar is a pink-haired twin-tailed loli-chara but now in front of him is a slender girl with long although rather messy night-black hair.

“Ah... Is it the height difference?”

The real Stellahymne or Otomiya Nozomi is a girl that can be somewhat considered tall, at 174 cm, she is taller than other girls, surpassing Yuuto who was only 170 cm. While based on games look, Stellahymne avatar was a short girl of 145 cm, almost as short as Saki. For comparison, Yuuto’s avatar was a giant of 205 cm.

By the way, the height chart from tallest to lowest were something like this: Nozomi (174) – Yuuto (170) – Ichiko (166) – Kiyomi (160) – Tsukimi and Mizuki (156) – Chie (152) – Saki (148). What bust size? Yuuto would be killed if he compiled a chart for that.

“So what?”

By using the self-customizing menu, it could be easy to change the dress size.

 “So what? SO what? SO WHAT? HOW CAN’T YOUR UNDERSTAND?”

“I’m sorry I don’t really understand. Please keep your temper down...”

Man... Did all the women in his guild scary or what... Thank God Yuuto was not gynophobic.

“The dresses were designed to complement and increase the charm of a loli... It would be weird for a tall girl like me to wear it... I won’t look good on it... It’ll ruin the charm of the dress... You understand? YOU UNDERSTAND?”

What? This was the problem? And you’re not that tall. Nordic women can surpass 180 cm easily. Ask forgiveness to all tall women who wear frilly lacy dresses in the world! Of course Yuuto isn’t a dense character who would splurge these words at Stella in her face.

“Okay... okay... I know... Calm down little (yukkurishitte)...”

“Don’t you Yukkuri me! I’m not filled with anko!”

“Fine... fine... But why you don’t just borrowing one of Kiyomi’s dresss...”

Her dresses are normal dresses so it would suit Stella, Yuuto think.

“How can’t I show up on them after me speaking: I don’t need them?”

You are worried in the strange place, retort Yuuto inside his mind.

“I see. Then why aren’t you self-customize your dresses?”

“And ruin the fruits of hard work from people who make the dress? No. Just No.”

“That so... *sigh*...Then what kind dresses you want to wear?”

“A dress worthy of a princess like me!”

“You just call yourself a princess?”

“Am I wrong? I was a Hime after all.” (Nozomi’s character name Stellahymne was deliberately transliterated to Katakana as: Suterahime. Hime means princess)

Whoa... What is this kind of vanity? Well, whatever, as long as she is happy, all is right after all. Never fight with a woman... if you win, she would scorn you, if you lose, she would scorn you. What a strange game, the winning move is not to fight.

“You wishes are my command. Let’s see what I can do...”

Yuuto then took out a pink colored clothes 『Sakura Peaches Blossoms Fabric』 a grade 6 materials. But rather by invoking the 『Tailoring』 skill, he now tried to make it manually by hand. But he needed needles, scissors, rulers and other paraphernalia.

He took out the Master Sewing Kit and Master Tailoring Kit from the inventory. This original Kits functions back in the game was to increase the success rate of 『Tailoring』 skill. (Since the Tailoring Skill can be used even without the kits but success penalty). Like what he guessed before, the boxes sized Kit now could be opened and contain necessary tools for the trade. He then used the ruler to make the dress outline (without measuring Stella, somehow he know, just don’t ask him how, it’s a trade secret), then he cut the outline using scissors and sewed them using needles and threads.

“You are unexpectedly skillful in sewing, just like an expert tailor.”

Stella is very impressed by the gently flowing hand of Yuuto as he slowly transforms the flat fabric into a shape of a dress.

“I never do sewing or anything like making clothes in the real life.”

“But your moves aren’t like what amateurs do.”

“I don’t know why, but I think I knew how to make a dress in my head. It’s like I had made thousands of it before. It must be the 『Skill』 and the proficiency level effects.”

“Eee...”

Stella looks to think about something.

“Let me borrow a fabric and needles.”

“Sure. Be my guest.”

While Yuuto complete the finishing touch on the pink dress, Stella is making a light blue stole from 『Frozen Light Fabric』. Even with only low 『Tailoring』 skill proficiency, Stella hand movement is no inferior to Yuuto’s.

“Whoa... You can sew... You don’t have high Tailoring skill right?”

Yuuto is impressed. Player without 『Artificier』 Job can only had maximum proficiency of 100, in the game the highest material they can handle is only Grade 3 and below, but 『Frozen Light Fabric』 is a Grade 5 material.

“This is nothing. The other member of my ‘circle’ is more incredible. This level of clothing is child play.”

So she using her real world equivalent of 『Tailoring』 skill.

“I see. So, you must have cosplay a lot?”

Yuuto is not an ignorant person, he also had ‘acquaintances’ that also participate in ‘circle’, so he has some degree of familiarity about what circle do.

“Not that much. I had to cosplay as onee-san chara a lot... *sigh* Must be because my height... “

Stella sighs deeply as she shows her sad face, she stops her hand from sewing. Is she had a complex of her height? Yuuto wonder. Then Stella jolted as if she remembered something important.

“Hey, how do you know about that? What? Are you an otaku or something?”

“Not really, I don’t really have deep fascination with anime or game. I do have friends that participate in circles, so I rather know about what they do to some extent. Anyway, your height is not that high... Compared to average Caucasian women, a girl with your height can be still considered cute and adorable... Also, if you become an onee-san, I think you will become a splendid charming one.”

“I foretell that someday you will wake up with a kitchen knife stabbed on your back...”

“I humbly refuse that kind of future...”

Yuuto seriously trembled. The memories of his high school times comes back to haunt him. As he cast the horrible memories aside, he observe Stella finishing her project.

“It’s done... It’s pretty... Even real world fabric won’t be as nice as this... This is a great invention!”

Stella admires the stole she made, and then Yuuto try to appraise the stole.

“Let see... Quality Grade 5 『Masterwork』. Not bad. Do you want me to enchant it?”

For a player without Production Skill, this grade level is impressive.

“No need. I only make it on a whim. I think I wear it for this time only.”

“Your dress is also ready. How do you like it?”

“It wonderful, but why I think the design is quite similar with a certain princess with fruit name?”

“Never mind the small detail. Do you want to try it now?”

Of course, Yuuto already enhanced and strengthening it, he had a meticulous personality after all.

“... You want me to strip in front of you?”

Stella makes a playful smile and draws herself closer to Yuuto.

“Eh! No... no... no... of course not... I mean that you can just equip it from the menu.”

Stella lookes at Yuuto with puzzled face.

“Ah! So you still don’t know?”

“What?”

“You can’t change from the menu anymore. Although the equipment setup change could still be used. You still need to manually change the cloth if you want to alter each of the equipment setup.”

“That’s so realistic. Then again, this is 〈Reality〉. Huh?”

“So that’s it.”

“You can use that side room to change...”

Stella takes the dress and goes to the side room. As she closes the door, she warns Yuuto.

“If you dare to peek, I’ll make sure you will regret born as a man.”

“I won’t peek. But it will make me nervous since a cute girl is changing beyond the partition.”

“... ... Please refrain from teasing me and don’t throw the landmine indiscriminately, what if some poor girl got tangled on it?”

Stella’s half-angry muffled voice comes from beyond the closed door. Well, it was really Yuuto real thoughts. He’s still a healthy male, you know, although his resistance level was quite high.

“My bad. But, is your feeling okay now? You know, since we talked about some serious stuff back then.”

“It’s fine. Even if I feel upset about it, there is little I can do about it. After all like what you said before what we talk before are may be just our presumption.”

“True. We need to gather a lot of information, before we can make any hypothesis. But is that what you really feel? You didn’t need to hold back you know.”

“You’re sure a noisy person.”

 “That just how what I am.”

“Fine! I am really not okay. Just what is this situation? Isn’t this kidnapping? What they want from us? There were no tutorial scenes or someone who can explain what had happen to us, even garbage King or bitchy princess would do. Who’s the guy who wrote this shitty scenario? If it was God, I would be utterly disappointed, even my five year old niece could write better.

I really can’t understand this, really don’t accept this. I want to go back to my room. There are so many things I want to do. Why am I doing in here..........”

Yuuto can’t hear it well, but he thinks that Stella voice become trembled as she held back her tears.

“Let stop talking about these depressing things. I don’t want to remember it anymore.”

“Okay, but it would be bad if you keep it all to yourself. Let me know if you want a person to talk, promise?”

“Fine, I understand. But I don’t really need an armchair psychiatrist.”

Since Yuuto saw Stella rather unstable mood and reaction back in the Central Round Room, he thinks that she was really disturbed by the current situation they find themselves in. Compared to her, Ichiko, Chie, Saki, and Kiyomi are more or less fine. Then there also the twin sister also concerned him, he need to do something about these twins, since Ichiko partied with them more than Yuuto, maybe he should asked Ichiko to watch them. ‘Of course I also need to check the other member’s condition’ he thinks.

“Talk about being helpless. But you seem to take this situation quite well, I rather envy your composure.”

“Does it look like that? I’m still quite confused and worried about our situation. It’s still unbelievable for me that we transferred to a reality that similar to our game. I’m not really that okay. No one is so brave that he is not disturbed by something unexpected.”

“You didn’t show any of that on your expression, at least.”

“Well, it would be bad if everyone is panicked, there should be one person with their head still cool and composed. You know; standard survival trope cliché.”

“And that composed person is you?”

“The last time I check, I am the most senior member of the guild and maybe the oldest one in here. So it one way or another is my responsibility to keep us rock-solid and prevent any tragedy that may happen to the others by all means necessary.”

“You’re really a meddlesome person.”

“Thanks for the compliment.”

“I don’t think that was really a compliment...”

Stella opened the side room‘s door, she wears the pink dresses with a blue stole adorned her neck. Her rather messy black hair is now tidied up and held in a bun behind her head, held in place by an ornate jade hairpin, while still allows some of the hair flow gently to her back. Yuuto now really considered if the reality can be photoshoped.

“Hmm... It looks magnificent. I know it would suite you well.”

*blush* Stella face become red because of his remarks.

“Don’t... don’t talk stupidly...”

Stella looks at Yuuto and admires his attire. Yuuto also had already changed his attire when they still talk to each other.

“You also look dashing.”

Stella speaks with a very soft voice almost a whisper.

“What are you saying? Your voice is too small.”

“No... Nothing. I just say thank you.”

She turns her head away. Then an announcement notice appears in Yuuto and Stella visions.

“Oh, a message from the others. They said that they had already assembled at the 『Great Square Room』. Well, shall we go?”

Yuuto offer his hand to Stella.

“No thanks. I can go by myself.”

She is rather taken back, quickly operate her menu and then Stella disappears after activating 『Instant Movement』 in her skill menu.

The left behind Yuuto, take back his outstretched hand. Smiling to himself for a bit then he opens the menu to select 『Instant Movement』. But before his finger reach confirmation button, he stops.

Yuuto want to experiments. He thinks about the router point near 『Great Square Room』, imagining him using 『Instant Movement』 from skill menu, and then he said 『Instant Movement』. Looking at the dissolving reality around him, he concludes that just like the game, he can use skill without the need to activate it manually using menu. It looks like there are still many things that about the usage of the skills that he doesn’t know. This calls for more experiments. But there are things he needs to confirm first.

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