As a test of its independent operational capabilities, the airship departed for the site of the abandoned mine where Siegfried had first been discovered.
The flight crew consisted of twelve Angels. To prepare for any technical mishaps, three Mountain Elves with experience in airship operations joined them. The passenger manifest included Bell and Yor as lead investigators, along with several members of the trial digging team to serve as local guides. About twenty Devils and Dream Demons from Village Four rounded out the survey team.
The primary escort consisted of fifteen Angels, supplemented by fifty of Zabuton’s children. Unlike the previous trip, the spiderlings wouldn't be out in front this time. Since the Angels were handling the main security, the spiders were only supposed to intervene if the situation became more than the Angels could handle. That said, I had specifically asked them to focus their full attention on protecting the digging team and the workers, so it wasn't as if they would be idle.
We also needed people to handle the food, but since the High Ogre maids were busy, I asked a few of the Beastman girls who were good at cooking to go along. Preparing meals for such a large group would be a challenge, but I knew I could count on them.
Finally, Suarlou joined the expedition as an auditor for the flight crew. As the mother of Suarliu and Suarkou—and the woman who had claimed the title of the strongest Angel before Tia—she was more than qualified for the role. She would also provide formidable combat support in an emergency.
Since this was a solo trial, I requested that they return in ten days even if they made a major discovery. If they stayed away any longer, I was worried the Universal Ship might decide to go fetch them on its own. I sincerely hoped they would return on schedule without any trouble.
Just as I was thinking that, Tou, the captain of the Universal Ship, came rushing toward me.
"Village Head, the Universal Ship is getting fidgety!"
It hadn't even been an hour since the airship departed. Could the ship really not wait ten days? I felt a wave of unease.
Roasted sweet potatoes.
It was still a bit early in the season, but if I waited until winter, Zabuton and most of her children would be hibernating. I set to work roasting the sweet potatoes we’d harvested from the summer fields. Several of the spiderlings performed a dance of joy for me. They really were quite cute.
The village residents who had some free time stepped in to help with the roasting. I appreciated the extra hands. Once the potatoes were finished, they were as popular as ever. Zabuton and her children ate their fill, looking thoroughly satisfied. I made sure to tell them that seconds were available; we had plenty of potatoes left, so there was no reason for anyone to go hungry.
Depending on the variety, some sweet potatoes were fluffy and crumbly while others were sticky and sweet, but both types disappeared just as quickly. There was no need to argue over which was superior; they were both delicious, and that was enough for me. Personally, I prefer the fluffy ones, but I’m happy to eat the sticky ones too.
Lately, Zabuton and her children had been focusing all their efforts on one particular task: making Alfred’s new outfit. Apparently, he’d requested it himself. It was a chic suit primarily in black, accented with purple and red. It featured white frills around the cuffs and collar, though the overall look remained refined and elegant rather than gaudy. Even on a mannequin, it was clearly designed for a tall, slender man.
While looking at the display, I decided to consult Lu. I asked her why Alfred seemed so fixated on such a tall stature. I didn’t think he was particularly short for his age, so I wondered if he was harboring some kind of complex.
"Ah... well, about that..." Lu trailed off, sounding hesitant. It seemed she knew exactly why he felt that way. "It's not so much that he prefers being tall. It’s that he needs the long limbs..."
"Long limbs?" I asked, confused.
"I'll show you."
Lu transformed herself, growing into a tall, leggy form similar to the one Alfred used. "I look stunning, don’t I?"
She certainly did.
"And also... remember, this is only for your eyes." Lu struck a dramatic pose. She looked exactly like a high-born lady of the abyss. Then she shifted into another one—a mysterious female executive.
"Do I look cool?"
"Very cool," I admitted. I was seeing a completely different side of her.
"Now then..." Lu regressed her body until she looked like a young girl, roughly the same age as Alfred’s natural form. Then she struck the exact same poses as before. "How about now? Am I beautiful and cool?"
"Well... you’re definitely cute." She looked like a child playing make-believe.
"Exactly. When Alfred strikes those poses in his current form, the 'cute' factor is just too strong."
"I see. So he uses the tall form for the sake of the performance."
"Poses look much more dramatic when your limbs are long," Lu explained. "It creates a sense of depth and space. See, if your elbows are too close to your body, everything looks cramped." She shifted back into her tall form to demonstrate, bringing a hand toward her face while keeping her arm elegantly extended.
That certainly made sense. My question was finally answered.
"No problem," Lu said, returning to her usual self.
"You seem very well-informed about this, though."
"Well... it’s a path everyone walks at some point."
I had a feeling a new question had just been born, but Lu refused to elaborate.
Setting the mystery aside, I handed over the face guard Zabuton had asked for. It wasn’t a full-face mask, but rather one that covered the area from the bridge of the nose down. I’d carved it from forest wood, giving it a fierce, scowling mouth. I'd even managed to hide several small breathing holes within the intricate carvings.
"Won't this make the costume look a bit too intimidating?" I asked.
Zabuton waved the concern away. Apparently, a length of cloth from the collar would act as a mask to cover the face guard.
"Then why have the guard at all?"
Before Zabuton could reply, Lu chimed in. "It's for his 'Serious Mode.'"
I see. So when he reveals the guard, it means he’s stopped playing around. That made a certain kind of sense.
I then turned my attention to the black cloak with the unusually high collar. I suspected it had a secret of its own, and Zabuton was happy to explain. It turned out the cloak could change colors. By infusing magic into the stone at the clasp, it utilized the fluid from the Meleo to shift its patterns and hues.
"Wait, you can control that fluid with magic?" I asked.
Lu stepped forward and puffed out her chest with pride. "It’s the fruit of my research."
It really was impressive. I could see plenty of ways to apply that technology in the future. I told her as much, and she beamed at the praise. I’m certainly looking forward to seeing what else she can do.