The spiderlings who hadn't entered hibernation—Zabuton’s children—buzzed with excitement at the sight of the new lace fabric imported into Shashaato City.
While lace wasn't exactly a rarity in the Demon Kingdom, the patterns on this particular import were breathtaking. Consequently, it commanded a very high price. Miyo in Shashaato City and Yoko in Village Five had sent samples to the Village of the Great Tree as a tribute, and the fine craftsmanship had immediately caught the spiderlings' attention.
They set to work trying to replicate it at once, but the patterns were incredibly intricate. Despite their skill, it wasn't something they could copy easily. They struggled, yet they refused to yield, piling effort upon effort.
Eventually, they seemed to reach a stopping point. They decided to wait until Zabuton woke up to finish the replica; for the time being, they wanted to focus on designing clothes using the fabric they already had.
Somehow, this led to me becoming their model.
They started by dressing me in pitch-black trousers, a matching long-sleeved shirt, and black boots. Then, they began layering the dark lace over this simple foundation. It was a difficult look to place—extravagant noble attire, perhaps? The frills on the sleeves were enormous.
It was Gothic Lolita fashion—GothLoli, for short. This was a masculine take on the style, and while I supposed it wasn't unheard of for a man to wear it, I didn't think it suited me at all. I explained the core concept of GothLoli as I understood it and negotiated with the spiderlings, suggesting that the lace might look better on the children instead.
Soon enough, my sons and daughters emerged, decked out in lace-heavy Gothic Lolita fashion. There was White Goth, Black Goth, Red Goth, Green Goth, and Blue Goth. It was a brilliant spectacle. The girls wore matching headpieces, while the boys had coordinated hats. They looked wonderful; my judgment had been correct.
Reactions among the children were polarized, however. Fracia, Frau’s daughter, was the style’s biggest champion. She spun in circles, making the voluminous skirts of her Red Goth outfit flutter, and she seemed particularly fond of the matching lace parasol. I did have to warn her about opening it indoors, though.
On the other hand, Hakuren’s son, Hiichiro, was the leader of the opposition. Even though Gral praised his Black Goth ensemble to the heavens, it clearly didn't sit right with him. I wasn't about to force any of them to wear it; being stuck in clothes that don't suit you is miserable. Still, I asked him to bear with it just a little longer out of respect for the spiderlings' hard work. I was still stuck in mine, after all, so we were in the same boat.
The adults had varied reactions, but the Civil Official Girls were over the moon. They squealed with delight, critiquing every detail before huddling with the spiderlings to discuss new designs.
Wait, no—they had actually abducted Yuri, the Demon King’s daughter, who happened to be visiting the mansion. They were trying to force her into a GothLoli outfit of her own. I watched as three of them hauled a resisting Yuri away, wondering if they weren't being a bit too rough with her. When they started reaching for her clothes, I realized it was time to leave.
"Men, clear the room! Spiderlings, I'll leave the rest to you!"
The girls were ecstatic about Yuri’s pure White Goth look, even if the victim herself looked utterly miserable. As for the Demon King, he seemed at a loss. He confessed that seeing her like that made him feel like she was about to get married. The eternal struggle of a father with a daughter of age, I suppose.
The Gothic Lolita trend bloomed briefly in the Village of the Great Tree before migrating to Village Five. It was there that Yoko informed me of a rare visitor. She explained it was an acquaintance of Niz, the Messenger of the Snake God and Acting Shop Manager of Sake & Meat Niz. I couldn't imagine a business contact from the restaurant needing to see me personally, especially since Niz had enough authority to handle things on her own. If it was snake-related or divine business, I sensed trouble.
"It’s snake-related, but it’s just an apology," Yoko clarified.
Apparently, the visitor had gotten into a scuffle with the Security Team, though Niz had already mediated a reconciliation. Still, the visitor wanted to live in the village, and Niz insisted they apologize to the Village Head first.
The woman Niz brought before me was striking, standing well over two meters tall. She wore a white robe that made her look like a mage, though the massive sword on her back suggested she was a warrior. Patches of scales dotted her skin, and her eyes were unmistakably serpentine. To put it bluntly, she looked as though she were halfway through a transformation from snake to human.
"M-my name is Echid," she stammered, bowing. "I am an old friend of Niz. I caused a disturbance through my own misconduct, and for that, I apologize."
She was sincere enough, so I accepted the apology without further fuss, simply telling her to stay out of trouble if she planned to live here. Niz led her away, and my escorts—Galf, Daga, and Reginleiv—all let out audible sighs of relief. I’d expected someone more headstrong, given the fight with the Security Team, but Yoko told me her spirit had been broken long before she arrived.
"She lost to Urza before she ever reached Village Five," Yoko explained.
Apparently, Urza had beaten her quite badly, though she’d also given Echid a letter of recommendation. Urza had supposedly "won her over with gourmet food" and requested she be given work and a place to stay. Knowing Urza, she probably hadn't used the words "won her over," but the sentiment was there.
Echid would be staying and working at the shrine for now, since her current appearance might startle restaurant customers. She was an old acquaintance of Kon, the leader of the Silver Fox Race, so she'd fit in well enough until her powers returned. Yoko mentioned that in her human form, Echid was a legendary beauty who had once seduced kings. She’d make an excellent poster girl for the shop once she recovered.
On a final note, the Security Team she’d fought turned out to be Sword Saint Pirika. Niz had apparently jumped in just as Pirika was finishing the job, having already cut Echid’s snake form into three pieces. Yoko noted that a healthy Echid would have been a challenge even for Pirika, so the damage from Urza must have been severe. I worried for a moment if Urza hadn't overdone it, but then I decided to believe that Pirika had simply grown that much stronger. Yes, let's go with that.