Oblivion (A Black Clover Story)

Eight

As soon as I woke up, I knew I had a few missions I needed to accomplish before the dinner the Wizard King personally invited me to. I knew that Nozel would most likely be there as well, making it even more imperative that I did what I needed to.

The first step was easy enough. All I had to do was haggle the workers a bit. I might have used a little Mind Magic on them, but what did it matter? They gave me what I wanted.

The next things I had to do were the most challenging, and I had to walk around the town in the shopping district to find what I needed. As I strolled the pretty streets with my grimoire at my hip, gawking at the architecture and intricate cobblestone paths, I found just the shop I was looking for.

"Welcome!" said the woman working the shop, taking notice of my robe. "What can I do for a Magic Knight?"

I smiled at her, suddenly feeling awkward. It was my first time doing this, at least that I could remember. "Hi... I'm looking for a dress. I was invited to a semi-formal event last-minute, you see. And I don't have anything to wear."

The woman seemed to beam at my words, excited that she'd be able to sell a nice dress to a Magic Knight, even if I belonged to the lowest-ranked of them all. "Wonderful! Any guidelines for what you're looking for?"

I thought for a moment, browsing at the few dresses that were within my eyesight. "Nothing too extravagant. I don't like to stand out. Nothing long, either. Oh, and no bright colors. Something that might compliment my hair color?" I suggested, fully knowing that my purple hair would clash with more than half of the dresses on display. It was why I preferred to wear black or greyscale.

"I think I may have a few options for you," she explained, telling me to wait for her in a dressing room in the back of the shop. She returned a few moments later with an armful of garments that were beautifully simple and just my style. After complimenting her on her skills, I chose the most appealing one of the bunch. I wasn't sure about the others, so I had a feeling that this one would be perfect.

The fabric was luxuriously soft and a muted dusty pink color. It somehow made my hair stand out in the perfect way while also complementing my skin tone. The length of the dress fell just above my knees, and it was tight around my waist to perfectly hug and accentuate my wide hips. The sleeves were long but loose, with a slit that exposed my shoulders and the tops of my arms. There was a snug band around my wrists to keep it all in place. The dress was mostly open in the back, but it was all held together by a thin piece of fabric that wrapped around my neck like a collar. In the front, the velvety material extended over my breasts and had a slit down the center that exposed just enough to be tastefully sexy without revealing too much.

When I stepped out of the dressing room to show the tailor, she fawned over how good I looked in her dress. Of course I knew that she was doing it up a little, but it made me feel good. I made my purchase, which included a pair of wedged heels as well, and made my way back to headquarters. That was easier than I thought. And I surprisingly didn't spend all my coin, either. I guess the money from working as a Magic Knight pays off!

After my arrival back at Headquarters and politely requesting that my newly acquired items be brought to my suite, I had a message get sent to Yami stating that I was requested by Wizard King Julius himself to stay another day and would arrive back the following. I silently hoped he wouldn't be too upset for that. I'd seen firsthand how aggressive he can get...

Then, I wandered the corridors searching for a certain someone. The thoughts I had brewing in my head were... Impure, to say the least.

But amidst my dirty thoughts, I sensed a familiar mana, but it was too late. I had already been grabbed my the wrist and pulled into a dark room. I couldn't see a damn thing. At first I was terrified. Who was forcing me into a dark room without a word? Then, the cool, breezelike mana of Nozel enveloped me to reassure me that I wasn't in any danger. In response, I let my mana flow to wrap around him as well.