They reached their party in one of the side rooms in the palace.
Ryan stood near the window, his new armor polished to a shine that suggested he’d spent considerable ti on his appearance.
ToraX lounged on a chair too small for his bulk, yet retained its stability perfectly. At the sa ti, VICE examined his bow with the intense focus of soone checking their equipnt for the hundredth ti. HazyNova sat in the corner, so still and quiet that Lumi almost missed them entirely.
"Lumi! Lena!" Gabriel’s face lit up as they entered. "Perfect timing. I was just explaining court protocols."
"Did you tell them about etiquette?" Lena asked seriously. "Because if you did, you’ll need to say it again. I’ve been ntally practicing but it hasn’t gone very well. Please teach . Is there a secret handshake?"
Gabriel only blinked once before responding. "There’s no secret handshake. Though there are specific ways to bow depending on your rank and relationship to the crown."
Ryan stepped forward, and Lumi was struck by how natural he looked in the knightly attire Gabriel had procured. The armor was ceremonial rather than functional, but Ryan wore it proudly, despite not actually owning it. "Gabriel’s been incredibly helpful. Did you know there are seventeen different forms of address for the Empress depending on the context of the interaction?"
"Seventeen?" ToraX groaned. "I can barely rember my own family’s birthday half the ti! You expect to rember seventeen different ways to say hello?"
"Just follow my lead." Ryan assured him. "I’ve got this."
"Of course you do." VICE muttered, though there was more fondness than irritation in his tone. "Our self-appointed knight has probably morized the entire book of court etiquette in the last hour. See, it’s funny because Gabriel is an actual knight and you aren’t. Why not join the knights?"
"That path isn’t for . And you know, knowledge is just another form of preparation." Ryan said stiffly. "Preparation prevents poor performance."
"Is that the four P’s? PPPP?" VICE asked. "Because I will shoot you."
"Guys, please." Lumi interjected, though he was smiling. "Let’s at least pretend we’re mature adventurers for the next few hours."
"Mature is my middle na!" ToraX declared. "ToraX Mature... wait, that doesn’t sound right."
HazyNova spoke up from his corner. He was much more serious than the rest. "How many people will be watching?"
Gabriel considered the question. "The formal audience will be relatively small. The Empress, her imdiate advisors, a handful of Knights, and the honor guard. Perhaps thirty people in total."
Lumi saw HazyNova shrink slightly at the number. For soone who preferred shadows and solitude, being the center of attention for thirty high ranking individuals would be nerve wracking.
"You’ll be fine." Lumi assured him. "Just stay close to the group. No one expects grand speeches from any of us."
"Except !" Lena added helpfully, then snickered. "Just kidding. If I spoke, I’d probably cause an international incident. That would be fun..."
At the various wide-eyed gazes that last comnt earned her, she put her hands up. "Just joking~"
"Alright, let’s be serious please." Gabriel sighed, then clarified to everyone. "You’ll be allowed to speak when directly addressed. Though perhaps... brevity would be wise?"
"I can do brief!" Lena nodded enthusiastically. She then grew a bit more neutral. "No, but really. I can try my best. I also have the three magic words."
"What three words?" Ryan asked, unsure if this was a joke.
"Thank you, Your Majesty." Lena gave a rather professional bow. "See? Three words!"
"Right." Gabriel said, rallying admirably. "Let’s discuss wardrobe. I’ve arranged appropriate attire for everyone that respects both your adventuring professions and the formal nature of the occasion."
He gestured to a side room where there were clothing racks. The outfits were remarkable, formal but still practical enough to suggest these were active adventurers rather than idle nobles.
Ryan’s outfit emphasized his knightly aspirations with a formal doublet in deep blue trimd with silver, paired with ceremonial armor pieces that glead without being gaudy.
For ToraX, his clothes had been specially reinforced and tailored to accommodate his impressive bulk while maintaining elegance.
VICE’s ensemble was sleek and professional, with subtle green accents that complented his archer aesthetic.
HazyNova’s outfit was perhaps the most impressive. It was formal enough for court, but designed with flowing layers that would create shadows.
Lena’s dress was a work of art in itself. It was soft yellow, but with deeper rose accents that gave it maturity. The skirt was full enough to be formal but not so elaborate that she couldn’t move freely.
"It’s pretty!" Lena exclaid, holding the dress up. She analyzed the stats on her system.
[Formal Dress.]
[Required Level: N/A]
[Required Class: N/A]
[Defense: 100]
[Remaining upgrade slots: 0/0]
"What!?" Lena suddenly yelled out, seeing the stats. A defense of a hundred was ridiculous. Her own shirt from rath was rely 14 defense. "Why is it so strong!? Can I keep it?"
"All court attire is produced to the highest standard possible. These are typically for nobles and royalty, after all." Gabriel assured her. "It is just standard precaution. That said, no, we may not keep these. These are specifically for use cases such as these. These are rather expensive."
Lumi’s own outfit was similar to his mage robes but elevated. Deeper blues, finer fabric, with subtle silver embroidery.
"Twenty minutes to change and prepare." Gabriel announced. "Then Chief Knight Neeko will escort us to the audience chamber."
As everyone dispersed to change, Lena caught Lumi’s arm. "This is really happening, isn’t it? We’re eting actual royalty. In a palace. Wearing fancy clothes."
"Are you okay?" Lumi asked.
"Yes! Well, maybe. Don’t worry about , I can present myself well. I think. It’s still uncomfortable, though."
Lumi gave her a reassuring smile. "It’s okay to feel uncomfortable. This kind of thing is... big. It’s strange, formal, and political. Not really made for people like us."
Lena laughed. "True!" She began standing on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek. "You’re the best boyfriend. I’m rating you 10 out of 10."
Lumi smiled. "Thank you. You’re the best too, Lena. Now let’s get ready."
"Mn." She nodded.
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