Chapter 24: Wedding robbery?

“……That’s the situation.”

In Enis’s room, Xiali recounted the entire situation without leaving out a single detail.

Promised Freya to stop Enis?

Haha, does she look like someone who keeps her promises?

Only this time, she wasn’t… and not just for fun.

If Freya were truly determined to fulfill the family’s arranged marriage, there would be no need to clearly specify the time and place before leaving.

It was like a drowning person unconsciously reaching out their hand above the water.

She was still hoping someone would pull her out.

“Sister Xiali, what should we do now?” Enis grew more anxious the more she listened, yet she didn’t know what she could do on her own.

“More accurately, you should drop the ‘we’ in that sentence.”

“Ah? Sister Xiali, you’re not going to ignore me and my sister, are you?”

“This is a matter within your family. As an outsider, I have no legitimate reason to interfere,” Xiali leaned against the wall. “I don’t want to be thrown into jail by the city lord’s guards the next day.”

“But, Sister Xiali…”

“Can’t you think of a solution yourself?”

“I…” Enis lowered her head.

With her rank as an insignificant low-level magician, going against the Stein and Kavess families?

She wouldn’t even dream of something so absurd!

To be honest, even if Sister Xiali helped, what could they do?

The two of them combined couldn’t compare to a single high-ranking magician.

But she didn’t want to see her sister do something unwillingly for her, nor did she want to see her give up before even trying when facing difficulties!

“Sister Xiali, I know I’m dumb. I can’t do anything by myself.”

Enis bit her lip. “I’ll pay 50 silver coins, please help me this once… No matter what the outcome is, I can accept it!”

“Heh, I was waiting for you to say that. Deal.” Xiali gave her palm a pat.

“Sister Xiali, your attitude changed way too fast!”

“Don’t mind such trivial details.” Xiali crossed her arms. “I already have a way to break off the engagement, though none of them are good ideas.”

“Better than no idea at all!”

“With our strength, confronting the two families head-on is impossible, but pulling some strings behind the scenes is doable.”

“Pulling strings?”

“If we find your sister’s betrothed in advance, tie her up, and throw her into an abandoned dungeon, wouldn’t that delay the engagement announcement?”

“Oh right! We could do that!” Enis hesitated. “But wouldn’t that be wrong? After all, that girl is also a victim of the arranged marriage…”

“Then put your sister in the dungeon; the effect is the same.”

“Let’s go with the first plan!”

“There’s also a less extreme method, but… it greatly affects me and involves some of my secrets, so I’m reluctant…”

“Sister Xiali, I’ll pay 100 silver coins, that should work, right…”

“Heh, straightforward.”

“So, what’s this method you’re talking about?”

“Steal the bride.”

“Ah? And then?”

“The Kavess family is sending your sister off to an arranged marriage not only for profit but also because of the Night Goddess’s blessing,” Xiali said with a smile. “Coincidentally, I’m someone blessed by the goddess.”

There was no reason to hide this.

After all, the nun who baptized her knew about it.

The Kavess family, which held considerable influence in the Night Cathedral, could easily investigate this.

Based on the blessing strength the hero received in the original game, Xiali was confident that if she revealed this, the Kavess family head would change their target.

The only problem was, that meant their situation would become a joke.

She’d have to marry Freya.

No choice. Xiali couldn’t think of a better plan.

That’s why she said she was making a big sacrifice.

If she couldn’t pull Freya back, Enis would surely be heartbroken… Xiali looked at Enis, and the playful attitude she’d held all along had faded considerably.

…………

Early the next morning, the sky was still dim.

Xiali took Enis for a walk outside the manor.

They arrived at a high-end clothing store called “Lafso” in the heart of Stein Castle, pushing open the slightly ajar wooden door.

“Ding-ling-ling~”

The bell on the door jingled.

“Welcome~” The sales clerk immediately greeted them, wearing a professional smile.

“Ah, hello…” Enis greeted, then leaned closer to Xiali and asked, “Sister Xiali, why bring me to a clothing store so early?”

“Tonight, I’m going to crash the Stein family manor to ‘steal the bride.’ I can’t wear these ragged clothes,” Xiali tugged at her worn-out fabric.

After running around all day yesterday, her clothes hadn’t even been washed.

No way—if she sent her only outfit to be cleaned, she’d have to run around naked.

If she tried to storm the Stein family manor in this outfit… heh, never mind success; she’d be thrown out as a beggar before even stepping inside.

She’d worried whether the sales clerk would mistake her for a beggar.

Fortunately, the clerk had decent manners.

“We’ll browse ourselves,” Xiali said to the clerk and turned to look at the dresses, shirts, and long skirts hanging on the walls.

At first glance, the clothes looked splendid.

But after a closer look, Xiali felt the decorations and patterns were overly gaudy and flashy.

Compared to the court gowns she wore as the Demon Lord, these were not just a step down in design but several grades lower.

The fabric wasn’t as smooth or soft either.

After some consideration, she picked up a black Lolita-style dress and held it in front of herself. “Enis, what do you think of this?”

“Sister Xiali, you’d look good no matter what you wear,” Enis paused. “But I don’t think this dress suits you.”

“Is that so?”

“Yeah, it doesn’t quite match your style.”

“That’s true.” Xiali nodded.

As the Demon Lord, a supreme magician, she didn’t care what clothes she wore since she could cast magic with a single thought.

But as the hero, there was much more to consider.

Most importantly, ease of movement in close combat!

And a noticeable difference in appearance.

Demon Lord her was cute yet full of authority.

Hero her was… well, youthful and energetic!

“None of these clothes seem quite right… Hm? What’s this?” Xiali’s gaze swept over the clothes on the wall, landing on a single mannequin display.

There was a white long-sleeve shirt paired with a black pleated skirt-pants combo, black thigh-high socks, decorated with small bows and a necktie.

Why did this look so much like the JK uniform from her previous world?

Honestly, among all the gowns and long skirts, this had a certain unique charm… Might as well just buy this!