Benefit Banquet

The next morning.

Hahn had already left the manor and headed to the suburbs to make arrangements for the banquet.

As he put it, although a special commissioner was overseeing the preparations, this banquet was of great importance, and he was worried that some small details might go wrong. So he had gone early to keep an eye on things.

Altair, meanwhile, was still taking his time over breakfast.

After finishing, he got up and returned to his bedroom. As he was about to change, he heard the three women talking inside.

"This dress won't do. It doesn't fit anymore."

"This one fits, but the color doesn't go with it."

"This tea dress won't do. The color is too drab."

"This one won't do either. The color is too dark."

"We could try this one."

"That one won't do either. Count Altair wore it to a banquet last time."

"What about this one?"

"That won't do either... Keep it as a backup. What about the jewelry?"

When Altair pushed open the bedroom door, he saw that the room was in disarray, with clothes and jewelry laid out everywhere in coordinated sets.

The three women heard the door open and turned around, only to find Altair already in the bedroom.

The two sides looked at each other, and the scene grew awkward.

Watching the three of them, Altair asked, "What's the matter? Haven't you prepared an outfit for today yet?"

Seeing the guilty looks around her, Irene lowered her head and took a step forward. "Count Altair, there aren't many clothes in your wardrobe that are suitable for today's banquet."

"Perhaps it's because you've grown so much recently. I just noticed that some of your clothes no longer fit. And since today's an outdoor banquet, we haven't found a suitable formal outfit yet."

Altair could only sigh at Irene's explanation.

It had been three months since his "father" passed away. He had attended the public memorial service, accompanied his father's body back to the estate for burial, returned to Bexland to take the Potion, and begun dressing as a woman.

Perhaps because of the Potion, his body had started growing rapidly. He had gone from 1.65 meters to 1.74, while all his clothes had been made to fit him as he was three months ago.

He spent most of his time at home, so he didn't have any particular requirements for his clothes as long as they fit.

Since he hadn't attended many banquets lately, he hadn't realized that some of his clothes were getting too small. Formalwear was even more of a problem.

Everyone had forgotten about this. Altair had never cared much about what he wore, so he hadn't paid attention.

Hahn was a male butler, so he wouldn't have asked about it.

Freya and Irene, one the housekeeper and the other his personal maid, had only recently joined the household. They hadn't been working there long, and had assumed the Earl had plenty of clothes ready.

Altair calmly addressed the problem. "Find something that will do. You don't have to go out of your way to choose a light color; dark clothes are fine too. And don't bother preparing formalwear for tonight."

"After this banquet, we can just ask a clothing designer to make some new clothes."

After speaking, Altair went into the washroom to put on his underwear himself. He hadn't reached Sequence Seven yet, and if he let them help him, they would discover the truth. So he had been dressing himself in his underwear all this time.

When he came out of the washroom, the three women hurried over to help him put on a dark blue outfit. Its broad shoulders, slender waist, and voluminous skirt formed an X-shaped silhouette. It had full leg-of-mutton sleeves and puffed sleeves, and was paired with a corset and several layers of petticoats.

They added some accessories in matching colors and topped it off with a flat-topped hat. The outfit was complete.

After bringing a few changes of clothes, the three women climbed into a carriage with Altair, and they left the manor.

The three women were in low spirits along the way. If this had happened in another household, the minimum punishment they would have faced was immediate dismissal. Some petty nobles might even have retaliated against them.

That was simply how things were in this era. All nobles cared about their public image and had standards for their everyday attire, let alone what they wore to a major event.

As for the fact that the mistake had actually happened because of Altair, and that no one else should have been held responsible...

They were giving the nobles too much credit. The aristocracy here didn't care about fairness.

By the time they left the manor in Empress Borough and reached the Suburban Manor, it was almost noon.

When the carriage stopped at the entrance and Altair stepped out, he saw Hahn and Simon waiting for him.

Altair walked over and asked, "Simon, is everything ready at the Shooting Range?"

Simon nodded at once. "Rest assured, Count Altair. Everything at the Shooting Range is ready. All the weapons have been inspected and set in place, and there won't be any problems. The exhibition platform has also been built."

"Once the banquet ends at noon, we can hold the shooting demonstration in the afternoon."

Altair nodded in approval when he heard Simon's report. Then he turned to Hahn, who said, "Everything for the banquet has been arranged. The kitchen is preparing the luncheon now."

"After the luncheon, we can head to the Shooting Range to watch the demonstration."

"After the demonstration, it'll be time for afternoon tea. You can use that time to discuss business with the other Earls."

"As for dinner, since we're holding the banquet outside the city, it'll take place early, after afternoon tea."

"After dinner, we'll have a ball, which should end early, around ten."

Altair looked pleased as he listened to Hahn's arrangements. No wonder Hahn had been a butler for more than a decade. He had left no room for error in the timing of the banquet.

As it neared noon, Altair was sitting on a sofa in the hall when he saw through the window that carriages were beginning to enter the manor gates.

He got up and waited for the guests in the sitting room.

When the guests arrived, Altair greeted them with a bow. "Good afternoon, Count Donovan, Madam Donovan."

The couple replied politely.

"Good afternoon, Count Altair."

"Good afternoon, Sister Altair."

Owen glanced around and said, "Looks like we're fairly early. We're the first guests to arrive."

Hether Grant immediately called him out. "Altair, don't listen to him. If it weren't for me, he'd still be on the way."

Watching them laugh and joke together, Altair couldn't help envying their relationship. They had been married for over ten years and were still so sweet with each other.

But he couldn't help feeling as though they were rubbing their happiness in his face. With no other choice, he invited them to sit down and enjoy some tea and desserts.

They hadn't been chatting long when the manor gates opened again.

This time, Uncle Leif and Brigadier General Karel arrived.

Uncle Leif had come alone on business, since Uncle Charles was still on the South Continent.

"Karel" had brought his fiancée, "Tiffany O'Neill," with him.

Karel Duarte had been the superior officer of Altair's late father. Before returning from the South Continent, he had been a colonel. After his return, he had been promoted again, becoming a brigadier general.

After exchanging greetings, the two joined the conversation.

Uncle Leif was cold toward Owen, but praised Hether generously.

Karel Duarte, meanwhile, had nothing but praise for Owen, the legendary figure.

This made Uncle Leif's expression toward Karel turn sour as well.