(Alva’s POV)

I fiddle with the suit one last time. Umm… alright, seems ok. I’m on a black suit, with a deep red shirt and a black necktie with my hair combed back. The suit isn’t completely black, it has golden rims with some gold strands on the fabric, creating golden reflections on the black. I also put on some black leather gloves. I also have my black leather shoes and my cane with me.

I look quite good if I may so myself. I look like a villain from a fantasy game. There’s some kind of irony in that phrase, I think. It seems that I have an hour until the time for the ball, so I guess I’ll just go to the meeting point. Meanwhile, I’ll take with me some trinkets to fiddle with, see if I can make some kind of communicator.

From my table I take several components, stuffing them in my pockets, way more than they should be able to handle. This is the result created by one of my skills from my Meister skill trees, Shared Pocked, where I can put several items on the same separated space to be accessed from any pocket or portal that I can open.

It doesn’t connect to my satchel, that I use mainly for transporting materials and bigger and bulky tools, since I can’t put things that don’t fit on a pocket, like a gun or a sword. But some small and essential tools as well components for small trinkets. I should be able to make some stuff for short range communication. Maybe something connecting to the teleportation relay system?

It’s energy transmission after all, I could temper with the devices and make them interact with that flow and transmit information… umm… it can work, after all I was the one that projected and made the damn thing. I am able to fiddle with it as much as I want. With the stuff in my pockets, I walk to the teleportation relay.

(Alva): “Teleport: Dancehall 1.”

I say, the light of the teleport taking me to behind the giant door that leads to the ball room, already filled with the nobles from Mechaville that are now enjoying the music and the food. The reason for that is for making our entrance much greater. Here behind the door is our meeting point, and it seems I’m the first to arrive.

I hang my cane on my left arm as I take out some components from my pockets, as well a wrench to start assembling the artifact that I’ll be creating. Umm, I’ll need a portable engraving tool… oh, it seems that I have it on my shared pocket.

Since it’s a fairly simple artifact it won’t take long to make enough for all of us. Let me see… a few enchanting runes to interact with the portal network. Normally, to make such an enchantment, the enchanter would need to make the formula to interact with the system, but since I’m it’s maker, I can made it by mental calculations.

The shape will be messy, since it’s a prototype. It will be fine as long it can transmit speech and use the teleportation relay system. For now, it will be only able to teleport to other relays, to make something that allows free teleportation will take a bit more research and work.

As I make the thing, I hear the sound of feet clacking against the floor. I raise my eyes from the apparatus, getting surprised by the view. Anastasia, Iona and Prunia walk in, making my jaw almost hit the floor. the first one to approach me, running in front f the others, is Iona, in her avatar form of her kitsune character, dressed in a gorgeous yukata, her white tails shaking behind her. She hugs my arm, smiling.

(Iona): “How is it, husband? Am I pretty in my new clothes?”

She asks excited, her tail wagging behind her lightly.

(Alva): “You’re gorgeous.” I say sincerely, making her blush and gives me a silly smile. I then look at the other girls. “You’re all… simply gorgeous.”

I say, watching Prunia in her bunny form smile and Anastasia, surprisingly in her normal human form, blush lightly to my compliment. She crosses her arms, giving me a stare.

(Anastasia): “Please, no cheap flattery.”

(Alva): “It isn’t cheap flattery, this black and white dress combine greatly with your skin and hair, the frills giving a nice aesthetic feeling. You did well in letting your hair straight, it matches more your face. The choice of light makeup is nice as well, it looks great on you and really accentuates your features. It looks way better than your avatar form.”

I said, her face being taken by shock for a moment before blushing heavily and turning away. Prunia laughs lightly to my comment and Anastasia’s reaction while Iona painfully pokes my ribs while pouting, her ears falling flat.

(Prunia): “Boss is good with words! What about me, am I cute?”

She asks, striking a pose and emphasizing her breasts. I smile, answering.

(Alva): “Yes, the pink and white contrast nicely, the patterns and frills are cute, the shape of the dress does emphasize nicely your curves. Combining it with your new hair and rabbit ears, I can say that you have achieved a new level of cuteness, although you were fairly cute with your normal human appearance.”

Prunia smiles in silence for a moment, no answering immediately. She covers her mouth with the back of her hand, avoiding my eyes with hers and blushing slightly.

(Prunia): “That was more damaging that I thought.”

(Iona): “Husband, praise me!”

She said, poking my cheek while pouting. I stopped her from doing it by petting her head, surprising her.

(Alva): “How can I say it… There’s no words beautiful enough to describe you.”

I say simply. She blushes heavily, showing me a goofy smile while I pet her head. I look around, noticing that there is someone missing.

(Alva): “Where’s Logan?”

I ask, curious by her absence from the group that until now has been walking together. Anastasia sighs, saying:

(Anastasia): “Well, she’s a bit shy… come on, get out from behind the wall, Logan.”

She says, looking back from the corridor that they came out.

(Logan): “Not in a fucking way!” she answers aggressively. “I hate dresses! I shouldn’t have listened to you girls and should’ve come in my avatar form!”

(Anastasia): “Come on, Logan! Don’t be such a wimp! I don’t remember you being a coward!”

She said mockingly. Logan made an angry grunt, stepping out from the corridor hesitantly. What I see surprises me greatly. Logan was already beautiful, but now, she looks like a doll. She’s dressed in a crimson gown that exposes her arms and shoulders, giving off a delicate feeling.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

Her face is well decorated with a reasonable amount of makeup, the blue eyes with black eyeliner and the cheekbones with a light red blush, the lips accentuated by a deep crimson lipstick, making her face look much more beautiful and mature from her usual youngish looks. She seems a bit taller, probably the result from the high hells that I can hear from her walking. Her blonde hair has also suffered treatment, turning from the usual straight to princess curls that are quite hard to make.

(Alva): “Wow…”

She frowns at me, her cheeks turning redder than the makeup.

(Logan): “Laugh all you want, comrade. I know I look ridiculous in this.”

(Alva): “Why the fuck I would laugh? You look beautiful in that dress, Logan.”

I say sincerely. Logan blushes heavily, and Anastasia chuckles with a smug face behind her back. Logan walks up to me and strongly kicks my shin while my guard is low. I crouch silently, grabbing my shin. I’m quite sure that the cracking sound came from my bones.

(Logan): “T-thanks for the compliment.”

She said turning away from me, I can see her ears turning red from here when I look up to her back as she walks away from me.

(Alva): “Please, thank me by not cracking the bones of my shins.”

Iona crouches on my side, touching my shoulder.

(Iona): “Don’t worry husband, you’re immortal! You’re going to regenerate it in no time!”

She said, but I could feel some anger in her voice. Maybe because I praised the other girls so much. I wonder what she sees on me, this Iona. I don’t think that I’m that interesting of a man besides having good looks. I’m a nerd shut in after all. As I ponder that, my shin heals, regenerating from the damage caused to the bones. As I get up, Prunia approaches, asking with the dress showing some cleavage.

(Prunia): “By the way, Boss. What was the thing you were fiddling when we arrived?”

(Alva): “Oh, that. Give me a second.”

I say as I take the prototype from my pocket and show it to them. they look at it and the first one to be rude about it is Prunia.

(Prunia): “Boss, what’s this weird thing?”

With a swift attack, I hit her head with a karate chop, making her crouch holding her head while I explain what this is.

(Alva): “This is a prototype of a communicator and as well a portable teleporter. I was thinking of making one for each one of us.”

(Anastasia): “Oh, that could be useful.”

Prunia recovers from my hit as I speak.

(Alva): “I was thinking of making this an insignia or a ring in the future… but might as well put everything on the phone that I mentioned before. We can test it later, I have to work on something more compact.”

(Iona): “Is it going to be hard to make it, Husband? Will you need any help?”

She asks, touching my arm.

(Alva): “You don’t have to worry about anything. It’s going to be easy, all that I need are some enchants and some alchemy materials. I’m more worried about what to use as source of energy. I would be nice to make a battery that doesn’t run out.”

As I stop talking, someone approaches. It’s Bertram walking towards us with Gehenna in tow. They stop in front of us, going down on one knee with their heads lowered.

(Bertram): “Ladies, Lord, the guests are ready to receive your light.”

I cringe a little, Bertram is a bit fanatic when it comes to us five, although he speaks with a straight face and a stoic expression all the time, sounding more serious and calm than fanatic and obsessed. Gehenna keeps her head low, she’s a woman of few words.

(Alva): “Yes, it is about time we introduce ourselves to the nobles… girls, are you sure about your appearance?”

I ask, looking more to Iona and Prunia. Iona shakes her head to me.

(Iona): “I only came in like this to give Husband some eye candy.”

She says, turning back to her human form. Prunia pouts immediately, turning back to her human form, her clothes adjusting to her changing height and shape.

(Prunia): “Then I’m changing too. I can’t be the only one that goes in game form, can I? it isn’t cool!”

She said. we smiled, and Iona even giggled. Alright, time for us to introduce ourselves to the nobles of Mechaville. I make a sign to Bertram, and he gets up together with Gehenna, walking to the door.

(inside the ball room, 3° person POV, a few minutes ago)

The nobles enjoy drinks of the highest quality and food of the finest making, much more than even the dukes of Mechaville can afford or even get access to. Among them, two of the noble ladies stand out among the crowd.

The first one is a tall, young woman with rosy skin, platinum hair and a horn poking out from the center of her forehead, the black surface of her horn engraved and decorated with a platinum ring. Her face is beautiful, not native to any nation of earth, with delicate lines and glowing, ice-blue eyes.

She has a curvaceous body, dressed in a white and blue gown, her height standing around 1,90, a fairly tall woman. Her cold demeanor broken occasionally by a smile caused by her companion. In contrast to her bright, colors and cold feeling, she is a normal, human woman with her height being around 1,60.

Her hair is that of a dark red, the color of blood, like her eyes. Her skin is pale as wax, even paler than her companion. Her lips decorated with a deep red lipstick, and eyes marked with black eyeliner. She is also dressed in a black gown decorated with red frills, even her nails painted as blood red. She is as beautiful as her friend, her straight hair falling to her waist like her taller friend.

These two are famous figures in the picture of Mechaville, and now, two of the other famous figures approach the two noblewomen. One of them is a tall, dashing young man around 1,80, with blonde hair swept back, dressed in flashy clothes with a steampunk theme to it, with a main theme of red and gold, with green eyes and androgynous face stuck in a perfect smile.

The other one is the opposite, far shorter than his friend, around 1,50, with brown hair combed back on his head, glistening with some kind of hair product that failed slightly in keeping his hair in the right position.

He was also dressed opulently, even more than anyone in this room, as if to showcase his rich and power. The clothes, like all the others in this hall, were a mix of steampunk and some gothic, the colors were gold and white. He was filled to the brim with jewelry, three necklaces, several rings in every finger, and the coat beautifully sewn with several jewelry.

Although each one of the accessories is indeed beautiful, they together form an unsightly mess. Even more complemented by his appearance. He was of an unhealthy weight, extremely so, so much that the white shirt below his coat seemed ready to burst at any moment as his flabby belly weaved around.

His face was, as expected, fat as well. Big cheeks with no visible chin, pale skin due no exposure to the sun at all, brown eyes with a playful glint to them, and an affable smile to his semblance. The first one to speak was him, as he spoke with a pleasant voice.

(fat noble): “Duchess Frostspire!” He said, addressing the taller woman, and the one at her side. “Baroness Coldharbour! What an honor to meet such famous figures of Mechaville!”

He said cheerfully, shaking hands with them excitedly. Instead of the creasy hand that you would expect, his hands were clean and surprisingly rough and callused, as either that of a swordsman or a smith. Severa Frostspire, the woman with a horn, smiled lightly.

(Severa): “Margrave Cornhill, what a pleasure to meet you! It’s been some time since I wanted to meet such a famous noble as yourself!”

Devon Cornhill smiled a gentle and happy smile.

(Devon): “Ah, please Your Majesty, you fluster me! I’m just a humble noble! Here, let me introduce my most recent friend, although I believe that both of you have already met, ho ho ho!”

He said, laughing heartily. The handsome man took a step forward, bowling lightly.

(handsome noble): “It has been some time since we last met, lady Frostspire.”

Severa’s smile disappeared almost instantly, her voice turning to a more distant, still polite, tone.

(Severa): “Duke Marius Metra… it has indeed been some time.”

His smile didn’t falter, used to such responses. He then looked to the baroness, that didn’t like the light in his eyes.

(Marius): “Oh, this must be the famous Red Baroness. It’s a pleasure to be in your presence, Lady Coldharbour.”

Although Saira Coldharbour didn’t like him immediately, she was still a noble, and answered with an angelical smile.

(Saira): “It seems that my reputation proceeds me, Your Highness. It’s a pleasure to meet the one responsible for the administration of the finances of the Royal Guard.”

She said, doing a polite bow while raising her skirt, like a noble should. Marius laughs, as if happy by her comment.

(Marius): “Well, it isn’t a great position, since I’m just being ordered around by Lady Gehenna when she actually needs my presence. Besides that, I just mange the flow of money and my own district.” He said humbly. “However, the stars of tonight are not us nobles.” He looked at where the rulers of Mechaville will come out, the doors still shut tightly. “To think that they invited us to the Clockwork Palace…”

(Devon): “Oh my, you haven’t been invited here before, Lord Marcus?”

Marcus just smiles, answering to the honest question.

(Marcus): “Not at all, even if I’m in close ties with the Royal Guard the Palace is off limits, even for us Dukes and Duchess Frostspire.”

(Devon): “How unexpected… but still, I’m looking forward to meeting the Heavenly Ones!”

(Severa): “Indeed. It has been a long time since I last saw the Heavenly Ones in person…”

Serina looked at her long-time friend with a surprised face, as he hasn’t heard of that story yet. Severa made a proud face, with a light smile in her lips.

(Severa): “Of course! After all, two hundred fifty years ago, when Mechaville was still young, I was personally appointed by the Most High of the Heavenly Ones.”

After all, the time in the game is different for each world, and the word where Mechaville was situated was particularly faster, making the whole guild base a total of three hundred years old for the NPCs, and a fraction of that time for the gamers. Devon’s eyes shined with her words.

(Devon): “Oh my, I heard legends, but I never have caught a glimpse of the Most-High! How is he? Is it as the stories say?”

Severa smiled lightly at the affable and curious noble, the eyes gleaming with a childish curiosity.

(Severa): “How can I say it… he is imponent and has an aura to him.” She said, recalling when she was younger, as her race, the Frost Demons, live for quite a while. “You will know when you meet him.”

She says mysteriously, with a light smile. Devon opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted when a voice went through the whole hall, silencing the chatter.

(Bertram): “Ladies and Gentleman, it is my honor to introduce to you all our Rulers and lights of the Divine. Please, welcome our Archduchesses, our Queen and King!”