In the guest room, long after dark…

It’s nearly time. Can’t wait!

Now that Anna and I are clean from a nice, hot bath, our bellies full of beef stew… and with me stripped down to nothing but my undergarments… it’s time to open up that fancy coffer from Saint Alyssa! Whatever’s in there, I’m more than ready to play dress-up!

“Ready!?” I ask Anna excitedly. “Oh boy, I can’t wait!”

She nods eagerly. “Me too! Let’s see what’s in there!”

I open Saint Alyssa’s coffer, revealing my prize. Wisps of light rise towards the ceiling like twinkling stars, casting a gentle glow over the ensemble inside. And there it is – a complete set of Healer vestments worthy of a Hero. Worthy of me!

“Oh my…” Anna gasps, peeking inside. “It’s all so pretty…”

“I know, right!? Look at these hooded robes!” I exclaim, reaching in and laying out the first piece on the bed. “Hmm. Or not. It’s more like a gown…”

White like freshly fallen snow, trimmed gold and blue, the hooded gown radiates raw Mana and a light, floral scent. Mystical inscriptions line every inch of its enchanted silk. Separate from the gown itself are the sleeves – long, flowing, and bearing the same inscriptions. As I slip them on, they mould to my arms as if made just for me. Immediately, I feel my Mana expanding… my thoughts sharpening.

Damn! This feels... incredible. And to think we’re just getting started!

“So… what do ya think?” I ask Anna, twirling in my hooded gown and fancy new sleeves. “Does it look good on me?”

“You look absolutely stunning!” she exclaims joyfully before pointing at my hood. “Oh my! Are those… fresh flowers!?”

“Woah. No kidding!” I reach up and brush my fingers against the delicate blossoms. “They feel real… that’s for sure!”

“Nice! What else is in there?”

“Hmm… let’s see…”

I take out the rest of the ensemble, laying each piece neatly on the bed. We’ve got white long-sleeved gloves and white stockings. Oh, and white shoes! With high heels.

Everything radiates the same magical aura as the gown and its sleeves. But geez… that’s a lotta white! And these heels…

“You should put them on!” Anna urges. “I can’t wait to see them on you!”

“Promise you’ll like what you see?”

“I already do! But I’m sure you’ll exceed my expectations!”

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“You bet!”

With great gusto, I slip on the gloves and pull up the stockings. They’re luxuriously soft, the silk gliding over my skin like a second layer – a perfect fit. Each piece amplifies the gown’s enchantment, growing stronger in harmony with the others. But there’s still one more piece to wear for a complete set.

The shoes. And uh…

“Is something wrong?” Anna tilts her head, concerned. “You keep staring at those heels…”

“It’s nothing!” I bluff, slipping my feet into those accursed high heels. “And now…”

Huh. They’re actually… comfy? That’s a surprise. They fit well, snug but not tight, and the added height isn’t too bad either. I feel a little taller than usual, but that’s good! And I may or may not have trouble with doorways now… but hopefully not!

And now, with the full set of vestments adorning me and its enchantment at full power…

“Arisa?”

Holy fucking Rinnah! In the previous timeline, when I got the Blessed Rosary from Saint Alyssa and became a fully-fledged Healer, I felt strong. Powerful. But this… is really something else! I feel like I can do anything. Like the world is mine to mend and protect.

Good grief. The Mana coursing through me is… intoxicating. And I…

“Umm… Arisa!?” Anna exclaims, her worried voice piercing through the haze. “Are you okay?”

“Eh!?” I exclaim, shaking my head rapidly. “Was I… did I space out?”

“Yes! You looked a little overwhelmed.”

“Oh, shit. Yeah. These enchantments are potent. Even for me!”

“I could feel them, too! And now they’re all on you! Oh my! Umm…”

“It’s okay! I can handle it!” I take a deep breath, steadying myself. “It was just a momentary shock. It’s settling in now. Anyway…”

I brandish Elizabeth with a flourish, striking a heroic pose in my gleaming white and blue ensemble. “Well, Anna? Do you like what you see?”

“Yes, I do! I love it even more than I thought possible!” Anna exclaims, beaming from ear to ear, eyes shining as she takes in every detail. “I…”

She blushes. Deeply. A hand drifts to her cheek. “Umm…”

“Huh? Something wrong?”

“Well, umm…”

Anna’s still blushing. I swear, I didn’t say anything raunchy or mushy this time! I glance down at myself – at the long gloves past my elbows, the thigh-high stockings… and the cut of the gown leaving most of my legs exposed.

Oh. Yeah. This outfit’s a bit… skimpy. Just a little!

“Umm… you’re so pretty, Arisa!” Anna stammers. “And I…”

“If that’s the case,” I tease, grinning mischievously. “There’s only one way to fix this.”

“How?”

“I’ll just have to… aaah!”

“Arisa!”

Anna catches me just in time, barely managing to keep me upright. Turns out, standing in high heels? Easy. Walking? Not so much.

Oh, fuck. I knew these shoes were gonna be trouble!

“Umm… is this your first time wearing high heels?” Anna asks innocently, still slightly flushed. “The way you stepped forward just now…”

“…maybe?”

“If so… umm… I can help!”

“You can?”

She nods earnestly. “The Order taught us in ‘Court Etiquette 101’! Healers learn it too!”

“They do?” I ask, raising a brow. “Heh. I must’ve missed it in the previous timeline. I didn’t take any classes – Lady Iris tutored me personally. And you as well, with me.”

“That’s okay! We can catch you up now!” Anna exclaims enthusiastically as she takes my arm, her shyness evaporating in favour of focused determination. “Let’s go from the bed to the door.”

“Alright, hit me. What’s the trick?”

“First, roll your weight from your heel to your toe. That’s really important.”

“Okay, gotcha.”

“And take small steps! Don’t rush,” Anna adds, holding my hand as we start. “Keep your posture straight, lean back ever so slightly, and…”

“Woah!”

“Easy there!” Anna cautions as she steadies me, her cheeks tinged red again. “Slow and steady! And remember – heel to toe.”

“Right. Of course.”

Step by step… we make our way across the floor, Anna keeping me balanced as I try to get the hang of this. With my fancy heels clicking against the tiles, the guest room turns into my impromptu training ground.

First of many laps, I suspect. It’s a good thing my room’s on the ground floor. And we’ll keep at it together… for as long as it takes.