I Became the Porter of a Somewhat Strange Hero Party

24 – Banquet (1)

Are you okay? It was an obvious question.

She was wearing a short-sleeved dress that matched her dark skin, revealing her slim and healthy body. Her hair was lightly tied back with a ribbon at the nape of her neck, which was also cute.

Her beautiful silvery hair cascaded down her ears naturally, adding to her charming appearance. If we were to nitpick, her hairstyle may not have been perfectly done, but it was rather endearing in its slight immaturity.

Indeed, this party seemed to consist only of characters who received favorable evaluations for both their appearance and performance in “Dungeon in Evil.” Each one of them had no flaws when it came to their looks.

“You look pretty. It suits you well.”

“Uh, you don’t have to force yourself to say that… What is someone like me…”

“It’s not like that…”

I didn’t think I spoke so superficially.

“It suits you really well.”

“…Really?”

“Yeah.”

Du Gyeo smiled, revealing a mischievous smile. Then Letitia, who was standing next to her, chimed in.

“You’re cute enough, thief.”

“…Thanks. Letitia is also beautiful.”

It was heartwarming to see them compliment each other’s beauty. However, soon they might shed tears according to my choice.

As I imagined that scene, it was quite…

“…Thrilling.”

It feels like being trampled by someone slightly stronger than me. It gives me a similar feeling to indirectly experiencing that.

“Oh, by the way, Letitia.”

“Yes?”

“What did you do with your ears?”

“Oh, this?”

Letitia glanced around and playfully tapped her head lightly. Then, her cat-like ears that were clearly unseen before perked up.

“I temporarily hid them using magic.”

“Ah, I see…”

Oh, I guess that works too.

Well… scenes of disguising oneself with magic often appear in comics or novels. Compared to that, covering the ears is not a big deal.

While waiting for the next turn, another person appeared. And the moment I saw her, of course, not only me but also Leticia and Duogeo felt cold sweat running down our backs.

“heheheh, what do you think, Allen?”

It was a problem that left a deep impression. Frey was wearing a dress that only barely covered the center of her large chest… Well, to put it bluntly, it was a dress that could be worn by a prostitute.

My assessment of her appearance was straightforward.

“You pervert!”

“Wh-what, pervert!?”

Frey was taken aback. It was only natural for her to be shocked when she heard the word “pervert”… For me, I barely managed to tame the words that almost called her a crazy b*tch.

“How dare you say such words to me, Allen!”

Freya mentioned that it was a bit excessive, but rather than listening to Letitia, who was by her side, she listened to me instead.

“Freya, it’s too much…”

“…Yeah.”

“And… everyone else!”

“You’re the Saint. What do you think the Church would say if they saw that?”

Even if the Divine Order allowed Freya to modify and wear the holy garments like that, could they tolerate such a sight?

Freya couldn’t answer that part and just turned her gaze slightly. I told her to quickly change and come out.

“Take care of your body. Do you want to be a source of entertainment for men?”

“Entertainment…? Hm, it might not be so bad…”

“Crazy b*tch. It feels like they used a perfect situation for an exhibitionist patient as an example.”

“Hurry and change clothes. Think about us being together too.”

“…But Allen actually seems fine. Doesn’t it bring joy to your eyes?”

“…No, it doesn’t.”

Anyway, no.

“Sigh…”

Pray picked out clothes once again and went inside.

After enjoying the sight of beauty twice in a row, I thought I was in a pleasant mood, but Pray ruined that atmosphere.

Still, I hope Erin or Sera-Aria will come out dressed a bit more normally. Just as I had that thought, I became dumbfounded when I saw Sera-Aria, who came out of the dressing room, with my jaw dropping.

“How does it look, Allen?”

“…Are you really going to wear that?”

“Yep.”

The dress worn by Sera-aria wasn’t ethically or morally uncomfortable, nor did it present any issues that would make us feel uneasy.

“It doesn’t suit you.”

“Ah.”

It was just plain odd. She came out wearing a golden dress that sparkled and twinkled as if it were gilded. It was so flashy that it might blind people’s eyes by reflecting light from the ballroom lamps.

“It’s not like you’re wearing a golden armor….”

Although I didn’t know much about women’s dresses, I thought I could choose better than that. At least, I wouldn’t choose something like that.

“I chose it thinking of the dress I used to wear when I was young…”

“You wore something like that when you were young…?”

Are elves’ tastes different from ours?

“Elves’ tastes are somewhat unique, aren’t they…?”

“…Not all of them.”

Ah, there is an elf here too.

“You really think it doesn’t suit me?”

Letitia sighed slightly and replied to her question, as if she couldn’t believe it.

“I’ll help you, so pick again and take it with you.”

“Uh, okay….”

Ser-Aria said in a shocked voice.

“To think my taste was this bad….”

…We didn’t know either.

While the clothes she usually wore were plain and suited her well, it seemed difficult to choose a dress that befitted a princess.

As Ser-Aria entered again with Letitia’s help, Frey, who had left after making a mistake earlier, came out again.

“Is this good enough?”

It was much better than before. With that level of exposure, anyone would do the same if they wore a dress. However, it couldn’t be denied that Letitiana seemed a bit over the top compared to others. And…

“…Do you really have to show off your legs like that?”

“Are you telling me to hide my beautiful legs?”

“…Do as you please.”

Where did the clothes she wore a while ago go?

“So, how does it look? Does it suit me well?”

In response to her question, I looked at her properly without paying attention to the exposure. She certainly looks beautiful no matter what she wears. Especially with her rare white hair and gray eyes, she’s incredibly charming.

As a saint, she chose a pure white dress… I thought it wouldn’t suit her that well since her skin, hair, and the dress are all pure white in the courtyard, but I felt foolish thinking that.

On the contrary, it suits her well because everything is pure white. Thanks to the slightly flowing dress, it even gives off an

“Oh, it suits you well.”

“The dress earlier was pretty too…”

“…That wasn’t it.”

“You changed!”

Cer-Ariado quickly came out. He threw off that flashy dress and put on a lilac dress before coming out. It felt like it suited him perfectly.

To begin with, anything she wore would have looked good on her because she was naturally beautiful… The dress earlier was just a bit too much. If she had really gone out wearing that, people might have laughed at her.

“Well, this is much better.”

“Hey, you can honestly say it! Isn’t it hard to take your eyes off of this beauty?”

“Uh… Yeah.”

“Your reaction is lukewarm, Allen!”

It is true that she is pretty, but honestly, she doesn’t stand out because she doesn’t know how to dress up. The person themselves knows best what suits them, so maybe it’s because she’s wearing something someone else picked for her.

Leticia and Frey, who know how to dress in clothes that suit them, and the Dong-geo armed with their own strengths, were actually more eye-catching.

“It’s not easy to see such beauties anywhere, Allen.”

…It’s rather embarrassing to call herself a beauty. I can’t empathize because I’ve never lived the life of a beautiful and handsome person.

“Erin is late.”

“She entered the latest a little while ago.”

“Did Frey and Aria change clothes once and come out?”

That seems to be the case. What is this kid doing?

“Should we ask?”

“Wouldn’t it be better not to disturb and leave it alone?”

“Maybe something’s going on. I’ll just knock.”

Getting up from his seat, he headed towards the changing room Erin had gone into. As he raised his hand to knock on the door, it suddenly burst open.

“Ahhh!”

“Hmm? Oh, what’s up? Why are you there?”

Erin’s arrogant voice echoed out.

Could you please be careful when opening the door? I said, holding my itchy nose.

“Hey, open it carefully!”

“Phew♡

Meanwhile, irritation welled up inside of me as Erin teased me. I gritted my teeth and clenched my hands into fists to suppress the pain. But I forgot what I wanted to say in that instant.

“……”

All the party members I’ve seen so far have been pretty. That much was certain.

However, why is it that…

The moment I saw Macaskill’s appearance, my mind went blank.

“Ah…”

Perhaps this was a physical response remembered by Allen, who had previously been close to her, rather than me.

Erin appeared after a long time with a beautiful appearance. She untied her hair, which she usually tied into two parts, and lightly curled the ends to make herself look even prettier. It even gave off a subtle feeling.

The platinum blonde hair, which always sparkled even without anything sprinkled on it, was shining even more brilliantly, complementing the violet eyes and the amethyst earrings.

The black dress she was wearing should normally feel plain and mismatched with the atmosphere, but instead, it made her vibrant hair stand out even more. Above all, it transformed her mischievous personality into a calmer demeanor.

Comparing her current appearance to how she calmly faced the queen earlier, they seemed to fit together very well. It didn’t seem like it would match her usual appearance and thoughts at all…

“hehehe~♡”

“…Huh?”

“Why are you staring? Your gaze is ominous~♡”

“Well… I was told to evaluate. That’s why I was looking.”

I wasn’t bewitched by that sight, not at all.

“Pooh~♡”

Erin, who was laughing gleefully, said, “Okay, then shall I tell you the results?” As she passed by me, some scent brushed my nose, as if she had sprayed perfume. “What scent is this?” I didn’t know what this scent was, but it felt very familiar. A nostalgic scent. Is this also a scent that my body remembers, which is not me? “Why bother

If so, why did ‘Allen’ sprinkle the scent that he remembers? At that time, Erin, who was a little curious, asked.

“According to Allen’s shabby aesthetics, who is number one?”

In response to Erin’s question, the other party members also looked at me with a slightly tense expression.

“…”

I’m worried.

First place, second place, third place, fourth place, fifth place.

Depending on the ranking I give, their future operating funds are determined. If it were simply a matter of dividing the money like that, I could assign any rank I wanted.

However, because of this rank, what if someone with a lower rank thinks poorly of me? People are sensitive to being called attractive and good-looking. Likewise, they are also sensitive to being called ugly.

“…Tied for first place?”

As I said that, the expressions on the faces of my party members stiffened slightly.

“Is this a joke?”

“Allen, then it wouldn’t be fun.”

…It seems that’s not it.

“…It’s based on the current situation. It’s not something I’ve always thought.”

“Yes, I know.”

“I won’t keep it in my heart, so go ahead and tell me~♡”

I’m a bit anxious because it seems like you would be the most suitable…

After contemplating for a moment, I let out a sigh. And I spoke honestly.

“…Leticia.”

“…Yes?”

“You suit me the best.”

Her green eyes widened in surprise. And she spoke with a voice that seemed completely unexpected.

“…Me?”

“Yeah, you’re number one.”

Leticia blushed slightly.

“Thank you… I thought I would be at a disadvantage when I first came out.”

“You fit in well. Your makeup and everything else fits well too.”

I continued indifferently and talked about the rankings.

“Second place is a thief.”

“…Me? Seriously?”

“Third place, Fray.”

“Well, even third place is okay…”

Fray could have easily been in second place, but her dress choice earlier was a deduction factor.

After telling this story, two people remained. Céleste looked at me with a pleading gaze, as if asking me to avoid last place, and Erin…

“…Hm.”

The expression on her face didn’t seem too shocked.

If you’re wondering if she’s intentionally calling Erin a low rank, it’s true. She’s not seeking revenge for what she usually teases her about. She wouldn’t do such trivial things.

It’s just…she can’t give an objective evaluation right now.

As someone who has known her for more than ten years as a childhood friend, this body reacts to her well-dressed appearance even if she doesn’t want to. Therefore, it’s hard to be objective.

However, it’s certain that she looks better than Ser-Aria…

“Fourth place, Erin. Fifth place, Aria.”

“Ah, Allen…!! Check it again!!!”

“You got docked points for that dress earlier.”

“No! I cannot accept this judgement!!”

“I won’t change my mind.”

After making that evaluation, I turned around.

“I need to prepare too, so I’ll go first.”

“Oh, see you in a little while then.”

“Okay.”

“Ah, Allen──!!”

Leaving behind Ser-Aria’s scream, I left the dressing room.

#

Erin blinked her eyes and then closed them, looking down at herself. The hair that she personally styled, without any help from the maids, caught her eye.

It wasn’t that the maids couldn’t help her, but Erin wanted to do it herself. She wanted to accurately recreate a style that someone she liked would appreciate.

Looking at that, I wondered if some old memories would come back to me.

“My, my allowance…!”

“Oh! I lost to Leticia.”

“…I’m envious.”

“It was just luck.”

I caught sight of Leticia’s slightly blushed cheek as she said that. Erin turned her head slightly and muttered.

“…Silly idiot.”