Imperial Capital,
"Have you heard? The Fenghua Chamber of Commerce released another collection this morning."
"Of course. Half the women in the eastern district are already talking about it."
Two young noblewomen walked along the crowded street, their gazes fixed upon the elegant building ahead.
The woman on the left lowered her voice excitedly.
"They released several new dresses, separate skirts, fitted upper garments, and something called stockings."
Her companion looked puzzled and asked, "Short dresses and skirts aren't unusual. What makes Fenghua's designs so special?"
"It isn't merely the length. Their upper and lower garments can be purchased separately and matched with one another. One skirt can be worn with several different blouses, jackets, or outer robes."
"Separately?"
The second noblewoman turned toward the enormous display window.
A mannequin stood beneath the warm radiance of several moonstones.
It wore a fitted pale-blue upper garment with a crossed collar, translucent sleeves, and silver cloud embroidery along the cuffs. The design resembled a shortened version of a traditional robe, but the waist had been tailored closely enough to emphasize the mannequin's slender figure.
The dark-blue skirt beneath it ended above the knees.
Several longer silk panels extended from the belt and floated around the legs whenever the display platform slowly rotated. Silver lotus flowers had been embroidered across the panels, making them resemble petals drifting over a moonlit lake.
Beneath the skirt was a pair of smooth black stockings.
Unlike ordinary socks or cloth wrappings, the fabric extended from the feet to the upper thighs and fitted the legs without forming a single wrinkle. Delicate silver vines circled the ankles and travelled upward.
A pair of embroidered ankle boots completed the outfit.
The second noblewoman studied it carefully.
"The dress isn't especially revealing, but the legs look completely different."
"That is because of the stockings. They make the legs appear smoother and they also prevent boots from rubbing against the skin."
Here's a more suggestive version in a natural gossiping tone, keeping it sensual rather than explicit.
"My cousin purchased the entire set yesterday," the first noblewoman whispered. "The blue skirt dress, the black stockings, the gloves—everything."
"And? Was it comfortable?"
"Comfortable?"
The first noblewoman covered her lips, trying to hide her smile.
"She barely had time to decide whether it was comfortable."
"What do you mean?"
"My cousin wore Fenghua's new dress and black stockings for her husband last night," The first noblewoman whispered.
"And?"
"He took one look at her legs, locked the bedroom door, and refused to let her change."
The second woman's cheeks immediately reddened, "What happened after that?"
"She only said he was unusually fierce."
"How fierce?"
The first noblewoman leaned closer, her eyes filled with mischief, "She didn't leave her bed until noon, and when she finally came out, her legs were trembling so badly that her maid had to support her."
"You're lying!"
"I'm not. She complained that her husband kept pulling her back whenever she tried to rest."
The second noblewoman swallowed softly and looked toward the mannequin's smooth black stockings.
"And the stockings?"
"My cousin said he loved them so much that he insisted she keep them on the entire night."
Her companion's face grew hotter as she imagined appearing before her own husband in the fitted dress and stockings—then seeing his usual composure disappear.
"Do they have that set in dark red?"
The first woman smiled knowingly, "I thought you found it strange."
"I only want to see whether my husband likes it."
"Of course. Merely for research."
"Stop laughing and come with me."
The blushing noblewoman pulled her companion toward the entrance, already wondering whether her husband would be just as fierce that night..
...
The Fenghua Chamber of Commerce had been founded by Seitenshi and Kisara.
Although it had entered the Imperial Capital only recently, it had already become one of the most discussed merchant organizations in the city.
Traditional chambers concentrated upon medicinal herbs, pills, weapons, ores, magical beast materials, cultivation techniques, and other resources valued by cultivators.
Fenghua followed a different path. It catered primarily to women.
Its customers included noble ladies, female cultivators, mercenaries, performers, merchants, servants, mothers, elderly women, and young girls.
The chamber sold cosmetics, skincare products, makeup, perfumes, jewellery, hair ornaments, handbags, shoes, stockings, pantyhose, sleepwear, undergarments, and women's clothing.
Women in the Dou Qi Continent were not unfamiliar with beauty or daring clothes.
Female cultivators sometimes wore short battle dresses or robes with high slits. Performers exposed their arms, shoulders, waists, and legs. Noblewomen attended banquets in fitted dresses designed to display their figures.
Short dresses and exposed legs were therefore not shocking by themselves.
Therefore, taking advantage of this, Seitenshi and Kisara introduced Modern clothing and fashion to this world.
Skirt, Stockings, pantyhose, fitted jackets, supportive undergarments, coordinated collections, handbags, modern makeup techniques, and complete outfit combinations were all brought over by them.
Among the people transferred from the Black Bullet world were fashion designers, textile specialists, tailors, cosmetic researchers, jewellery designers, makeup artists, and workers familiar with modern production.
Seitenshi and Kisara provided the direction and resources, while the designers studied the culture and materials of the Dou Qi Continent and adapted the modern clothing to this world.
Ordinary modern fabrics were replaced by local silk, magical beast fur, alchemically treated fibres, and threads.
...
The first floor of the Fenghua Chamber was crowded with women.
Young girls gathered around colourful displays of ribbons, hair clips, small handbags, scented soaps, and playful accessories.
Female mercenaries examined creams designed to protect against sunlight, dry winds, poisonous insects, and long journeys through the Magical Beast Mountain Range.
Middle-aged noblewomen tested perfumes and medicinal powders beneath bright moonstone mirrors.
Older women spoke with attendants about comfortable shoes, supportive inner garments, warm stockings, and dresses that placed less strain upon their backs and waists.
Fenghua did not serve only wealthy young beauties.It served women of every age and social class.
Affordable products occupied the counters closest to the entrance.
Luxury products and customised services were offered deeper within the building.
A servant could purchase a small bar of flower-scented soap, a simple hair ornament, or an ordinary pair of stockings.
A noblewoman could commission an entire seasonal wardrobe made from magical beast silk and decorated with precious jade.
A female cultivator could order combat clothing designed around her weapon, movement style, and Dou Qi attribute.
The price of the products differed.
The treatment received by customers did not.
Every woman who entered was greeted with equal politeness.
...
The cosmetics section occupied much of the first floor.
Rows of glass bottles, ceramic containers, and jade boxes stood beneath the moonstones.
There were facial creams, medicinal masks, fine powders, lip colours, eye makeup, scented oils, shampoos, hair conditioners, perfumes, moisturising lotions, and products intended to reduce scars or blemishes.
The women of the Jia Ma Empire already used rouge, fragrant powder, medicinal oils, and herbal pastes.
Fenghua didn't use the traditional make, instead, they brought over modern make up which could perform magic.
At one counter, a young woman sat before a large moonstone mirror while an attendant applied a small amount of pale powder beneath her eyes.
"What does this do?" The customer asked.
The attendant replied, "It softens the shadows beneath your eyes."
"And these colours?"
The attendant held up two containers of lip colour.
"The lighter shade is suitable for daily wear. The darker shade would match your evening dresses."
"I'll take both."
Similar scenes occurred throughout the floor.
...
Another section displayed skincare products intended for cultivators.
One cream reduced irritation caused by fire-attributed Dou Qi. Another protected the skin from cold wind and ice energy.
A medicinal lotion accelerated the healing of small cuts caused by plants, stones, or insects.
There were cleansers capable of removing dust, blood, smoke, and magical beast residue after an expedition.
A female mercenary opened a pale-green container and sniffed the cream inside.
"This can remove the smell of magical beast blood?"
"It weakens the odour and prevents it from lingering upon the skin," the attendant explained.
"How many applications are required?"
"One is normally sufficient after bathing."
The mercenary immediately placed three containers into her basket.
Her companion laughed, "You finally realised that ordinary water was not enough."
"Be quiet. You smell worse than I do after every hunt."
Several nearby women joined their laughter.
...