"But you at least transcended. That's all that matters." Dante grabbed Missio's shoulder.
Missio raised his hand, staring at his palm.
'Something's new…'
Placing his palm on his Music Box, his lips parted as he recalled the Music Box's voice.
"So, I'm a Paragon now..."
Dante tilted his head slightly, speaking in an affectionate voice.
"Yes, you are."
"So… what happens?"
"You get a new ability." Dante adjusted his glasses. "Recreation."
"Recreation?" Missio blurted.
"You can guess by its name. You'll be able to recreate objects or rather, regenerate them."
Missio blinked. "How do you know this?"
Dante froze, an awkward smile tugging at his face.
"Let's say… it's a secret."
"Just say it." Missio tugged, curiosity filling his mind. "It can't be that important."
"Can't say it." Dante shook his head.
"Fine…" Missio pouted.
The two wandered down the streets, eventually ending up in the bustling markets. There, Dante led them into a certain tailor shop. A man greeted them behind the counter; a bright smile plastered across his face.
"Mr. Dante! Welcome."
"Thanks. Are you ready?"
"Anytime, your majesty." The man stepped out. "Now… what was your order again?"
Dante neared the tailor. "A wedding suit."
Drawing his phone, he activated the display. He opened his gallery and showed the man a picture. The tailor raised his brows, tilting his head.
"…An exotic choice, indeed. However, that is perfect for royalty such as yourself."
"Stop with the flattering and get on with it." Dante chuckled awkwardly, tucking his phone back.
The man nodded, approaching the shelves which seemed to hold every type of fabric. Searching through the rows with precision, he eventually picked a dark cloth and slammed it onto the counter.
"You want it just like the picture."
Dante halted in his tracks, gazing at the dark fabric.
"Similar, yes but with a touch of Roman arts."
"How is this fabric then?" The man uncurled the cloth.
Dante slid his finger under, rubbing the fabric with his index finger and thumb.
"It's good."
Missio stepped beside him, grazing the fabric as well. He curled his lips, nodding.
"Agreed."
"Great, now for the accents…" The man rotated.
From the shelf, he selected another roll of white fabric. Nodding, the brothers examined the cloth.
"Are you satisfied?" The tailor leaned on the counter.
"Yes." Dante stated.
"Okay, so primarily black with white accents correct?" The man stepped out, picking the measurement tape off his neck.
"Yes, make the design reminiscent of ancient Rome and the Victorian era. Can you do it…?" The supreme commander spread his arms.
"No problem." The man extended the flimsy measure. "Now, hold still…"
The King froze in place like a stone statue. The tailor stretched the tape, measuring every part of Dante's body. From his shoulders to his legs to his arms, the man noted everything down like a machine. Right as he measured Dante's waist though, the tailor's eyes seemed to twitch.
"Your waist is a bit… thin, your majesty." He stood up, spinning around.
"No worries, just make it fit. " Dante adjusted his shirt. "But I want to be able to comfortably wear it as well. A skin-tight suit isn't my cup of tea."
"I see – I see…" The man opened his notebook, jotting down Dante's measurement.
Then, he returned to Dante, pulling the tape across the King's entire body.
"Do you want to the cape to touch the ground?"
"No, it should hover just above my ankles."
The tailor nodded, adjusting his measurement. Standing up, he noted down everything in his notebook. Adding up each piece of clothing, he wrote the rate as well as the price down. Then, he ripped the page out and handed it to Dante.
"This is just a rough estimate. The price may change later but just a little."
Dante checked the price, drawing a sharp breath.
"Holy… eh, it's fine." He shrugged it off. "When will it be finished?"
"With this level of detail…" The tailor returned to the counter. "A few months at least."
"Can it be finished by December?"
The man tilted his head, calculating the time in his head.
"Uh…Yes. We can make do."
"Alright, see you soon." The supreme commander saluted, exiting the store.
"Good day, my lord." The man saluted as well.
Missio rushed behind his elder brother. Soon, the two were once again traversing the crowded streets of the historic city center. After a few minutes, they finally stepped out of the central city. Missio grazed his headphones. He took them off and hung them on his nape, feeling the cold breeze. After, he lowered his head and opened his eyes. Turning towards Dante, a smile tugged at his lips.
"How's the wedding preparation going?"
Dante exhaled, his lips curling up.
"I don't know. Isabella's been doing that part."
"Has she?" Missio straightened. "I'm sure she'll be surprised when she sees that suit of yours."
"I can't imagine but even so… I can't believe I've actually gotten this far."
Missio paused for a moment, his brother's words echoing in his mind. To some degree, that was true for him as well.
"Me too… I've come a long way as well."
Dante licked his lips, grabbing his brother's shoulder. Kissing him on the cheek, the supreme commander opened his mouth.
"But at last, this journey has come to an end…"
Missio raised a brow, perking up. "What? What does that mean?"
Dante rubbed their cheeks together.
"You know exactly what it means."
Releasing Missio from his grasp, he planted another kiss on his cheek before saying,
"We're returning to Romulus tomorrow."
(End of Volume 4 – Pillar of Transcendence.)