A Day with Olivia and Otto
Galia Fortress
Otto ran into Olivia in civilian clothes in the corridor.
“Are you going somewhere?” he inquired.
“Yes, ser! It’s my day off, so we’re going to Laki to buy fancy bread!”
“Very well... Are those really the only clothes you have?” Olivia was dressed in the tan-colored tunic she’d arrived at Galia Fortress in. It appeared the bloodstains had come out, but it was conspicuously frayed in places. No matter how he looked at it, it was hardly appropriate attire for an officer of the royal army.
“Yes, ser! Nothing but the clothes on my back!” said Olivia cheerfully, pulling at the tunic’s sleeves.
“How you managed to learn phrases like that without picking up an ounce of common sense along the way... Anyway, as your superior, your manner of dress reflects on me. Can’t you ask Warrant Officer Claudia to get you something less tattered?” Claudia was nobility, which meant that she surely had an outfit or two lying around.
“No, ser. I did ask, but she said no,” replied Olivia. Otto was perplexed. From what he knew of Claudia, she wasn’t the type to refuse a request.
“Do you know why?” he asked. “The two of you are much the same height after all.”
“Don’t know, ser. She just got this scary, icy look and said, ‘It’s not as though my clothes would fit you anyway, Second Lieutenant,’” said Olivia. As Otto struggled to think of a reply, she added, “And then she asked if I enjoyed mocking her.”
“Ah. I... I see. These things happen, I suppose,” Otto said haltingly. “Very well. I shall accompany you to Laki.”
“Huh? Do you want to buy bread too, ser?”
“Of course not. Now hurry up.” Otto set off at a brisk pace, Olivia following behind him with her head tilted in confusion.
It was an hour’s ride to Laki. After they arrived, Otto and Olivia went to the haberdashery.
“What sort of clothes do you like, Lieutenant? Though I imagine looking as you do, you’d suit just about anything,” said Otto offhandedly, checking the thickness of various fabrics as he spoke.
“You’re gonna—uh, I mean, are you saying you’ll buy something for me, ser?”
“Well, you can’t keep traipsing about looking like that. You’re going to make a laughingstock of the army. Now, hurry up and choose something.” He looked around for the shopkeeper, then called out, “Help her with the sizes, would you?”
“Of course,” replied the shopkeeper. Olivia happily followed them to try on some new clothes.
“Colonel Otto, look at what I got!” A blushing Olivia held up a red garment to her chest and gave a twirl that betrayed her age of only fifteen years. The shopkeeper beamed at her. Otto tried to imagine what the shopkeeper would do if they ever learned this girl had the whole imperial army terrified to death with her monstrous powers.
“Just one outfit won’t be enough. You wouldn’t be any better off than before. Pick another two or three. Off you go.”
“What? Seriously?” Olivia gasped, glowing with delight. Otto cleared his throat several times.
“I believe you meant to say, ‘May I, ser?’ How many times do I have to tell you before it sticks?”
Olivia gave a sheepish laugh.
In the end, Olivia picked out four outfits. She skipped out of the shop, Otto following her with a bag of children’s clothing casually tucked under one arm.
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