Chapter 176
Elder Song comes to rouse us from our favorite breakfast chair cultivation spot late the next morning, declaring that we’ve got guests and work to do.
The guests turn out to be a wide variety of local nobility who are interested in having new servants undergo training with the Shadowed Blade, and a few who have daughters they wish trained by the High River Sect and accompanied by a Guardian for safety. All that’s left is to sell them on the benefits. They’ve all gathered in the back garden of the hotel to socialize before the proper meeting, so we decide to come up with a plan quickly before joining them.
"What about snacks? The waiting area could well be a garden party." Karl suggests.
"Just getting served snacks by cultivators should put them in the right frame of mind for everything we have planned, whether it’s guardians for their daughters or training for their staff." I agree.
"Do you two have a change of clothes that would give them the proper understanding?" Elder Song asks.
I think through my outfits, yeah, I’ve got something suitable. Karl nods his agreement and we both step into Elder Song’s room, only a few doors down from where we stopped to look at the gathered clients.
"What did you have in mind?" Karl asks, pulling out a bundle of black and white cloth from his storage device.
"I’ve got a black and peach hanfu fairy dress that is very suitable for a lady in Waiting in this world." I tell him, removing the dress along with a sheer black veil from my storage ring.
Karl has dressed as a butler, and I’ve got my dress on about to attach my veil over my lower face when Karl stops me to do my hair quickly. A single braid, common for unmarried young women here, is quickly fashioned with my veil hooked discretely into the hair for comfort. Karl makes a metal cart laden with high quality sweets, snacks and wine spritzers before stepping out into the hallway, with me following a step behind, silent and unobtrusive as you would expect a lady in waiting to be.
Two maids of the hotel are quickly found and an identical second cart is produced, with Karl leading the procession out into the courtyard, announcing the arrival of refreshments in true noble butler fashion.
Elder Song looks highly amused as I follow Karl around for a moment and the nobility complements us on our perfect form. The Sect insignia is embroidered into the sleeves of my dress, and a crest on to the jacket Karl is wearing, making it clear who we are.
We’ve both dampened our cultivation aura to that of low Condensation. Enough to be a threat to these nobles and their guards, but not enough to be intimidating and chase them away or give us an unsuitable sense of danger.