Transmigrated to a Dark Fantasy World of SSS-Rank: King of the Void

Chapter 159: Midnight Needles

As for Mitsuki, he simply looked up at the sky in silence.

’Things around me always seem to take a rather strange turn. Maybe there really is no rest for me, but the fact that I can handle it calmly is undeniable proof that I’m becoming stronger.’

Or proof that he had lost his emotions.

The cold air struck his face while Jeanne continued forward with inexhaustible energy. The sound of her footsteps, the voices of the crowd, and the jingling bells coming from several shops blended into a constant noise that enveloped the entire avenue.

Once he finished his internal monologue, Mitsuki realized they had stopped in front of a small shop with spotless windows and polished brown wooden edges. The whole place looked immaculate. A sign hung from a pair of chains above the door in the shape of a spool of thread and a needle. It read: [ Midnight Needles ]

"Let’s go in, Mitsuki."

Without saying anything, he walked alongside the girl. The moment they crossed the door, a small bell above the frame rang softly, followed by the voices of several people inside.

From the inside, the establishment was much larger than it appeared from outside; something that made no sense to a human from Earth, but since this was a magical world, there had to be some magical explanation for it.

The ceiling was far higher than expected, supported by thin columns decorated with metallic engravings. Several lamps floated in the air, illuminating every corner with a soft and elegant light.

There was a large counter stretching across the entrance—made of polished black wood—where a mysterious tanned woman stood. Her dark blue bangs covered her eyes. She wore a white blouse and a brown vest as part of her work uniform.

She was politely attending to a pair of demi-humans with fox ears and tails, both of whom smiled cheerfully while the woman packed their clothes into a paper bag.

Looking deeper into the establishment, Mitsuki found different shelves filled with fabrics of various colors and mannequins of different sizes that... were moving?

They resembled the practice mannequins artists used for drawing, except they were made of a marble-like material with delicate silver and gold metallic details branching across their bodies in burned metallic patterns.

Their joints emitted soft and delicate sounds every time they moved. Their steps were elegant and precise, almost too fluid for artificial objects.

Those "automatons" danced gracefully between the shelves, moving from one side to another while carrying fabrics. Some of the mannequins worked together with threads and needles; as they moved, they crafted unique outfits based on the customers admiring the dedicated work of their synthetic and fragile hands.

One of them spun around as a red cloak spread through the air like a wave. Another adjusted tiny buttons with unbelievably precise movements, as though it had years of experience.

"Do you like them?" Jeanne asked after noticing the faint expression of curiosity on Mitsuki’s face. "They’re automatons; golems far more sophisticated than the ones combat mages usually use. They’re made to handle delicate tasks because their bodies are fragile and contain many complex magic circuits that can be damaged easily. Besides, they’re very expensive, so not just anyone can afford one."

"You know a lot about these things, don’t you think?"

"That’s because I have two of them at home. When I was little, I used to play with them like dolls, but they broke all the time and my father spent a lot of money repairing them. So I just tried taking care of them so they wouldn’t get damaged again. When I started traveling with Ellegaard, I left them in good hands so they could be cared for better than I ever could."

As she spoke, Jeanne looked at one of the automatons with a trace of nostalgia.

"I can imagine why they kept breaking, but I think it’d be too rude to say it out loud."

"You already said it out loud, dummy."

"My mistake. Sorry."

Once the pair of demi-humans left, the woman behind the counter looked toward the two adventurers. She raised her hand and said:

"Excuse me, customers, do you need something?"

Her voice was soft and polite, carrying a calm tone that perfectly matched the elegant atmosphere of the establishment.

Jeanne hugged Mitsuki’s arm and guided him to the counter.

"Yes. I’ve been here before, but this boy is only just getting to know the city. As you can see, we’re adventurers and his clothes are completely ruined. We need something that suits him, something light and with an adventurer style."

’How efficient,’ Mitsuki thought.

The speed at which Jeanne could interact with other people was incredible. If only that were a system skill too...

The woman observed Mitsuki from head to toe with absolute professionalism. Her eyes could barely be seen beneath her bangs, yet she still gave the impression that she was analyzing every detail.

"Of course. We’ll help you right away," the woman said. She raised both hands and clapped twice. "Kalika!"

At the call, from among the fabrics waving like flags in the automatons’ hands, a woman with black bandages covering her eyes appeared.

Her long, messy hair was pitch black, and so were all her clothes. She wore tight shorts decorated with embarrassingly excessive metal accessories such as crosses, skull-shaped buckles, and connected chains. Black thigh-high stockings reached above her knees, while black boots lined with silver spikes protected her feet. She also wore a tight shirt with a gray vest, which was the only thing in her outfit that wasn’t black.

The metallic sound of the decorative chains accompanied each of her steps. Unlike the warm atmosphere of the shop, that woman seemed to carry a cold and nocturnal feeling with her.

That gothic woman, with pale skin and chilling coldness, approached Mitsuki in the blink of an eye, as though she had simply teleported the moment one of the fabrics carried by an automaton passed in front of her.

She extended her fingers with black-painted nails and gently caressed Mitsuki’s cheek. Bringing her face closer to his, as though she could see through the bandages, she said:

"Will you allow me to take your measurements?"