"I have to say I didn't recognize you when I first saw you, but now, with the uniform and that ring, I can say with certainty: you've become even more beautiful than before—not that you were ugly to begin with."
The academy's seamstress observed Erica as one would admire a living work of art.
As members of the student council, they had some freedom to customize the design of their uniforms, as long as it wasn't anything inappropriate. And Erica took full advantage of that right.
The new uniform seemed tailor-made to exude authority and power. It maintained the same pearlescent white fabric from the previous model, now reinforced with regenerative golden mana threads, molding itself to her body with almost living precision—as if it recognized who its owner was. The golden lines that outlined the lapel, sleeves, and hem seemed made from sunlight itself, giving it a noble, almost sacred glow—a striking contrast with the draconic energy pulsing beneath her skin.
The fitted jacket, adapted to accommodate the angelic wings, remained open, revealing a feminine vest with deep blue details that enhanced the crimson tone of her eyes, creating a perfect balance between elegance and danger. The vest, custom-made, left her back bare to display the black tattoos that climbed up her neck.
The lower part, a white miniskirt adorned with golden details, revealed fragments of the draconic marks—dark and vibrant—that contrasted perfectly with her angelic appearance. Erica had chosen this design for a simple reason: it allowed her tail to move freely, without discomfort.
"But still, I never imagined that our treasurer—or rather, ex-president—would be a romantic who would marry just one man. Everyone bet you'd start a harem."
The seamstress let out a provocative laugh while adjusting Dex and Echidna's uniforms, whose modifications would be much smaller.
Hearing this, Erica smiled with a slight blush and responded with a carefully rehearsed lie: "That could have been true... until I met him this winter."
"It was during one of my trips to the human kingdom, at the end of winter. I was representing the student council at a conference on magical exchange with the academy of the human domain, held in the ThunderBird duchy."
The seamstress, curious, leaned in slightly. "So you met a young master of a duchy just like that... by chance?"
"More or less." Erica laughed softly, as if reliving a precious memory. "There was a terrible snowstorm that night, and I ended up lost in the mountains, far from the inn where I was supposed to stay. That's when I found him—or rather, when he found me. The young ducal master appeared riding a black horse, wearing a blue cloak that almost blended with the night, but his hair gave him away. He said he was looking for flowers known as ice lightning, which only bloom during snowstorms. We then shared his coat in the snow while we searched for the flower."
She then made a gesture as if she were still holding it in her hands with a smile. "And we found it, a single and solitary one amid the white snow. It looked like a lotus made of ice surrounded by small blue lightning bolts that seemed to swim between the ice and air. It was completely dazzling and I was paralyzed until he appeared in front of me, timidly offering it to me and saying, 'They say the men of my family gave this flower to... a woman they consider beautiful, so please accept it.' When I heard that, my face instantly flushed and we returned to the horse hand in hand, even in the cold."
"How romantic!" the seamstress commented, smiling.
"Yes," Erica continued, feigning a light sigh. "After that he took me back to the castle, and since the weather got worse, I had to stay there for a few days. We talked a lot, about magic, about politics, and... about what it's like to live in a place where the cold seems to never end, but even though we talked about the cold, I never felt my heart so warm."
The seamstress rested her chin on her hand. "And you left him like that without saying anything, no confession?"
Erica blushed slightly and replied: "None, but when I was leaving he promised me that he would come to the academy and make me his. When I heard that, I cried and hugged him, which didn't go unnoticed by the duke. When I returned to the academy, I couldn't stop thinking about him. Later, I received a letter from the duchy proposing marriage, and... well, the rest is history."
"It's a beautiful story," murmured the seamstress. "Almost a winter legend."
Erica laughed softly. "I prefer to call it destiny."
'It's really surprising how convincing she can be.' Dex listened to the story sitting next to Erica and felt the urge to turn this beautiful story into at least half a lie. 'When winter comes, I promise I'll take her to the duchy, find and give her the most beautiful flower she's ever seen.' He himself remembered from his childhood seeing his father deliver at least one of these flowers to his stepmothers every year.
"Gallant boy and your twin, your uniforms are ready," she said while teasing him and showing the uniform. "Unlike Erica, you don't need to try them on to check if everything is adapted to the tail and wings."
Dex's uniform was a masculine version of the student council model, made with the same pearlescent white fabric reinforced with golden mana threads. The jacket had an elegant military cut, fitting perfectly to his physique, with discreet golden lines that highlighted his imposing posture and the noble air he naturally conveyed.
Underneath, he wore a high-collared black shirt and a dark blue vest that contrasted with the white of the uniform, reflecting his duality between discipline and power. The pants, equally white and fitted, were held by a leather belt.
Echidna's uniform was an adapted version of the female student council model, made with the same pearlescent white fabric reinforced by golden mana threads, but the cut made it clear she had demanded "some personal modifications."
The jacket, shorter than standard, left part of her midriff exposed and accentuated her athletic silhouette. The sleeves had openings that allowed her to show part of the black marks that climbed up her arms, a provocative contrast with the pure glow of the fabric. The interior of the jacket was lined in a deep wine tone, and the taller collar gave her an air of predatory elegance.
The sleeveless blue shirt underneath was held by thin straps crossed on the back, revealing part of the skin and demonic tattoos. The white miniskirt with golden details followed the same pattern as Erica's, but with a small dark leather side belt.
While Dex looked at the uniforms, Echidna responded irritably. "I'm not his twin sister, I'm his wife just as much as Erica!"
The seamstress, hearing this, asked Erica, "Is that true?"
But Erica quickly changed the subject. "The story is a bit long and the three of us are in a hurry, thank you very much and have a good lunch hour." She then got up and gave her hands to her two companions and they left quickly while Dex skillfully left some silver coins on the shop counter.
Echidna, surprised by her beloved's haste, asked, "Why did you leave there so quickly when I said I was Dex's?"
Erica sighed and explained. "The academy's seamstress is known for being a first-class gossip, which is why I told her that story we planned beforehand, after all, the story will spread throughout the academy and when they see my relationship with Dex it won't be so shocking to the public and there will be fewer questions, but when you said you were also a wife she would look for some object like this ring." She said while raising her left hand and ring finger.
"And since she wouldn't see the piercings, she would presume that I was Dex's official wife and you just his little slut. And I won't let that happen to you!" Erica said protectively.
Echidna then thanked her. "Thank you, Erica." However, she added with a perverted smile. "But honestly… I wouldn't mind being called that. Because it's true,"
And she then hugged Dex's arm. "But I still want a ring or necklace, okay love?" she said while looking at Dex.
Hearing this, he just laughed. "Don't worry, I'll buy a ring you'll be proud to show off, little slut."