LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 6: Braids and Breakfast
The early morning light filtered through the curtains of Taro's room, casting soft rays across the bed as he stretched lazily beneath the covers.
For once, he didn't wake up to a blaring alarm or the stress of unpaid bills. Instead, the new world was quiet around him, its strange magic almost peaceful.
Taro blinked and squinted at the window. Maybe it was the new environment, or maybe it was just the lack of responsibility, but he felt strangely well-rested.
Stretching his arms above his head, he rubbed his eyes and yawned. The familiar sensation of disheveled hair hit him immediately.
It was a small thing — his unruly, stubborn hair that never seemed to stay in place — but after yesterday's whirlwind experience, it felt like an even bigger mess.
Maybe today was the day to try and tame it.
Taro threw on a robe and shuffled toward the bathroom connected to his room. He blinked in surprise as he stepped inside.
The mirror was enormous. Honestly, the mansion was so luxurious, it was starting to feel like he'd been upgraded to an entirely different tier of existence.
He ran a hand through his hair, noticing that it had definitely grown a bit over the last few days. He had the faintest idea that maybe, just maybe, he could attempt to get it under control.
That's when the door creaked open behind him. Taro glanced up, startled, but then a maid stepped inside.
"Oh, good morning, Sir Taro," she said with a smile that seemed permanently affixed to her face.
"Morning," Taro mumbled, wiping sleep from his eyes.
He was still getting used to being treated like royalty, but at this point, it was starting to feel like he'd never get his personal space back.
The maid, whose name he still hadn't fully remembered, seemed completely undeterred by his less-than-enthusiastic greeting.
She was quick on her feet, moving toward him with the ease of someone accustomed to this environment.
"Let me help with your hair, Sir Taro. You've been working so hard lately. You must be tired."
Taro blinked in confusion, glancing at his reflection.
His hair was, in fact, a disaster. No amount of brushing had managed to keep it from sprawling in every direction like it was trying to escape his head.
"I don't think it's that bad. I mean, I've got it under control… I think."
The maid, without missing a beat, shook her head and stepped forward, gently taking the strands of his hair in her hands.
Taro tried to pull away slightly at first, but she was surprisingly insistent.
"I think you'll find that it looks much better once it's braided," she said softly, brushing his hair out with practiced movements. "It'll help keep it from looking so wild."
Taro couldn't stop the laugh that escaped him. "You're telling me my hair looks wild?" He glanced at his reflection and then back at her, trying to play it cool.
"It's just that, uh, my hairline's a little, y'know, rebellious."
The maid giggled, clearly entertained by his attempt to downplay the situation. "No, no, Sir Taro. It's more like… it's very alive."
She glanced at him in the mirror with a mischievous sparkle in her eyes. "The goddess Aeris must be taking quite a liking to you."
Taro froze for a second, his brain processing the information. "Aeris, huh?" He shot a look at her reflection. "You mean the lady who literally threw me out of a window yesterday? That's who you mean?"
The maid just smiled softly, her hands deftly working on his hair as she carefully braided small sections. "She is fond of you, Sir. She's not one to take a liking to someone so quickly. But there's something about you."
Taro raised an eyebrow, half-joking, half-serious. "Something about me, huh? Maybe it's my charming looks. Or maybe it's just that I'm the only guy around here with a questionable hairline and a lack of common sense."
The maid gave him a soft, gentle laugh, brushing the hair out of his face. "Perhaps it's both."
Taro sighed dramatically, resting his head back as she continued to braid his hair.
"I have to admit, this is kind of… relaxing? I thought I'd be doing all sorts of magical training, and instead, I've got a maid playing hairstylist." He glanced at the maid in the mirror. "I think you might have a future in the beauty industry."
The maid smiled again but said nothing, her hands now working faster as she finished the last braid. "There we go," she said, stepping back to admire her work. "All done, Sir Taro."
Taro reached up to feel the braids, slightly surprised by how well they held together. For the first time since arriving in this world, he didn't look like he had a permanent bedhead.
The braids actually looked pretty neat, in a 'this was actually intentional' kind of way.
"Not bad," Taro muttered, running his fingers through his new look. "I'll be honest. I didn't know braids could actually save my life. But this — this is nice."
The maid gave a soft bow, stepping back. "I'm glad you like it, Sir Taro. It suits you well."
With a few final glances at himself in the mirror, Taro gave her a nod of thanks. "Alright, I'll take it. Thanks for the 'hairstylist' treatment." He grinned. "You really helped me turn a mess into something manageable."
After a brief chuckle, the maid left the room, and Taro took a moment to admire his work before heading downstairs.
Down in the dining area, Aeris was already seated at the table, her presence as commanding as ever. But today, there was something different about her. She was more relaxed, a little less uptight.
Maybe it was the morning or maybe she'd found some peace in watching him flail around like a bird out of water.
"Good morning, Aeris," Taro said, taking a seat across from her. He couldn't resist the opportunity to try and tease her. "What do you think? Looks good, right? It's all thanks to my new stylist."
Aeris looked up from her plate and blinked, taking in his new hairstyle. She didn't say anything for a moment, her eyes slowly scanning him.
Then, a small smirk played at the corners of her mouth. "You cleaned up well, Taro. Maybe your hairline will stop retreating, huh?"
Taro blinked, staring at her, his hands holding up the side of his face in mock offense. "Excuse me, that's low, even for you! I'm starting to think you're secretly just here to roast me."
Aeris chuckled, a light, almost playful sound that was rare to hear from her. "Maybe I just wanted to see how you'd look when you weren't flying through the air or scrambling around like a mess." She paused, a small but genuine smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "It's better than I expected."
Taro smirked, reaching for the food in front of him. "Well, you're welcome. I aim to impress. Just don't get too used to this clean look. The next time I get caught in a windstorm, it'll probably be back to looking like a disaster."
They both laughed, and Taro grabbed a piece of toast, biting into it with satisfaction.
The food here was ridiculously good — just like everything else in this mansion. It wasn't like any meal he'd ever had before, but somehow it felt comforting.
"Alright," he said after swallowing, wiping crumbs off his chin. "Enough about my hair. Let's talk about the training today. What's next? More wind gymnastics? Or are we moving on to something new?"
Aeris leaned back in her chair, her expression thoughtful. "We'll be going outside today to practice. The wind can be controlled from anywhere, but to truly understand it, you must learn how to move with it. We'll see if you're ready for more advanced techniques."
Taro grinned, putting his toast down. "Sounds like a plan. But, uh, if you throw me out of a window again, just give me a heads-up, yeah?"
Aeris smirked. "We'll see. Now, eat up. We'll head out soon."
Taro chuckled, finishing his breakfast. "I'm ready for anything at this point — just don't expect me to look as pretty when we're done. Windstorms are brutal on the hair."