コントラストが強い色彩の、カラフルでファッショナブルな服を選ぶ

This set of bright-colored clothes is very eye-catching in terms of both color and style among the three sets, so it naturally catches my attention too.
The moment I exit the dressing room in the clothes, Noah comes up to me and scrutinizes my appearance from all angles, frowning from time to time. She seems to be in a dilemma over something.
It isn't long before she lowers her head, taps her mobile phone a few times, and shows the assistant next to her. I think Noah must have made a request. When the assistant returns, I see that she is carrying several pieces of translucent tulle and a toolbox. She then hands the items to Noah.
Noah pats me on the back and motions me to stand still. Out of the corner of my eye, I see her take some materials out of the toolbox and start to fiddle with the corner of my clothes. However, I couldn't see what she did because my view was blocked.
It wasn't until she pulled on my shirt to smooth out the folds on it that I realized there is now a strip of dark green patterned fabric around the hem of the simple clothes. The abstract and free style of the lotus leaf patterns of the fabric complements this outfit well.
[Noah](Text message) Countless Springs is a place where it's really easy to get into trouble. It's not a good thing to dress too ostentatiously.
[Noah](Text message) What's more, it's better to dress a little more solemnly to meet Kurone Toujou, so I just made slight adjustments.
[player]What superb craftsmanship! You're as amazing as I expected!
I can't tell if my praise makes Noah happy or not, but I suddenly receive a text message after we say goodbye to the assistant and get inside the car.
[Noah](Text message) My mother is a painter. This is nothing to me, so you don't need to be so surprised.
I'm a little curious. Judging from the changes she made to the clothes, Noah should have inherited her mother's artistic genes, so how did she end up becoming an information dealer instead of pursuing a career in art?
But I see that she has already started playing a game and has no intention to talk, so I give up on asking her about this.
After we arrive at Countless Springs, a staff member politely guides us to the VIP guest rooms.
[Staff]Please wait here while we complete the preparations.
[Staff]Also, as this afternoon tea is only for one guest, you two can discuss who will be going.
Noah pats my shoulder after the staff member leaves.
[Noah](Text message) You go by yourself. I'll wait for you outside.
[player]Is that okay? Should we discuss this with the staff again?
[Noah](Text message)No. I can grind this in-game event while I'm here. A turn-based game is launching its open beta today. I want to be ranked at the top of the rankings.
I want to complain that she can achieve that by simply spending money in the game. But then I thought of a possible reason for her. There are usually various options such as a basic battle pass, a premium battle pass, server launch packs, and double rewards for the first top-up... It might be necessary to be in an environment where no one will interrupt you to calculate the most effective spending plan before buying everything.
It looks like I'll be responsible for communicating with others.
The staff returns soon. I follow him out of the VIP room, and we arrive at a garden after we pass through the hall where the auction was held yesterday.
I must admit that Countless Springs is really massive. As I look at the large artificial lake in the rear garden, I gradually understand why the tickets are so expensive.
The staff takes me to a pavilion in the middle of the artificial lake. Someone seems to be sitting in the center behind a screen painted with birds singing in a bamboo forest. From the silhouette, it is vaguely discernible that this person is a woman. That should be Kurone Toujou.
The staff leaves without saying a word after signaling that I have arrived. In this situation, I suddenly don't know what to say.
As if the person behind the screen can sense my distress, she laughs and comforts me.
[Kurone Toujou]When I heard that your clothes are as beautiful as flowers today, I suddenly felt like I wanted to admire the beauty of flowers, so I arbitrarily decided to have afternoon tea here in this pavilion instead. I hope you don't mind.
Her voice is soft and pleasant, like the singing of an oriole, and it feels difficult to say no to any request she may make. However, the estranged tone in her voice makes me feel like she is a snow lotus in the distant mountains.
[player]That's alright. The scenery is really beautiful here. I love it.
[Kurone Toujou]I feel so relieved. Here are your refreshments and seat. I hope these are also to your liking.
On a stone table facing the screen are several plates of exquisite and delicious snacks and some tea, which must be the refreshments and seating arrangements she mentioned. I walk up and sit down on a chair beside the stone table and think about what we should chat about later.
[Kurone Toujou]Although you already know who I am, to be polite, I should introduce myself to you again. I am Kurone Toujou, the person who runs Countless Springs. It is my honor to have afternoon tea with you today.
[player]I'm PLAYER, and it's also my honor to have afternoon tea with you today, Miss Toujou.
[Kurone Toujou]Hehe, chatting with you is such a pleasant experience. I think we'll have an enjoyable afternoon today.
[Kurone Toujou]This is the garden behind Countless Springs. I believe this is your first time here.
[player]Yeah.
[Kurone Toujou]The lotus flowers planted in the lake are all varieties that we bred ourselves here at Countless Springs. There are about 20 varieties, but some have already bloomed and withered due to their different flowering periods.
I look towards the lake in response to her words and see many green lotus pods, some of which are blooming very beautifully. A breeze blows over from the lake, carrying bursts of a calming elegant floral fragrance with it.
When I look at the rock garden in the middle of the lake, I see a very familiar logo with the character "Yu". It caught my attention because I saw the exact same logo on a painting of eight beauties on the wall of the mahjong room when I visited Strix for the first time.
[Kurone Toujou]What are you thinking? Can you share your thoughts with me?
Kurone Toujou's words interrupt my thoughts, reminding me of the heavy burden I bear and that I'm not here to eat, drink, and be merry. However, I do remember one thing when she asked me this question.
When I was chatting with Saturne earlier, he asked me a question: "If there is usually only one winner in a mahjong game, why were the Four Greats evenly matched in the last tournament?" I think it's best to ask one of the persons concerned for the answer to this question.
After considering my words carefully, I consult Kurone Toujou about the matter. She falls silent for a moment before answering.
[Kurone Toujou]Actually, my memories of everything related to the tournament are very vague... I only have some rough impressions.
[Kurone Toujou]But I can actually answer your question. According to the rules of the tournament, we played four Hanchan matches, and we each won first place once.
[Kurone Toujou]And when we finally settled the points for the last game, we all got zero points, so there was no winner in that game.
[Kurone Toujou]As the organizer trusted our skill, they named us the Four Greats even though there was no champion in that tournament. At the same time, we each gained the right to inherit one of the four dojos: East Wind, South Wind, West Wind, and North Wind.
She starts smiling suddenly and then complains jokingly to me with her soft voice.
[Kurone Toujou]When I inherited the East Wind dojo, I thought it was a big dojo. I didn't expect it to be a dojo that had fallen into disuse for a long time.
[Kurone Toujou]It took me a lot of effort to make the East Wind dojo flourish like it is now with its own students.