Heaven's Greatest Professor

When Gale came back from bathing in the lake, Agnes was fully clothed in dry clothes, sitting idly in her usual seat at the table. Dawn had joined her, as she usually did, preparing beverages for him. She, too, seemed to have just bathed, her white hair wet behind her ears, wearing her white shirt and black trousers.

Gale moved to sit next to her. "I have told you, you don't have to prepare all this every morning."

"I'll feel useful if there's nothing to do," she said, serving the tea.

"Well, I'll soon have something for you to do."

Dawn looked up at him questioningly. She was like a porcelain doll with white hair, a button nose, and very distinctive silvery eyes with purple pupils. Her long lashes fluttered as she blinked at him.

Gale cast another tiny radiant spell to dry her hair. The essence didn't just dry the hair but probably had some nourishing qualities, as it made the job of styling the hair easier.

"As per our agreement," he said, bringing out a comb to brush her hair, "I'll do your hair until you stop bringing in the tea as the first thing in the morning."

Dawn blushed, her cheeks turning a deep shade of pink. Gale had already combed her hair a couple of times; the reason for her sudden fluster was probably because another person was watching.

"So this is how you became pretty good at styling women's hair, huh," Agnes muttered. "You had someone to practise on..."

Gale styled Dawn with a side braid, which needed him to move around her sides a couple of times and a few minutes. He made sure it was perfect, turning her bright pink face towards him.

"Now it's done, you look lovely," he said. "Sometimes I wonder, I should have become a beautician."

Dawn's fingers clasped together, fidgeting, as she looked down to hide her face.

"Why does it sound like you're using her to fulfil your dream of becoming a beautician?" Agnes asked.

"Maybe," he laughed and noticed her own hair lying flat on her shoulder, barely even combed. "It seems you need some helping hands to rule your unruly hair as well."

Agnes pulled clumsy fingers over a lock of hair. "Well, how much is your rate then?" she laughed. "I'm not sure if I can afford the service of a half-god..."

Gale snorted. "You need only pay me in praises."

He moved behind her and began his work. In contrast to Dawn's, her hair was longer and far denser. She had mentioned she liked it long, even when her daily duty rendered her incapable of giving it as much attention as it needed.

"You know, I feel like I should dye my hair white," Agnes chuckled. "Matching with all you guys... It feels like only I'm losing out..."

"None of our hair was dyed," he said, "though it wasn't natural for me or Dawn. I feel like you should wait for your miraculous transformation as well."

"That sounds about right..."

Gale didn't braid her hair, only smoothed her locks, laying them over her shoulder and back in a way that beautified her looks. Unlike Dawn's overwhelmingly adorable face, or June's breathtaking high-elven beauty, she had a vibe of serious regal looks about her, of a noble lady who gets stuff done.

Gale was almost finished up and giving finishing touches when June appeared.

"What's happening here?" she asked, eyebrows wrinkled.

He lifted his head to look at her, but before he could explain, Agnes beat him to it.

"No need to worry, nobody is stealing your man."

For some reason, June glared at her, though only for a moment. Her eyes fluttered towards Dawn, lingered on her intricate side braid, and then back to Gale. She touched the simple braid she had done herself. "I guess only I'm left out, huh..."

"That's because you're simply too competent at this," Gale didn't waste time buttering her up. "Unlike these women, you are—"

June snorted and fired her silvery locks of hair from the braid. "I don't like losing out," she said and sat down with a pout.

Gale laughed. "Are you jealous?"

"No!" she glared at him.

"You're jealous," he chuckled and continued to tease her. "I didn't know my fifty-year-old girl had this side to her..."

Before she could burst out, he began his work, kissing her on her long ear. Her hair had a very distinct smell like the other two women, and Gale blatantly sniffed, catching locks of hair in his fingers.

He chose a different version of a side braid for her, leaving a couple of locks of hair to part over the front of her ears.

"Okay, done, do you need a mirror?" he asked, "to finally appreciate my work?"

He brought out one to stand before them one by one. "Come on, bring in the praises... After all, this is all an artist lives for..."

"Whose hair looks the prettiest?" June asked instead, as the other two women perked up. "What do you think?"

Gale froze, looking between the three of them. Although it was only June who asked, the others seemed to know as well.

I guess this is how women react when you ask for praise, he thought and pouted.

"Dawn's was the easiest to do," he said, thinking internally, because she was so easy to please.

He turned to the next woman. "It is a little difficult for Agnes," he said. "Because her hair is longer and thicker."

He turned to the woman who asked the tricky question. "As for you, my love, it is the hardest," he said, growing closer to her to kiss her bare shoulder. "Even with the little brushing I did, you seem perfect to my eyes... so it is so hard to work on you..."

Gale couldn't believe he was uttering all these cringe phrases. But it was definitely working, as June's ears were tinged with redness, and she shot gazes at the other women with some form of superiority.

He sighed in relief inwardly. The lesson to learn here was to never answer a woman's question straightforwardly. They do not appreciate straight honesty in the very least... Instead, say what they want to hear. Bonus points if you can surprise them with your praise...

Huh, I seem to know a lot about it. Gale was surprised at his insight into women. Perhaps I should write a book about it.

"Ahem!" he cleared his throat and changed the topic before they could understand his trick. "Good, that you all are here... I have something to discuss and test with you."

_______________

Gist of Chapter 326 Weird Custom:

June asked Gale if he was with any other women, which he answered truthfully that he hadn't to his knowledge. She felt sorry for not being able to give her everything to him and hints that elves' traditions are far more open about relations, that she might be happy with him sleeping with another woman, but she would understand.

Gale declines her because it doesn't look for just physical pleasure. He wants the emotional connections as well. The chapter ends with some weird fascination over a certain Angry Gale.

THIS CHAPTER UPLOAD FIRST AT NOVELBIN.COM