Chapter 21: The protagonist can’t enjoy her day off!

I quickly bought my tablet with the small allowance the Academy provided. Well, to be more accurate: the small allowance the Academy held onto from what my parents in this world sent every two weeks.

Which made me wonder… if I need this thing just to talk to them, why the hell didn’t they just send me one directly?
Well… I guess it’s just game logic, right? Forcing me to move forward with the plot.

Anyway, point is, I bought the thing, registered it – which was pretty much just like in real life – and then we headed off toward a clothing store. Luckily, no heroes or villains crossed our path. Guess today was my lucky day.

"By the way, do you already know which practice class you’re gonna take?" Maxi asked while tapping her own Jade tablet.

"Ah… nah…" I admitted.

In just a week, practice sessions for sorcery and magic would start, and honestly, the thought of it had me nervous. That was one of the game’s turning points: no matter which class I picked, there’d be one of the three heroes there. Which basically meant the system would have more chances to screw me over.

But for now, I just wanted to enjoy the moment. I’d already cleared the mission, so all I had to do was avoid bumping into anyone.

We walked into a huge clothing store inside the mall. The sign outside read: Charlotte’s Fashion.

I had to admit, it was pretty impressive – ugh, I feel like I’ve been saying that way too much today – but yeah, it was impressive.

It was massive!

Several aisles split off like walls of a fashion maze, lined with racks of clothes.

And there was such a wide variety of outfits for every kind of taste.

Judging from the sign, I figured Maxi wanted to buy something classy, maybe elegant wear or something like that. What I didn’t expect was the real reason…

"Ha. Who would’ve guessed? Tough-girl Maxi likes elephant pajamas?" I teased, poking her cheeks as we walked toward the fitting rooms.

Turns out all she wanted was pajamas. She said it was because the Academy was way too cold.

"...Got a problem? They’re adorable. And look at these ears."

She shoved the pink pajama top in my face, making it impossible to actually see the print. Not that she seemed to care.

"Go on, deny it’s cute. I dare you!"

"Alright, alright, I get it. You’re right. It’s just… you don’t exactly give off ‘cutesy girl’ vibes."

"Oh yeah? Then what vibes do I give off?"

"You know… the kind of woman who wears tight leather, keeps a whip at her side, rides a motorcycle everywhere, and fights off street gangs."

"...Why did I even ask your opinion?"

Maxi turned her head away, but I caught the blush she was trying to hide. I barely held back a laugh.

"Whatever. Just get in there and try the pajama on already. I’m gonna… look for clothes for myself."

"...Why does that sound like you’re planning something shady?"

"Not at all."

And with that, my plan began.

The idea was simple: get Maxi to try on a bunch of outfits I picked out for her. I really, really wanted to see her in some of the flashy clothes I’d spotted around. But to make that happen, I had to make her go in first. Why? Because if she saw me hauling a mountain of clothes, she’d immediately know they were for her and flat-out refuse.

So better to do it while she wasn’t looking.

C’mon, who could say no to a cute outfit chosen by a friend?

"Mmm. Just so you know, I’m not trying on a single piece of clothing you pick. Got it?"

"Nooo! How’d you figure it out?"

My plan went down the drain. Maxi was really good at reading people… or maybe I was just way too easy to read.

"Your tail was wagging way too much. You’d be surprised how easy it is to tell what you’re thinking from that thing."

"...Traitor."

I scolded my tail for its obvious betrayal, which made it droop sadly.

"Oh, I can’t stay mad at you," I said, stroking it until it perked back up.

"...You really are weird."

"Uh-huh. Anyway, just get in already. I seriously want to grab some outfits for me—and some for you. You’re trying them on whether you like it or not!"

Not waiting for her reply, I ran off toward another section of the store, my heart pounding with excitement and nerves.

"Let’s see… this one, definitely that one too."

I muttered as I picked up a set consisting of a black skirt and an open-back blouse.

That made five outfits I’d already chosen for Maxi. My arms were full, but when I saw a gorgeous combo of a big coat and puffed pants, I knew instantly it’d be perfect on her.

I just felt like a freer style suited her better. Sure, the uniform fit her fine, but from the start, I always thought it looked too… stiff on her. I don’t know if that’s the right word, but that’s how it felt to me.

Besides, a little change wouldn’t hurt, right?

And wow, this mall’s variety was insane. For a world with an otome steampunk-medieval vibe, I thought everything would be frilly, overly detailed dresses, but nope—there were also simpler pieces. Well… not exactly “normal,” but still.

Take the last outfit I grabbed for Maxi: the coat had gold pipe-like details and cloud patterns scattered here and there.

But it wasn’t over-the-top like I expected. And I liked that. I’ve never been one for flashy stuff. I don’t think Maxi is either… although…

"Maybe I should ask her if she likes clothes with more details, huh? Well, I’ll ask when I see her."

"What do you think of this set?" a soft voice asked, one I could never forget.

"Mmm. You know I’m not great with fashion, so if you like it, that’s fine. But… don’t you think it’s a bit too much with all those ribbons?"

With my vision blocked by the mountain of clothes in my arms, all I could do was listen. But those voices… Please, don’t let it be who I think it is.

I pressed my chin down against the pile, tilting my head just enough to get a better view. And sure enough, my fears were confirmed.

"What are you saying, Sir Elion? There’s no such thing as too many ribbons!"

Just a meter away stood Elion and Clementine, browsing by a rack. He was holding up a black dress with pink accents, absolutely drowning in bows and ribbons.

"No, no, no…" my stomach twisted. "I knew this was possible! But stupid me thought clearing the mission would prevent it…"

I took a deep breath. No. Calm down. It’s not over yet.

I told myself that, hiding behind another rack, looking totally weird to the other customers. I couldn’t let those two see me.

I had to think of my next move carefully. Technically, they didn’t know I was here, so if I kept it that way, their event wouldn’t trigger. The plan was simple: sneak over to the fitting rooms where Maxi was, whip up a quick excuse, and drag her out.

Yeah. That sounds like a solid plan.

Better get out of here fast.