CH 271

Shopping date.

As I thought, exotic scenery is fun, and the vaguely Asian townscape of Wolfanea was fun to look at… There were clearly foreign objects in the scenery, though. There were some houses here and there among the Japanese style buildings… apparently, they were houses that the Salvation Saintess, Koto Neechan, loved. Tatami mats and a chabudai... Citizens of Wolfanea, who are rather unkempt, surprisingly usually take off their shoes at the entrance. When I asked why, I was told it was because it’s easier to clean that way…………… I was convinced.

In Wolfanea, where both the children and adults are often times covered in mud, if the inside and outside of the house were not kept clear, the person who does the housework may die of exhaustion.

“Oh, what’s that?”

It was a lovely stall decorated with many ribbons.

"What do you think? How about buying a matching one with your lovely girlfriend? Red ribbons are in fashion right now! Tie them on each other's pinky finger to tie your fates together! Mutual colors to tie on your wrist as a proof of love is also my recommendation! How about it? Would you like to buy one?”

A boy… a squirrel? spoke at a fast pace. I picked one up to try it out. It felt like silk to the touch, but it seemed to have properties that allowed magic power to pass through. I think I'll buy one…

"Ours is the best quality around! We have even presented it at the royal palace!"

“Heeh.”

Certainly, it was a top-notch piece of cloth. There were even gradations and patterns. Many of them required a great deal of skill.

“Proof of love…”

Dirk was happy to be seen as my boyfriend. His tail was also in a good mood. The act of tying ribbons of each other's color around the wrist is apparently the equivalent of putting a ring on the finger ring in Japan. And it turned out that the red ribbon of fate was based on an appropriate explanation by Kanata-san.

“... Dirk, since we have the opportunity, why don’t we buy one?”

“!! Yeah! Which one is the closest to your color?”

When I tried to choose a ribbon, an uncle who obviously looked like a thug came over.

"If you are looking for Kaikokko ribbons, those over there are better. They are now the sole purveyor for the royal palace.”

The boy looked very vexed.

"Dirk, let's have a look.”

I went to check it out because I didn't want the boy to be harassed, but... honestly, it was not my cup of tea. It was painful to my eyes. Gaudy and vulgar. The weaving was a little rougher than the store I had just visited.

“How do you like it?”

We were both dressed well today, so I wonder if he thought we were suckers. The owner of the store, a fat froggy beast, rubbed his hands together as he spoke to me.

"It's not to my taste, I'm afraid.”

"............ This and the others would suit you well, Ojousama?”

"Not to my taste, I'm afraid.”

I'm a woman who can say no. He showed me a flashy Kaikokko woven dress. It had a leopard print with "Set meal with grilled meat" written on it in Japanese. It wouldn’t look good on me at all! I don't want to look good in it! I don't want to look like that! It was a subtle Osaka Auntie style! ...Ha! Kanata-san!? Is the culprit you, Kanata-san!?

“Oi.”

When I was somewhat confused, a very threatening voice spoke up.

"How could such vulgar clothes suit my fiancée?”

Dirk-sama was furious!! He was staring at him so hard! He's usually mild-mannered, but when he gets angry, he's scary! He's super scary! But for him to get angry for my sake makes him so cool, my heart started throbbing! Is this the suspension bridge effect? (No, it's not.)

“Ha… no……”

It seems that the poor probably shopkeeper couldn't stand Dirk's blood thirst.

“I’m sho showwieeee!”

He bit hit tongue magnificently and ran away.

“I like the one-piece dress you chose for me, so I don’t want any new clothes today. That dress is too vulgar anyway.”

“Yeah.”

I hugged Dirk and he gently stroked my hair.

“Let's go back to the stall we were at earlier and buy some proof of love.”

To be honest, the ribbons and other accessories in this store were too gaudy for my taste.

“That is truly troubling, dear customer.”

When we were about to leave the store, we were approached by a muscular gorilla beast. Is this pressure salesmanship? We don't look very strong, do we?

“What is?”

“You've got a problem with my product! How do we settle that? Aah!?”

A normal Christian nobleman would be frightened by this... though it won't work on us who are used to the intimidating old man with the scary face of an adventurer.

"It's nothing personal, it's just not my cup of tea.”

"Hah?"

Maybe he didn't expect my reaction. But I can't help it, I'm not afraid.

"Yeah. I think people who like this type of style will like it. It's just not our thing."

“S, stop shitting me!”

“... Are you trying to pressure us into buying? A store that is a purveyor to Wolfanea’s royal palace? Besides, it’s only vulgar by Christia’s standards. A clothes store’s salesman should be a little more thoughtful to their customer’s needs. Do you think this kind of clothes would suit me?”

I spread the dress before me. The old man with the scary face looked away. You are so honest, old man! But thank you for responding that it doesn't look good on me! If you had told me it would look good on me, I would have gone ballistic!

“You know… I was looking forward to today’s date.”

N? Dirk’s state…

“My cute, adorable fiancée asked me out on a date because she wanted to monopolize me… even though I was this happy to go on a date, you had to pour dirty water…”

Ooof… the robust legs seemed to gave up in the presence of an overwhelmingly strong warrior. The frog shopkeeper is probably incontinent. The terrifying killing intent so strong that even I had trouble breathing…… made unexpectedly my heart flutter.

No, you see? I didn’t know he was looking forward to the date with me this much!

“Ehehe.”

I hugged Dirk’s waist and rubbed my cheek against his back.

“Wait a moment, Rosarin. I will deal with this guy first.”

Yep, I’m not going to let go (agitated).

“No way. You are only mine today. I won’t wait. I take priority! Look after me! I was also looking forward to today’s date, you know? I have been carefully choosing my clothes since yesterday, I had my skin care done, and even my hair curled…”

Dirk dropped to his knees.

“My fiancée is so cute it hurts! The hell!?”

The effect was superb.

“Alright, let’s go?”

When I tilted my head and withdrew my hands, Dirk obediently followed after me.

“... We~l… come.”

After we left the store outside, we met the squirrel boy who had been selling at the stall earlier.

“Hi?”

Anyway, I greeted him.

“... Did you perhaps come because you were worried about us?”

“I, I was not! T, those guys were trying to force you into buying so I was just debating whether to call the knights or not!”

It seems that he was worried and wondering if he should call the knights. Dirk smiled wryly.

“Is your stall okay?”

“I left it on Neechan and came here.”

“This store did not suit my preferences. Do you know any other good stores? Your stall had some good stuff. I think the quality was top-notch.”

“Yeah! Kaachan’s cloth is the world’s best!”

The squirrel boy smiled and showed us to a store, where he said there were more things to buy than ribbons.

“How do I say this…”

Shabby. The glass was broken. I thought, "This is not going to attract any customers..." but when I entered the store, it was wonderful. The design, the quality of the fabric, the sewing... all of it was perfect. The delicate embroidery on the colorful, lustrous cloth... I was mesmerized.

“Dirk! Try this on! And this and that…”

“Ehhh!?”

“Also…”

“There’s more!?”

There is! I smiled at Dirk. Since I was happy, Dirk went obediently to try on the clothes.

Dirk looks great in the ao dai style outfit from Wolfanea that shows off his curves! It's hard to choose between them all… should I just buy them all?

"Um... while the accessories are cheap, the clothes are pretty expensive, okay?"

The squirrel boy worried about my wallet. He's a good boy.

"No problem! How about this and this?"

I pulled out some jewelry from my pouch. The amount would probably be enough to buy the clothes we had just tried on. The jewels were accepted by the shopkeeper, a plump squirrelly woman who seemed to be the owner of the store.

“That’s more than enough… still, you have a good eye Ojousama… I can't believe you chose only the best in our store…”

"I have been looking at cloths a lot when my mother made clothes and dresses, so I think I have a discerning eye. The cloth, sewing, and design here are all first-rate without question.”

“Right!? Kaachan made all of it! Ain’t she amazing!”

The auntie smiled serenely as the squirrel boy praised her skills.

“Yes, that’s right… oh myyy goooood! Dirk, you look so cool! I love you! Please, marry me! Give me a hug right noow! So woderful!”

“Rosarin, calm down!!”

He was wearing ao dai, with fine gold embroidery on a black background. Because of the embroidered elasticity spell unique to Wolfanea, Wolfanea’s clothes are fundamentally free size. Aside from that, Dirk was just too handsome!

The squirrel boy was stunned by my tension, but I don't care! I can't help it, Dirk is ttoo wonderful!!

Dirk hugged me for now until I calmed down. And every time he changed his clothes, the tension would swing out of control, and the squirrel boy seemed to have gotten used to it, giving me a disappointed look. Despite some opposition from Dirk, I bought everything. Good shopping!! They all looked good on Dirk!