Chapter 23 - 『Proper Attire』

As Jack returned to the Manor, his hand rested on the front gate as he stared at the property. What if he hadn't gone off to investigate the issue regarding the Rubik's Cube? While he was able to learn quite a bit from assimilating and devouring those who he had come in contact with, he was definitely sure things could've been different.

His mind was going back to the moment when Demiurge arrived and practically put down an elf girl who could no longer fight. While it was probably in the Arch-Devil's nature to want to protect the supreme beings above anything else, he didn't see it as necessary...

He closed his eyes as he also thought over the fact that he had her head in his item box. He was practically carrying her around, keeping her bound to him, even in death. In a way, it kind of crept him out, but at the same time he saw it as some sort of strange obligation.

She had said that she wanted to marry the person who could defeat her, him of all people. Her mannerisms made it a bit creepy, but overall she just seemed like she was raised to be this way.

After all, she was the daughter of the Elf King, a man who had raped her mother. Jack could only imagine how she would have turned out in the Kingdom of Elves. Perhaps she would've been a better ruler? Or would her father have used her in an indescribable manner? There was no way for him to know what would've happened if her life had turned out differently. Though he knew for sure, he probably wouldn't have fought her.

His eyes rested on the front door of the Manor. Everything was a little too quiet inside.

So as he moved onto the property, strolling up to the door and pushing his way inside. He glanced around the common room to find nothing and no one.

"Weird," He was wondering where she could have gone off to. His eyes then shifted towards the stairway and he instinctively started lunging up the steps silently.

Casually he would walk down the corridor of the second floor. His tracing over the spot where the wraiths had been put down. His eyes then moved over towards the doorway with a door hanging open.

Lulling his head to the side, he lazily walked into the room and took in the surroundings. There was plenty of new things in this house, especially in this room. A few feet from the door was a massive bed with a semi-circular shaped mattress and wooden headboard.

His eyes shifted down to the lump beneath the covers and smirked slightly. He could see whatever the form was, seemed to be sleeping.

Reaching over, he would pull it back and raise a brow to see his sister laying there with a penguin plush doll held close to her chest.

"Huh..." Slowly draping the covers over her once again, he went to turn around and walk away.

In that moment a large shadow cast over him and he turned his head just in time for the covers to come fluttering down on top of him. He stood there in the dark as it overcame his entire being, temporarily locking him in the darkness.

Jack just stood there for a few seconds in the dark before grasping onto the covers and tugging them off. Just as the light settled in, a shape stood from the bed and leaped toward him.

"Onii-sama!"

It was none other than Eve as she propelled herself through the air, having kicked off the side of the bed, and wrapped her arms around his neck.

With her hands now locked behind his neck, her forearms rested on his shoulders as she hung freely from his torso. Staring up at him with a wide grin across her lips. "Did you change your mind!? Am I coming with you!?"

Jack just stared for a good minute before reaching up and pinching both sides of her face, pulling at her cheeks as he did so. "You'd be here all alone, wouldn't you.." He pursed his lips slightly as it seemed Momon may not stay at the house. Or if he did, he wouldn't be around a lot if he were going out of his way to do jobs and such.

"Yush, yush oi would." Eve just gave him this empty look, as if this was something that he should have known or at least sympathized with from the beginning. "Now, shtap pinching moi fashe."

"I'll think about it," Jack said as he would stretch her cheeks back and forth before finally letting them go with a grin across his lips now. "In any case, if I'm bringing you with. You'll have to drink this," he'd reach into his item box and draw out a glass-like bottle of a dark crimson liquid.

She just centered her gaze on the item as she was rubbing her cheeks. Her eyes traveling between the two for a few seconds before she reached over and grasped it in her hand. "Who am I drinking?"

"I believe he is called the Strongest Human." Jack nodded to himself in confirmation after answering her question. "I'll also be bringing Shizu, just need to get her a change of clothes."

Eve's eyes widened slightly at the idea of Shizu coming, before downing the thick liquid which had been supplied to her. As the dopamine high rushed through her, it was gone almost as quickly as it came. A homunculi had a massive metabolism, considering they need more nutrients that a regular human being to even function properly.

Dropping from around her brother's neck, she landed flat on her feet, the thud echoing throughout the lifeless house.

"Without people here, it'll be really quiet." Jack uttered quietly as he was looking at the door he had left open. There was nothing, not even a mouse, in the house other than he himself and his sister.

"Shall we get going!?" Eve threw her arms in the air, only for him to place his hand on the top of her head. She then placed both of her hands on the top of the back of his hand.

"After I'm done eating your brain," Jack joked as he squeezed at and released his hold on and off upon Eve's head as if pretending to suck out her brain through his hand.

"Waaah! No!" Eve immediately kicked him in the shin, "Ah!" She'd yelp in pain, she had practically kicked his armor barefoot. "You and your heckin' glamour spell! Imma murder it!"

"You can't murder a spell," Jack slyly patted her on the head before releasing his hold and summoning a gate for the two of them to walk through.

Gesturing forward, he watched as Eve had gotten over the pain rather quickly, and ran towards the gateway and vanished. Jack followed slowly and once he passed through the portal dispersed from existence itself.

Arriving on the other side of the portal, they found themselves standing in his quarters. His eyes resting on the bed where Shizu was standing beside. He raised a brow slightly as she was up and at it. Rather than resting where he had placed her.

"...Welcome back Cipher-sama."

Jack nodded lightly to the girl with a light smirk across his lips. "Lets get you something else to wear while we're out."

Shizu blinked once when he had said that they were going to get something else to wear. What exactly was he planning on having her wear other than this maid outfit? She was becoming curious. So as he went to walk out the bedroom door, she followed him along with his little homunculi imitation sister.

Expressionless as usual, she watched as Eve was skipping beside her brother. There was a lot of joy on the face of the artificial life form. Shizu slowly reached up and tugged at the angle of her dainty little lips, curving it into a slight smile before letting go. The smile didn't remain on her lips, but she didn't seem to mind, completely dismissing it.

Eventually they found themselves standing in front of what looked like a clothing store which was within the Great Tomb of Nazarick. Back when the world was still a game, it all used to be just for show.

Now it was all real, and there was plenty of merchandise that could be used or worn.

Jack continued in without hesitation, Eve holding onto his forearm now as she continued to skip along.

Shizu's one eye bounced around with the little brunette before glancing over at Jack as he stopped in front of a rack of dresses. Her eyes then traced over the items which were available.

She paid attention to each sound the metal and plastic hangers made as Jack sifted through them with his fingers. As he came across one of them that he liked, she could tell, as his fingers slowed down to peer at the item.

Padding on over, the expressionless girl pulled the dress off of the rack and look in the details. It was a short sleeved dress which cut off right above the knees. It had an outer black layer and an inner white layer which was only about four inches longer than the black and had a dressy turtleneck. The black layer's collar also seemed to be a bit wide, exposing the decorate inner layer above the chest.

To her, it was rather cute. It reminded her of her own uniform, and it was a fashionable lolita dress. She hugged it to her chest idly, before looking up at him.

Eve grinned seeing this, it seemed that Shizu had a good taste in clothes.

The group would make their way around the store, collecting articles of clothing and accessories. When the girls went towards the underwear selection, Jack lagged behind and actually avoided walking into the isle.

Both of them glanced over at him, as Eve had left his side and stood with Shizu. "Oniisama?"

"I'm not helping you choose your undergarments..." Jack took a step back slightly, and continued to walk alone as he explored the shopping center. It was his first time being in here, since it had no function during the game itself.

After about an hour, they all met up at the front of the store front. Shizu was now dressed in the white and black dress. A detached sleeve on one hand and a pair of black leggings. She had her camouflage hairband and scarf on. Oddly enough, it didn't clash too much. As he looked to her feet, he stared at the armor boots. While he didn't really mind, that definitely did clash.

Jack smirked, "It seems we're ready," reaching over he would gently pinch the edge of her eye patch and lift it off her face. Revealing both of her eyes as she was staring up at him.

Eve tilted her head to the side slightly, it turns out she was wearing a matching dress, but with black khaki shorts underneath and long white socks accompanying her loafers.

Jack rested his eyes on his sister for a few seconds, before doing a little finger pistol gesture. "Looking just like sisters, it's perfect." He'd state as he watched Eve latch onto Shizu, hugging onto her as if she were some sort of plushie.

Shizu hardly had a reaction, and as they started walking down the corridor, the squeaking of Eve's shoes being dragged along the floor could be heard.