CH 108

Chapter 108: Shopping With You in This World

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After changing train lines a few times, we finally arrived at this large shopping mall!

(I’m going to pretend I didn’t see Velke trying to rob someone on our way here since it’s not good for my mental health.)

Velke’s eyes widened when we got on the train, he looked a little surprised but he quickly regained his composure not long after that. I felt a little sad seeing how quick he was at adapting. 

『Whoa, amazing. This lump of iron can move this fast.』

“Oh, yeah. Thank you. Thank you for acting like a person from another world who’s fascinated at the things they see for the first time on Earth.”

『I had seen this before in television but it seemed Mahiro wanted me to have a slightly different reaction so I… 』

“There are small people in that box! How does this thing work?! Well I mean, it’s not like I’m expecting you to react like that, okay?!”

『Haah… I have the knowledge I got from Mahiro and in the first place, we also have a recording device in that world…』

“Huh?! Really?! You have television there?!”

『I guess it’s similar to television. It’s a magic device that works as both a recorder and projector. In that world, I have a troublesome acquaintance… Well, I don’t really know that guy but he’s definitely a odd ball. That weirdo likes to collect recording crystal and I… He lent me a few of his crystals… 』

“Ooh… I wonder what kind of footage they recorded? Maybe the scene of someone chanting magic?”

『It was Maou-sama’s… No, nevermind. 』

“Maou…..?”

Maou-sama’s what I wonder?

Of course, going to a bustling shopping center meant Velke would become everyone’s prime focus. Anyway, everyone loved ready-made clothes and so, I decided to go to a clothing store that had set its foot in the global market. 

“Velke, this store offers a wide range of sizes and there is plenty of variety to choose from. For the time being, let’s pick some clothes you like and try them on first.”

『I understand but… I don’t know much about the fashion trends in this world. Mahiro, will you help me to find some clothes?』

“I-I’m afraid I’m not worthy…”

『…?』

“N-No, I will do my best….”

The good thing about this store was, a lot of their clothes had this chic and calm vibe so unless you made a horrible choice, you should be able to fit right in when walking in the street. 

“Whoa! They collaborated with that game?! Huh? The design for these clothes looks suitable enough for an adult even!”

『Is this what Mahiro will recommend to me?』

“No. There’s no way I’d make Velke put this kind of clothes on. Velke, come here! Try this navy blue turtleneck for a bit!”

『By your will.』

While we were at it, I also gave him a black long coat. Of course we definitely needed this fur accent. A nearby female shop assistant also gave me a sign that I had made a nice choice. 

Somehow the female shop assistants started to take the initiative to help me in choosing clothes for Velke. The shop assistants took turns in handing me clothes that would suit Velke. For some reason they were doing this quietly. They only handed me the next clothes without saying anything but I knew for sure we all had the same thing in mind. 

(((I WANT THIS YOUNG AND SUPER COOL FOREIGNER TO DRESS UP IN COOL CLOTHES!!!)))

I couldn’t agree more. 

『As I thought, it’s a bit tight on me. 』

Apparently we had no problem with the top but as for the bottom, due to Velke’s long legs, the hem was still hanging out awkwardly. I guess there was nothing we could do since the clothes here were tailored according to the Japanese’s physique. 

“Yeah. If we’re taking the bigger size, the width will be too loose for you. This size is still a little big for you but I guess we can use a belt to hold it in.”

After having a discussion with the shop assistant, I decided to buy one coat, four tops, two bottoms, various belts and several undergarments.  I was about to settle the bill when Velke stopped me. 

『It’s Mahiro’s turn now.』

“Huh?! No, I still have plenty of clothes at my home so-”

『This and this one. Also let’s try this one in several different colours. Try this one too so we can see the difference. I also want to see the colour balance.』

………This man. When we were talking about his clothes, he said he didn’t know about the fashion trends in this world because he came from another world. He didn’t seem to look that interested while we had him trying out some clothes but now that we were talking about my clothes, he became very deeply invested?!

“No! I’m fine with this one! The one from this game collaboration~”

『You can also put that one in the basket but please try this on first.』

Uuugh… He really leaves me no room for negotiation. 

Because of Velke’s overwhelming enthusiasm, I ended up buying various clothes for myself too. 

“Don’t you think a duffle coat is too student-ish? I think a duffle coat is way too cute for me to wear, don’t you think so?”

『No, it suit you very well.』

Basically he told me to just be quiet and eat it up. O-Okay then…

It was my first time staying at a clothing store for more than two hours but I felt glad because I managed to get what I wanted. I also went to the nearby store where they sold furniture, bedding and other similar things. I wanted to buy a new blanket, towels and other daily miscellaneous goods.

As soon as I entered the household store, I was greeted by a sign saying 『Perfect for your room during winter!』. My eyes sparkled when I saw their display space for winter stuff. I had ‘this’ back at my parents’ house but ever since I moved out, I never found ‘it’ again. Since we had come all the way here, I should also let Velke experience the same happiness and indulgence too. I decided to buy ‘it’ right here and there. 

“Oof… We’ve bought quite a lot…”

『Let me take it from you.』

“No. Velke, you’re still sick. Let’s just bring the stuff we need to use immediately and have them ship the rest.”

『Ship… You mean have them deliver the goods to your house. Understood.』

By now, I had become accustomed to the stares Velke received while walking outside. Of course. I had thought someone would definitely come and try to flirt or to scout Velke for modelling or something because of how beautiful Velke was but still… This was Japan. It seemed no one was brave enough to speak with Velke. They were afraid they had to speak foreign language since Velke obviously didn’t look like a japanese person. 

….. Someone did try to flirt with Velke on the pretence of asking for directions. They tried to speak in english but of course, Velke couldn’t speak english so he just ignored that person. Oh, right. Of course Velke couldn’t speak english. Velke acquired his knowledge from me and my English knowledge was basically nonexistent. Sorry about that, Velke. Ha ha ha…..

『Mahiro, it’s almost time for us to have lunch. 』

“Oh, right. This shopping mall has a lot of places to eat. Velke, what do you want to eat? Do you want to eat sushi? The one with a revolving bar?”

『Let’s go to a place Mahiro wants to eat at.』

“No, I’m fine. I can always go there myself if I want to eat it.”

『What about this all-you-can-eat dessert place?』

“…………….”

I had wished to visit that place so many times. It was the utopia, the ideal paradise of sweets but… Because of its pink interior, it was a forbidden place where I, as a man, had a hard time stepping foot into. 

“N-No… Only women go there… It’s weird for two grown men to go there….”

『According to this place’s brochure, they don’t only serve sweet things there. They also have things like pasta there. Also, it seems they’re having a limited chocolate and strawberry fair now.』

“Chocolate… You said…”

『Mahiro, let’s go there. As someone from another world, I will stand out no matter what I do anyway. I will still become the centre of attention even if I don’t go there.』

“……….. Do you really think it’s alright for us to go there….?”

I whispered.

『Of course.』

Velke smiled pleasantly in return. 

When we entered the restaurant, contrary to my expectation, there was an unexpected amount of male guests there. Not only a boyfriend and girlfriend couple but there was a group of male students eating the cake with a blissful expression on their face. 

“S-Surprisingly, a man can also come to this kind of place, huh….”

『People can have a sweet tooth, regardless of their gender. 』

Velke was mainly only eating curry and pasta, it was clear to see he was coming here for the sake of me but I took this rare opportunity to fully immerse myself with sweets. I had always wanted to come here but I couldn’t. I only looked through the picture with envy, thinking how the sweets looked really delicious. 

『Does it taste good?』

“YES! This chocolate gateau tastes good but this baked cheesecake and mille crepe are the best!! All this time, I could only imagine what a pudding roll tastes like but turns out, even though this roll is filled with plenty of fresh cream, the cream tastes so light! I can eat this as much as I want without feeling sick…! Uwahhhh!!! They also have a tray full of tiramisu and pudding!! I can eat a lot of them to my heart’s content….!”

『…. Your eyes are glittering.』

“Velke, what are you eating… Oh, is that curry and anmitsu?”

『This amount of sweet is just enough for me… But still, looking at how happy Mahiro is… Managing a confectionery workshop is indeed a  very effective strategy…. 』

“Confectionery workshop? Managing? What do you mean?”

『No… An acquaintance of mine… No, he’s just a complete stranger. I’ve heard this story about a pervert from who started managing a confectionery workshop because he wanted to look good in the eyes of the person he loves.』

“The story of a pervert you heard from someone else… You don’t even know him but you’ve heard a lot about him, huh… But still, he must be amazing. To think he’d start a confectionery workshop for the one he loves… As someone with a sweet tooth, I really respect his passion.”

『So it is very effective, huh….』

Velke said, he looked like he was pondering about something. 

“Well, sweet things make me happy after all! Uuuwah, this limited edition chocolate cake is so delicious… Velke, do you want to have a bite?”

『I will gratefully accept your offer. 』

Velke quickly took a bite out of the cake I offered. He seemed to be savouring the taste for a moment. 

“How is it? It’s delicious, right?”

『Yes, I’m feeling so happy right now.』

I was acting so excited, which was unbecoming for someone of my age. It wasn’t until we left the restaurant I finally realized why the girls around us suddenly became so loud. It was because… I had spoon fed Velke myself. Yes, I was too engrossed in eating….

“I ate too much…. Let’s go take a little stroll to help me digest all of these.”

『Yes.』

I had them deliver all the large goods and hand carried the daily necessities we needed to use immediately and the clothes. It was already past noon, the streets were starting to bustling with people. 

We wandered around together, browsing through bookstores and music stores. Although Velke had the knowledge, he still never saw the actual stuff physically. Hence why he was still feeling a little bit surprised when he experienced the real thing. Especially when we went to the music store. 

『They inserted the music directly into my brain?!』

He looked so shocked. I also tried the new bone conduction earphone, this new feeling felt refreshing. We also went to the shoe store but since Velke’s feet were too big and the leather shoes he brought from the other world still worked just fine, we decided to only browse through the selections. 

“It’s getting pretty late and we’ve seen a lot of things. Should we head home now?”

『Yes. No matter what kind of store we went to, all of them felt new to me. It was a good experience.』

We were about to go to the subway station when someone suddenly yelled at us. 

“You!!! That tall onii-san over there!!! EXCUSE ME!!!”

A slender, beautiful woman dressed in eccentric clothes called out to us, stopping us in our tracks. 

Oh? Another one trying to pick Velke up?

“That man over there! Your height, the length of your legs…. Everything is perfect!!! Hey, you, the gloomy looking one. Are you his friend? Can you please become our interpreter?”

“The gloomy looking one… Okay, I’m fine with it but….”

“I’m in a terribly tight spot!!! I’ve been doing my best, looking for a substitute but as I thought, finding one won’t be an easy feat so… This is really a miracle!!! I couldn’t believe my eyes, someone with an outstanding figure like him would be walking around the street like this!!”

“Haah….”

『Should we leave her be?』

Velke grabbed and then tugged at my hand. I thought about our situation for a moment. No, somehow this woman wasn’t trying to flirt with Velk. We should listen to her story for a bit. 

“Actually, I was about to have a photoshoot for the clothes I made but this foreign model I contacted suddenly cancelled our appointment at the last minute! I already rented the studio and the competition is drawing near…. I really didn’t have much time left so I was really in a bind so please!!! Help me with the photoshoot!! I will pay you with the same amount of money I was going to pay for my previous model! I will give you 100.000 yen so will you please help me?!”

Oooh, so this woman was a fashion designer. Sure, she was trying to pick Velke up but it turned out she was trying to pick Velke up as a model!

『100.000 yen… Even if we deducted it with the funds we’ve expended today, we will still have some money left in the balance.』

Apparently Velke had been thinking about the money I had spent today. 

“Please!! It won’t be long!! Only for 2 hours!! Please!! Think of this as if you’re helping someone in need!! You can’t easily find someone with an ideal physique like him in Japan!!”

This woman looked like she was genuinely in a pinch. If I was the one she asked for a help with (well, I doubt this scenario would ever happen though), I would help her but I wondered what Velke thought about this. 

I glanced at Velke but his expression remained the same. I touched his fingertips, asking if he was alright with helping this woman and he nodded his head in return so it seemed Velke was also willing to help her. 

“Umm.. It seems he doesn’t mind…”

“REALLY?! YOU REALLY SAVED ME!!! The studio is nearby so let’s go there together!”

She was really in a hurry. She immediately grabbed our hands and dragged us into the studio for the photoshoot. 

In the studio, there was a bored looking photographer tinkering with his equipment and a white backdrop already prepared for the shoot. The nearby table was littered with the outfits designed by this woman along with a bunch of sewing tools and cloths. 

“Yamagami-kun!! I’ve brought a model with me!! He’s our replacement for Arezzo!”

“Oh, Mizuna-san, you’ve found a model?! Huh?! No way! Isn’t he like seriously a hunk?!”

The photographer suddenly stirred. 

“Umm… Mizuna-san? About the model that you said couldn’t make it today….”

“That rotten Italian!! This morning he sent me a single text, saying, ‘I wanted to go to a handshake event for an idol in Akihabara so ciao!’ Geez!!!”

Uwah… The reason for the last-minute cancellation is even worse than I thought.

Since the clothes were made for a competition, the clothes were prepared according to the model’s physique. Even for Velke, Mizuna-san still needed to fix some fine details after Velke changed into her design. 

“The muscle on Velke’s chest is bigger than Arezzo…. The muscles on your upper arms are a bit thick too…If I fix the clothes here like this then….”

Mizuna-san was making adjustments to her design at tremendous speed. Looking at her like this, made me feel she was truly a professional at what she did. 

I just stood in the corner, watching everything unveiled. Yamagami-san, the photographer, was also waiting for his turn next to me. We were both staring at Mizuna-san and the others preparing for the photoshoot. 

“But still, that foreigner… Not everyday you get to meet such a beautiful man like him… Uwahh… He makes me want to have a private photoshoot of him.”

“You’re right… He’s very handsome…”

“Mizuna-san, you really caught the perfect guy…”

“So, what is it with the competition Mizuna-san had yelled about before?”

“Ooh. It’s a competition held by a popular brand from overseas. We needed a tall foreigner model. That was why we were in a bind because that Italian model suddenly turned us down.”

Even though he was a key figure in this photoshoot, he suddenly cancelled at the last minute… 

“Let’s start the photoshoot!”

It looked like Mizuna-san and her teams were ready to go.

Mizuna-san’s design was truly a “people’s choice” kind of garment. Uuh, it made me want to see Velke in that attire while reading an English newspaper at a cafe in London…. The clothes really gave me that kind of impression. Because Velke had been using the bottom tailored for Japanese, I failed to notice how long his legs were. They were really long. He had a small face and because of his tall stature, he looked even more dignified. 

Yamagami-san was also a true professional. He specified the poses he wanted to Velke by gesturing with his hands before he started taking photos. 

“The best!! You’re definitely the best!! I don’t need the part from the neck up so make sure you get the best shots that flatter the clothes in the best way!!”

“Mizuna-san… It’s a waste if you ignore this beautiful face….”

“It’s unnecessary. I will never let the people say I was chosen for this competition because I’m too assertive and had a good model… All I need is a good physique that compliments my design!!”

How do I say this… Mizuna-san, she’s… She’s really a fashion designer, huh…

And then, after we finished with one shot, Velke would change into another pair of clothes. Mizuna-san and her team would make a fine adjustment while Yamagami-san checked the photos he had taken. 

After two and a half hours, the entire photoshoot was finally finished. 

“You really helped me!! With this, I can finally submit the application for the competition….!”

I had been doing nothing but staring at how handsome Velke was but Velke must’ve felt very tired by now…

“I had taken a full-body shot when I adjusted my setting so Velke-san… If you’re still in Japan by then, I will mail the photos to you.”

“Certainly.”

I certainly wanted it. I really wanted it. I wanted to treasure it as my family heirloom. 

With a grateful heart, I exchanged my contact information with them. They said they would mail the photos to me in a few days. 

“Sorry it took us 30 minutes longer than what I promised you…! Here’s your remuneration but… Velke-san, are you going to change into the clothes you wore before? The bottom didn’t fit you. It’s a waste of your beautiful legs….”

“Well, we were about to go back before so…”

“With your tall stature, it must be hard to find a bottom that fits you in Japan. Okay then, why don’t you take some outfits from the shoot? I still have some prototypes I made according to Arezzo’s measurements in my workshop too. I will send them over to you along with the photos to compensate you.”

“Oh! Can we?! Thank you very much!”

She was truly a blessing. Unlike Mizuna-san’s eccentric clothes, Velke was wearing stylish clothes that you could often see in the cover page of a foreign magazine. It was clear to see from Velke’s face he was already feeling tired but when he was told he could keep the last clothes he wore for the photoshoot, he still looked a little delighted. 

“Thank you very much.”

Ooh, Velke was able to speak Japanese, without using his translation magic. I was very surprised and since I was still holding onto his hand, I could feel some of his thoughts transmitted to me. 

『I’m still not confident with my pronunciation. I can only speak some simple words.』

I felt a little happy knowing Velke was still willing to learn the language even though there was no inconvenience with his translation magic…

Mizuna-san and the others repeatedly thanked us for helping out with the cleaning. After we were all done, we then left the studio. 

“Today was kind of intense but it was really fun.”

『I agree.』

How do I say it, I never had such an intense day during my day off. 

“Velke,somehow you look really happy too. I guess you like being a model, huh?”

『No. We don’t put that much importance in things like clothes in that world so it felt strange to me. Maybe a human of noble blood would enjoy immersing themselves in fashion since they have too much time and money in hand but for a demon like me, we don’t have the luxury to thing about such a thing. Because this world is in peace, the people of this world can focus on developing the industry that doesn’t have any relation to support one’s life.』

Well, he was right. Things like books, music and clothes could only come after we had a good basic life necessities. 

『In addition, it’s because Mahiro was looking at me.』

“Huh? Me?”

『All I could think about was how to make Mahiro think I was cool. 』

Velke said that, making me stare at him wide-eyed and my mouth hanging open. 

Well, I mean, I certainly thought he was pretty cool so I ended up staring at him but still, I mean. 

I tried to make an excuse for my reddening cheeks by saying I had never heard such sickeningly sweet words coming from the otome game I had deemed as a training for Velke’s sweet nothing.