Chương 109: Chapter 32 Feeling Cool (Part 2)

"I'm back."

"It took quite a while. What happened?"

"I ran into Hyodo-san at the smoking area, and we talked for a while. I'm glad to see he's doing well." When I returned to the room, the four of them seemed to have been talking about this and that. Since the wiring had also been restored, they must have been checking and verifying something. I suppose Mochida is holding the remote control to avoid showing the final undressing scene?

"I've never met him before. Is he from the Self-Defense Forces?"

"Hyodo-san belongs to the Special Forces Group of the Self-Defense Forces. He'll also be participating in this training session, so we'll officially meet tomorrow. Since he's Mage: Water, we'll probably be working together fairly often on matters related to magic."

"Understood. Then let's adjust the schedule as we go."

"Yes. Thank you for your hard work today. Is tomorrow's meeting place here?" With the meeting set for 8: 00 AM here tomorrow morning, our discussion came to an end and we disbanded. It seems Miyafuji will be staying in the guest quarters as an external lecturer rather than at a hotel. Yuji and Suguru—with Suguru looking somehow relaxed—seem to have invited Yuji to the gate to give him a tour up to the 5th floor. Normally, they would want to tour around the 15th floor, but unfortunately, they don't have the time.

In the first place, they apparently haven't even reached the exit gate on the 15th floor, so it can't be helped. Judging by the sensory difficulty alone, I think their appropriate cleanup area would be from the 5th floor onward. We sent them to a nearby gate in Mochida's car, and the two of them entered the gate just like that. However, I wish they would stop glancing at me in the passenger seat and then quickly looking away. I pretended not to notice, but it was completely obvious in the rearview mirror.

"Now, we have a little time. What shall we do?"

"Let's see... I want some clothes. If I'm going to be acting as something like an advisor and lecturer, I'll need clothes that look appropriate for the role." The clothes I have now are gothic lolita outfits, the black one-piece dress I'm wearing now with a sleeveless turtleneck, and some cosplay-like clothes provided by volunteers. I also have a suit, but as expected, wearing the same single outfit all the time doesn't look good. For now, I'm thinking of a black fitted skirt and an undecorated white blouse.

After that, tights or something similar should be fine. The design can be the same.

"Understood. Let's go buy some. What will you do? I could buy them after we return to the hotel, or would you rather choose them yourself?"

"Hmm. Do you think I'll be recognized as 'First' in this outfit?" I'm wearing a suit today. Mochida's face is also known, but that's only because people saw the photo of him with me at the yakiniku restaurant, and the majority of people don't know what he looks like. Since I'm also wearing a suit, and the number of people with white hair wearing suits has increased recently, I think I can blend into the crowd. However, I wonder how much the fact that it's currently daytime will affect things.

"That's a difficult question. Without sunglasses, you'll definitely be recognized. People instinctively see Tsukasa as beautiful. That's why you attract even more attention. But if you hide that with sunglasses or something, it's not quite the same, even though you're still beautiful." Just hiding it works, probably because it disrupts the proportions. In that case, if I wear sunglasses or a wig, wouldn't I be able to blend in fairly well?

I haven't had much time to pay attention to my appearance, but maybe I should try walking around in sunglasses. Fortunately, because I'm short, I don't often look people directly in the face.

"Let's go together. It wouldn't do to have only one guard accompanying the target, after all."

"After seeing that footage, I do have my doubts about whether a bodyguard is even necessary, but understood. Let's go." Mochida made a call somewhere, bought cigarettes at a convenience store on the way, and took me to a certain large department store. Even if I were taken somewhere like 109, there would probably only be things for young people, but if the store is this large, there should be formal clothing as well.

I don't know anything about brands, and off-the-rack clothes are perfectly fine, so a mass retailer would have been enough. I think recruit suits are great. They're cheap, look clean, and on top of that, they don't wrinkle easily. Wearing a suit and sunglasses, I somehow feel like I'm doing cosplay because of my short height, but I suppose that can't be helped. Mochida puts my hair up, so it isn't as hot. Though I suppose my fat and weight were directed into growing my hair, maybe short hair would have been better.

Having it reach all the way down my back is hot. I secretly tried cutting it as an experiment, and while I could cut it, I couldn't separate it. Before the hair could even fall to the ground, it wound itself back into its original position on its own. It can't be helped. I'll give up. Even though it's hot, I don't sweat anyway.

"It's over here. They said on the phone that it's somewhere around this area on this floor..." Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

"We've been expecting you. Thank you for visiting us today." Hearing a familiar voice, I turned around and found Chiyoda with a seven-three part and glasses. The nameplate on his chest read "Ryuichi Masuda." So this is his cover identity. He probably came here because of Mochida's call, but it suits him surprisingly well. Come to think of it, the upper management of this department store might be cooperating with the police.

"This is incognito. Ryuichi, get some clothes that look appropriate for a teacher. I'll look at some other clothes."

"Understood. Let's prepare them." Leaving Chiyoda behind, I looked at clothes with Mochida. So far, I hadn't been recognized. It might be because I was walking with my head somewhat lowered, or perhaps people simply couldn't see me properly in the first place, hidden among the racks of clothes.

"How about this one?"

"Good. Let's try it on." What he handed me was a white T-shirt and denim overalls. They were baggy, and the hems were long, so I folded them back appropriately to wear them. They were easy to move in, but the shoulder straps slipped off easily. Since there was a belt, maybe it would be fine if I tightened it?

"They're easy to move in, which is nice. Though the shoulder straps keep slipping."

"If you wear a cap with the brim facing backward, it'll give you a mischievous look and change your image too." For some reason, Mochida was teaching me different ways to wear them while taking pictures with his smartphone. I see. I could only imagine carrying hay around with a straw hat. Yes, that's truly rural.

"So there are ways to wear them like that, too. Well, these are easy to wear, so maybe two or three more of the same..."

"What are you saying? I also got a message from Rina-san telling me to stop letting you wear the same outfit all the time and dress you in something different." On Mochida's smartphone was a LINE exchange with his wife, along with the photo from earlier. Beyond that were the words: "Dress her in more things and send me pictures." It's a hassle, but my appearance has changed, and there's a limit to buying unisex clothes based on my old sense of fashion.

Because I'm short and slender, there are very few sizes among adult clothes that seem like they would fit me. Even women's S-size shoes are too big. They've been preparing gothic lolita clothes and boots for me every time, but wasn't that quite difficult for them?

"Understood. I don't want to become an adult who can't even buy clothes for herself. Let's find something that fits." And so we searched, but it was tough. How should I put it? The colors... pink, pale blue, pastel colors... And then there were the designs, like shorts that exposed a lot of thigh. When I tried them on thinking they might look mature, the sense that I was stretching myself too far was undeniable. Mochida was happily taking pictures, but my spirit was being chipped away.

Maybe I should just leave it to the witch... No, let's not. She probably likes lace and frills. Witches probably wear frills.

"For now, about ten outfits... Mochida-kun. Does a girlfriend normally get this many?"

"... If Tsukasa is the one choosing." What I'm wearing now is a midriff-baring tube top and skinny hot pants. It's very cool. Since they're sold at mass retailers, there must be people who actually wear them. In fact, I sometimes see people dressed like this around town, so I suppose it's perfectly acceptable as fashion. Mochida, who gets angry when I show too much underwear, isn't getting angry now, so this outfit must be fine. I also wore a Nubra for the first time. It's cool and doesn't feel stuffy.

"Hmm, it's cool, you know? You can't see the underwear, and although I don't quite feel settled in it, maybe this much is easier in summer? There are people wearing outfits like this around town too. What do you two think? In terms of how it feels, I'm like a kid wearing a pulled-up belly band and short pants, though." There used to be kids like that in the past, wearing short pants and short sleeves all year round. When summer came, they would run around in tank tops.

Thinking about it that way, maybe this outfit isn't all that strange? It's not as though my underwear is showing.

"For me, I don't know where to look. Chloe, you're teasing us, aren't you?"

"If your image changes that much, you might not be recognized, but please be careful of bad pests, like molesters."

"It exposes less than a swimsuit and it's cool, so let's buy it. It also makes me feel somewhat nostalgic." (Chiyoda-san, is this really okay? To put it bluntly, she's too attractive.) (As a man, no comment. Whichever way I answer, it's a landmine.) Mochida was whispering with Chiyoda while continuing to take pictures. Is it really that strange after all? Well, I can just use it as room wear. Come to think of it, I need that too. Even during practical training, the close-combat classes involve moving the body.

Even when giving advice, to some extent, I need clothes that are easy to move in. Jerseys are hot, but if they have them here, that would be good.

"Ryuichi, don't you have any spats—leggings? Kaori, you need some too, you know? Since we'll be moving our bodies starting tomorrow, you should buy some sportswear."

"We have some. Shall I bring them over? If you go looking for them dressed like that, I can remove the price tags and security tags, though." Since I'd have to change and undress again anyway if I were going to try them on, cutting off the price tags probably meant they would be treated as supplied goods. Since I'd previously been told that I was too lacking in desire for things, I'll accept them honestly this time.

"I'll wear them out. It's a hassle to undress, and I'll have to undress again for the fitting anyway. I'll gratefully accept the clothes. Please convey my thanks to whoever prepared them."

"... Understood. Let's remove the tags. Please take the other clothes with you as they are, too." I stored the clothes I received in my ring and borrowed a pair of scissors to cut off the price tags. Chiyoda reached out to remove the security tag. Since it was supposed to be on the back, I turned my back toward him. I felt like I heard the sound of someone swallowing hard... Come to think of it, the tag on the shorts was also around the back of the thigh.

"Can you remove the tag from the pants as they are, too? If that's impossible, I'll take them off. Also, I'll return the collar later."

"I wish you would stop phrasing things like that! You're making me look like some kind of dangerous person!"

"Wait, Masuda-san... Do you have that kind of hobby with an innocent young girl?" Because the witch had called it a collar, I'd gotten drawn into using the same terminology. It couldn't be helped, since I'd found it amusing while watching the camera footage. Still, I should correct the misunderstanding for Chiyoda's sake.

"Kaori, about that camera. Come to think of it, please edit that footage and upload it as a First video, within the range of what can be shown. In particular, please take extra care when editing the scene where I'm talking to myself."

"Understood. Mochida-kun and I will do the initial check."

"Chiyoda-san, the ending absolutely has to be cut! Cut!" Mochida was making a fuss, but listening to the sounds of someone undressing wasn't exactly enjoyable anyway, so it didn't matter. What was important was knowing which floors contained what level of monsters. Even when diving into the gate, without an index, we couldn't easily venture deeper. Because we only have one life.