Ch.153Chapter 153. Clothes for Only One Person

Blue skies and sparkling sunlight.

And a bridge built over the river that clearly reflected such a sky.

“Huhuhu.”

Merilyn, who had arrived there, jumped up from her spot and began hopping along the railing with her arms spread wide.

“Ehehehe~ Ahaha~”

“Ms. Merilyn. I understand you’re in a good mood, but if you fall, it would be terrible.”

“You don’t need to worry~ Before playing an instrument, I first show off skills like this… Oh my!?”

Just as I thought this would happen, I tried to grab her wobbling body.

Soon, the tilting Merilyn regained her balance and straightened her body that was about to fall.

“Hehe~”

“…Ms. Merilyn.”

“My~ Why are you like that? Are you perhaps angry? Oh dear~ If you provoke me too much, I might get a kick on my bottom later~?”

Ah, right. Come to think of it, she said her main profession was a jester.

Since her skills are extraordinary, maybe it’s strange for me to worry. With that thought, I let out a chuckle and followed Merilyn onto the path heading toward downtown.

“Are you that happy?”

“Of course I am~ A whole 2 months, 2 months! If a person doesn’t drink water for that long, they’d die!”

Was I more important to her than water? With such an unpretentious thought making me smile, Merilyn likewise smiled and began to link her arm with mine.

“So look forward to tonight~ I’ll squeeze out everything I can, making up for all the time we missed and for all we might miss in the future.”

“…Haha.”

Yes, with so much built up, she wants to release it all intensely.

While I couldn’t be completely happy about the implied future, being pushed around like this doesn’t suit my temperament either.

I grabbed Merilyn’s chin as she clung to my arm and pulled her toward me, saying:

“…Can you handle those words?”

Merilyn’s body trembled with a start.

“H-handle what?”

“I’ve also built up quite a lot lately from being so busy.”

That’s no lie.

I too have been physically and mentally exhausted from running around for the past 2 months.

Even if I’m fine now, once we get started, I might not be able to restrain myself.

“I hope Ms. Merilyn can handle me when I lose control.”

“…Ha, ha! Th-that’s exactly what I want!”

Though she speaks with confidence, her face is still flushed, and her linked arm continues to tremble violently.

Finding that appearance cute as well, I moved on to the restaurant I had looked up for our meal.

****

After finishing our planned meal, we headed to the center of downtown.

While looking around town to decide what to do until nightfall, a clothing store in the middle of the street suddenly caught my eye.

Judging by its sophisticated and glamorous atmosphere, it seemed to be a place that mainly dealt in luxury goods.

During my days as a porter, I wouldn’t have even glanced at such places for fear of being asked for compensation, but now things were different.

“Shall we take a look? If there’s something you want, I’ll buy it for you.”

“Clothes, you mean?”

Merilyn stood there blankly, looking up at the clothing store.

After examining the dress-type clothing displayed beyond the glass window, she soon entered the clothing store as if entranced.

“Well, just looking wouldn’t hurt…”

Did she find some clothes she liked?

Whatever it is, if Merilyn likes it, that’s enough for me.

Still, concerned she might buy something expensive, I briefly excused myself and hurried to a nearby bank.

To borrow a credit note that could be used easily with just proof of identity, rather than heavy coins.

“Th-this is the imperial silver badge…!?”

“I think I might spend quite a bit of money, so could you issue me a credit note?”

“Ah, yes! O-of course I can! If you’re affiliated with the imperial family, of course I’ll give it to you!”

The banker immediately issued a credit note as soon as I showed the badge proving my imperial affiliation.

Seeing that there wasn’t even a limit written on it, I could immediately understand how tremendous the value of having the imperial family’s trust was.

In modern terms… yes, it’s essentially no different from a credit card with unlimited credit.

“…So this is what power tastes like.”

Of course, considering this is also the price of my life, I can’t view it entirely positively.

Still, thinking that being frugal would only be a waste, I decided to spend lavishly for today and returned to the clothing store.

“Ah, your companion is changing clothes in the fitting room. In the meantime, feel free to look around the store~”

It seems Merilyn has already chosen her clothes.

Fortunately, the store is spacious with plenty to see around.

As I wandered around killing time, a nearby clerk stopped me and began to smile as if painted in a picture.

“Welcome, customer~ Would you like to see these items? Your lover would love it if you gifted them~”

“What do you sell here?”

“We mainly sell women’s underwear~”

“…I’ll go with dresses, please.”

“Yes, understood~ How about this way? Or this?”

The clerk guided me through the clothing store with an energetic attitude.

The reason her eyes seemed to be burning with greed was probably because she had directly seen me get the credit note earlier.

It might be materialistic in a negative sense, but… it’s not something to be particularly displeased about.

One needs desire to feel desperation, and desperation to grow.

As long as she’s not blatantly trying to take advantage of me, such an attitude could actually lead to introducing better products.

“How about this dress?”

What I encountered at the end of the clerk’s introduction was an elaborately designed dress based on white fabric.

With its voluminous skirt and embroidery throughout, it was what would be called a “wedding dress” in the world I used to live in.

“Um, I did mention dresses, but…”

“Your lover would be delighted if you gifted it to her~”

No, a wedding dress as a gift for a lover? Isn’t that going too far?

Certainly, Airie is pregnant, but since it was an unplanned child, I can’t just push things in this direction…

“…Hmm.”

The reason I couldn’t completely dismiss my interest in the dress was because I was also considering proposing to Airie to some extent.

Until now, we’ve been postponing it due to various circumstances, but it’s too late to turn back now, so I should consider diving in headfirst.

So I should consider holding a wedding ceremony with her when the time comes.

Like having Airie wear a wedding dress like the one in front of me now, and holding a ceremony with everyone’s blessings…

“…Sir?”

“Ahem!”

Clearing away my indulgent imagination with a cough, I quickly turned my back.

Calm down. Such matters can be considered after the expedition is over.

Just as I was turning my attention away from the dress that had caused unnecessary imagination, I noticed the curtain being drawn back from the fitting room I had left earlier.

Merilyn must have finished changing her clothes.

My steps, which had been advancing with that thought, suddenly froze at the sight of the woman walking out of the fitting room.

-Click, click.

No, it’s not just me.

The surrounding people also closed their chattering mouths and began to focus their attention on that spot one by one.

In the silence that followed, the woman who emerged from the fitting room began to move through the interior of the store, clutching her skirt.

With the clear sunlight shining through the curtains as illumination, and the scent of herbs purifying the store’s air as companions.

-Whoosh.

At that moment, as the wind blowing through the door opened by a visiting customer made her hair and dress flutter, the fragrance turned into flower petals and began to envelop her surroundings.

As if the world was blessing her in this moment.

Yes, the being who had created such an imagination appeared at this moment, in this place.

A woman who cultivated beauty solely for one person…

A woman wearing clothes meant only for one person, right in front of me.

“…Hyoseong.”

When I realized this, she was looking up at me intently from where she stood.

In her gradually revealed amber eyes, only my figure was clearly reflected.

“How… do I look?”

The shy question that followed taught me that her current appearance could not be pure seduction.

Because this is her first time in such an appearance, she is afraid, and because she is afraid, she is anxious…

“Ms. Merilyn, that outfit…”

“When we first met.”

Just as I vaguely read those emotions, she placed her hand on her chest and began to lower her gaze.

“Do you remember when we stopped at a street stall when we first met?”

“…”

“…I remembered wearing something like this then, so I tried it on.”

Merilyn gently hid her face with the veil on her head.

That action gradually brought back memories of when I first met her.

Meeting her at the place I arrived following a prophecy, and the image of her wearing a veil at the stall we visited to buy a mask to hide her face…

“Does it… look okay?”

And the person I thought I would never see again is now whispering to me in the same appearance as then.

That this current appearance.

That the future of holding a ceremony with me, is truly permitted for her as well.

“…Yes.”

To such a meaningful question, I quietly replied while calming my pounding heart.

“It really suits you well.”

Even while feeling that I am bound to such a beautiful woman who cares for me so much.

Feeling regret that I cannot consider her the first.

*****

Around sunset, after thoroughly exploring downtown.

To have an after-party of sorts, I sat with Merilyn on a bench near the fountain and shared snacks together.

“Did you only buy one?”

“It’s a large portion.”

“Mmm~ Then I guess there’s no choice. Here, open wide~”

Merilyn broke off a piece of bread and offered it to me.

After casually accepting and eating the bread, I pulled it halfway out and gently pushed it toward her mouth.

“Oh, um… mmph!”

A moment of hesitation only creates an opening to exploit.

As I placed the piece of bread into her opened mouth and kissed her lips, her body trembled slightly and her cheeks began to redden.

“Th-that’s unfair. This kind of thing.”

“If you feel wronged, you can take revenge.”

“Ha, ha! Who says I can’t!? Just wait a little. When we get into bed later…!”

Merilyn boasted while stuffing bread into her mouth. Seeing her swallow it all down, it seemed she couldn’t even think about taking revenge on me right away.

At this rate, revenge in bed would be just a dream.

With a chuckle, I leaned back against the bench and looked up at the sky.

It was truly a leisurely and peaceful day.

Beyond that, it was an abundant and enjoyable day… it felt ironic that the Empire was the only place where one could enjoy such things even with money.

I wish days like this could continue in the future.

“I wish days like this could continue in the future.”

Merilyn, who put the same thought into words, began to hum a tune while scattering the remaining bread crumbs to the birds gathered at the fountain.

Her carefree appearance was very pleasing to see.

Both her innocent outward appearance and her naive behavior.

“…You’ve changed a lot.”

She who can hardly be thought of as a demon, showing such a thoroughly human appearance before me.

“…Changed how?”

“Well, how should I put it. When I first saw you, I thought you were a very mysterious and dignified person, but now you feel extremely friendly.”

“What’s that supposed to mean? By that assessment, do you mean I’m now just a chatterbox without a shred of seriousness?”

“No, I didn’t mean it that way…”

Thinking about it again, it doesn’t seem entirely wrong, but isn’t it impolite to say it out loud?

“…Well, it’s not an incorrect assessment.”

As I tried to gloss over it, she casually dismissed my previous words and continued scattering the bread crumbs.

With a very relaxed attitude expressing her feelings, and on the other hand, an unburdened demeanor.

“Not incorrect, what do you mean by that?”

“Well, I no longer need to act like a loyal retainer.”

-Flutter.

The pigeons, having eaten all the bread crumbs, took flight.

Merilyn, staring at the empty space they left behind, clutched the hand on her chest and spoke in a bitter voice.

“This was probably the atmosphere when I first served my old lord.”

“……”