Ch.374Changed NPCs. (4)

I’ve always said this, but while I may be a fool, I’m not so clueless that I can’t read the room. I noticed early on that these girls liked me, and I’m not stupid enough to misunderstand what Ragni just did.

*Squeeze*

“Let’s go. Ira said she was meeting a friend, so we should be back before sunset.”

“Y-yes, yesss—”

As soon as we leave the house and I start walking while holding Rey’s hand, her face turns adorably red all the way to her ears, reminding me of Ira’s hair color—it’s both cute and bittersweet. It’s been five years since I started hanging out with these girls. I’ve never properly taken Rey or Ragni on a real date, which is probably why she’s so embarrassed by something as simple as holding hands.

‘I really am garbage, aren’t I?’

I never intended to string them along. After Ragni’s outburst that night, I’ve been doing a lot of thinking. No matter how I look at it, I’ve been giving these girls reasons to go wild, while telling them to hold back.

In terms of time spent together, Rey came first, then Ragni. If I had to count, Miho would be next, but ironically, the ones I’ve had the most intimate physical contact with are the beast-kin sisters, excluding the night I spent with Ragni. Those two in heat mode were so intense I literally had to throw away my clothes and blanket.

“…Rey.”

“Y-yes, yes!”

“I’m sorry.”

“…Pardon?”

Without realizing it, an apology spills out, and as we continue walking, I pour out my feelings to her. I even tell her everything about sleeping with Ragni. When I finish, Rey’s face, which had been red all the way to her ears, returns to its normal color.

Will she be disgusted with me now, or is she angry enough to hit me? Either way, I’m prepared to bow my head and apologize to keep her, but having resolved to embrace multiple women, from now on every day will be a battle—

“Pfft!”

“…Huh?”

“What are you sorry for~? Is it for embracing Ragni? Or is it because you ‘still’ haven’t embraced me?”

“Ah, well…”

“Or are you sorry for seducing that demon, Miho, and other beast-kin~?” she asks with a mischievous smile, leaving me speechless. Well, I’m sorry for all of it. If we’re talking about order, you’ve been with us the longest, yet I went with Ragni first…

“Actually, I was the one who pushed Ragni.”

“…You did?”

“Yes. ‘We’ wanted to be Jack’s first. I don’t know how Jack feels about us, but the time I spent with Ragni is the same as the time you spent with her.”

“I was with her the whole time you were in Siltra,” she says, stroking the back of her neck, making me swallow hard.

‘…Ah, I see. For Rey, Ragni is already ‘family.”

“So I pushed her. The day you read the diary her mother left her. I thought that among ‘us,’ Ragni deserved to be happy first. That’s what I believed.”

“……”

Being embraced by me equals happiness. To think such beautiful women would say such things to me. In my previous life, I never saved a country or even another person. I wonder if I deserve this happiness. It makes me feel even more sorry. I’ve been taking all of you for granted.

“So you don’t need to feel so sorry! And don’t worry too much about me! Well, I’ll try my best not to lose to the other women, but that’s something to think about when the time comes!”

“Hehe. Except for the demon Luxuria, I’m sure the others will make good ‘family’ members too!” she says with a smile, putting her hands behind her back after letting go of mine, and I find myself breathless.

That’s right, you were that kind of woman in the game too. Always putting others before yourself. Because of that passive skill that revealed your personality, I thought you were a troublesome character, and in reality, I didn’t want to get close to someone with that skill. I’m not the type of person who prioritizes anyone other than myself and Ira.

“Rey, can I hold your hand?”

“…Eh?”

“Actually, no. I want to…”

*Squeeze*

“Let’s link arms. It feels more like a couple that way.”

“!!”

Maybe it’s because I usually pushed them away even when they clung to me. When I take her hand and link our arms, Rey blushes in surprise and her lake-blue eyes start blinking rapidly. Stop that, you’ll cause a flood.

“…Y-you don’t have to do this, I already like you!”

“I know. I just find you so lovable, so let’s just walk like this. Unless you don’t want to link arms?”

“N-no, I do!!”

As she blushes again with that adorable face, I can’t help but smile contentedly. Seeing my smile, Rey blushes all the way to her ears and hangs her head low. Truly, I am an incredibly blessed person.

We walk toward the guild building, but when it comes into view, we pass it and enter the market instead. We bypass the food stalls and enter a rather orderly shopping district with neat stores that rival those in Aigram. Come to think of it, since coming to Neti, I’ve been running around looking for the others, missed Ira’s entrance ceremony, and haven’t even had time to explore the city. Haha, my life has truly been busy. Still is, actually.

“Hmm. Rey, shall we go in there?”

“Y-yes?! Oh. Th-that’s a clothing store. Do you not like what I’m wearing?”

“Of course not, it suits you well. I just thought I might buy you an outfit or two, but if you don’t want to…”

“L-let’s go in! Clothes picked by Jack! I’m so excited!”

I didn’t say I’d pick them out, but if that’s what she wants. Rey’s adorably excited, her speech slurring as her tension rises. As we enter the clothing store, the clerk looks us over, seemingly assessing us, then turns away. Hmm? In my previous life, clothing stores avoided approaching customers to prevent scaring them off with excessive solicitation, but this is a quasi-medieval world. Is that right?

“Jack, Jack! Over there, there’s women’s clothing!”

“Hm? Oh. Wait, Rey, it says these are secondhand clothes.”

“Hehe! Even if we have money, we should save for the future! Besides, most secondhand clothes are well-maintained♬”

As Rey naturally moves toward the secondhand section, I follow her. Then I feel another gaze. No, this is…

‘…Did they just sneer at us?’

I hear a snort from the clerk who assessed us earlier, and when I glance over, I catch a look that says “figures” before they quickly avert their eyes upon noticing my gaze and return to their work. Ha, unbelievable.

*Grip!*

“Eh?!”

“Rey, let’s leave.”

“E-eh?!”

I stop Rey, who was happily moving about, with my linked arm and head straight out of the store. Then…

“J-Jack? What’s wrong? Was there something you didn’t li—”

“Let’s go to that store up ahead.”

I escort Rey naturally to another clothing store. It’s less sophisticated than the previous one, but it has everything necessary. An elderly man who appears to be the clerk immediately approaches us with a smile as we enter.

“Haha, welcome, customers. Is there anything specific you’re looking for?”

“Thank you for the welcome. Owner, I’d like to purchase ‘all’ the beautiful clothes that would suit my lovely fiancée here.”

“A-all of them, you say?”

“F-fiancée…?!!”

Both of them are surprised by my words and actions, their eyes widening in different ways. But I, former woodsman Jack, who shed illiteracy and absorbed all sorts of miscellaneous knowledge and culture to protect the imperial princess until her punishment, can handle this. While I may not be skilled, I can at least maintain appearances. I release our linked arms, gently take Rey’s wrist, softly kiss the back of her hand, and then look back at the clerk.

“Yes, all of them. I won’t ask about the price. Instead, I want clothes that won’t embarrass my fiancée, who shines brighter than anyone in the world. And also, a set of ‘new clothes’ for myself that won’t make me look inadequate by her side.”

“Yes! Yes! Of course! New dresses that would suit the beautiful lady, and… if I may ask, are you perhaps adventurers…?”

“Yes, my fiancée is a gold-rank adventurer. If there are also casual clothes that would suit her, I’d like to purchase ‘all’ of those as well.”

“Ah!! D-don’t worry! My store may not look like much, but it has a 140-year history in Neti! Sometimes even imperial… I mean, nobles come here to have custom clothes made. Th-then! May I escort the lady for a moment?”

“You heard him, Lady. I’ll be watching from the side, so feel free to try on ‘as many’ as you like.”

“…Y-yes♡”

Was she surprised by my sudden actions? Rey’s blue eyes start spinning as she’s escorted by the elderly gentleman to the fitting area, where she begins receiving guidance on clothing. Another female clerk rushes out to help with Rey’s measurements and other details. Hmm.

“Rey, I think this outfit would suit you well.”

“Th-that one!! I’ll try that one on!!”

“Oh my!! Your fiancé has excellent taste!! This outfit… Just a moment! Please wait! Owner! Owner!! The bust size for this outfit…!”

“Five minutes! Please wait just five minutes!! I’ll tailor it right away…!”

Rather than letting her become a dress-up doll on her own, I point out clothes that would truly suit her. The female clerk urgently requests alterations, and the elderly man immediately takes the clothes and makes sounds like those from a blacksmith’s forge as he quickly completes the tailoring and helps Rey try them on. Hmm. Who knew my avatar obsession from my previous life would come in handy like this! Everything looks beautiful! The clothes truly make the person!!

“Rey, how’s that outfit? Do you like it?”

“Y-yes! B-but what do you think, J-Jack…?”

“I think it suits you very well, and you look beautiful. Excuse me, clerk?”

“Yes!”

“I’d like a cardigan to cover her shoulders with that outfit, plus a bag and shoes. Ah, Rey? Can you wear heeled shoes?”

“S-so beautiful…!! Y-yes! I can wear them!”

“Yes!! I’ll prepare them right away!! Please wait a mom—!!!”

With a feeling that’s half like dressing up a character avatar from my previous life and half like appreciating how a beautiful person looks good in anything, I finish coordinating Rey’s outfit. Then…

“Owner, could you please charge this to my name at the casino? And could you send all the items by carriage to this address? Of course, the carriage fee…”

“O-oh…! Th-this is!”

“No!! The carriage fee will be covered by our store!! You two look so wonderful together!! We look forward to your next visit!!!”

I leave a paper stating that I’ll pay for all the clothes with money deposited at the casino, along with the nameplate I received there. The elderly man’s eyes widen in genuine surprise, making only “ooooh” sounds, while the female clerk raises her voice to see us out. And now, as the sun begins to rise high in the sky, we step outside.

“…E-eh? Th-that’s…? Eh?”

I give a knowing smirk to the female clerk who is staring blankly at Rey’s beautiful appearance—no longer in her worn-out armor and tattered adventurer’s outfit, but in an elegant silver-white dress that only covers to her knees so as not to hinder movement, a black cardigan covering her exposed shoulders, her long straight hair neatly arranged, and armed with beautiful glass shoes and an expensive-looking bag. Then…

“The next time we come, it will be an ‘even better’ day. Please prepare good items then as well. I will buy ‘everything’ my fiancée chooses. Owner, and clerk, have a good day.”

After giving a light formal greeting to the two, I link arms with Rey and move on.

“…All of it? She bought all of that…?”

The timing was perfect for teaching a lesson with money to the clerk who was sprinkling water in front of the store as we left.