Chapter 44

“So with that in mind, come shopping for clothes with me.”

“…A date?”

“For now?”

Since Kyle deliberately used the word “date” to make this appointment, I should call it a date.

“Oh my…”

Elin made a surprised expression.

Well, she’s probably surprised that Kyle suddenly asked me to go on a date with him.

Louise also seemed a bit surprised, so it’s understandable.

“Are you really going with the young master?”

“Yes.”

“…Elin, I have a headache.”

“I’m getting a slight headache too.”

“…?”

Why are they acting like this after asking me?

“Anyway, come shopping for clothes with me tomorrow.”

“Don’t you have clothes?”

“No, but it’s a date, so I should wear pretty clothes.”

Even if it’s a practice date, it’s still a date.

It wouldn’t be proper to wear everyday clothes.

Come to think of it, Kyle always wore nice clothes whenever we went out.

I didn’t do that.

“…”

Maybe he’s wanted to practice dating for a while?

Is that why he went out with me like that?

It makes sense.

I always wore my usual formal attire whenever we went down to the village.

So this time, he probably wanted to create a dating atmosphere by specifically calling it a date.

Kyle still has little experience with women.

He probably wants to try dating.

“So are we going clothes shopping tomorrow?”

“Okay.”

“Yes.”

I decided to help create a dating atmosphere as Kyle wanted.

Teaching a dating novice how to date.

Though I’ve never done it either?

*

“Hmm…”

“Miss Sofia, is something bothering you?”

“No, not at all.”

Since our date started together at the castle, it didn’t really feel like a date.

Isn’t a date supposed to start by meeting at an agreed location?

Isn’t the usual development where you meet at the appointed place, see each other’s outfits or appearance different from usual, and get a little surprised?

“Young master, where are we going today?”

“Well… first, let’s change your way of speaking a bit.”

“Pardon?”

Why change my way of speaking?

Isn’t it perfectly normal?

“It’s a date, but it feels too stiff, don’t you think?”

“Hmm…”

Is that so?

I guess that could be true.

Using extremely formal speech on a date does seem a bit off.

Even on a first blind date, people don’t use this kind of speech.

“Then how should I speak?”

“Just treat me normally. For today.”

“Uh….”

Normally.

What does he mean by treating him normally?

I think I’m already treating him normally enough.

“Kyle…? Is it okay to call you like this?”

“Yes, that’s good enough.”

I just changed my speech style slightly, but Kyle answered with a smile.

Do men in this world like this kind of speech?

It doesn’t seem like something to smile about.

“Now, Sofia. Let’s start our date.”

“Yes.”

Kyle reached out his hand to me.

It clearly meant he wanted to hold hands, and I took his hand.

His hand was warm enough to be described as hot.

There’s a reason why gloves aren’t commonly used among northerners.

With such high body temperature, wearing gloves would probably be uncomfortable.

Of course, it might be dangerous to stay in the cold for a long time.

“Kyle, where are we going first?”

“If you don’t have anywhere specific you want to go, I’ll take you somewhere I want. Is that okay?”

“Yes. Of course.”

Kyle started walking through the village while holding my hand.

I’m not sure where we’re going.

It’s not yet lunchtime, so it’s probably not a restaurant.

“Your outfit looks pretty today.”

“Really..?”

It seems the clothes I bought with my friends for the date were a success.

Right now, I was wearing a white dress with a long cape.

After all, wearing formal attire on a date wouldn’t be proper.

I might not be as grand as the young ladies Kyle has seen, but I should be decent enough.

“Yes, I wish I could have seen you in clothes other than formal wear before.”

“That can’t be helped. I have to work most of the time.”

Servants couldn’t just wear whatever they wanted.

That would be improper.

“Well… if you say so, it can’t be helped. But it definitely feels different from the formal attire I usually see you in.”

“Thank you.”

Being complimented by Kyle made me feel a bit better.

They say even a whale will dance when praised, so it’s natural.

We kept walking down the street.

As I thought, Kyle didn’t take me to a restaurant but to a certain shop.

“A clothing store…?”

“Yes, you always wear formal clothes. Just look at today – you look even prettier in pretty clothes.”

“I… see.”

“Yes.”

Kyle said that and entered the clothing store.

Inside, there were definitely more feminine clothes than the store I visited recently.

“…”

I don’t dislike clothes.

It’s not like I have no interest in fashion.

But… still, I had my personal boundaries.

The “this doesn’t seem right” line.

“….”

The store was full of clothes that only nobles or young girls would wear.

Lots of frills, extremely fancy clothes.

The kind of miniskirts that only teenage girls would wear, tight-fitting clothes that accentuate the figure.

“Young master…? How about we go to a different clothing store…”

“You should call me Kyle.”

“Kyle, can we go to another store…”

“No. I like this place.”

Is this Kyle’s taste?

Clothes that reveal all body lines, with slits, made of thin silk that slightly reveals the skin?

This kid Kyle, his taste was exactly like a teenage boy’s.

No, but even so, this is a bit…

“Here, Sofia. Try this on first.”

“…”

Kyle handed me a miniskirt and a matching frilly shirt from the start.

The top was fine, but the bottom…

“Ha… alright.”

Since Kyle seemed to want it, I started taking off my dress in the changing room.

The dress had a long skirt, so it was less embarrassing.

But at the same time, even with such a skirt, I was still a bit embarrassed.

“…”

I looked at myself in the mirror in the changing room, wearing just the miniskirt.

Without wearing a top, just in my underwear, it felt quite risqué.

Anyway, I also put on the frilly shirt Kyle gave me.

The shirt seemed slightly ill-fitting, but I wore it anyway.

Having trouble wearing clothes because of my chest size was always an issue.

“Well… is this okay?”

I struck a pose in front of the mirror.

I’m not sure.

The only thing for certain is that the feeling of air flowing between my legs is extremely strange.

“.. How is it…? I don’t think it suits me very well.”

Since Kyle was surely waiting, I came out of the changing room.

When I came out, Kyle’s expression hardened.

Was it not good?

“Kyle…?”

“Ah, you’re so pretty that I was stunned. It really suits you well.”

“Really…?”

Kyle complimented me after seeing how I looked.

It felt strange to be complimented for wearing a miniskirt at the age of 24.

And it was strange that I felt a bit happy about the compliment.

“Then shall we try on the next outfit?”

“…Yes.”

It seemed the first course was just having me change clothes repeatedly.

Well, I’ve already worn a miniskirt, so what’s there to be embarrassed about?

Even now, the feeling of air flowing between my legs is extremely strange.

There was no reason to be embarrassed unless an even stranger outfit appeared.

*

“…K-Kyle…? No matter what, this kind of outfit…”

“It’s fine. Because Sofia is pretty.”

“No, even so, this…”

After changing clothes several times, Kyle said this would be the last one and handed me another outfit.

And when I saw it, I started making a fuss.

I couldn’t help it.

The clothes Kyle gave me weren’t ordinary clothes but a slightly risqué type of dress!

“T-This… how can I wear clothes with a hole in the chest area?!”

“That’s the good part.”

“Kyle, no, young master. Even young noble ladies don’t often wear such clothes. How could I…”

The clothes Kyle handed me were extremely provocative.

It was a black dress.

But not just any black dress.

There was a hole in the chest area that showed all of the cleavage, and the skirt had a slit that exposed the thigh.

Plus, the back was open too.

Anyway, it was extremely risqué!

“Young master, please, can’t it be something else other than this? Please…?”

“Hmm… Sofia, your speech is wrong.”

“No, that’s not the issue right now… How can I wear something like this?”

“It’s fine. Just try it on once.”

“Eek… ugh…”

Kyle handed me the dress and pushed me into the changing room.

Due to the difference in strength, I couldn’t properly resist.

“….”

I looked at the dress in my hands.

It was clearly an extremely expensive item.

A dress that would probably cost several months of my salary.

“….”

More importantly, it was provocative.

I wondered if it was okay for clothes to be this risqué.

“I guess… I have to wear it…?”

It’s the outfit Kyle asked me to wear.

We came out for a date, and it might hurt his feelings if I bluntly refuse.

It’s extremely embarrassing, but…

“Haah….”

Isn’t this basically what a prostitute would wear?!

No, prostitutes probably couldn’t afford it.

Maybe my sense of modesty is just too rigid?

The fact that they’re selling such clothes in the domain without any issue means they must be somewhat normal.

Regular clothes that people wear….

“I don’t think so…”