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Chapter 203: Traitors (4)
Valhalla City’s Comrcial District.
It was the most crowded place in the expansive Valhalla City, a lting pot where the diverse cultures and goods of the three nations intertwined.
It was the most popular destination for young cadet couples on their weekend outings, though you didn’t have to be a cadet to enjoy the district.
The streets were always bustling with energy, teeming with residents of Valhalla City and tourists from across the three nations.
As the younger cadets who had recently enrolled would put it, it was the “hottest” spot in Valhalla City.
“Um… Dale.”
“Hm?”
The silver-haired woman walking beside drew all the eyes around us as we strolled down the street.
Her silvery hair, braided as though woven from moonlight, was tied back in a neat ponytail.
She wore a skirt that revealed her pale, graceful legs and a blouse with a hint of cleavage showing.
It was Yurina.
Yurina, seemingly unaccustod to wearing skirts, gripped the hem nervously and looked at with concern.
“Do I… look weird?”
“Weird?”
Thanks to Iris’s help with light makeup, Yurina was breathtakingly beautiful—so much so that it was hard to catch my breath just looking at her.
“You look amazing.”
“R-Really?”
“Yeah. But…”
“But?”
If there was one downside…
She’s attracting way too much attention.
I directed a subtle but sharp glare toward the n ogling her with their jaws hanging open.
Startled as if scalded, they quickly recoiled and slunk away.
Clicking my tongue, I turned back to Yurina.
“Don’t you feel cold wearing that? It’s pretty chilly today.”
“Hehe. I’m fine.”
Fair enough.
Though she looked delicate, Yurina was a superhuman capable of tearing steel apart with her bare hands.
The winter chill wasn’t likely to faze her, even with her legs exposed.
“Still, just in case, we should stop by a clothing store later and get you so stockings.”
“Oh~ What’s this, Dale? Do you like stockings?”
“No, it’s not that.”
“Then you don’t like them?”
“...”
Sigh.
Stockings, huh?
I shook my head firmly.
“I have no particular interest in stockings.”
“Hmm, really?”
“Yes. I only suggested buying them because it’s winter, and they’d keep you warm. It’s purely for practical reasons and has no other….”
“Black or white—which do you prefer?”
“They each have their appeal. Black stockings highlight a sense of sophistication, while white stockings exude purity. It’s hard to choose between the two. Personally, if they’re slightly see-through, like when wet, white stockings are charming. In everyday situations, black stockings tend to be more alluring. Considering we’re not near any water today, I’d say black stockings would be a more classically….”
Wait.
“D-Dale… you really do like stockings, huh?”
“N-No! That’s not it!!!”
“Hehe. Got it. I’ll buy a pair and wear them later.”
“Ugh…!”
Yurina smiled sweetly and nodded as if she’d reached her own conclusion.
Despite my best efforts to clear up the misunderstanding, Yurina only responded with a knowing “Ah, I see~” expression and refused to budge.
“…Damn it.”
“So, Dale, have you thought about where we’re going today?”
“Hmm…”
Sowhere suitable for a date, huh?
When I’d gone out with Iris before, we’d gone to the movies, but that wasn’t an option this ti.
The purpose of today’s outing wasn’t a simple date—it was to track down a suspicious masked group that had been making waves lately.
“For now, let’s stick to crowded areas.”
“Hmm… wouldn’t demons prefer hiding in less populated places?”
“That’s likely, but crowded areas make it easier to observe movents.”
Besides, there was sothing I hadn’t told Yurina yet.
The mysterious masked group we were looking for might include not just demons but also “heroes.”
If they’re not all demons, there’s no reason for them to avoid public places.
Drawing on my mana, I heightened my sensory perception and scanned the bustling streets.
“Anywhere you want to go, Yurina?”
“Hmm. Nothing specific cos to mind. Hehe, this is my first date, after all.”
Yurina scratched her head shyly and laughed.
Stifling a chuckle, I started walking.
“Then let’s just stroll for now.”
“Okay!”
Matching my pace to hers, we began leisurely exploring the streets.
“…Hey, Dale.”
“Yeah?”
“It’s… getting really cold, isn’t it?”
“Well… it is winter.”
“Right? And, um… maybe it’s because it’s winter, but my hands are feeling a bit cold.”
With that, she hesitantly extended her pale hands, which had been tucked into her pockets.
Suppressing a grin, I glanced down at her hands, which seed to be making a strong case of their own.
“That’s funny… I think I heard soone say she wasn’t cold earlier.”
“Ugh…”
“Haha. I’m kidding.”
I took her outstretched hand in mine.
Although Yurina’s superhuman body didn’t seem to register the cold, holding hands like this made feel warr, sohow.
“Hehe. It’s warm.”
Yurina smiled softly and tightened her grip on my hand.
Thus began our not-quite-a-date undercover investigation.
As a seemingly ordinary couple blending into the crowd, Yurina and I road the bustling streets of Valhalla City, keeping a sharp eye out.
“Hmm. Just looking like this, I can’t tell anything at all.”
Although I was heightening my sensory perception with magic, it was hard to single out a suspicious individual from the hundreds or thousands of people walking through the streets.
"Don't rush. Let's take our ti looking. Professor Elisha said it might not be easy to find them in just one day."
"Yeah."
As I continued walking through the streets, holding Yurina's hand.
"...Ah."
Yurina suddenly stopped in her tracks.
"What's wrong?"
"...Dale, do you want to go in there?"
The place Yurina pointed to was a clothing store in the busy shopping district.
It was the sa store we had visited the first ti we snuck out of school and ventured into Valhalla City.
"Wow, this brings back mories."
"Hehe. Right? It feels like ages ago, even though it wasn't that long."
"Back then, I didn't even know you were a girl."
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Thinking about it, so much had happened in just these past few months.
"Let's go in."
"Okay!"
Ding.
As we opened the door, a small bell chid pleasantly.
"Dale, over here."
Yurina pulled by the hand to the won's clothing section—an area we hadn't explored on our previous visit.
'Co to think of it, she was staring at the won's section back then too.'
At the ti, I didn't know that Yurina's true identity was disguised as 'Yuren,' so I had found her lingering gaze towards the won's clothing section a bit odd.
Now, understanding how she must have felt back then, a pang of emotion tugged at my chest.
"Wow..."
Her eyes sparkled with excitent as she browsed the racks of won's clothing.
"It was always my dream to co here and buy clothes."
"...The won's section?"
"Yeah. Back when I was 'Yuren,' I couldn't buy the clothes I wanted, even if I saw sothing I liked."
"......"
To call it a dream might seem like an exaggeration, but for soone like her—forced to live as 'Yuren'—it must have been an unattainable wish.
Swallowing my wry smile, I tugged on her hand gently.
"Pick whatever you like. I'll buy it all for you."
"Oh, no. I have enough money to buy my own clothes—"
"I want to gift it to you."
"Ugh... then I'll really pick sothing I like, okay?"
"Please do, my lady."
I exaggerated my movents as if escorting a noblewoman—which, in fairness, she was—and Yurina burst into laughter.
"What's so funny?"
"Ahaha. It doesn't suit you at all, Dale."
"Ugh."
"But... thank you."
Still chuckling, Yurina let herself be led toward the racks, moving lightly as if her feet barely touched the ground.
"Oh, right."
Suddenly, she turned around, a playful glint in her eyes as she winked.
"I'll get so stockings you like too. Black ones."
"......"
No, I don't like them, but she keeps insisting.
"In that case, why not grab so white ones too? You never know when they might co in handy."
"...Dale."
Why did it feel like her gaze toward suddenly turned a little colder?
"That'll be 1,270 gold in total."
"..."
One thing I learned from buying won's clothes was how absurdly expensive they were compared to n's clothing.
'How can just a few items add up to over a thousand gold?'
Wearing a ten-gold shirt myself, I couldn't help but feel conflicted about the price.
"Thanks, Dale. I'll wear them well."
"It's nothing."
Though pricey, it was nothing compared to the gold I earned from selling Behemoth materials.
"Wait outside, Dale. I have sothing else to buy."
"Huh? I said I’d buy everything for you."
"Ah, no, it’s just..."
Blushing, Yurina glanced toward a section of the store.
It was the lingerie section.
"...Ah."
No matter how close we were, buying underwear for her would definitely feel awkward.
"Got it. I'll wait outside."
"Y-Yeah! I’ll be quick!"
Yurina hurried off toward the lingerie section.
A few minutes passed as I waited outside.
‘She’s taking a while.’
Sitting on a bench outside the store, I glanced inside, but Yurina was out of sight—probably because she was in the lingerie section.
‘Well... it’s probably her first ti shopping for those.’
Recalling the short ti we had lived together, I rembered that Yurina had very few won’s undergarnts.
Most of the ti, she was in her disguised form as 'Yuren,' only reverting to her true self before bed, so she didn’t really need many.
The ones I had seen while doing laundry were simple, functional sportswear.
‘She’s probably taking her ti choosing proper ones for the first ti.’
I didn’t know much about won’s underwear, but I imagined it would take more ti than just picking a size like n typically did.
At that mont.
Ding.
The bell chid as soone exited the store.
Thinking it might be Yurina, I turned my head—but it was a store clerk, carrying a large trash bag as she stepped out to empty the bins.
She caught my gaze and smiled.
"Excuse ."
"Yes?"
"Are you perhaps the boyfriend of the young lady in the lingerie section? The one with silver hair?"
"Ah, yes. That’s ."
"Ah, I see."
She gave a once-over and nodded knowingly.
"Why do you ask?"
"Oh, nothing, really..."
The clerk glanced back into the store before giving a sly smile and a thumbs-up.
"Tonight’s going to be a night to rember."
"......"
What on earth did she buy?
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