Let’s go shopping

“Asuru-san.”

“What’s the matter, Eve?”

Dusk was beginning to fall…
The majority of the workers in this town were either heading home, going out for drinks, or perhaps returning to their cramped beds.

Eve and I were walking through this crowd, looking for a place to stay for the night, when suddenly Eve stopped beside me and looked up at me.

“I’ve been feeling the eyes on us since earlier.”

“I see…”

In response to Eve’s words, I returned a wry smile.
Even as we stand still and talk, men passing by on the road continue to gaze at her - but that’s unavoidable.

“That’s because Eve looks incredibly cute.”

I straightforwardly explained the reason to her.

“Cute, you think?”

Eve, now with her hair dyed completely black, simply tilted her head in her usual expressionless manner.

“Exactly.”

I affirmed while internally praising the skill of the shop owner I had met earlier.
Five years ago, I heard that if you wanted to choose women’s clothing in this town, that shop was the place to go, but this exceeded all expectations.

I gaze at Eve’s appearance.
There, she had discarded her usual ancient-style clothing and donned a new attire.

The overall fabric used is thin, yet the details are meticulously embroidered and adorned with decorations, maintaining a sense of luxury.
The hem is short, allowing easy movements, but on the other hand, she is wearing sturdy boots that cover up to the middle of her thighs.
As a result, between the hem and the boots, there existed an absolute territory showing pure white skin… This concept, which I, a mere fool, could not have conceived.

It not only reveals or conceals but artfully presents a delicate charm in a perfect balance…
This might be a bit dazzling for Urones’s men, who are hungry for stimulation in every sense.
Well, as someone walking alongside an extraordinary beauty, my pride swells quite a bit!

While pondering such thoughts…
A faint vibration occurred in my pocket.

I moved to the corner of the road, making sure no one could see, and took it out.
Its true identity was - a mobile terminal.

A folding design where the upper part serves as a display and the lower part as physical keys…
As we set off on this two-person journey, it was produced using ‘Mamiya’ manufacturing facilities.
Although it seems pretty primitive as a mobile device, the choice was prioritizing durability and user-friendliness.
The ten of us use this device to stay in touch no matter how far we are from each other.

I operated the physical keys and just now read the message that was sent.

“Asuru-sama…
According to the schedule, it’s about time for you to arrive in the town of Urones. Are there any issues?
No, there shouldn’t be any problems…
I am confident that there won’t be any problems with the city’s women, especially not with Eve-san.”

Scary!

“N-No…”

Shaking with fear as if being watched from a distant Land of Death, I quickly finish writing my reply.

…Yes, on the way back, I’ll stop by that shop again and have Uruka’s clothes taken care of! Definitely going to do that!

With a firm resolve, I put away my device.

“Regarding our earlier conversation, is it necessary to change into a cute outfit?
Objectively speaking, it seems that the normal uniform I always wear is far more functional and sturdy.”

“Well, it’s not necessary to become cute.
It’s more of an extra; the crucial point is to avoid standing out.”

I answer Eve, who stands beside me and collects the gazes of those around me.

“I asked you to not change your hair into various colors like you usually do… It’s all part of that effort.
Anyway, Eve stands out.
I didn’t want to attract too much attention, so that’s why I obtained this outfit.”

“If that’s the case, would it have been possible to tailor clothes fitting for Eve at ‘Mamiya’?”

“No, that’s not possible…”

When presented with the idea that I already considered, I shook my head.

“‘Mamiya’ is versatile, but not omnipotent…
The clothes made there are too perfect, from sewing to everything.
So, no matter how much we tailor it to fit our civilization, there will be a sense of dissonance.
Ultimately, to blend in with the locals, using clothes obtained locally is the best approach.”

By the way, the attire I am wearing now is from the time I wandered the Land of Death for five years.
…but after thoroughly cleaning it inside ‘Mamiya,’ it looks spotless to the point where it’s hard to believe it was worn for five years.
I made it look slightly dirty in a way that seemed natural by stepping on it. That was my improvisation.

“I understand Asuru-san’s intention.
One more question, in this country, do transactions occur through bartering instead of using currency?”

“Huh?
It depends on the situation.”

They continued walking together, explaining while searching for an inn.

“In small villages and towns, bartering is common, but in big cities, it’s mostly currency payment.
The reason I paid with gemstones earlier is that I had exchanged most of my money for gems before heading to that place.
It was more convenient to carry that way.”

‘That place’ referred to the Land of Death.
I kept it vague to avoid any unwanted questions if someone asked.

“Is it Asuru-san’s secret stash?”

“Yes, precisely, it’s a secret savings.
After finding the relic, it will serve as the funds for a major undertaking.”

Well, after finding the relic - depending on the ability of ‘Mamiya,’ there could have been a way to return and reconcile with my father, or these jewels could have been of use…
In reality, the discovered abilities of ‘Mamiya’ far exceeded my expectations. As I mentioned to Eve before, there was no other path but to become an independent power.

“I understand the trading methods of this country.
Lastly, I have one more question.”

While walking side by side, Eve looked up at me.

“You mentioned that the purpose of this trip was shopping, but what do you plan to buy with the secret stash?”

“Huh? Did we not discuss that?”

“Yes.
You’ve been discussing this trip mostly with Uruka-sama and Banho-san.”

“I see. Then let me explain it again.”

Looking around, I continue speaking.
As a rough estimate, maybe around a third…?
Among the workers bustling on the street, there were many of the merchandise I was looking to purchase this time.

“What I am going to buy this time is…
Slaves.”

The city of Urones appears unchanged from five years ago when I visited it on my way to the Land of Death, making it seem like the place where one’s desires can be fulfilled.