Chapter 203

Chapter 203. The Traitors (4)

The commercial district of Valhalla City.

It was the place with the highest foot traffic in the vast Valhalla City, where various cultures and goods from the three nations were mixed together.

It was also the most popular spot for candidate couples on weekend outings, and even if they weren’t candidates, the street was always bustling with residents of Valhalla City and tourists from all over the three nations.

According to the expressions of the newly enrolled young candidates, it was the “hottest” spot in Valhalla City.

“Umm… D-Dale.”

“Yeah?”

A silver-haired woman walking down the street, drawing the gazes of everyone around her.

Yurina, with her moonlight-like silver hair tied tightly behind her, wearing a skirt that revealed her pale legs and a blouse that slightly exposed her cleavage.

Yurina, seemingly unfamiliar with the skirt, held the hem with her hand and looked at me with a worried expression.

“Do I… l-look weird?”

“Weird? Yeah.”

With the help of Iris, Yurina had even applied light makeup, and she was so beautiful that it was breathtaking just to look at her.

“It suits you.”

“R-Really?”

“Mhm. But…”

“But?”

There was one downside.

‘She attracts too much attention.’

I subtly glared at the men who were staring at Yurina with wide eyes.

The men, startled as if burned, quickly backed away.

I clicked my tongue and turned back to Yurina.

“Aren’t you cold dressed like that? It’s pretty chilly today.”

“Hehe. I’m fine.”

Well.

Despite her delicate appearance, Yurina was a superhuman who could tear steel apart with her bare hands.

She probably wouldn’t feel the cold just from exposing her legs in winter.

“Still, just in case, let’s buy some stockings later at a clothing store.”

“Oh~ What’s this, Dale? Do you like stockings?”

“No, it’s not that I like them.”

“Then you don’t like them?”

“……”

Hah.

Asking if I like stockings?

I shook my head firmly.

“I have no interest in stockings.”

“Hmm, really?”

“Really. I only suggested buying stockings because it’s winter and for warmth, not for any other reason…”

“Which do you prefer, black or white?”

“Well, both have their own charm. Black stockings highlight a mature beauty, while white stockings emphasize a pure and fresh look. It’s hard to say which is better. Personally, I think white stockings are more appealing when slightly wet and translucent, but in general situations, black stockings are more attractive. Since we’re not going near the water today, the classic black would be better…”

Gasp.

“D-Dale… You really do like stockings…”

“N-No! That’s not it!!!”

“Hehe. Got it. I’ll buy a pair and wear them later.”

“Ugh…!”

Yurina nodded with a bright smile.

I tried my best to clear up her misunderstanding, but she just nodded with a “Uh-huh. Sure~” expression, completely ignoring my efforts.

“…Damn it.”

“By the way, Dale, have you thought about where we’re going today?”

“Well…”

As for places to go on a date…

When I went out with Iris before, we went to the movies, but that wasn’t an option now.

The purpose of this date was to find the suspicious masked group that had been acting strangely lately.

“Let’s start by checking out the crowded areas.”

“Hmm… Wouldn’t the Mains usually hide in less populated areas?”

“That’s likely, but it’s easier to observe people’s movements in crowded places.”

And there was something I hadn’t told Yurina yet.

The mysterious masked group we were looking for might not just consist of Mains—there could be a “Hero” among them.

‘If the opponent is a Main, there’s no reason for them to hide in inconspicuous places.’

I heightened my senses by drawing on my magic power and scanned the bustling street.

“Is there anywhere you want to go, Yurina?”

“Hmm. Nothing comes to mind right away. Hehe. This is my first date too.”

Yurina scratched her head and smiled shyly.

I stifled a laugh and started walking.

“Then let’s just walk together for now.”

“Okay!”

As we strolled down the street, matching Yurina’s pace.

“…Hey, Dale.”

“Yeah?”

“Is it getting really cold lately? Right?”

“Well… It is winter now.”

“Mhm. Right? So… it’s because of winter? My hands are a bit cold.”

As she said this, Yurina fidgeted and pulled her white hands out of her pockets.

I stifled a laugh and looked down at her hands, which were making a strong case.

“Strange… I thought I heard someone say they weren’t cold earlier.”

“Eek…”

“Haha. Just kidding.”

I took Yurina’s outstretched hand.

Thanks to her superhuman physique, she didn’t really feel the cold, but holding her hand still made me feel warmer.

“Hehe. It’s warm.”

Yurina smiled brightly and squeezed my hand tighter.

And so began our date… or rather, our undercover investigation.

Yurina and I blended into the crowd as an ordinary couple, scanning the streets of Valhalla City.

“Hmm. I can’t figure anything out like this.”

Even though I had heightened my senses with magic power, it was difficult to pinpoint anyone suspicious among the hundreds, if not thousands, of people passing by.

“Let’s take our time. Professor Elisha said it would be hard to find anything in just one day.”

“Okay.”

As we continued walking hand in hand.

“…Oh.”

Yurina suddenly stopped in her tracks.

“What’s wrong?”

“…Dale, want to go in there?”

Yurina pointed to a clothing store in the bustling area.

It was the same store we had visited when we sneaked out of school and came to Valhalla City.

“Wow, memories.”

“Hehe. Right? It wasn’t that long ago, but… it feels like ages.”

“That was back when I didn’t even know you were a girl.”

Thinking about it, so much had happened in just a few months.

“Let’s go in.”

“Okay!”

Ding.

As we opened the store door, a clear bell rang out.

“Dale, over here.”

Yurina led me to the women’s clothing section.

We hadn’t gone there last time.

‘Come to think of it, Yurina was staring at the women’s clothing section back then.’

At the time, I didn’t know that Yuren was actually Yurina, so I thought it was strange that she was staring at the women’s clothing section.

But now, thinking about how she must have felt back then, my heart ached.

“Wow…”

Yurina’s eyes sparkled as she looked at the clothes displayed in the women’s clothing section.

“I’ve always dreamed of coming here to buy clothes.”

“…The women’s clothing section?”

“Yeah. When I was ‘Yuren,’ I couldn’t buy the clothes I wanted even if I wanted to.”

“……”

It was such a simple dream, but for her, who had to live as “Yuren,” it was an unattainable dream.

I swallowed a bitter smile and pulled Yurina’s hand.

“Pick out whatever you want. I’ll buy it for you.”

“Ah, no. I have enough money to buy clothes…”

“I want to give it to you as a gift.”

“Umm… Then I’ll really pick whatever I want?”

“Go ahead, miss.”

I held her hand with exaggerated movements, as if escorting a noble lady (which she actually was), and Yurina burst into laughter.

“Why are you laughing?”

“Pfft. It doesn’t suit you at all, Dale.”

“Ugh.”

“But… thank you.”

Yurina, accepting my clumsy escort, walked gracefully toward the clothes.

“Oh, right.”

As if remembering something, Yurina turned to me and winked.

“I’ll buy the stockings you like and wear them. Black ones.”

“……”

No.

I said I don’t like them, but she keeps bringing it up.

“Let’s buy a white pair too while we’re at it. You might need them later.”

“…Dale.”

For some reason.

Yurina’s gaze felt a bit cold.

* * *

“That will be 1,270 gold in total.”

“……”

One thing I learned while buying women’s clothes was that they were incomparably more expensive than men’s clothes.

‘What, just a few pieces and it’s over a thousand gold?’

As someone who wears 10-gold shirts, the price was quite shocking.

“Thank you, Dale. I’ll wear them well.”

“It’s nothing.”

Though expensive, considering the gold I had earned from selling Behemoth byproducts, this amount was nothing.

“I’ll go out first, Dale. I have something else to buy.”

“Huh? I said I’d buy everything for you.”

“Ah, no, it’s…”

Yurina blushed and glanced to the side.

There was a separate corner for women’s lingerie.

“…Ah.”

Even so, it would feel weird for someone else to buy her underwear.

“Got it. I’ll wait outside then.”

“O-Okay! I’ll be out soon!”

Yurina hurriedly headed to the lingerie corner.

After waiting outside for a few minutes.

‘She’s taking a while.’

I sat on the bench in front of the store and glanced inside.

Perhaps because it was the lingerie corner, I couldn’t see Yurina from outside.

‘Well… it’s her first time in the lingerie corner.’

Thinking back to when we briefly lived together, Yurina didn’t have many women’s underwear.

Since she usually wore a pendant and acted as Yuren, only returning to her original form before bed, she didn’t need much underwear.

The only underwear I had seen while doing laundry were functional ones for exercise.

‘Since it’s her first time picking out proper lingerie instead of functional ones, it’s understandable that it’s taking a while.’

I don’t know much about women’s underwear since I’ve never picked any out, but it would naturally take longer than men who just pick based on size.

Then.

Ding.

The bell rang as the store door opened.

Thinking it was Yurina, I turned my head, but it was a female employee who came out.

The employee, carrying a large trash bag, probably to empty the trash bin next to the bench, made eye contact with me.

“Ah… excuse me.”

“Yes?”

“Are you the boyfriend of the person in the lingerie corner? The one with silver hair…”

“Ah, yes. That’s me.”

“I see.”

The employee nodded, looking me up and down.

“Is something wrong?”

“No, it’s just…”

The employee glanced inside the store, then smirked and gave me a thumbs up.

“Look forward to tonight.”

“……”

What kind of lingerie did she buy?