“We’re back.”
Clara and “Squire” returned to their seats in the hotpot restaurant.
Even though Clara knew that “Squire” was actually Minister Mostima in disguise, she still felt that something was a little off.
“Hey, you two were gone way too long!”
As soon as they sat down, Lucia’s small face turned toward them.
“There’s a whole table piled high with meat! Miss Fran and I can’t possibly eat it all ourselves!”
Not just the table, but even Clara’s and “Squire’s” bowls were stacked with meat.
However, since all of it came from the coconut milk broth and hadn’t been dipped in any sauces, it suited their preference for lighter flavors.
Still, with only meat to eat, it couldn’t really be called “light.”
Only Clara knew that Lucia’s simple love of eating lots of meat came from her childhood, when she rarely got the chance.
“Lucia, have some vegetables too, won’t you? Only eating meat isn’t healthy. When are you going to break this bad habit?”
Apparently, Clara wasn’t the only one who knew.
“Squire” put on the airs of an older brother and started lecturing, poking Lucia’s forehead with one of his squid tentacles. Such sibling-like antics made Clara turn to look, and even knowing it was really Mostima, she couldn’t help but feel a little unsettled…
I’m supposed to be the big brother here. Mostima’s going too far.
Come to think of it, how does he even know about stuff like this?
“Hehe, don’t worry, bro! I’m a student in the Hero Program! We do physical training every day, so I’m plenty healthy!”
Lucia said this as she bent her arm, patting her own biceps.
Clara frowned and shoveled some meat into her mouth.
After being served so much food, when the two returned to the table, they naturally didn’t have time to chat. They just buried their heads and ate as fast as they could, though “Squire” still ate faster than Clara, who was just a little girl.
Lucia, in a great mood, continued,
“Ha, big brother and Miss Clara really are alike….”
“Squire” didn’t respond, but used the suction-cup tip of a tentacle by his head to pat Lucia on the head.
Fran, who saw through everything, just smiled quietly at the side, as if enjoying Clara’s reactions.
When most of the food on the table had been finished off, Fran spoke up,
“Mister, after we eat, are you going to come shopping for swimsuits with us? That was our original plan for today~”
“Swimsuits?”
Having always stayed in the Prison Department, Mostima was quite unfamiliar with the term.
“Yeah~ In a little while, our company is, well, I guess you’d call it team building? We’re going to have some fun at the newly-built seaside resort, so swimsuits are a must.”
Although Lucia explained it like that, even she wasn’t too comfortable with that kind of clothing.
Clara retorted,
“Wait, you’re letting him come with us to buy swimsuits? Isn’t that a bad idea?”
What Clara minded wasn’t Mostima himself—talking about gender roles with a fungus monster was pointless.
What she cared about was Mostima, in “Squire’s” identity, accompanying three girls to shop for clothes.
Whenever a monster went out, discrimination was inevitable. From a bystander’s perspective, “Squire” would definitely attract attention, maybe even get refused entry to the swimsuit section or something like that…
And in the end, it wouldn’t be Mostima who lost face, but “Squire,” Lucia’s “older brother!”
So, Clara shot “Squire” meaningful looks, trying to get Mostima to understand her point, but he simply nodded in response.
“Mhm, I have no problem with it.”
Great, Mostima didn’t get Clara’s hint at all.
“Sigh, can’t she just find a reason to go home first?”
Clara muttered quietly.
But seeing Lucia grinning from ear to ear, she didn’t have the heart to say more…
Lucia had been in Central City for quite a while, but this was the first time Clara had seen her so happy.
In the city’s commercial district, the selection of goods was, of course, complete—there were even specialty swimsuit shops, though the prices seemed to match what Clara expected of the city center.
“Don’t worry, all of this can be reimbursed~”
Fran slung her arm over Clara’s shoulders and pushed her into this forbidden zone for men.
“It’s… it’s not about the money,” Clara mumbled, her face turning red like a shy adolescent boy.
But “Squire” didn’t hesitate at all, following them in and even picking through the racks like a regular customer, as if he were seriously choosing a swimsuit.
…Wait, is it really okay for him to be in here? Clara tugged on Fran’s sleeve and whispered her question.
“Swimsuits aren’t worn in here, so what’s wrong with men seeing them?” Fran shrugged nonchalantly. “Besides, swimsuits and underwear can’t be tried on anyway. Since there’s no fitting room, of course men aren’t strictly banned from the area. Not to mention, some guys are here to pick out gifts for their girlfriends. Are they supposed to be kicked out too?”
Even though Fran said that, all around them came curious, uncomfortable stares.
Just like monsters were technically legal but still faced discrimination, even if there weren’t explicit rules, men in the women’s swimwear section still attracted scornful looks.
Worse still, this particular “man” happened to be a monster.
The double dose of disdain was almost a physical prickling sensation. But it didn’t bother “Squire”—Mostima couldn’t care less. Instead, it was Clara who felt like she couldn’t breathe.
“Don’t stress about it~ You’re not Squire right now. Just pick out your swimsuit.”
Even with Fran’s reassurance, Clara felt pressured just looking at the fancy price tags on the swimsuits.
This had nothing to do with reimbursement; after years of poverty, the little Miss Squid stared at pieces of cloth that cost as much as her monthly salary and couldn’t help but feel uneasy…
Fran, meanwhile, simply gave objective assessments of the swimsuits.
“Oh? These swimsuits are all cleverly designed. No wonder they sell for this price~”
“Hm? Clever how?”
Clara asked, and “Squire” leaned in from behind to listen too.
Fran picked up an obviously unsuitable two-piece and held it up to Clara, explaining as she demonstrated, “Take this bikini for example—if you tug on this string here… haha, the skirt pops out from the bottom and it turns from a bikini into a mini-skirt!”
No idea what technology they used, but what looked like a string on the bikini bottom was actually a mechanism to control the skirt’s length.
“Clever, but… there isn’t much difference between a mini-skirt and a bikini, is there?”
Clara was uninterested—no way would she ever wear that herself.
She thought Fran would put the swimsuit back, but Fran just kept it in hand.
“You’re not thinking of wearing that, are you?!”
“Mm-hmm? Why not?”
Maybe Fran’s figure could pull off a bikini?
Clara decided not to comment and turned instead to ask,
“Has Lucia picked one out?”
“Ah? I-I’ll just go with a one-piece!”
Overwhelmed by the dizzying array of swimsuits, Lucia was lost, unable to tell which suited her best.
“Squire” chose this moment to speak up.
“Hey, look! There’s a mirror over here you can use to try them on.”
“Squire” was standing in front of a mirror.
It was an in-store fitting device. According to the instructions posted above, all you had to do was stand before the mirror with a swimsuit, and it would scan you and instantly project an image of you wearing it.
And as it happened, “Squire” was holding a bikini.
So when the scanner beam swept down from above, the mirror displayed—
An image that made Clara’s vision go dark.
Yikes.