Chapter 8 - shopping 2
After finishing the barbecue skewers, I looked at Amy.
"So... where are we going next?"
She placed a finger against her chin and thought for a moment before her eyes suddenly lit up.
"I know!"
She smiled brightly.
"Let’s buy some new clothes for you."
Then she clasped her hands together and added excitedly,
"And today, your big sister is in charge, okay?"
Seeing her enthusiasm, I could only smile helplessly.
"Alright."
"I’ll leave everything to you."
Amy beamed happily before taking the lead.
"Come on!"
Selena quietly followed behind us as we entered one of the largest clothing stores nearby.
The shop wasn’t very crowded, allowing Amy to walk straight to the owner.
"Hello."
"I’m looking for some clothes for my little brother."
"I’d like at least three sets."
"And money isn’t an issue."
"I want the highest quality you have."
The middle-aged shop owner looked up before immediately recognizing Amy.
Her face brightened.
"Oh, Young Miss Amy!"
"It’s been quite some time."
"How have you been?"
"I’ve been well."
Amy smiled politely.
The owner’s attention then shifted toward me.
"So this must be your little brother."
She smiled warmly.
"My, he’s quite handsome."
"And adorable too."
"We’ll have to find clothes worthy of such a cute young gentleman."
Amy nodded with satisfaction.
"Of course."
"But today, I’ll be choosing the outfits."
The owner chuckled.
"Very well."
"Let’s take his measurements first."
Seeing where this was going, I hurriedly raised my hand.
"Sister..."
"I prefer simple clothes."
"No complicated designs."
"And black or white is more than enough."
Unfortunately...
Amy and the shop owner simply exchanged amused smiles.
Amy gently patted my shoulder.
"What would you know about fashion, Gray?"
"Leave everything to us."
The shop owner nodded in agreement.
"Exactly."
"You’ll thank us later."
A bad feeling immediately crept down my spine.
"...Why do I suddenly feel like I’m in danger?"
Neither of them answered.
The shop owner quickly took my measurements before leading us deeper into the store.
Rows upon rows of high-quality outfits filled the room.
Some were elegant.
Others were casual.
Some looked incredibly comfortable.
I even spotted a few simple black outfits that immediately caught my attention.
Just as I reached for one—
Amy stopped me.
"No."
She picked up another outfit instead.
"This one."
"...But I like the black one."
"This one suits you better."
"..."
And then...
My nightmare began.
For the next hour, Amy continuously made me change clothes.
"This color matches your eyes."
"Too plain."
"This one makes you look cuter."
"Oh!"
"This one makes you look handsome."
"I like this jacket."
"No."
"Try this one instead."
Before I realized it, more than ten complete outfits had been purchased.
By the end, I felt mentally exhausted.
To make matters worse, even the shop owner had joined Amy’s side.
The two of them happily discussed colors, fabrics, and styles while occasionally talking about Mother and Amy’s recent visits to the city.
Meanwhile, Selena quietly stood guard nearby.
Although she remained expressionless as always, I could’ve sworn I saw the corners of her lips twitch once or twice.
Perhaps...
She was secretly enjoying my suffering.
After leaving the clothing store, we continued exploring the city.
We visited several weapon shops and stores specializing in magical artifacts.
Since I hadn’t awakened my affinity yet, there wasn’t much for me to buy.
Besides, Amy already possessed everything she needed for training.
So I simply admired the displays while listening to the shopkeepers explain the different weapons and magical tools.
By the time we finished sightseeing, I was completely exhausted.
Oddly enough...
Amy and Selena looked just as energetic as when we first arrived.
I sighed dramatically.
"Sister..."
"I’m tired."
"Can we go home now?"
Amy looked at my exhausted face before smiling softly.
"Alright."
"But let’s have lunch before we head back."
"We’ve already walked around enough."
I immediately nodded.
"Sounds good."
"I’m hungry too."
"Do you know a good restaurant?"
Amy thought for a moment before shaking her head.
"I know a few."
"But none of them are particularly special."
"We might as well choose one ourselves."
Just then, I remembered the third member of our group.
I turned toward Selena.
"What about you?"
"Do you know any good restaurants?"
She shook her head apologetically.
"I’m sorry, Young Master."
"I rarely spend time exploring the city."
"Most of my free time is devoted to training."
I nodded with understanding.
"Then let’s just wander around."
"It’ll be more fun that way."
As we strolled through the lively streets, my gaze suddenly landed on a large restaurant.
Steam drifted from the entrance while the aroma of spices filled the air.
A large wooden sign hung above the doorway.
Hot Pot Restaurant.
My eyes immediately lit up.
"Sister."
"Let’s eat there."
"It smells amazing."
Amy looked where I was pointing.
Her eyes sparkled.
"You really have good taste."
"It looks delicious."
"Let’s go."
She practically skipped toward the entrance.
Watching her like this always made me smile.
To outsiders, Amy Starlight was an elegant young lady.
A sword prodigy.
Cold.
Calm.
Untouchable.
But around me...
She acted like an ordinary older sister.
Honestly...
I preferred this version of her.
After entering the restaurant, we found an empty table.
Amy sat across from me.
Selena remained standing nearby out of habit.
Just as Amy reached for the menu, I stopped her.
"Selena."
She looked at me.
"Why don’t you eat with us?"
"You only had barbecue this morning, just like we did."
"Come join us."
Amy nodded immediately.
"That’s right."
"Stop standing there."
"If anything happens, Gray and I will take responsibility."
Selena looked genuinely surprised.
After hesitating for a few moments, she finally nodded.
"...Thank you."
She quietly took the seat beside us.
Amy picked up the menu.
"What kind of broth should we order?"
"Spicy?"
"Or normal?"
I thought for a moment.
"Let’s get half spicy and half normal."
"I have no idea how spicy the food here actually is."
Amy nodded.
"Good idea."
She handed me the menu.
"Order whatever you like."
I looked through it for a while before giving up.
"There are too many choices."
"I’ll just ask the server for recommendations."
Then I passed the menu to Selena.
"You should order your favorites too."
She nodded quietly.
When the server arrived, Amy ordered a half-spicy, half-original broth after asking about the spice level.
I asked for recommendations that paired well with spicy hot pot and chose several dishes that sounded delicious.
Amy ordered a few more.
Selena quietly selected her usual favorites.
Finally, the server asked about drinks.
Amy and I both ordered iced cola.
Selena ordered a beer.
Once everything had been arranged, we leaned back and waited for our food.
The atmosphere became peaceful.
I looked toward Amy and smiled.
"Thanks for bringing me into the city today."
She smiled back warmly.
"Anytime."
Judging from the happy smile on her face...
She had enjoyed today just as much as I had.