It was a day off from the Academy, yet I’d woken up unusually early for once.
“...Do we really have to go?” Fia asked in a small voice from across the table.
Her pale pink hair was neatly groomed, and she was dressed in a gown meant for outings. She still seemed a bit nervous, her fingertips fidgeting restlessly.
“We’re going. You’re the one who decided you wanted to, right, Fia?”
At my words, Fia gave a small, slow nod.
Yuka performed a final check. “I will have Tarinuka stand by in the rear as a guard. If the crowds become too dense, we will return immediately.”
“A bit overprotective, don't you think? We’re just going out for a bit.”
Yuka and my mother tended to exaggerate things. But then again, I did once get lost in a back alley and accidentally stumble into a slave deal... so I guess it’s my own fault. Since Fia was with us this time, being overly cautious was probably for the best.
“...With Master.” Fia whispered softly, reaching out to take my hand.
I squeezed her small hand back. “Yeah. Let’s both do our best not to get lost.”
Just that simple interaction was enough to make my chest feel a little warmer.
We traveled by carriage to the Royal Capital’s Central District. Since it was a holiday, the city was bustling with life. There was the sweet scent of baked goods in the air, the shouts of street vendors, and stalls lined with colorful fabrics and ornaments.
“...Amazing.” Fia’s eyes sparkled with wonder.
I felt a wave of relief seeing that reaction. She didn't look frightened like before; she was actually looking around and showing genuine interest in the world.
“Shall we look at some clothes first?”
“...Clothes?”
Yuka quietly interjected. “...Luka-sama, are you sure about this?”
“...Can I choose?” Fia asked.
“Of course.”
Fia hesitated for a moment, then tightly gripped my sleeve. “...Together.”
“Sure.”
When we entered a small shop, soft light was streaming through the windows. The shopkeeper welcomed us with a smile. Yuka stayed by Fia’s side to help her pick out outfits while Tarinuka and I watched over them.
“It’s peaceful. Heartwarming, even.”
“I understand the sentiment, Young Master,” Tarinuka agreed.
It was a perfectly normal holiday where nothing was happening. Or so it should have been.
In the back of the shop, through the reflection of a mirror, I felt our eyes meet for a fraction of a second.
A stranger in a black robe.
It felt rude to judge, but he looked completely out of place. He carried an eerie atmosphere that felt wrong in a clothing store. He immediately averted his gaze, left the shop, and vanished into the street.
...Was it just my imagination? A tiny thorn of unease pricked the back of my mind.
“Master?” Fia peered up at me concernedly.
“...No, it’s nothing.” I laughed it off.
Today was a holiday—a joyful day where Fia could finally enjoy shopping. That was all that mattered. Right?
I looked out the window, past the crowd. The man from earlier was nowhere to be seen.
In the end, although Fia tried on several outfits, she eventually shook her head.
“...I don't need them,” she whispered in front of the mirror.
It wasn't that they didn't suit her. In fact, she looked startlingly cute. But compared to her usual maid uniform, she seemed to feel restless in fancy clothes.
“You don't have to force yourself to pick anything.”
When I said that, Fia returned to my side looking relieved.
“The usual is fine.”
“...I suppose I agree with that,” I said.
Tarinuka chuckled. Why though? Maid outfits are objectively adorable.
Leaving the shop, we returned to the busy street. As we walked past the row of stalls, Fia suddenly stopped.
Her gaze was fixed on a small accessory stand. Various colorful hair ties and ornaments were lined up there. They weren't anything grand like expensive jewelry, but at the end of a neatly braided cord, a small silver ornament dangled.
Fia didn't say a word. She just stared at it intently.
Now this... this was exactly what I’d been waiting for.
“Fia?”
“...Pretty.” Her voice was a hesitant murmur.
She never said she wanted it. She didn't even reach out for it. She just watched. She really could afford to be a bit more selfish, honestly.
“Wait here a second.”
I approached the stall. “Could I see that one?”
The shopkeeper smiled brightly and handed it over. It was a pale pink cord with a small silver flower ornament. It caught the light, swaying with a modest shimmer. The design was beautiful without being too flashy. Having this kind of taste at her age—I looked forward to her future. I thought it would look perfect in Fia’s hair.
“I’ll take this.”
“Much obliged!”
When I returned, Fia’s eyes went wide.
“...?”
“Here, sit down for a moment.” I had her sit on the edge of a nearby fountain.
Yuka took a step back and watched quietly. With somewhat clumsy hands, I gathered Fia’s hair. It felt soft and fine, slipping through my fingers.
“Stay still, okay?”
“...Okay.”
I tied the cord. It might have been a bit misshapen since I’d never done this before, but I tied it firmly so it wouldn't come loose. Finally, the silver ornament swayed into place.
“There, finished.”
Fia timidly looked up. Her swaying pink hair now featured a small silver flower blooming within it.
“...Is it pretty?”
“Yeah. Very.”
Fia looked blank for a moment. Then, she slowly smiled. it was a much more natural smile than any she’d shown before.
Breaking news: an actual angel has been spotted in my immediate vicinity.
“...Thank you, Master.”
Her voice resonated strangely in my chest. This was a smile I wanted to protect. It wasn't some grand, dramatic resolution, but I simply didn't want this smile to ever be clouded.
Suddenly, at the corner of my vision, I saw that black shadow again across the street. I felt like he was watching us from within the crowd. The next moment, he vanished behind someone’s back.
...As I thought, it wasn't my imagination. I didn't sign up for horror in my isekai life.
“Luka-sama?” Yuka called out.
I looked away and smiled. “...Shall we head back? It’s getting crowded.”
Fia nodded innocently. The silver flower swayed, catching the sunlight. It was beautiful, yet it possessed a fragility that felt as if it might break at any moment.