Guided by a Crimson Fang member, Elis arrived at the changing room. After receiving a brief explanation of the facilities, she selected an outfit that fit her from the rows of clothing sorted by size and began to change.
The personal attendant who had accompanied her was a woman who took great pride in her professional conduct as a maid. She preferred to remain in the background and almost never participated in such activities alongside her mistress. While she would respond to small talk or engage in casual conversation if Elis desired, she was the type to maintain a respectful distance otherwise. True to form, she had politely declined the invitations from Kaito and the Dragon King’s subordinates and was currently waiting outside the changing room.
Since her current attire was intended for the city streets and did not require assistance to remove, Elis utilized a locker and changed her clothes herself without concern.
(It is not skin-tight, but rather a design with a comfortable amount of leeway, made from a material with excellent elasticity and breathability. Rather than being designed for intense, short-term bursts of activity like a competitive sport, perhaps these are intended for sustaining lighter exercise over a longer duration? They are very easy to move in, and the lack of ornamentation is actually quite practical for athletic wear. Overall, this is an excellent garment.)
The clothing provided was a jersey, an item inspired by Kaito’s stories. For Elis, it was a quite unusual type of attire, but she found it highly suited for physical activity and continued changing with a sense of admiration.
(Long pants and above-the-knee pants... I imagine the shorter ones are suited for more intense exercise? I do not intend to train that seriously today, and simply because they expose a great deal of skin, I shall choose the long ones for now. If I were to wear the short ones, it might be wise to prepare dark-colored tights or something similar to maintain a level of modesty.)
Once she finished changing into the jersey, she tied her semi-long hair into a short ponytail to keep it out of the way. She stowed her discarded clothes in her Magic Box, stepped out of the changing room, and reunited with Kaito.
"My apologies. Did I keep you waiting long?"
"No, I only just got here myself. Elis-san, that hairstyle suits you well. You have an overall air of refinement—you even make a jersey look elegant. It’s impressive."
"Thank you for your kind words. Kaito-sama, seeing you in such different attire is also quite wonderful. By the way, is 'jersey' the name for this outfit? It is my first time wearing one, but it is remarkably easy to move in."
"Back in the world I came from, it’s what people usually wear when they exercise. Like you said, they’re very functional, so people who aren't interested in fashion sometimes use them as everyday casual wear."
"I see. I feel as though my horizons are broadening."
Elis, who frequently moved in high social circles, was well-versed in the art of giving and receiving compliments. She accepted Kaito’s praise with a smile and returned the favor, naturally keeping the conversation flowing.
To Kaito, this only reinforced his impression of her as someone "easy to talk to." The accumulation of these small interactions was precisely why he felt so comfortable around her—a fact that led him to unintentionally drag her into world-shaking events. Elis often wondered why she was being favored this much, but the "favor" usually came bundled with immense stress and stomach pains. It was a cycle she had yet to truly understand.
"Now then, you two, please come this way. Allow me to give you a brief tour of the facility first."
With that, Namyl began explaining the layout of the building. Kaito and Elis followed behind her, observing the various rooms. For Kaito, many of the features were similar to the gym equipment he remembered, so the novelty was limited. For Elis, however, it was a fascinating sight, and she wore an expression of deep curiosity.
(In addition to the magic tools for light exercise like the ones we keep at home, there are expensive magic tools here capable of applying high loads through magic power. This suggests that the facility is designed for both casual activity and serious training. If that is the case, they are likely targeting a broad demographic. Not just ordinary citizens, but perhaps adventurers as well?)
Being a brilliant woman who managed several businesses herself, Elis let her thoughts race as she analyzed the facility’s potential.
"It seems one can perform a vast range of exercises here."
"Yeah, exactly. We have equipment for beginners to do light work, but we also have facilities for high-load training that’s hard to do on your own. It’s all calibrated for humankind, though, so it wouldn't really serve as a workout for a Peerage-class High-ranking Demon."
"From what I heard from Flare-san, she apparently plans to build a gym where even harder training can be done, depending on how this goes?"
"Yeah, Anego intends to do that... but Anego's idea of 'hard' is insanely crazy. Her version of a tough workout is basically a level where you’d normally die. Dialing that back for others is a real struggle. Oh, and please don't tell Anego I said that."
While answering their questions, Namyl finished the general tour and led them toward the area where they would actually begin testing the equipment.
Serious-senpai: "Hard training that even her subordinates consider crazy... Well, I suppose that’s perfectly in character for Needsveld."
???: "She doesn't force it on her subordinates and treats it as self-improvement, though. Compared to that Gorilla who regularly kills and resurrects his men during the training process, she’s actually quite gentle."