Flare-san must have taken a real shine to the concept. Ever since I first mentioned the idea of a gym to her, she had moved with startling speed to actually build one.
It wasn't just the facility, either; she had even manufactured the jerseys I’d described during her barrage of questions. Apparently, they were available for both rent and purchase.
The quality of these jerseys was remarkably high, and they were quite comfortable to move in. In fact, if they were for sale today, I was tempted to buy a few to take home. They seemed like they would be perfect for the morning jogs I did with Hina-chan.
The only problem was that I didn't know Hina-chan's size. Since this world included races with much larger builds even among humanoids, the sizing wasn't as simple as small, medium, or large. I wouldn't know for sure without her actually trying one on.
I had a rough idea of Hina-chan’s height, so I could probably pick out something close, but... how should I put this? Not that I was being lewd, but as a simple matter of fact, her chest was quite well-developed. It was possible she might need a size up to compensate. I decided I’d just bring her along next time and let her pick one out herself.
Speaking of jerseys, Elis-san looked surprisingly natural in hers. Perhaps it was because of her excellent posture and dignified air, but she seemed like the type of person who could look stylish in just about anything.
Even through the fabric of the gym clothes, it was clear she had curves in all the right places. I was fairly certain—no, I was positive—that Elis-san possessed an exceptional figure.
And that was likely maintained because she took great care to keep herself in shape on a daily basis.
Right now, she was doing some light stretching to loosen up before exercising. Watching her, I could see she had the air of someone well-acquainted with physical activity; she clearly made exercise a part of her regular routine.
She undoubtedly put in a massive amount of effort, yet the fact that she didn't flaunt it or act superior made her a truly admirable person. I felt a genuine sense of respect for her.
"Is my form... strange?"
"Oh, no, sorry! I just couldn't help but notice how naturally you move. You look like you're very accustomed to exercise."
As Elis-san tilted her head, noticing my gaze, I hurriedly offered an excuse. While I had no impure intentions and felt nothing but sincere respect, staring intently at a woman while she was stretching was dangerously close to sexual harassment.
After hearing my explanation, Elis-san wore a look of understanding and offered a gentle smile.
"Ah, I see... Certainly, given the common perception of noble daughters, it's only natural that I would appear to have no connection to such activities."
"It’s true that you have the air of a sheltered young lady, so it's hard to imagine you working up a sweat... But if I think about it, you have to dance at balls and maintain your figure to wear dresses beautifully. It wouldn't be strange at all for a noble to exercise daily."
"That's right. Of course, there are noble ladies who are completely hopeless at exercise, just as you imagine, Kaito-sama... but at the end of the day, a noble's body is their asset, and a certain amount of HP is required to fulfill one's duties. I try to exercise as much as possible every day. However... if I overdo it and gain too much muscle mass, my physique will become too thick. I have to be careful to make adjustments as I go."
"I see. So even too much exercise is a problem... That sounds like a lot of work."
Maintaining an ideal figure seemed like quite the ordeal.
Come to think of it, Lilia-san was incredibly strong yet remained slender. From what I could see when we shared a mixed bathing session, she didn't seem overly muscular, so she might have been making similar adjustments with great care. Then again, I felt like Lilia-san was quite powerful even without physical enhancement... perhaps her muscle density was just on a different level.
"Thinking about it that way, Life-san's Blessing must be the ultimate dream for noble daughters."
"Indeed. If one could naturally maintain an ideal physique, rejuvenate to an age of their choice, and attain agelessness... well, many would give anything for such a gift. That said, it's not something that can be obtained through mere wealth."
"Now that you mention it, Elis-san, you've received Life-san's Provisional Blessing, haven't you?"
"Yes. Thanks to that, it has become much easier to maintain my physique. Since it is only a provisional blessing, it doesn't mean I am always at my absolute ideal, but I feel very grateful for the various benefits it offers my body."
"I see..."
If Life-san were to bestow her True Blessing, for instance, Elis-san would be able to maintain her ideal figure without any effort at all. Though, knowing her personality, she would probably still keep up her daily routine even then.
"Well, though it depends on Life-san's whims, if you were to eventually receive her True Blessing, it would probably be a huge help to you, Elis-san."
"K-Kaito-sama? Um, no, I understand what you mean and I agree, but... how should I put this? When you say it, I have a sudden premonition that it's going to become a reality... S-Should we start exercising soon? My body is warmed up now."
"Eh? Oh, yes. Let's do that."
She had changed the subject with a rare display of fluster. Well, when it came to the True Blessing of a Supreme God, it was only natural to feel a sense of awe. Besides, whether or not to grant it was entirely up to Life-san; it wasn't something I could settle here.
Being a noble daughter involved not just maintaining a figure but also paying considerable attention to beauty... That gave me an idea. The shampoo using the Fruit of the World Tree made Bell's fur incredibly beautiful and lustrous. I wondered if I could make a version for humans if I adjusted the formula? Since there were plenty of Nebula's World Trees to go around, I made a mental note to ask Alice about it later.
Serious-senpai: "I was just thinking how admirable it was that he actually understood the weight of a Supreme God’s True Blessing! But then he goes and tries to build a bomb in a completely different direction?! He can get his hands on as many World Tree materials as he wants thanks to Nebula, so this Stomach Pain Devil’s sense of value is officially broken..."
???: "His high affection for Elis-san is the real culprit here. He likes her so much that he’s overcome with the urge to be useful to her... Now then, I think I’ll have some wine."