With Sieg-san joining us after our chance encounter at the boutique, the outing shifted into a somewhat unusual date—one man and two women.
That being said, we had to finish picking out the clothes first. Lilia-san ended up purchasing about five outfits in total, including the ones I had recommended.
As for Sieg-san...
"Mmm... Th-They're so expensive..."
"Sieg-san? You have a very troubled look on your face."
"Well, since this is a festival hosted by the Six Kings, I came here intending to buy something appropriate so as not to be disrespectful... but as expected of a shop frequented by the nobility, everything is incredibly pricey. I'm having a hard time committing..."
The outfit Sieg-san was eyeing was a trouser-style set that looked easy to move in. At a glance, it almost looked like men's attire, but the coloring and patterns gave it a delicate, lovely feel.
The price for one was 5,000R—500,000 yen—while the other was 7,000R—700,000 yen. Apparently, those were on the cheaper side for a full set in this particular store.
My own sense of value had already been thoroughly warped by the fact that I’d commissioned three outfits from Alice for ten million yen, so I mistakenly thought they were cheap for a split second. However, objectively speaking, half a million yen for a single outfit was incredibly pricey.
It was one thing for a Duchess like Lilia-san, but for Sieg-san, it seemed to be a price that was quite difficult to justify.
By the way, every single outfit Lilia-san bought was priced in Gold Coins—meaning they cost several million yen each. Despite that, she claimed they weren't even as lavish as formal attire, which once again made me realize just how terrifying the world of the nobility could be.
...Well, the clothes I was buying from Alice were more than expensive enough in their own right.
"Sieglinde-sama, might I recommend this outfit? It is one of our latest designs."
"...It's a wonderful design. The price is... 15,000R?! I-I'll have to pass."
How should I put it? Perhaps because I was constantly surrounded by wealthy people who lived at a level where they didn't even understand the concept of a budget, Sieg-san's down-to-earth reaction felt remarkably refreshing.
However, the outfit the clerk had just brought out—with its pale green patterns—looked like it would suit Sieg-san perfectly.
"Um, excuse me. Could you have that outfit tailored to Sieg-san's size?"
"...Eh? K-Kaito-san?! Wh-What are you doing?"
"Since it's a special occasion, I'd like to give it to you as a gift."
"In that case, might I recommend these accessories? They would complement the outfit perfectly."
"They're beautiful. Please include those as well."
"Kaito-san?! N-No, you can't! Th-They're so expensive..."
When I told her that I intended to buy them as a present, Sieg-san fell into a total panic.
"Fortunately, I have plenty of money, and I don't really have any specific plans for how to use it. Besides, I think those clothes will look wonderful on you, Sieg-san. I'm your lover, so please let me buy you at least one outfit."
"N-No, but... with the accessories included, it comes to over 30,000R! I couldn't possibly accept such luxury goods..."
"Oh, and Lilia-san, please let me pay for the clothes I selected for you as well."
"...Thank you very much. I shall gratefully accept your kindness."
"Ignored?! And Lilia, why are you accepting so easily?!"
Unlike the frantic Sieg-san, Lilia-san simply offered a smile and expressed her thanks. This was likely where the difference in their upbringing showed in their financial senses.
"...Kaito-san's personal assets are beyond comparison with those of an average noble, after all. Kaito-san, roughly how much do you currently have on hand?"
"E-Err, I haven't counted it to the last digit, but... it's about fifteen hundred Platinum Coins."
"Fif... fifteen hun..."
Even after my windfall from the monster races a while back, my funds had continued to balloon due to various circumstances.
For example, when I was making the music boxes, I had a massive surplus of gems that I'd received from Isis-san. The volume was becoming a problem, and since I also had things like Magnawell-san's scales taking up space, I’d worried about the capacity of my Magic Box and decided to sell some of the excess.
I kept a few as mementos of Isis-san, then left it to Anima and the others to sell the rest along with the scales Magnawell-san gives me every time we meet.
As a result, a staggering amount of money had poured in. Even after giving Anima and the others a generous special bonus, there was still a mountain of it left. It was about time I seriously considered what to do with it all.
"...Don't just appear out of nowhere and start grinning at me, you idiot."
While I was lost in thought, Alice had manifested beside me with a smirk. Her mouth was smiling, but her eyes were the eyes of a predator who had caught the scent of prey.
I shooed away the usual idiot with a wave of my hand and turned back to Sieg-san, whose mouth was still hanging open in shock.
"So, please, let me give these to you."
"...U-Uugh... Th-Thank you very much. I will definitely find a way to repay this favor someday."
"Please don't worry about it. I'm always in your debt, Sieg-san."
After hearing about my holdings from Lilia-san, Sieg-san seemingly resigned herself to the situation and accepted my offer with an apologetic bow.
But really, I was just buying them because I wanted to see her wearing them, so it wasn't a problem at all. If anything, I felt it was a bargain.
I watched the two of them head off for a fitting as Sieg-san thanked me repeatedly, and then a thought occurred to me. Come to think of it, what would Anima and the others do for the festival? I was sure Eta and Theta would prepare proper clothes one way or another, but... Anima... yeah, she definitely wouldn't.
After all, even though Anima had received her own invitation from Alice, she had specifically requested to participate as 'my companion.' She would almost certainly show up in her usual military uniform if left to her own devices.
However, there wasn't much time left until the Six Kings Festival. Starting a commission now might be too late.
"...Hm?"
"..."
And right on cue, Alice made her reappearance. Smiling brightly, she held several design sketches in her hand.
"...This one, this one, and... this one too."
"A pleasure doing business with you~"
The prices were high, but I could count on the quality, and her delivery speed was unrivaled.
One way or another, she was an incredibly useful Mobile General Store... though lately, I felt like she was becoming my exclusive provider.
Dear Mother, Father—
I finished the shopping trip at the boutique after finally overriding Sieg-san's hesitation. Looking at the time, I suppose lunch is next on the agenda. I’ll look for a place using Kuro’s guide. But, putting that aside, I really should—think about how to spend this money.
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Serious-senpai: "..."