After we finished our meal, Sieg-san and I spent some time enjoying the local shops. As expected of a major city, there was an incredible variety of stores, and many of the items for sale were things I had never seen before. It was quite a fresh experience.
"How do I look?"
"I’ve never seen you in a skirt before, but I think it suits you perfectly."
"I suppose... but since I rarely wear them, I feel a little self-conscious."
We had stopped by a clothing boutique where Sieg-san tried on a few things. It was a long skirt, a rare choice for her considering she almost exclusively wears pants.
I had mentioned that the colors and design seemed like they would look good on her, and after hearing that, she decided to give it a try. Seeing her look so bashful in such unfamiliar attire was incredibly cute.
Honestly, even without my bias as her lover, I think Sieg-san is a stunning beauty. I get the feeling she could pull off almost anything. That said, because of her gentle personality, clothes that have a mature and composed feel seem to suit her best.
After that, I tried on a few outfits she picked out for me. Once we had purchased several sets of clothes between the two of us, we headed back out into the street.
As soon as we left the shop, I spotted a familiar face on the path ahead.
"...I can't find her... Truly, where did she go? I have to find Sister Tre soon..."
A woman with reddish-purple hair tied in a right-side ponytail... If I remembered correctly, that was Cento. Oh, wait.
"Sieg-san, that’s definitely Cento, isn't it?"
"Yes, it must be."
"...From the way she's talking, it sounds like she’s still looking for Tre, doesn't it?"
"It seems so... But nearly two hours have passed since we met her at the restaurant."
Exactly. After I told Tre that the two of them were looking for her, we had finished our entire meal and enjoyed a good amount of shopping. At least two hours had slipped by.
The fact that they still hadn't met up meant... did they lack a means of communication like a Hummingbird? No, even if that were the case, there should have been other ways to get in touch.
Feeling a bit concerned, Sieg-san and I exchanged a look and nodded to each other before I called out to her.
"...Um, excuse me."
"Eh? You are... Ah, we met in front of the magic tool store."
"Yes. There was actually something I wanted to tell you..."
I proceeded to explain to Cento that we had run into Tre at a restaurant and informed her that they were searching for her. I also mentioned that Tre had thanked us and left shortly after.
"Is that so? To think you went out of your way to speak to her... I apologize for causing you such concern."
"Not at all, we just happened to remember her. More importantly, since you haven't regrouped even after two hours, I thought there might have been a misunderstanding or a missed connection."
"N-No... while I truly appreciate your kindness... I suspect Sister Tre isn't even looking for us."
"...Eh?"
Cento spoke with an expression of profound apology. Not quite grasping the meaning behind her words, I tilted my head in confusion.
"Sister Tre is, how shall I put it... an extremely easygoing person. She is likely thinking something like, 'I'll just get in touch once I've finished everything I want to do and gone back home,' and has simply pushed the thought of us to the back of her mind while she goes off to play."
"...Ehhh."
"In any case, she has a habit of reaching very optimistic conclusions on her own."
"I-I see. Come to think of it, she didn't actually say she was going to join up with you or call you. I should have told her specifically to get in touch."
"No, just knowing that she was at that restaurant is a huge help. I doubt she has left the city, so I shall continue my search."
After speaking in a polite tone and bowing deeply to Sieg-san and me, Cento added one last thing with a troubled look.
"...If it would be possible..."
She made a single request of us before walking away. She certainly seemed like she had a lot to deal with... I really hope they manage to meet up safely.
After parting ways with Cento, Sieg-san and I continued our date until we discovered a rather large building that looked like some kind of facility.
Reading the sign at the entrance, it seemed this place housed various physical-activity-based attractions. Apparently, once you bought an entry ticket, you were free to play for a set amount of time.
It felt less like a traditional amusement park and more like a multi-purpose amusement facility or entertainment center back in Japan.
"...This looks interesting. Shall we go in?"
"Yes. I’ve never been to a place like this before... Should I imagine it being like the attractions on the first day of the Six Kings Festival?"
"Ah, that’s probably a good comparison. I didn't get to try many of the sports-themed ones during the Six Kings Festival, so I’m looking forward to this."
I had been so busy visiting the Five War Generals during Megiddo-san's festival that I had only managed to play a few games. I was genuinely excited.
We purchased our tickets with anticipation and stepped inside.
"...Ah." "...Ah."
"...Well, this is a surprise. This is our third encounter today. It must be destiny, right? Want to fall in love?"
"I'll pass."
"Another surprise—I’ve been rejected three times in record time. My romance record, which already has zero wins, is just piling up with black marks. I want to know what victory feels like for once."
...Against all odds, we had run into Tre for the third time.
Serious-senpai: "Three Black Losses in a row, huh..."
???: "That was a total flop. Aren't you embarrassed saying that? Didn't you feel even a moment of hesitation?"
Serious-senpai: "...Stop. Those words are effective against me... They're devastatingly effective..."