With about eight days left until my scheduled date with Olivia-san and Kaori-san, there wasn't much left for me to do.
The destination was set, and since they had handled the general schedule, I could afford to just relax and wait for the day to arrive. Just to be safe, I had spent some time looking through magazines for restaurants and popular shops near our planned route, but beyond that... well, maybe I should go out and buy some new clothes?
It wasn't strictly necessary, but I felt like heading out in something fresh for the occasion would be a nice touch.
"Yo, Kaito! Mind if I barge in? You free?"
"...Megiddo-san... don't people usually ask that before they show up?"
"Hm? Nah, I was planning on seeing your face either way, so asking the moment we met was just the quickest way to do it. Oh, and I came in through the front door like a proper guest. The teleportation interference around your place is way too strong for even me to ignore."
"Wait, really?"
"Yeah. That God of yours must've set something up, right? It's as solid as a Sanctuary."
I replied to Megiddo-san as he swung my door open without so much as a knock, feeling a familiar sense of exasperation. Well, if he ever tried to visit at a truly bad time, I was sure Alice or someone else would step in to stop him, so it wasn't a major issue. Besides, it wasn't like I actually had any plans...
"I see... By the way, what's with the look today?"
"Oh, this? Going by how you acted at the shipboard party, you prefer me in this form, don't you? My physique is pretty close to Kuro's or Shaltier's like this, so I figured I'd drop by in this shape."
At the moment, Megiddo-san was in the young girl form I’d seen at the party. My actual impression at the time had been more along the lines of, "In that form, you actually look like someone who could talk about art," but I suppose you could consider that high praise in its own way.
"I have a few points I'd like to nitpick, but... for now, did you have some business with me?"
"You bet! If you're free, let's head out together... What was it again? Oh, right. A date! Yeah, that's it. Shaltier and Kuromueina were on my case, saying I had to go through the proper stages and repeat this kind of thing before I could be embraced by you. So, it's something like that. Besides, hanging out with you seemed like it'd be fun..."
"I see. Well, that's actually perfect timing. I was just thinking about going out to buy some clothes."
"Oh, clothes! Nice choice. If that's the plan, then the Hydra Kingdom is the only way to go. When it comes to fashion, that place is number one in the Human Realm. I know my way around Hydra pretty well, so I'll be your guide."
"That would be a huge help. I’ll be in your care, then."
"Hah! Leave it to me!"
He was as blunt as ever. Even when it came to romance, Megiddo-san came at it head-on. While his directness was always a bit startling, it was actually quite relaxing since there were no complicated mind games involved.
In fact, the Hydra Kingdom was one of Megiddo-san's favorite spots in the Human Realm, and since he apparently made an appearance at their Founding Anniversary Festival every year, he really was the perfect person for the job.
"So? What kind of clothes are we looking for? Even if you just say 'clothes,' there's a huge variety depending on what you're using them for."
"Hmm... I'm looking for something casual, the kind of thing I can wear every day."
"Got it. In that case, we should look for something affordable but high-quality rather than something needlessly flashy. I know a few good shops, so let's start there."
Despite his usual behavior, Megiddo-san had a surprisingly intellectual streak, and he picked out our destination with impressive precision. Then again, since he was currently in the form of a young girl, the intellectual vibe actually suited the atmosphere quite well.
Appearance really does make a difference. It felt incredibly jarring when he talked about art while looking like his usual peak muscle-brain self, yet it was strange how that sense of mystery only deepened when he looked like a girl.
At any rate, Megiddo-san seemed to know his stuff when it came to fashion, so it looked like this was going to be a successful shopping trip.
The "Easy-to-Understand" Summary:
Stomach Pain Warrior: "Alright, I'm going to get some new clothes for the date! I'll just enjoy a heartwarming shopping trip with someone from my home country!"
Protagonist: "Okay, then shall we go and deliver a gut punch...?"
Serious-senpai: "T-Too cruel... Is there... no mercy...?"