After running into Kaito and Megiddo by chance, Kaori found herself swept along by the natural course of events. She gingerly pressed a hand against her aching stomach as she followed the group toward the shop.
Well, it should be fine. Kaito-kun is the one who has to deal with the War King, after all. I should just focus on the fact that he's taking us to a good store.
Fortunately, unlike the time she had been dragged into a ceremony by Megiddo during the Arclesia Empire's Founding Anniversary Festival, Kaito was here to keep him in check. Watching their exchange earlier, it was clear Kaito had no trouble managing the God of Battle. His presence provided a profound sense of security for both Kaori and Akane.
Before long, they arrived at the shop Megiddo had recommended.
"This is it," Megiddo said. "It's a fairly popular brand. This was actually their first store, and since the manufacturing is done right here in this city, you can get things much cheaper than you would elsewhere."
"Heh... Oh, I've definitely seen this name in magazines before," Kaito noted. "Do you know it, Akane-san? Kaori-san?"
"I'm familiar with it," Akane replied. "It's a brand known for selling quality clothes at reasonable prices. They aren't as stiff as the high-end luxury labels, so it's just about right for everyday wear."
"I... don't really know much about fashion, so this is my first time seeing it," Kaori admitted.
Since it was a famous brand, Kaori was impressed by the stylish exterior as she followed Kaito and the others inside. While the interior wasn't particularly sprawling, the racks were filled with tasteful garments, creating an atmosphere that made its popularity easy to understand.
Scanning the displays with interest, Kaori’s gaze eventually landed on a section featuring various T-shirts. When she saw the price tag, her eyes nearly popped out of her head.
Wait, three hundred R?! That’s thirty thousand Yen in Japanese money! For a single T-shirt? No way... Isn't that insanely expensive?
Stunned by a price that far exceeded her expectations, Kaori looked toward the others with a look of pure bewilderment, hoping to find a kindred spirit. Instead, she found the exact opposite.
"Well? Everything's pretty cheap, right?" Megiddo said with a grin. "Even if you bought everything that caught your eye, it wouldn't amount to much."
A light sweat broke out on Kaori's forehead.
No, no, no... It might be cheap to the War King, but to me, it’s astronomical! I’m too terrified to actually say that to his face, though...
To Megiddo, he was simply introducing them to a budget-friendly shop. However, for a commoner like Kaori, that wasn't the case at all. But her companion was one of the Six Kings; she couldn't exactly complain about a shop he had personally guided her to.
"It really is an affordable price," Kaito agreed, glancing over the merchandise. "Even the T-shirts are on the lower end, and the designs are great."
Kaori stared at him in horror.
Kaito-kun, are you serious? That is not affordable! What kind of clothes are you usually wearing?! I mean, I know you’re incredibly wealthy now, so maybe that’s normal for you, but I’m different! Back when I was summoned, I was just a high school student. I didn't have money like that. When it comes to T-shirts, I’d spend ages debating whether to buy something for even four thousand Yen! To me, thirty thousand Yen is the definition of a luxury brand! Akane-san... Surely Akane-san will understand how I feel...
Kaito primarily wore clothes produced by Alice. Garments made with the pinnacle of technology and materials were naturally expensive, and because of his absolute trust in Alice—and his own tendency to have a massive surplus of funds—he usually bought them without a second thought. He now owned a significant wardrobe of such items.
While he had maintained a somewhat normal sense of money in the past, a series of events—including shopping for a royal wedding at boutiques that served only the high nobility—had completely paralyzed his financial perspective. To the current Kaito, thirty thousand Yen for a garment was "cheap."
Kaori turned toward Akane with the desperation of a drowning woman, but once again, her hopes were dashed.
"Chairman," Frau noted, "it is impressive to find this brand's clothing at such a price point."
"You're right. It really pays to go to a shop with direct sales," Akane added. "Since the T-shirts are so inexpensive, maybe we should pick up a few pieces ourselves."
Kaori slumped. She had expected a reaction similar to her own, but Akane and Frau were clearly on the same page as Megiddo and Kaito. They genuinely thought the products were cheap.
Oh, right... I forgot because Kaito-kun is so ridiculous, but Akane-san is the head of a massive trading company. She even mentioned that her usual leopard-print outfits are custom-made. What do I do? I brought a fair amount of money this time. If it’s around two thousand R, I can technically swing it... but I actually intended to spend less than a tenth of that! But I can't be the only one to say it's too expensive in this group. Besides, even if he’s a rich big-shot now, Kaito-kun is still my junior. I want to save a bit of face in front of him... Ugh, I really wanted to buy a new kitchen knife, too...
With everyone else considering the prices "cheap," Kaori couldn't bring herself to speak up. With a look of quiet resignation, she braced herself for a massive hit to her savings.
She remained entirely unaware that, at that very moment, Kaito had cast a subtle, knowing glance in her direction.
Serious-senpai: "Come to think of it, Akane was able to provide a Blue Diamond—something that only appears on the market a few times a year—as a souvenir. And when she was dealing with Kaito over that Fruit of the World Tree, she only backed off because she felt that 'solving it with money would leave both parties unsatisfied.' It really feels like she could buy a Fruit of the World Tree if she really wanted to."
???: "Well, she actually has more money than your average noble. The only reason she hadn't gotten a Fruit of the World Tree before was because they never hit the open market. She definitely has the financial power to buy one. It’s just that Kaito, her point of comparison, is in a league of his own. In any normal context, she's extremely wealthy."