Chapter 71
"For the shirts, this one. For the trousers, I want to focus on the silhouette, so this one. As for the jacket, when it comes to something that doesn't show dirt easily, it's either black or brown, right? Are we choosing from these? Pure white would absolutely suit me, though!"
"White gets dirty and unusable in no time. Take the black one on the right."
"But the trousers we picked earlier were black too, weren't they? Isn't full black a bit much?"
"Since you're tall, I think it would suit you in its own way... but, Ellie, that one's no good."
"......Tch, that jacket with the embroidery would definitely suit me!"
"It's something to wear during camping, so it shouldn't stand out."
"Most people focus on the face, so they shouldn't notice the clothes!"
"All the more reason. Since your appearance stands out, your clothes should at least be plain. Here, take this one."
Luna, who lightly nodded while holding a black jacket against my body, handed another jacket to Lilin with a "This one too" and moved on to the next item. Lilin, already carrying a pile of clothes in her arms, skillfully walked without dropping the additional jacket while calling out to Ellie, who was groaning in front of a shelf with shirts.
The three of them are seriously scrutinizing the clothes, but these aren't for them to wear—they're all for me...
"Is all of this really necessary?"
As I muttered while staring at the growing mountain of clothes being added without pause, the three of them turned around simultaneously.
"Even if it's just a shirt, the material and shape matter! It has to be something that brings out Celes's charm the most!"
"Putting charm aside, Celes has far too few clothes to begin with. She only owns the bare minimum, doesn't she?"
"Ellie has too many, but I think having fewer than me or Luna is a bit much."
While Ellie passionately spouted some incomprehensible theory with a huff, Luna and Lilin, the more sensible ones, looked at me with a mix of exasperation and pity, making me feel uneasy as I quietly averted my gaze.
"As long as I have what I need, it's fine..."
"I get what Celes means by 'what I need,' but the clothes she usually wears are the same as my dad's, you know?"
"Lilin's dad looks neat, so it's fine for him, but my dad gets completely dirty in all black, and it's the same outfit."
"Since they're items stocked for soldiers, the quality isn't bad, but using them as everyday wear is a bit questionable."
The plain shirts and thick trousers I wear while at the dormitory were prepared by the maids at a shop recommended by the soldiers at the Fortress. They're easy to move in and have good sweat absorption, so I strongly recommended them to Renato as well, but...
"For the first year, it's fine to wear uniforms even on holidays, but next year, that won't do."
"Celes looks good in anything, but I wouldn't want to walk around town with a friend dressed like that."
"It's such a waste for someone so beautiful, you know?"
"......But next year will be even busier, so..."
"The problem is, it's not just training—she wears the same outfit for casual wear too."
"I thought maybe she couldn't bother with dressing up because training is so intense, but I don't think that's it. Celes, have you ever shopped for yourself?"
"She hasn't, right? I never imagined she'd start by looking for her wallet before heading out."
Unable to argue with that, I dropped my shoulders and sat down on a sofa in the store.
Seeing me like that, the three of them looked satisfied and returned to picking out clothes. I gave a wry smile, realizing I couldn't win, and looked around the store to pass the time.
There are three clothing stores in the central plaza of Taurus.
One is the store where measurements were taken before enrollment. Another is a cheap store that only sells ready-made clothes for soldiers. The last one is the store we're in now, selecting clothes. This place handles both ready-made and custom-made items, and it's considered a high-end clothing store in Taurus.
I was advised to gather necessary items before advancing to the second year, so I came shopping with them. But when I mentioned I didn't know the store's location or what they sold, they were utterly shocked and dragged me here.
For ready-made clothes, the quality is good, and the selection is abundant. At the back of the store, fabric samples for custom orders are displayed, and they seem to be of quite high quality.
The store is spacious and clean, with two staff members in matching uniforms silently smiling without unnecessarily approaching us.
As I was admiring what a nice store it was, Ellie and the others, who seemed to have finished shopping, called me over, so I stood up and headed to the counter.
"Are all of these... my clothes?"
"For now, with this much, you should be fine for a year... I think."
"I heard that during outdoor exercises, there are times you can't change for three days, so some of these clothes will probably be thrown out after one use."
"Since there are no exercises in winter, two jackets should be enough, right?"
"From here to there is for training, and this side is for casual wear. I think everything suits Celes perfectly."
How about it!? Their eyes sparkled as behind them loomed a mountain of clothes...
Isn't this a bit too much? I glanced at the staff, but they nodded slightly as if agreeing with Ellie and the others.
"Celes is a noble young lady, so she wouldn't go shopping in town, right? That's why we have to help prepare things in place of her maids."
With a thud, Ellie smacked her chest with her fist, urging me to take out my wallet and settle the bill.
When I was at the Fortress, the maids who accompanied me always prepared whatever I needed. For Military School enrollment preparations, I shopped once with Rudo and the others as Grandfather instructed.
And now, after entering the dormitory, this is my first time shopping.
Realizing I wouldn't have gone shopping unless someone pointed it out, I was stunned as I arranged for delivery to the Military School and staggered out of the store.
Though it hasn't been long since we met, I thanked Ellie and the others, who seem to understand me better than I do myself, and secretly decided to rely on them again next year.
"Alright, before we head to today's main event, let's go to some street stalls that Celes probably hasn't experienced!"
Led by Ellie, who smiled happily about eating while walking, we headed to some stalls a short distance from the central plaza to take a look.
Soup with floating dumplings, noodles, bread stuffed with meat. There were also sweet-looking pastries and crafted candies. Following the three of them as they bought whatever caught their eye, I cautiously bought something that piqued my interest as well.
So this is the rumored street food, I thought, moved, as I bit into a skewer that Dan had said was delicious. Shopping and eating with same-sex friends is a first for me, but it's not bad—rather, it's fun.
When I went out to town with Rudo and the others, safety concerns meant we focused solely on completing our objective immediately, so we didn't even glance at street stalls. The idea of eating while walking wouldn't even occur to royalty or nobles, who are strictly trained in etiquette by tutors.
As I wondered what to do with the leftover skewer and let my gaze wander, Ellie swiftly took it from my hand and tossed it into a bag near a stall, then pointed diagonally ahead.
"I've made a reservation, so it's fine."
At the end of her finger was a cute-looking shop with a long line of people outside.
Passing by women dressed up a little and chatting, Ellie, who said she had made the reservation long ago, confidently walked into the shop.
This shop is the main event Ellie mentioned, and today we're supposed to have a girls' gathering here.
"Ah, I'm exhausted. Daily training is tough, but shopping tires you out in a different way, doesn't it?"
"You looked like you were having fun, though."
"Of course it's fun since I get to pick out clothes for Celes! Sigh... if only I could become her maid. Money can't solve everything, can it?"
"Since it's the Count family, wouldn't you at least need to be the daughter of a lower noble to be hired?"
"I don't think Ellie is suited to be a maid, though."
"That's not true! I'd thank God every day while tying Celes's hair and engraving her noble, dignified figure into my eyes."
"If that's the case, you'd be too busy staring at Celes to get any work done."
"......True enough."
I gave a wry smile, wondering if she'd agree with Luna there, and glanced at the menu placed in front of me.
I had heard this was the most famous cake shop in town right now, but I couldn't understand the words written on the pink paper, so I tapped Luna, who was sitting next to me, on the shoulder.
"What does this 'Rabbit's Tail and Bright Red Apple with Sweet Fluffy Cloud Pancake' mean...?"
"Hah... Celes saying cute words while frowning is the best!"
"Ellie, you chose this place just to see that, didn't you?"
Luna shot a cold glare at Ellie, who gave a thumbs-up. Lilin, watching over the two of them like a mother, pointed at the menu and explained each item one by one.
"Lilin will make a good mother."
"Huh...!? Don't say that with a straight face, it's super embarrassing!"
"What's that!? It's not a proposal, that's unfair... ugh!"
"Be quiet, Ellie."
Apparently, the Rabbit's Tail refers to cream, and the Fluffy Cloud is melted sugar—just a pancake with an eccentric name.
Since it's a substitute for lunch, I ordered a pancake and a drink. Lilin, sitting across from me, blinked her large eyes with a curious expression.
"Lilin?"
"Ah, sorry. I just thought Celes doesn't seem like someone who likes sweets."
"I think it's rare for a woman to dislike sweets, though?"
"That's true, but look, Celes doesn't put anything in the tea she usually drinks, right?"
"Ellie pours in honey like crazy, though."
"Because it's bitter!"
"Since snacks and sweets are sweet, I got into the habit of drinking tea plain."
"That's like afternoon tea, right? The noble tradition with the three-tier stand full of stuff. I used to admire it so much."
"I get it. In picture books, princess tea parties always had illustrations of it."
Ellie and Lilin, sitting across from me, smiled warmly as they passionately discussed picture books, but Luna, who was brought into the conversation, dismissed it, saying she'd never seen such books, and gulped down her fruit water.
"By the way, have you decided on your elective classes yet?"