Chapter 21 — Off to the city! (1)
And thus, the trio found themselves in the bustling city.
"What's the meaning of this!?"
"What, is there something you're unsatisfied with?"
Hearing Charlotte's startled cry, Allen tilted his head slightly in confusion and asked her a question.
This city was conveniently situated close to Allen's mansion. It had a fairly decent size and had a few accessible dungeons nearby, attracting a constant flow of people. The headquarters of the transport company Miaha belonged to was also located in this city.
Due to the time being slightly past noon, the main street was bustling with activity.
In a secluded corner, Charlotte nervously hid behind a building.
She had a piece of cloth taken from the mansion draped over her head, exhibiting rather suspicious behavior.
Eruka casually shrugged and spoke to Charlotte.
"You see, it's a challenge to see who can please Charlotte-chan the most, either me or brother. In that gloomy mansion, our options are quite limited, you know."
"She's right. And, going out shopping is the best choice for that. Plus, you could use a breath of fresh air every now and then by going outside like this."
"But, um... I am... a wanted person, you know!?"
Charlotte said as she looked around nervously.
To her great misfortune, the city's bulletin board was adorned with numerous wanted posters.
Among them, an obviously brand-new poster caught her eyes… There was no doubt about it, it was a wanted poster for Charlotte.
"If I go outside, I'll definitely get caught… A-and, I don't want that… I don't want to cause trouble for Allen-san and Eruka-san…"
"It's too late for you to worry about others this late in the game. Though, that's just like you."
Allen let out a bitter smile as Charlotte sniffled before he handed her a handkerchief. Speaking in the softest and gentlest tone he could muster, he reassured her, "You'll be fine. No need to worry. Just leave it all to me."
Allen gently touched Charlotte's hair with his fingers and snapped them with a soft click.
"<Shapeshift.>"
"Kya!"
A gentle glow enveloped Charlotte's hair, only to fade away in an instant.
When she saw her appearance in a hand mirror she was given, Charlotte's eyes widened with shock.
"M-my hair…! It turned black!"
"Yep. It's a simple transformation magic."
Charlotte's once beautiful blonde hair had now taken on a lustrous shade of black, resembling the darkness of the night.
Curious about her transformed appearance, Charlotte fixated her gaze at her reflection in the mirror.
"The only thing that's lacking now is changing your hairstyle. After that, it would be very unlikely for anyone to recognize you. We'll be extra careful too, so you can relax."
"T-Thank you very much..."
"Hehe, leave the styling to me!"
Eruka enthusiastically pounced on Charlotte and began playing with her long hair as she pleased.
"Yep, yep! It suits you so much! Now that you have black hair, it matches mine!"
"Y-Yes. It also matches… a bit with Allen-san's."
"Hmm, I guess."
Allen shrugged his shoulders in response to Charlotte's shy smile.
In the process, he found himself gazing intently at her black hair. He couldn't help but admire his own skills. It was glossy and free of split ends. It looked truly beautiful, but...
"But once we return home, I will immediately dispel that magic."
"Eh? I-Is that so..."
"Eh?! Why? But she looks so great with black hair!"
Boo! Eruka let out a booing sound in protest.
Hearing Allen's words, Charlotte's heart sank a little.
Nevertheless, Allen remained resolute in his decision.
"Black is certainly not a bad color, but there's something about blonde that suits you perfectly, Charlotte. Personally, I like it the most."
Charlotte found herself at a loss for words, her expression frozen. Eruka too was taken aback, rendered speechless.
Caught in the midst of the silence, Allen could only puzzle over the situation, tilting his head in confusion.
"Hm? Did I say something strange?"
"N-no… It's nothing…"
"I saw what you did there, brother. Trying to score some brownie points, huh?"
With a face flushed crimson, Charlotte lowered her gaze in embarrassment.
And Eruka, while giving him a disgusted look, swiftly gathered Charlotte's hair and then took her hand, smiling warmly.
"Alright! With this, your hair's all complete. I won't let my brother outdo me either, you know! Now, it's my turn to teach you all the naughty things that only a woman can teach with everything I've got!"
"Naughty things that only a woman can teach... What are they?"
"Hehe, that's obvious, isn't it?"
With a sly grin, Eruka confidently said, "It's fashion, of course! I'll pick out plenty of stylish clothes and accessories for you! Now, let's go!"
"Awawa! Please wait!"
"Hey! You'll trip if you run like that!"
As Allen watched the two of them dash off while holding hands, he let out a sigh and started walking at a relaxed pace.
