Chapter 22 — Off to the city! (2)
The city has always been vibrant, no matter the time of day.
For Allen, his visits to this place were rather routine, occurring about once every five days to buy daily necessities and groceries. Occasionally, he stops by the magic tool shop or browse through the bookstore for a bit.
Usually, Allen's errands don't take him beyond these usual places.
That's why... he could have never imagined setting a foot into a store like this.
"Lookie, lookie! This one suits you too, Charlotte-chan!"
"Eh, uh, um…"
Eruka, with enthusiasm, handed Charlotte one outfit after another, leaving her feeling a bit flustered.
A few meters away, Allen silently observed them, all while trying to keep his presence hidden.
'This is so awkward… I bet I stick out like a sore thumb…'
Allen scanned the store and realized he was the sole male amidst a sea of young women, giggling and enjoying themselves.
The interior was undeniably fancy. The spacious store was filled with rows of women's clothing, and shelves were adorned with shoes and accessories.
Even in the city, it seemed to be one of the most popular boutiques, competing for the top spot…
The store's atmosphere was filled with a vibrant and outgoing vibe, representing the extroverted and social side of the spectrum.
For Allen, who others and even himself acknowledged as an introverted and asocial individual, it was a completely different world.
"Welcome! Are you here accompanying someone?"
"Y-you don't have to mind me…"
Even the friendly approach of the young female clerk felt overwhelming for him.
However, he couldn't just run away from the store. He had a competition with Eruka that he couldn't back down from.
It was to see who could bring the most happiness to Charlotte, and both Allen and Eruka were giving it their all, despite the subjective nature of the task.
'Come to think of it, we were like this when we were kids…'
Allen was taken in by the Crawford family when he was nine years old. Eruka was only five at the time. Yet, despite suddenly having an older brother out of nowhere, the age difference didn't matter much to Eruka as she would always tag along with him while challenging him to all kinds of competitions. They would race each other, play chess, dabble in magic, and so on.
Naturally, Allen would always come out on top, but that never deterred Eruka as she continued challenging him fearlessly.
Perhaps, those were her way of trying to establish a closer bond with Allen.
"Hey, brother!"
"Hm?"
When Allen lifted his gaze, he found Eruka staring at him with an annoyed expression.
"Stop spacing out and look! Ta-dah! How do you like Charlotte-chan's transformation?"
"A-awawa…"
Before he knew it, Charlotte had already changed into a new outfit.
She wore a white blouse with plenty of frills and a softly flowing floral skirt. A lightweight scarf adorned her neck, giving her a refreshing vibe.
Compared to the dress she wore when they first met, the fabric and design were much more ordinary. However, this modest and elegant attire suited her much better.
However… there was just one problem.
"Isn't that… too short?"
"Huuh? This much is pretty normal, you know? Plus, she looks so cute in it!"
Eruka nonchalantly stated, but Charlotte's skirt was extremely short.
Her white thighs were exposed, and it's hard not to be mesmerized by them. Thanks to Allen's recent efforts in providing proper meals and snacks, they looked quite healthy and pleasantly plump. And her skin even looked smooth and soft.
Without any other thoughts coming to mind, Allen was left stunned.
But Eruka was on a roll. She eagerly pounced on Charlotte, rubbing her cheek against hers.
"She's, like, so freaking cute, right? And this style totally suits her. I knew I had it spot on! It suits you suuper perfectly☆!"
"B-but… As I thought, it's kind of embarrassing…"
Charlotte fidgeted and held onto the edge of her skirt.
Her eyebrows were slightly furrowed, and her cheeks turned bright red, extending all the way up to her ears. It seemed she had never worn such a short skirt before. Even her thighs, brushing against each other, took on a faint pink hue.
"Gu… ough!"
"Eh!? Allen-san!?"
Letting out a muffled groan, Allen collapsed right there on the spot.
As a result, Charlotte rushed over with a concerned expression on her face.
"A-are you alright!? Could it be that you're not feeling well...?"
"...Ah, I'm fine."
With a pale face, Allen turned towards her and smiled.
"I just needed to calm my mind, so I decided to stop my heart for a moment."
"Is it really okay to stop your heart so casually?!"
