"Kino? "Dazed, Kino rasied his soft gaze from the tavern floor beneath and slid his sights onto Myrva sitting across from him. "You alright, dear? "
"Hmm. "Softly responding, Kino sat idle before his plate of suspicious food as Myrva watched with a sorrowful eye.
"Retsu, when is the home-exhibition for the townhouses on the West block of the city, again? "Myrva picked up a worn-out tin cup and raised it to her chest as she began to stir the boiling tea with a wooden chopstick.
"Three days from now, Mayva. We are already on the shortlist for buyers but -- alot of folk are itching to get a spot in those houses. "Turning from her cup, Myrva watched Retsuo consistently eating his green and white meal that was more soup than animal meat.
"Hugh'... If only we were younger... We could potentially be running this city by the time we got to our old age now. "Kino's gaze flickered with red as he remained silent and continued to remain calm. "In any case, Retsuo, give me some coin, I have been wanting to buy new panties for Kino ever since we got into town. Poor thing, having to walk in the breeze like she is, only colds my heart don't it some. "
Stopping, Retsuo stood up straight and reached into his coat as he took out a small bag of coins and handed it over to Myrva beneath the table. With a smirking expression, Myrva's eyes sparked as she suddenly stood up and urged Kino to go with her shopping.
"We'll see you at soon, hun. Don't wait up! "Myrva and Kino walked off as Retsuo sat while enjoying his meal, until he realized Myrva had taken all the money to pay for the food.
~
"Oh -- maybe this?! No. "As Kino stood infornt of an old stained mirror, Myrva took out several different blouses and dresses and put them before Kino to try. "Cute-cute! Oh! This-maybe this too! "
Turning from inside a window-less room, Myrva began undressing Kino and within his surprise, Kino's natural instincts urged him to cover his chest and blush as he soon became flustered with Myrva's gaze towards his new body.
"U-Uh... Y-yep! T-Thats -- hmm! Okay, we'll take these two for now. "As Kino dressed himself back into his own clothes, Myrva walked out and payed for the new outfits as Kino walked out of the small room with a bashful expression and stood behind Myrva.
"Are you two mother-and-daughter? "Myrva was surprised as the pretty sales-woman had asked a complicated question.
"Uh, my granddaughter actually -- she's pretty cute isn't she? "Almost proudly laughing, Myrva stepped aside as Kino raised his purple gaze and the sales-woman half-fainted after meeting his direct gaze. "Oh, are you alright?! "
"Huh! Y-Yes! Quite alright! Hmm! Um, W-What did you say your name was again? I'm Diatry, Loana Diatry. "As Loana leaned over the wooden counter to get a closer look, Kino took a step back as Myrva took hold of his hand and walked out of the shop before talking any further. "Oh, do drop by again! I'll give you a personal discount next time! "
Walking outside under the cloudy skies, the wet ground still held traces of the recent showers that fell earlier in the morning. Walking down a busy road, Myrva and Kino took time crossing the road as dozens of busy people walkinh by were dressed in different attire from steam engine mechanics to nobleman on their way to file city paperwork.
The various smells and glimmering sights had become too much for Kino and as such, Myrva purchased a bland floral white hat as to keep the sun from hitting Kino's eyes and as well as a scented pendant that kept the scents of the city at bay with a powerful flower scent.
"Excuse me, Miss'! "Stopping beside a small child, he held out a dozen wooden tablets under his arm and asked if Myrva would buy one of his news-update-tablets at a price. "Oh, very well! Thanks for your time, then! "
Kino believed the boy was simply an NPC as he glanced back while thinking the boy was handing out notice boards for real-life-players yet, he couldn't shake the feeling of there being something more deeper and mysterious within the game itself.
As he walked beside Myrva, Kino found it difficult to provide any explanation into how the normal city square was engulfed in so much detail and consistency as well as how he got here or why he was unable to bring up a menu to log off. No two things were ever the same as the more Kino observed from the main road, the harder it was to dismiss the possibility of it all being fake or made up.
"Kino, where are you off too? "Stopping, Kino turned slightly and glanced up at the old wooden sign of the inn at where he and the elderly couple had been staying. "Come, you must be tired. "
Turning in with Myrva, the two walked inside as the main floor was crowded with elderly men and women were trading stories as well as playing old wooden strategy games that made absolutely no sense to Kino.
Climbing up the steps to the second floor, the two walked down a narrow hallway and passed a couple of men on their way out. As they passed, Myrva walked a few more feet and stopped at her door as Kino turned to see her room directly across from Retsuo and Myrva's room.
Walking inside, Kino took a seat beside the open window that overlooked the back of the inn and watched as dozens of poorly dressed kids played games in a narrow clearing they had transformed into their playground while their parents watched from their backyards.
As the shining sunlight rounded the corner, the clearing became illuminated by sunlight and the children's faces became all that more clearer. Cheerful laughs and pouting tantrums, all the things that made them give off expressions only confirmed what Kino now believed, it was all too real than any other game or anything he had ever seen before with such high level of detail.
"Kino, dear. Would you mind heading out? "Turning to Myrva, Kino's eyes snapped away as a half-dressed Myrva made Kino reassess his standing as a man and or while in the body of a woman. "You can take your new fancy clothes into your room and change later dear, Retsuo and I will be having a meeting with one of this city's noblemen to talk about our potential housing. While we're gone, stay in your room and don't open the door to anyone no matter what they say. Okay. "
Kino nodded obidiently and wasted no time heading back to his room. Once inside, he took a seat over the bed and collapsed as he simply gazed into the ceiling while gently closing his eyes amid the peace and quiet.
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