"The mall?" Nick questioned, his curiosity piqued.
Koshiro nodded in response. "Yeah."
Nick couldn't help but express his astonishment. "Yeah? You just say it as if this is normal."
Koshiro, however, had a straightforward explanation. "What do you think we are, cave people? Anyways, don't you get tired of wearing the same clothes every day?"
Nick considered Koshiro's point. "Yeah, Koshiro did fix them with restoration magic."
Koshiro then pointed out another issue. "And the clothes in your closet don't fit you."
Nick remembered the destruction that had brought him to this world. "I would have brought some clothes with me if they didn't burn to a crisp."
Mikoto intervened, eager to address their clothing situation. "Yeah, let's go."
Nick raised a practical question. "So, how are we going?"
Mikoto didn't hesitate as she grabbed Nick by the wrist and prepared to take them on a rather unconventional journey. "Mikoto grabs Kaiho by the waist and jumps."
Nick's reaction was a mix of awe and surprise. "Woah..."
In the blink of an eye, their surroundings changed dramatically. Mikoto's mode of transportation had brought them to their destination in a way that left Nick feeling a little disoriented. "Oh, we're finally here. I think I'm gonna puke."
Nick's curiosity got the better of him as he asked Mikoto, "By the way, Mikoto, what is this place?"
Mikoto's response, however, was far from what Nick had expected. She let out an alarmed cry and seemed taken aback by his question, causing Nick to recall Koshiro's words about his memory loss. He replied with a nonchalant tone, "Yeah, I lost my memories because of shock, so I can't remember a thing."
Mikoto seemed surprised by Nick's enthusiastic acceptance of his memory loss, but she went on to explain the history of the place they were in. Her voice held a sense of history and reverence as she shared the story.
"So long ago, there was a great war against gods to prove whose religion is the strongest. Greek gods, Christian gods, etc., fought each other. Hindu gods declined to participate, but the fight against gods led to destruction. Taking the chance, all the demons, asuras, yokai, etc., joined forces to attack the gods. To protect the dharma, Hindu gods had to be involved, which led the gods to unite and fight the demons. After the war, they created a place as a symbol of peace – the Oasis, which was designed by Lord Krishna. The Oasis is divided into 8 parts: Anil, Apas, Dyaus, Dhara, Dhruve, Annal, Prabhas, Soma."
As Mikoto shared the rich history of the Oasis, Nick couldn't help but feel a sense of awe and reverence for the place they were in. The knowledge he had gained added another layer of complexity to this divine world and its intriguing history.
As Mikoto continued to explain the significance of the Oasis, she revealed that it was a place where all cultures united, and new gods were nurtured. It served as a reflection of Earth, and they were there to buy Nick some clothes and training materials to prepare him for the entrance exam.
Curiosity got the better of Nick, and he asked, "Question?"
Mikoto encouraged him to ask, "What?"
Nick inquired, "What exactly is the exam?"
Mikoto decided to provide some insights into the exam structure. "Well, it's not cheating if I tell you the basics. So, the exam is divided into three parts: a written exam, a practical exam, and a team exam. So, you'll need books as well."
Nick noticed the sadness in Mikoto's tone and asked, "More students?"
Mikoto reassured him, "Don't worry, your mother is here, so I'll help you."
As Nick and Mikoto explored the impressive selection of clothes, Nick marveled at the variety and style of the garments available. He couldn't help but ask, "Wow, look at the number of clothes, and they look so cool too. How much is this? 10,000 credits? What are credits?"
Mikoto provided an explanation. "Well, Orchid has an achievement-based system. It depends on the tasks, assignments, breakthroughs you make, academics, etc."
Nick was intrigued. "So there isn't any dirty politics?"
Mikoto reassured him, "No, of course not. Every kind of talent is appreciated in Oasis."
Nick had another question. "What about rich spoiled brats?"
Mikoto clarified that credits could be transferred from one person to another, ensuring that children couldn't simply rely on their parents' wealth. Nick reacted with curiosity, "Huh."
Mikoto went on to explain that basic study material was free of cost because everyone had the right to education. However, upon entering Orchid, students received uniforms, and any additional clothing alterations were against the rules.
Nick pondered this and asked, "And why is that?"
Mikoto's response reflected the value of equality, "It's because of equality. Each student starts from the same point."
As Nick considered the societal differences between Earth and the divine realm, he couldn't help but wish for a system like Orchid's in their world.
Nick's call for his mother, Mikoto, resulted in her immediate response. "Kaiho!"
However, something about her tone sent a sudden chill down Kaiho's spine. He couldn't help but ask with a hint of trepidation, "What's that in your hand?" His voice quivered.
Mikoto's response was tinged with a sense of mischief, "Well, because of my coma, I missed a lot of your growth. I always wanted to cross-dress you."
Kaiho's shock was palpable as he stuttered, "Wait! What?"
Mikoto confirmed with a playful enthusiasm, "Yeah."
Kaiho's sense of embarrassment was overwhelming as he exclaimed, "No... no... noooooo..."
He couldn't help but regret the situation and wished he had stayed home. His desperation led him to call out, "Koshiro, where are you?"
However, as he peeked through the changing room door, he was met with an unexpected sight – Mikoto was holding a collection of clothing for him.
Mikoto's cheerful statement confirmed Kaiho's predicament, "I've got many more to go."
Kaiho's exasperated cry echoed through the mall as he struggled with the idea of trying on various outfits.
After enduring three straight hours of trying on various outfits and the associated feelings of humiliation, Nick was clearly exhausted. He sighed heavily and exclaimed, "Huffff, god."
Mikoto responded with a simple, "Yes."
But Nick clarified that his exclamation wasn't directed at her. "Not you. It was just a way of expression. By the way, what's next?"
Mikoto agreed, "Let's check the list."
Nick nodded in agreement and responded with a simple "Okay."
They reviewed their checklist, ensuring they had everything they needed: books, clothes, training materials, vegetables, and fruits, among other items. Satisfied that they had completed their shopping, Nick was ready to head home. "Well, looks like we're all done, so let's head home."
However, their plans were briefly interrupted by the sound of children's laughter echoing from a nearby area. Mikoto's curiosity was piqued, and she inquired, "What's going on there? It seems they've opened an arcade there."
She walked ahead, expecting to continue their journey back home, but to her surprise, she found Kaiho staring at a child enjoying time with their parents. Mikoto approached Kaiho and affectionately put her hand on his head.
She asked him softly, "Kaiho, you wanna go in?"
Kaiho hesitated for a moment and replied, "No... it's not."
Mikoto, however, was determined to bring some joy to her son's day. She encouraged him with a gentle smile. "Let's go."
Nick's reluctance gave way to a hesitant smile as he agreed to join in on the unexpected detour.
Inside the lively arcade, Mikoto and Kaiho were like kids in a candy store, surrounded by an array of flashing games. Mikoto's enthusiasm was contagious as she turned to Kaiho and asked, "Kaiho, which game do you think we should dominate first?"
Kaiho scratched his head, clearly overwhelmed by the colorful chaos. "Uh, how about that dance game? It seems easy."
Mikoto nodded in agreement, "Sure, let's dance our hearts out!"
They stepped onto the dance mat, and the game began. Mikoto, not one to be outdone, started grooving to the beat with wild enthusiasm. "Come on, Kaiho, show me your moves!"
Kaiho attempted to keep up but ended up with a tangled mess of feet. "I thought this was easy!"
Mikoto couldn't help but burst into laughter. "Kaiho, you're dancing like a crab! Let me show you how it's done." She gracefully swayed and twirled, earning a crowd of onlookers.
Kaiho sighed, "Alright, you win, Mom."
Next, they found a Whack-a-Mole game. Mikoto handed Kaiho a mallet and exclaimed, "Let's beat some moles!"
Kaiho eyed the moles popping up and replied, "I'm ready to show those moles who's boss."
They started whacking the moles, but the timing proved to be trickier than they expected. Mikoto laughed as she swung wildly, saying, "I'm hitting everything but the moles!"
Kaiho, equally unsuccessful, couldn't help but join in the laughter. "This is harder than it looks!"
After the laughter subsided, they decided to try their luck at a claw machine. Mikoto cheered, "Let's snatch a prize!"
Kaiho nodded, "I'll give it a shot."
Their attempts were less coordinated than they hoped, with the claw frequently missing their target. Mikoto pretended to console Kaiho, saying, "Don't worry, I'm sure it's rigged."
Kaiho grumbled, "Yeah, that's got to be it."
In the end, they walked away from the claw machine empty-handed but couldn't help but laugh at their failed attempts.
As they returned home, Koshiro greeted them with a warm welcome. Kaiho couldn't help but express his exhaustion, saying, "Well, I am beat."
Koshiro grinned, noting the fun they had, "Well, honey, it seems like you had fun."
Mikoto joined in, sharing their plan for the next outing, "The next time, Mom and I will team up to defeat Dad in a dance battle."
Koshiro playfully challenged, "We will see about that."
Then, Mikoto revealed a surprise. "By the way, I brought a little gift for you."
She handed Koshiro a few photos. As he looked at them, his reaction was priceless, "What's that... Is that Kaiho? Hahahahaha."
Kaiho, on the other hand, was less than thrilled, exclaiming, "Wait, you had photos? Noooooooo..."
Mikoto's sense of humor had led to the ultimate form of playful teasing. The photos brought a moment of levity and laughter to their household, cementing the strong bond they shared as a family in the divine realm.