After we finished speaking about the Small Fry Demon King and the First Hero, we were briefed about the Symphonia Kingdom and the surrounding cities in general.
[...It's not good to cram too much information into your head, and I'm sure that you all want to clear your minds for a moment. I'll leave the explanation here for now.]
[That's right. I guess it's about time for me to prepare your rooms—- Ah...]
[Luna?]
[...Please accept my apologies, My Lady. It's just that I completely forgot about it. About Miyama-sama's clothing...]
[Ah...]
After they explained various things, Lunamaria-san looks as if she suddenly remembered something just as we were about to take a break. And the next words she uttered with a troubled expression on her face, I immediately understood the situation.
Basically, only women live in Lilia-san's mansion. That also means there are no men's clothes in this place.
[Luna... Can you make it in time?]
[Yes, but… I wouldn't know anything about his underwear either…]
[...Kaito-san, my apologies. It was my blunder. We don't have any men's clothing in our house and we don't have a change of clothes ready.]
[...It's not like I have to change my clothes every single day...]
[No, fortunately, it's still evening. It should be better if you buy some... After all, it's difficult for us to decide on your nightwear by ourselves. That's why, I'm sure that you must be tired for the day, but I was wondering if you and Luna could go into the city together and pick out some clothes?]
[Ah, yes.]
I honestly think that it would be fine if I were to not change my clothes for the day but... Since she had declared that she would guarantee food, clothing and shelter to us, this might be something non-negotiable for Lilia-san.
[My Lady, how much budget are we to use?]
[In the meantime, I want you to go out and buy five sets, including spares, for 100,000R.]
[Pfft!?]
[I respectfully obey.]
Wait a minute!? Isn't 100,000R about 10 million Japanese yen!? That amount of money would be enough to buy lots of things, not just clothes! Eh? Noble-samas think that 1 million for a piece of clothing is an obvious thing?
In front of the stunned me, Lilia-san and Lunamaria-san quickly prepared the money.
[Ah, I almost forgot. Kaito-san, Aoi-san, and Hina-san. If you have any tools called "Elektrikal Apleyanses", we will be taking care of them for you. It's a bundle of otherworldly technologies after all, so we'll have to ask the Goddess of Law to take care of it.]
[Electrical Appliances... I guess my smartphone counts as one.]
[I don't really know what this smartphone is but there was a time when the mashin that a previous Hero-sama carried was targeted before. Now, they were to be kept by the Goddess for a year.]
I see, mechanical appliances would be an unknown piece of technology for this world... If so, there may be people who would want to acquire these and holding unto this for some time would be obvious. Well, I don't think I would be able to charge my smartphone in this place anyway, and I don't think it would be easy to take photos with it.
In the clean box that Lunamaria-san prepared for us individually, all of us placed our smartphones and other digital items, like watches. I wasn't really sure what to do with my watch, but they lent me something that looked like a pocket watch instead. I can already tell that based on its appearance. That this is a very expensive pocket watch... I honestly think it's scarier to have one like this.
About 10 minutes being shaken by the carriage, we finally got off the carriage. Walking through the city that has the image of medieval Europe, we arrived at a clothing store and bought 5 outfits, underwear, and nightwear.
I guess you could say that it's to be expected from a shop selling items to the Duchess's family, every clothing frighteningly feels good to touch and it wouldn't be an understatement calling these luxury items.
I thought I managed to find and buy some conservative clothes, but the overall cost still ended up being 25,000R... That's 2.5 million yen. 2.5 million yen... Can you believe it? We only bought some clothes, you know?
[...I would have fine with much cheaper clothes...]
[After all, Miyama-san is My Lady—- The Duchess's guest. If you were to dress to cheaply, My Lady's dignity may be doubted.]
[Is that how it is?]
[...Being a noble means that you have to show others that you're acting like one. Even the store we chose to enter deals with relatively simpler clothes.]
[Those are… simple...]
Walking through the crowded streets at dusk with Lunamaria, I talked about various things with her. There were some very glittery clothes sold on that shop, but even those appears to be modest for nobles.
[Even so, there sure are lots of people around.]
[We chose the wrong time of the day to shop. Especially since tomorrow is the New Year.]
Ah, I see. I felt that it was just before the summer holidays... but it's the end of the year in this world. I don't know what New Year is like in this world, but they mentioned that this is the royal capital and that must be why this place is lively.
While I was thinking about this, I came across a square with a large fountain and stopped to look at something that looked like a horse-drawn carriage floating in the air.
Whoa, could that possibly be magic? When I heard the term "State Preservation Magic" earlier, I had my hopes up, but this really is a different world! I was a little impressed by the way magic seems to be built into their everyday lives.
[Lunamaria-san, that floating thing—– Huh?]
It has only been a few seconds before my eyes were drawn to the floating carriage, but Lunamaria-san is nowhere near in sight when I turned around. I hurriedly looked left and right, but there were so many people that I couldn't find Lunamaria.
I felt like my blood was drained out of me. This is that, right? No matter how I look at it, this really is that, right?
[...I got lost?]
Oh no, oh no, oh no. I lost sight of Lunamaria-san!? Moreover, there are too many people to look from, and I had to ride a carriage on the way here… I also don't know how to get home.
W- What am I gonna do!? Shouldn't I just keep calm and stay where I am at times like this? No, but if by staying here, I'd end up getting swept away by the crowds... Ah, that's right! In front of that big mountain!
Confused by the fact that I got lost in a strange place, I walked in front of the fountain that would serve as a landmark.
Now I've done it... Even though I don't know the place, immediately turning into a lost child isn't funny at all. I'm sure Lunamaria-san is probably aware of it by now and is looking for me, but will she be able to find me in this large crowd of people? Uwaaahhh, I'm getting extremely anxious! Really, what should I do...
[What's wrong? You look like you're in trouble.]
[...Eh?]
As I hold my head in front of the fountain, I can hear a clear voice even though I'm supposed to be in the midst of the bustling crowd. Reflexively turning in the direction of the voice, I stiffened up. No, I guess it might be better to say that she's eye-catching.
It was a child who looked less than 140cm tall, but you could say that the atmosphere she had is different from a normal child. Silver semi-short hair that looks like it shines, golden eyes so beautiful that it makes jewels look dull, and a beautiful face that makes it difficult to determine whether she's a girl or a boy... The child dressed in clothing that looks like an oversized black coat—- or perhaps, it may be a robe because of its long sleeves. I was unconsciously gazing at her as she shone like an art form in the setting sun.
[Umm? Are you alright?]
[Ah, E- Err...]
[You, you're a person from another world, aren't you? Are you lost perhaps? If you're fine with me, you can consult me~]
(T/N: She refers to herself with boku… and I'm honestly not sure about her gender at the moment. I'm going to be assuming she's female in the meantime.)
[Wha!?]
The child spoke to me in a gentle voice with a lovely smile on her face, as if she's a blooming flower but... A person from another world? How did she know that?]
[Your magical power is like that of the hero, and those clothes you're wearing doesn't look like you'd see it very often, so that's what I thought~]
[E- Err...]
I can understand when she mentioned what I'm wearing, but that magical power, she must be referring to that energy needed to use my magic huh... I wonder if it's something people can see?
[Rather than seeing it, I think it would be better to describe it as feeling it.]
[Ah, I see... Eh?]
I'm not saying my thoughts out loud, right? Is she an esper?
[Hahaha, your thoughts were easily showing in your face, you know?]
[Ughh...]
[Ah, sorry sorry. I didn't mean to make fun of you. Rather, I like those types of children.]
Seeing her facial expression changed, I was a little relieved seeing the child laughing with an adorable look on her face. However, even though her expression and appearance looks young, her voice and the atmosphere around her strangely feels mature for a child.
[Well, be that as it may... Despite my appearance, I've lived several hundred years more than you, so you can rely on me if you're troubled, you know?]
[...Several hundred?]
[Unn! Ah, I see, Is this your first time seeing a demon? My name is Kuromueina... Whether you want to call me Chrome, Eina, or Kuro, feel free to call me whatever you want~]
(T/N: クロムエイナ / Kuromueina. I want to call her Chrome Eina, but I guess I'll follow the manga on this one.)
Demon!? Did she just say she's a Demon? She looks like a human though...
[Should I show you my horn or something like that? Alright, then how about this!?]
[Why the heck is your horn in your nose!?]
[Fufufu, I still know lots of things about the other world! Isn't there that story about his horns getting longer when they lie? It's something like that!]
[No, that story's about someone's nose getting longer...]
[Arya?]
I don't know how she did that, but she was so confident in her lengthened horn that I reflexively throw a tsukkomi. Thereupon, the demon calling herself Kuromueina wrily smiled as she put away her horn. She then continued speaking with that smile still on her face.
It seems that Kuro has some half-baked knowledge about the other world, just some stuff she had heard from other Heroes, and she may not look like it, but she has lived for a long time, so she may have heard some stories from the past Heroes.
With an innocent smile on her face, she pushed a baby castella into my mouth. The familiar, gentle sweetness spread in my mouth and somehow calmed me down.
Seeing me like that, Kuro brightly smiled as we continued speaking while she ate her baby castellas.
[So, what's the matter, Kaito-kun? You've been looking around since earlier...]
[Ah, I got separated from my companion... and I didn't know how to get home. That's right! Kuro, do you know where the Duchess Albert's Residence is?]
[Hnnn... I'm sorry, I don't live in this country so I don't know where that is.]
[I see...]
[Yeah, but it will be alright. I can help you find the person you're separated from.]
[Eh!?]
Sending a cheerful smile at me who felt a bit down, Kuro puts her hand on her coat again and takes out a necklace with a black jewel in it.
[Here, I'll give you this! Take it and try to think of the person you were separated from.]
[Eh? Ah, okay.]
Placing the necklace on the palm of my hand just as I was told, when I thought of Lunamaria-san... A line that looked like a black line formed and extended from the jewel.
[W- Whoa!?]
[If you follow that, you should be able to see him. That necklace has Search Magic in it~]
[Ah, thank you! B- But, this... Is it okay for me to take it?]
[Ahaha, you're still young, you don't have to be that reserved. We should help each other in times of need!]
[Young huh... Just based on appearance, you look a younger than me though, Kuro...]
[Ah, that might be so now that you mentioned it.]
Healed by Kuro's smiled as she talked to me, I repeatedly said my thanks. This really was a great help. Thanks to this, I think I can somehow go home.
After saying my thanks to Kuro again, who have laughed and said that I didn't need to worry about it, I was about to say goodbye when a question came to my mind.
[...Speaking of which, Kuro. Are you a boy or a girl?]
[Me? "It can change either way." I'm a girl now, though.]
[...Is it normal for demons to be able to freely change their gender?]
[Nope. There are differences among the demons. Some are male and female just like the humans do, some that don't reproduce and don't have the concept of gender itself, and some that can change to whatever they want just like me~]
[Huhh… How mysterious.]
As I thought, not everything in my common sense works in this world. Ah, that's right, Lunamaria-san is probably looking for me too. I have to quickly meet up with her.
[Anyway, thank you very much!]
[Don't worry about it~ Let's talk again when we get the chance.]
[Yeah.]
[See you next time, Kaito-kun.]
Thanking Kuro again as she waved her hand with an innocent smile on her face, I followed the black light extending from the necklace as I left the square.
Dear Mother, Father—– I got lost in the other world and was helped out by someone. She's childish yet mature, ignorant yet knowledgeable, she may look like she has no clue what's going on, but she gives me a sense of security in my heart. And I—– have met such a mysterious demon.
As the sun gradually sets, in the fountain square. After seeing the young man off until he was out of sight, a quiet voice could be heard from behind the small demon.
[I'm here to pick you up, Chrome-sama.]
[Hmm? Are the preparations ready?]
[Yes. "Symphonia Kingdom's King" awaits.]
[Roger. Well then, let's go.]
The demon quietly started walking after hearing the words of the knight in jet-black armor who appeared out of nowhere.
[...It seems you're in a good mood, aren't you?]
[Unn. I've met a very interesting "Jyapanis" earlier.]
[...I've heard that the person who holds the role of the Hero is in the castle though...]
[Doesn't that mean he was mistakenly summoned? That may also be the reason why they asked me to come all the way out here, asking me to show my face if I have the time.]
[I see.]
[Well, as far as I'm concerned, I'm happy that I have encountered him~]
A small shadow walking with an innocent smile with a knight in tow. The sight of her deliciously eating baby castellas made her look like a child, but in her golden eyes that were quietly gazing into the future—- There was a certain majesty held within them.