While I was astounded by Alice's appearance just about everywhere, I continued to look around the festival with Isis-san.
We enjoyed a leisurely date, we played ring toss (ring target) together and checked out a store that sold secondhand books.
[Hehh... They were selling clothes here huh. Does this mean these are secondhand?]
[...No... They're probably... new... This street... attracts a lot... of amateur designers.]
[I see, so that's why there are a lot of clothes with designs I've never seen before.]
This street was apparently filled with amateur designers who were trying to make a name for themselves. I guess it's understandable why. The guests invited to the Six Kings Festival were all people who gained a certain level of recognition from the Six Kings... So, many of them should have high social status and financial power.
Not only would this be a good way to make connections, but many of the people with that amount of money and status would also like unusual things. That's why this street was a good place for new designers.
And thus, it was inevitable that the products here took a lot of effort to make, especially the clothes that were used only for one party, such as luxurious suits and dresses.
[Speaking of which, you're quite fashionable, aren't you, Isis-san?]
[...Really?]
Isis-san liked to wear gothic-styled clothing with lots of frills, but I think that what she wears still has quite the variety.
The dresses that I've most commonly seen her wear were her light blue and blue-colored ones, but I also remember seeing her wear other gothic dresses in several other colors.
Not only were the colors different, but the designs were different as well. This gave me the impression that she was very particular about her clothes.
[Yes, you wear a lot of pretty clothes... Do you have a favorite clothing store you go to, Isis-san?]
[...No... I don't buy them... Just like Kuromueina... my clothes are... "made with magic power".]
[...Just like Kuro's clothes? Are you talking about her long coat that can change at will?]
[...Unnn... Materializing it with magic power... Also lets me freely... change the color and appearance... so it's convenient.]
I see, just like how Kuro's interesting long coat could turn into wings and tatami mats, Isis-san was materializing her magic power and turning them into her clothes...
That would certainly let her change its appearance as much as she wanted, and the fact that it was a mass of magic power made it excellent in terms of defense and mobility.
I heard from Kuro before that it was quite difficult to materialize magic power though. Unnn, well, let's just obediently buy our clothes from Alice.
[...Just... like this.]
[O- Ohh!?]
As Isis-san said this, she showed me how she changed the color of her dress from blue to white and added more frills to it.
Hmmm. White colors... also look great on Isis-san huh... Dressed in a white frilly dress, she unmistakably looked like an angel.
[...Kaito….. What color... of clothing... do you think would look good on me?]
[Hmmm. I personally like wearing black clothes but... I think a fleeting light blue, or rather, I feel like clothes with lighter shades of color would look good on Isis-san.]
Somehow, I felt that snow-like clothes would suit her. When she wore a fleeting light blue dress, she looked very lovely, just like a really cute snow fairy.
[...This color?]
[Yes, it looks good on you... Errr, you look really lovely.]
[...Thank you... Kaito telling me that... makes me... really happy.]
When I sent her generous words of praise, Isis-san gave me a beaming smile.
Seeing her pure, adorable smile, I suddenly felt embarrassed and hurriedly turned my gaze away.
[...Ah, Isis-san. There's an ice cream stand over there! How about we take a break for the moment and have some ice cream?]
[...Unnn.]
[W- Well then, I'll go get us some. What flavor do you want, Isis-san?]
[...Then... I will have chocolate.]
[Alright. Please wait for a bit, okay!?]
Even though I had somehow forced the conversation, I headed for an ice cream stall a short distance away.
The food stall I arrived at seemed to have reasonably excellent options, and they had the chocolate flavor that Isis-san had requested.
Personally, I thought matcha was the best ice cream flavor but... Unfortunately, they didn't seem to be selling matcha flavor, so I decided to buy strawberry ice cream instead. (T/N: Matcha flavor is the green tea flavor you could find in boba tea shops.)
However, after I gave my order and was about to pay the bill... I realized a very important fact.
Ah, sh*t. While we were looking around before coming here, I had used up all the silver coins I had, along with the coins of lesser value. All I had now were gold coins and white gold coins.
I didn't really think it was a good idea to pay with a gold coin just for two ice creams that cost 1R each... That's already on the level of harassment.
However, Isis-san also didn't have any coins smaller than white gold coins. That means... I guess it can't be helped. It's my fault for not keeping some change in stock, I'll just pay with a gold coin and say that she can keep the change.
I think it's a waste of money but... To be honest, I've always wanted to try saying it...
[Yes, you've paid the exact amount. Thank you for your patronage.]
[...Eh? Arehh?]
As if to interrupt my thoughts of paying with a gold coin, I heard the shopkeeper's voice. When I turned to her... I saw the shopkeeper with her head tilted, handing me two scoops of ice cream.
[...U- Ummm, I haven't... paid you yet, remember?]
[Eh? But "it was paid for by your companion over there" though?]
[...Eh? Companion—— Wha!?]
I didn't think that Isis-san had a 1R coin, but when she said "companion", I reflexively moved my gaze... and my thoughts completely stopped.
In the direction where I looked, she was there, standing next to me before I knew it... was a petite woman with light brown semi-long hair. She looked at me for a moment, gave me a quick wink, and turned away without saying a single word.
From the moment I saw her, I was so shaken that I couldn't feel my voice coming out of my throat. My mind went blank, my heart was beating frighteningly fast, and I could feel sweat dripping all over my body... As if I was petrified, my body didn't move an inch.
That's impossible... It can't be... after all... Eh? No, why...
[...Mom?]
When I could finally feel my voice coming out of my mouth... The woman had already disappeared into the crowd.
Dear Mom, Dad———— I knew that who I met was another person. I've heard from someone that there are at least three people in the world who look like me. But even though I knew this, I couldn't help but feel shaken... for the woman I just saw———— looked exactly like my mother.