After some small talk with Rina, Lucan continued walking with Maris. Finally, they arrived at the market, which was filled with stalls and a crowd.
"Maris, please be careful not to get lost."
"Y-yes..."
Maris looked anxious as she glanced around. She didn't like places with a lot of people and glanced at Lucan's right hand.
Lucan noticed this and moved his hand.
"If you don't mind, shall we hold hands? That way we won't get separated."
"Yes!"
Maris nodded happily and took Lucan's hand. Her small hand squeezed his repeatedly, as if to confirm the feeling and warmth. It seemed she had grown quite attached to him, and he felt as if he had gained a daughter.
To be a father at eighteen... This daughter will return the favor a thousand times over, so it's not bad.
"Priest, what are we going to buy first?" Maris asked.
"Let's start by buying clothes."
"Clothes? But you've already bought me some."
Maris grabbed the hem of her dress and lifted it slightly.
"It's just one. We should have three dresses and some sleepwear."
"Hm, I'm okay with just a shirt. It's comfortable to sleep in."
"Well, that's true," Lucan nodded. Anything oversized on the body is good for sleeping, and his shirt is oversized for her.
"...Anyway, let's look around at various things."
"...Okay. If you say so."
Lucan took Maris to a nearby clothing store. It wasn't very large, but it seemed to have a good selection, including children's clothes.
"Welcome... Oh, aren't you the new priest?"
A middle-aged female clerk came out. Lucan had already greeted her when he was first assigned to the town, so this was their second meeting. Behind this middle-aged female was a bodybuilder who was walking on all fours, like a dog.
Actually, the bodybuilder thought of himself as a dog—or rather, as a smart dog who knew how to run a business.
The female clerk was an employee and also the translator for the dog-minded owner, as the owner only spoke in dog language.
"Came here for shopping," Lucan said.
"Woof, woof, wo, wo, woofff," the dog-minded owner barked.
After his barking, the female clerk smiled. "He is saying that he can personally help you pick out some outfits if you want."
"Oh, thank you very much, but I'm not here for my clothes. It's for this girl," Lucan said, pointing at Maris.
"H-Hello..."
Maris peeked out nervously from behind Lucan.
"Woof, woof."
"He is saying this girl is a cute child. Who is she? Your little sister?"
"For now, she's a worker at the temple, but she is training to become a priestess."
"Woof. (I see)."
"Alright then, I'll help you choose. Come over here, dear," the female clerk said.
"P-priest?"
"Don't worry, they are good and have a good reputation," Lucan said.
Maris looked at Lucan for a second, then nodded and went with the female clerk.
"Sorry for the wait~"
"I'm... I'm back..."
A few minutes later, a cute fairy appeared before Lucan.
To be precise, a beautiful girl who could be mistaken for a fairy stood there.
Maris, who had returned, was wearing a different white dress. Though the color was the same, it was adorned with lace ribbons and decorations, making it vastly different from the one Lucan had bought. She also wore red boots and had her hair styled up.
She was still thin from a lack of proper nutrition, but she was undeniably a beautiful girl who would make anyone fall in love.
"This is... surprising. You look very cute."
"Cute... me...?"
"Yes, it suits you very well."
"…!"
Maris's face lit up with an overjoyed smile.
From the back, the female clerk walked over and smiled. "This girl is amazing. She looks good in anything."
"I can see that."
"Woof, woof..."
"He is saying that it's a waste for her to spend her life as a nun or priestess in the temple. Make sure you think carefully about her future, okay?"
"..."
Lucan nodded. He also didn't want Maris to be a priestess at the temple. He wanted her to go out and make a name for herself around the world. Only then would he benefit. Moreover, he also had to ensure she found a suitable partner as a proper heroine. After all, her power-up was based on love, and if she found a good partner, Lucan could benefit from that as well.
"Um... Priest, they also recommended this outfit. Can I try it on?"
"Why not. Go and change."
"Hehehe..."
Maris smiled shyly and entered the fitting room, this time holding a black dress.