Chapter 174: A Brand New Outfit
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 174: A Brand New Outfit
Hearing Nimo’s assessment of the clothes, Ivy snapped back crossly.
"What do you mean 'children's clothes'! This is called 'petite'!"
As she spoke, she leaned in close to Nimo, standing on her tiptoes.
"Besides, you promised before that you’d reimburse all my travel expenses."
Faced with the girl throwing a childish tantrum, Nimo sighed and pressed a hand to his forehead.
"Teacher, where exactly did your previous funds go? Why is it that every time we go out, I never see you spend a cent of your own money?"
Under Nimo’s interrogation, Ivy’s heels hit the floor.
She turned her face away, her voice losing its confidence.
"Th-that... that obviously went toward supporting my literary career! You have no idea how expensive it is to self-publish so many books."
She looked up at Nimo again.
"Once those books start making money, I’ll naturally pay you back double."
With that, she tossed her head haughtily to the side.
Nimo sighed at the sight. "It would be a miracle if those cringe-worthy novels of yours actually became popular."
Hearing this, Ivy whipped her head back to argue.
"What do you mean 'cringe-worthy'! That is art! If people don't understand me, it's clearly their problem..."
"Right, right, it’s art. You were simply born in the wrong era, Teacher—you just haven't met a kindred spirit who understands you yet."
Nimo turned to the shop assistant. "Pack up these children's clothes."
"Certainly, please wait a moment."
Five minutes later.
Ivy walked out the door, looking thoroughly satisfied as she carried fifteen bags of new clothes.
Nimo followed behind, looking at the VIP card he had just received and patting his wallet with a pang of regret.
The assistant stood at the entrance, bowing respectfully to Nimo’s group.
"Thank you for your patronage. The Gilded Rose looks forward to seeing you both again."
*
Elsewhere.
Xie Bai followed the two little ones down the street, occasionally glancing at the surrounding shops.
Thanks to the fact that they hadn't done anything else to draw attention, few people noticed them.
Kairos, who was leading the way, did not enjoy such anonymity.
As a famous new-generation genius of Dome Academy, he was under constant scrutiny from those around him.
Fortunately, his reputation here was decent, so he didn't hear much negative gossip this time. Most people were simply speculating whether he was out on a mission.
A moment later, Kairos stopped in front of a shop.
"Alright, we’re here."
[The Gilded Rose]
Seeing the somewhat extravagant storefront, Xie Bai asked in confusion, "Why did you bring us here?"
Kairos explained patiently, "This is the best clothing store in Villanova. Your current attire is quite different from the local style, which might cause unnecessary misunderstandings. So, I thought I’d bring you here to pick out some suitable clothing."
"Is that so?"
Xie Bai looked up, scanning the shop.
The two little ones came to her side, asking curiously, "New clothes? We don't think we've ever bought new clothes before."
"Sister Xiaobai, can we go in and look? We want to see you in new clothes too!"
Xie Bai thought about it for a moment. "Well... alright."
Although she could change her appearance at will using Void Power, browsing a shop and buying new clothes seemed like a nice change of pace.
As they entered, an assistant immediately came forward to greet them.
"Welcome! Ah, Mr. Kairos, are you looking for daily wear or specialized magical garments?"
The assistant’s gaze then fell on the three figures behind Kairos.
"Oh, have you brought the children for some new outfits? Perfect, we just received a new shipment of children's wear. Please, have a look."
The assistant stepped aside, gesturing toward several rows of dresses.
Xie Bai led the two little ones to the other side, browsing back and forth.
Five minutes later.
The two little ones were the first to emerge from the fitting room.
The moment they appeared, both the assistant and Kairos froze in place.
Cute.
They are simply too cute.
That was the first thought that flashed through their minds.
They wore white cloud-patterned puff-sleeve blouses paired with tiered skirts styled like ocean waves, instantly evoking the faint, salty scent of a sea breeze.
Matched with white lace stockings and blue round-toed shoes, the two blue-haired lolis looked like two little sea-salt blueberry cupcakes.
They radiated an aura of fresh, pure cuteness.
Gamie adjusted the light blue headband on her head, admiring herself in the full-length mirror.
"Ooh, this outfit is actually pretty cute!"
She turned to look at Little Gamie. "Well? What do you think? I picked out good clothes, didn't I?"
Little Gamie replied crossly, "Why do I have to wear the exact same thing as you? And a skirt, of all things..."
Their previous outfits hadn't been skirts...
Thinking of this, Little Gamie turned away in annoyance.
"Alright, alright, don't be mad, Little Gamie! Next time we pick clothes, I'll listen to you."
Hearing Gamie’s concession, Little Gamie’s expression softened slightly.
Just as she was about to speak, another fitting room door pushed open.
Xie Bai stepped out in her brand-new outfit.
In an instant, everyone’s gaze shifted from the two little ones to Xie Bai.
Her top was primarily cream-white with puff sleeves. The wide, black stand-up collar was decorated with two white camellias and a trailing pink ribbon.
Paired with a black pleated miniskirt and a large grey bow at her back, Xie Bai looked exceptionally petite and adorable.
But that wasn't the main point.
Looking further down...
Her fair, slender legs were almost entirely unadorned, save for two interlocking anklets hanging around her ankles.
It was the perfect accent, instantly elevating her sense of delicate charm by several levels.
Seeing this, the two little ones covered their mouths in surprise.
They hadn't expected Xie Bai to look so much cuter in new clothes. It was as if she were a completely different person.
Thud!
The shop assistant nearby collapsed instantly.
From the slight upward curve of his lips, it was clear he wasn't in any pain.
Kairos, on the other hand, had come prepared.
"Phew... Good thing I’m a dual-cultivator of physical and magical arts, and I don't usually care for lolis... After exhausting all my mana, I’ve finally managed to stay conscious..."
Though the situation on Kairos’s end was somewhat dire, Xie Bai herself didn't feel anything was wrong.
She looked into the mirror, lifted a small foot, and tried spinning around.
Her hair fluttered along with the hem of her skirt, and a faint, almost imperceptible blush touched her cheeks...
"Cough!"
Kairos’s defenses finally shattered.
He knelt on the ground, staring at his trembling hands as a terrifying thought surfaced in his mind.
"Could it be... that I really am some kind of lolicon?"