Newbie Graduation (3)
Lucifen Village was a village, after all, so of course it had a clothing shop.
Newbies blew through without ever knowing the place existed, but as long as the village was playing the part of a proper settlement, a clothing shop was only to be expected. Expected, yes—but someone who'd just started the game had no reason to set foot in one. At most they'd stop by the guard post or the equipment shop.
And those two sat right by the path into the forest. There was no reason whatsoever to venture into the village interior where the clothing shop actually was. Even the stagecoaches bound for Yelloy Barrier Fortress and the other hubs waited outside, not here.
Which meant that finding this village's clothing shop required you to deliberately, pointlessly, comb the place from end to end.
I was glaring sourly at the sign painted with a dress when a hand settled on my shoulder.
"Weren't you the one who told me to say something if there was anything I wanted to do, Choco?"
"Even unspoken, I have no intention of withdrawing."
I answered Yeon's pointed remark with a huff and pushed the door open.
I'd guessed as much from the outside, but the clothing shop was rather small. For its size, though, the stock was surprisingly solid. Most of it was fantasy-style clothing that fit Al Fantasia's setting, but there were also plenty of pieces that wouldn't have looked out of place in the real world.
Like that school uniform over there, for instance.
Why would they even have something like that? I was staring at it in disbelief when a woman's voice called out.
"Oh my, you're not from the village, are you?"
"Ah—hello."
"Welcome. It's been quite a while since we've had outsiders."
The woman who appeared to be the shopkeeper had a sturdy, ample build. She spoke with the warm smile of a country matron.
"Looking for anything in particular?"
"Nothing specific. Would it be all right if we just browsed?"
"It's not like I have any other customers. Look around as you please."
Yeon answered the easygoing invitation with a smile, dipped her head slightly, and started walking. I trailed after her toward the women's section, my face set in a sulk.
I'd had a feeling ever since the shopping talk started, but I never thought we'd actually come to a place like this.
"This is too cruel. I told you I was a man, and still you would..."
"Does it really matter what the clothes are? I wear pants sometimes too, you know."
"A man and a woman are not the same..."
I said as much, but Yeon only tilted her head.
I'd sooner die. I secretly let out a long breath and followed Yeon's gaze across the racks.
If there was a silver lining, it was that most of the clothes were duller and a bit more rustic than modern fashion, so even the open-bottomed, skirt-type pieces didn't look entirely terrible. And given the body I was stuck with, Yeon clearly wouldn't be able to put me in anything too outrageous.
"Oh, what about this?"
Scratch that. She immediately held up something even worse. I pressed a hand to my forehead at the garment in Yeon's hands.
It was the kind commonly called a gothic dress. A huge white ribbon sat on the bodice, and it came as a set with a matching bonnet—black, with white ribbon ties.
"...I see now. Your tastes appear to be rather... particular."
"Particular?! I recommended it because I thought it would look great on you, Choco!"
"I would sooner you kill me!"
"Oh my, you have a wonderful eye, miss~"
I was practically coughing up blood when I shouted that, and the shopkeeper, who'd been watching quietly from the side, suddenly chimed in. I was about to snap at her not to spout such nonsense when Yeon quickly picked up the conversation.
"Right? People tell me I have a good eye for clothes all the time."
"Of course. It's perfect for a little lady like this. By the way, are you two sisters?"
"Hehe, do we look like it?"
As if we could. Our hair colors were completely different. It was all just sales talk to move merchandise, but Yeon laughed like she was delighted.
"We're not sisters. Just companions traveling together."
"Companions? An adventurer, at this size?"
At the shopkeeper's incredulous look, I casually conjured a small flame.
"Magic... a mage at that age. Well, I suppose you really are adventurers."
It was actually Taoist arts, not magic, but instead of correcting her I just snorted and looked away.
"More importantly, can we try this on?"
"Trying things on is fine, but... will you be the one wearing it?"
"No, not me. This one here."
"But it's far too big for her. We don't even have a size that would fit..."
"Ah."
The shopkeeper put a hand to her cheek with a look of genuine regret, and Yeon let out a small sound as the realization hit her. She'd only just noticed that the dress in her hands was far too large for me to wear.
It was only natural. You had to be at least sixteen to log into Al Fantasia. Anyone younger couldn't even register an account, so there was no reason to stock children's clothes.
"So we can't, then..."
Yeon's shoulders slumped at the news that there was no size. I watched her for a moment, then let out a heavy sigh and spoke.
"No. Size is of no consequence."
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"We are players. That is what I mean."
The shopkeeper wouldn't have anything in my size, nor anything beyond what was already on display.
"Where is the fitting room?"
"I'll show you right away."
As the shopkeeper bowed and turned, Yeon looked at me in confusion.
"We're players so it doesn't matter? What does that mean?"
"Precisely so. This is a game. There is no reason to stock clothes by size. It is far more efficient to have them reshape themselves to the wearer."
"Oh—so that's why it doesn't matter."
Hold a piece of clothing up to your body and it would resize itself to fit, no matter what size it originally was. Immersive, sure—but it was still a game.
"Right this way."
Following the shopkeeper to the fitting room, I took the dress from Yeon and said,
"I trust you understand that if I had kept my mouth shut, this shopping trip would have ended right there."
"Yeah. You saved me, Choco."
"Then I ask that the next outfit be something modest. I have already chosen this one, so I shall wear it—but there will be no next time."
"Thank you so much, Choco! I really, really love you!"
"I told you not to cling to me."
I shoved away Yeon, who was pressing her cheek against mine, and let out a sigh.
I never thought I'd live to see the day I'd wear something like this. I was about to call up the settings window with a gloomy face when a realization hit me, late and hollow.
"Come to think of it... I cannot use anything except the status window..."
To change clothes, you had to use Outfit Change Mode in the settings—and I couldn't use anything except the status window. Impossible.
Not that there was no other way. The problem was what would come after.
How did I end up like this? After a brief moment of self-pity, I poked my head out of the fitting room.
"Huh? You're already done changing?"
"Changing? I have not even begun."
"Eh? Then why...?"
"Come inside first."
At my words, Yeon lifted the curtain and stepped in. I'd been calling it a fitting room, but it was really just a screened-off corner. "Changing nook" would have been more accurate.
"What's going on?"
"You can use it, can you not? Outfit Change Mode."
"Of course. That's how I put on Ogle's Masterpiece, too... ah. Right. You can't use that, Choco."
Yeon let out a small sigh as it clicked.
"So what do we do now?"
"Open your status window and check the Taming skill. My name should be listed. Press it, and my status window will appear."
"It's true... wow, your stats are high."
"You can gawk at those later, on your own. Look for anything else nearby."
"Anything else? Anything else... oh?"
At Yeon's reaction, I wet my dry lips with my tongue and asked,
"Did you find it?"
"Equip Gear—is this what you mean?"
"Yes. You found it at once..."
I'd been hoping she'd take forever. I muttered it under my breath with a sigh.
I'd told Yeon I was a player, but I was still being treated as her summoned creature. Things you just hung on your body—swords, accessories—I could handle on my own. Armor you actually had to put on, though, I couldn't.
And since I couldn't use Outfit Change Mode in the first place, you could even say this was convenient... except that I'd just taught her how.
"Wait, so that means I can dress you however I want?"
"Let us put this one on first..."
Damn it. Her brain only kicked into high gear at times like this. I muttered it with a look like I'd bitten into something foul, but Yeon was already giggling and flicking her fingers through the air.
The change was so fast you could practically hear a whoosh. In an instant, the white shrine maiden robes I'd been wearing were gone, replaced by the gothic dress and bonnet Yeon had been holding.
I was twisting my head this way and that, feeling awkward for no reason, when Yeon squealed.
"You're so cute! You look just like a little princess from a fairy tale!"
"...I have worn it. Now change me back."
"You want to take it off the second you put it on? Let's look in the mirror first, okay?"
What was there to look at? I made a face, but Yeon's pleading left me no choice. I stepped out of the fitting room and stood in front of the full-length mirror.
"Nngh..."
The blonde little kid in the mirror let out an uncomfortable groan. I had to admit, I understood why Yeon was losing her mind calling me cute.
To put it a bit dramatically, I looked like a doll. If the kid in that mirror had been someone else, I probably would have said they were cute too.
The problem was that it was me. I was thinking that when Yeon appeared over my head and said,
"Well? Even you think it's cute, right, Choco?"
"I am no narcissist."
"Aww, just be honest~"
Honest, she says. Even if I genuinely thought it was cute, I had no intention of playing along with whatever she was scheming.
Instead, I turned to Yeon, who was grinning like this had nothing to do with her.
"More to the point—since we are already at a clothing shop, why do you not try something on yourself?"
"Me?"
She blinked as if the thought had never occurred to her. I nodded.
"Nah, I'm good. I'm not cute like you, Choco, so what's the point..."
"You have a rather cute—no, a rather pretty face. What are you talking about?"
"Pretty? Me?"
I almost called a kid twelve years my junior "cute." I quietly patted my chest in relief. Meanwhile Yeon stared blankly for a moment, then fidgeted with the hair by her ear, looking oddly shy.
"If you say so, Choco..."
"Then hurry and change me back."
I did not want to keep wearing this. Yeon gave a small nod and flicked her fingers through the air. As quickly as I'd put it on, I was back in my white shrine maiden robes. I turned to look at Yeon.
"Nngh..."
And I let out a short sound at a sight I had not expected.
"H-how is it...?"
Yeon mumbled in a trembling voice.
She'd gone from leather gear that would have looked perfectly natural heading into battle to the dress I'd been wearing just moments ago. The black bonnet and the gothic dress.
I hadn't meant for her to put this on—I'd meant for her to find something else and try it. The words almost slipped out, but her face had gone so red I thought she might actually explode if I said them.
"...It suits you well."
"R-really?"
Yeon mumbled, turning this way and that in an awkward shuffle, but I hadn't been lying.
Al Fantasia's character customization wasn't very extensive. At most you could adjust hair length, hair color, and eye color. And given that Yeon had short black hair and brown eyes, she was about as vanilla as it got.
So when I told her she had a pretty face, I hadn't been empty-flattering her. Not gasp-out-loud gorgeous, but the kind of face you'd turn around to look at twice if you passed it on the street.
She'd called me a princess, but honestly, I was closer to a doll. The title of princess suited the Yeon standing in front of me now.
The size that had looked stubby and short on me had expanded to match Yeon's figure, producing fuller, more abundant skirts that made her look almost noble. And with the bonnet casting a faint shadow over her face, and her eyes lowered in embarrassment—how to put it. It brought her out even more. She had presence.
"Uugh... this is so embarrassing..."
"Now you understand how I felt."
"Yeah... I'll put you in something a little less next time."
"So long as you understand... wait."
A little less next time? I turned my head, only to find Yeon already finished changing and holding up a new outfit.
"Let's try this one next!"
She was beaming, holding up a qipao—a Chinese-style dress from a cultural world entirely opposite the gothic dress we'd just seen. My face went pale all on its own.
"Wait, that is—"
"Too late."
I squeezed my eyes shut at the whooshing sensation of another instant change.
After three more hours of being used as a dress-up doll, we finally managed to set out for Yelloy Barrier Fortress.