Chapter 7

"Um, how does it look, Reta?"

"It suits you very well, and you look cute."

"Mm... thank you."

Pleasantly surprised by the straightforward compliment, Mina wriggled with delight.

"Oh my, you look completely different. Reta, right? How about I give you the clothes you're wearing as a present?"

"Eh? Is that okay?"

"Of course. You're such a lovely young lady. It's worth giving a gift. Let's pick out the next outfit, shall we? Just so you know, girls are fashionable creatures. You can't just buy one and be done with it."

"I know, I know. Hey, Mina, why don't you pick out your own favorite clothes?"

"Really? Is that okay?"

"Of course, since you're the one wearing them. Besides, no matter what you wear, you look cute to me, so I can't decide."

"Hey, Reta!"

Mina, who had given a reserved impression since they met, raised her voice to hide her embarrassment, blushing at Reta's repeated compliments. The thought that the distance between them had narrowed made her feel happy.

"Come here, young lady. I recommend this area."

"O-Okay!"

Following the shop owner's advice, Mina tried on several dress-type outfits. Each time, Reta complimented her, and she blushed. Nell watched the two with a smile, teasing them.

The enjoyable time passed quickly, and before they knew it, they had bought five dresses, three pairs of pants, two pairs of shoes, and two thick jackets. The shop owner, who liked Reta's willingness to buy everything Mina liked, generously offered a discount.

"If I had more customers like you, my shop would be more profitable."

Nell laughed heartily, and Reta and Mina smiled along with her. Mina had already changed into the first outfit she tried on and was wearing the shoes. The girl seemed to want to say something, glancing at Reta and fidgeting.

"What's wrong?"

Noticing the change in her, Reta asked, and the girl took a deep breath.

"Thank you for buying me clothes. I'll take good care of them."

Reta, feeling the girl's gratitude, knelt down to meet her eyes and said with a smile,

"You're welcome."

The shop owner watched the scene with a warm smile.

* * *

"By the way, have you decided on your lodging for tonight?"

After replenishing the tools they had used, Nell asked. Reta shook her head.

"Actually, not yet. I was thinking of going to an inn."

"There are two inns in this town. One of them is run by my daughter. Would you like to stay at 'Sparrow's Rest Inn'?"

"That's fine. Is there a room available?"

"Recently, we've had more customers, but it's not full. I'll tell her to give you a discount, so please go there."

"Of course, I have no reason to refuse if you offer that."

"Thank you. So, my daughter's inn is—"

Reta, who had heard the location of 'Sparrow's Rest Inn,' said goodbye to Nell, who had been so kind, and left the store with Mina to find a place to stay for the night. The inn was a short distance from the shop. The sun had already set, and it was getting dark. The temperature had dropped, and Reta naturally took Mina's hand, quickening their pace.

"Welcome to Sparrow's Rest Inn!"

As they stepped into the inn, a woman in her late twenties greeted them with a lively voice. She was a charming red-haired beauty. Reta couldn't help but smile in response.

"Are you here to stay or for a meal?"

"We're here to stay. Can we have a meal as well?"

"Yes, of course. This is a small place, so we do a bit of everything. It's not a fancy restaurant, more like a bar, but the food is well-regarded."

Looking around, the first floor had a reception area and a kitchen, with the rest of the space filled with tables and chairs. There were already customers, some eating and others drinking, all looking happy and smiling. A few adventurers and travelers were there, and Reta felt a sense of kinship, thinking they might be heading to the town of Amrus.

"...Reta"

Mina, who seemed a bit shy, squeezed his hand tightly. Reta squeezed back to reassure her.

"You two aren't a parent and child, right? Oh, what should I do? We only have one double room available. We just had a sudden influx of guests."

"That's fine, right?"

"...Yeah. I want to stay with Reta."

"Alright, then. Here's the key. It will take a while to prepare the meal, so why don't you take a bath? It's cold outside, so warm up."

"Good idea, let's do that."

Reta's body and Mina's hand were both cold. It was a relief that the inn in the small town had a bath. Sometimes, they only got a bowl of hot water to wipe themselves down.

"Then, I'll show you to your room!"

Led by the innkeeper, Reta and Mina were shown to their room and immediately headed to the bath. On the way, when asked if Mina could bathe alone, she pouted and said, "I'm not a child," but they ended up using separate baths for men and women, warming themselves thoroughly.

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