Chapter 42

EP.42 Beef, Clothes, the Saint, and Solomon

My earnest wish, writhing in embarrassment, seemed to have either not reached the viewers or, if it did, was ignored by those who found it amusing to tease me.

Unable to bear the continuous shower of donations, I couldn't even manage to start a game match.

The saint, literally pummeled by money, only managed to join the battlefield after a grand encore, and charged into the enemy lines with a mace in hand, as if to unleash the accumulated shame and indignation.

The viewers gasped in shock when they saw the saint, covered in blood from the skull fragments and brain matter that had spilled from her broken head, still managing to smile.

Despite setting the healer priest's traits, I played like a warrior for several rounds, and the team members who met me complained about the mixed results of the game.

However, they ultimately had no choice but to vote for me as the MVP after the game ended.

Well, we won, so it's fine.

...Right?

Anyway, I finally managed to calm down.

The heat that had found me when I started the broadcast had long since disappeared, signaling the end of summer, and my flushed face had returned to its normal complexion.

Thinking about what happened at noon made my face heat up again, so I pressed it firmly and resolved with a cold, clear mind.

I won't press any more of those sexy dance buttons.

...Didn't I think the same thing last time?

A foreboding feeling came over me that, sooner or later, I, or rather, the saint, would end up dancing again...

But it's just a feeling, right?

Time passed, and it was now night.

I stretched, patting my stiff shoulders from sitting for so long.

The viewers seemed to sense that it was time for me to leave when they saw the cursor on the screen not quickly starting the next match.

In an instant, the chat was flooded with messages like "Don't go, sis," taking over the chat window.

But, I was getting tired.

I ended the broadcast reluctantly, leaving the disappointed viewers behind.

As soon as I came out of the world inside the monitor, my stomach growled loudly.

I was hungry.

Heading straight to the fridge, I took out some instant food I had bought and was about to take a big bite when a nagging feeling came over me.

I felt like I had forgotten something important.

...What was it?

"Ah."

My body, which had an almost excessive performance, also had an excellent memory.

I quickly resolved what would have taken me a long time to figure out.

It wasn't difficult to retrieve the memory I had pushed to the back of my mind.

So,

the paladin had asked me to contact him after the broadcast.

I sat back down at my computer.

Reactivating the client I hadn't closed yet, I sent a message to the paladin.

[ Saint: Are you there? ]

After a moment, he replied.

[ Paladin: Yeah ]

[ Saint: It's about what you said earlier. ]

[ Paladin: Oh, that. ]

[ Paladin: Is your broadcast over now? ]

[ Saint: Yes. ]

[ Paladin: We could talk in chat, but... ]

[ Paladin: Can you do Discord? ]

[ Saint: Yes. ]

As soon as I replied,

a voice call came through from him on Discord.

There was a brief sound of him clearing his throat, and then he got to the point.

"I wanted to talk about what we discussed during the tournament."

"Yes."

"Do you remember? You said we should have a meal together sometime."

The paladin, unlike in chat, was being very polite to me.

It was a bit funny, but when you think about it, it's not that strange.

The game and reality are different, after all.

Anyway, a meal?

I do remember talking about it.

"Hmm. Paraphetino said he knows a good place."

"...You want to meet up?"

But, wasn't that just a casual comment?

I've never met anyone who actually kept a promise to have a meal together sometime.

"Yes. I've already set a tentative date."

"When?"

"Next weekend."

"..."

"I've contacted everyone, and they all said they're free then. The only one left is you, Saint."

Will you come?

The paladin finished speaking and waited for my answer.

I remained silent for a while.

Meeting people in person with this body.

Of course, I've already gone out a few times and met various people with this body,

but compared to those times, this felt like a different kind of situation.

Meeting people who know me, or rather, the gamer who controls the saint, was a matter that required some thought.

As I hesitated, the paladin spoke with a slightly urgent tone.

"We need to have a post-game dinner."

"Hmm. I'm not sure... I can't give a definite answer."

"Just think of it as a chance to enjoy some good food and come with a light heart. It might be a bit awkward at first, but we can get to know each other better."

"Good food?"

"Yes. It's a beef restaurant. I heard it has a great reputation."

"...Beef?"

"Do you dislike it?"

I don't dislike it.

It's my second favorite food.

I haven't had it much because it's so expensive.

If I could, I'd eat until I burst.

But...

I was still a bit hesitant.

Especially meeting the paladin in real life was a bit...

I've probably sent him over a thousand "hehe" chats over the past ten years.

After Golden Sun, and maybe even more than Golden Sun,

he's a character who remembers my embarrassing history,

so meeting a living embodiment of my dark past was a bit...

"Ah. I'll pay for all the food. I feel bad about the issues that arose during the finals because of me."

"I'll come."

...

Dark history or not,

there's no business in front of free food.

***

I know I keep saying this, but

I'm basically weak when it comes to other people's opinions.

People who lack confidence in themselves often have this tendency.

I looked at the full-length mirror with a few cracked corners.

The beautiful face and perfect figure were, of course, not the issue.

What I was focusing on was the clothes.

The black plain T-shirt, stretched out from being worn for too long, and the pants that had faded to almost nothing caught my eye.

It was exactly what a homeless person begging in a corner of a subway station would wear.

I laughed bitterly, mocking myself.

Of course, the saint was still beautiful, but it was undeniable that the clothes ruined about 90% of her beauty.

It was a flaw in an otherwise perfect gem.

If I were meeting a complete stranger, it wouldn't matter, but

psychologically, I wanted to look my best when meeting people I had formed a connection with, even if it was just online.

I didn't want to give off the impression that I was poor, unsuccessful, and had no sense of style.

But I really didn't have any other clothes.

It's natural not to care much about clothes when you don't go out.

Suddenly, my eyes caught sight of

a neatly folded white nun's habit.

It was the most suitable and beautiful outfit for the saint.

...Oh, come on. Come on.

This isn't the world of Rainbow Tales; it's the real world.

Even if it's called a nun's habit, I don't have the confidence to wear such a revealing outfit.

I'd be too embarrassed to go out.

So,

I needed clothes.

But I didn't know what to do.

What kind of clothes would suit this body?

What kind of outfit would avoid criticism from others?

I couldn't imagine it.

What should I do?

"..."

Out of the blue,

there was someone I always turned to when I was in trouble.

I definitely got help from them last time.

Right before I was about to starve to death.

I had doubts about whether a person who spent all day playing games with me could recommend women's clothes that would suit me,

but my friend, whose nickname was clearly a joke, was surprisingly knowledgeable about various topics.

Whenever I told them about my problems, they always provided a suitable solution.

Like Solomon in a fairy tale.

It was better to ask for help, even if it wasn't from the most reliable source, than to spend all day staring at the mirror and racking my brain over what to wear.

It was worth a try.

I sat in the chair and looked at the screen.

Sure enough,

they were online.

I quickly typed.

[ Saint: Sir ]

[ Saint: Sir, sir ]

[ Saint: Sir, sir, sir, sir, sir, sir, sir ]

[ World'sBest: Who are you? ]

[ Saint: (crying emoji) ]

[ World'sBest: What is it? ]

[ Saint: What kind of women's clothes would suit me? ]

There was a moment of silence.

He didn't reply for almost a minute.

Even if he was my personal Solomon, always ready to provide quick answers to any problem,

his knowledge might not extend to women's clothing.

Sigh. That makes sense.

It was strange for me to ask a tsundere male character for advice on women's clothing.

As I was feeling a bit disappointed,

[ World'sBest: So you've finally decided to cross-dress? ]

...?

What does that mean?

[ Saint: Huh? ]

[ World'sBest: When a guy asks what women's clothes suit him, it's usually about cross-dressing. ]

[ Saint: No, I'm not a guy. ]

I said that first.

I am a guy mentally,

but my body is a woman's.

I'm asking what kind of clothes would suit my female body