<CHAPTER 28>
‘Why have my ears been so itchy all this time?’
Since arriving in the village, Ehilie’s ears had been tingling.
Moreover, she felt like a sharp gaze was coming from somewhere.
‘It’s all Rek’s fault.’
With such a handsome man wandering around in a wet shirt, everyone couldn’t help but stare.
It wasn’t as if she could now tell him to take the shirt off.
Ehilie tried to ignore the stares and finally arrived at the clothing shop.
“Welcome.”
The shop owner greeted her indifferently, her eyes fixed on the clothes she was sewing.
Judging by the piles of fabric, she seemed quite busy.
“Um… I’d like to look at men’s clothing.”
“Men’s clothes are over there.”
She pointed to the right without even looking up.
Ehilie checked the displayed clothes, but none caught her eye.
They were all dark work clothes, suitable only for outdoor chores.
“Yes, that’s all we have.”
It was disappointing, but there was nothing she could do.
She couldn’t let him keep wearing that wet shirt all the time.
“Would you like to try this on?”
Ehilie handed Rek a neat, simple black T-shirt.
“Yes, Ehilie.”
Rek took the shirt and immediately went into the fitting room.
“How does it look?”
When he came out after changing, Ehilie instinctively opened her mouth in surprise.
Just one plain black T-shirt, and yet it suited him so perfectly.
*Fashion truly is all about the face.*
*Even if you wrapped him in rags, he’d probably pull it off perfectly.*
“Let me see… the size is… wow!”
The shop owner finally looked up and her eyes nearly popped out.
She reacted just like Ehilie, staring at Rek with her mouth half open as if hypnotized.
“Oh, my God…”
She even made the sign of the cross while praising him.
“Wait a moment!”
The shop owner jumped up and dashed somewhere, soon returning with piles of clothes.
“Here, try all of these on!”
“But you said there were no other clothes earlier?”
“That… means there were no ordinary clothes for normal customers. These are special outfits made from high-quality fabrics intended for noble families.”
“These clothes have been calling out! Finally, they’ve found their owner!”
“…Yes?”
“Now, hurry up and try them on!”
Rek stood still, unbothered by the shop owner’s urging.
“Rek, what are you doing?”
His normally expressionless face softened when Ehilie asked.
He closed his eyes slightly and asked,
“Which one should I wear? Ehilie, please choose.”
His red eyes were fixed entirely on her, as if no one else existed in the world.
“Oh! My! God! What a beautiful sight…!”
The shop owner watching them teared up with admiration.
“Then, this one, this one… oh, try this shirt too.”
“Understood.”
Rek took the clothes Ehilie picked and went back into the fitting room, and the shop owner eagerly pulled Ehilie along.
“Madam! You should come over here!”
“Wait, madam? There must be some mistake…”
“Ah, you’re not married yet. Then, miss, come here. I’ll match your outfit with your boyfriend’s.”
“No, he’s not my boyfriend…”
“Well, someone you’ll marry soon is still considered a boyfriend! Now, first try this dress! Next, this one!”
*We’re not that kind of couple!*
Ehilie was pulled into the fitting room before she could explain.
Today, she had only planned to buy clothes for Rek…
‘Maybe I’ll try one on myself.’
It had been a while since she bought new clothes.
Until now, she had patched old ones or made her own from fabric to save money.
Ehilie picked up a dress.
‘Well, it doesn’t cost anything to try it on.’
She felt excited to wear a pretty dress again.
Stepping out with the dress, she froze.
Rek had already changed and was waiting for her.
She finally understood why the shop owner kept exclaiming “Oh my God.”
She thought she had gotten used to Rek’s beauty, but seeing him properly dressed was overwhelming.
“Wow, insane.”
Wearing a black jacket embroidered with gold threads and a white shirt with neatly aligned golden buttons, he looked like a prince from a romance novel.
He was a prince, after all.
Even just changing clothes made him exude nobility.
Having only seen him in a single shirt before, his fully dressed appearance shone even more.
“You really, really suit it, Rek.”
Rek remained quiet despite her praise.
“Rek?”
She called again, but his lips stayed firmly shut.
Not only that, his eyes didn’t blink as he stared at her, frozen, like she had been when she first saw him.
“Rek, what’s wrong?”
Ehilie stepped closer, worried.
Only then did Rek flinch slightly.
* * *
Always be wary of succubi.
Succubi seduce and drain life force indiscriminately, human or demon.
Even in the demon world, some have ruined themselves falling for a succubus.
Redemberg could never understand such fools.
‘Giving your body and money just because of a woman’s beauty?’
How stupid must someone be to do that?
And now, Rek realized he could become one of those fools.
He had thought he was accustomed to Ehilie’s beauty, but one simple change of clothes brought a new, thrilling impact.
Regaining his composure, Redemberg spoke calmly and rationally.
‘Sorry. Ehilie, you were so beautiful I lost my mind for a moment.’
…In short,
“This is maddening.”
“…Yes?”
No, that’s not right.
‘Ehilie looks good in anything. Should I try the next outfit?’
…That’s what he wanted to say.
“Next.”
“…Yes?”
Extreme fluster brings out true nature in any living being.
Redemberg’s thoughts and words escaped separately.
“Alright, my bride-to-be. Next outfit!”
Fortunately, the shop owner was quick to pick up on this.
She naturally guided Ehilie to the fitting room.
“Now, sir. To impress your bride-to-be, change into the next outfit.”
Today, they would buy all the clothes in the shop…
And soon, the shop itself, including the perceptive owner.
* * *
Nearly an hour of fashion show passed.
Ehilie realized,
‘Changing clothes is not easy.’
Rek seemed to be tiring, too.
She felt sorry for making a delicate person work so hard.
But her eyes had feasted on beauty plenty.
Ehilie smiled, satisfied.
It was now time to make a choice.
‘Which outfit should I pick?’
She carefully selected clothes for the overly handsome man.
Everything suited him perfectly.
She wanted to…
“I’ll take all of these.”
Yes, that’s what she wanted to say.
But she couldn’t afford it.
‘Ah, I made a lot of potions with the black dragons I got thanks to Rek recently… maybe I can buy five outfits…’
…Wait, what?
Ehilie’s eyes widened.
“Re-Rek, what did you just say?”
“I said, I’ll take all of these.”
She hadn’t misheard.
Rek wanted all the clothes she had chosen.
“I need them.”
“Yes?”
“I want to keep seeing you in these clothes, Ehilie.”
This man… He had barely spoken before, and now words flowed effortlessly.
Determined not to give in, Ehilie said firmly,
“No, Rek. There’s no room in the wardrobe for this many clothes.”
“Then I guess we’ll need a new wardrobe.”
…Is there a word for this?
Wise answer to a foolish question?
Technically correct.
If there’s no place to put clothes, you just buy a wardrobe…
Rek met her gaze, as if asking what the problem was.
‘Focus! Don’t fall for that face!’
Since the clothes were intended for nobles, buying all of them would be a huge burden.
Rek’s status was known, but she didn’t want to go into debt.
‘And today, I came to buy clothes for Rek!’
Ehilie finally calmed herself and shouted,
“There’s no space for a wardrobe!”
“Ah, right.”
Rek nodded knowingly.
Relieved, Ehilie thought she was safe.
Then Rek said something completely unexpected:
“Then I guess we’ll need to buy a house for the wardrobe.”
“…Yes?”
Why does he always take things this far?
