“…That’s roughly how it was.”
Under Katy’s increasingly terrifying interrogation, Gray finally raised his hands in surrender and honestly recounted his past with Lobelia.
“Although it might sound like a date, Lobelia did this with everyone in the squad. Not just me, but also the front-line Heavy Warrior, the scout Assassin, and even the female members. She’s taken them all out shopping individually.”
Listening to this, the corners of the girl’s mouth twitched uncontrollably.
Good grief, this woman treats the entire squad like her own personal fish pond!
While she felt intense contempt for that pink-haired player, Katy suddenly realized a serious problem.
Gray had been forced into those situations, but he at least had real-world experience. What about her?
In her previous life, she was a corporate slave who had been single since birth.
In this life, she was a shut-in from the Demon Race.
Her entire store of knowledge regarding romance was thanks to light novels, romance anime, and galge.
Originally, she thought that by relying on this wealth of theoretical knowledge, handling a pure-hearted virgin like Gray—who had never even seen a girl, let alone dated one—would be a piece of cake.
But looking at it now, if this guy was actually a hidden central air conditioner who was nice to everyone…
Katy visualized the scene: After Gray maxed out her affection meter, he would confess during some mysterious event in her heart.
Then, she—the theoretical master who was all talk and no action—would blush, her heart would race, her brain would overload, and she would eventually surrender, being forced into one hundred and eight Special CGs.
That’s exactly how it went in galge—wait, no, she was the youngest Calamity Pillar of the Demon Race, Noctiluca!
She was a spy planted by the Demon King at Gray’s side. Even the identity of Katy was a fake.
How could she actually be conquered by him?
No, she had to strip this guy’s past romantic history down to his underwear, or else she might be the sheep entering the tiger’s mouth!
“Miss Katy? Your face is a bit red.”
Seeing the girl’s expression constantly shifting, Gray took a step closer out of concern.
“N-No, I’m just full of energy!”
Katy instinctively backed away, her eyes darting around.
“Eh? Is it because of that stuff about Lobelia?”
Gray scratched his head in confusion.
He hadn’t expected her to be so interested in his old teammate.
Katy was about to deny it, but as the words reached her lips, she realized something was wrong.
If she denied it, wouldn’t it look like she really didn’t care?
Forget being the Captain, even just as a friend, shouldn’t she worry about whether Gray might be deceived?
So, she braced herself and changed her tune.
With her hands on her hips, she said righteously,
“It’s not like I care about whatever romantic past you had with that woman! It’s just… just that as your Captain, I’m worried my naive squad member might be tricked by a bad woman. That’s all!”
Gray opened his mouth as if to explain further, but Katy noticed the gazes from the surrounding pedestrians becoming more frequent.
She quickly grabbed her squad member’s wrist and ducked into the largest clothing store on the street.
As soon as the door was pushed open, a passionate saleslady greeted them.
In a shop located in a busy district like this, the clerks’ observation skills were well-honed.
At a glance, she recognized Gray’s leather armor—worn but made of high-quality material—and the girl’s natural beauty that couldn’t be hidden by her coarse cloth dress.
“Oh my, what a beautiful couple!”
The saleslady clasped her hands together and said with a smile,
“This handsome gentleman is a natural clothes horse, and this young lady is as cute as a doll. Are the two of you looking for matching outfits?”
“No, we aren’t a couple.”
Gray’s face turned red as he quickly waved his hands in denial.
“We’re a squad. We’re here to choose uniforms.”
“Oh—”
The saleslady drew out the sound, wearing an ambiguous expression that said I get it, this is a role-play thing for you two.
She gave Gray a meaningful wink.
“Whether you’re a couple or a superior and subordinate, since you’re here to buy clothes, you’re our customers.”
She turned around and enthusiastically opened a cabinet, revealing a dazzling array of various uniforms.
However, whether it was the skirts so short they threatened to show panties, or stockings that looked like they would rip at a touch, none of them seemed suitable for actual combat.
“Our store has combat gear specifically designed for women. They’re both practical and beautiful. They’ll definitely give your girl… ahem, your squad member, a brand new look.”
On the surface, Katy looked innocent and even tugged on Gray’s sleeve.
“Mr. Gray, why is the shop assistant sister smiling at you like that?”
In reality, the little person inside Katy’s mind was gritting her teeth:
You bastard, you’re definitely picturing me in all those weird uniforms right now! Filthy! Pervert! Thought criminal!
Gray felt a sudden chill down his spine, as if he were being watched by some dangerous beast.
But when he turned to look, he only saw Katy’s angelic face, which held a hint of confusion.
“Cough, she probably just has a good service attitude… And Miss Saleslady, I’m the subordinate. This beautiful lady is the Captain.”
He cleared his throat and forced a change of subject.
“Anyway, Captain Katy, since we’re buying uniforms, do you have any specific requirements?”
Katy’s temper came and went quickly.
Asked this by Gray, she immediately began to imagine what kind of uniforms they should wear to be both cool and eye-catching.
“Let me think… Since our squad’s name is Black Crow, the uniform must have corresponding elements. The main color should be black, and it would be best to have feather decorations.”
“Black, feathers…”
The saleslady’s eyes lit up, and she snapped her fingers.
“Guests, you’ve come at just the right time! Our shop just received a new style of trench coat this season that perfectly meets your requirements!”
A few minutes later, two long black trench coats were displayed before them.
They featured a slim fit, high-grade fabric that was windproof, waterproof, and erosion-resistant, and the hems were cleverly decorated with black feathers from an unknown bird.
They fluttered like real wings as one walked.
It looked a bit edgy, but it had to be said that it hit Katy’s tastes perfectly.
When the time came, both she and Gray would wear these, use masks to cover their faces, and with a gust of wind—heavens, the two of them would look terrifyingly strong.
The girl’s pupils instantly turned into stars.
She couldn’t wait to whip out her money and buy them.
However, the reason of a former corporate slave and current impoverished Hero held her back.
The girl quietly searched for the price tag.
After all, Gray’s economic situation wasn’t great, and she didn’t have much money either.
If their wallets were backstabbed by these uniforms, the Black Crow Squad’s first mission might be washing dishes.
However, the saleslady clearly understood consumer psychology.
She didn’t continue to persuade the hesitant Katy, but instead turned immediately to Gray, who looked like the type of sucker who would pay the bill.
“Sir, look at the design of this garment. It’s practically custom-made for your cute Captain!”
The saleslady leaned in close to Gray and whispered.
“Just imagine, this lady who usually looks so adorable… if she were to put on this handsome black trench coat, that kind of contrast would be absolutely enchanting!”
Following the saleslady’s words, Gray instinctively began to fantasize:
Miss Katy’s temperament and looks were very angelic, but if she wore this outfit and stood behind him, her long hair and the coat’s hem fluttering in the wind, with every heal and blessing perfectly timed, precise and elegant…
“…Fine, I’ll buy them.”
Gray waved his hand grandly, full of heroic spirit.
“W-Wait, Mr. Gray!”
Katy was startled.
She had never hoped so much to see a giant price tag on a piece of clothing.
“Do we really not need to check the price? What if it’s very expensive?”
“It’s fine.”
Gray, wanting to play the part of a big shot, waved his hand nonchalantly with a smile he thought was quite handsome.
“The reward for the commission I finished yesterday was quite generous. Buying two decent battle robes for us is more than enough.”
Then, when he took the bill from the smiling saleslady, Katy clearly saw this A-rank Hero’s pupils tremble violently for a moment.
But since he had already postured, a dignified A-rank couldn’t lose face in front of a beautiful girl junior.
Gray gritted his teeth, steeled his heart, and paid.
While waiting for the packaging, Katy listened to the saleslady describe the various functions of the coat: automatic temperature control, anti-stain coating, mana circuit amplification… and Gray just nodded slightly, as if these miraculous functions were only to be expected.
“Mr. Gray, you’re so familiar with this process. Do you come to buy things often?”
Katy asked quietly.
“Well, this is what preparing equipment for a Hero is like.”
Gray explained,
“Going to a clothing store for protective gear, a weapon shop to pick something that fits your hand, then a mall to restock on potions, scrolls, and magic crystals… This is the necessary process before entering a Labyrinth every time.”
Katy was greatly shocked.
Back when she was a Labyrinth boss, looking at those Heroes’ outfits, she had thought human society was still at a backward level of swords and magic.
But looking at it now… weren’t these consumption tactics a bit too modern?
Soon, she changed into the newly bought trench coat and stood before the mirror.
Looking at the cool figure wrapped in black, she nodded in satisfaction.
As they say, clothes make the person.
It was just that her face was a bit too pure and kind; she lacked that cold, killing aura.
But the most important thing was—she wasn’t the one spending money!
Getting something for free was great!
“It really suits you perfectly.”
The saleslady looked at the girl with sparkling eyes, not forgetting to add an introduction to the product’s origin.
“The design inspiration for this garment comes from the Original Hero who expelled the First Demon King three hundred years ago and liberated the entire Kala Continent from the hands of the Demon Race.”
Gray nodded in realization, thinking that no wonder the elements looked familiar.
Every boy on this land grew up listening to the stories of that Hero.
Legend had it that she descended from a rift that tore through the sky, bringing a purple-gold familiar with her.
She defeated the First Demon King and the Twelve Disaster Pillars who ruled the entire land, laying a solid foundation for the subsequent counterattacks and freedom of humans and all other races.
Listening to this familiar legend, Katy silently shrugged her shoulders in her heart.
A rift tearing through the sky, descending from an Otherworld, a special familiar…
This Original Hero looked like a transmigrator senior no matter how one looked at it.
If not for the achievements of this senior, humans would probably still be living under the brutal rule of the Demon Race today, and there wouldn’t be such a convenient modern life.
But speaking of which, that Hero was truly ruthless.
Three hundred years had passed since she left, and the high-ranking members of the Demon Race, known for their cunning and greed, had strictly followed the Peace Treaty from back then.
Even after several generations of the Demon King had changed, they hadn’t dared to take a single large-scale step out of the Demon Realm.
They must have been beaten into having some kind of psychological trauma.
Katy looked at herself in the mirror and sighed softly.
Also a transmigrator, that person was a savior as soon as they arrived, punching the Demon King and kicking the Calamity Pillars, leaving their name in history, with their clothes being made into replicas hundreds of years later.
They were clearly a light novel protagonist.
Whereas she became a Demon Race worker as soon as she arrived, diligently building Labyrinths, only to be fired in the end.
Now she even had to sacrifice her looks to live as an undercover agent…
The girl straightened her collar, a trace of envy flowing in her eyes.
Being a protagonist is so good.
Strong and cool, without having to worry about money—I want to be a protagonist too!
“Miss Katy, shall we go?”
“Yes.”
Gray’s voice pulled her back to reality.
The girl sighed in her heart.
Forget about being a protagonist; she should focus on playing the role of the little Angel accompanying this down-and-out Hero.
Of course, being conquered by this small-fry Hero and getting some Special CG or whatever was absolutely impossible!