“Your master often shops at this store, so I brought you here.”
Kelly pointed at the wooden door of a tailor shop.
Jingle—
The two pushed open the door, and the wind chime above swayed gently.
Pushing open the shop door, one could smell a blend of fabric and special herb-infused wood incense.
Inside the tailor shop, various silks and cottons hung along the walls, patches of different shades spreading softly.
Some ready-made items hung on racks near the entrance—men’s shirts, coats, suits, women’s dresses, gowns, skirts, and so on—a dazzling array, yet neatly and harmoniously arranged.
Continuing deeper into the shop, on the right side, a long table sat in the center, spread with soft measuring tapes, scissors, chalk bags.
The most eye-catching item was a sewing basket filled with threads of all colors, while in the corner were piles of fabrics and half-finished items waiting to be sewn.
A sewing machine rested quietly against the other wall.
A middle-aged woman was threading a needle, her head bowed, occasionally accompanied by the faint sound of needle and thread moving.
Sunlight slanted through a latticed window into the shop, making the small space feel calm and warm.
“Welcome—”
Hearing the wind chime, the shop owner looked up and paused her needlework.
“It’s Kelly. The clothes you asked me to make last time aren’t ready yet—”
Recognizing a regular, the owner quickly stood up to greet her.
“Not for me… It’s for this child, Elena—my new apprentice. She just arrived in the city a few days ago. Help her pick out some decent clothes.”
“Uh—”
Noticing the owner’s professional, appraising gaze, Elena looked away uncomfortably.
Such a pretty girl.
That was the owner’s first impression.
But unlike other young women her age, she wore no makeup on her face, nor did she add any cute accessories to her hair or clothes.
Her silver hair was simply tied in a low ponytail, secured with a light blue ribbon.
Her clear, beautiful face was free of any cosmetics—gentleness and dignity, combined with neatness and simplicity, all coexisting in this young girl.
“Very well, Miss Elena. Would you like to have something custom-made, or would you prefer to choose from the ready-made stock?”
“Let’s pick from the stock. This child needs it urgently—”
Kelly answered first, poking Elena with her elbow.
With that, she rushed toward the racks.
Seeing how proactive Kelly was, Elena had a bad feeling about this.
“How about this one?”
Kelly pointed to a hanging black gauze gown.
Its hem and cuffs were decorated with lace, and the back featured a daring cutout design.
“Wh-What!?”
We…Wear that kind of clothing?
That… that’s no different from being an exhibitionist, is it…?
The girl’s face showed a look of terror.
This child… just as I thought… she’s pretty conservative…
Kelly put the dress back in its place, then picked up another one—
“This one should be fine, right?”
Kelly held up a cream-colored long-sleeved short dress with slightly puffed bubble sleeves.
The hem fell just above the knees, and like the previous garment, it was still adorned with lace trim.
Still a dress…
Even though this one shows less back than the last… this thing is terrifyingly short!
A…And…
It’s too girly, too cute, isn’t it!?
“Master Kelly… you’re joking, right?”
“As if! My fashion sense is excellent!”
“Why are they all dresses… Isn’t there… isn’t there—”
“Huh!? You rarely come to a clothing store, and you’re telling me you’d pick those clothes? With such good natural assets, why not try dressing yourself up?”
Kelly stared speechlessly at the silver-haired girl dressed in a men’s shirt and cloak.
“Instead of dressing like a man.”
“…”
Feeling as if she’d been hit on something, Elena was stuck in a difficult position.
She couldn’t exactly tell her master that she used to be a man, woke up one day looking like this girl, and had never worn a dress, could she?
If a man wears something like this… isn’t that just a pervert!?
I used to be a paladin of the Church… a man who should set an example for the people!
How… how could I ever wear a dress?
“Miss Elena… is this your first time trying a dress?”
The shop owner, who had been quietly watching, seemed to notice the girl’s difficulty.
“Y-Yes! Normally for work… uh… working in the countryside, I wear pants for convenience.”
Elena nodded gratefully at the owner who had helped her out.
“Then how about this one, Miss Elena?”
Elena took the proffered clothing—it was an off-white long skirt, soft to the touch. Its collar was a simple round neckline, not daringly low to reveal a lot of chest.
The cuffs were also fitted, and the hem overall fell below the knees, without any extra lace.
“This skirt has a relatively conservative style, is convenient for movement, and suits your temperament. It’s perfect for a girl like you trying a skirt for the first time.”
“Hmm…”
“O…Okay…”
If Kelly had thrown this skirt in Elena’s face the moment she entered the shop, she absolutely would have refused.
After all, she was a man.
How could a man ever try something like that?
But people are always willing to compromise.
After experiencing the “splendor” of the two dresses Kelly had picked, Miss Elena felt this skirt wasn’t such a terrifying monster after all.
“Now, go try on the clothes… Miss Elena?”
The owner looked at the still blushing, shy Elena and smiled.
“Wait—”
Kelly spoke up again.
‘Master… please don’t say anything unnecessary right now!!!’
Whenever her master spoke, it never meant anything good.
Elena wailed inwardly.
“This child… doesn’t have a bra either. Please help her choose one.”
Wh-What?
Ar…Are you kidding me!?
I thought wearing a skirt was crossing the line, and now you want me to wear a woman’s br…bra?
If I wear something like that…
I’ll definitely turn into a pervert that can’t be explained away, won’t I!?
Putting on something like that… my life is really over, isn’t it!?
“Th…This is out of the question!”
The girl refused decisively and directly this time.
“So Miss Elena has never worn a bra before…”
The owner looked at the girl with surprise.
Never worn a bra… and her figure maintains itself that well?
She appraised the girl’s chest in disbelief.
M…Maybe… this is just talent?
“Miss Elena… a bra isn’t just for maintaining a more perfect figure, you know—” the owner advised.
“It can protect you and reduce friction with the fabric. And—wearing a bra… daily activities might be more convenient too?”
“Gulp—”
Miss Elena swallowed hard.
This situation… is really bad.
“Alright, alright—I’ve picked a few—”
Kelly shook the clothes in her hand.
One black lace, one white lace, both made of very little fabric.
To be honest… they were basically no different from lingerie.
Miss Elena was about to faint.
‘A normal girl couldn’t accept that kind of clothing either!’
“Alright… Kelly… stop causing trouble—stop teasing her… she’s your apprentice, after all…”
The owner sighed helplessly, pulled back the daringly designed bras, and threw them back onto the pile.
The owner tapped her head in frustration: “For a girl’s first time… I suppose this one, then?”
The owner rummaged through the pile for a while and pulled out a sample—white, with no patterns, no designs, very plain.
“Cotton-linen… more fabric, but not too tight, so it won’t press on your body—perfectly meeting your requirements.”
The owner seemed to have read Elena’s mind completely.
“Okay… I’ll go to the fitting room now…”
Elena hugged the clothes with a complicated expression and turned to leave.
“Just a moment, Miss Elena…”
The owner stopped her.
“These clothes… are all samples… just for customers to choose styles.”
“Huh?”
“Please tell me your height, bust, waist, and hip measurements… With that data, I can help you pick a more fitting size, you know—”
Wh-What?
I can barely look at this body myself.
How could I possibly go get it measured?
“You don’t know…?”
The owner paused in thought.
“That’s no problem. If you don’t mind… I can measure you myself…”
With that, the owner pulled out a soft measuring tape.
“Huh!? Th-This, this—”
“Oh, don’t worry—she’ll be fine! Right, little Elena?”
The purple-haired girl pushed the young woman all the way toward the dressing room.
“W…Wait! I’m not ready yet!”
The thought of seeing her own unfamiliar body again, and this time being seen by someone else, filled Elena with panic.
“Seriously… when you practice magic, you’re so sharp and heroic! Why do you get so wishy-washy over something like this, acting like a little girl?”
Kelly continued pushing her stiff back, teasing the girl with a laugh.
How did things end up like this?
I thought Kelly was just going to help me pick out a normal piece of clothing!
Watching the curtain of the dressing room get closer, seeing the measuring tape in the owner’s hands, the long skirt in her own arms, and the bra in Kelly’s hands…
Elena wailed inwardly.
If I do this kind of thing… in a place like this…
My life is over.