Chapter 62: Average Special Time

Like we planned during the weekends, the three of us came to a store selling women’s nightwear and other clothing in Oztown.
Since Primera wanted to get a new pair of pajamas the store fulfilled her needs. It seems the ones she is currently using are also from here too. They’re likely cute, but I’ve never seen them before since we live in separate dormitories.

The school’s dormitories are divided into three categories based on social position. Ah, four if I include the staff dormitory.
Eru and Keito, live at the “Heaven’s Dormitory” which is for commoners.
Primera and other students from families of Earls, viscounts, or Barons live at the “Prince Dormitory”.
Students from the Duke house like myself, Marquis house, or royal family members live at the “Sun Dormitory”.
Greas-sensei and other staff members live at the “Queen’s Dormitory”.

It’s quite splendidly separated. I feel quite lonely during dinner times. Since the rooms aren’t change during enrollment here the students in the high school division are also living in the same dorms, but the messhall and lavish bathhouse are divided into ones for the middle and high school division. There are no shared facilities and even the entrances are in separate areas so it’s almost impossible to come into contact.

Incidentally as one can see from the divided dormitories, I am in the same dormitory as the Prince and Tuvalu. There is a “Prince Dormitory” and “Queen Dormitory” yet the royal family members live in the “Sun Dormitory, which is rather confusing and misleading.
Male and females are strictly separated and even messhall hours are kept separate so on an encounter avoidance perspective it is a total victory. Being separate is the best so I won’t complain.

On a separate note, there are events of infiltrating the “Sun Dormitory” in the routes of Runa and Tuvalu, but upon failing Mariabell would discover and report you to the faculties.

Since Tuvalu’s route is a derivative of Runa’s route and entering one will diverge from the other, it is decided which route to proceed by this event, but if the favorable rating for either of them isn’t enough it will fail and Mariabell will enter. For the heroine it’s an important choice for the good or bad ending, but for me either one is undesirable and will leave me in a bad state.

There weren’t any intrusion events for the other capture targets, so it would’ve been a great help if it were the same for these two.
Although the most optimal options would be to either disregard the forbidden love or to just exclude me from the romance with the capture targets.

「So how about this?」

「I think it’s cute, Maria?」

「Me too, I think it suits Primera」

Primera gave a very cute smile in a pastel pink night gown, it was soothing. A feeling I would’ve never felt when inside Mariabell, when compared to the past it was definitely a refreshing experience.
It was different from the past, the future was also changing, when I think about it I can’t help but feel anxious.

Especially concerning the heroine, for example even the previously mentioned incident would be difficult. Even if I could cope and find countermeasures it would still be difficult to decisively execute it.
In that case, what I should be doing now is.
Interacting with these girls, carefully creating memories, and nothing more.

「Alright……then I will take this one」

「Is that fine? Those are just our opinions」

「Un! It’s a long-awaited training camp, so I wanted you two to decide」

Surely, w

ithout a doubt.
I’m positive that I just saw Primera slightly looking away in embarra.s.sment.

「……Well, then how about picking one for me too?」

「Eh, is that really alright!?」

「Yes, but if it’s something weird I will refuse」

「Don’t worry, we will choose something perfect for you!」

As I watched Primera drew close to Eru and began stealthily whispering, and my expectations for the training camp also increased.

×　×　×　×

Around past three, since we were hungry we decided to enjoy tea and cakes at a cafe.
As expected of a cafe partnered with a wealthy school, both the tea and cakes were all very high quality. Both the milk tea and cheese tart I ordered are delicious.

「Everything is quite delicious here」

「It’s also very cute, it appears we made the correct choice」

Both of them looked satisfied, it was their first time here but it seems they quite liked it. Since we finished our shopping as planned we had decided to take a break for a while.
After finishing the cakes, our topic switched over to the “loot” we acquired.

「Still, in the end Maria didn’t buy any pajamas at all」

「We even went and chose the perfect one for youー」

In the shop where Primera bought pajamas a while ago, I also asked them to choose pajamas for me.
At first I was looking forward to what kind of cute designs Primera would choose as she ventured deep into the store, but I then immediately dismissed the item they chose as soon as I saw it.

「I can’t wear that kind of clothing」

Even if I didn’t want to remember it was still deeply imprinted into my memories, a pastel black color of a very different meaning from the depths of the store.
The two of them had chosen a black negligee.
The silky smooth texture that could be understood without touching the glossy surface, the shallow slit section of the V-collar and adorning lace ribbons were rather lovely, I think the style itself was quite good. It was cute and I really appreciate that they thought it suited me.
However, I am only a middle school student. Even if my face is rather mature, I am still a little girl who was not even a student until recently.
I wouldn’t even be able to fit into let alone wear something so s.e.xy. Besides it wasn’t even a pajama, it was a negligee. Just like the meaning of the word, pajamas are more than sufficient for a child like me.

「Why would you two choose something like that out of all the other perfectly cute items in the store?」

「Because we thought that one suited Maria the best, the design was also very cute」

「Even so, don’t you two know the concept behind it? It’s a conspicuously “cute” item meant for adults you know?」

The “cute” appeal for that item was that it utilized a s.e.xy color and material. Naive cuteness is only a slight difference away from childish, although for that item it is something that produces a mature s.e.xiness without compromising cuteness.
At first I wondered why such an item would be sold within school grounds, but then I remembered it’s a town that the faculties also use, furthermore it’s originally just an affiliated branch store located outside the school.

「Children are just as cute as adults, it’s not something at an unreasonable level」

It’s charming for children to aim towards the level of an adult, but for this situation it’s just laughable if you ask me.
Body stature is important after all.

「I thought Maria-chan had more of a beautiful feeling than cute feeling, so a simpler piece would be best」

「I also thought you would be more particular about texture and material quality. Your uniforms are never really complex, even today’s clothes has the same feeling」

「Is that right?」

That was true about my uniform, at most the standard cape would just be changed to a coat. My mother had ordered numerous cute pieces so I usually changed them on a weekly or daily basis.
But I was also never really overly-conscious about what I wore. My attire for today was also just a properly causal one, a light green cutsew.and a white middle-length skirt. I also brought a cardigan in case it became cold but it seems there wasn’t a need for it today.
Plain and simple, I bought clothes that emphasized mobility and comfort, which also made it look like an emphasis on material quality. I only noticed when she brought that up.

「It was done unconsciously, I didn’t notice at all」

「Your unexpectedly indifferent, from a glance you seem more like the type that prefers gaudiness」

「I get that a lot, but on the contrary it’s completely untrue, since my father and mother were also not great with fancy decorations」

Both of my parents, in particular, my father had perhaps the lowest taste when it came to fancy decorations. He also looks conspicuous and stood out like me. But thinking of it as he became bad at being inconspicuous is also in a sense correct.
Choosing simpler things because their easier to understand yet appearing to be placing emphasis on quality. If I am also like that it would be an influence from my parents.

「It’s rather overbearing to wear excessively gaudy or fancy clothing, it’s also not easy on the eyes」

「That’s true, it would definitely be difficult to deal with」

That’s right. As a matter of fact, in the past five rounds Mariabell was very gaudy in not only her appearance, but also her uniforms and personal clothing, all her belongings were very luxurious. I couldn’t really understand her preferences.
I had given up because I couldn’t do anything during auto-mode, but since I can choose now I will deny that sense of fashion.

「By the way, what happened with the student council?」

「Eh?」

Topics are said to change rather easily for girls, but this is quite the sudden change.
Both of them knew I had gone for a visit so it’ll make sense that they would be interested in what happened afterwards. But I hadn’t bother mentioning anything since I wanted to escape from reality. The link becomes quite obvious when I put it that way.

「You went there to visit once, so I was wondering how’d it go?」

「I haven’t responded yet but……I was thinking about declining」

「Really?」

「Yes, as expected it’s a position that requires responsibility, it’ll be rude to join half-hardheartedly」

It’s not a lie, I really would. It’s just that the feeling of not wanting to voluntarily dive into a troublesome matter is greater.

「Well, I suppose it would be difficult in various ways. Especially this year, including Prince Runa and the other members with their good appearances and social status there will be quite the attention」

「Attention?」

「Mainly from girls」

「Ah, I see」

The point was made without further explanation. In addition to the appearance their status was also very high, it’s inevitable alluring for carnivorous females. Particularly with n.o.ble daughters being divided between carnivorous and herbivorous.
A graceful and elegant herbivorous type like Primera or mother.
And a carnivorous type that has overbearing confidence due to their princess-like upbringing like Mariabell.
I don’t know if there are extremities like Mariabell, but if there is someone that has confidence to that extent then there would be no reason to overlook the paradise called the student council.
Un, I’m definitely declining. It’ll be sad to jump into a group being surrounded by beasts even though I’m not interested.

「I plan on going to decline after the training camp is over」

「That makes sense, we still have to prepare for the training camp」

I can probably finish my preparations in less than a day.
But I want to make it seem as if I spent some time debating over it, and I just want to postpone unpleasant things. Aside from that I also want to see if there’s any better reasons for declining.

「Well……should we head out soon?」

「Ah, that’s right, is Maria-chan alright with that too?」

「Yes, I’m also quite full」

Eru’s line of sight had shifted towards the clock when she said that.
Before we realized not only was the tea we were drinking gone but even all the cakes, so there were only empty dishes on the table now.
Our purpose of satisfying our original hunger had been fulfilled, so I do apologize for staying even though we already finished.
We called a waiter and paid our bill before leaving the cafe.

「Are there anymore places you two wanted to go to?」

「I was the one doing the most shopping, so I’ll just accompany you two for anything you want to buy now」

「I just……want to eat snacks at the camp with you two so let’s do that later」

We already have the clothes we need and there is no problem regarding amenities since the training camp provides them.
Since we’ll only be eating snacks on the way to the training camp or at night, it’s better to leave that one for last.

「Well then, how about the general store? Because the hairpins I have in my room are fragile I wanted to buy a new one」

「Sounds good! I also wanted to buy a new one」

Since Primera liked cute ornaments and accessories to begin with she agreed happily.
Since we were camping, and with the food procurement test we’ll more or less be moving about so I wanted to buy a scrunchie or something similar.

「Well then next up the general store! Please let me know if there is anywhere else you want to go~」

「Oka~y」

Eru walked forth cheerfully as Primera followed suit with a gentle laugh, I then followed after her.
Both Primera and Eru act unreservedly around me so it’s very refreshing. It’s different from Keito, but I felt the same sense of security as I do from Keito.
There aren’t any plots since there isn’t any overbearing antic.i.p.ation from me.
The girls know who I am, but even so they wouldn’t be dissuaded even if I wasn’t the daughter of the Tempest house. If our personalities weren’t suited for each other then we would likely be acquaintances rather than friends.
If it were like that it’s likely I also wouldn’t have stayed with them. So I was happy with our mutual relationship.

「Ah, this looks good」

「Eru-chan, I think that this color would suit you」

「Really? Then I might get that one」

「Ah, Maria-chan! How about buying two of these and do a twintail? It will surely be cute!」

「Twintails……I’m not sure I could pull that off」

「If Maria-chan will do it I will also do it too」

「Hm, will you really?」

「Of course!」

The general store turned out to be more exciting than I expected, eventually we returned home after buying some sweets without visiting any other shops.
Thus my first outing with my female friends drew to a close.
My spoils were only two scrunchies and sweets, but it was still a very fulfilling day.
On my way home, even though I was alone for some reason I still felt warm in my head and heart.