NOVEL NEXT Chapter 720
After finishing their meal, Lucy inspected the clothes in the capital’s clothing store with a serious expression.
You might wonder why it’s unusual for a girl to closely examine clothes, but if she’s looking at outfits that clearly won’t fit her body, the story changes.
Joy and Phoebe, who knew what Armadi had gone through, flinched and shuddered every time Lucy showed interest in a garment.
“Joy. Why are all the clothes like that?”
Unable to hold it in any longer, Phoebe quietly approached Joy and whispered in her ear.
It seemed that every outfit the shopkeeper recommended was highly revealing.
Exposing skin on the shoulders and chest was a given, and there were even many dresses intentionally designed to show off legs.
There were even a few outfits that could be mistaken for lingerie, but fortunately, Lucy rejected those.
If Lucy had handed me one of those outfits as a gift, and then cried, asking if I was disregarding her feelings…
Ugh. Just imagining it makes me blush.
“Is clothing that doesn’t look like clothing fashionable these days?”
“…Surprisingly, yes.”
It was a joke, but Joy nodded along without denying it.
“Really?”
“Phoebe, can you remember the armor Lucy wore during battle?”
“Uh-huh.”
“And think of who the most popular hero on the continent is right now.” “It must be trending then.”
The public is more irrational than we generally think.
What would normally be shocking alone becomes something that people naturally start to accept once it’s deemed typical.
Phoebe, who understood this well, nodded along to Joy’s comments.
To be honest, the armor Lucy wore on the battlefield was… indecent.
So it wouldn’t be strange for revealing clothing to be in fashion.
“Apparently among adventurers, armor that only covers the essentials is all the rage.”
Arthur, who had quietly butted in, made Joy and Phoebe hope it was a bad joke, but he didn’t show the slightest hint of a smile.
“Why on earth?”
When Joy asked, panicking, Arthur finally chuckled to himself.
“Well, it’s because Lucy Allen is a hero.”
“Even so, ordinary adventurers shouldn’t wear them. It’s a matter of life and death!”
“It seems to have more practicality than expected. The artisan who made that armor for Lucy released the manufacturing method for free, and Count Arteia’s household is actively supporting the armor production.”
There are cases where more revealing armor performs better than standard armor, so adventurers would choose Lucy’s armor for its practicality.
“I feel like there will be tons of people wearing that kind of armor at the academy next year.”
“Tons? Please. They’re a bunch of nobles obsessed with fashion. It’s likely there will be fewer people in regular armor.”
While Joy and Arthur imagined the irony of someone in standard armor being ostracized, Phoebe covered her mouth with both hands.
If the armor Lucy wore becomes a symbol of her nobility, voices will rise among the Holy Knights demanding changes.
It wouldn’t make sense for our knights, who pursue the will of God, to not wear that armor.
Considering Lucy’s influence, that demand would be easily accepted and would naturally affect the priests’ attire as well.
And very likely, the clothes I have to wear on official occasions as well.
“Are you worried I’ll make you wear something weird?”
At Lucy’s words, Phoebe snapped back to reality and gazed at Lucy’s smile, dazed.
“Don’t worry. Even if I dress you up, no one else will see it. If that’s the case, you’d be happy…”
“Lucy! Please save me!”
“…Huh?”
“No matter how much it’s to spread the will of God, I don’t want to wear perverted clothes at an official event!”
Phoebe, who had been stoic despite whatever hardships, clung to her arms, desperately begging, causing Lucy to blink in confusion and tilt her head.
“Why is she suddenly like this?”
“She doesn’t want to wear revealing clothes.”
“Of course, she’s joking! Why would I forcibly dress her in something she hates!”
“I guess that’s what Lucy would think.”
Hearing Joy’s response, Lucy felt her questions multiply rather than resolve.
If I’m not playing tricks on Phoebe, then who is bothering her?
Nonetheless, Phoebe holds a high status.
Anyone with greater authority than me would be Phoebe, so who can force something on her?
“Phoebe. If you want to ask for help, explain properly.”
“Ah. Uh. I’m sorry!”
Springing up, Phoebe began to explain carefully, her ears flushed red.
She told about why she had such concerns.
After understanding the situation with all the pieces put together, Lucy, with a playful grin, scanned Phoebe.
“I want to see you looking all flustered in front of everyone too.”
“Really!? Lucy! Please!”
“Puhahah. I’m joking.”
“Are you serious?”
“Honestly, would I just sit back and watch my friend be humiliated?”
“Right? Right?”
As Lucy raised her hand with a smile, Phoebe naturally bent over and rested her head against it.
As Joy watched the silly smiles shared between Phoebe and Lucy from a step back, she realized that Karia was right.
Lucy is a good person, so there’s no need to worry too much. Just staying nearby will ease her anger, and afterward, it would be up to those involved to sort it out.
I’m not sure how the statue of the Allen territory will turn out, but that’s up to Lucy to decide.
Since it was something created by deceiving her, whether it breaks or stays, it should be fulfilled as Lucy wishes.
“However, Phoebe, I have one thing to ask.”
“Anything! I’ll be happy to oblige if it’s from Lucy!”
“Come try this on for me.”
“…Huh? T-That’s… isn’t it too revealing?”
“I really want to see you in that. Can’t you? You don’t want to show it to me?”
“W-Well, um… eeeh.”
Even though Phoebe was now sacrificed as a form of appeasement for Lucy’s anger, if it were the price to keep the peace of the continent, it’s a steal…
“If Joy wears it, I’ll wear it too!”
“Wait. Uh, why am I…”
“Joy? You’ll do it, right?”
“No, I won’t.”
“You’re just not confident in your figure, huh? I understand. You’d look so pitiful standing next to Phoebe. I can’t blame you for running away. Yeah.”
“Who says I don’t have confidence!? I have everything I need! It’s Lucy who’s lacking!”
“So what? I’m still prettier than you, even without them!”
“Tch! Then Lucy should wear it too! I’ll show you!”
“Yeah~ Show it all off. And then when you realize you look terrible, I won’t comfort you.”
“That won’t happen!”
While Joy and Lucy were making a fuss, Frey, who had no interest in clothes and was yawning, approached Arthur, who was standing a bit away.
“Prince. What are you doing?”
“I’m surviving.”
“Huh?”
“Please, just treat me like I’m not here. I don’t want to get involved…”
“Prince!”
“Arthur!”
“…Oh, God.”
With that desperate cry, Arthur found himself dragged into scenes that would make anyone else bite their lip and bleed from jealousy.
“Just… kill me.”
The person at the center of it all, Arthur himself, wished someone would give him a good whack to the head.
*
On my way back home after parting with friends, I realized that I had overreacted.
I don’t regret punishing Mama and Grandpa. They needed to be disciplined.
After all, I felt such betrayal from the two people I trust the most!
…But if you ask me if this was necessary, to be honest, it’s a tricky question.
I can let Mama off the hook, but what I did to Grandpa was cruel.
Back at the mansion, I approached the glass box and tossed in the flames made of divine power.
The ants created by the black wizard’s scroll burned away in the divine flames, leaving only the mace behind.
‘Uh. I’m sorry.’
[There’s a lot to say, but it’s okay. This was indeed my fault. You are my contractee, so I should have followed your wishes, not the will of God.]
‘Are you okay?’
[I was troubled, but it wasn’t unbearable. I’ve been through something similar before.]
‘You really don’t seem to be lacking in experiences at all.’
[Are you teasing me?]
‘…Huh? What do you mean all of a sudden?’
[Ahem. I might have mistaken your comment since I had a difficult experience today.]
While I felt that an interesting story might arise if we delved deeper, I chose to let it go because of what had happened today.
[So what do you plan to do about the statues in the territory?]
‘Until this morning, I was thinking of smashing them, but now I’ve changed my mind a bit.’
[Hmm? Why’s that? I thought you’d definitely want to get rid of them.]
‘If I’m not careful, my image might end up twisted in a bad direction.’
The fact that I wore a bikini armor was purely because it had the best performance.
If it weren’t for practical reasons, I would never wear such armor!
So why is my image locked in as a knight in bikini armor!?
And why are the continent’s fools following suit as if that’s fashionable?! Is there no common sense!?
When you look at it objectively, it’s embarrassing! Embarrassing!
‘I’ll need to use crows to change that image.’
To avoid the worst, I’ll choose the lesser evil. Rather than remaining known as the pervert who popularized bikini armor, I’ll stick to represent being a pretty girl!
[I think I should support you, if only to prevent the world from going in such a terrible direction.]
‘I don’t think it’ll be very hard. Despite the crows’ strange heads, their abilities are quite impressive.’
As I chatted with Grandpa, the moment I opened the door, Mama and Papa, with eyes red from crying, knelt before me.
“We’re sorry! Master! We shouldn’t have done something you’d dislike! Even if it was necessary, we should have sought your understanding first!”
“I’m sorry! Lucy! I should have stopped Mama! I thought it was best for everyone!”
…What are these people suddenly doing?