I grow stronger by making my wife happy.

Chapter 137: 137:Shopping.

The moment Silver and Ravenna stepped through the glass door, the bustling sounds faded into the background, replaced by soft instrumental music playing somewhere overhead.

Warm golden lights reflected off polished wooden floors, illuminating carefully arranged shelves filled with neatly folded clothes.

Mannequins stood throughout the shop wearing practical contractor attire alongside more casual everyday outfits, while the faint scent of cedar wood and freshly washed fabric lingered comfortably in the air.

Ravenna instinctively slowed her pace.

Her eyes wandered from one display to another with quiet curiosity. Jackets, dresses, shirts, and trousers were arranged with surprising care, each section decorated with small potted plants and tasteful ornaments that gave the boutique a welcoming atmosphere.

She glanced toward Silver. She had assumed they were only coming inside to browse while passing by. Perhaps he wanted to look at the latest contractor travel clothes or compare prices for future purchases.

Buying anything had never crossed her mind.

The owner, a woman in her forties with neatly tied brown hair and a gentle smile, looked up from arranging a display of folded sweaters.

"Welcome. Please take your time. If there’s anything you’re looking for, don’t hesitate to ask."

There was no exaggerated enthusiasm in her greeting. She simply welcomed them as though inviting guests into her own home. That alone eased some of Ravenna’s initial tension.

Silver thanked her before casually wandering toward one of the racks.

He absentmindedly brushed his fingers across several jackets, occasionally lifting one from the hanger to inspect the stitching before placing it back.

Ravenna followed half a step behind.

"So..." she asked quietly. "What are we looking for?"

Silver picked up another jacket before turning toward the owner.

"We’re actually here to buy some clothes."

Ravenna blinked.

"...Buy?"

She looked at him as if she had misheard. The owner smiled knowingly before turning toward Ravenna.

"In that case, you’ve come to the right place. You have a lovely figure; I’m sure we’ll find something that suits you beautifully. Feel free to try anything that catches your eye. There’s absolutely no rush."

Ravenna immediately shook her head.

"Oh, I don’t really need..."

Silver interrupted with a relaxed smile.

"Just try a few."

She frowned slightly.

"They’re expensive."

"So?"

"So... we don’t need them."

Silver simply folded his arms.

"I didn’t ask whether we needed them; I asked if you’d try them."

"..."

She sighed quietly.

"You always do this."

"What?"

"You make it difficult to refuse."

"I’ve been told I’m persistent."

"I’ve noticed."

The owner chuckled softly before walking toward another section of the boutique.

"If you don’t mind... I think I have a few things that would suit your style."

Rather than leading Ravenna toward elegant evening dresses or fashionable outfits that looked impractical, she stopped beside a collection of simple but refined clothing: comfortable jackets, slim travel trousers, soft sweaters and light shirts.

Everything looked durable enough for everyday wear while still carrying a quiet elegance.

"I thought these might suit you. They’re comfortable, easy to move in and don’t wrinkle easily."

Ravenna instinctively reached out to touch one of the jackets. The fabric was softer than she expected.

"...They’re nice."

Silver smiled.

"See?"

She gave him a look.

"Don’t sound so pleased with yourself."

"I can’t help it."

The owner handed Ravenna several outfits.

"Why don’t you start with these? If you dislike any of them, we’ll simply try something else."

Her tone remained warm throughout. Never once did she sound like she was trying to convince Ravenna to spend more money. It felt more like receiving advice from an older sister.

That made accepting the clothes much easier.

"...Alright."

Ravenna disappeared behind the changing curtain.

Silver waited patiently outside, occasionally looking around the boutique while the owner quietly organized another display.

Several minutes later, the curtain opened. Ravenna stepped out. She wore a fitted charcoal jacket over a cream-colored shirt with dark travel trousers that matched surprisingly well.

Silver smiled almost immediately.

"That jacket fits you well."

Ravenna looked down at herself before turning toward the nearby mirror.

"...Really?"

"It does. It sits naturally on your shoulders, and the darker color contrasts nicely with your hair."

She studied her reflection for another moment.

"...I didn’t notice."

"I did."

She quietly disappeared behind the curtain again. The next outfit was noticeably lighter. This time the jacket carried subtle blue accents around the cuffs.

Silver tilted his head thoughtfully.

"I actually like that color."

"You do?"

"It suits your eyes."

Ravenna blinked.

"My eyes?"

"They stand out more."

She unconsciously looked into the mirror again. For a few seconds she said nothing, then she quietly returned to change again.

Outfit followed outfit. Each time she emerged, Silver offered a different observation.

"I like the sleeves on that one."

"That collar suits you."

"The darker trousers balance the jacket better."

"I think that style looks comfortable enough for travelling."

Whenever something looked average, he simply nodded and admitted he preferred one of the earlier outfits. That honesty made the compliments he did give feel genuine.

Little by little, Ravenna stopped feeling embarrassed; instead of immediately retreating behind the curtain, she lingered a little longer before the mirror.

She adjusted her sleeves, smoothed the front of a jacket, and tilted her head from side to side. The boutique owner occasionally approached with another suggestion.

"Perhaps this color?"

"You seem to prefer practical clothes."

"These trousers stretch a little more."

"That jacket also has hidden inside pockets."

Each recommendation came naturally; never once did Ravenna feel pressured. Eventually she stepped out holding another jacket against herself.

She looked toward Silver almost absentmindedly.

"What about this one?"

The question left her mouth before she even realized she’d asked it.

Silver noticed that. A small smile appeared on his face.

"I like that one."

She narrowed her eyes.

"You answered too quickly."

"I didn’t need long. It genuinely suits you."

"You’ve said that three times already."

"Because the last three genuinely suited you."

"..."

A faint blush reached her cheeks. She looked away before muttering quietly,

"...You’re impossible."

Silver couldn’t help smiling. After another few minutes, she finally settled on several outfits she genuinely liked. Silver gathered them together before heading toward the counter.

Just as he reached it...

"...Wait."

He turned. Ravenna had folded her arms.

"If you’re buying clothes for me... then I’m choosing something for you."

Silver blinked.

"You don’t have to."

"I know, but I’m going to."

She walked toward the men’s section before he could argue. Silver exchanged an amused glance with the boutique owner.

"I suppose I’ve lost this battle."

"You certainly have."

The owner laughed softly.

Ravenna took her task surprisingly seriously. She didn’t simply grab the nearest jacket; instead, she inspected every option one by one.

She compared stitching, checked the weight of different fabrics, and occasionally held one beside Silver before immediately rejecting it.

"Too formal."

Another.

"Too stiff."

Another.

"Too bright."

Silver folded his arms.

"I didn’t realize you had opinions about my wardrobe."

"I do."

The answer came out so naturally that Ravenna froze.

"...Apparently."

Silver chuckled.

"I’ll remember that."

Several more minutes passed before she finally selected a dark blue jacket with subtle golden embroidery around the collar.

She walked back toward him.

"This one."

Silver slipped it on. It fit perfectly. He looked toward the mirror before slowly turning from side to side.

"...I like it."

Ravenna nodded with quiet satisfaction.

"You usually wear simple colors. You don’t like attracting attention. This still feels practical, but it looks better."

Silver looked at her with mild surprise.

"You’ve been paying attention."

"I suppose I have."

The answer was matter-of-fact, almost unconscious. Silver smiled warmly.

"I didn’t realize."

The boutique owner clasped her hands together.

"You two are refreshing."

Silver laughed.

"What do you mean?"

"Most couples spend their time arguing about clothes. You two discuss them like you’re planning a mission."

Ravenna blinked.

"...Now that you mention it..."

Silver laughed.

"A few days ago we’d probably have been talking about beast cores or patrol routes or maps."

"Instead..." Ravenna looked down at the jacket. "...we’re debating colors and sleeve lengths."

Silver nodded thoughtfully.

"Life changes quickly."

"It really does."

Neither of them spoke for a moment. The owner carefully folded each purchase before placing everything into several neatly wrapped bags.

"Thank you both. I hope you’ll visit again."

Silver accepted the bags while Ravenna quietly took one from him despite his attempt to carry everything himself.

"It’ll be easier this way," she said simply.

He didn’t argue. Together they stepped back into the afternoon sunshine. The lively streets welcomed them once again.

Shopping bags rested comfortably in each of their hands as they resumed walking side by side.

Somewhere farther down the street, Silver spotted a familiar sign hanging above another storefront.

The flower shop.

He suddenly remembered something.

"...Ah."

Ravenna looked toward him curiously.

"What is it?"

Silver smiled to himself.

"...Nothing, I just remembered I forgot something earlier."

Without explaining further, he adjusted the shopping bags in his hand and continued toward the florist, a small smile lingering on his face.