Chapter 92: Shopping For Clothes [II]
After the brief introduction, she turned gracefully and led them past the front counter, walking down a widecarpeted hallway that branched off toward the right side of the massive building.
They passed through a large, open archway and the sheer scale of the restricted female section was finally revealed.
Klaus completely halted his steps, genuinely impressed by the sheer volume of merchandise.
The room was absolutely immense.
It was highly obvious that the boutique heavily utilized high-tier spatial expansion magic to make the interior dimensions vastly larger than the physical exterior of the building.
The maid waved her white-gloved hand in a wide, sweeping arc, showing off the immense number of different clothes that filled the sprawling room.
There were hundreds of featureless wooden mannequins displaying everything from casual summer dresses to highly complex multi-layered winter gowns.
The walls were lined with towering shelves packed perfectly with neatly folded garments, color-coordinated and magically preserved to prevent any dust from settling.
"This is our primary stock," the maid explained, gesturing to the endless aisles of fabric. "We have everything from simple cotton blends to enchanted silks. If you are looking for something vastly more expensive, or heavily customized, then we could go deeper into the VIP tailoring wing."
She then pointed a delicate finger toward a neat row of highly polished slver-wire shopping carts resting near the side of the entrance.
"You may take what you want directly from the shelves and place them into those carts," the maid continued. "If you require any specific help finding a size, or if you want to use the private Changing Rooms located at the far end of the hall, please call on me as well. I will be standing right by the archway."
After the maid said that, the tension that had been building between the girls finally snapped.
Before any other girl could even process the instructions or react to the sheer volume of clothes, Taula moved.
She completely tapped into her high agility stats. In a literal blur of motion, she aggressively ripped her hand away from Klaus’s grip, violently lunged to the side, and immediately grabbed hold of the handle of one of the silver shopping carts.
Taula spun the cart around, its wheels squeaking sharply against the polished floor, and then her free hand shot out violently grabbing Klaus’s wrist once more.
"I’m borrowing him for a bit!" Taula announced loudly with a grin.
Before Klaus could even brace his legs or verbally protest, Taula aggressively yanked him forward, completely dragging him down the nearest aisle of towering shelves and disappearing behind a massive display of colorful scarves.
"Taula!" Zephyra shouted out, her disguised gray eyes widening in shock at the blatant high-speed heist.
The disguised royal took half a step forward, her mana flaring dangerously as she fully prepared to chase them down and physically rip the blond-haired warrior away from her Hubby.
However, she stopped herself.
If she started a violent, high-tier magical brawl inside a boutique filled with thousands of fragile, expensive clothes, Klaus would likely force her to pay for every single ruined thread out of her allowance.
Zephyra let out a heavy, incredibly annoyed sigh, forcefully calming her internal rage. She turned back to face the other two girls, Serra and Mirela, who were still standing near the entrance.
Zephyra forced a bright completely strained smile onto her face. "Why don’t we choose clothes together?"
Deep within the labyrinth of the female section, Taula aggressively rounded the corner of a long, heavily stocked aisle ensuring they were completely out of sight from the entrance and the rest of the party.
Once she was absolutely certain they weren’t being followed, she let out a long sigh with her shoulders dropping as the adrenaline of her quick escape finally faded.
She let go of Klaus’s wrist and turned back to face him.
Klaus was currently leaning against one of the wooden shelves, his arms crossed casually over his chest with his dark eyes giving her a completely deadpan incredibly judgmental look.
"What?" Taula asked defensively, her cheeks dusting with a faint pink hue under his intense gaze.
She crossed her own arms, refusing to back down. "I was just borrowing you for a bit. She can’t have you all to herself all the time."
Klaus didn’t respond to the reasoning. He just gestured toward the endless rows of fabric surrounding them.
Taula turned her head, finally taking in the specific aisle she had blindly sprinted down. She looked at the shelves around them.
The items neatly folded and displayed on the hangers weren’t heavy traveling gear or standard combat trousers. They were highly form-fitting, incredibly soft, thin-strapped garments entirely designed for casual indoor wear.
"I need some..." Taula started, her voice faltering slightly as she pointed a finger at the garments.
Her usual confidence completely vanished, replaced by a sudden awkward stutter. "I need some of those... you know... the..."
"They are singlets," Klaus provided helpfully.
"Right! Singlets!" Taula exclaimed, forcefully clearing her throat and aggressively pushing the silver shopping cart further down the aisle to hide her embarrassment. She kept her eyes entirely focused on the shelves. "Help me choose some singlets, Klaus~"
Klaus pushed off the shelf and followed behind her.
He didn’t really have a deep foundational knowledge of high-end fashion but he did know what looked good.
Klaus reached out and began meticulously scanning the different fabrics resting on the hangers.
"You’re a frontline fighter," Klaus analyzed aloud, his fingers brushing over a brightly colored, neon-pink singlet. He completely bypassed it. "Bright colors make you an easy target in the dark so I guess you need something highly practical and strong so that it doesn’t rip"
He reached higher up the shelf and pulled down a sleek, highly durable-looking black singlet made from an incredibly soft magically woven cotton blend.
He examined the cut of the fabric. The armholes were wide, perfectly allowing for maximum mobility during an axe swing, and the material itself was slightly slacked and stretchy in the front.
He could easily guess the slacked material was structurally designed to comfortably accommodate girls with larger breasts, ensuring the fabric wouldn’t violently tear during whatever.
He tossed the black singlet casually into the metal basket of the shopping cart and he moved down the line, grabbing two more identical black ones and tossing them in as well.
"There," Klaus said, dusting off his hands. "Black is good... You’re set Taula~"
As Klaus put the last one into the cart, Taula stopped pushing the cart. She stood there, her back entirely turned to him.
She bit down hard on her lower lip, her blond hair falling forward to completely obscure her face.
"Klaus..." Taula started as she gripped the handle of the shopping cart. "I am your best friend..."
Her knuckles turned completely white.
The overwhelming emotional frustration building inside of her bled directly into her physical strength.
She clutched her hand tightly around the solid steel holder of the shopping cart with enough terrifying force to physically bend the thick metal inward.
The steel creaked loudly under the pressure of her grip.
"I was the very first woman that you met..." Taula continued with her voice trembling though she didn’t turn around. "The others... Zephyra, Serra, Mirela... they all came after me. So... why didn’t you give me any time?"
Klaus completely froze.
"What?" Klaus asked, genuinely blinking in confusion as Taula finally turned around to face him.
Her cheeks had brightened significantly, a deep, highly visible flush completely painting her face.
She let go of the ruined shopping cart handle and took a single aggressive step directly into his personal space, closing the distance between them.
"I’m going to marry you, so..." Taula declared with her voice rising in pitch, completely stumbling over her own words as she tried to force the confession out of her chest. "...as your future wife, I should have some attenti—"
She completely failed to finish her own sentence.
The embarrassment and the adrenaline of the moment entirely short-circuited her brain so instead of finishing her thought, she completely abandoned her words.
Taula dove forward.
She grabbed the collar of his shirt, violently pulling him down to her level and kissed Klaus immediately on the lips.
The physical impact was completely sudden... Her lips were surprisingly soft against his, completely contrasting the violent way she had initiated the contact.
"Mmh~ More~" She vibrated into his mouth as Klaus stood there, completely rigid as his eyes were wide open.
’This will be my second kiss within a span of two days...’ Klaus thought. He simply didn’t have this kind of motion in the past at all.
Dealing with emotional fiercely territorial women violently fighting over his attention was a completely foreign terrifying concept... Well... not too foreign.
He had only done it once before and well...
[Haah~ My King is not gay after all.]
Klaus’s left eye violently twitched.
’Shut up Valeria.’
...
Klaus and Taula walked out of another aisle as the silver shopping cart was full to the brim now.
Taula had her face pointed to the ground with her cheeks dusted bright pink while Klaus casually looked at the several clothes that were available on the shelves around them.
’We kissed... again...’ Taula thought as her hands gripped the bent metal handles of her cart.
Her mind raced in a chaotic loop.
She was a warrior, someone used to swinging an axe and fighting monsters in the dirt.
This specific arena of feelings and romance was foreign territory... she tried to remember the sparse advice she had picked up over the months from the older women in the town.
’All that is left is for me to pin him to the bed and then... Uh... I think Grandma said it was sex.’
Taula gave a small genuine smile as she looked up at Klaus’s back.
It felt like a blessing that she had met him. Ever since he walked into the weapons shop back in Rivera, her life had changed.
There had never been a day that wasn’t joyous in her life since then. Because of him, she met Serra, she met Mirela, and even though Taula didn’t like admitting it sometimes, she was glad she met Zephyra as well.
They were a team.
They were all friends, and it made Taula smile just thinking about it.
’S-so I want to be Klaus’s wife...’ she thought with her heart thumping against her ribs.
She wanted to keep cooking for him, fighting beside him, and doing so much more.
She wanted to make him happy everyday, especially since he kept her happy everyday. It felt like something warm was flying around in her stomach.
Taula really didn’t know how to explain the fluttering feeling in her tummy. She had never felt this way about anyone before. It was scary, but it was also the best thing she had ever experienced.
’...Is this love?’ she asked herself. She watched the way Klaus meticulously checked the fabric of a shirt before putting it back on the rack. ’Yes, it is... Because I love Klaus.’
They soon arrived at the changing area, taking Taula by surprise.
The other girls were already there, waiting with their own designated maid and piles of garments resting on the nearby tables.
Zephyra immediately closed the distance.
She attached herself to Klaus, wrapping her arms tight around his waist and pressing her face into his chest. Taula let out an audible pout with her romantic epiphany interrupted by the disguised royal’s usual antics.
"You’ve taken Klaus for enough time," Zephyra told the blond-haired warrior smugly. "He’ll stay with me now."
Taula crossed her arms as her competitive streak flared up.
"I was just getting his opinion on some clothes. Besides, you already cling to him all day."
"Because he is my Hubby..." Zephyra countered while sticking her tongue out.
The maid, Reina, chuckled softly into her white-gloved hand.
She stepped forward to mediate before a genuine argument could break out in the middle of the expensive boutique.
"Please calm down, ladies," Reina instructed with a polite smile.
She glanced at the impressive mountain of garments piled inside the metal carts as she turned and waved her hand at the row of massive, velvet curtains behind her. "This is where you may change. If you have specific clothes that you want to test out, you can test it out inside there and show it to... him."
She finished her sentence by pointing her delicate finger directly at Klaus.
Klaus blinked.
He looked from the maid to the tall velvet curtains, and then to the plush circular couch situated right in the middle of the viewing area and he realized exactly what was happening.
"I am judging clothes now?" Klaus asked, pointing to himself.
"Of course you are, Hubby!" Zephyra cheered, finally detaching herself from his torso.
She grabbed a handful of elegant dresses from her basket. "You have to tell us which ones make us look pretty. We value your taste."
"I value your opinion, Boss," Serra added smoothly. The blonde healer was holding a few simple, vibrant dresses.
She offered a warm, bright smile that reached her eyes. "I usually only wear my uniform and some other casual stuff...Having a second pair of eyes will be nice, especially for something so far outside my comfort zone."
Mirela nodded shyly clutching a small stack of fabric to her chest. "Please watch us, Master."
Klaus sighed, realizing there was no escape from this. If he tried to leave, Zephyra would likely drag him back by his collar.
He walked over to the circular couch and took a seat, resting his elbows on his knees.
"Alright. Go ahead."
The girls scattered, each disappearing behind a separate curtain. The sound of fabric rustling and hangers clinking echoed through the room.
Reina stood politely to the side, ready to assist them with any difficult buttons or laces.
Klaus sat in silence for a few minutes.
’This is going to take a while...’ Klaus thought, resigning himself to his fate.
The curtain on the far left was thrown open first.
Taula stepped out into the bright light of the viewing area.
She was wearing one of the black singlets Klaus had picked out for her, paired with a new set of dark, flexible leather trousers.
The singlet fit her athletic frame perfectly with the fabric stretching comfortably. The wide armholes showed off the toned muscles of her shoulders and the dark color contrasted sharply with her bright blond hair.
She struck a confident pose, flexing her arm with a massive grin on her face.
"Well?" Taula asked, spinning around once to show him the full outfit. "Do I look ready to punch a monster?"
"It works," Klaus told her, nodding his approval. "It gives you a lot of mobility, and the dark fabric is good for moving around at night. It won’t snag and I don’t think you’ll tear them easily either so it looks good on you, Taula."
Taula’s face lit up. A bright red blush spread across her cheeks at the direct compliment. "Thanks, Klaus! I’m definitely taking all of them. I might even wear this one out of the store!"
She hurried back behind her curtain just as the center drape parted.
Serra stepped out next and Klaus genuinely paused.
He was so used to seeing the blonde woman swathed in thick, pristine white healer robes adorned with the Church’s insignias.
The robes always made her look formal but now, she was wearing a flowing forest-green sundress. It had thin straps, stopping just below her knees and the vibrant green color perfectly complimented her golden hair and soft features.
Serra looked down at herself, smoothing her hands over the skirt. She looked up at Klaus with a bright smile breaking across her face.
A faint dusting of pink covered her cheeks as she stepped further into the light.
"Is this too casual?" Serra asked, tilting her head. "I feel rather exposed without my layers. It feels a bit strange to have the air on my arms."
"It looks nice," Klaus said honestly. "It makes you look normal. Like someone who actually lives in the town."
Serra’s smile widened with her eyes crinkling at the corners. She did a small twirl, letting the green skirt flare out around her legs.
"Thank you, Klaus. I think I’ll keep this one. I’ll go try on the blue one next!"
A soft shuffling drew his attention to the right side of the room. Mirela slowly peeked her head out from behind her curtain as her face flushed red with embarrassment.
"Come out, Mirela," Klaus encouraged gently. "Let me see."
Mirela took a timid step forward. She had chosen a very modest, long-sleeved dress in a soft pastel yellow.
The fabric was simple cotton, featuring a small white ribbon tied around the waist. It fit her perfectly, making her look innocent and sweet.
She kept her eyes glued to the floor with her hands fidgeting nervously with the skirt.
"I don’t know if this looks okay, Master," Mirela whispered. "I have never worn anything this clean before. It feels too nice for someone like me."
Klaus stood up from the couch. He walked over to her and reached out, gently patting the top of her head.
"You look great, Mirela," Klaus told her with his voice reassuring. "It fits you well. Pick out a few more in different colors. You deserve nice things, just like everyone else here."
Mirela’s head snapped up, her eyes wide and shining with unshed tears of happiness.
A brilliant smile broke through her shyness. "R-Really? Thank you, Master! I will!"
"Alright, clear the way!" a loud, dramatic voice called out.
The largest velvet curtain in the center of the room was thrown open. Zephyra stepped out, striking a pose that commanded the entire room.
Klaus stared.
Zephyra had bypassed the casual wear section entirely. She was wearing a stunning, backless crimson gown made from enchanted silk that seemed to shimmer under the magic lamps.
The dress hugged her curves perfectly, the neckline plunging low, while a slit up the side of the skirt exposed a long expanse of her pale leg. Even with her disguised black hair and gray eyes, she looked like royalty.
"Well, Hubby?" Zephyra purred. She placed a hand on her hip and did a slow, teasing twirl as the open back of the dress revealed the smooth skin of her spine. "How do I look?"
"Where are you going to wear that?" Klaus asked, leaning back on the couch. "You can’t run like that."
"I am not wearing it to fight or run," Zephyra scoffed playfully, keeping her eyes locked onto Klaus. "I am wearing it for special occasions. When we have dinner, or when we relax at home. So, Hubby? Speechless?"
"It looks expensive," Klaus noted. "If you trip in the forest, that silk is going to rip on the first branch."
"I just said I won’t be wearing it in the forest!" Zephyra whined, stomping her foot on the carpet.
She marched over to him, grabbing his hands and placing them on her waist. "Look closer! Tell me I look pretty!"
Klaus looked down at her.
He couldn’t deny the truth. "Yeah. You look beautiful, Zephyra."
Zephyra gasped, her whining melting into a puddle of pure affection. "Oh, Hubby~"
She leaned up and planted a firm kiss on his cheek. "I am buying this one, and the blue one, and the purple one!"
