Inazuma, Clothing Store — Ogura Textiles & Kimonos
Ogura Textiles & Kimonos was a high-end clothing store in Inazuma, though it naturally catered to a wider range of customers. Piles of fabric formed colorful walls inside the shop, showing off their value.
"Is this really necessary…" Looking at the dazzling array of silk fabrics, Muramasa felt his eyes begin to ache. The two girls beside him, however, were very excited.
"Miss Mio, do you have any new styles in recently?" The more sociable Yoimiya naturally took the lead. Hailing, on the other hand, was carefully selecting fabrics, comparing which patterns would suit Muramasa best. She seemed hesitant to touch the material, only using her eyes to record the patterns.
"Of course, for you, Miss Yoimiya…" The shop's owner, Ogura Mio, had clearly misunderstood, thinking the girl was shopping for herself.
"Oh dear~ it's not for me, it's for him." She pointed towards Muramasa, who was standing near the entrance. It had been Yoimiya who had led the way in, with Hailing pulling Muramasa in after her.
"Oh? Is that so? My apologies…" She walked a little closer to Muramasa and asked tentatively, "Sir, do you have any preferences?" His upper body was clad only in a red gauntlet protecting his right arm. No matter how sharp her eyes were, she couldn't discern his tastes.
"None. As long as it's wearable, this old man is not picky." A classic response, it seemed that unromantic men had a standardized set of answers.
"That's quite... a cryptic answer," the owner's smile was a bit stiff, but thankfully, the two women beside him provided an opening.
"That won't do, Muramasa." Yoimiya brought over a finished garment and held it up against him to see if it fit. "So many different factions are seeking you out. That means you'll have to deal with them sooner or later!"
"But I'm a craftsman, aren't I?" Based on his 'past life' experience, even when summoned by a daimyo, craftsmen were rarely required to dress formally. "In the end, it's all about the skill of your hands. Clothes and all that…"
He trailed off as he saw Hailing puffing out her cheeks. Her already slightly chubby face swelled up like a pufferfish.
Oh no… I'm really not good at dealing with this kind of look. He awkwardly averted his gaze, pretending not to see her resentful expression.
"That's not how it works~" In contrast to Hailing's silent protest, Yoimiya once again put her sharp tongue to use. "In Inazuma City, the smith is part of the sword's presentation! It's like with food; you need color, aroma, and taste to be perfect. You wouldn't want the statue erected next to the legendary 'Muramasa' blades of the future to be an ugly one, would you?"
So now I'm the seasoning for the sword… and why are they looking at me instead of the sword anyway? Under the pressure of Hailing's glare, Muramasa's inner monologue didn't translate into spoken words. "Yes, yes… I understand. For the rest of the day, I'll just be your mannequin."
Hailing's resentful look vanished, but she still muttered deliberately, "What do you mean, mannequin? That sounds so awful."
"Haha…" Yoimiya chuckled, her eyes crinkling. She placed two pieces of clothing in Muramasa's hands. "Alright, alright, go try them on."
For the next two hours, Muramasa was draped in all sorts of fabrics. Yoimiya had him try on nearly every style and combination, from a trendy street-cool look to a classic gray samurai outfit. The variety of appearances "Muramasa" displayed that day was probably more than he had in his entire existence combined. Hailing, meanwhile, meticulously balanced the ratio of 'material' to 'price', striving to find the most wallet-friendly option. After all, most of the ready-made clothes in the shop were just samples for trying on; the final purchase depended on the subsequent tailoring.
"Phew… this should be the last set, right?" The final outfit was a simple, grayish-white kimono with a red haori.
"Oh…" Hailing let out an appreciative sound, which Yoimiya put into words. "Nice. This is much more handsome than before."
"Including the other ones that fit, that should be four... five sets in total? That should be enough!" Yoimiya clapped her hands, looking as if a great task had been completed.
"The other clothes will need to be custom-made. If you two are satisfied with this set, you can wear it out right now~" Ogura Mio recommended with a smile, though her words didn't seem to seek Muramasa's opinion at all. "And the fabric you two chose for this outfit is not much different from this sample."
Yoimiya glanced at the price; the fabric on Muramasa's outfit was only a few dozen Mora more expensive. "I think that's fine... But Miss Mio, seeing as we've bought so much, how about you turn a blind eye to the price difference on this one?"
As they were customers who had bought several sets of clothes, Ogura Mio naturally nodded. "Of course."
And so, the price was quickly settled. The once-full wallet was instantly deflated, the few remaining Mora clinking inside.
"By the way, maybe we should add some accessories?" Yoimiya suggested. And so, the wallet was completely emptied for a brown beaded necklace for Muramasa. The reason? The shop owner claimed the Narukami Wood it was made from could boost one's spirits, and the 'two' girls were convinced.
By the time they were done, the full moon was nearly at its zenith.
"Hah~ I'm exhausted!" The three of them walked side-by-side on the streets of Inazuma. Even the usually talkative Yoimiya was noticeably quieter now. Lanterns illuminated the night streets, and lights powered by elemental energy flickered inside the shops.
"It's completely different from the village…" At this time, the village would have already extinguished its lights and gone to sleep, but Inazuma City was still brightly lit. Occasionally, they would see the pink lights of a certain district, and at these times, Hailing and Yoimiya would invariably steer Muramasa away.
In front of one such establishment, a woman was hitting a man while another woman stood by. "Ah… looks like a man who was fooling around got caught." Yoimiya remarked. "Inazuma's laws don't stipulate that you can only have one wife, so why do these men still like to mess around outside?"
"The thrill of it… and responsibility, maybe?" Muramasa glanced over and offered his own theory. "A transaction outside can just be forgotten afterwards. Marrying someone means being responsible for the rest of their life."
"Eh…" Hailing didn't look at the drama, instead turning to Muramasa with a hint of curiosity. "What do you think, Mr. Muramasa?"
The honorific is back? The thought popped into his head. He then considered her question. "Me?"
Yoimiya just glanced at Hailing, a helpless smile on her lips, though her hands were also unnaturally stretching.
"Compared to a moment of pleasure, responsibility is more important, isn't it?"
"As for things like continuing the family line, although people around me always say that… I think it's better to let things happen naturally. Whether it's many or few, as long as the people involved can smile, then there's nothing wrong with it."
There were no hidden motives or attempts to cater to anyone's expectations, just a serious consideration of his own life. Unlike the era this body was from, the time Muramasa's spirit existed in was not a peaceful one. More offspring meant a higher survival rate, but it also meant the obligation to feed them. So, this was not a question to be answered lightly.
"I see…" The meaning contained in his answer was enough to satisfy the girl who had asked. Hailing, her heart full of spring, stole a glance at Yoimiya. The latter didn't return her gaze, but fell into a knowing silence.
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