There’s a saying that sad premonitions are never wrong.

Specifically, I had been dragged into a clothing store with Helena.

It seemed that clothing stores were hell in this world too. As I looked at the clothes filling the spacious store with a disgusted expression, Helena, who was excited on her own, looked around the store with shining eyes.

“…There are so many clothes!”

“It’s a clothing store.”

Of course.

She glared at me sharply at my apathetic tone, then quickly turned her gaze away and walked between the clothes.

Unable to resist her joyful expression, I followed behind Helena with slow steps.

After that, it was a normal shopping experience.

“How about this?”

“Hmm… it’s nice.”

“What about this one?”

“… It’s pretty.”

“Then how about this?”

“It suits you well.”

How many hours has it been?

For what felt like an eternity, I looked at Helena’s clothes. I don’t think I’ve ever used this much mental energy, even during training…

Despite that, the reason I couldn’t bring myself to say we should stop was because Helena’s expression was so bright and cheerful.

Her brightness made me wonder if she had been holding this in, and I couldn’t bring myself to say we should stop.

“…Felix. Your answers lack sincerity.”

Even so, when such criticism came out, I felt slighted.

I looked at Helena in disbelief at her words. However, she seemed genuinely disappointed in me.

Seeing her pouting and looking at me sullenly after showing off her clothes, I sighed. I opened my mouth with a resigned expression.

“Well, everything suits you well. What can I do? Even if you ask what to wear, nothing won’t work.”

It wasn’t flattery to make Helena feel good. It was really the truth.

With her beauty and her figure, unless the clothes were really strangely made, there was no way they wouldn’t suit her.

“…Liar.”

At my words, Helena pouted her lips but blushed bright red and turned her head away sharply.

Although her words and expression were like that, it was clear that her mood had improved considerably, so I inwardly let out a sigh of relief.

“This one, and this one? Please wrap these up too.”

“Yes! Understood!”

In a better mood, Helena handed over several clothes she liked to the clerk, ending the shopping.

Smiling at the sight, I glanced out the window to look outside.

The shopping that started after breakfast in the morning only ended when the sun was high in the sky. I should probably be grateful it finished this soon.

Judging by Helena’s expression and momentum, if nothing had happened, she would have shopped for two or three more hours.

‘At that rate, she must have tried on every piece of clothing in this store.’

As I absentmindedly watched Helena making the payment as if she was used to it, I suddenly felt like someone was watching me from somewhere and turned my head.

A middle-aged man was nodding his head while talking with an employee.

‘…Was it my imagination?’

Even if it wasn’t my imagination, there was no reason to go and ask, so I turned my gaze back to Helena.

She had received a bag full of clothes in her arms and was walking towards me with a silly grin.

“…Give it to me, I’ll carry it for you.”

Although Helena was also in a vanguard and wouldn’t be tired from carrying this many clothes, moving around could still be inconvenient, so I naturally reached out my hand to her and took her clothes.

“You don’t have to carry it.”

“It’s fine. It’s better than you being uncomfortable.”

Helena handed me the clothes bag with an expression half apologetic and half pleased and burst into a meaningless laugh. I shook my head and received it.

“So, where are we going next?”

Although it wasn’t intentional, Helena’s shopping had taken so long that it was now afternoon, and there should be more to see than before.

With that thought, I asked her, and after thinking for a moment, she nodded as if something had occurred to her and started walking out of the clothing store.

“Let’s go there!”

“Where’s ‘there’?”

“You’ll know if you follow me…!”

Seeing Helena smile as if it was a secret, I also burst into laughter and followed behind her.

It wouldn’t be bad to enjoy today without thinking too much.

***

The middle-aged man, Papirius von Geyrus, stared at the couple leaving the clothing store.

“So in the case of this clothing… Excuse me, Lord Duke?”

“Ah, I’m sorry. What were you saying?”

“This clothing is the most popular among children these days.”

Duke Papirius looked intently at the luxurious clothing the store owner held up and nodded silently.

“I don’t know much about clothes or trends, so your recommendation must be right. I’ll take this one.”

“Yes! Understood…!”

Duke Papirius, who chose the quite expensive clothing without hesitation, entrusted the payment to his butler and recalled what he had seen earlier.

“…Are you concerned about that boy from earlier?”

“Hmm? A little, yes.”

The butler, who had been serving the Duke’s family since Papirius was born, was truly capable.

Not only could he read Duke Papirius’s thoughts without speaking, but he could also perceive his intentions and handle matters in advance.

Duke Papirius nodded at the butler’s question, awakening from his reverie.

“Shall we investigate?”

“Hmm… I don’t think that will be necessary.”

There were several reasons why the Duke’s family had been able to prosper for generations like this.

One of them was that everyone who worked for the Duke’s family was excellent in their respective fields.

If Duke Papirius were to order an investigation on the boy who just left the clothing store, Felix, they would be able to investigate everything about him in the near future.

From Felix’s personality to his habits and even the food he had eaten recently.

Everything.

Nevertheless, Duke Papirius did not order it.

“Probably.”

The Duke liked this kind of intuition.

Moreover, the Duke’s unique ability was also one of the reasons for the prosperity of the Papirius Duke’s family.

“I feel like we’ll meet soon.”

Duke Papirius smiled benevolently, inwardly recalling Felix.

More precisely,

The strange boy with two colors dwelling in one body.

***

“…Achoo!”

“Did you catch a cold?”

For some reason, along with a chilling feeling running down my spine, my nose felt itchy, and I sneezed.

As I covered my mouth with the handkerchief in my pocket and sneezed, Helena turned around with a worried expression and asked.

I tried to smile awkwardly and shook my head.

“No? I’m fine.”

“…If you’re sick, don’t push yourself and tell me.”

Despite my assurance that I was fine, Helena spoke worriedly until the end. I grabbed her shoulder and urged her to keep walking.

“I’m really fine, that’s why.”

Sometimes, when you’re inside a building and suddenly come out into the sunlight, you sneeze occasionally. This time seemed to be one of those cases.

The chill that had run down my spine had also long since disappeared, so I smiled brightly to reassure Helena.

Helena tilted her head at my appearance but resumed walking, unable to resist my urging.

It used to be a common occurrence in my previous body, but I thought it didn’t happen to Felix, yet it seems this body is the same.

You know, sneezing when you suddenly see a bright light and such.

…Photic sneeze reflex? I think that was the name.

As I rubbed my nose, which was still slightly tingling, I began to stroll through the streets with Helena.

I never thought the time spent on training was a waste. Still, now that I was walking around the city with Helena, visiting here and there, I felt a bit of regret that we didn’t come out earlier…

Our city outing with Helena continued until the sun began to set.

We had been walking around the city non-stop, carrying various things in our hands, but when the sun started to set, we had no choice but to return to the academy.

Somehow, it felt like time had passed faster than I expected.

I gently patted Helena’s head, her expression full of regret, and said goodbye to her in front of the girls’ dormitory.

“Well…”

“… I’m so disappointed.”

Seeing Helena mumbling with a sulky expression, I smiled slightly and handed her the clothes I was holding.

“Let’s go out again next time.”

“…Really?”

“Yes. Really.”

“You? Really?”

At Helena’s expression full of disbelief and doubt, I smiled bitterly. I nodded, giving her confirmation while waving my hand slightly.

I was a bit disappointed too, after all.

Hiding those feelings, I said goodbye to Helena and moved with heavy steps toward the dormitory.

…It was unexpectedly fun.

The rest was enjoyable.

I didn’t know whether it was because it had been a long time since I had rested or because I was with Helena.

But one thing was clear.

Without realizing it, I was thinking that I wanted to go out together again next time.