GalaxyTL
As we chatted and walked, we finally arrived at our destination. …Accompanied by the background music of, “Kei-sama!” “Kei-sama!” “And Gil-sama too!” The Ortus members seemed to be very well-known in this town.
And the most difficult interaction was this:
“Kei-sama, Gil-sama! And who is this cute girl?”
“Ah, this is Meg-chan. She’s our child.”
“““!?”””
The ensuing screams were intense. Earsplitting, even. There were those who were in shock, disbelief, those who thought we looked perfect together, and I even sensed a few people getting excited over the BL potential. It’s a deep and complicated world where a man and a woman can be seen as a BL couple…
By the way, Kei-san’s words, “She’s our child,” weren’t meant to be a joke; they were serious. They meant, “She’s our (Ortus’s) child,” but no one seemed to understand that. A tragedy born out of misunderstandings, where no one was to blame… Even Gil-san, who rarely lost his composure, couldn’t help but yell, “She’s a child the whole of Ortus is protecting!”
But thanks to this commotion, it seemed my existence in the town had become known, and the fact that I had Ortus as my backing gave me a sense of security. Gil-san told me this wearily. …I’ll cherish this position gained through Gil-san’s (mental) sacrifice.
“Well then, here we are. My favorite shop, ‘Lagran☆(Kirarin) Tailor Shop.’”
Pardon? Wh-What did you just…? Unless I misheard, you didn’t just read that star symbol on the sign as “Kirarin,” did you…? Kei-san smiled and went inside to call the shop owner.
“…Gil-shan.”
“What?”
“Do… they… weally read that as Kirarin?”
“…That’s right.”
I see… Right. I’ll just keep quiet. As Gil-san and I waited in awkward silence, Kei-san emerged from the back of the shop. And there was a figure following behind them. A figure… a large one.
“Oh my! My, my, my, welcome! Welcome to the Lagran☆(Kirarin) Tailor Shop!”
The one who said this in a deep, booming voice, swaying their hips suggestively, was a large man(?) with long, yellow and black striped hair tied up in a bun and a long tail swaying gracefully. Um, I guess this is what one calls a crossdresser?
“Oh my! What an adorable child! I’ll do my best for you! What kind of clothes are you looking for?”
They were… dazzling. Judging from their ears, tail, and hair pattern, they were probably a tiger demi-human. And their coloring must be natural. And this large, male(?) person was wearing a colorful, flashy, dress-like garment, making them even more flamboyant. But somehow, it suited them. As expected of a tailor, perhaps.
Ah, that’s right. I have to greet them!
“Nice to meetchu, I’m Meg! Thank you for the nightgown and thish dress… and the apron! They’re so comfy!”
I had to let them know what I thought of the clothes! And I meant it. It seemed like they were made with high-quality fabric, they felt great against my skin.
“Oh my, aren’t you just the sweetest thing! I’m Lagrange. Call me Ran-chan. The clothes I made for you were children’s sizes, and I could use leftover fabric, so it was very affordable. Hmm, for such a cute girl, inside and out, I’ll give you lots of freebies today too, okay?”
Ran-chan, the shop owner, winked suggestively. It was a wink that seemed to make a sound, “Batchin!” The destructive power of a cross-dresser’s wink, with long eyelashes and perfect makeup, was something else. Looking closely, I realized they were actually quite handsome… They probably didn’t think it was a waste, though. They seemed very comfortable in this persona.
“Lagrange, shall we start choosing some clothes?”
“Of course!”
And so began… a real-life dress-up session!
“…Are you okay, Meg?”
“Y-Yesh…”
It felt like two hours had passed. How could anyone refuse the incredibly energetic Ran-chan and the perpetually cheerful Kei-san? I mean, I enjoyed wearing cute clothes, but there was a limit. My stamina was completely depleted, and I was currently being carried by Gil-san. Fuu, Gil-san’s carry was the best, so comforting.
“You two… went overboard.”
“Yeah, we’re reflecting on that. Sorry, Meg-chan.”
“We got a little carried away. It’s just that you’re so cute. I’m sorry, Meg-chan.”
Kei-san and Ran-chan apologized, seemingly aware that they went overboard.
“No, it’s okii. It was fun… twying on all those cute clothes. But… um, are you sure about all theshe?”
That’s right, a mountain of clothes had been piled up in front of me. They were neatly folded, which made the sheer volume of it all the more impressive.
“Hmm, I wanted to give them to you as a gift. …Is that not allowed?”
“My employees and I got so inspired when we saw you. We wanted you to wear them, so we worked hard and made them. Please accept them as a gift from us.”
Ugh, how could I refuse after being told that! Hmm, but I didn’t feel good about receiving them for free. I’d talked to Kei-san about repaying them when I grew up, but this was too much.
“Is there… anyting I can do to help…? I feel bad… receiving sho much.”
“Hmm, you’re such a good girl, Meg-chan.”
“I know, right? But we should respect her feelings.”
Ran-chan said, placing their index finger on their lips, and then pondered for a moment, “Hmm.” It was unnecessarily sexy. Then, as if an idea struck them, their expression brightened.
“I know! Meg-chan, how about being our poster girl?”
“““Poster girl?”””
The three of us echoed their suggestion.
“That’s right! I want you to wear these clothes, different ones every day, and welcome customers in front of the shop. Customers will come flocking when they see the adorable Meg-chan, and it’s a great way to advertise our clothes!”
“Of course, I’ll pay you after you’ve worked off the cost of the clothes!” Ran-chan added enthusiastically. Eh, is that all it takes? It’s true that all these clothes were cute, and with my adorable appearance, I might actually be perfect for the role.
“That’s not allowed.”
“Hmm, no good.”
I was starting to get excited about the idea when both my guardians rejected it. I guess, like we talked about earlier, it was too dangerous.
“I can’t let Meg work outside the guild.”
“Yeah, it’s too dangerous. She’s too cute. Or do you want to hire some guards from Ortus?”
“Ugh, I can’t afford that…”
“That’s a shame, it was a good idea,” Ran-chan said with a sigh, their hand on their cheek. Uu, I’m sorry for being a helpless child who needs constant protection!
“But being a poster girl is a good idea. I think you’d be perfect for it, Meg-chan.”
Kei-san said this to Ran-chan, who was slumping their shoulders dejectedly. They were good at comforting people.
“So, Meg-chan, why don’t you become Ortus’s poster girl?”
“Ortush’s…?”
A poster girl for the guild? As I tilted my head, Ran-chan exclaimed with delight,
“Oh my! That’s a great idea! Would you mind advertising my shop while you’re at it?”
“That’s right. You can wear a different outfit every day and greet everyone who comes to the guild, advertising Lagrange’s shop. What do you think, Meg-chan?”
“Hmm. And there’s always someone in the guild, so there’s no safety concerns.”
What the heck, I might actually have a job! I was willing to do anything as long as I could contribute, so I replied enthusiastically, “I’ll do it!” But we couldn’t finalize it here, I’d have to confirm it with Saura-san when we got back to the guild.
So, we put it on hold for now.
I hope I get the job!