The black fabric with white frills and the maid-like choker made for an intriguing design. I found myself admiring it, even though it was an outfit I’d never seen in the original game.

Was there ever a swimsuit like this in the game…?

After playing through Luminor Academy twenty-five times, I was confident I’d tried on every possible swimsuit. None of them had this kind of unique fabric or this maid-inspired design.

Still, I think this is the one I like the most so far…

None of the previous swimsuits had really grabbed my attention, though a few were decent. But this one had a certain charm, even if it wasn’t intended for traditional swimming.

It feels comfortable, and it even matches with a headband…

Swish.

“Is this the last one, Miss Ligeia?”

“Yes, Lady Lilith! Doesn’t this suit you perfectly? It’s truly a ‘maid-inspired’ swimsuit, don’t you think?”

“Yes, I’d say so.”

“So, Lady Lilith, out of all the swimsuits you’ve tried on today, which one did you like the most?”

I could feel Ligeia’s eyes lingering on the swimsuit I was wearing. She must have known I’d prefer this one. She was well aware of my dedication as Ethan’s personal maid over the past two and a half years, so she’d likely anticipated my choice.

“This swimsuit… the one I’m wearing now… is my favorite.”

“I knew it~! I thought you’d say that, Lady Lilith!”

“……”

“Actually, I intended this as a gift for you from the start. I thought it suited your image best.”

“Yes… I had a feeling that might be the case.”

“I dyed some black fabric specifically for you, added the frills, and treated it with a waterproof potion~!”

“So, this swimsuit… you made it yourself, Miss Ligeia?”

“Exactly! I paid special attention to it, so feel free to show your gratitude!”

No wonder the design felt so unique. While I knew Ligeia had positive feelings toward me, I hadn’t expected her to go so far as to craft a custom swimsuit. Even if I had saved her life, this was beyond what I’d anticipated.

She puts so much effort into our friendship. Maybe I should make time to see her more often.

When someone treats you kindly, it’s natural to reciprocate, even if that person can be overwhelming. And to be fair, Ligeia’s affection never caused me any harm. She hadn’t tried to sabotage my relationship with Ethan or anything underhanded.

“In that case, I’ll gift this swimsuit to you, Lady Lilith. Consider it a token of my gratitude!”

“…Thank you, Miss Ligeia.”

She was so straightforward in her kindness that I felt a slight warmth toward her. As they say, kindness begets kindness. I decided to raise her priority in my mind by half a step.

“Thank you, Miss Ligeia. I’ll wear it well.”

“Your happiness brings me happiness, Lady Lilith.”

Not quite a friend, but not just an acquaintance either. I felt comfortable enough to let down my guard and drop the overly formal tone with her.

“Would you like me to wrap it up for you, or would you rather wear it out?”

“Oh, come on! I’m not leaving here in a swimsuit!”

“Alright! I’ll wrap it up nicely for you—just hand it over.”

Ligeia extended her hand with an innocent smile, but something about it set off an alarm in my mind. I quickly retreated into the changing room to avoid her.

“J-Just a moment! I’ll change in here, so please stay back!”

“Oh, come on, Lady Lilith~. We’re both women; it’s no big deal!”

“Well, that doesn’t mean I have to show you anytime, anywhere!”

“It’s funny to hear you say that, considering you’ve seen me before!”

“T-That was for the Witch’s Trial! Anyway, please back off…!!”

Okay, correction. Ligeia might be dangerous after all. Better to avoid getting too close for now.

⁎ ⁎ ⁎

“Here you go, Lady Lilith.”

Ligeia handed me a small box, smiling innocently. After what just happened, her smile felt a bit unsettling, and I couldn’t help but be a little suspicious of the gift.

“…You didn’t do anything weird, did you?”

“Weird? How so?”

“For instance, swapping the swimsuit for something strange…”

“As if! I made that swimsuit with you in mind. Seeing you wear it is reward enough.”

“Alright…”

It didn’t make sense to keep questioning a free gift, even if Ligeia’s antics had left me wary. I took the box, about to leave the shop, when a thought struck me about one of the swimsuits I’d tried on earlier.

There was no way I’d wear it for marine exploration, but it might come in handy for… other purposes.

“Miss Ligeia.”

“Yes, Lady Lilith?”

“There was one swimsuit I tried earlier that I’d like to buy separately. I’m willing to pay.”

Ligeia’s face brightened at my request, clearly pleased by my interest.

“Oh, absolutely! Which one was it? A bikini? A one-piece? Or…”

“The first one you made me try… is that one for sale?”

“Excuse me?”

“You know… the one with, um, minimal coverage. The one you said you made as a joke…”

“Ah…”

I lowered my head, embarrassed by the admission. Ligeia’s expression grew sly, but it was a necessary request.

I’d never wear that in public, but… it might come in handy for… private time with Ethan.

It wasn’t a swimsuit I’d ever find elsewhere, so I wanted to seize the opportunity to buy it now.

“Are you referring to that barely-there bikini?”

“K-Keep it down, Miss Ligeia! Someone will hear!”

“What’s this? Is it something we’re not supposed to hear?”

“Oh, it’s nothing, Miss Agnes. Lady Lilith just wants to buy the micro-bikini she tried on earlier…”

“…What?”

“Ahh! Don’t tell her that! Why would you tell Miss Agnes?!”

I glared at Ligeia, but she didn’t seem to mind. Meanwhile, Agnes looked at me as if she couldn’t believe what she’d heard.

“You’re buying that one? I thought you’d never wear it.”

“It’s not for the beach! I just thought… you know…”

“Well, I think it suits you, Lady Lilith! You have the grace to pull it off, so there’s nothing to worry about!”

“N-No! I’m not wearing it for marine exploration! Anyway, this doesn’t concern you two!”

Though the conversation was a bit embarrassing, I ultimately bought the swimsuit.

After all, I’d shown it to Natalie and Agnes but not to Ethan. For some reason, that felt a bit unfair.