"Ah... who would've thought that this Lord would actually have his license revoked one day... Wait, that's not right. I don't think I've ever even taken a driving test."
Watching his Project Bunny motorcycle being towed away, Elias felt extremely complicated emotions. At the same time, he finally understood how Bronya had felt in the original storyline.
Elias: (Gray Serpent really is efficient when it comes to getting things done, but was it really necessary to go this far?)
Setting up traffic control wasn't enough.
He even dared to take his motorcycle.
If it weren't for the fact that Gray Serpent had indeed completed the task and was unquestionably loyal, Elias might have fired him tomorrow for something as trivial as stepping into the room with his left foot first.
(Ah~ my bike, my precious bike!)
"I'm sorry, it's all my fault. If I hadn't insisted on asking you to take me back to headquarters, you wouldn't have run into something like this," Cecilia said guiltily.
"Ahem! It's fine. It's just a bike. But for now, it looks like we'll have to stay in this town for a while. The road ahead is temporarily closed due to traffic control, and taking a detour would take much more time~."
"Uh, I-I guess that's true."
Cecilia scratched her head, troubled that she couldn't return to headquarters and would be forced to remain here for some time.
Yet at the same time, she felt a trace of joy. Since it was an unavoidable accident, there was nothing she could do about it.
She looked toward the rows of shops on both sides of the street—the very stores she had asked Elias about earlier—and longing filled her eyes.
Elias curled his lips and extended his hand toward her.
"Since we'll be staying here for a while, let's walk around. Just sitting and waiting would be boring."
"...Mm, you're right. Then could you take me to look at those shops from earlier?" After hesitating for a moment, Cecilia persuaded herself and took Elias' hand.
"Of course, beautiful lady."
Placing one hand over his chest, Elias gave an elegant aristocratic bow.
Even though he was wearing a mask, pedestrians by the roadside couldn't help but be drawn to the noble aura he radiated.
Then they were startled by Cecilia's beauty.
Although Schicksal had yet to develop Valkyrie battlesuit at this time, the black-and-gold turtleneck combat suit she wore was already extremely eye-catching... especially the large golden emblem on her chest that resembled a bold character at first glance.
Quite a few people had already secretly raised their phones, wanting to capture Cecilia's appearance. Elias frowned slightly, thinking that Western etiquette wasn't particularly strict about such matters.
But if people from Schicksal discovered this, it would be troublesome.
He subtly shifted his body to stand in front of Cecilia, like a knight guarding his princess.
"E-Elias..."
"Let's get you a change of clothes first. What you're wearing is far too conspicuous."
"Then... can I go look at that shop from earlier?" Cecilia pointed toward the bridal shop.
Girls were always drawn to beautiful clothes, and wedding dresses were among the most beautiful of all.
"Looking is fine. But if you want to buy one, I should probably tell you what it symbolizes first."
Elias leaned closer to her ear and briefly explained when wedding dresses were meant to be worn.
Cecilia froze for a moment.
Then her cheeks flushed a deep red, and she hurriedly said they should choose another shop instead. She didn't have the resolve yet to walk into a bridal store with a boy.
"What a pity. Though it is indeed a little early. Then let's try that store instead."
Holding Cecilia's small hand, Elias led her toward a clothing boutique that looked quite promising. She stared blankly at the hand holding hers, lost in her own thoughts.
"Welcome, honored guests! And congratulations on becoming our store's 10,000th customer! All purchases today are 50% off! My, your girlfriend is absolutely stunning!"
"Eh? W-What's going on?"
Cecilia was startled.
The moment she and Elias stepped inside, a red carpet rolled out before them. The shop assistants lined up in two rows and popped colorful party cannons behind their backs.
Colorful ribbons rained down over them. Having never experienced anything like this before, Cecilia was completely stunned.
Elias, on the other hand, calmly pulled her along and began selecting clothes, even asking a staff member for a cup of black tea as if nothing were unusual.
(Ever since receiving Pardofelis' luck buff, good things like this happen wherever I go. These clothes aren't quite on the level of Eden's designs, but they're not bad~.)
After spending so much time around a great artist, Elias' aesthetic sense had improved considerably. Like a professional stylist, he first chose a white dress for Cecilia.
Whether because she was the commemorative 10,000th customer or because the two of them looked like a noble young master and young lady out on a leisurely outing, the staff treated them with exceptional attentiveness.
They even pushed over a mobile fitting room enclosed by curtains on all four sides to follow them around. Before Cecilia could fully react, she was handed the clothes and gently ushered inside.
A shop assistant remained beside Elias. Whenever he pointed at a piece of clothing, it was immediately set aside for purchase.
Soon, Cecilia finished changing.
When the curtain of the fitting room was drawn open, Elias' eyes widened in surprise. He nearly dropped the teacup in his hand.
"...Do I look strange?"
Cecilia asked uncertainly.
Elias snapped his fingers, and two assistants promptly rolled a full-length mirror in front of her.
"Take a look yourself. You look stunning."
"This... is that really... me...?"
Now it was Cecilia's turn to be stunned. She could hardly believe the person in the mirror was herself.
She wore an off-shoulder white gown. The trailing hem behind her nearly brushed the floor, while the front boldly revealed her flawless legs. The only contrasting color was a single blue rose pinned at her chest.
"A wedding dress might be too early for you, Cecilia, but you can try something similar, like a formal gown. Still, I didn't expect it to suit you this well. Miss, bring a pair of white high heels. And her neck feels a little empty... Do you have any necklaces?"
"Oh my, sir, you have excellent taste! Please rest assured—we have everything!"
"Uh, isn't this a bit too exaggerated?"
Cecilia waved her hands shyly. Then she suddenly realized a very critical problem—she hadn't brought any money.
As the eldest daughter of the Schariac family, Cecilia certainly wasn't short on funds. Although she couldn't compare to a certain golden songstress whose wealth rivaled that of the United Nations, buying this entire street would still be effortless for her.
However, since she had always lived at Schicksal Headquarters, she had never needed to purchase daily necessities herself. As a result, much like a certain Geo Archon, she had developed the habit of going out without bringing money.
Just as she was wondering how to bring this up, Elias had already taken out a black card and decisively paid for the white formal gown she was wearing.
"This one's nice. We'll take it. Try the next one."
"Eh? We're still continuing? No, no, you can't keep spending money on me, Elias. This one is already enough."
"...What are you talking about, Cecilia?"
Elias flicked her forehead lightly, explaining that this gown wasn't suitable for strolling around town. It belonged at a ball. Wearing it on the street would get it dirty within minutes.
Cecilia froze.
Imagining the dress becoming stained, she felt an inexplicable pang of distress.
"Then why did you buy it for me?"
"Isn't it obvious? Because you look beautiful in it. Do I need any other reason?"
"!!!" xN
The shop assistants around them clutched their chests and trembled.
Whether Elias had sunk Cecilia or not was unclear, but he had certainly sunk them.
Several of the female staff stared dreamily at the white-haired youth, feeling the overwhelming urge to remove his mask and see what kind of devastatingly handsome face lay beneath.
"Don't worry. Money isn't a problem. I have enough to buy the entire Schicksal."
Elias casually waved the black card in his hand.
"Ah?"
Cecilia's eyes widened in shock.
Pure as she was, she didn't doubt his words in the slightest.
After that, she became a beautiful dress-up doll.
The two of them stayed in the clothing store for three full hours. If Cecilia hadn't been a Valkyrie, she might have collapsed inside the fitting room from exhaustion.
Now she wore a white wide-brimmed hat, an off-shoulder summer dress, and a white ribbon tied around her neck.
Clear joy shone in Cecilia's eyes as she spun in a circle before Elias.
"Thank you, Elias. I've never worn so many beautiful clothes before!"
"Is that so? What a waste. Girls should wear beautiful clothes and show their most radiant side. That's practically one of the world's unspoken rules."
Elias raised a hand and gently patted Cecilia's head.
Afterward, he went to discuss with the shop owner how to transport the nearly one hundred gift boxes of various sizes back. The owner generously declared that they would hire a truck to deliver everything directly—free shipping included!
Cecilia stared blankly at the white-haired boy's back.
"Even with a mask on, I can tell from experience that there's definitely an unbelievably handsome face underneath. Sister, I'm so jealous of you. How did you manage to find a boyfriend like that?"
"Exactly! And your temperaments match so well. Come on, tell us how you two met."
Several shop assistants gathered around Cecilia, their eyes sparkling with admiration and envy.
"I-I'm not in that kind of relationship with Elias."
Cecilia hurriedly waved her hands, her face flushed red.
She didn't think she was worthy of this white-haired youth, nor did she believe Elias would ever take a liking to her.
"Oh please, don't fool us. Who goes shopping in a clothing store together if they're not a couple? Not only did he buy you so many beautiful clothes, he was patient the entire time."
"That's right! Only a man who truly likes you would spend three hours in a clothing store, carefully picking outfits and watching you become more and more beautiful."
"I-Is that so...?"
Cecilia's face grew even redder.
For someone whose past life had consisted of nothing but training, the concept of romance was distant and unfamiliar.
After they left the clothing store, Elias realized that with Cecilia all dressed up and himself at her side, the two of them had become even more conspicuous than before. The head-turning rate was practically one hundred percent.
As more and more people raised their phones to take pictures, he simply activated the Authority of Corrosion this time—deleting the photos while also kindly erasing various "study materials" from their devices.
Elias: (No need to thank me!)
"I didn't expect choosing clothes would take this long. Where would you like to go next, Cecilia?"
"Then... could I visit a flower shop?"
"Sure. Though it's a bit far. Project Bunny was towed away. If only we had a taxi..."
Before Elias could finish speaking, a taxi pulled up right in front of them.
The driver leaned his head out the window with a sincere smile.
"Do you two need a ride?"
"Elias, what a coincidence!"
"Uh... yes, quite the coincidence."
Elias blinked, wondering why things felt even luckier than usual today. Could it be that Cecilia was secretly a lucky charm herself?
In reality...
"Report: Lord and Miss Cecilia have successfully boarded the vehicle. Destination: flower shop."
"Adjust all traffic lights. Give them a green wave!"
"Flower shop coordination complete. Our personnel are temporarily managing operations. Bellflowers, lavender, and roses—symbols of love—have all been placed at the entrance!"
"Excellent. We don't yet know where the two of them plan to go after the flower shop. Have three taxis follow at all times!"
Numerous reports echoed over the radio.
In an inconspicuous corner, a loyal Gray Serpent stood in broad daylight holding an umbrella, issuing instructions to his subordinates.
(As a loyal and outstanding subordinate, merely completing assigned tasks is only barely acceptable. Perceiving the Lord's unspoken wishes in time and formulating plans to fulfill them—that is the standard I should meet.)
This Gray Serpent was loyal beyond words!
Gray Serpent: "Our Lord has labored for this world for far too long. Now that he has rare leisure time, he must enjoy it properly. I stake my honor and spirit on this—I will ensure that the Lord has a perfect date!"
This guy was completely fired up.
By now, Gray Serpent had already arranged for the entire town to be thoroughly infiltrated. It should be known that although World Serpent currently had only a single high-ranking cadre—himself—its grassroots members had already exceeded one hundred thousand.
Over the years, under Gray Serpent's diligent expansion, World Serpent had gathered countless talents from all walks of life.
And now, the several hundred World Serpent members who had infiltrated this town were acting under his command, doing their utmost to provide full support for Elias and Cecilia's spur-of-the-moment shopping trip.
"Lord Gray Serpent, intelligence from our spies planted within Schicksal has arrived. Otto has mobilized all of his intelligence forces. Some of them have already reached the vicinity of this region."
"Hmph! Foolish clown. If not for the sake of restoring the history described by our Lord, he would have long since perished in the flames of Shamash."
Gray Serpent snorted disdainfully.
In his eyes, Schicksal was corrupt, Anti-Entropy was incompetent, and neither of them amounted to even one percent of Fire Moth at its peak.
Otto? Welt?
Both were mediocre at best.
Only his own Lord was the true leader of humanity.
Gray Serpent: "Divert those who approach. Shift the blame onto Anti-Entropy. Spread information about Miss Cecilia elsewhere. In short, do not let them disturb this sacred date."
Subordinate: "Understood, Lord Gray Serpent! All for our Lord—Eli Gate!"