After that day, Iska stayed with Rudis whenever it rained or when 3 PM came around, no longer retreating to his room. He had overcome his fear by trusting her promise to protect him. So if eating shadow mushrooms made Iska smile, she was more than willing to do it.

Rudis scooped up another handful of shadow mushrooms and stuffed them into her mouth. Her cheeks bulged and wiggled as she chewed. Iska’s eyes curved with delight as he wiped her mouth.

“Would you like more?”

“No. I’m full.”

After emptying the entire plate, Rudis patted her stomach to honestly emphasize her words when Iska asked. Fortunately, Iska didn’t look disappointed but rather gazed at her with satisfaction. Rudis felt relieved.

“Yaaawn-.”

With a full stomach came drowsiness. Having lived busier than most, Rudis wasn’t accustomed to such idle time. She felt bored. Even with Iska’s company, the tedium remained. The typhoon lasting longer than expected made it worse.

“Iska!”

“Yes?”

I can’t just sit around doing nothing. Rudis jumped up, her eyes sparkling.

“Come with me. Let’s do something fun.”

Rudis grabbed Iska’s hand and pulled him toward the wardrobe. She remembered giving him clothes recently. Since ordinary clothes had suited him well then, she wanted to try dressing him in different outfits.

“This feels strange.”

Thanks to her habit of buying every new clothing item that appeared, she had many interesting outfits. Particularly, she had many adult male clothes. In short, it had been a waste of money.

The biggest waste was an old-fashioned nobleman’s uniform. It was a black jacket embroidered with silver thread, with buttons made of real silver. After Rudis persuaded him that they might as well use something they’d already bought, Iska tried on the clothes but hung his head awkwardly.

“No, you look amazing. It really suits you. Perfect.”

Rudis marveled. He looked handsome. Though she’d always thought him handsome, Iska in formal attire had a different charm. The already stylish clothes looked even better on his broad, angular shoulders.

The slightly small shirt that clung tightly to his body was fantastic. Thanks to his height, the crisp trousers complemented his long legs perfectly, looking tailored. The contrast with his black hair was especially striking.

“…Really?”

At Rudis’s admiration, Iska slowly raised his head. His face was still flushed with embarrassment.

“Yes. Come here for a moment.”

At Rudis’s gesture, Iska awkwardly lowered his body. The ears protruding from his head were slightly flattened. Finding this cute, Rudis smiled inwardly.

Rudis gently brushed through Iska’s black hair, fiddling with it for a while. The soft texture of his hair transmitted through her fingers. Unaware that Iska’s ears were turning increasingly red, she continued her ministrations.

“All done. Now stand up again. Wow… truly perfect.”

Rudis stepped back in admiration to look at Iska. With his hair pushed back, his clean forehead was revealed, making his features even more distinct. His sharp nose, defined jawline, and somewhat shy expression—Iska in uniform was truly a magnificent sight.

“Is it… really okay?”

Iska still asked awkwardly, but seeing Rudis’s sparkling eyes, he gradually lifted his head.

“Yes. You look absolutely amazing.”

“Th-thank you.”

Iska smiled somewhat awkwardly at Rudis’s sincere compliment. But sensing her sincerity, he no longer tried to hide or shrink himself.

“How about this one?”

When Rudis held out another outfit, Iska nodded and replied.

“I’ll try it on.”

Afterward, Iska tried on all the clothes Rudis suggested, and they spent an enjoyable time together.

He looked perfect in everything. Perhaps because he was such a good clothes hanger, even a pirate outfit with a parrot decoration on the shoulder looked brilliant on him. Even a carnival costume adorned with colorful feathers suited him surprisingly well.

Rudis continuously expressed her admiration and praised Iska.

With the continued compliments, Iska seemed to gain confidence and began rummaging through the wardrobe himself, pulling out new clothes.

“How about this?”

Seeing the outfit Iska pulled out, Rudis’s face froze.

“Um… that… might not be appropriate?”

Rudis’s gaze shifted to the scrap of fabric Iska was holding. She was certain she had only collected adult male outfit sets in that section, but something strange had mixed in. What claimed to be pants was just a piece of fabric the size of Rudis’s palm.

“I want to try it on.”

Iska stubbornly held onto the fabric.

“That? Are you sure?”

“Yes. Tarkars… I mean, beast-people usually wear things like this.”

There was a wistful quality in Iska’s voice. Seeing that look in his eyes, Rudis couldn’t bring herself to stop him and nodded.

…They really wore things like that?

Soon, Iska finished changing and revealed himself.

Though she didn’t want to embarrass Iska, it was too provocative. The black fabric, barely more than scraps, stretched tightly against his body. Moreover, it seemed to have reached its stretching limit, as the lower part was completely transparent. Because of this, it was clearly visible.

Something thick and long flowing down his right thigh.

Rudis’s pupils shook wildly.

She had seen it before, but while Xenon’s size defied common sense, Iska’s was on another dimension entirely. Was it because he was a beast-person? Somehow, the shape of that area showing through so nakedly also seemed different. The tip was unusually round.

“Lady Rudis?”

“Ah. Yes.”

Yet there was something strangely captivating about it. Even when Iska called her, Rudis couldn’t easily tear her gaze away.

“Does it look that strange?”

Whether because she was trying to see more clearly or because the shape was so unusual, Iska asked carefully, noticing her furrowed brow. Finally coming to her senses, Rudis quickly shook her head.

“No. It’s fine. It suits you.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Of course!”

With such a perfect body and face, it was true that the more he covered up, the more it seemed a shame. So what he was wearing now could only be the most suitable—assuming it could be called clothing at all.

“Should I keep wearing this then? It feels comfortable and nice.”

It might be comfortable for you. But it seems harmful to me…

Especially with nowhere appropriate to rest her gaze.

“Want to see something else? I’ve collected accessories over there…”

Rudis swallowed what she really wanted to say and changed the subject. She wanted to preserve Iska’s newly found confidence. She couldn’t tell him not to wear the clothes he’d finally found and wanted. Instead, she wished she could tell him to wear something over it. A cloak, for example. Or… a cloak, or something like that.

“Lady Rudis, what’s this?”

But what Iska found and held next happened to be…

“Ah, um… it’s called ‘Lifelong Promise’…”

An accessory shaped like a dog collar. Rudis became even more perplexed by Iska’s troubling taste.

“Lifelong… May I try this on?”

Unfortunately, Iska showed quite an interest in the Lifelong Promise. He fingered the leather strap as he asked.

“Y-yes. Of course. You can have anything here.”

Rudis nodded reluctantly.

“Thank you.”

Iska fiddled with the ‘Lifelong Promise’ for a while. But not knowing how to wear it, he examined the clasp from different angles, looking puzzled.

“I’ll help you. Just a moment…”

Rudis naturally extended her hand. Iska handed over the accessory and slightly bowed his body.

“…How does it look?”

Iska asked cautiously.

For a moment, Rudis forgot to answer.

If he had asked whether it suited him, Rudis would have nodded. And indeed it did. The unusually elastic scrap of fabric, the Lifelong Promise, and Iska’s hair all matched perfectly, as if the three had been a set from the beginning. They harmonized without a trace of incongruity. He looked like he had been born this way.

“Does it look strange?”

But why did just looking at him feel like committing a sin? Iska had merely chosen clothes from the wardrobe and put on an accessory. Yet all sorts of impure thoughts were invading Rudis’s mind, to the point where a deep sense of self-loathing washed over her like a wave.

So I should be honest with Iska, right?

Just as she was wondering how to explain that while there was nothing wrong with his outfit, her own mind was too corrupt to handle it, at that very moment—

[Please name your pet.]

An unknown system window appeared.