Volume 1 Chapter 4 Part1 (1/2)
VOLUME 1
Season 4, Episode 1
Episode 1:
The next day.
”Rosalie, what are you wearing?”
A thunk of metal sounded as Rosalie descended down the stairs.
”It's my Winner's Outfit!”
She was dressed in full battle armour, reminiscence of the knights of old.
”I heard it from Manami. Apparently, you need a Winner's Outfit in order to go for dates.”
”Please don't go there.”
Where did she even get that from anyway?
”Takas.h.i.+ prepared this Winner's Outfit for me. They both said you'd be surprised.”
Ugh, he should have known. He really wanted to give his parents a good slug, but seeing as it was a holiday, they had both run off to the shop early.
Shun spotted a note lying inconspicuously on the table.
”Based on her basal body temperature, Rosalie is ready for that!”
Scrunching up the note, Shun wished his parents would never return.
”'Well then, let's go, Shun.”
Rosalie caught hold of his hand and forcibly dragged him towards the door.
”W-Wait!”
He couldn't let Rosalie out like this! Not if he didn't want to spend the entire date in a police station answering questions in a dimmed room.
He needed to think of a way out, fast.
–
”Ding-dong!”
Ah, saved by the bell! He just had to get rid of Rosalie for a bit while he answered the door and -
”Hey, Rosalie, wait - ”
Too late, the sound of a door handle turning reached his ears.
In front of him stood the student council president, s.h.i.+rogane Sora, her ever present smile and cat ears contrasting greatly with the impeccable neatness of her casual wear.
He was willing to bet that almost everyone she pa.s.sed wanted to send a dig her way about the ears, but with Sora, you got the feeling that you just couldn't be too careful.
”President…”
”Who is this, Shun?”
”We've never officially met, haven't we, Rosalie-san? My name is Sora.”
With that, Sora bowed her head in greeting, her cat ears flopping along with the movement.
A trickle of blood dripped down Rosalie's nose.
”The both of you are going on a date today, aren't you?”
News sure travelled fast.
”How'd you know?”
”Ah, such is young love.”
Shun had heard those exact words before. From his mother.
Sora, who was the student council president of s.h.i.+kis.h.i.+ma High School, also had a secret ident.i.ty. When off duty, she was the investigator of the Dimension Management a.s.sociation. A special task force created to manage intergalactic affairs.
Right now though, she looked harmless as she a.s.sessed Rosalie's outfit from bleeding nose to armoured toes.
”What's important about a date outfit isn't its defence stats.”
”What?!'
”Remember, back in Grandeur, where they used to hold fas.h.i.+on contests? This is pretty similar. For a date, what counts is final beauty of when the outfit is put-together.”
Huh. That was pretty smart of her, taking an in-game event and using it in her explanation.
”I see.”
It was easy for Rosalie to understand too, given the relative familiarity of it.
”That's why I have taken the liberty of preparing your outfit for you.”
Sora handed a paper bag to Rosalie.
”I understand now. So Sora's a merchant? How much Gol does this cost?”
”It's alright. This is a present for the Warrior Princess. Please accept it.”
Such things happened in-game from time to time. It wasn't all that weird.
”If you insist. Thank you, Sora.”
Rosalie bequeathed Sora with an angelic smile, and obtained the present from Sora.
”I will help you change. If you could just head in first, I will soon follow suit.”
”Understood.”
Nodding, Rosalie turned and walked towards the living room.
–
It was then that Sora removed her cat ears.
Those cat ears acted as her own personal switch. When they were on, she was the friendly Student Council President of s.h.i.+kas.h.i.+ma High School; when they were off, she was the terrifying investigator of the Dimension Management a.s.sociation.
”This is the first time Rosalie's heading out to town.”
Shun had no idea what Rosalie would usually do when he went to school, but if Sora said so, it had to be true.
”If she's to live in this world, this is something that cannot be prevented. But the town is a dangerous place, full of all kinds of stimuli. That's why you're here, Shun.”
For full effect, Sora paused and stared down at Shun, hard.
”In order to prevent Rosalie from being suspicious about this universe, you need to play your part.”
Sora trailed off ominously, leaving room for Shun to understand the danger he posed to the world.
Should Rosalie's suspicions be aroused, her world would clash with his, leading to an inter-verse fall out, which would ultimately result in both worlds disappearing. Forever.
”Ah, yes. I understand.”
”Be careful. Rosalie's already been summoned here by your imagination for about a week. She might be starting to develop some unsettling doubts and questions about us.”
Shun frowned.
”I doubt that.”
It wasn't as though Rosalie hadn't ever gone out before today. She'd wreaked havoc at the House of Parliament, been around the neighbourhood and even went to school once. Sure, she'd been plenty surprised, even challenged by those outings, but so far, no questions had been raised.
”Even now, she still says that she wants a 'tryst'.”
”That's it.”
The word 'tryst' seemed to have resonated with Sora.
”That's the most important part of today!”