Chapter 18: A Day Out with Euru

Sunday arrived, the day of Sayo’s outing with Euru.

For the first time since arriving in this world, except for the initial period, Sayo stood before the mirror in casual clothes.

The reason she always wore her uniform was simple. Initially, it was convenient and aesthetically pleasing, eliminating the need to choose an outfit. Lately, she’d felt a slight resistance to wearing frilly, feminine clothes.

She’d grown accustomed to the uniform, having worn it even when not fully conscious, but casual clothes were different.

“H-how do I look, Ahrin? Is it strange?” Sayo asked, her expression a mix of awkwardness and excitement, wearing light makeup, something she rarely did.

Sayo wore a beige dress.

The knee-length dress had frills at the hem and a black belt cinching her waist. It was one of the few casual outfits she owned, chosen by Ahrin.

While it wasn’t the expensive, extravagant attire typically worn by nobles, Sayoreinne’s beauty and elegance transcended clothing, making even a simple dress look stunning.

“Yes! It suits you very well. You look beautiful, Miss,” Ahrin replied, though to her, Miss, slightly giddy about meeting her ‘friend,’ looked more cute than beautiful, bringing a smile to Ahrin’s face.

Putting on a small crossbody bag, Sayo voiced her concern.

“I hope I have enough money.”

While the Marquisate sent her a monthly allowance, the amount was meager, considering their strained relationship and the fact that she was practically disowned. After covering basic necessities and tea for herself and Ahrin, there wasn’t much left. She was worried about keeping up with Euru, a princess, and her spending habits.

“They could send a little more. It’s too much…” Ahrin, now aware of the Marquisate’s neglect, felt indignant on Sayo’s behalf.

“It’s enough. I don’t have to work, and many commoners and lower-ranking nobles are struggling more than me. It would be ridiculous to complain. I’m content.”

The academy’s tuition was fully covered by the state. Living expenses were separate, but generous scholarships were available, primarily for commoners and lower-ranking nobles. There were also work-study programs, allowing students to earn money while attending the academy.

Sayo, of course, wasn’t eligible for either. She was fortunate that the Marquisate, for the sake of appearances, sent her an allowance. Otherwise, she’d be living like a beggar, barely scraping by on cafeteria food.

‘Well, based on the Euru I know from the game, this should be enough.’

“Miss, I’ll try to save as much as possible with my things, and I can skip meals, so please take half of the money I set aside.”

“…”

Sigh. Ahrin meant well, offering to sacrifice for her, and Sayo knew that, but…

She felt a surge of anger.

Sayo approached Ahrin with a stern expression, cupping her cheeks in her hands, their faces inches apart. Ahrin’s eyes darted around before she averted her gaze.

“Y-yes?”

“Do you remember what I said before?”

“W-what do you mean?”

“I told you, didn’t I? That I think of you as a younger sister, as family. That I care for you.”

“Yes…”

“Do I seem like someone who would make her family go without necessities and food because of a little money?”

“No…” Ahrin’s expression crumpled.

“Or do you want to make me into that kind of person?”

“Absolutely not!” Sayo released Ahrin’s cheeks and took her hands, intertwining their fingers.

“You won’t say that again, right?”

“N-no…”
Sayo’s fingers gently stroked the back of Ahrin’s hand. Ahrin’s face flushed. Sayo let go of her hands and hugged her. “Ahrin.” Ahrin hesitantly wrapped her arms around Sayo’s waist.

“I’ll be back. Get some rest today.”

“Yes… have a good time…” Ahrin, unable to meet Sayo’s gaze, kept her head bowed, her face crimson.

They were supposed to meet at the fountain in the central plaza at noon.

Sayo arrived at 11:45.

In the game, Euru usually arrived ten minutes early. While they were already ‘friends,’ Sayo wanted to make a good impression, so she arrived fifteen minutes early.

Waiting for five minutes wasn’t a problem, but there was another issue.

‘Stop staring…’

The men’s lingering gazes were unnerving. While she understood the impulse to look at a beautiful woman, experiencing it herself was creepy.

‘I don’t think I’ve received this much attention before.’

Her bad reputation at the academy still preceded her.

When she had visited the restaurants before the semester started, she hadn’t dressed up, and she’d been with Ahrin. Moreover, they had only gone to places near the academy, so nothing had happened.

“Excuse me.”

Another man approached her.

She didn’t reply, offering a ‘Sayoreinne’ style cold glare with a faint smile. He said something, but she ignored him, continuing to stare. He frowned and walked away.

She was clearly a mix of both identities, but why wasn’t she interested in men at all? Oh, right, Sayoreinne was also a romance option in the game.

‘Sigh. When is Euru coming?’

“You’re early, Sayoreinne.” A familiar voice came from behind her just as she sighed internally.

“You’re here, Eu…ru…?”

Sayo turned around and saw a girl.

Her hair and eyes were brown. Her hair was braided and draped over her shoulder. She wore large glasses and a plain, black, knee-length skirt with no embellishments. A white t-shirt and a cardigan completed the outfit.

The girl grinned.

“Surprised? What do you think? Perfect disguise, right?” Euru’s voice came from the unfamiliar girl.

“I wouldn’t have recognized you.”

“I can’t walk around with my conspicuous red hair and eyes, can I? That’s why I always wear a disguise when I go out.”

It was indeed a perfect disguise. No one would ever guess it was Euru. Not just the changed hair and eye color, but the plain, commoner-style clothes, the braided hair, and the glasses. It was almost a ‘country girl’ look.

Though her beautiful face and curvy figure somewhat undermined the effect.

“So, what should we do first?”

This was the question Sayo had been dreading.

She and Ahrin had discussed it, but they couldn’t come up with anything. Neither of them knew the city well. Ahrin had only been to a few restaurants and the market.

They had eventually settled on one thing.

“…Let’s have lunch first,” Sayo suggested, hoping to improvise the rest of the day.

Sayo led Euru to the only restaurant she knew, the one near the academy.

“Are you sure? This isn’t a very fancy place.”

“Hmm, did you think I wouldn’t eat at a commoner’s restaurant like this?”

Euru was just as Sayo remembered her from the game. A down-to-earth princess, friendly and approachable, insightful and easygoing, except, well, with Sayoreinne.

“No. It’s just… you’re exactly as I remembered. It’s… nice, Euru.”

“What?! Ahem. Y-you’ve really changed, Sayoreinne.”

Had she said something strange?

“Please call me Sayo, not Sayoreinne.”

“Oh, right. Sayo.”

“Shall we order?” Sayo pressed the button to call a waiter. She ordered pasta, while Euru ordered steak and salad.

She hadn’t liked pasta before, so ordering it now made her realize how much she’d changed. The small portion was perfect for her small appetite.

“Is that all you’re eating?”

“Yes, this is enough for me.”

“You’re not as thin as I expected. Still, you should try to eat a little more. It’s good for your stamina.”

“I’m trying. I eat small meals frequently.” Sayo didn’t like how thin she was and felt her lack of stamina acutely, so she’d been snacking, even though she couldn’t eat large meals. Still, increasing her meal portions was definitely better. Even with enemy stat boosts in the game, Sayoreinne had been notoriously frail. She needed to build up her stamina for the future.

They finished their meal and stepped out of the restaurant. Euru looked at her expectantly. Her gaze was a little unnerving.

It wasn’t a date, just a friendly outing, so why was it so awkward? Should she ask Euru where she wanted to go? Euru had made time for her on a Sunday, so Sayo should make sure she enjoyed herself.

Sigh. Where should they go now?