Volume 13 Chapter 309 Shirogane Aqua, Souvenir Shopping and Custom Shoes
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
After the incident finally settled down, we headed to the department store’s gift section to pick up souvenirs.
”Whoa, this one looks pretty good.”
I picked up a small stone slab decorated with hieroglyphs.
Huh? What’s this texture? It feels… squishy, like gummy candy, and it gives me a weirdly satisfying feeling.
Squish-squish-squish-squish…
This oddly addictive texture… yeah, this soft hieroglyph slab will be perfect as a souvenir for Kohina-senpai.
I dropped it into my shopping basket, and both Toa and Kanon gave me that “Wait, you’re really buying that?” look.
Huh? Is it weird? I’m sure Kohina-senpai will love it…
”Alright, this will do for Haruka. Let’s get Maruo, Hajime, and Kujaku the same thing too.”
See, even Tenga-senpai bought the same one as me!
Okay, I’ll grab a couple more for Ayana while I’m at it. I toss two or three of the same items into my basket.
Shintaro picks up the same item after seeing me.
”C-could it be that Chigiri-san will like this one better too…?”
”Shintaro, don’t let those two trick you. It’s safer to just go with a normal tea and jam set.”
Toa drops some long-lasting tea and jam into the basket.
”Yeah, that’s true. But… if we can, I want to get something tangible for them.”
Something tangible…?
If the hieroglyph slab won’t do, what else is there? I shake my head and scan the shelves.
Oh, that might work!
I show Shintaro the item I picked up.
”A pair of Union Jack mugs, a cookie set in a London bus tin, and a tea set in a red phone box tin. After eating the cookies, the tins can still be used, and the mugs are practical too.”
”I see… this set is good. There are several designs, so I’ll pick one. Thanks, Aqua.”
I silently nod at Shintaro. We’re best friends—no need to worry.
Nearby, Victoria-sama and Ako-san, who overheard my suggestion, look surprised.
”You… you actually can choose things properly. Then why did you almost go for that weird thing earlier?”
”Aqua-kun, even Ayana-chan would be happier with this kind of gift, not that weird one.”
Huh? Really? Okay, then I’ll get this one too.
I drop a different design of the same set into the basket. Ayana will probably like the bear pattern more than the Union Jack anyway.
”Huh? Wait… if we pick these designs, Shintaro and I might end up with matching mugs…”
”Matching, huh. Aqua, friends having matching items is kinda nice.”
Tenga-senpai, who heard our conversation, stares at us sadly, sucking on a finger.
Tenga-senpai, don’t give me that look! We know! You want a matching item with your kouhai too… right? Hey, Toa, come over here!
”Alright, let’s buy something matching for the four of us too!”
”Yeah!”
I start browsing nearby shelves.
Hmm… cufflinks or tie pins are fine for Tenga-senpai, but too early for us high schoolers.
And we already bought the Haller Hetter staffs as a set of four—two staffs would be too much.
Picking up a staff makes me remember the old lady in Osaka who sold them to us.
Speaking of her, she’s now working at Beryl in the Wonderland, according to Fujibayashi Misono-san, who said she’s very popular.
I put the staff back and check other areas.
Hmm… nothing really catches my eye. Maybe I really do have to get the matching squishy hieroglyph slabs after all…?
While I’m thinking this, confident Tenga-senpai returns with Toa and Shintaro.
”Kouhai, let’s head downstairs!”
I follow behind Tenga-senpai with Toa and Shintaro on the escalator.
People nearby take photos of me, so I wave back with a smile.
We were even offered to rent out the department store for safety, but I said, “There’s me, the Prime Minister, and the President here. Even if terrorists suddenly appear, we’re fine.”
The Stars government just said, “Ah, okay,” and gave permission immediately.
”Here we are!”
Tenga-senpai leads us into a really high-class area.
Uh… is this a shoe store?
Shintaro, Toa, and I exchange looks.
”I asked the clerk earlier—this store has over 100 years of history.”
Wow, really? I glance around.
Now that I look closely, the logo on the shoes… I’ve seen it somewhere. It was inside the loafers and boots that Grandmother Mary, Kanon, and Victoria-sama wore.
The Stars royal crest is on the wall—so this is a royal-approved store.
”This is my treat. We’ll get matching custom-made shoes!”
I step closer to Tenga-senpai and whisper:
”Tenga-senpai, are you sure? No prices are listed, but this will definitely cost.”
”Of course! Leave it to me!!”
Tenga-senpai rips open his velcro wallet.
Senpai, you’re overdoing it! The velcro’s going to get ruined!!
I decide to buy a replacement wallet later as a thank-you.
”Hey, if it’s matching for the four of us, we should make the design the same. How about something classic like this?”
”I see… this can be used for dates, events, business, even formal occasions.”
I pick up the shoe sample Toa chose.
This is amazing.
Made from a single piece of leather, the shoes hide the seams on the surface. Even I can tell it requires serious skill.
”Yes! Let’s go with these!!”
After deciding the design, it’s time for measurements.
The clerk measures our shoe sizes.
Stars has more working men than Japan, I notice.
We chat a bit with the clerk.
”Alright, we’ll take care of the payment.”
”Leave it to me!”
Whoa!? One pair costs ¥473,000!?
Custom-made, royal-approved—no wonder.
Shintaro, Toa, and I thank Tenga-senpai for covering nearly ¥2 million in total.
”Tenga-senpai, thank you so much!”
”Don’t worry about it, kouhai! Next year’s award ceremony, we all wear these shoes together!”
Ah, so Tenga-senpai thought this through when choosing these shoes.
While Tenga-senpai talks to the clerk, I whisper to Shintaro and Toa:
”The clerk said they also sell wallets. I’ll get a matching wallet as a thank-you for Tenga-senpai.”
”Yeah, I’ll pick a belt then.”
”I’ll get a leather bag for Tenga-senpai to bring to university.”
I whisper to one of the clerks, asking for a set of wallet, key case, and accessories. Matching the wallet feels right.
”Tenga-senpai, this is a gift from us!!”
”O-You guys~!”
When Tenga-senpai returns from the restroom, we hand over the presents. He’s thrilled.
Phew… I panicked when Tenga-senpai suggested buying a matching wallet himself, but it worked out perfectly.
”Alright then, I’ll go check on Kanon and the others.”
”Understood! Be careful, kouhai.”
”We’re a bit tired, so we’ll rest at the tea room downstairs.”
”Aqua~. Kohina Yukari-san said not to talk about big-chested older ladies, okay~!”
I almost facepalmed at Toa’s words.
Seriously, Kohina-senpai, don’t fill Toa’s head with weird stuff.
I shook it off and rode the escalator up to the upper floors. Soon, I spotted Kanon and Emily shopping.
”Hey, Kanon. How about this one?”
Emily, wearing a serious expression, pointed at a mannequin dressed in a Union Jack swimsuit.
I cheered silently from afar, throwing up a victorious fist.
”Of course, Emily-senpai will wear it, right?”
”What are you talking about? Of course it’s for you sisters to wear!! Look, there’s a small size for Haa-chan too!”
I folded my arms and nodded repeatedly, my expression sharp.
The three former princesses of Stars in Union Jack bikinis… they’re going to look absolutely divine.
As expected of Emily. Her taste is unmatched.
”Huh!? Why do my sister and I, Haa included, have to wear these!”
”You idiot. Aqua-sama likes elegant one-piece swimsuits, sure, but he also loves these… kinda risqué ones!! Here, let’s get Natalia-san’s too.”
I silently gave Emily a huge mental round of applause.
Victoria-sama with her dynamite body will rock it, Natalia-san’s slender frame will totally suit the Union Jack, Kanon—still acting like a pure maiden—has great style, and Haa-chan’s loli body brings a charm only a tiny bikini can offer.
The only shame is that Furia-sama and Grandmother Mary aren’t included in this.
Just as I was thinking this, Emily noticed me, thrust her thumb up, and mouthed words silently.
”Aqua-sama, don’t worry! I’ll get theirs too!”
Emily, you’re amazing!
Emily, the best!
Emily forever!
I silently mouthed a cheer to her in return.
I told her to buy everything for herself and the others with my allowance.
This is what it means to be a man of honor.
Emily, understanding my gesture, was moved to tears.
”What are you two doing…”
Kanon noticed me and shot a glare.
”Emily, get all the nice underwear you want, not just swimsuits.”
”Consider it done, Aqua-sama!”
I handed over my credit card with a firm expression, and Emily happily ran toward the lingerie section.
Kanon chased after her, flustered.
”Wait, Emily-senpai! You’re pregnant! If you run, Nee-san and Noel-san will scold you!!”
”Hehe, s-sorry!”
Those two really are inseparable, like real sisters.
I watched them go with a warm smile, feeling a bit heartened.
”Ernie, this lingerie is too early for Sana-chan. She’s still wearing bear-printed panties!”
”What are you saying, Chiyoko? Sana-chan’s a proper girl now. She should have at least one risqué set. Look at the cut—super bold, totally perfect!”
Even though Summer King still wears bear panties at almost twenty, I have to admit President Maitrix has a point.
I silently nodded while riding the escalator to the upper floor.
After a few more hours of shopping, we returned to the hotel.
”Mmm… morning already…”
The next day, I woke up early, got ready, and left the hotel.
We were heading to States for our school trip.
At the airport, many Stars citizens came to see us off, and I waved back at their cheers.
”Everyone, it’s still early, so shh, okay?”
I put my index finger to my lips and winked.
A woman directly in front of me nearly fainted.
Whoa! Careful! I caught her before she fell.
”You okay?”
”Ah… yes…”
Toa, beside me, glared. Well, what could I do? I’m not trying to cause a scene.
After smoothly checking in, we boarded the plane and arrived in States.
”VIP immigration is… that way, huh?”
I queued at one of the VIP counters.
”May I see your passport?”
”Yes.”
After handing it over, I froze.
Wait… wasn’t that Kansai dialect?
I looked up and stared at the woman in front of me.
”I-Inko-san!?”
”No! I’m not Inko-san!!”
No way! Sunglasses and a mask aside, that green hair and Kansai dialect are unmistakably Inko-san!
And there’s no way I could misidentify her ridiculously large chest.
I scanned around.
”This has to be Berry-Berry!”
Come to think of it, we should’ve skipped immigration entirely since we came in on the president’s second jet.
I looked again. Wait… Toa, Shintaro, and Tenga-senpai are nowhere in sight.
”Seriously…?”
Only Berry-Berry staff would pull off something this elaborate.
Fully awake now, I focused back on Inko-san.
”What’s the purpose of your visit?”
”Uh… school trip.”
Inko-san slammed the counter with her palm in response.
”Lies! You’re actually an agent from Japan here to beat up terrorists in States, aren’t you!? Confess!!”
”No, really!!”
I didn’t even want to meet terrorists. They started bothering me, not the other way around.
If they’d just watched my live stream quietly at home, none of this would’ve happened.
”Security, arrest him for inciting national disorder!”
”Eh!?”
A security officer appeared and grabbed me.
Damn it… the strength! That has to be Iria-san!
Her chest is pinning my arms so I can’t move them at all.
They shoved me into a van-like vehicle, taking me to some court-like building.
No way! This is over the top!
In a separate room, I was made to change into orange clothes, handcuffed, and led into the courtroom.
”F-Furia-sama!?”
The judge, Furia-sama, grinned at me.
Looking closer, Victoria-sama, Grandmother Mary, President Maitrix, and Prime Minister Habu sat among the jury.
Between this and the earlier Iria-san and Inko-san… this is impossible!
I’m 100% sure this is Berry-Berry’s doing.
”Guilty! Guilty! Guilty!”
”No objections!!”
How could this possibly not be staged?!
Furia-sama grinned as she slammed the gavel.
”Defendant Shirogane Aqua, you are sentenced to imprisonment at Platinum River Prison!!”
Seriously… what about the school trip!? I was looking forward to it!!
As I thought that, Ako-san, dressed as a prison guard, leaned close to my ear.
Wait… the school actually lied to me about the schedule, and the trip is later!?
No way… how meticulous is Berry-Berry, plotting all this just to trap me…?
Honestly, compared to those terrorists the other day, Berry-Berry’s staff might be way more competent.
In fact, the only people in this world who could truly trap me like this might just be the Berry-Berry staff…
Feeling a mix of disbelief and resignation, I was loaded into the transport van and taken to Platinum River Prison.
”Hey, hey, the sign says ‘Platinum River’ in katakana! You could at least get that right!”
”Shut your mouth. Budget constraints!!”
Life’s tough…
Inside the prison, someone incredibly familiar was making a fuss.
”Hey! Why do I have to be imprisoned here!?”
No, seriously… if anyone should be asking that, it’s me asking why you’re here!
After checking in at the entrance, I approached Kohina-senpai.
”Kohina-senpai… what are you doing in a place like this…?”
”Huh? Why are you here!?”
Normally, this is the part where you hug tightly and sigh with relief, isn’t it?
I slowly withdrew my outstretched arms.
Apparently, Kohina-senpai had also been called to States for work, and, just like me, got caught at the airport.
See? Berry-Berry staff are way more competent than any random terrorist organization.
I turned my attention to the other detainees, probably extras.
Whoa! The women were lined up completely naked for a body check.
Incredible… this is the real deal in States… I couldn’t help staring at their chests.
”Kohina-senpai, looks like I’ve found my paradise…”
”Don’t be stupid! I’m busting out of here immediately!!”
No way, honestly… I’m thinking of staying here until the school trip starts, just to ruin their plans!
I made up my mind, watching the big-breasted ladies around me, fully resolved.
—
Next time, we’ll see Kohina-senpai’s point of view in a prison break.
Please bookmark this series and rate ☆☆☆☆☆ on here!
Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
Leave a Reply