The outfit purchased was a sky-blue coat paired with a short cape without a hood.
With the help of a store clerk, a moderately fashionable outfit was chosen, tried on, and bought.
The reason for selecting an outfit with a cape, despite the current trends, was that Luke had shown genuine disappointment about the lack of a cape.
It wasn’t the hooded long cape that was the issue; short capes without hoods that fell neatly were still quite common.
Yerna smiled while watching Luke look down at his short cape.
“I’m glad you like it, yeah. It’s pretty. You’d look cute in anything, Luke.”
“Yeah, well…”
Nodding at Yerna’s words, Luke idly lifted the shopping bag he was holding in his right hand.
Having come out this far, he couldn’t just buy a coat, so he had ended up purchasing a few more winter outfits.
Among those was the long cape he had initially admired.
“You ended up buying that long cape too, huh?”
Luke nodded.
While it was generally considered clothing for older people and he felt awkward wearing it out, the long cape’s material and functionality seemed high-quality, and he hadn’t seen any other clothing on sale in the store that had such a level of enchantment suitability.
Moreover, it was incredibly cheap due to a special offer.
At that price for such functionality, it almost felt like a steal.
“Yeah. It looks useful; it’d be a waste to just throw it away.”
“Hehe, really? It’s fine! As long as you like it, that’s what matters.”
With that, Yerna simply smiled and patted Luke’s head.
Feeling Yerna’s gentle touch, Luke sighed inwardly.
‘Huh, how did that hooded long cape end up treated like this…’
Luke sighed at the transience of time.
In truth, he liked that cape much more, but now he had to endure this treatment instead.
How efficient and splendid was that outfit to have come to this?
Well, one could try not to care about others’ opinions, but in this case, he couldn’t help but be aware of them…
Young people tended to avoid such clothing unless it was urgent, and wearing something that resembled what he did wouldn’t he quite noticeable, especially for someone who appeared as a teenage girl.
It couldn’t be helped.
Still, the cape of the coat he was wearing was decent enough.
“Well then, we should head back home. Where did you park?”
At Luke’s words, Yerna chuckled and shook her head.
“Before that. It’s such nice weather; how about we take a stroll first? It’s been quite a while since you suggested going out like this.”
At Yerna’s suggestion, Luke tilted his head for a moment.
“A walk?”
“Why? Do you have something to do at home?”
When Yerna asked, he thought for a moment and realized he had nothing he particularly needed to do at home.
The design part of the magical tool he was to synchronize with Arinseia had been completed, and the next step depended on either finishing the crafting of the mana stone or receiving the doll from Merlin.
Even though danger loomed ahead, it was okay to take a little break and relax.
Preparing one’s body and mind for things to come was also necessary, after all.
“No, let’s walk.”
Besides, it wasn’t a bad idea to take a stroll to see how others perceived his outfit.
—–
Thus, Luke and Yerna began walking through familiar streets.
“By the way, how long has it been since we’ve walked this street together?”
Yerna felt a wave of nostalgia.
Before moving, it was a landscape she had taken in countless times, but today felt strangely unfamiliar.
Luke shrugged his shoulders and replied.
“It hasn’t been that long. A month at most.”
“Really? It feels like much more time has passed.”
Maybe it was because Luke had grown up too quickly that it felt that way.
In reality, not much time had passed.
But for Luke, the memories of suffering due to divine power in this street felt as vivid as if it had happened yesterday.
At that time, he was unprepared for his body’s growth, causing him to have to hide away in almost a prostitute-like outfit due to the growing skirt of his school uniform.
He felt that some people might have seen him back then.
How embarrassing it was at that time, he had practically urged Yerna to move away as if fleeing from this city.
Luke muttered for a moment.
“Moving away from here isn’t that long ago, either.”
“Really? Well, that’s true.”
Looking back now, Luke felt guilty about how much trouble it must have caused.
To Yerna and Dayton.
He was lucky to have found a place so easily; otherwise, he would have had to incur quite a debt at the bank.
All because of himself.
As Luke reflected on this, Yerna suddenly spoke.
“Luke, thank you.”
Startled by her sudden gratitude, Luke looked up, bewildered.
“Uh? Thank you for what?”
Yerna smiled and replied.
“For coming to me.”
Of course, she had gone through a lot of emotional distress initially due to Luke, but looking back, she thought it was simply the growth pains she experienced because she was immature.
However, the current Luke was the biggest reason Yerna felt happy now.
Thanks to Luke, she no longer dreamed of that nightmare from that day, and it was also because of Luke that she could be with the person she truly loved a little sooner.
And…
“For calling me ‘mom’.”
From a life without a purpose to one with one.
Just that difference made Luke her savior.
She thought she had saved Luke all this time, but in truth, it was Luke who had saved her.
Yerna smiled at Luke and spoke.
“So let’s live happily together for a long time?”
“…”
Luke lowered his head for a moment at those words.
Live happily together for a long time.
Well, could that promise really be kept?
To be honest, Luke couldn’t guarantee it.
He hadn’t told Yerna, but the threats looming ahead were not that simple.
If the upcoming threat were indeed related to “Sigarmata,” then the outcome would not be optimistic.
She had become a ruler of another dimension, but here he was merely a half-baked mage who was barely at the 6th circle.
Even if his body didn’t die, he couldn’t assure that the essence that made up “Luke,” the circle would be fine.
To her, his persona was just a ‘shell.’
This time, he couldn’t likely hide a ‘last resort’ either.
Previously, he had been able to luck out and exploit a loophole in the contract to be banished beyond the dimensions, but she wouldn’t make such a mistake in her second invasion…
Moreover, he was still haunted by the nightmares that tormented him after finishing Dylan.
Dreams were usually windows to the future…
Perhaps, this time, the long or short amusement might come to a complete end.
But Luke was still a mage.
He couldn’t lie to her.
“…”
Ultimately, Luke couldn’t offer any response and began to quicken his pace, taking a few steps ahead in silence.
Yerna, finding Luke’s back suddenly seem anxious as he began to walk ahead without a word, felt a slight panic at the thought of losing him and reached out her hand.
“Luke, wait a moment, let’s go together!”
At that moment, a chilling wind blew towards him.
It was a sharp winter wind that whipped his hair about wildly.
Feeling his hair being pulled back by the wind, Luke suddenly turned to Yerna and smiled as he opened his mouth.
“Of course, we will live together, happily, for a long time.”
Luke briefly pondered whether he should say this to Yerna, but he genuinely wanted to express it.
It wasn’t a lie that he also wished for that.
Well, it could become a lie in the future, but for now, it wasn’t, right?
He wasn’t fighting to die on purpose.
Like Kail Propston, he preferred the ending where he’d sacrifice himself for the greater good less than that of Renie’s, saying they lived happily for a long time.
With Luke’s delayed response, Yerna finally smiled with relief.
“Don’t scare me like that, Luke. You suddenly went ahead without a word.”
“Sorry, I was a bit embarrassed to respond.”
Yerna chuckled at his reply.
“What? Was that all?”
Well, it was indeed embarrassing to say.
