From the early hours of the next day, I was engrossed in preparing to go out.
“Hmm… this doesn’t fit either.”
Only one day remained until the scheduled meeting with the Vice Guild Master of the Blue Rose Guild. It was inconceivable to attend such an important meeting clad in a mere t-shirt with a torn back.
With my body having completely transformed, I found myself without any suitable clothes to wear at home. It was imperative that I purchase new attire.
Yet, to acquire new clothes today, I first needed to venture outdoors, and venturing outdoors, ironically, necessitated having clothes to wear.
Thus, trapped in this peculiar recursion, I was sifting through every piece of clothing in my room.
The only suitable bottoms I managed to find were a pair of track shorts with a drawstring. By tightening the drawstring, they at least vaguely resembled actual clothing.
For a top, I prepared several t-shirts by cutting them with scissors. While I ruined a few garments through trial and error during the cutting process, my third attempt successfully created a shirt with openings for my wings.
Flutter, flutter.
It was satisfying to find that even when I moved my wings, the shirt didn’t try to slip off, nor did my wings get caught.
“Yes, this should suffice.”
I haphazardly pulled the shorts up just enough to reach my tail. Though I felt uneasy, fearing they might slide down if someone merely tugged them, I had no other choice.
Taking a deep breath, I opened the front door. Although I felt anxious that my unique appearance would draw attention, a surge of confidence allowed me to step outside.
‘Even after repaying all my debts, I still have 40 million won left over. And I earned all this money in just one day!’
An enormous sum I had never once touched in my life. This money imbued me with the courage to walk with pride, even in a torn t-shirt and ill-fitting shorts.
Furthermore, with that money, I planned to visit a place I had never even dreamed of going in my entire life.
A department store.
A place rumored to be overflowing with luxury brands and expensive clothing. Normally, I would never have gone, deeming it a waste of money, but to meet the Vice Guild Master of the nation’s top guild, I needed to be properly dressed.
I intended to get an entirely new wardrobe, from head to toe.
Emerging from the one-room apartment building, I stepped onto the main street. The sunlight warmly illuminated my wings and tail. And then, countless eyes fixated upon me.
My horns, wings, and tail, glittering like gold under the sun’s rays, were more than enough to capture everyone’s attention.
‘Heh heh. This is the majesty of an SSS-rank skill user!’
Indeed, I was no longer the ordinary job-seeking Lee Dayoon. I was Lee Dayoon, the dragon who had awakened the world’s first SSS-rank skill.
Swelling with unwarranted pride, I straightened my posture and walked. Perhaps it was because I had achieved SSS-rank, but it felt as though I could even relish the gazes of others.
…That is, until I arrived at the subway station.
“Wow… is that cosplay? So cute.”
“The quality of that tail and those wings is amazing, isn’t it?”
“Are they filming a drama or something?”
Groups of people, whenever I passed by, began discussing my appearance.
“Is that a Heteromorphic Awakener? They’re so beautiful!”
“It looks like a child Awakener! How could anyone be so adorable?”
As the gazes, which had merely observed me, transformed into appraisals and compliments, a creeping sense of embarrassment began to wash over me.
When I even started seeing people pull out their phone cameras and point them at me, my face flushed with heat.
Of course, I had yearned to be someone who commanded everyone’s attention, but not like this.
Involuntarily, my wings shrank back, wrapping around my body.
My tail curled inward like a frightened puppy’s.
Ultimately, far from enjoying the attention, I was forced to seek refuge in a less crowded subway car.
****
After traveling for thirty minutes, I arrived at S Department Store, located in the heart of Seoul.
“Wow….”
The building itself seemed like a modern reinterpretation of a medieval castle. Every person passing by was dressed as if they were someone of great importance. The very edifice exuded an aura of wealth.
Clutching my tail to prevent it from getting caught, I navigated through the revolving door, immediately feeling the cool blast of air conditioning and the bright indoor lighting. A luxurious scent, perhaps from perfume or an air freshener, seemed to permeate the air.
‘This truly is the mecca of capitalism.’
Everywhere I looked, dazzling items were displayed in abundance, to the point where with every step I took, I found something new I desired.
The glittering jewelry, in particular, repeatedly captured my gaze. From gold and silver to ornaments crafted from rare gemstones found in Gates. Everything I saw around me tempted me.
That white gold necklace, especially, said to be made from a gold-platinum alloy, with its substantial weight and radiant luster, seemed precisely the kind of accessory an SSS-rank like me should possess…
‘No, no, stop it. Get a grip, Dayoon. You’re here to buy clothes right now.’
Such jewelry is utterly useless, and its price is ridiculously exorbitant. What I desperately needed were clothes that fit, not these worthless chunks of rock.
Despite my best efforts to regain focus and search for clothing, a glance around the first floor revealed only cosmetics and luxury handbags.
Finding the way to the second floor felt like an eternity with my small legs, and even once I reached the second floor, it was filled exclusively with extravagant women’s clothing, suitable only for wealthy ladies, that would never fit my body.
‘Where in the world can I find proper clothes?’
Where could I possibly find clothes I could wear? On the third floor? Fourth? Fifth?
Even after consulting the directory on the second floor, I found only unfamiliar brand names listed everywhere, offering no clue as to where I might find suitable attire.
‘This feels like a major problem.’
Just an hour after entering the department store, I sensed a crisis. The crisis that, at this rate, I might not find any clothes even if the entire day passed.
As I pondered how to find clothes that fit and reached for my phone to search online, another phone tucked away in my bag caught my eye.
It was the phone Director Joo Deokhwan had given me yesterday, telling me to contact him if I needed anything.
Normally, I would have preferred not to owe the Management Bureau any favors, but my current situation was unavoidable.
Whether it meant getting clothes through the Management Bureau or discovering a way to find them here, I needed a solution.
Turning on the phone, I dialed the number saved as ‘Contact when needed: Yoo Sojeong’ among the stored contacts.
Riiing—
Before the phone could even ring once completely, the call connected.
“Uh… Are you from the Management Bureau?”
“Yes. I am Yoo Sojeong, assigned as Awakener Lee Dayoon’s dedicated staff member. How may I assist you?”
At her inquiry about what kind of help I needed, I swallowed my embarrassment and explained my predicament.
“Well… I need some clothes to wear tomorrow, but I can’t seem to find anything suitable in the department store.”
“You require clothes that fit your body. I understand. Where are you currently located?”
It seemed the staff member intended to come in person. Indeed, if I needed clothes for today, online ordering wouldn’t be feasible.
“S Department Store, main branch. You’re… coming here to resolve this personally?”
“Yes. I will arrive within 30 minutes.”
“Oh… thank you?”
After hearing the staff member’s strangely stiff reply, I hung up the phone. Now, what should I do while waiting? I probably didn’t need to bother finding the way myself…
Right, there was a cafe on the first floor with a wonderfully sweet aroma.
‘Perhaps I should wait while having a drink?’
****
“Huuuh…”
My intention of merely waiting with a drink proved futile, as I devoured two slices of cake and six macarons right where I sat. I even finished a strawberry frappuccino.
While the 10,000 won price tag for a single drink had honestly shocked me, the taste was undeniably worth it.
I vaguely recalled hearing clicking sounds while eating the cake, but now, I couldn’t quite discern what they were.
‘Anyway, it’s almost been 30 minutes.’
It seemed the staff member would be arriving later than she had stated.
‘Well, since that’s the case, maybe I should try that chocolate cake over there too?’
Just as I was about to stand up to order another slice of cake, I sensed a presence beside me and turned my head.
“Greetings, Awakener Lee Dayoon. I am Yoo Sojeong.”
A tall woman in a black suit was standing right next to my table. Her expression was impassive and seemingly aloof, yet her face possessed a cold beauty. Her figure was strikingly defined. No wonder she looked familiar; it was the same staff member who had driven me home yesterday.
“You… you arrived so quickly?”
“Yes. I possess skills related to movement.”
I hadn’t expected her to arrive at such an inopportune moment. I quickly used my wings to discreetly cover the three empty plates and the drink I had just finished.
…I really hoped I didn’t appear like a gluttonous pig who only liked sweets.
Making my wish futile, Yoo Sojeong saw the empty plates, immediately picked them up with one hand, and returned them to the counter.
“What kind of assistance do you require?”
Then, with that impassive expression, she asked me. …It seemed I had indeed left a poor impression.
“First, I’d like to visit a place where I can buy some decent clothes. I have someone important to meet tomorrow.”
“I see. In that case, I will escort you to the VVIP personal shopping room.”
“…What?”
A word I had never heard before tumbled from her lips.
