Black Cat Chapter 121: Appearance

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　After being released from shoe shopping, we finally go shopping for our clothes, which is the main topic of the day.

　We planned to buy two kinds of clothes today, one for work and the other for a bit of extravagance.

　I looked for work clothes at the work clothes store in the market.

　It seems that there are many different types of work clothes stores: some focus on price, some on functionality, and some on durability.

　If I’m going to buy it anyway, I want to buy a slightly better product, so I looked into a store that emphasizes function rather than price.

　The work clothes hanging in the stores have pockets here and there, are double-layered to prevent the knees from falling out, and have room around the waist.

　However, clothes that can be worn by catkins do not have many pockets.

　Since they are small to begin with, even if they have many pockets, the size of the pockets limits what can be put in them.

　The tailoring, sewing, and fabric thickness seemed fine, so I bought three pairs of work pants and six button-down shirts in different colors, one for me, and one for my brother.

“Hey, Nyango, I don’t need all this. I don’t need this many.” (Fawkes)

“What are you talking about, brother? We catkins are looked down upon, so we have to dress neatly when we go to work. When it gets hot, we’ll come back and buy more.” (Nyango)

“I-I see, I understand…” (Fawkes)

　I casually appealed that we might become their regular customer, so the store owner offered me a little service.

　I asked the guy at the work clothes shop and he told me about a store that sold shoes for catkins.

　We cat people basically don’t want to wear shoes.

　The shape of our feet is similar to that of cats, so our paws and claws are more efficient than shoes. [T/N: Grr. Let me squish the toe beans.]

　However, I do not want to wear shoes on the scorching ground in midsummer or on icy or muddy roads in winter.

　In my case, I basically walk on [Step], so I don’t feel hot, cold, or uncomfortable, but that’s not the case with my brother.

　Besides, it’s true that people think poor is equal to not wearing shoes.

　I went to the store that the guy at the work clothes shop had told me about, and I saw something familiar.

　I was thinking about shoes in Ibouro and then I remembered.

　This was the store where I had bought shoes for Horacio.

　It’s been almost two years since Horacio went to the capital, and he must have grown up, so I guess he can’t wear those shoes anymore.

　I don’t even know if I have received any news from Horacio since I left Atsuka village.

　I am sure that Horacio must be working hard to become a knight, since I, a catkin, am also working hard as one of the adventurers.

　To my surprise, the old man at the shoe store remembered me.

　I told him that I was buying shoes as a parting gift for a childhood friend who was going to the Royal Capital to become a knight, and he was very impressed with me.

“Oh, are you going to buy shoes for your brother this time?” (Shopkeeper)

“Yes, after all, if your feet are not covered, you will be looked down on.” (Nyango)

“Yes. That’s right, but you don’t wear shoes, do you?” (Shopkeeper)

“Yes, I’m an adventurer, so I prefer to move around easily, and I use the void attribute to create a foothold for my movement…” (Nyango)

　The old man at the shoemaker’s shop was surprised and his eyes widened when I showed him how I walk by making [Step] at a high position for easy understanding.

“Oh, but I wonder if I should wear shoes when I wear my extra clothes?” (Fawkes)

“Well, it depends on where you’re attending, but if you’re going to a prestigious occasion, you might want to have at least one pair with you.” (Nyango)

“Hmm… Is that so?” (Fawkes)

　After thinking about it for a while, I bought my brother and I’s shoes for going out and my brother’s work shoes.

　Both my brother and I were wearing shoes for the first time, so the two of us ended up looking at each other with strange expressions.

“What can I say… Nyango.” (Fawkes)

“It’s cramped, brother.” (Nyango)

“Geez…” (Fawkes)

　Shure was chuckling as she watched us.

　The last stop on our shopping spree was a clothing store that was a little off the main path.

　My brother said he didn’t need expensive clothes, but since Shure was holding him, there was no way he could escape.

　I usually don’t think I need them either, but I have the memory stuck in my head of the scornful look they gave me at the cake shop that Claudier showed me.

　Well, it’s probably my fault for being so out of place and making a lot of noise, but I was clearly dressed differently from the customers seated around me.

　Thanks to my success in fighting off the robbers, I was given a free meal and drink, but the cake was quite expensive, so it was definitely not a restaurant for the common man.

　I’m planning to take my brother to a place of that class at some point, and since I don’t want to look like a fool, I’m going to buy some nice clothes.

　However, they don’t have a formal wear store for catkins.

　It seems that I have no choice but to get custom-made clothes or wear clothes for children of other races.

　I thought it was unnecessary to buy custom-made clothes, so I went to a store that sold good clothes for children, but it might have been better to at least change into new work clothes first.

“Welcome……?” (Monkeykin)

　The monkeykin shopkeeper, who had seen Shure and approached us with a rubbing hand, looked at us and his expression clouded.

“Excuse me. I need some clothes for me and my brother…” (Nyango)

“Unfortunately, we don’t sell clothes for catkin.” (Monkeykin)

　The words are polite, but the expression on his face is tinged with contempt for us.

　The person who is being insulted senses this kind of behavior, even though they may be trying to hide it.

“I don’t mind if they are clothes for children of another race, but would you mind showing them to us?” (Nyango)

“Well, if you’re just looking…” (Monkeykin)

“Oh, you don’t sell them?” (Nyango)

“No, no, of course, we will sell them to you if you pay us.” (Monkeykin)

　The shopkeeper’s face looked as if he wanted to ask if we could pay, and as expected, Shure’s cheeks were twitching.

　Well, I don’t know how you feel about underestimating catkin, but I think you’d better leave it at that for your own good.

　The formal attire in this world is a suit with a standing collar, and it seems to be fashionable to devise the shape of the front meeting.

　The shape is similar to a Japanese school’s uniform, but the colors are more flamboyant.

　For my part, I think black or white would go better with the black fur, but basically all of them have a tinge of color.

　I thought yellow or yellow green would be too much, so I chose a shiny burgundy for me and a shiny blue for my brother.

“Excuse me, may I try on some of these?” (Nyango)

“No, no, if it has hair on it, we won’t be able to sell it.” (Monkeykin)

“Eh… but the size may not fit if we don’t try it on.” (Nyango)

“The person who tried on the garment before got it all covered in hair, and there was still some of that hair on the garment when it was sold, so there was trouble. That’s why we don’t allow catkin to try on our clothes.” (Monkeykin)

　I pull back Shure’s hand to stop her as she is about to step out toward the store clerk.

　It pisses me off, but I’m used to this kind of treatment, even though I don’t want to get used to it, and neither does my brother.

“Then, I’d like to take your measurements, so could you lend me a measuring tape?” (Nyango)

“Haa, it can’t be helped…” (Monkeykin)

　The shopkeeper, who had gone to the back of the store with a very annoyed gait, came back with a measuring tape in his hand and gave it to me. [T/N: Pulverization Magic Circle on the shopkeepers head sounds nice.]

“Here you are…” (Monkeykin)

　Shure’s face changed color and his eyes lifted up at the overly clumsy response.

　She probably would have grabbed the clerk if she hadn’t been holding my brother.

“No, no, no, this is terrible. I almost didn’t make it through the year…” (Voice)

　The man who entered the store called out in a loud voice, seemingly oblivious to the tense atmosphere.

“Welcome home, Master.” (Monkeykin)

“Oh, I’m home. Oh, a customer… It’s you!” (Voice => Shop Owner)

　The man who came into the store, wiping sweat from his forehead even though it was the middle of winter, was the old man who had almost had his bag snatched by a snatcher earlier.

“Ah, did you finish the payment earlier…?” (Nyango)

“Yes, yes, thanks to you, I was able to complete everything without any delay. I don’t know how to thank you…” (Shop Owner)

　The old sheepkin man who seems to be the owner of this store is bowing to me repeatedly, while the monkey clerk’s face is getting paler and paler.

“Ah, umm… Master, who are they?” (Monkeykin)

“I was robbed of the money from the payment I plan to send at the guild, and this gentleman got it back for me. If that money had been stolen, you might not have been paid.” (Shop Owner)

“Oh, Master, I see…” (Monkeykin)

　The store is heated, as you would expect from a high-end clothing store, but I don’t think it’s enough to make someone sweat like a waterfall.

“Um, I’m here today to buy clothes for my brother and I. Can we try on some of your clothes?” (Nyango)

“Of course. Which ones do you like? Would you mind if we take your measurements first?” (Shop Owner)

“Yes, could you please?” (Nyango)

“Okay. Hey, what are you doing? Hurry up and measure them.” (Shop Owner)

“Yes!” (Monkeykin)

　I handed the tape measure to the monkeykin clerk so that the sheepkin shop owner could not see it.

“I can count on you, right?”  (Nyango)

“Of course…” (Monkeykin)

　The monkeykin clerk answered with a faint voice.

　I wonder if I should tell the owner of the store what has been happening until a while ago.

　I don’t know if the whole store is underestimating the catkin, or if it’s just this clerk, but I got a big discount, so I’ll leave it alone for today.

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