Chapter 250: Gokudo and the Mafia
"Ah! She's gone! Who was that, anyway?" Komachi muttered, looking toward the outside suspiciously. "Could Onii-chan be getting tangled up with a bad woman?"
"..." Mashiro, silently recording everything, used her tablet to snap a photo of the preceding situation.
For some reason, even though Shirou had been warily keeping his distance from the female shop owner, in the photo, it looked more like the youth had taken the initiative to snuggle up to the mature woman, holding her quite affectionately.
Mashiro nodded expressionlessly, then covered her chest. 'This looks like it could be used in a manga too, but for some reason, it feels a bit uncomfortable here?'
"Mashiro, did you get the picture? I've definitely never seen that person before. And I've never heard Onii-chan mention someone like her! What do we do now?" Komachi peeked at the tablet and asked the two older sisters.
"Pack up the clothes we've picked out and pay the bill. We're going out to find Shirou. Certain things must be asked clearly," Artoria said, her voice dropping an octave as she stared at the photo. She found that woman particularly bothersome.
"Right! Hmph! Let's do exactly that!" Jeanne expressed her agreement.
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Afterward, the shop assistants were exceedingly polite and efficient as they packed the girls' clothing and handed them over.
"Thank you for your business! Please come again!" The staff gathered at the entrance, bowing deeply and smiling as they saw the girls off.
The automatic glass doors slid open, and the girls stepped out carrying their shopping bags.
Inside, the shop assistant maintained her deep bow for a long time, seeing them off until the doors closed again. Only after a significant amount of time had passed did she finally let out a long breath of cold air and collapse onto the floor, feeling as if she had survived a disaster.
Her back was now soaked with cold sweat, the horizontal lines of her bra visible through her white professional shirt.
"Thank God, they're finally gone. It wouldn't have been strange at all if they had torn this shop apart just now..."
The surrounding shop assistants all shared the same bitter smile.
"By the way, who on earth were those people...? They were all cute, but besides the local girl and that small animal-like girl, the two who were arguing had such terrifying auras."
"Could that child actually be the daughter of a Yakuza boss?" One shop assistant let her imagination run wild, envisioning the short-haired, mischievous, and lively Komachi—who showed a little fang when she smiled—as a Gokudo "Big Sister" with tigers and roses tattooed on her back. Usually dressed in a black kimono, flanked by ferocious underlings.
"Then the others brought foreign Mafia heiresses to Shinjuku for fun?" The other assistants nodded repeatedly, feeling that this possibility grew more likely the more they spoke. In their imagination, Artoria and Jeanne were swinging spiked clubs and maces attached to iron chains.
"So the boy standing outside earlier was actually a bodyguard?" another assistant suggested.
A woman nearby, wearing the expression of a seasoned expert, disagreed. "No, no, he's a host. I just saw that famous female designer who runs the boutique in the back street hitting on him."
"Ah! You mean the shop owner who reportedly changes boyfriends once a week, is extremely picky, only dates super-handsome or talented men, and has already completed a 'thousand-man kill' streak?! That's definitely it, then!"
"Eh, he's totally my type! In a few years, he'll definitely be handsome when he grows up! If I knew which club he worked at, could I go see him?" one woman said, sounding quite unwilling to give up.
"Don't even think about it. You'd be killed," her colleague said, patting her on the shoulder with heavy gravity.
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Meanwhile, the group of youths was walking toward Shinjuku Station.
"Speaking of which! Shirou? Who was that very suspicious woman talking to you outside just now?" Jeanne asked, looking quite displeased.
"That was the owner of a formal wear shop I know. The clothes I wore when I went abroad before were bought from her," Shirou explained.
"Even so! Onii-chan, when you're out with girls, don't just strike up conversations with other women!" Komachi stepped forward, standing on her tiptoes and stretching her neck so her eyes were level with Shirou's. She lectured him solemnly, face-to-face.
Shirou said in confusion, "Eh? I told you, she's just a shop owner. She helped me out before. She's a famous designer who personally designed my suits and formal wear. It's only natural to say hello when we meet."
Komachi let out a helpless sigh.
"Fine... since it's Onii-chan, there's probably nothing to worry about... Hm? Wait..."
Komachi blinked in confusion.
"A designer at a formal wear shop?!" A bolt of lightning struck Komachi's heart. She held her head and thought: 'Doesn't that mean she has scrutinized Onii-chan's body from top to bottom and knows all his measurements?! I thought no one in the world knew Onii-chan's body better than I do!'
"Shirou, that woman doesn't seem like a good person. I suggest you keep your distance," Artoria said, watching the direction the shop owner had left. She frowned, having felt an unpleasant sensation.
"Yeah. Thanks, Artoria. I'll be careful," Shirou promised seriously.
"Hm? She really is a bad woman!" Komachi punched her palm and exclaimed.
"A 'bad woman' might not be the right term, but the aura on her was strange. It subtly carried a magical scent similar to a Possession Summon, but it was very unstable, and the amount of magical energy was very weak," Shirou noted.
Just then, Da Vinci, who had cut the communication earlier, reconnected. In the holographic image, she was reviewing data collected by the computer and performing an analysis.
Da Vinci spoke up, "Mm, so you felt it too, Shirou. I did a stealth scan earlier. With the amount of magical energy that lady possessed, she couldn't even maintain the lowest-tier Servant."
"Ah, could it be that she's just the type you like, Da Vinci-chan? Your taste is quite strange!" Jeanne said, grinning at the holographic screen.
"Wait, wait? Is Da Vinci-chan the type of person who likes the same sex?" Komachi asked with some surprise.
"Oh, strictly speaking, I don't dislike it. Komachi isn't wrong; I can accept anyone as long as they are beautiful, regardless of gender," Da Vinci said with a laugh.
"Hahaha! As expected of Shinjuku—so trendy!" Komachi laughed brightly, not bothered at all.
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