As Ryuuto started walking toward Manaka, he felt someone gently but firmly grab his wrist. It was Morgan, of course.
When he turned around with a confused look, he saw Morgan's beautiful face up close. Her expression was serious, like she had feelings building up with nowhere to go, her delicate eyebrows slightly furrowed.
"What's wrong, Caster?"
"Master, where are you going?"
"Um, I'm just going over to Manaka..."
"Didn't you promise to go shopping with me today when we were at home earlier?" Morgan said with a forced smile. "And back in Fuyuki, didn't you say that during the Holy Grail War, we should act as Master and Servant? You wanted to trick the enemy teams by having me behave like the Master while you acted as the Servant. I never questioned any of your ideas and went along with all of them. So shouldn't you be doing what's expected now—staying by my side, your Master, like a proper knight?"
He was suddenly speechless. Morgan was absolutely right. He had definitely promised to take her shopping today, but then without thinking, he'd agreed to let Manaka join them.
Morgan must have just kept quiet about it earlier to avoid making a scene. She really is thoughtful and considerate. He couldn't keep hurting her feelings!
His mom was important, but keeping his word was just as important. This wasn't about choosing between family and friends. He had made a promise to Morgan, and he needed to stick to it.
"You're right," he nodded. "I'm really sorry about that. I wasn't thinking."
Hearing his response, Morgan's expression softened, and she let go of his wrist.
"Let's go."
"Yes, Princess Morgan."
Then they walked toward the clothing section in a different direction.
"...Tch."
Nearby, Manaka bit her lower lip in annoyance as she put the dress she was holding back on the rack.
Even though she felt a surge of anger, she knew she couldn't cause a scene. After all, she was the one who had insisted on joining their shopping trip today. As his mother, she needed to keep up her composed and dignified appearance in front of her son.
So the young woman could only quietly stamp her foot in frustration while following behind the two of them.
…
Their shopping trip turned out to be really fun, and Morgan looked amazing in everything she tried on. No matter what style of clothing she wore, it perfectly complemented her graceful figure and elegant features, showing off that classic British royal family sophistication.
She looked gorgeous without trying too hard. Dignified but still youthful. Attractive with just a touch of coldness. You could call her the perfect contradiction in the fashion world—maybe that was the appeal of her complex personality? Ryuuto was completely impressed.
With his help throughout the afternoon, she bought more than ten tops, seven or eight skirts, and tons of small accessories. Like a gentleman, he carried all her shopping bags while Morgan walked beside him with that satisfied glow that comes after a successful shopping trip. And trailing behind them like she didn't quite belong, Manaka's expression had definitely seen better days.
Her face crumpled as she started to regret coming along. Wouldn't it have been better to just stay home and make dinner for Ryuuto?
As the afternoon wore on into early evening, the mall began filling with more people, and once again, their group attracted everyone's attention.
There was the elegant silver-haired beauty with a perfect figure holding the arm of a handsome young man with black hair. And behind them followed another stunning young woman whose beauty made people stop and stare. Passersby who spotted these three gorgeous people who looked like they'd stepped out of a movie couldn't help but pause to comment.
"They look so good together. Are they brother and sister? Or maybe mother and son? What a beautiful mother and son pair," someone said as he stared at Ryuuto and Morgan.
The stranger's whispered words reached Manaka's ears.
Her mouth twitched as she glared at the passerby. 'I'll kill you, I'm Ryuuto's mom!' she thought angrily.
"No, no... I think they're a couple," someone else said.
Manaka sneered. 'Ha, you're completely wrong.'
"Hahaha... that can't be right. The boy looks like he's still in elementary school!"
'That's right, my Ryuuto is only 3 years old this year!' Manaka thought, gritting her teeth. 'Girlfriend or anything like that, mama absolutely won't allow it!'
"It's not impossible, kids these days grow up so fast."
"And that pretty little girl following behind them, is she their assistant or something?"
Little girl?
Assistant?
Are you blind?
"...Hmph."
Suddenly, as if something clicked, Manaka took a deep breath. She walked up to Ryuuto's side and gracefully took his other arm, while giving Morgan a quick look of defiance.
Why was she being so timid today? That wasn't like her at all. She was Ryuuto's mother - his only mother. She needed to remember that.
"..."
Ryuuto noticed Manaka's pouty expression with her cheeks slightly puffed out and immediately understood that his mother was feeling jealous. He gave a small smile, held her slender arm gently, and said, "Manaka, is there anything you'd like to buy? I'll get it for you. I just made some extra money while I was in Fuyuki."
"Really? You don't mind?"
"Of course not."
Manaka's face immediately lit up with a smile as she put her finger to her chin, thinking hard about what to get.
"Ryuuto wants to buy me clothes... hmm, I need to think about this carefully."
She suddenly had so many options in her head that she felt a little overwhelmed.
"Hmm... what should I get?"
"Standing here thinking about it won't help," Morgan said to the indecisive Manaka. "Why don't we just go to the next store Ryuuto and I were planning to visit? You can take your time deciding there."
"Eh? Wait, that's—"
Just as he was about to say something, Morgan squeezed his hand, silently telling him to be quiet.
He shut his mouth immediately. After all, in a department store, men don't get much say in shopping decisions.
"...?"
Manaka looked confused by his odd expression, then glanced at Morgan before nodding hesitantly. "All right, let's check out the store you were planning to visit next."
Five minutes later, the three arrived at Ryuuto and Morgan's next destination.
"Here we are, Miss Manaka," Morgan announced cheerfully.
The pleasant tone of Morgan's voice made the young woman's face turn pale. She stared at the colorful, delicate items displayed on the shelves and asked in a shaky voice, "Ryuuto... this is really the store you were planning to visit?"
"Yes," he admitted, unable to meet his mother's eyes as he nodded uncomfortably. "This is it."
Just then, Morgan turned to her with a smile. "Before we start shopping, may I ask what type of underwear Miss Manaka usually prefers?"
"..."
Thinking about the childish undershirt she had put on before leaving home, Manaka felt like she might pass out.