[10] The guy with the rare armor

From the top of a building, a man in armor and a waving cape observed the urban landscape with calculated intensity.

His cape, decorated with unknown symbols, moved slowly to the rhythm of the wind, as if he shared the contemplation of man.

"Planet Earth... who would have imagined that Princess Lala would end up in this remote corner of the galaxy?" Zastin murmured as his eyes scanned the city below.

"It's an underdeveloped planet, as my men indicated," he continued, his gaze fixed on the surroundings. Without warning, he jumped from one building to the next with impressive agility, moving almost ethereally between urban structures.

'According to my reports, Princess Lala is somewhere in this city,' he thought, focusing on his mission.

"I must find her and ask her to return home, even if that means doing it by force," he said quietly, his tone becoming more serious.

The concern in his mind was palpable. He knew that Lala's security was crucial not only for her mission but for the stability of her own world.

'This planet is a nest of powerful beings and mixed dimensions,' he reflected. 'It's too risky to leave the princess without proper protection. I can't allow anything to happen to her.'

The idea that Gid-sama, the king and leader of his army, could destroy a planet full of innocents if Lala was injured was a heavy burden on Zastin's mind.

Although he had participated in the conquest of many planets, he did not enjoy indiscriminate destruction.

The idea of destroying Earth and its inhabitants to protect the princess was a last resort that he wanted to avoid at all costs.

While contemplating the weight of his mission and the possible consequences, Zastin moved with a speed that challenged human understanding.

In the blink of an eye, he disappeared from sight, leaving only a flash of fleeting movement in his wake.

— — —

After crying for a while and releasing the emotional chaos inside him, Shiki and Lala sat down for breakfast.

Shiki's smile became more sincere and softer as he let go of his past, and for the first time in a long time, he felt truly happy.

While they were talking, Lala proved to be very curious, asking questions about everything she saw and experienced, from the breakfast they shared to the small peculiarities of life on Earth.

The conversation flowed naturally, and Shiki found himself enjoying every moment.

In the end, they decided to go for a walk. Shiki wanted to show the city and the surroundings to Lala, sharing with her the places he considered fun. In addition, he had another goal in mind: to buy the first volume of his novel, To Aru Majutsu no Index.

Although he was the author in this life, he had been a big fan of the series in his previous life, and the idea of buying the novel now made him very excited.

Shiki remembered that today was a day of the week when he would normally have to go to school, but he decided to ignore that obligation.

Instead, he sent a past version of himself, a Time Clone, to take his place. While thinking about what to wear for the outing, he wondered, 'I guess this is a date, isn't it? Although I've never had one.'

As he prepared, Lala approached, completely naked and holding Peke in her hands.

Shiki, surprised, tried to control his reaction while observing Lala, whose presence was quite stimulating and almost made him blush.

"Shiki, what should I wear? According to our conversations, that dress I wore is rare here on Earth. What did they call it?" Lala asked with a mixture of curiosity and innocence.

"The people of Earth would call your dress cosplay. It's what is used to imitate the characters of stories and fiction that you like," Shiki replied, striving to stay calm.

Lala, upon hearing this, seemed interested but also somewhat confused. Shiki was striving not to get carried away by the situation, trying to look away to avoid visual distraction.

"Lala, when we go for a walk, we are going to buy clothes," Shiki said, trying to keep the focus on the task at hand.

"Hey, why? If I have Peke," Lala replied, showing the little robot in her arms.

"But doesn't Peke need to recharge? What will you do when it's charging?" Shiki insisted.

"It's true, Lala-sama. You should consider the option suggested by Shiki-sama and buy more clothes," Peke intervened with a tone that showed agreement.

"Well, if Shiki says so," Lala accepted without problems.

Suddenly, Lala remembered something. "But I don't have money from planet Earth."

Shiki smiled ironically. "Don't worry about that. I will pay. You are my girlfriend and future wife, and we also live together, so this is normal." As he said this, he raised a hand.

At his signal, the cold air began to gather in his hand, forming a large block of ice. Shiki whispered "Haniel," and the block of ice was transformed into a bunch of yen bills.

"Well, this is a somewhat illegal method, but I have no money, at least for three weeks, when I receive the income from the sales of my light novel," Shiki said with an ironic smile.

After that little conversation, Shiki and Lala chose their outfits. Shiki used [Rasiel] to show Lala a wide variety of clothing options.

(A/N: Rasiel can show images from his pages.)

Then Peke transformed into the outfit she chose.

Shiki, as always, used his spiritual power to dress quickly and stylishly. In a matter of seconds, he appeared with a tight-fitting blue shirt, dark jeans, and his characteristic patch on his left eye.

He looked at himself in the mirror, making sure that every detail was in place, and turned to Lala with a calm smile.

"Lala, if we want to go out and not be bothered, I have to use my powers to make your tail disappear temporarily," Shiki said.

Lala looked at her tail, which had a heart-shaped tip and moved playfully under her skirt. With a slight tilt of her head, she simply nodded, showing herself carefree.

"Well, I don't care if I can go out with you," she replied, with a smile that reflected her enthusiasm for the outing.

Shiki approached and stroked her hair, explaining as he did it.

"If there were only humans on this planet, I wouldn't mind if they discovered that you are an extraterrestrial," he said, his tone slow and thoughtful.

"But in this chaotic world, there are all kinds of races, such as Fallen Angels and Demons. Although not all of them are bad, some can be quite unpleasant. Although I can protect you and you also have your inventions, it's better not to seek unnecessary trouble, right?"

Lala, enjoying the caress on her head and Shiki's kind tone, simply nodded, understanding the reasoning. "Well," she replied, happy with the explanation and the attention he gave her.

Shiki whispered "Haniel" and, instantly, Lala's long black tail with the heart-shaped tip shone briefly before disappearing.

"How do you feel?" Shiki asked, observing Lala with interest.

"A little weird... but it doesn't matter, it's not like it's gone forever," Lala replied with a smile, as they both headed for the door.

Taking Shiki's hand, Lala left the apartment with him by her side. As they walked, Shiki couldn't help but admire his girlfriend.

The outfit she had chosen with [Rasiel] was simple but elegant: a white blouse and a black skirt.

Despite its simplicity, Lala shone with a beauty that seemed to rival any model on Earth.

'Well, she mentioned that her mother is the most beautiful woman in the galaxy, and she inherited that appearance,' Shiki thought.

Lala, walking hand in hand with Shiki and not paying attention to the amazed looks of passersby, broke the silence with a curious question.

"Shiki, why do you wear a patch if your eye is so pretty?" Lala asked, looking at Shiki with a mixture of intrigue and tenderness.

Shiki turned slightly to look at her, a light smile on his lips.

"Well... for the same reason that I chose to hide your tail. My left eye is not something a normal human has; it is too beautiful and supernatural. Therefore, it would draw unnecessary attention," he explained as they continued to walk towards the clothing store.

Lala nodded, understanding the logic behind Shiki's choice. "I see," she said, satisfied with the explanation.

After their stop at the clothing store, where Lala bought a variety of clothes for both casual occasions and dates, and ventured into the underwear section, Shiki found himself a little disoriented.

While Lala examined outfits with great enthusiasm, he stayed by her side, feeling a bit uncomfortable due to the looks and murmurs of the employees.

"What do you think of this one, Shiki?" Lala asked, holding an elegant lace set.

Shiki, trying to maintain his composure, looked at it and strove to be objective.

"It's... very beautiful. Although, I can't help but notice that the employees seem to think we are choosing for a special occasion."

"Special occasion?" Lala had an invisible question mark over her head as she tilted her head in confusion.

'I'm going to have to teach him some things,' Shiki thought to himself as they left the store after shopping.

After exploring the city, Shiki and Lala made a stop at a cozy ice cream shop.

They gave themselves completely to their love of sweets, asking for huge portions of ice cream that they enjoyed with real delight.

The cold and creamy texture of the flavors was an absolute pleasure on such a sunny day.

Then, they went to a small restaurant nearby that, although modest, offered a variety of dishes that made their mouths water.

Known for their insatiable appetite, they soon devoured the abundant amount of food they ordered. The conversation flowed naturally, accompanied by laughter and anecdotes, creating an atmosphere of happiness without worries.

The afternoon continued like this, between walks, meals, and light conversations, while Lala and Shiki enjoyed every moment of their time together, building memories and strengthening their bond.

Later, Shiki didn't forget to buy the first volume of his novel.

In the store, he saw several customers buying his light novel, which filled him with satisfaction. He decided that he would review the readers' opinions online when they returned home.

While walking hand in hand under the sky that was getting dark with the sunset, Shiki and Lala talked calmly, enjoying the tranquility of the afternoon.

The sun began to hide, staining the sky with warm tones, when suddenly, the moment of calm was interrupted by an unexpected scream.

From the top of an electricity pole about twenty meters away, a figure in gray armor and a black cape of imposing presence shouted, "Lala-sama! I finally found you."

Lala looked up, her expression changing from surprise to anger when she recognized Zastin.

"Zastin! Did you also come to take me back!?" Her frustration was evident; she was determined to stay on Earth with Shiki and had no intention of returning to the planet Deviluke.

Zastin, with his cape waving dramatically in the wind, responded firmly:

"Of course! I've come to take you back to Deviluke. This planet is too dangerous for you to be alone without protection. Your mother has been very worried since you ran away."

As Shiki watched Zastin, he thought to himself, 'That armor has a pretty ugly design.'

Lala, with a determined expression, addressed Zastin from the top of the post.

"Mother can call me and talk to me whenever she wants on the phone; I'm not going back now!"

Then, she hugged Shiki's arm firmly. "Besides, I have a very important reason not to come back."

Zastin, with his imposing figure and armor, observed Shiki with a mixture of curiosity and skepticism.

"Is he the reason?" he asked, pointing to Shiki with an energetic gesture.

"Exactly! I love him! I have decided to marry him and stay on Earth," Lala said with conviction.

"There's no way I'm going to leave him. So, you can leave. Shiki is very strong; you don't have to worry about my safety."

"Tell my father that he doesn't need to look for more candidates to make me his fiancé. I hate it when he does that!" Lala continued.

With a shy smile, Lala added, "Besides... he already took my first time, you have to accept it." As she said this, she shyly hid in Shiki's embrace, not realizing the true meaning of her words.

Shiki's lips twisted in an uncomfortable grimace when he saw how Zastin's expression went from surprise to disbelief.

"....." Shiki snapped his fingers without anyone noticing. Immediately, an energy barrier was formed around them, sealing the space with an invisible barrier. Seeing Zastin's reaction, it was obvious what was going to happen, wasn't it?

Zastin descended with the grace of an experienced warrior, using the pole as support to throw himself to the ground in a fluid movement.

The sunlight reflected off his armor as he landed in a firm position, his cape waving slightly behind him.

With a single movement, he drew his sword, which shone with a blue light; the blade was completely blue and made of energy.

His eyes, full of determination, were fixed on Shiki as he pointed the sword at him.

Zastin's voice, deep and authoritarian, resonated in the space between them, as if every word was loaded with the weight of the responsibility he felt towards Lala and her lineage.

"If you're going to marry Lala-sama, you must be able to protect her in such a dangerous world, right? I will put you to the test to see if you are worthy of inheriting Gid-sama's mantle!" he shouted, his voice resonating like a challenge.

(A/N: When marrying Lala, Shiki will be the next king of all the planets that Gid has conquered; that's why that phrase.)

'Well, guess what, I guess,' he said quietly, while his mind began to consider how to deal with this.

— — —

(A/N: I tried to correct the spelling errors with a page. How about now? Are there still many errors? Remember that I don't speak English, so I can't know).