PREPARATION

After hearing Aoto's backstory, everyone laughed at Scarlett upon hearing the laughter, his face burned with embarrassment.Aoto was laughing the most and goes out if the room to calm himself down and take a fresh air while Scarlett remained thier with embarrassment palpable on her face.

the next moment a silence enveloped the room for a full two minutes until the princess, her voice trembling slightly, broke the silence.

"L-lets go shopping, Aoto will be waiting for us."

As they exited the dorm room, the princess suggested I wear formal girl clothes, but I staunchly refused. I'm not gonna wear girly clothes again, right?. Amidst our departure, we encountered Aoto, joining us for the outing. Just as we set off for the City.

As they were departing Scarlett recalled something."Igrassia-san, Can I take a friend along with me?".

With a gentle smile, the princess granted permission, prompting Scarlett to promise a swift return with her friend, Irish. However, as Scarlett turned to retrieve Irish, Richard seized his hand.

"Wait, isn't she on the enemy's team, Why are you taking her with us?"

Scarlett's response crackled with defiance, her words edged with a hint of aggression as she reclaimed her hand from Richard's grasp.

"I'll do what I like."

Just as Richard seemed poised to reclaim his hold, the princess intervened, her gentle voice quelling the rising tension as she reminded Richard that Irish was merely a friend.

Within moments, Scarlett's arrived at Irish's dorm room, just as she emerged from within. With a gentle smile, she greeted her, waving her hand in a friendly gesture.

"Introvert-chan, are you going somewhere?"

Startled by Scarlett's sudden appearance, Irish's surprise softened into calm composure as she replied, "No, I was just going for a stroll."

Without missing a beat, Scarlett extended an invitation, suggesting they accompany him for shopping. Irish, taken aback by the unexpected offer, hesitated momentarily before accepting.

"O-okay, It's been a long time since we last went out together."

As Scarlett revealed that four others would be joining them, Irish felt a twinge of disappointment, yet she acquiesced, deciding to join the group nonetheless.

With their party now comprising six members, they set off for the bustling streets of the City of Elysium.

Their first destination was the renowned Armour's shop. The establishment stood tall, its facade adorned with sleek, modern glass panels reminiscent of a bustling metropolis.

The spacious interior beckoned with its grandeur, offering an extensive array of armors and garments tailored for nobility and royalty alike.It was a high class shop for rich peoples.

Upon entering, the shop divided into two sections, meticulously segregated by gender. Despite personal reluctance, I found myself directed towards the female section, while Aoto and Richard ventured into the male domain.

Amidst the racks of ornate armors and regal attire, the princess's excitement bubbled forth as she eagerly suggested an ensemble for me. With enthusiasm, she presented a striking purple plate armor, undoubtedly fashionable with its attached skirt.

However, my aversion to skirts remained steadfast, prompting a polite but firm refusal, unwilling to compromise my personal style.

There's no way I'm gonna wear a skirt, Right?.

After much deliberation, Princess Ingrassia chose a resplendent golden armor, while Irish opted for a striking blue set. Elminia, being a mage, eschewed armor in favor of defensive artifacts.

What I chose?, "Nothing" I choose nothing, my body is sturdy then an armour anyway. Despite my initial reluctance, I eventually succumbed to my friends' insistence and begrudgingly perused the clothing section.

To my surprise, it was filled with modern attire from my own world, likely brought by previous heroes. When I was summoned, Saintess Clare then presented me with a set of jet black cargo pants, a jacket, leggings, and a sports bra, leaving me puzzled about their origin until now.

Initially dismissing my own clothes as cheap, I soon realized their true value upon seeing the exorbitant sky rocket type prices of the modern garments in this world.

Princess calmly explained with a slight smile, "These clothes offer no defense against monsters, but they are exceptionally fashionable. That's why nobles and royals often purchase them for parties and other occasions. Normal people wouldn't even consider buying them. Now, go ahead and select some clothes."

Scarlett leaned in close to the princess's ear, whispering, "I used to be a man, remember? I don't want girly clothes."

With a hint of mockery, she whispered back, "So what? You're a girl now. Enjoy it a little."

She then spoke loudly to Irih, Elminia, "Nova-san is saying she doesn't like girly clothes. Please Give her a little push."

Irish and the others began cheering in front everyone, causing Scarlett to feel embarrassed enough to change her clothes. After trying on a few outfits, she settled on a pair of leggings, a one-shoulder crop top, and a turtle neck crop-top.

As for the choice of the crop top, it allowed for easier movement and provided enough support for her breasts without the need for binding them with bandages.

So she already took off her clothes and wore a one shoulder crop top, leggings and and got the other one packed. She took of her blindfold and wore a heart shaped purple colour Glasses to hide her eyes.

When it came time to pay, the princess offered to cover the cost, but Irish insisted on paying for Scarlett's clothes herself, for reasons unknown to her, except perhaps because they were friends.

As Nova and her friends exited the female section, Richard and Aoto emerged from the male section at the same time. Upon catching sight of Nova-san, Richard's nose began to bleed, forming a lecherous grin on his face.

"Woah! Nova-san, you look even more beautiful in this," Richard exclaimed.

'Beautiful?, I think he is trying to say I look erotic in these outfit.Even though he knows that I was a man. Well what can I do anyway, no matter what I wear, my slutty face and body make it look way too erotic.'

Their next stop was the weapons shop, where they sought out the renowned blacksmith, Sagrika Swordsmith.

As they stepped outside, all eyes seemed to be drawn to Irish, Scarlett and Ingrassia, while Elminia, with her more childlike appearance, went unnoticed.

As they arrived at their destination, the room dazzled with an array of swords, katanas, spears, and more. At the forefront stood the shop's owner, a humble dwarf.

"Welcome, welcome... What can I do for you?" he greeted, his tone as deferential as possible, recognizing the opulence of their attire.

Princess Ingrassia took charge, asserting, "I am Princess Ingrassia. We require high-quality weapons, not the cheap ones scattered around the room."

The dwarf, slightly impressed, chuckled, "Ho...ho...ho, you have quite the discerning eye, young lady. I suspected as much; you all are not ordinary children."

Leading them inside, he pressed a hidden panel on the wall, revealing a secret chamber filled with magical swords, wands, and other rare items.

Eyes sparkling like gems, the group eagerly searched for weapons that suited their preferences. After much deliberation, Princess Ingrassia selected a magic sword adorned with gems, considering her proficiency as both a mage and a swordsman. Aoto opted for a katana with intricate runes engraved upon it.

Elminia chose a wand, Richard settled on a longsword, and Irish surprised asta by also selecting a sword, indicating her hidden talent as a swordsman, evident in her mature and well-trained physique.

Scarlett had been scouring the collection for a suitable sword for quite some time, but none seemed to meet his standards. Everything felt as light as a feather in her hands, until his gaze landed on a massive, imposing heavy sword.

"Hey, Dwarf guy, what kind of sword is this?" Scarlett inquired, noting its formidable size, nearly as tall as Princess Ingrassia herself.

The dwarf hesitated before responding, "Ho...ho...ho... Please choose a different sword, Madam. This one will not suit you."

Madam? Scarlett thought incredulously. 'I'm not that old,' she muttered

Scarlett asked with puzzlement

"Why?"

The dwarf explained, "That sword belonged to a leader of giants who died ten years ago. Despite its significance, no one has purchased it because of its weight.

Even A-rank adventurers struggle to lift it, and S-rank adventurers can barely swing it without exhausting themselves."

Unfazed, Scarlett declared, "Then I'll take this."

As she moved towards the sword, the dwarf moved to intervene, but Scarlett effortlessly lifted the sword with one hand. Though heavier than the others, it felt as light as a wooden stick in his grasp.

"I'm taking this sword," Scarlett announced confidently.

The dwarf was stunned by Scarlett's display of strength, his eyes widening in astonishment and his mouth hanging agape. With a trembling voice, he reluctantly replied, "D-do as you please."

After securing all the necessary items, we made our way back to the academy. Just as we were about to part ways to our respective dormitories, Prince Richard halted us with a declaration.

"Stop everyone, I have something to share," he announced, drawing the attention of the group.

Anticipation filled the air as we turned towards Richard, eager to hear what he had to say.

"It's my birthday the day after tomorrow," Richard revealed, "and I've arranged a party to celebrate. I personally invite all of you to join me."

He then singled out Scarlett, adding, "Especially you, Nova-san. You must come."

Internally sighing at the thought of attending, she understood the implications of declining his invitation. Rejecting the prince's gesture would be seen as disrespectful to his entire country, leaving her with no choice but to accept.

With nods of agreement, they all accepted Richard's invitation before dispersing to thier respective dormitories.

AOTO/ASTA'S DORM ROOM :

As Scarlett and Aoto entered their dorm room, Asta, unaware of the sword's weight, casually tossed it into a corner of the room.

The moment the sword made contact with the ground, the floor cracked and it sank slightly into the ground, unleashing a powerful impact that caused a minor earthquake throughout the academy.

Fortunately, their dorm room was located on the ground floor; otherwise, the sword might have plummeted through to the room below.

Aoto trembled uncontrollably, his breaths shallow and rapid as he exclaimed, "Aackkk... what the hell did you do?"

Scarlett responded with cool indifference with no hint of guilt, "Oops, sorry!"

Still in a state of panic, Aoto continued, "Are you really going to use this sword tomorrow? You might end up killing everyone."

Scarlett reassured him, "Ohh! No, no, no... I just brought it along for safekeeping. Who knows, it might prove useful in defeating the Demon King."

Relieved, Aoto sighed, "Hufff... thank God you're not going to use it."

NEXT DAY: AT AZURE TEMPEST(FOREST)

At the edge of the forest, all the first-year students gathered, arranged in rows akin to Class-A and Class-B formations.

Despite the structured arrangement, all eyes were inevitably drawn to Scarlett, who stood clad in the same clothes she had purchased the day before, but her blindfold replacing his purple glasses.

Standing before the assembled students, a professor stepped forward to address them.

"I am Peneer Breathwate, and I will be overseeing this competition," he announced. "Inside the forest, monsters ranging from E-rank to B+ rank will be roaming. Each of you has a button in your pocket.

If you encounter a monster you cannot defeat or escape from, simply press the button, and you will be teleported out of the forest. However, you will be disqualified from further participation."

He emphasized the importance of teamwork, stating, "That's why this is a team competition. If you fail to acquire any ruin stones, your teammates can obtain them for you. You are free to collect as many ruin stones as you wish and even trade them with your enemies for money or give them as gifts."