Chiori was taken aback. She naturally knew this famous Champion Duelist of Fontaine and was aware that Clorinde, who frequently attended formal occasions, could not possibly lack a dress.
She looked at Clorinde and asked in confusion, "Are you planning to..."
"I also need to attend a banquet tonight, and I just happen to need a dress."
Clorinde made up an excuse. In truth, she had plenty of dresses; she just saw King trying on clothes and wanted to change into a matching 'master-disciple' outfit herself.
Clorinde's words made Chiori pause for a moment, then she realized.
Looking at Clorinde's slightly reddened cheeks and her gaze drifting toward the fitting room curtain, Chiori's feminine intuition suddenly made her understand everything.
"Of course we have some, Miss Clorinde."
Chiori's nervousness was replaced by a touch of gossipy excitement. "You have exquisite features, a cool and elegant temperament, and a volu... cough, perfect figure. You can pull off many styles. Do you want something sharp and handsome? Or something more elegant and magnificent?"
Clorinde's gaze swept over the ready-to-wear garments, then looked at the curtain King had entered, seemingly trying to find some sense of coordination to form a 'master-disciple' outfit.
She hesitated for a moment and pointed to a black dress that was from the same series as the black suit King had chosen, but clearly designed for women. The hem design was simple, and the cut perfectly accentuated the figure while carrying a hint of valiancy.
"Let's try that one."
Clorinde tried to keep her tone calm, but the tips of her ears were slightly red.
"Excellent taste! This outfit is called 'Night Starry Glow.' It's made from the same fabric as the suit Mr. King chose, and the designs echo each other."
Chiori nimbly took down the dress, handed it to Clorinde, and pointed to another fitting room. "After you."
Clorinde took the dress, glanced again at the curtain where King was still hidden, and walked quickly into the fitting room.
Lynette watched all this quietly. Her cat ears twitched slightly, but she remained expressionless, silently retreating to a lounge chair in the corner to stand, like a truly dutiful maid.
After a while, the curtain on King's side was pulled open.
He stepped out.
The simple black suit fit him perfectly, highlighting his broad shoulders, narrow waist, and tall stature. The expensive fabric shimmered with a restrained luster under the shop lights. Although there were no redundant decorations, it carried a calm yet overbearing aura. His originally fierce and indifferent face, set against this formal attire, gained a few more degrees of sharp majesty, as if he were a young emperor wielding absolute power.
Chiori's eyes lit up instantly.
She had been in the clothing business for many years and had seen countless people try on clothes, but few could achieve such a shocking effect with a seemingly simple black suit like the man before her.
It wasn't the clothes enhancing the person, but the person giving the clothes a soul.
It wasn't a deliberate pose, but a powerful aura originating from within that inadvertently leaked out.
"Too... too perfect!"
Chiori couldn't help but praise in a low voice, her eyes full of admiration.
Just then, the fitting room curtain on Clorinde's side also opened.
She stepped out.
The black long dress perfectly hugged her proud figure. The off-the-shoulder design highlighted her delicate collarbones and smooth neck line. The cinched waist made her waist look as though it could be held in one hand, while the skirt flared slightly from below the hips, being both elegant and not overly cumbersome.
At this moment, Clorinde was like a black pearl that had suddenly shed its hard shell, emitting a cold yet dazzling brilliance.
Especially that full, bursting bust tightly wrapped by the dress—it drew everyone's attention.
Clorinde subconsciously looked at King first. When her eyes met his, her heart skipped a beat. She struggled to maintain her composure and asked, "Lord King, what do you think... of this set?"
King's gaze lingered on her for a moment, and countless unbroadcastable images flashed through his mind... It had to be said, Clorinde was indeed an extremely charming woman; she could pull off any kind of clothing.
He nodded and gave an honest evaluation: "Very good."
Clorinde had heard countless compliments from men, but they only made her feel annoyed.
At this moment, King's incredibly simple praise filled her heart with joy, and her cheeks began to heat up again.
However, she had only worn the dress for less than three minutes before a problem arose.
Because this dress was ready-made and not custom-tailored, and Clorinde's figure was simply too'superior.'
Clorinde tried taking two steps, wanting to display her charm more naturally while adjusting her nervous breathing.
The moment she inhaled and puffed out her chest—
*Boing!*
An incredibly clear sound of something snapping rang out.
Following that, *Whoosh—Snap!*
Several small, exquisite pearl buttons, like small stones fired from a Slingshot, shot out from the chest of Clorinde's dress. They traced several short arcs and then... unerringly, all of them hit Chiori right on the forehead while she was focused on choosing accessories for King!
"Ow!"
Chiori cried out in pain.
Even more awkwardly, because the buttons had snapped off, the fabric of Clorinde's dress front instantly lost its key restraint and snapped open to both sides, revealing a breathtaking expanse of snowy white and a deep cleavage.
"!!!"
Clorinde froze entirely, her mind went blank. The color drained from her face, then surged back, turning it bright red, spreading all the way to the base of her neck. Her cheeks were hot enough to fry an egg.
She hurriedly tried to cover up with her hands, but it was useless; a mere two hands could not completely block her excellent figure.
Chiori clutched her forehead, also stunned. She looked at the buttons that had flown off, then at the rigid Clorinde, at a total loss for words.
Lynette still had no expression, but her cat ears suddenly stood bolt upright, and she quickly turned her head the other way, pretending to study the patterns on the wall.
King: "..."
He hadn't expected this sudden situation either. His gaze was inevitably drawn to that momentary'scenery'—after all, he was a normal male. But he immediately averted his eyes and turned to the nearby clothes rack, as if he had suddenly developed a deep interest in the fabric on it, though the corner of his mouth hooked up imperceptibly.
Clorinde's'strength'... is just too powerful, isn't it?
A deathly silence fell over the shop, leaving only the sound of Clorinde's increasingly heavy, ashamed, and indignant breathing.
A few seconds later, King cleared his throat, breaking the suffocating awkwardness.
"...Cough."
"The outfit Manager Chiori recommended is good, let's go with this one."
After saying that, King naturally reached out to touch his wallet—then his movement suddenly froze.
It's over.
King: "..."
Grass (just a type of plant).
How did I forget about this again!
He was penniless right now! Just now, he was so busy trying on clothes and 'looking at the scenery' (?) that he had completely put this matter out of his mind!
At this moment, King desperately wished for another Fatui Harbinger who didn't know the meaning of death—like La Signora—to rush out and pick a fight with him.