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"Challenge Udaeus? Right now?"
Tsuna immediately perked up at the mention of the Floor Boss.
"No, no!"
Alise waved her hands quickly.
"This is an important Expedition. If we go challenge a Floor Boss now, we'll completely mess up everyone's rhythm. That's definitely not okay. What Kaguya and I mean is—we, the Astraea Familia, will challenge Udaeus on our way back from this Expedition~."
Sawada thought for a moment. That did make sense. Doing it now would disrupt everything. But if they planned to challenge the Floor Boss on the return trip… should they tell someone about it?
"Alise, why don't you just talk to Finn about it directly?"
"Heehee~ That's exactly why we came to you for help!"
Alise smiled ingratiatingly, rubbing her hands together as she inched closer.
"Kaguya and I both know you made Tiona's and Tione's outerwear using your ability. It's incredibly resistant to both magic and physical damage. So… we were hoping you could make a set for us too."
"I see."
Sawada nodded slightly, now understanding why the two had come. Making protective gear from the Shroud of Turin was certainly possible—but there was something he needed to clarify first.
"Alise, are you sure your whole Familia can wear it? Don't you have that clean-freak elf? If she finds out the clothes were made by me, won't she have some kind of meltdown?"
"Ah…"
Both Alise and Kaguya froze. The same useless elf popped into their minds. Celty wasn't too bad, but Ryuu… that girl wasn't just helpless in daily life—she was also incredibly fussy.
"She should… be fine?"
"Absolutely not." ×2
Their words said one thing, but their hearts said another.
Both Alise and Kaguya were certain that with Ryuu's personality, the moment she learned her clothes were conjured through someone else's ability, her nerves would go taut and she'd instantly enter total rejection mode.
"Then we just won't tell her!"
After a brief pause, Alise and Kaguya came to the same conclusion at once.
"W-wait, not tell her?"
Sawada stared at Alise in disbelief. "You're making her wear something without telling her where it came from?"
"Yup. As long as she doesn't know the truth, it's fine. We'll just say Kaguya and I ordered special protective outfits with our own pocket money before the Expedition."
At that moment, Alise's brain was working at lightning speed.
It was a harmless lie, she told herself. And knowing Ryuu's single-minded nature, she'd never question it too closely.
Is that really going to work?
Sawada couldn't quite believe that such an obvious story would actually fool anyone.
"Don't worry!"
Alise gripped his shoulders, staring into his eyes with full conviction.
"Ryuu's a total idiot—she'll believe it for sure!"
"Exactly."
Kaguya nodded solemnly in agreement, though as she did, she pointed behind Alise—at Alise herself—and made a small circling motion at her temple.
Sawada glanced between them and instantly understood.
"In that case, there's just one more thing."
He extended his hand toward them.
"I'll need your spare clothes. I have to know your exact measurements."
Both women froze, their delicate faces instantly turning pink.
No matter how tough an Adventurer might be, this kind of thing was still embarrassing.
"Is that… really necessary?"
"Of course. You'll be wearing it directly against your skin. Besides, you said you wanted to make it seem like custom-made outfits, right? Would you really order something that doesn't fit perfectly?"
"W-well, when you put it that way…"
Alise and Kaguya couldn't argue.
If they wanted their lie to hold up, even the sizing had to be perfect. If the so-called "custom" clothes didn't fit, even Ryuu's straight-as-a-spear brain might jam for once.
They sighed. There was no way around it. Both of them had to go back to their rooms to fetch their undergarments.
Not just their own, either—there were other teammates involved.
Yes, the others needed to know. No—they had to know. Otherwise, if Ryuu caught even a hint of something strange, they'd all be doomed.
"...Do we really have to hand over even our underwear?"
Lyra's voice shot up before she hurriedly clamped her mouth shut.
"Of course you do," Kaguya said sternly. "We're preparing to challenge a Level 6 Floor Boss. If something goes wrong, do you think this is the time for modesty?"
Still, despite her serious tone, a faint blush dusted Kaguya's cheeks—like the glow of dusk spreading across the sky.
Looks like Kaguya's just as flustered as I am, Lyra thought.
Her gaze shifted toward Alise, whose eyes were darting back and forth, clearly torn between embarrassment and resolve.
Lyra herself wasn't doing much better. The thought of handing over her underwear—and then wearing a full outfit made by Sawada—was mortifying.
Ugh… no wonder Tiona and Tione adore him so much…
Just imagining the scene made her skin crawl, as if invisible hands were tracing across her body.
After a moment's hesitation, she couldn't help but ask,
"Is it really necessary to change everything?"
"Do you think you could take a full swing from Tiona's Urga and still stay in one piece?"
Lyra's eyelids twitched. Clearly, she couldn't.
Tiona's strength was monstrous, and Urga was unbelievably heavy. One clean hit, and Lyra would be split clean in two.
Since Kaguya brought up that example, it meant Sawada's equipment truly could withstand such force. No wonder Alise and Kaguya were begging for his help.
"So… not just the outer layer, huh?"
"Same reason," Kaguya said firmly. "It's about complete protection. Can you tell exactly where you'll be hit in battle?"
"...Fine."
Lyra surrendered. Safety had to come first.
But as soon as she agreed, another realization hit her—there was someone who'd have an even harder time accepting this than she did.
"Ryuu… can we even convince her?"
"...Safety first."
After a long, awkward silence, Kaguya gave her answer.
Lyra understood immediately.