Signs of the war were visible in all parts of the world, including New York City. While most of the city remained intact, there was plenty of visible damage. She passed one of those areas while driving, and she could only turn away at the sight of destroyed buildings that made her think of the skeletal remains of fantasy monsters.
Currently the largest shopping center in New York City, the mall was built up instead of out. Since New York was so crowded, there was no room to build a mall that took up space, so this had been done to conserve the already limited space the city possessed.
The mall was sixty floors high and had just about everything a person could ever think of. There were places to eat, places to shop, places to club, places to play games, hair salons, even dating services and travel agencies. When people talked about traveling out for the evening in New York City, this was where they usually ended up.
Of course, this mall had been built before World War III. It was designed with the idea that hundreds of thousands of people would travel there on the weekends and after work.
While New York City had not been hit by any nuclear missiles because it lacked strategic value, it was one of the hardest hit cities when Mortems Disease spread. An estimated 16.6 million people had died within the first year Mortems Disease swept over the city, literally killing more than half of New York City’s population. Even more died in the following years. With such a sharp decline in the population, the New York City Town Square Mall was, while still heavily populated, nowhere near as busy as the builders had expected.
After parking her car and paying the parking fee, Fayte waited just outside the mall for her friend. Dozens of people walked past her. All of them were bundled up similarly to her, but none of their clothes were quite so ugly nor did anyone else wear a veil. This resulted in many people looking at her as they walked by. She, however, didn’t spare a single one of them so much as a glance.
She was only waiting for about five minutes before a limousine pulled up. It stopped in front of her and the door automatically opened. The inside looked quite spacious, but Fayte didn’t get to see much of it before a tiny figure hopped out.
Susan Forebear looked just as adorable in real life as she did in the game world. She was very tiny, a slip of a woman sanding at about five foot five inches or so. This made her doe-like brown eyes and young face appear even more childish and innocent. At the moment, she was wearing simple jean pants, a name brand t-shirt, a red jacket, and soft brown boots with white fur lining the tops.
“Susan, it’s good to see you outside of the game,” Fayte said with a smile.
“Y-you too, Fayte. I’m glad to see you are doing well… er, relatively speaking, of course,” Susan said, shyly averting her eyes to look at the ground.
Fayte’s smile and gaze became gentle behind her veil as she stepped up and hugged the young girl. Susan had been Fayte’s friend for a few years now, even before Levon declared his intent to marry her, and they had always gotten along well. The shy Susan would often find herself being dragged out to the mall for shopping by the more outgoing Fayte.
Fayte sometimes worried that she was taking advantage of her shy friend, but Susan always assured her that wasn’t the case.
“Miss Susan, I will be sure to pick you up by at least five this evening,” the driver of her limousine said. His name was Sebas. He was Susan’s personal butler and someone that was trusted by Susan’s father. “Be sure to make your way outside a little before then.”
“I understand. Thank you, Sebas,” Susan said.
The driver nodded to her, then again to Fayte, before he entered the limousine and drove off.
“Well, what should we do first?” asked Fayte as she and her friend walked into the mall.
“Er, why don’t we check out that new store that opened up?” asked Susan.
“You mean the store opened by Auspicious Inc.?”
“Yes.”
“Hmm… let’s do that then. I’m curious to see if Euphemia Chrysos has come up with a new clothing line.”
There were already a couple thousand people inside even though it was technically a weekday. The signing of the WWIII Armistice and the creation of the virtual world had changed the face of everyday life. Many people no longer had full-time jobs. They’d dedicate maybe half their time to a job in the real world, while the remainder of their time was spent in the virtual world. Since people could earn money in the virtual world, there was no need to waste all that time working. Some people had even fully dedicated themselves to the virtual world and were now making a living as mercenaries or as part of large guilds run by powerful families. Because of their newfound free time, it wasn’t unusual for the mall to be just as crowded on the weekdays as it was the weekend.
A pair of young twenty-something-year-old men walked past them. They glanced appreciatively at Susan who, although not a knock-out, was simply too cute for words. Then they looked at her. Fayte almost snorted when the first one slammed his own foot into the back of his ankle and stumbled forward. He probably would have smacked face-first into the floor if his friend hadn’t caught him.
“Even when you’re covered in baggy clothes and a veil, you still attract attention,” Susan mumbled.
“It’s only because they never imagined someone would wear such a hideous outfit,” Fayte said with a slight huff. “Now, come on. Let’s check out that store.”
The store in question was called Auspicious Imported. Auspicious Inc. was a British clothing company that had been opened by the Chrysos Family. As one of the largest clothing brands in the world, Auspicious Imported was located in the most bustling part of the mall, and the store interior, while not one of the largest present, was large enough that about five thousand people could enter at any given time.
Of course, brands like Auspicious Imported didn’t rely on the number of customers for their income but the type of customer. While Auspicious Inc. did have several brands that catered specifically to the masses, everything located within this shop catered to the wealthy.
In other words, people like the Dairing and Forebear Families.
“Ugh. G-good afternoon.” The beautiful lady who greeted them only slipped a little when she saw what Fayte was wearing. However, Fayte clearly noticed how her smile became fixed. “Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help you. Also, if you would like to check out Auspicious Inc’s more affordable brands, this mall has our Austerity store on the first floor in the east wing.”
“Thank you.” Fayte ignored the subtle jab. “I believe we are fine for the moment, but we will be sure to call you if we need assistance.”
“Oh. Great,” the woman said like she wasn’t sure what else to say. With a shake of her head, she walked off and went back to the other side of the store, though she occasionally glanced back at Fayte.
“All right. Time to dress you up,” Fayte said as she turned to Susan.
“Huh?! Again?!” asked the startled Susan.
Though she couldn’t see Fayte’s mischievous smile, the young woman still shuddered at the glint in her friend’s eyes.
Fashion was constantly changing with the times, and in this day and age of virtual reality, Cyberpunk fashion had become a major player within the industry. As one of the top ranking and most fashionable brands in history, Auspicious Inc. was constantly keeping up to date on all fashion trends. Shirts with angel wing cutouts. Ombre-shirts with blood red dye that gradiated to black. Industrial pants with neon biohazard symbols imprinted on the hips. Fayte was particularly enamored with the avant-garde kimono jackets.
“F-Fayte… I don’t think this looks very good on me…”
“What are you talking about? You look adorable.”
“D-do you really think so? I don’t know…”
“Of course I think so. Would I ever lie to you?”
“W-well… I guess not…”
“Haaaah. You are just too cute, Sue.”
After searching the store for a little under five minu
tes, Fayte selected an article for Susan to wear. It was a crop hoodie with removable bonrage straps. It was black but possessed hot pink straps that crossed around the back. Fayte also chose a black shirt that showed off some of Susan’s chest. The young woman’s chest wasn’t very big, so there wasn’t much there to show, but it worked well with the hoodie. The shirt also revealed some of her flat stomach, which was nice and toned from her yoga classes. She finished off the outfit with small shorts and fluffy leg warmers with a similar hot pink color scheme.
“I don’t think… Daddy will approve of this outfit,” Susan muttered as she looked at herself.
“Maybe not, but I don’t think he will say no either. We both know how much he dotes on you.” Fayte studied the girl for a moment and nodded several times. “I was right. You look great in this.”
Susan pouted, but that just made her look like an adorable chipmunk to Fayte.
Fayte also tried on several outfits. Even though she was unlikely to ever wear them in public, she still had an interest in fashion and wanted to see how she looked in them. The astonished look on the store clerk’s face when she removed her veil and ugly jacket had also been priceless.
She briefly wondered if Adam would enjoy seeing her in these outfits, but she shook that thought off. Adam had Aris. While Fayte was confident in her own appearance, she knew her looks would not sway him away from such a cute lover—and she didn’t think she wanted to break those two up. Ever. She saw from their interactions how much Adam loved Aris. Trying to interfere in their relationship was a sin she would never commit.
“Fayte, are you okay?” Susan asked.
“Huh?”
Startled, Fayte looked at Susan and realized she was still standing outside the changing room. She was wearing a cyborg loincloth with straps, a cleavage revealing black shirt with a diamond cutout in the center, and a pointed hood made of leather. The shirt stretched across her chest, which was large even though she wore a sports bra. The fishnet tights also covered her long legs, which ended in a pair of leather boots with a lot of buckles.
“I asked if you were okay?” Susan looked concerned as she peered into Fayte’s eyes. “You started talking about something and then spaced out. You had… a really sad look on your face.”
Realizing she’d been lost in thought, Fayte shook her head and smiled. “I’m fine. Thank you for being concerned.”
“O-of course. We’re friends, after all.” Susan offered her a shy smile that she returned.
Because it was considered poor taste to window-shop at Auspicious Inc., Susan ended up buying the outfit Fayte had dressed her in. Fayte was certain she’d hide it in her closet and never let her parents find out, but then Susan would secretly wear it when no one else was home. Her friend’s closet had several such outfits stuffed inside a hidden compartment.
After shopping, Susan and Fayte went down to the food court and got something to eat. They could have gone to an expensive restaurant like the Phoenix Roast, but neither of them was the type to appreciate extravagant food. It reminded them too much of the parties they were often forced to attend by their parents.
That was why they got simple hamburgers from Mack & Jack.
Because Fayte wore a veil and had no intention of removing it, eating was a little difficult. She moved the veil to one side so her mouth was visible and took small bites, then chewed thoughtfully after the veil fluttered around her face, and then repeated the process all over again. Several patrons sitting at other tables gave her weird looks, but those were nothing compared to the looks she received when she went without the veil.
“By the way, did you hear about what Adam did?” asked Susan, for once speaking very animatedly. “He just acquired Age of God’s first hidden class! It was announced a little before I arrived at the mall.”
“I did not hear about that.” Fayte blinked. “I haven’t gone onto Age of Gods today or looked at any of the forums. Wait. Were you playing?”
“J-just a little,” Susan admitted sheepishly.
Fayte sighed and scratched the back of her head. “I should have guessed. You feel a lot more at ease in the virtual world than you do in the real one, huh?”
“Th-that isn’t true,” Susan muttered, though she looked away when Fayte continued to stare at her.
“It’s okay,” Fayte said softly. She reached out and patted her friend’s hand. “I understand how you feel. I feel much more powerful in the virtual world than I do in the real one.”
Susan didn’t respond at first, but then her eyes grew a bit distant as she said, “It is a lot easier to live in the virtual world. I sometimes wish… I could live there instead of here.”
“Agreed.”
As they were eating lunch, several nearby tables stopped talking. Fayte frowned when she noticed this, but she didn’t pay much attention… not until Susan released a soft squeak and looked at something behind her.
“Is that you, Fayte? You’re dressed… differently,” a voice said.
Fayte was glad she wore a veil. It meant no one could see the way she was gritting her teeth. The baggy clothing also hid the way her entire body had stiffened. It was only because her face was hidden that she turned in her seat and looked at the young man standing before her.
Even Fayte would admit that Levon Pleonexia was an attractive man. His tall stature and well-developed physique were the kind people could only enjoy if they had good breeding. It was the result of countless generations of beautiful people producing children with other beautiful people. His light brown eyes were dark and smoldering, carrying a sharp intellect. He wore a faint smirk, which appeared arrogant, but was something he wore quite well. Soft peach skin. Thin lips. A perfectly straight nose and a strong jawline. A titanium white mohawk that was styled just so.
Like the last time she had seen him, Levon wore a black suit with leather straps and a duster that traveled down just past his knees. It was obviously an expensive outfit. She could see the fine quality of the leather, the articulate designs stitched into each article. If she had to give the outfit a name, she would called it a cyberpunk business suit.
“Levon… we had an agreement,” Fayte said, her tone flat.
Levon raised his hands in an “I surrender” gesture. “Don’t be like that. I haven’t forgotten our agreement. Until one of us wins the bet, we will not see each other. I honestly didn’t know you would be here, so I was just a little shocked when I saw you and noticed your… unique choice in clothes. As you can see, I’ve been out shopping.”
At this, Levon gestured to the woman standing between two men. The woman was beautiful, with dark skin, bright eyes, and long straight hair. In her hands was a small package with the logo to a well-known American clothier brand.
“I see.” Fayte’s voice was still flat. “Well, it looks to me like you still have some shopping to do. Please do not let me stop you.”
Fayte did not narrow her eyes, or give any indication that she had seen it, but how could she not notice the simmer in Levon’s gaze at her blunt dismissal? Of course, she also noticed the way the woman’s nostrils flared in anger. The two men did not react, but they were just hired hands designed to look intimidating. That woman was the real danger.
“Very well. I apologize for disturbing your meal with your friend.”
While Levon’s voice was polite, there was an undercurrent of anger, but no one else would have noticed it. The polite smile on his face had not changed. He nodded once to her, then again to Susan. Then he turned around and left. Fayte waited until he was gone before turning back to Susan.
“I’m sorry, Fayte,” Susan said in a morose voice. “I should have checked to make sure he wasn’t here. I would have chosen another mall if I’d known.”
“This isn’t your fault, Su.” Fayte reached out and placed her hand over her friend’s hand. She squeezed it once reassuringly. “You can’t keep track of someone’s location all the time. That would exhaust you. What happened just now as merely an unfortunate accident.”<
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She did not believe for one second that Levon was just “out shopping.” He never went out shopping for himself since he had dozens of servants who could do it for him. He had probably found out she was here because someone had seen her shopping at Auspicious Imported, called him, and he did some shopping to make this whole incident seem coincidental. That was the only explanation that made sense.
Susan bit her lower lip before eventually nodding. Fayte couldn’t stop the pained smile that appeared on her face. It made her glad for the veil. She knew her friend would take what happened personally, but she wished the girl would accept that no one was perfect.
They eventually finished their late lunch, spent some more time walking around the mall, and then went their separate ways.
“Oh, thank you! Thank you so much for delivering this to me! Now my son can be saved!”
“You’re welcome, Mr. Mayor. Can you let go of my hand now?”
Adam couldn’t stop a stiff smile from forming on his face as the mayor of Watershore profusely shook his hand and shed tears of joy. He didn’t believe there was anything wrong with a man shedding tears, but there was just something disturbing about a man dripping water and snot all over the place. Worse still, this man had been shaking his hand for the last five minutes.
Titania wore something of a smirk as she watched this interaction, while Kureha sounded like she was yipping with laughter. He tossed them both a mild glare. This was not funny.
“Ah. My apologies, young hero.” The mayor finally stopped shaking his hand and took a step back. At least he had the decency to look embarrassed. “I was so overcome with joy that I couldn’t contain myself.”
Adam sighed. “It’s fine. Anyway, about that reward…”
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