The Assassin Girl Who Stayed by My Side in Another World… Somehow Followed Me Back to Modern Japan - Chapter 10: A Necessary Detour

Chapter 10: A Necessary Detour

The only real struggle I had during class was the whole “Rise—Bow—Be seated” routine… while Aira was still sitting on my lap.

But honestly? She was so light that I could just lift her up a little and bow without any problem.

True to her word, she didn’t interrupt the lesson at all. She just sat there, clinging to me quietly.

So yeah—no issues.

…Well, okay. My face burning and my heart pounding so hard I could hear it probably counted as a slight issue.

But that was on me—not her.

“See you later, Hiroto!”

“Yeah. See ya, Honoka.”

With that little exchange, I left school for the day.

Glad things weren’t awkward with Honoka. She talked to me like always, so I guess it all worked out.

“…Just checking, but Aira—did you bring anything from the other world with you?”

Normally—well, not that I really have a “normal” anymore after eight years away—but yeah, under usual circumstances, I’d head straight home after school.

But today was different.

I’d promised to have dinner with Aira.

So, no heading home just yet.

That said, it was still a little early for dinner, so I led us away from the school and found a quiet spot with no one around.

Then I asked her that question.

I figured she was sticking close because she trusted me… so I might as well start asking the important stuff.

“…Just the clothes I’m wearing now.”

Just like I expected, Aira appeared in front of me and gave that answer.

“All right then—let’s go buy you some clothes.”

I couldn’t exactly let her wear the same outfit forever.

And obviously, when I say “clothes,” that includes underwear too.

Same deal—can’t have her wearing the same stuff every single day.

“Really? That’s okay?”

“…Of course it is. I mean, I’m still technically a kid in this world, so we’ll have to stick to cheap stores, but yeah.”

“I’m happy.”

Glad to hear it.

I mean, I raised her, so I kinda expected that response. No way I’d raise a daughter who’s pushy or ungrateful.

That said, clothes in this world are way better quality than anything back in the other one—so even if she was that type, she probably would’ve been satisfied anyway.

“All right, let’s hit a clothing store. Oh, and Aira—you don’t have to stay invisible anymore.”

“Okay. …Can I hold your hand?”

As we started walking side by side, Aira looked up and asked that.

Well… holding hands with your daughter’s pretty normal, right?

“Sure.”

“Yay. I love you, Hiroto.”

“…Yeah. I love you too.”

Of course—as my daughter.

“Hiroto.”

“Hmm?”

“Will you help me pick out clothes?”

“I don’t mind giving advice, but in the end, you’re the one choosing, alright?”

“Okay. But make sure to tell me what you like too, okay?”

“…I’m not picking based on what I like. I’ll just suggest stuff I think would look good on you, alright?”

We kept chatting like that as we walked hand in hand, and before I knew it—we’d arrived at the clothing store.

“Here?”

“Yeah.”

“It’s… really big.”

…Okay, that comment triggered some weird thoughts.

Guess that’s the teenage high school boy in me creeping back out.

No way I’d have reacted like that back when I was in my twenties in the other world.

“We’re going in.”

“…Same with the convenience store—why do the doors open on their own? You said there aren’t any magic tools in this world.”

She pointed at the automatic doors with the hand that wasn’t holding mine, genuinely curious.

“There’s a sensor or something. When it detects people, it opens.”

“?”

She tilted her head, looking up at me—completely confused but still adorable.

Can’t really blame her though—I don’t totally get how it works either.

So I just gave a vague explanation and left it at that.

“Just think of it as one of those ‘that’s just how it works’ things. I don’t really get it either.”

“Okay.”

“For today, just one set of pajamas and one casual outfit, alright? …As for underwear… let’s go with two.”

Since we were planning to eat dinner later too, I had to keep an eye on my wallet.

We’d be buying full outfits—tops and bottoms—so there wasn’t exactly room for a shopping spree.

As Aira stood in front of all the clothes, eyes sparkling like a kid in a candy store, I gave her the rundown… even though it kind of broke my heart to say it.

…Back in the other world, I had money. Plenty of it. I could’ve bought her as much as she wanted, no problem.

But there’s no point dwelling on what could’ve been. That doesn’t help anyone now.