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Shao Yun, bored out of his mind, wandered around inside Chioriya Boutique, taking the opportunity to admire the finished clothes hanging neatly on the racks.
A burst of colorful garments of all styles filled his vision—some steeped in traditional Inazuman flair, others showcasing the distinctive fashion of Fontaine.
Looking at the exquisite clothes before him, Shao Yun muttered, "These clothes really are quite pretty… but would many people from Fontaine actually be willing to walk around wearing Inazuman-style outfits?"
"Mm… what am I even worrying about? This shop isn't mine. Why should I care?"
And so, Shao Yun continued to stroll absentmindedly around the boutique, observing the dazzling array of garments with interest as he patiently waited.
Soon, his gaze landed on several Fontaine-style dresses, and the more he looked, the more tempted he felt.
"Maybe… I should buy a few of these lovely Fontaine-style dresses for Lumine? She'd look absolutely stunning in them! I wonder if she'd like them…" A faint smile of anticipation unknowingly appeared on his face.
With that, he unconsciously leaned in closer, examining the color palettes of the Fontaine dresses in finer detail.
However, the deeper he observed, the more the excitement on his face faded, replaced by faint disappointment and hesitation.
"Sigh… the colors don't really suit Lumine… and this style isn't right for her either…"
Shao Yun let out a soft sigh, shaking his head as he muttered to himself.
"Spending money on something Lumine might not even like… forget it. Besides, they don't suit her…"
Just as Shao Yun—suddenly, the sharp, frantic ringing of the shop's bell, followed by a loud bang, shattered the quiet as the door was forcefully kicked open.
Before he could react, a figure rushed inside.
Startled, Shao Yun turned around—and saw a woman standing there, glaring fiercely at him.
She had chestnut-brown eyes and wore a heavily modified kimono—its originally wide sleeves had been completely cut away, giving it a crisp, sharp look.
Even the hem and train of the kimono had been boldly altered into a layered, puffed skirt.
Her long legs, wrapped in black tights, looked even slimmer and straighter; on her feet were heelless high shoes, each step producing a crisp tap.
But the most eye-catching detail was the yellow Geo Vision hanging at her waist.
Her brown hair was tied up high, secured with a uniquely designed ornamental hairpin that added to her distinctive presence.
"Who are you? How did you get in here? And what did you mean by what you just said!" the beautiful woman demanded sharply.
The sudden outburst sent a jolt through Shao Yun's chest.
Steadying himself, he looked at the woman who had suddenly appeared before him and tried to remain calm and polite. "Hello, may I ask who you are?"
Upon hearing that, the woman let out a cold snort, crossing her arms with clear displeasure as she responded coolly, "My name is Chiori. I'm the owner of this shop."
"So, tell me—who sent you here to cause trouble? Which competitor hired you?"
There were two main reasons why Chiori was treating Shao Yun with such hostility.
First, not long before this, she had just chased away a group of people who came specifically to stir up trouble.
Feeling irritated, she went out to clear her mind—only to return and hear someone inside criticizing her creations. Because the door was still closed, the sound was muffled, and she only caught fragmented phrases like "doesn't suit," "don't waste money," and similar remarks that instantly put her on edge.
Second, upon opening the door, the first thing she saw was Shao Yun standing alone in the shop—while her capable employee, Eloffe, was nowhere to be seen.
This led Chiori to believe that Shao Yun had frightened Eloffe away.
Coupled with the strange aura he naturally carried, Chiori even felt he might have kidnapped her employee.
Shao Yun looked helplessly at the aggressive Chiori before him.
"Competitor? Trouble? What are you talking about? This should be our first time meeting—we have no reason to be enemies…"
Chiori simply crossed her arms again, her expression icy. "Hmph. Those guys who came earlier to mess with me all said the same thing."
She even scoffed disdainfully.
Shao Yun hurriedly raised the box in his hands to show her. "I'm just here to get a damaged piece of clothing repaired. When I came in and saw no one here, I waited…"
Though every word was true, Chiori—having dealt with too many people causing trouble recently—had developed a conditioned suspicion toward anything a stranger said.
So, before Shao Yun could finish, she snapped impatiently, "Enough, enough! Stop making excuses! It's always the same—either complaining my clothes are terrible, or that my service is awful. Can't you people come up with more creative nonsense?"
Hearing Chiori talk complete nonsense, Shao Yun's emotions flared.
"Come on! Do you have persecution mania or something? I'm just an ordinary customer here to get clothes repaired! Where are you getting all these ridiculous ideas?"
"Has everyone living in Fontaine been spoiled mad by Furina or what?!"
Chiori was briefly stunned by the overwhelming aura he exuded—yet this only confirmed her suspicions even more.
"I'll admit it—whoever hired you is far more competent than the last bunch. You're definitely more intimidating."
"But I'm not someone who can be scared so easily! Tell me—where have you taken my employee Eloffe?"
At this point, Shao Yun might as well have been speaking an entirely different language—nothing was getting through to Chiori.
"I'm just here to repair a piece of clothing! I'm a customer, waiting here for someone to come! I'll say it one last time!"
He roared in frustration. If he hadn't promised Lumine to get her clothes repaired, he would have walked out already.
Chiori watched him quietly, almost convinced.
Raising a brow, she glared at him. "Where is Eloffe? If you're truly just a customer, then Eloffe should've come out to assist you."
"But she hasn't appeared at all. How do you explain that?"
"I already instructed Eloffe—if anyone comes to cause trouble, she should run immediately and ensure her safety until I return."
"I've been back for a while now, and Eloffe still isn't here. So… you understand what that implies, don't you?"
Grinding his teeth, Shao Yun responded, "There was no one here when I came in! How would I know where your employee went?!"
But Chiori remained utterly unmoved.
"Hmph. Do you think it's more likely Eloffe abandoned her post, or that your group kidnapped her?"
"Are you people planning to go all-out against me? Normally I should report this to the Gardes, but at this point… it's probably too late…"
With that, Chiori suddenly flicked her wrists—summoning her weapons.
At first glance, they looked like a pair of swords crafted from dismantled tailor's scissors—dual blades.
Holding both blades, she aimed the right-hand sword directly at Shao Yun and barked, "Hand Eloffe over unharmed! Otherwise, don't blame me for showing no mercy…"
"Even if private fighting is illegal, you barged into my shop and kidnapped a hostage. What I'm doing is self-defense. Even if this blows up, they won't throw me into the Fortress of Meropide!"
Facing Chiori's escalating aggression, Shao Yun's eyes widened in disbelief as he snapped back angrily.
"Are you deaf and blind or what?!"
"Has Fontaine been cursed? This is more outrageous than Inazuma during the Sakoku Decree!"
Just as the tension between the two reached its peak—right before they were about to fight—a loud flushing sound came from behind the restroom door in the boutique.
Moments later, Eloffe emerged slowly, clutching her stomach with one hand and supporting herself on the wall with the other.
Her eyes immediately fell on Chiori, who was holding dual swords in a combat stance aimed at Shao Yun.
Utterly confused, she asked, "Chiori… why are you pointing weapons at our customer?"
Chiori froze upon seeing Eloffe walk out.
She instantly stowed her weapons away and rushed to Eloffe's side, anxiously asking, "Eloffe, you scared me half to death! I was worried those awful competitors frightened you—or worse, kidnapped you!"
Yet Eloffe didn't look relieved at all. Her expression remained strained as she spoke slowly, "Chiori… actually, something did happen…"
Chiori's heart leapt into her throat. Eyes wide, she demanded, "What happened?!"
The next second, Eloffe looked on the verge of tears as she whimpered, "Ugh… the Bouillabaisse I had this morning… I think it wasn't fresh. I've been running to the restroom all morning, and my stomach still hurts so badly!"
"I heard a customer asking questions earlier and wanted to respond but…"
Her expression suddenly twisted in agony as she clutched her stomach tightly. A loud grumble echoed from within.
"Ah—no, it's happening again! Chiori, I'm really sorry—I need to run again…"
And with that, Eloffe dashed back into the restroom.
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