A New Skin Acquired (Not Really)

(Place to store your brain)

After leaving the pizza place, it was already three in the afternoon.

"Ma'am, ma'am, could we get a photo with you?"

The moment the two stepped outside, another pair of young people ran over and asked.

The elegant young lady nodded slightly. Having taken countless photos before, she no longer posed with dignified composure this time, instead giving them an adorable wink.

"Ma'am, ma'am, this badge is for you!"

One of the girls who had come for a photo handed Kamisato Ayaka a badge. After the young lady politely thanked her, the girl ran off shyly.

Kamisato Ayaka walked over to Lin Yiyi and asked, "What is this?"

"This is called a badge. It means an emblem, and the image printed on it is called the design."

Lin Yiyi explained. The design showed a white-haired girl with azure eyes and a faint smile.

It was official art merchandise of Kamisato Ayaka herself from Inazuma City.

After a brief pause, Lin Yiyi added, "These are related derivative products designed around you all. They're commonly called merchandise, or merch."

After thinking it over, Kamisato Ayaka deduced, "Aside from this round badge, there are other kinds of merchandise too, right?"

"Yeah, like standees, postcards, and so on."

As the two chatted, they soon arrived at a clothing store.

Lin Yiyi looked over and saw that it was a women's clothing store. He coughed lightly and shifted his gaze elsewhere.

But when he looked at Kamisato Ayaka, he realized that wearing her own clothes was nothing unusual in Inazuma. This was the real world, however, and such clothing was bound to draw strange looks.

"Ayaka, go pick out a couple of outfits," Lin Yiyi said as he looked at the girl. "Our world doesn't have clothes like yours."

"Your hairstyle doesn't matter, though. In cosplay, there's something called a personal interpretation, where people put together outfits however they want."

"But your hairstyle can't be changed. If it is, people won't be able to tell who you're imitating."

Hearing this, Kamisato Ayaka looked troubled. "But if I'm choosing clothes, I don't have this world's currency..."

Lin Yiyi cut her off. "I'll pay for you."

"Huh?" A trace of surprise appeared on the girl's embarrassed face. "Is that really okay? Wouldn't it..."

"It's fine. It won't cost much, and I can afford it."

"Don't worry. I have plenty of money."

After Lin Yiyi talked her into it, the girl finally stepped inside.

The clerk's eyes lit up. "Oh my, welcome, welcome!"

Such a beautiful girl actually came into our store. This must be the blessing I earned over eight lifetimes!

The girl looked around at the clothes hanging in the store. There were all kinds of styles, from wool coats to children's clothing—far too much to take in at once.

Ever since Kamisato Ayaka entered the store, she had been able to feel the clerk's enthusiastic attitude.

"What kind of clothes do you like, miss? Our store has every style!"

Back in Inazuma, she had already grown accustomed to the fervor and affection of others. Naturally, she could handle such situations with ease.

"No need to trouble yourself. I'll just take a look on my own."

The girl replied politely. The smile on her face was always so sweet, like a flower blooming in the morning light, enchanting anyone who saw it.

Lin Yiyi was too embarrassed to enter the store, so he could only wait outside.

Kamisato Ayaka looked around and chose a blue-and-white uniform that resembled an outfit from a collaboration with a certain tea brand.

Carrying the clothes, Kamisato Ayaka was led into the fitting room. It was worth mentioning that her own outfit included a pleated skirt, a cuirass, and all sorts of other pieces, making it extremely troublesome to put on. Taking it off had taken her quite a while as well.

After the second hand of the clock made two full rotations, she opened the fitting room door and examined her new self in the full-length mirror.

Compared to her usual clothes, the clothing in this world was much lighter. The top was a blouse that fit the girl's slender figure perfectly.

On her lower body was a dark gray pleated skirt, exposing her fair, tender-sprout-like calves, which were just as slender.

Simply standing there, she had already become a sight to behold.

"Oh my, little miss, you're absolutely stunning!" The clerk looked her up and down, praise spilling forth like an endless tide.

Kamisato Ayaka always wore a faint smile. "You flatter me. I don't think my appearance is particularly outstanding."

The clerk then checked the price tag and said, "The original price is 298. It's currently on sale at ten percent off. That makes it 268.2 yuan."

Kamisato Ayaka said nothing and instead looked outside the store.

The clerk followed her gaze and spotted a young man standing at the entrance.

He was quite tall, roughly around 180 centimeters. Even from some distance away, he stood there without moving, utterly out of place among the passing pedestrians.

He seemed like someone who did not belong in this world.

"Travel... Lin Yiyi, could I trouble you to pay for this?" Hearing the girl call out, Lin Yiyi turned around and walked straight into the store without a word.

He scanned the code and pressed his fingerprint. Accompanied by the announcement, "WeChat payment received: 268.2 yuan," Lin Yiyi calmly walked back out of the store.

"Oh my, is that your boyfriend? I noticed him earlier. You two really are a perfect match!"

Several clerks teased her. "And he paid for his girlfriend without saying a word. What a good man!"

Teyvat had no such popular expressions, so Kamisato Ayaka naturally did not understand what "boyfriend" or "girlfriend" meant. Guessing that it meant a male friend, she replied, "Yes, he is indeed my boyfriend, though I have not known him for very long."

"Still, I also believe he is someone worthy of trust."

After some small talk, Kamisato Ayaka packed up her own clothes and stuffed them into a bag. Under the meaningful gazes of the store clerks, she and Lin Yiyi strode away.

"Traveler, what does girlfriend mean?"

"...A husband or a wife."

"Huh? Then what does boyfriend mean?"

"Same thing."

"Huh??!!"

"It's a school." Before they knew it, the two had arrived at a high school.

"A school? What is that?" Kamisato Ayaka blinked curiously.

This world was far too different from the Inazuma she knew. She understood nothing about it.

"You learned things like tea ceremony, swordsmanship, etiquette, and so on at home. In our world, aside from studying on your own, you can also come to schools like these, where professional teachers teach you."

Hearing Lin Yiyi's words, a glimmer appeared in the girl's eyes.

For her, being able to learn more was something she had always wished for.

Before she could ask, "Can I go too?" Lin Yiyi had already seen through her thoughts. "No."

The girl looked astonished. "Huh? Why?"

"Going through the relevant procedures is even more complicated than the process foreign merchants had to go through to enter Ritou before Inazuma adopted its isolation policy."

You've got no household registration booklet, no ID card, nothing at all in this world—not even money. How could you possibly get into a school?

Lin Yiyi checked the time. It was already four in the afternoon. Remembering that he had wanted her to bring back a few cups of milk tea, he took Kamisato Ayaka to a milk tea shop.