"Rimuru, these are your identification documents, the proof of share transfer, and the adoption papers. The estate tax has already been declared. All you have to do is sign here, and it's all yours."
Pepper Potts laid the various documents out in front of Rimuru, her feelings more complicated than ever.
The poor, adorable little thing she had seen him as had somehow become her boss. Tony had also adopted Rimuru in name, and now Rimuru was Stark Industries' little princess-or perhaps its little prince.
She had thought that was the end of it, but Tony felt that Rimuru was still wearing those ill-fitting clothes, which really hurt Stark Industries' image. He had originally planned to have someone make some custom clothes for him, but Pepper's eyes had lit up, and she had immediately taken the task upon herself.
Seeing the excitement in Pepper's eyes, Rimuru was seized by a bad feeling.
He looked at the documents in front of him, then at Tony Stark beside him, whose face seemed to say, "Sign it already, I'm dying to see what happens next." Finally, his gaze returned to Pepper Potts, who seemed to have entered some kind of "battle mode," her eyes gleaming.
That bad feeling grew stronger and stronger.
"Go ahead and sign, sweetheart." Tony leaned back in his comfortable chair, a glass of whiskey in hand. His tone was as casual as if he were telling him to try a cookie.
"The legal procedures are all done. You're a member of the Stark family now. Though that sounds a bit like a villainous family's declaration, trust me, our benefits aren't bad."
Rimuru sighed, picked up the pen, and signed his name in each designated spot. The scratch of the pen across the paper sounded unusually clear at that moment. As soon as he finished signing each document, Pepper briskly took it away, checked it for errors, and placed it in a brand-new folder.
When the last document was signed, Pepper gave him a professional smile that could only be described as "radiant." But Rimuru couldn't shake the feeling that some kind of "plan" aimed at her lay hidden behind that smile, one she couldn't yet understand.
"Perfect!" Pepper closed the folder. "That takes care of all the legal matters. Welcome to Stark Industries officially, Miss Rimuru-or should I say, young Miss Stark?" She looked to Tony for guidance on how to address him.
Tony shrugged. "Whatever she likes. Just leave the title of boss to me."
Before Rimuru could process the subtle feeling the name "young Stark" gave him, Pepper had already moved swiftly on to the next item on the agenda.
"Now, next is the matter of your image." Pepper's tone turned professional and brisk. She produced a tablet from somewhere and swiped rapidly across it. "Tony was right. You can't... uh, keep wearing these obviously ill-fitting clothes, with fabric that's... very ordinary, to any occasion where the public or the media might see you. This concerns Stark Industries' overall image, as well as your personal comfort and safety."
She turned the tablet toward Rimuru. It already displayed a densely packed list and pages from several fashion brands. "I've drafted a few preliminary plans, taking into account your age, your new identity, and the occasions you might attend. Although Tony probably won't take you to any charity dinners right away, we have to plan ahead. We need to cover casual everyday wear, comfortable clothes for home, outfits for more formal occasions, and of course, sportswear suited to your activities..."
Rimuru looked at the children's clothes-or perhaps teenagers' clothes, as she was a little uncertain about her physical age-that looked expensive even at a glance. As terms like "haute couture," "limited edition," "exclusive materials," and "designer collaborations" kept pouring out of Pepper's mouth, she felt a little dizzy.
"Um, Pepper, I actually think ordinary clothes would be fine. And why are all these clothes for girls?"
"No." Tony and Pepper cut her off in unison.
Tony swirled his glass. "You're now my, Tony Stark's, child in the eyes of the law. If you dress like a street urchin-no offense to how you looked before-people will think I've gone bankrupt, or that I'm a child-abusing bastard. Either would be a blow to the stock price and my reputation."
Pepper added, her tone gentle but firm, "Rimuru, this isn't just about luxury or showing off. The right clothes are a kind of armor, especially in our circle. They can spare you a lot of unwanted attention and trouble."
Her eyes lit up again. "Choosing the right clothes for you and making sure they're both attractive and practical is my responsibility. Trust me. As for the girls' clothes, we're just trying them out."
Seeing the light in Pepper's eyes, a mixture of responsibility, maternal instinct, and a powerful urge to shop, Rimuru wisely swallowed the rest of her objections. She had a feeling Pepper was pulling the wool over her eyes; resisting would not only be useless, but might also escalate the matter into an even grander "dress-up storm."
"All right." Rimuru compromised, deciding to focus his energy on the parts that might still be open to negotiation. "Then could we not have too many dresses? And nothing too pink and cutesy."
Pepper's fingers paused on the tablet, and she looked thoughtful. "Considering your need for freedom of movement and your personality, we can reasonably reduce the proportion of dresses and focus on trousers and styles that are easy to move in. As for colors, we can use navy, dark green, black, white, and metallic shades as a base, with some brighter accents. We need to reflect Stark's technological edge while keeping the youthful energy appropriate for your age. Tony, what do you think of a silver-blue palette? Combined with some smart fibers, perhaps it could interact with her potential abilities?"
Tony stroked his chin. "Sounds good. Make sure to add some basic protective features. JARVIS can help design the lining. Oh, and don't forget accessories-simple, but with a technological edge. The shoes have to be the most comfortable ones. I don't want to hear complaints about sore feet."
"They're already on the list. Now then, Rimuru..." Pepper put away the tablet, smiling warmly.
"At ten tomorrow morning, a few designers and tailors will come to take your measurements and have an initial consultation. This afternoon, we can start with some basic measurements and discuss your style preferences. You just need to cooperate. Leave the rest to me."
Rimuru looked at Pepper, who had arranged everything in an instant, then at Tony beside her, who had already begun enthusiastically discussing "the possibilities of smart clothing interfaces" with JARVIS. Suddenly, he felt that the first lesson in becoming the Stark family's little princess or little prince might be letting them package him as Stark Industries' new spokesperson or mascot.
Looking at the long, densely packed list, Rimuru felt a little regretful. Can someone come save me?
Rimuru silently prayed that Pepper's idea of fun didn't include dressing her up as a walking lace bow or a glowing Christmas tree.