Heroine-Saving System: Reborn In A Third-Rate Manga As The Protagonist-Chapter 82: Shopping

"So... why are we in this luxurious place?" Nami asked as they stood outside a very luxurious boutique clearly meant for the wealthy elite.

It honestly wasn’t located that far from Star Mansion... maybe fifteen minutes by car. She’d driven past this area countless times but had never actually seen this place close up, their clothes and items in general were absurdly costly.

"To buy stuff." Koya said with a sigh as he looked at the two middle school girls who were happily eating their ice cream cups in the back seat. "I’ll get gifts for all of the girls at the mansion."

He honestly just wanted to spend a whole lot of money and get something for Hakai too.

Since she was rich beyond measure, she didn’t need much or anything at all really. However, he wanted to get her a proper gift. Just because he was using her money didn’t mean he couldn’t be thoughtful about it.

"This is too costly... we should go over to the—"

"I think it’s cheap enough." He clicked his tongue at those words.

Never in his entire life had he imagined splurging money like this, but he had to. Hakai had given him explicit orders. "Are any of you interested in coming along? What about you, Mio? Is there anything you want? You did help during the attack after all."

"I..." Mio stuttered from the driver’s seat.

She didn’t know what to say... she had plenty of money from Order missions. However, wouldn’t it be better if Koya bought her a gift personally?

’What am I even thinking...?’

"I don’t—"

Her mouth paused mid-sentence and her hair flicked unnaturally for a second.

"Yes Koya-kun, let’s go around the aisles together and I’ll choose something I want." Mio said without her own volition, the words coming out automatically.

Koya turned back, giving her a nod. "Good."

He turned to the two middle schoolers in the back. "Do you guys want something too? Like new clothes, Reona?"

"I have enough clothes, Onii-chan. And if I didn’t, I’d just wear your shirts... they’re big enough to cover me." Reona said with a smile that could melt the coldest hearts.

Koya averted his face forward while reaching for the car door handle. "You’re still buying new clothes. Kuu... if you want, I’ll buy some for you too. What about you, Nami?"

Nami took a deep breath. She didn’t like shopping in really expensive places... it felt out of her element, honestly. However, this could be a perfect opportunity to do what she’d wanted to do back in that gymnasium restroom before everything went to hell.

She nodded her head. "Fine... but you have to pick for me."

He nodded in agreement.

There were about six luxury cars already in the parking lot and theirs was the seventh vehicle there. It looked noticeably cheaper compared to the others, though. The girls made their way out and they walked in the direction of the main building entrance.

"Be careful and don’t spill ice cream on the floor once we’re inside," Koya said.

The two girls nodded obediently. However, Reona immediately shook her cup playfully and a dollop of vanilla cream dropped straight to the ground.

Koya glared at her. "Like I said... once we’re inside, be careful."

"No need to worry, Koya-kun." Mio said as she positioned herself behind the two girls protectively. "I’ll handle them and make sure they get what they want. You can go ahead with, uh... Nami-chan too."

"Are you sure?" Nami was the one who asked. This gave her quality alone time with Koya, which was exactly what she wanted.

Mio confirmed it with a firm nod. "Sure, I don’t really mind. You can find gifts for the other girls like that too."

Inside her head, Pale was absolutely screaming.

Pale was a goddess. As the vessel, Mio had a contract which gave the other entity control over the body as long as one permitted it.

There were things like Force Switches... taking control without permission however once someone initiated a force switch, they wouldn’t be able to do it again for several months. The cooldown was that severe.

"Nooo!!! You’re ruining the perfect progress we made!" Pale shouted at the back of Mio’s consciousness. "Let me take over! I’ll seduce him properly!"

Mio shook it off mentally. ’Absolutely not.’

"Alright then, we’ll split off and I’ll pay at the counter when we’re done," Koya said.

They reached the front entrance and immediately, the glass doors automatically slid open with a soft pneumatic hiss.

The two middle school girls watched in wide-eyed awe as they entered the pristine interior. A set of professionally dressed maids were positioned strategically at the entrance, all wearing perfectly tailored uniforms.

They smiled warmly and bowed in perfect synchronization.

"Welcome to La Belle Étoile, honored guests. We hope to serve you to the absolute best of our abilities." They said joyfully with practiced elegance.

Koya looked at them carefully. He had to admit... these women looked really attractive in their maid uniforms.

The outfits were tasteful but form-fitting, clearly expensive custom designs.

However, Nami bumped her shoulder against his arm sharply and he looked down at her.

"Stop looking... pervert." Her cheeks reddened with obvious jealousy. He glanced at the other girls in his group... Mio and even Reona were giving him pointed looks.

Had he been staring too intensely? One of the head maids rose from her bow, and her chest bounced noticeably with the movement.

Both Nami and Mio immediately lost confidence, glancing down at their own comparatively modest figures.

"Honored guests... if I may ask, what specific items are you interested in acquiring from our humble establishment?" The head maid asked professionally.

Koya placed a hand on his chin, thinking.

Mio spoke up first, voice slightly rushed. "I want to browse some clothes... with these two girls."

She wanted nothing more than to steer away from Koya right now, despite the increasingly loud shouts from Pale echoing in her head.

"Allow me to accompany you, young mistresses." A maid said, stepping forward gracefully.

She noticed the ice cream cups. "Drinks and food items cannot be taken into the shopping aisles... however..."

She tapped a section of the pristine wall. A whole compartment popped out smoothly which was a hidden storage holder with perfect temperature control.

She placed the ice cream cups with their lids inside, and they merged back into the wall seamlessly.

"Those are our specialized wall storage units. You don’t need to worry about theft or melting. They’ll be perfectly preserved."

"Cool!" Kuu and Reona said simultaneously, eyes sparkling with wonder.

They were soon led away with Mio by two dedicated maids toward the clothing section, then Koya turned to the head maid who looked at him with a small professional smile.

"I want to get different gifts for different girls in my household. Not everything has to be clothes... I’ll also need expert recommendations based on personality types."

"I see... if you can describe the temperament and preferences of these young ladies, then I can recommend the optimal gifts for you, Master." She said with a respectful bow.

The other maids had already begun clearing out, giving them privacy.

"That’s great, let’s get to—ow." Nami pinched his side sharply.

He looked at her questioningly. "What?"

"Can we go to the clothing section first? I want to get something specific." Her voice was quiet but determined.

"Of course, Mistress. What category would you prefer?" The maid asked politely.

"Swimwear. Bikinis specifically." Nami spoke confidently despite her reddening cheeks. Both Koya and the maid gave her surprised looks.

...

The swimwear section was absolutely massive... an entire wing of the boutique dedicated solely to beach and pool attire.

Rows upon rows of designer bikinis in every conceivable style, color, and material lined the pristine white shelves.

Soft ambient lighting made everything look expensive and desirable. There were a few other women browsing... all clearly wealthy based on their designer handbags and jewelry.

The head maid walked alongside them, gesturing professionally. "Our swimwear collection features pieces from premier designers across the supercities. We have everything from classic two-piece designs to more avant-garde styles."

She pointed to different sections as they walked.

"Here we have our conservative collection with higher coverage, elegant patterns, and they’re very suitable for family beach outings. These pieces feature modest cuts with sophisticated color palettes and tasteful embellishments."

They moved to the next aisle.

"This section contains our athletic performance line that’s designed for actual swimming and water sports. Chlorine-resistant materials, reinforced stitching, hydrodynamic cuts. It’s very popular with competitive swimmers and fitness enthusiasts."

Further down.

"And here..." The maid’s voice took on a slightly different tone. "Our designer luxury collection. These pieces prioritize aesthetic appeal and fashion-forward designs. Limited production runs, exclusive materials, and celebrity-endorsed styles."

The bikinis in this section were genuinely stunning with intricate patterns, premium fabrics, and some even had genuine jewelry accents.

As Koya pushed the provided shopping cart and walked through the aisle, he noticed the other women shopping were definitely giving him looks.

One particular woman in her mid-thirties wearing expensive perfume actually bit her lower lip while looking at him appreciatively.

He blinked. ’Am I really that attractive? Or is it just unusual to see men shopping here?’

Nami immediately noticed and took hold of his hand possessively.

The head maid bowed. "I’ll be stationed just outside the aisle if you need any assistance. Please take whatever catches your interest and place it in the cart."

She left them alone.

Koya looked around at the overwhelming selection of bikinis hanging on displays. "Which style do you prefer?"

Nami released his hand and walked over to one hanging on a mannequin... it wore a simple white two-piece with minimal design.

She held it up. "Would this look good on me?"

He examined it critically and shrugged. "It doesn’t really have much design or personality. Pretty plain, honestly."

She nodded, accepting the feedback, and moved to the next option. This one was far better... a deep blue two-piece with elegant gold accent trim and a halter-style top.

It was much more sophisticated.

He nodded approvingly. "That one’s nice."

She took it off the display rack and held it against her body, examining herself in a nearby mirror then she looked back at him. "Would you... like to see it on me? To make sure it fits properly?"

He nodded. "Yeah, makes sense to try it on first."

They walked toward the changing room area at the back of the section. Koya stood outside the private changing stall as Nami went inside and pulled the curtain closed.

He heard the soft sounds of clothes being removed and fabric rustling. While waiting, his mind wandered.

’I wonder if I could access more of Hakai’s abilities if we had sex more frequently? Or would I be able to use Royal magic if I slept with Hakua...?’

He shook his head immediately. ’No. I’m not a pervert.’

「You are absolutely a pervert.」

The System notification appeared in his vision.

’I am NOT—’

Before he could mentally argue back, he heard the sound of the curtain parting slightly.

"Koya-kun?" Nami’s voice was quiet and hesitant. "Can you... help me on the inside? I can’t get the clasps fastened properly."

Koya blinked. "Why would I come inside when this is clearly a women’s changing—"

"I’m giving you permission." She interrupted firmly. "I need help... please."

He looked around the empty changing area, then let go of the cart and entered through the curtain gap.

Upon entering, her back was facing him completely. She was half-naked with the bikini bottoms already on and fitting perfectly but the top piece was being held up by her hand against her chest.

Her skin was smooth, pale, and flawless with no tan lines.

Koya swallowed. "What exactly do you need help with?" 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

She bit her lip, not turning around. "I can’t get the bra part fastened properly. The clasp mechanism is confusing. Can you assist me?"

She released her hand slightly, letting the bikini top settle into position, and raised both arms to hold her hair up and out of the way.

Koya stepped closer, examining the clasp system at the back.

It was actually a fairly complex hook-and-loop design with adjustable straps.

He began working on it carefully threading the clasp through the small metal loops. It was better than Hakai’s bra though.

As they stood there in the small enclosed space, Nami spoke quietly. "Koya-kun... do you really not like me that way?"

His fingers fumbled slightly with the strap adjustment. "Why would you ask me that question?"

Nami bit her lip harder.

"I was the first girl who helped you, who took care of Reona and who was there before any of these other women showed up. So... who are all these girls suddenly in your life?"

Koya continued working on the clasp. "You’re my helper in KCAC and Reona’s friend... You’re important to both of us."

"What if..." She pressed her ass back against his crotch deliberately. "What if I wanted to be more than that?"

Koya froze for a moment, genuinely stunned then he pulled up her affection status with the System mentally.

「Name: Nami」

「Affection: 60」

’How did I never notice it was that high?’

He smiled slightly and reminded her with gentle teasing, "You know you’re older than me, right?"

She looked back over her shoulder, meeting his eyes directly. "Didn’t you fuck an older woman just yesterday?"

He grinned, feeling very confident. "If we did it... I’m not sure you could handle it. Hakai’s awakened and you’re human."

She smirked back at him challengingly. "You should try me and find out."

Koya had genuinely grown far more confident after completely satisfying Hakai in bed last night.

’Fuck, I completely forgot about opening my Mystery Boxes.’ he thought suddenly.

But before either of them could make another move...

"Excuse me!" The head maid’s voice called from outside the curtain. "It is against store policy for both a man and a woman to occupy a changing stall simultaneously!"

Nami paled, they’d been caught. She could swear this maid was deliberately trying to cockblock her.

Koya quickly exited the stall, adjusting his jacket.

The maid stood outside with her arms crossed. "The policy was implemented because several years ago, a couple was caught engaging in... inappropriate activities inside a changing room. It’s a liability issue."

Soon Nami emerged with the bikini over her body.

"How does it look?" she asked, somewhat deflated.

The bikini was absolutely perfect for her figure... it shaped her breasts properly and her hips too and he swore he could see the curve of her ass.

He gave her an enthusiastic thumbs-up. "Looks great. Definitely get this one."

The maid suddenly pressed her hand against her nose and small drops of blood leaked between her fingers.

"I apologize!" She turned and ran off, clearly embarrassed while both Koya and Nami stood there wondering what the hell just happened.

"Anyway..." Koya cleared his throat. "Let’s shop for the other girls now. We’ve got a lot to cover."

...

"And that total comes to 1.5 million crowns exactly," the receptionist announced pleasantly.

Both Kuu and Reona nearly choked on the ice cream they’d retrieved from the wall storage. There were shopping carts upon shopping carts of items... clothes, accessories, shoes, bags, jewelry, decorative items, and everything imaginable.

They obviously wouldn’t fit in Nami’s car so Koya had already arranged for home delivery service, providing the Star Mansion address and Mio had also dropped her home address for her purchased items.

Koya handed over Hakai’s black credit card without hesitation and the receptionist swiped it smoothly. "PIN code, please?"

Koya recited the numbers Hakai had given him and the machine chinged with approval.

After that, the maids bowed collectively as they began efficiently organizing the carts for packaging and delivery.

Koya felt genuinely liberated.

He’d bought gifts for everyone at the mansion... including that Head Maid who gave him disgusted looks. Why not? It was Hakai’s money after all, and she’d explicitly ordered him to spend it.

They returned to the car in the parking lot and just as they were about to get in... A taxi passed by on the street.

Mio suddenly hailed it over, waving her arm. "I need to get home with Kuu-chan. We’ll take this."

Kuu nodded in agreement, hugging Reona tightly while both girls still held their ice cream cups.

Kuu then bowed formally to Koya. "Thank you so much for all the gifts, Koya-san!"

Mio looked at Koya, averted her gaze and then looked again.

After that, she rushed forward and kissed him quickly on the cheek before grabbing Kuu’s hand and dragging her toward the waiting taxi. Nami groaned audibly, feeling utterly betrayed.

Reona just chuckled, clearly happy with this romantic development. Soon they were in Nami’s car again, driving back toward Star Mansion.

Koya decided this was the perfect time to finally open his Mystery Boxes while sipping from a can of bottled water.

He pulled up the System interface mentally.

「Would you like to open Super Mystery Box?」

「Y / N」

He tapped Y mentally.

An elaborate animation displayed in front of his eyes... The purple box rotated slowly, glowing with ethereal light and then slowly opened with dramatic flair.

An item floated out of it... Koya looked at what he’d received and nd immediately spat his water all over Nami’s shocked face and steering wheel.

’What the absolute fuck?!’