Chapter 539 - 539: Is this considered clothing here?
Instead, thin straps hovered before them, seeming to be designed for one purpose: to barely cover the most intimate parts of the body.
Annie felt her face burn. “Are… are these supposed to be clothes?” she asked, her voice pitched higher than usual.
Dina beamed, clearly delighted by the reaction. “Of course! Practical, elegant, and perfectly suited to this realm. What else would they be?”
Julian’s expression stayed maddeningly calm, though Annie caught the way his eyes lingered on some of the designs—particularly the women’s one.
He chuckled.
“So this is your idea of ‘suitable attire.'”
One of the straps floated toward Annie, glowing with soft blue light. It twisted and adjusted mid-air as though sizing her up. She instinctively stepped back, clutching her dress tighter as if shielding herself from this strange thing’s gaze.
“This is ridiculous. I can’t—people can see—”
“Dear,” Dina interrupted, “that’s the point. In our realm, we do not hide beauty. We celebrate it. These pieces are crafted to honor both body and spirit.”
A chuckle rose from somewhere behind them, one of the women in the crowd calling out, “Careful, newcomer! Once you try one on, you’ll never want to take it off!”
Julian smirked at Annie’s obvious fluster, his arms folding under his chest. “Go on, Annie. Maybe it’s time you embraced the culture here.”
“You’re enjoying this far too much,” she shot back, glaring at him.
Another set of straps floated to Julian, this one in dark, blackish tones. It wrapped itself in midair in the exact proportions of his frame, covering nothing but his manhood.
The crowd outside murmured in approval.
“Yes, that one suits him.”
“Strong, confident. That’s how it should look.”
Julian chuckled again, unbothered by their attention, and reached a hand toward the piece as though to test its material.
Meanwhile Annie stood stiff as another garment hovered impatiently before her, glowing brighter as though refusing to be ignored. She swallowed hard, torn between her modesty and the pressure of so many eyes.
Dina clapped her hands together, looking utterly pleased. “Perfect. You’ll both look divine. Now—shall we begin the fitting?
“Um… do you have… something else?” Annie asked, her voice desperate. “Something… less—” she gestured vaguely at the floating straps, “—exposed?”
Dina’s eyes sparkled with amusement. “Of course, darling. We have many options.”
With a snap of her fingers, another set of garments floated forward. This time it was a two-piece of fabric that looked promising at first—until Annie realized the top was little more than a single strip designed to cling only to her nipples, while the lower piece was a thin V of cloth.
Annie’s jaw dropped. “That’s… that’s worse!”
The onlookers chuckled, clearly entertained. “Oh, she’s adorable.”
Julian leaned closer, his smirk deepening. “It is an upgrade. At least this one comes with two pieces.”
Annie glared at him, then turned back to Dina. “No. Something else. Please.”
“Very well,” Dina said cheerfully, clapping her hands. Another set of attire floated forward, this one made of golden chains linked with tiny, glimmering jewels. This design was barely considered clothing at all.
Annie’s hands shot to her mouth. “That’s not clothing, that’s jewelry!”
“Oh, but it’s exquisite jewelry,” Dina countered with a knowing smile. “Quite popular in the third zone, actually. Functional and fashionable.”
The crowd hummed approvingly, clearly imagining her in it.
“Something else!” Annie demanded, her voice cracking.
Dina shut her lips thoughtfully, then waved her hand again. This time, a long fabric floated before Annie—almost like a gown. Annie sighed in relief, thinking finally something decent, until the garment shimmered in the light, and she realized it was so thin that it might as well have been invisible.
It was more like a veil than a dress.
Annie’s whole body tensed. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
Julian let out a low laugh, thoroughly entertained by her torment. “I think I like that one. Elegant.”
The crowd burst into giggles at her horrified expression. One male inhabitant leaned toward his companion and whispered loudly enough to be heard, “I give her three more requests before she realizes modesty doesn’t exist here.”
Annie turned to Dina again, almost begging now. “Please. There must be something normal.”
Dina only smiled wider, bringing her hands under her chin like a teacher humoring a student.
“Darling, here, ‘normal’ means beautiful without restraint. But if you insist… we do have one final option.”
At her command, another garment floated forward. Annie was bracing herself for something even worse—but this one made her pause.
It was different.
The top was a single, broader strip of smooth, silken fabric and was actually practical. It wrapped around the chest in a way that actually covered half of the breasts—more than the flimsy straps or the jeweled chains had offered.
Though still revealing by her standards, it at least looked like clothing.
Her eyes moved downward, and she almost sighed in relief. The lower piece extended much further than she expected, wrapping around the hips and reaching down to the upper thighs.
The material shimmered with each slight movement, hugging her body in a way that was undeniably suggestive, but at least it left some modesty intact.
Annie exhaled shakily. “Finally… something that isn’t—” she caught herself before saying lewd. Her cheeks still burned, but her shoulders relaxed slightly.
Dina tilted her head, smiling knowingly. “Ah. I see this one eases your mortal heart. Modesty woven into allure… a rare request, but not unheard of.”
Julian, of course, wasn’t letting it pass so easily. He chuckled under his breath, eyes gleaming with amusement.
“Half-covered breasts, thighs bare, fabric clinging to every curve… And you call that decent, Annie?”
“It is more modest than the others,” Annie protested defensively, crossing her arms as if to shield herself further. “At least it looks like… like clothing!”
“Barely,” Julian murmured with a smirk, clearly enjoying her flustered state.
Dina clapped again, nodding as if her decision were final. “Then this will do. If it comforts you, child, this attire is often chosen by newcomers who cling to old notions of modesty. It will serve you well enough… for now.”
The garment floated closer, shimmering invitingly as if it were waiting to embrace Annie’s body.
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