Chapter 266: Chapter 266: My Stepsister’s Patience is E-Rank

"There’s no such thing as ’evening combat wear,’" Natalia said through gritted teeth. Her knuckles whitened around the hanger she was holding. "That’s an oxymoron Carmen invented to justify putting us in dresses that would get us killed in a real fight."

"Not with that attitude," Akari chimed in, sauntering closer.

The cream dress clung to her curves as she moved. The fabric shifted with each step. Her movements were feline. Designed to draw the eye. She flipped her hair over her shoulder. The gesture looked casual but was anything but.

Natalia’s eyes narrowed. The temperature in the room dropped several degrees. A literal manifestation of her irritation through her telekinetic Aspect. A nearby rack of dresses rustled. The hangers clinked together without anyone touching them.

Yep. This was going well.

"Fashion and function can coexist, Kuzmina," Akari continued. "Some of us can kick ass and look fabulous doing it."

Oh boy. Here we go.

"She’s right though," I said, stepping into the fray.

I positioned myself between them. A buffer zone in their silent power struggle. Because apparently I was the idiot who volunteered for peacekeeping duty.

"Unless you’re planning to accessorize with hidden blades, most of these dresses would be tactical suicide. Not enough mobility. Too many places for an enemy to grab." I gestured to a particularly elaborate gown with trailing ribbons. "That’s basically asking to be caught. Or strangled."

Natalia’s expression shifted slightly. Less murderous. More vindicated.

Akari’s emerald eyes found mine. A sly smile played at her lips. She took another step closer. Deliberately invading my personal space. Her perfume hit me hard. Something exotic and expensive. Jasmine and sandalwood.

"Oh, look who it is. The Stray Dog has opinions on fashion now?" She moved closer still. Her shoulder nearly brushed mine. "What do you think, Satori? Does this dress say ’deadly but desirable’?"

She did a slow turn. Giving me a full view of the dress that clung to every curve like it was afraid to let go. The cream color was a stark contrast to her tan skin. Made her seem to glow under the boutique’s lights. The neckline plunged almost to her navel. The hem barely reached mid-thigh.

It was the textbook definition of a distraction technique. And a damn effective one.

I kept my eyes on her face. "It certainly says something. Though I’m not sure ’deadly’ is the first word that comes to mind. ’Distracting,’ maybe. Effective for certain kinds of missions, I suppose."

Natalia made a small, disgusted noise behind me.

I didn’t need to turn around to know her expression. Lips pressed into a thin line. Eyes narrowed to dangerous slits. The silent promise of retribution was practically radiating from her in waves.

Great. Just great.

Juan had already retreated to the farthest corner of the shop. He settled into a plush chair with the resigned air of a man preparing for a long siege. He pulled out his datapad. Ostensibly to ignore the proceedings. But I noticed his eyes occasionally flickering up to observe the social dynamics playing out.

Smart bastard.

"Satori," Emi called, breaking the tension.

Thank god.

She held up two dresses. Her voice was tinged with genuine anxiety. One was a modest blue number that matched her hair. The other was a much more daring red piece with strategic cutouts that would showcase her impressive figure.

And yeah, I noticed. I had eyes. Sue me.

"Which one do you think looks better?" Emi continued. "The blue matches my hair and is super cute, but Carmen-sensei says the red one makes more of a statement. But is it too much of a statement? I don’t want to look like I’m trying too hard, but I also don’t want to be boring, you know?"

I looked at both dresses. Really looked.

The blue was safe. Pretty. Standard. The kind of thing that would blend in at any formal event. Nothing wrong with it. But nothing special either.

The red, though.

The red would turn heads. The cutouts were strategic. Showed skin without being trashy. The color would contrast beautifully with her blue hair. Make her impossible to miss in a crowd.

"Red," I said.

Emi’s eyes went wide. "Really? You think I can pull it off?"

"Yeah. You’ve got the figure for it." I kept my tone casual. Professional. "And confidence is half the battle. Wear it like you own it and no one will question it."

Emi’s face turned bright red. She clutched the dress to her chest. "O-okay. If you think so."

Behind me, I heard Natalia sigh. Couldn’t tell if it was exasperation or something else.

Soomin peeked out from behind an accessories display. Her pink pigtails and wide eyes were barely visible. "What about mine?"

She held up a pale pink dress. Modest. High neckline. Longer hem. But the cut was elegant. The color would complement her hair and eyes perfectly.

"It’s perfect for you," I said honestly. "Elegant without trying too hard."

Soomin’s face turned the exact shade of her dress. "T-thank you." She immediately disappeared back behind the display.

Skylar appeared at my elbow. When the hell had she gotten there?

"What about mine?" she asked, holding up a black dress.

I looked at it. Sleek. Form-fitting. A slit up one leg that would make movement easier while still looking formal. Low enough neckline to be interesting without being over the top.

"Yeah," I said. "That works. Very you."

Her lips twitched. Almost a smile. "Good."

Hikari bounced over next. Literally bounced. The girl had more energy than a caffeinated squirrel.

"Satori! Satori! Look at this one!" She held up what appeared to be a combat dress with built-in armor panels. Bright orange. "It’s functional AND pretty! I can totally fight in this!"

I examined it. The armor panels were subtle. Integrated into the design in a way that didn’t scream "I’m expecting combat." The orange was bold. Very Hikari.

"It’s cool," I said. "But also three thousand credits according to the tag."

Hikari’s face fell. "Oh."

"Hikari, you already have six dresses at home," Isabelle said from across the room. Her voice was cultured. Patient. The tone of someone who’d had this conversation before.

"But not this one!"

"You also don’t have three thousand credits."

"I could save up!"

"For what occasion would you need an armored combat dress in bright orange?"

"...A really aggressive formal event?"

Isabelle raised an eyebrow.

Hikari pouted but put the dress back.