Hearing her admit their mother-daughter relationship, Beacai’s expression brightened once more.Her gaze softened considerably as she looked at the saleswoman.
Unaware she had narrowly escaped a gruesome fate, the saleswoman stood by racks of dresses.A practiced smile graced her lips as she inquired:
“May I ask what kind of attire you are looking for, miss? We have every style imaginable here.”
“Casual wear,” Isis replied, “something comfortable for going out.”
“Casual, you say? Given your mature demeanor, perhaps something simpler would be to your liking…”
Turning around, the saleswoman murmured to herself as she sifted through dresses.Soon, she retrieved a light blue dress from a hanger, holding it by the sleeve to display before Isis.
Apart from delicate lace trim on the cuffs and hem, the dress was devoid of any patterns.Its fabric was remarkably soft and smooth, even shimmering subtly under the indoor sunlight.
While seemingly simple and understated, the dress exuded an air of mature elegance.Isis found it quite appealing upon her first glance.
“How about this one? It’s simple yet elegant, perfectly suited for you, miss.”
“It’s not bad.”
Upon receiving her approval, the saleswoman placed the dress into her hands.With a slight air of anticipation, she gestured towards the changing room nearby and urged, “Then please, try it on in the fitting room at once!”
Though Beacai remained silent beside them, her large eyes, fixed on Isis and fluttering with excitement, spoke volumes.She clearly anticipated Isis trying on the dress far more eagerly than the saleswoman.
Isis, eager to change out of her current attire, accepted the dress and entered the fitting room.A soft rustling sound soon emanated from within as she tried it on.
Moments later, the fitting room door opened, and Isis emerged, resplendent in the sky-blue gown.The saleswoman dramatically covered her mouth, exclaiming in astonishment, “Miss, you look stunning in anything!”
Beacai nodded in fervent agreement.At that moment, she seemed less like a deranged evil god and more like an ordinary girl, displaying perfectly normal emotions.
While they marveled at her beauty, Isis herself felt a touch of dissatisfaction.She tugged at the dress’s neckline, muttering, “It’s just a bit tight around the chest…”
The expensive, soft fabric hugged her chest snugly, accentuating her curves but also making it difficult for her to breathe.
“Tight around the chest?”
The saleswoman glanced over, confirming that it was indeed the case; the dress was not the right size for Isis.
After a moment of contemplation, her eyes casually fell upon the casual dress Beacai was wearing.Suddenly remembering something, she turned to Isis and said:
“Oh! I have a matching ‘parent-child’ dress here, just like the one this young lady is wearing. Would you like to try it on? It would certainly suit you perfectly!”
“Parent-child style?”
Beacai paused, appearing somewhat puzzled by the term.The saleswoman patiently explained, “Precisely! ‘Parent-child style’ actually means ‘mother-daughter style.’ If the Elf Miss wears it, everyone will instantly recognize you two as mother and daughter!”
‘Mother-daughter style?’
The mere thought of others mistaking her and Isis for mother and daughter brought an irrepressible smile to Beacai’s face.To her, nothing could be more alluring.
Without a second thought, she turned to Isis and said, “Wear it, Mama.”
“No.”
Isis’s goal was to reduce her presence, making it easier to escape.Since she had already changed into casual wear, there was no need to try on any other dresses.
Despite the refusal, Beacai did not give up.She linked her arms around Isis’s, swaying her arm playfully as she pleaded, “Please wear it, Mama. I want to see you in it, just for today, okay? Just for one day?”
“No.”
Isis would not be swayed by such minor coaxing.She continued to refuse Beacai, who, in turn, persisted, enchanting Isis with her sweet voice, determined to make her agree.
The saleswoman standing by couldn’t understand Isis’s resistance.To her, it seemed perfectly normal for a mother and daughter to wear matching outfits.
“Miss, just try it on. With your beauty, you’re sure to look absolutely stunning in it.”
With that thought, she joined Beacai’s side, urging Isis to try on the mother-daughter dress.After a brief resistance, Isis finally conceded.
‘Fine, she would wear it then, wouldn’t she?’
“However, you must also promise me one thing,” she told Beacai.
This was her first time making a demand of the evil god.If Beacai refused, she wouldn’t wear the dress, and while it might ultimately lead to Beacai forcing her, as long as Isis didn’t concede willingly, she wouldn’t have lost.
To her surprise, Beacai readily agreed.
“As long as it’s not an outrageous request, I can agree to anything, Mama.”
It seemed Beacai was willing to sacrifice a great deal to see Isis in the mother-daughter dress.After a brief silence, Isis put forth her demand: “Later, you must try on every outfit I choose for you, without any resistance.”
“Of course!”
Isis’s demand made Beacai even happier.
For Beacai, having Mama choose clothes for her wasn’t a demand or a punishment, but rather a reward that would deepen their bond.
Seeing Isis agree, the saleswoman excitedly delved into the piles of clothes, retrieving another ‘mother-daughter’ dress.She then returned to their side, a smile playing on her lips as she covered her mouth.
Taking the dress, Isis cast a glance at Beacai, feeling a pang of regret for having just saved the saleswoman.
Had she known, she would have let Beacai gouge out her eyeballs.
This was no ‘mother-daughter’ dress; aside from a potential difference in price, it was identical to the dress Beacai was wearing — a completely matching outfit.
The only distinction, if one were to nitpick, was a slight variation in the cuff pattern.Worn together, and considering their appearances, they would likely resemble a loving couple rather than mother and daughter.
As for why they wouldn’t be mistaken for sisters, it was simply because their features weren’t alike.
Nevertheless, Isis would not renege on her promise.She took the dress and headed to the fitting room, emerging moments later in the same white dress as Beacai.
“Wow! How beautiful, Elf Miss!”
The saleswoman couldn’t stop exclaiming in admiration.Beacai, meanwhile, circled Isis several times before pulling her to a full-length mirror, beaming at their reflections together.
“Mama, this way no one will fail to recognize us as mother and daughter!”
‘Mother and daughter?’
‘Could Beacai not see that they clearly looked more like a couple now?’
Adjusting the hem of the dress, Isis scrutinized her reflection in the mirror once more.She found herself at a loss for words to say to Beacai.