Bronie never imagined that one day she would be agonizing over what to wear for a date.
Normally, she would just glance at some fashion magazines or browse online for trendy outfits and then use her projection ability to replicate them. As long as she looked decent in the mirror, she wouldn't worry about her attire for the next week, giving off a very lazy impression.
However, being naturally beautiful, she looked great in anything she wore. Although her style might change a bit, she still outshone many people.
But when Bronie started caring about her outfit, she finally understood what girls thought about.
How to present the best version of oneself?
What kind of style should she go for? Would Elysia like this version of her? Did she have any flaws?
Bronie kept turning around in front of the mirror, feeling increasingly anxious.
Hmm, should she put on makeup? No, no, no, that's her last line of defense!
"Bronie, you've changed twenty-five outfits since six this morning. What do you really want?"
"I'm going out with Elysia today, so I'll leave the house in your care, Aponia and Bronya."
Bronya immediately understood the situation.
Wow, going out with Elysia? Does that mean she won't be back at the orphanage tonight? And in about ten months, could she expect to see Bronie's child!?
It's not impossible!
But, Bronya suddenly hugged Bronie from behind.
"Bronie, you look good enough already. You don't need to worry about your outfit, and I think Elysia would appreciate sincerity more."
Hearing the word sincerity, Bronie crossed her arms and nodded repeatedly.
That's possible.
Summer was approaching, and Bronie wore a cool summer outfit: a pure white dress with lace trim, giving her an elegance she usually didn't display. A pink bow on her head and a spiral ponytail added a touch of boldness to her elegance.
And a bit of eccentricity. But where exactly was the eccentricity? That was hard to say. At least Bronie couldn't see it.
"Alright, when I get back, I'll ask Anti-Entropy to make some limited edition Homu merchandise for you!"
"Do they make some Monokuma ones?"
Wow, Bronya's aesthetic definitely has some issues!
Even though Bronya has been immersed in game development and has been around Bronie for a long time, she couldn't change her tastes!
There's even Monokuma now!
"Yes, yes, we'll definitely release Monokuma merch, and I'll also contact Anti-Entropy for other game-related merchandise."
Sometimes Bronie felt that Anti-Entropy wasn't a military organization but an entertainment company. Their money-making methods in the arms industry often resulted in losses, but they were consistently profitable in the entertainment sector. All the money they earned was invested back into developing Titans and researching the Sea of Quanta.
Bronie patted Bronya's head and looked back at the still somewhat reluctant Bronya before leaving her office.
"I'm counting on you to take care of the house today~"
Bronya promises to protect everyone!,
Bronie left her office and, after changing into new clothes, felt a chill on her thighs. Usually, Bronie loved wearing stockings; they were very comfortable.
However, today was different.
Today was special, and so was her attire. The specifics of why it was special would only be revealed when Elysia arrived.
"Hi! Did I keep you waiting?"
The agreed meeting place with Elysia was the orphanage's hall. Normally, Elysia and Bronie would stay in the same room, but Elysia wanted to give Bronya a sense of anticipation, so she stayed with Aponia for the night. The anticipation was intense; otherwise, Bronie wouldn't have agonized over an outfit for so long.
Thinking back, it was truly embarrassing! And she even considered putting on makeup! Was that reasonable? No! That was her last line of defense!
"No, I just got here too."
"Wow, what a beautiful dress! Did you dress up just for me?"
Before Bronie could finish speaking, Elysia hugged her, her nose brushing lightly against Bronya's cheek, making it tickle.
"Yes, I dressed up just for you."
"Hehe, you look great. How do I look? I dressed up for you too!"
Elysia stepped back and twirled around. She looked like a pink elf in her beautiful pink dress.
"You look great in anything, Elysia!"
"Thank you for the compliment! I gratefully accept it!,"
"This too, and this too!" Bronie tightly clenched her fist and placed it in Elysia's palm. It was a button, connected to something unknown. Elysia, curious, pressed it, and Bronya gently pulled Elysia's hand to her chest, holding it firmly. This delicate, dependent Bronie made Elysia's eyes light up.
"Let's go outside first. There are still many children here, and it's not suitable for them to know about these things."
"Okay~, Elysia looked very happy and didn't immediately turn off the button, instead leading Bronie out.
"Hey, Lilia, did I see it right? The usually strong and scruffy Sis Bronie is like this today... Am I dreaming?"
Liliya, hiding around the hallway corner, pinched Rosalia's thigh hard.
"Ow!!,
"Looks like Rosalia isn't dreaming. Bronie has finally found her happiness... Maybe now the games she makes won't have such terrible love stories."
"Really?"
"It seems so!"
Watching Bronie snuggle with Elysia as they left the orphanage, Liliya felt confident.
...
"By the way, I haven't really introduced you to the city where the children live, have I? Even though the orphanage is far from the city, making it feel isolated, I often bring the children here to play."
"Hmm, it looks like a very peaceful city~"
"Russia has vast land and few people, especially after the pain of the Second Eruption. Those who wanted to cause trouble have long been driven out, leaving the peaceful ones behind."
Their first stop was Central Park. There wasn't much to see except for a large grass field, a lake, and some fountains. Despite its simplicity, the park was a popular spot for couples and families. Some children were playing with their dogs on the grass.
"Hmm, It would be nicer if there were more flowers~"
Elysia looked around, feeling that the park lacked something. There were small woods and bushes, and occasionally pigeons flew overhead, but aside from the green grass and red brick paths, it seemed a bit monotonous.
"We can add more flowers later, but look at this!" Bronie took a small bag of bread from her bag, crumbled it, and countless pigeons flocked around as if on cue.
"Seele loves small animals, and these pigeons aren't afraid of people. Sometimes she comes here to feed them, and they've gotten used to her. You can even do something like this." Bronie scattered some breadcrumbs, causing the pigeons to flutter like waves.
She then opened her hand, and the pigeons landed on her arm, pecking at the bread in her palm. "Watching pigeons up close, the symbol of peace, ah."
A sudden movement startled the pigeons, making them scatter. Bronie blushed and glared shyly at Elysia.
"ou're bad!,
I just wanted to see a different expression on your face~,
"Hmm, I understand." Bronie grabbed Elysia's arm again, drawing closer, feeling both embarrassed and excited.
"Next is the amusement park, right? I heard from Anila that this city's Homu Park was built entirely for children."
"Well, that's not entirely wrong. I invested some money and participated in the construction, enhancing the safety of the facilities to ensure the children can play safely."
"Wow~" Elysia was a bit surprised by the numerous Homu-themed elements. She didn't expect Homu to be so popular or for there to be an entire theme park dedicated to it, similar to Disney World in Bronie's memory.
"Why is Homu so popular?"
"Probably because Homu has been a part of many people's childhoods, with consistently exciting stories. Plus, as a comic character, Homu is very easy to draw."
As long as the core story was engaging, many people would buy Homu comics. Welt used his creations to convey his ideas to the world, and apart from his stubborn use of Homu as a character, Bronie found everything else impeccable.
"Because it's easy to draw? Well, let's go and have a look inside~,
Elysia held Bronie's hand and dashed in. Homu Park was more like Disney World, divided into zones based on different works, with most of the rides suitable for children. There were almost no height restrictions. They experienced everything from haunted houses to roller coasters.
Even though Bronie had brought the children here before, being with Elysia felt like a completely new experience, different from what she felt in the Sea of Quanta. Even riding the carousel was more exciting.
On the Ferris wheel, Bronie leaned her head on Elysia's shoulder, blushing.
"Did you have fun?" Elysia asked.
"How about you?"
"I had a lot of fun! I felt your sincerity! This feeling, it's amazing, something I've never experienced before."
Elysia placed her hand on her chest, as if feeling her heartbeat.
"What you're feeling is real, and the emotions you're experiencing are also real. There are many more fun things for you to experience in the future. This feeling is proof of being human."
"I'll remember this forever! And Bronie, you were surprisingly bold~"
"Because I like you so much!"
"I like you too!"
The Ferris wheel reached its highest point.
"You know, Elysia, if lovers kiss when the Ferris wheel is at its highest, they'll stay together forever~"
Before Bronie could finish, Elysia kissed her. Their fingers intertwined, and the slow, breathless kiss brought their emotions to a peak, both mentally and physically.
As they separated, Bronie, slightly breathless, held Elysia's hand even tighter.
"Let's not go back tonight, okay?"
"Where will we stay tonight? Wandering around the city, or in a quiet park? Is there a romantic flower field nearby?"
"Of course, a hotel! You've teased me so many times, stopping just at the right moment each time. Do you think it ends here? Before we go to the hotel, let's buy some water. Tonight, let's get really close~"
Elysia could almost see little red hearts in Bronie's eyes, feeling a bit flustered.
"And what about the game theme? Have you decided what game to make?"
"Game? Right now, all I can think about is you, Elysia! What game? It's all about you!"
"Then let's enjoy each other's deep love, and the real you. You weren't like this at the beginning; have you changed because of me?"
Elysia might not have expected that once she opened up to Bronie, Bronie would become so dependent on her. This was the truest side of Bronie, a change brought about by Elysia.
She was so...
Cute~
"It's all because of you!"
Bronie responded, and Elysia's smile grew even brighter.
"I'm looking forward to seeing more of Bronie's cute side! New dresses, new looks, and bolder actions. I'll gladly accept them all!"