"Hey, have you heard of any Divine Relics?" Tanya asked one fine morning.

"Don't you already have four?" Lorelei asked. Tanya nodded. "Of course. Considering how two of them were being used before I owned them, I was wondering if there were any other ones that would be useful in our hands that other people really should have," she explained.

Lorelei raised an eyebrow, but she began to speak again all the same. "Oh… I have heard of one. You probably won't care though."

Lorelei was mostly correct. She described a winter jacket as black as night with arcane script written on the outside, with the white sigils apparently being imprinted on the jacket through some unknown technique no one knew how to replicate. It was rumored to possess the power to bestow extreme stealth, protection from the weather, and an immunity to extreme temperatures.

She claimed a few rumors spoke of it also bestowing other powers, such as invulnerability or enhanced strength upon its wearer.

Lorelei had been right that Tanya wasn't particularly interested. She could be stealthy enough on her own, and she had spells which could help mitigate the worst of extreme cold. Considering the climate of Axel, she doubted extreme heat would be much of a problem.

Of course, Lorelei also described the fashion of the mythical jacket, with it apparently lining up with the Erocan Didaten Ippon school of fashion, which meant, among other things, zippers and a uniform, if slightly subpar, quality.

Overall, she wasn't particularly interested in this rumored jacket, and they went about their day, enjoying Axel.

-OxOxO-

Later in the day, however, when Viktoriya had caught up with them, they came across a group of pop-up merchant's stands that had Lorelei's eyes sparkling.

A few fashionistas from the capital had arrived, touting all of the latest fashions, trends, and advances. They were apparently trying to capture as much of the market as they could, considering they were selling a variety of clothing for everyone from the lowest farmer – cheap but relatively sturdy clothing meant for long-term usage – to the highest noble – clothing with embroidery on nearly every square inch for those with taste, and gaudily gold clothing for those without.

Of course, Lorelei was less focused on their attempts to sell their clothing to anyone and everyone, and more interested in the fashion being displayed.

Tanya wasn't all that interested. They'd just been shopping for clothes, and-

"Come one, come all! We have on display a recreation of the famous Supremus Chlamys! Although none could possibly recreate the work of the Goddesses, the best Tailors in Belzerg have worked to create this facsimile! It is enchanted, and all proceeds go towards supporting the war effort!"

Tanya turned her gaze, while Lorelei was awestruck. "I can't believe it! They really have it? I'll have to buy one!"

The three of them stepped forward and bought them – it wouldn't be good to seem unsupportive of the war effort, and Tanya was interested in the enchantments.

Of course, she was also just… baffled by the jacket in general.

"If this doesn't conform to your tastes, they purchase these gag versions! Instead of coming with useful enchantments, a loud trumpet sounds when it is donned!"

Lorelei put it on immediately. "I may not like much of what has resulted from the Erocan Didaten Ippon, but I think I like this piece."

Viktoriya turned to Tanya. "Um… Tanya? Isn't this… well, it looks European, right?"

Tanya nodded. "It just repeats 'By Any Means,' over and over. I… don't really understand?" she said, shrugging as she put it on. It was fairly comfortable…

She shrugged. It must have been some cultural thing-

"Don't you understand Aqua? I'm invincible!" she heard someone shout. She turned around.

Her inquisitive gaze flattened. It was only Kazuma. Shaking her head, she turned back around as he continued to shout at his charges.

"Kazuma, I don't-"

"I wouldn't expect you to understand! I've got the drip! No one will be able to stop me!"

"Stop you from what, Kazuma? What will you do while wearing that strange piece of clothing?"

"It isn't strange, you-"

-OxOxO-

Later, Tanya would get a second one to take apart, trying to figure out how its minor enchantments – a bit of cold and heat resistance, without any kind of stealth they could detect – worked. Hopefully, it would come in handy both with her own spells and with the construction of her and Viktoriya's rings.

Lorelei would also get another one to take apart, trying to figure out how it had been made to further her own skills. All three of the surviving jackets would wind up reminders of a nice day out in Axel and the odd mishmash of things the Hero Candidates from Japan would introduce.

-OxOxO-

A/N 1: A silly idea I had.

New update to TTtC tomorrow.