The room they led Noah to was enormous — larger than any normal room had any right to be.
It wasn't just a dressing room. No, this was a small department store disguised as a walk-in closet.
Rows upon rows of wardrobes stood tall, each one larger than his dorm room, their polished wood gleaming under the chandelier lights.
The air smelled like a mix of lavender, old parchment, and the unmistakable scent of rich people.
One of the wizards — an elderly man with a beard long enough to trip over — gestured dramatically at the wardrobes. "Behold, O Hero! The finest garments of Solmaria lie within these closets. Only the best for one chosen by the prophecy!"
Noah stood there, barefoot, still adjusting the oversized cloak they'd thrown over him.
He hadn't even processed the whole "saving the world" thing yet, and now he was apparently about to be dressed like medieval royalty.
"Right," Noah muttered, rubbing his temple. "So, just pick something, right?"
The wizard nodded solemnly. "Indeed. May your choice reflect the divine destiny that lies before you."
That felt like a lot of pressure for picking out pants, but Noah decided not to comment.
As the wizards left him to change, he turned back to the wardrobes and took a deep breath.
'Alright. Focus.'
First priority: Figure out how to get home.
If this was anything like the countless isekai manhwas he'd read, killing the Demon Lord was probably the key to returning.
Simple enough in theory. In practice? Probably a nightmare.
Second priority: Find decent clothes.
Noah stepped forward, slowly, as if something might jump out at him from one of the wardrobes.
With a sigh, he pulled open the first one.
Then immediately slammed it shut.
"Too golden."
He took a step back, blinking hard, because he was pretty sure that wasn't a set of clothes — it was a small sun masquerading as an outfit.
Who needed that much gold embroidery? That thing looked like it belonged to a high elf with an ego problem.
Shaking his head, he moved to the next wardrobe.
He opened it, took one look, and shut it.
"Too flashy."
This one looked like it had been designed by someone who lost a bet with a peacock.
The amount of jewels embedded in the fabric made it physically painful to look at. Why would anyone wear this? Were they planning to blind their enemies into submission?
Sighing, he opened the next one, only to groan in defeat.
"Where are all the plain clothes?!"
Seriously, was subtlety illegal in this world?
Who needed seven layers of fabric, three sashes, and a cape long enough to be a wedding train? Was "practical" just not a thing here?
For the next twenty minutes, Noah opened wardrobe after wardrobe, only to be met with increasingly ridiculous fashion disasters.
One had shoulder spikes bigger than his head.
One was made entirely of fur and looked like he skinned a yeti.
One had so many frills he almost mistook it for an aggressively fancy cake.
One was just a full suit of armor, which should have been an option, except it was solid gold and completely impractical.
At this point, he was two seconds away from just wrapping himself in a curtain and calling it a day.
Then, finally — finally — he found something normal.
A plain white sweatshirt and blue trousers.
No absurd capes.
No blinding embroidery. No ridiculous hats that made him look like a rejected Final Fantasy boss. Just simple, wearable clothes.
"Thank you," Noah muttered, nearly crying as he pulled them on.
…
When he stepped out of the dressing room, the wizards were waiting, their expressions full of expectation.
As soon as they saw him, they collectively gasped.
"…What?" Noah asked, frowning.
One of the wizards coughed awkwardly. "Hero, forgive us, but… you look too… plain."
Noah blinked. "Excuse me?"
Another wizard shook his head, looking genuinely heartbroken. "Such simple garments…! Such modesty! Are you certain you would not prefer something more befitting of your status?"
"Yeah, I'm sure," Noah deadpanned. "I'd like to be able to walk through a door without knocking over furniture with my outfit, thanks."
The youngest wizard, who had been silent until now, hesitantly spoke. "But, Hero… shouldn't you at least wear something more befitting of a legend?"
Noah gave him a look. "Listen, my guy, I just got here. I haven't done anything legendary yet, unless you count managing to put on pants without having an existential crisis."
Silence.
Then the lead wizard clapped his hands together, as if trying to move past this fashion scandal. "Very well, Hero. If these are your garments of choice… then so be it."
Noah sighed in relief. Finally. A win.
But before he could enjoy that small victory, another thought hit him.
"…Wait. You mentioned something about the royal court earlier?"
The wizards perked up instantly. "Ah, yes! His Majesty and the council await your presence. They are eager to meet you, O Savior of Solmaria!"
Noah froze.
"…Wait. I have to meet actual royalty?"
The wizards nodded eagerly.
"Right now?!"
More nods.
Noah stared at them, his soul momentarily leaving his body.
He had just been in a hotel room about to — well, that didn't matter now, but five minutes ago, he was completely naked and having a breakdown in a closet.
And now he was about to be paraded in front of a literal king and a bunch of high-ranking nobles?
This day was just getting worse and worse.
He ran a hand through his hair, inhaled deeply, then exhaled even deeper.
"Okay. Alright. You know what? Fine. Let's get this over with."
The wizards cheered as they led him down the grand hallway, chanting something about destiny and glory.
Meanwhile, Noah was mentally preparing for what was undoubtedly going to be the most awkward introduction of his entire life.
All he wanted was a normal date.
Instead, he got an isekai, a prophecy, and a fashion disaster.
"This better come with a compensation package." He muttered with a long sigh.