Chapter 20 : Articles

Carne Eckermann’s complexion changed in an instant, as if she were a different person.

“But what will you do if you know, Saya?”

Her once innocent smile had now turned bitter.

“Are you going to report it to the academy?”

“I have no intention of reporting it. I don’t have any evidence that you have a motive to kill Yuri.”

I knew the plot, but there was no way to directly sanction her since she hadn’t taken any real action. All I could do was give her a warning.

“So, I won’t touch you for now. For now.”

“…You’re really strange. Is that it?”

“However, there is one condition.”

This was the real reason I had threatened her.

“At the team assignment ceremony later, put Yuri, you, and me on the same team. That’s my condition.”

“…Hmm, I see. If we’re on the same team, you can keep an eye on me. Well, fine.”

Teaming up with Yuri would have required overcoming tremendous competition, but Carne had the ability to naturally create that atmosphere.

“Right. And we’re still friends after this, right?”

She had just been caught with murderous intent, and now she was asking if we were friends.

“…Well, on the surface.”

“That’s a relief…! For image management, I needed to show that I’m close to you.”

In the end, everything was calculated from start to finish. As Carne turned away after the conversation, she added,

“Ah, thank you for today. That’s real. Whether you believe it or not.”

“…Nonsense.”

“That’s too much.”

The conversation, which felt like walking on a knife’s edge, ended there.

“We will now proceed with the team assignments. Form teams of three and come forward.”

The students quickly became busy. Some had already formed teams, while many others had not. Naturally, Yuri Freesia, this year’s top rookie, was receiving numerous offers.

“Yuri, join our team. We’re all men, but I’m confident we’re the strongest!”

“Freesia, forget about those sweaty teams. If you join us, you’ll be able to show your full potential.”

“Sweaty? What are you talking about?”

The ones who wanted to team up were making a fuss, even though Yuri herself remained silent.

As the top new student of the year, many students were eager to recruit her, as having her on their team would boost their reputation.

I also dragged Daengdaengi along and faced the crowd in front of Yuri.

‘Crazy, how do I get through that?’

As I stared blankly at the crowd, Carne passed by me. She seemed intent on pushing through the throng.

“What are you going to do, Carne?”

“Just watch.”

Carne squeezed between the students and reached Yuri.

“Yuri, shall we team up?”

“Wait, we were the first to ask.”

A male team blocked Carne’s way. When I looked closely at their faces, they were the same guys who had made comments about the commoner quota to me.

“Ouch! Where are you touching!?”

Carne, who had been pushed on the shoulder, shouted loudly.

“What, huh…? What are you suddenly saying…!?”

“Even in a crowd, touching my chest…!”

The gazes of the students quickly turned to the male student.

“You touched her chest…?”

“Come to think of it, that guy kept glancing at me during class…!”

“No, I’m completely innocent!”

He tried to appeal to his innocence, but public opinion had already turned against him.

“You… you…!”

While the commotion escalated, Carne had already taken Yuri away.

“Now, shall we go apply?”

“…Wow. How can you be so shameless…?”

She was a villain, but I had to admit she was impressive in her own way. Honestly, I don’t know what would have happened if she hadn’t been there.

After a brief signature on the paper, the procedure was completed immediately.

“All three of you agree, right? Now we just need to recruit a knight.”

Once we recruited a knight, we would become a full-fledged team.

In the past, teams consisted of three spirit masters, but due to the nature of spirit masters—who primarily rely on magic that uses mental power—they were considered weak in prolonged battles.

To address this, special weapons capable of dealing with Sarkas were supplied to knights, and it became customary to form teams of three spirit masters and one knight.

Of course, the knights cooperating with the Spirit Academy were a select few, like exchange students.

“Knight recruitment is tonight. It will be held in the banquet hall, so everyone, why don’t you get a dress?”

‘A dress…?’

Unlike me, who froze at the thought, Carne seemed excited.

“How long has it been since I’ve worn one? A dress…!”

This was something I never thought would be relevant to me in my life. Yuri’s expression didn’t look too pleased either.

“…Why are clothes that are only cumbersome in combat so popular?”

Yuri Freesia, in a slightly different sense, seemed to dislike the idea. While I was agonizing over what to do, Carne whispered in my ear.

“Saya, are you worried about the dress?”

Her perceptiveness was really annoying, on par with Heukgyeon’s.

Armonian clothing stores were primarily owned by nobles, and they would undoubtedly be reluctant to let me in.

Unlike commoners, who occasionally encountered black hair, if rumors spread that someone with black hair had visited a clothing store, it would be a significant blow to their sales.

“Oh no, Saya doesn’t have a dress that fits right now?”

Carne said loudly. I thought she was teasing me, but an unexpected answer came from Yuri.

“If that’s the case, there are plenty at home. Take one.”

“Really? Then, while we’re fitting Saya’s dress, can we visit Yuri’s mansion? I’ve always been curious about what a mansion looks like!”

“Wait, Yuri’s opinion too…”

“I don’t mind.”

Things were progressing quickly thanks to Carne, to the point where it made me anxious. Even though she had been exposed, why was she helping me so much?

“This is a thank you for the magic class, Saya.”

“…”

I didn’t really want to accept her help, but I couldn’t deny that she was being useful.

Yuri’s mansion was just as I had imagined. A golf course-sized garden with a fountain, and a massive mansion that stretched wide horizontally.

“What are you doing? Let’s go in.”

When I stood stunned by the size, Yuri scolded me. Daengdaengi was left in the garden, and as I walked along the mansion’s hallway, I noticed picture frames. They seemed to be portraits of Yuri Freesia’s ancestors.

The most noticeable commonality was that they all had silver hair and blue eyes. As I walked further, an old gentleman with white hair greeted us politely.

“You’re here, miss. Are these your friends? Shall I bring some tea?”

“I’m going to use the dressing room. I won’t be long, so tea is fine.”

“…I understand, then.”

The old man quietly retreated. He was likely the butler who had served Yuri since she was a child.

Among the numerous doors, one stood out. Unlike the other luxurious doors, this one was old, wooden, and covered in dust. Carne, noticing it as well, asked Yuri.

“Yuri, what’s this room?”

“Don’t touch that.”

Yuri’s expression, usually so consistent, twisted for the first time. However, it soon softened again.

“…That room is no longer used.”

“U-um…”

Was there a description of such a room in the novel? I was curious, but since Yuri didn’t seem to welcome further questions, I followed her to the dressing room without another word.

“It’s big. Are all these Yuri’s?”

“Not all. There are also clothes from relatives who live far away or those who are no longer here. Anyway, they’re all clothes that aren’t worn anymore.”

There were clothes of various sizes and styles. Honestly, if I sold everything here, I wouldn’t have to worry about food or shelter for the rest of my life.

As I looked around, Carne brought over a few dresses. Somehow, even though I was the one who had to wear them, she seemed more excited.

“Let’s try this and this!”

“…Aren’t you being a bit too enthusiastic?”

“Oh, what are you talking about…! Try them on quickly!”

I was pushed into the dressing room by Carne and stood there, unable to bring myself to put the dress on.

‘Even so, this is too much…’

The dresses were overly feminine.

For 17 years, areas like my chest hadn’t grown much, but when I looked at my noticeably wider hips and pelvis, I realized that I had truly become a woman. The first few dresses I tried on were too bold, and in the end, I must have tried on dozens before finding a suitable one.

Finally, only the last dress Carne had picked out remained. If this one didn’t work, I decided I would just go in my usual clothes. I put the dress on and opened the curtain.

“I-Is it strange…?”

The two of them were oddly silent.

“…It’s okay.”

“You look like a completely different person…!”

They both seemed to like it.

“R-Really, it won’t work. I’ll just go in my normal clothes…”

“Now, we don’t have time, so we’ll change too.”

Before I could voice my opinion, I was dragged out by both arms. The two of them also changed into dresses, and in the end, my opinion was ignored as we headed back to the academy.

It was a banquet hall I had been to before, but the atmosphere after the manifestation ceremony was completely different. The students were all dressed up, and it truly felt like a noble’s banquet.

By the way, Daengdaengi had liked Yuri’s garden so much that I ended up leaving it there.

Also, is a skirt supposed to feel this empty underneath? Unlike pants, the sensation of air flowing between my legs was something I couldn’t get used to.

“Saya, the men are glancing at you.”

I thought Carne was teasing me, but they really were looking my way.

‘Is it that strange? That’s why I said I’d just come in normal clothes…’

Because I was nervous, I kept forcing myself to drink, when suddenly the knights entered the banquet hall.

As guests invited by the academy, they were exceptional talents from various regions. In the relaxed atmosphere of the banquet, it was up to the knights to choose the teams they wanted to join.

Their criteria for choosing a team varied. Some preferred strong-looking teams, while others simply liked the atmosphere.

Time passed, but there was no news for our team. Carne commented,

“Everyone seems interested in us, but they seem hesitant. Even though we have a genius ice spirit master like Yuri.”

Perhaps that was why they were more hesitant.

“I hope it’s a knight worth fighting alongside.”

Yuri’s standards were consistently firm. With the knights present, the gazes that had been directed at me lessened, which made me feel somewhat more at ease.

“Excuse me.”

Someone spoke to me, and when I looked up, a broad-shouldered knight approached us.

“There’s such a beautiful spirit master here. I couldn’t help but extend an invitation.”

From his words, it seemed he wanted to join our team. Carne, noticing his intentions, said to him,

“Thank you for your kindness, but our Yuri Freesia isn’t interested in things like romance.”

“…No, I was talking to the person sitting here, not the ice spirit master.”

I followed the direction his hand was pointing. Even when I turned my head, there was no one behind me. So that meant…

“Huh…? M-Me…!?”

“That’s right. From the moment I first saw you, I thought you were beautiful. Please, won’t you let me join you?”

What kind of situation was this…?

I had just been confessed to by a knight I didn’t even know.

“It’s amazing…! Saya, what will you do?”

Carne looked at me with sparkling eyes, as if she found the situation entertaining.

“Um, I… So…”

“Excuse me, but do I also have a chance?”

While I was still trying to process what was happening, another knight wearing a helmet spoke to us. His face was completely obscured by the helmet.

When multiple knights wanted to join the same team, there were two solutions: fight for the right to join, or have one side back down. However, judging by the atmosphere, it didn’t seem like the first knight would give up.

The helmeted knight proposed a duel.

“I agree.”

The two knights moved to the center of the room, and after receiving permission from the others, space was cleared for them. Wait, were knights really fighting over me right now? I felt like I was losing my mind.

The first knight, who had spoken to me earlier, drew a heavy claymore.

“I’m sorry, but my feelings are sincere. I recommend you back down now.”

To think that the first confession I had ever received in both this life and my past one was from a tall, muscular man. Oh my god…

“Is that so? I’ll look forward to it.”

The helmeted knight drew a saber of moderate length.

At a glance, the difference in physique between the two was so great that it seemed like an unfair fight.

“That decision, you’ll regret it…!”

The claymore-wielding knight charged first, and the duel began.

…

Thud.

And the first to fall was also him.

“Ugh, damn it…!”

Despite his frustration, he didn’t forget to shake hands with his opponent. Was that chivalry?

“Your strength was overwhelming. However, the claymore is too slow for a duel.”

The helmeted knight, who had easily won despite the difference in physique, walked toward us with relaxed steps. Up close, he was smaller than I had thought. His height was, at most, only slightly taller than mine.

“I formally greet the spirit masters.”

He removed his helmet and said,

“I am Luna Grace of the Armonia Empire Imperial Knights.”