Chapter 44: Farewell, Fortune-Telling Girl! The Day Yowin Sets Off

Late at night.

After wrapping up a little drinking party with a tipsy Karl, I slipped away into the darkness of night and managed to make it back to Yuri’s mansion without being spotted.

In a nighttime city where only the occasional torch flickers in the dark, identifying faces is nearly impossible. I sensed people here and there on the streets, but somehow, I seemed to have avoided being recognized as the wanted experimental spirit arts user, Irine.

"I'm home~"

I whispered as I quietly slipped into the now-silent mansion.

Had everyone already gone to sleep? The door being left unlocked was a relief, but all the lights were out and there was no sign of life in the living room.

Well then, I should head straight to my room too.

Quietly, carefully, without waking anyone—

"...Yawn. So you're finally back, Irine."

"Oh?"

I had tried to make as little noise as possible, but as I walked down the corridor, a door opened and someone called out to me.

It was Yuri, in pajamas, her eyes heavy with sleep.

"Yuri? You were still awake?"

"My father was playing music again in the middle of the night. I had to go tell him off. But more importantly, I’m glad to see you made it back safely, Irine."

"Yes, thank you."

Receiving words of concern from a little girl somehow left me feeling deeply worn out.

Why is it that I, who protected this city, have to worry about people trying to carve out my organs?

"Hehe, don’t worry. That was just a handful of extremists. Most of the researchers in this city are reasonable and decent people."

"I would very much like to believe that."

"After you escaped, Mr. Garius heard the commotion and gave those people a good scolding. I don’t think they’ll come after you again tomorrow."

"Oh, that’s a relief."

Ah, that’s Garius for you. Always on top of things.

"Still, you’re leaving tomorrow, right? Where to?"

"...Who knows. But I’m sure Karl will get a divine command from the goddess soon."

"I see. That’s a little sad."

Yuri lowered her gaze slightly and tugged gently at my sleeve.

"Would you stay and talk with me for a bit?"

"Of course, I don’t mind."

Hmm, I wonder what this is about, especially at this hour.

Is there something she wants to discuss privately?

"I thought I’d settle a few debts before you set off on your journey."

"We're the ones who owe you. You’ve let us stay in your mansion, and even helped us connect with scholars."

"Those things hardly begin to repay what I owe you."

With a somewhat meaningful look, Yuri began rummaging through her dresser. It seemed she was about to give me something.

Huh? Did I really do something that big for Yuri?

The only thing that comes to mind is that time she dragged me into the city and made me indulge her masochism. That’s about it for major favors.

"Thank you for avenging my grandfather. I myself never saw him as more than an eccentric, like my father—a joke of a magic scholar. I never imagined his magic was anything special."

"Ah, that. ...Your grandfather was a truly great man."

"Without a doubt."

Yuri clutched her grandfather’s research notes to her chest, closed her eyes, and quietly reflected.

Though to be fair, the man was also a perverted masochist. But since Yuri’s cut from the same cloth, I’ll keep that part to myself.

"Here, this is the item I wanted to give you. It’s a brooch with a recognition-inhibition enchantment—mainly used when you don’t want your face to be remembered. A bit of a shady piece, really."

"...Oh my. And what exactly does it do?"

"It makes your face and voice harder to recall. It’s not foolproof, but it helps."

She added that it was the kind of item favored by criminals, something she’d picked up quietly on the black market.

Wait, is this safe? This seems pretty sketchy.

"It’s useful for certain... questionable activities. Make good use of it."

"Hold on a moment. Yuri, why do you even have something like this? Don’t tell me you’ve been doing anything illegal—"

"No, no, just a little... public exposure... ahem ahem. Sorry, I’ll have to invoke my right to remain silent on the details."

"..."

Ah. So that’s what this is.

This little pervert was using it for her exhibitionist stunts. I can’t believe it.

"When you’re disguising yourself as the Monkey Mask, wear it along with your outfit. It’ll make it even harder for people to guess your identity."

"...Oh. That would come in handy."

"You received plenty of financial aid from Lord Garius, right? I thought my kind of help would be more useful in the form of something like this."

“I see, so that’s how you want me to use it.”

She had changed her hairstyle a bit, but the monkey mask still shared the same voice and hair color as Irine. Anyone sharp enough would see through it in an instant.

These little tricks really did come in handy.

“You’re surprisingly devious, aren’t you?”

“Heh. A researcher has to be cunning to survive.”

No, I don’t think exhibitionism has anything to do with research.

“Also, one more thing. You’re still speaking in that refined young lady tone… but Irine, isn’t your natural speech more masculine?”

“Yes, quite so. You picked up on that, did you?”

“When I compare the two, your current tone feels more like an act. But when you used the masculine tone, it didn’t sound like acting at all.”

Yuri said this with a mischievous smile.

“You wear the mask of a noble lady, one that suits you well. But your true nature is a rough-tongued girl speaking like a boorish man.”

“Who are you calling boorish?”

“Don’t you ever feel suffocated living like that? Don’t you wish you could show your true self and be accepted for who you really are?”

“Ah, that.”

Was Yuri teasing me? Or trying to lecture me?

But my answer was…

“The answer is no. It doesn’t feel suffocating at all.”

“…Oh?”

“I bear a debt of gratitude to the parents who raised me, and I behave in a manner befitting a noble lady. That’s a conviction I accepted long ago.”

“A conviction, huh.”

“The world isn’t so simple that we can all just live however we please. We each have burdens we must carry—and carrying them while moving forward, that is life. Even if someone tries to place a heavy load on my back, I don’t want to be the kind of person who just whines and throws it all away.”

Sure, it would be amazing if I could live speaking in my natural, masculine tone.

But doing that would cause trouble for so many people.

I don’t want to be someone who repays kindness with selfishness. The one who chose to work hard and wear the proper ‘mask of a noble lady’ was none other than me.

“I am Irine. Irine von Welmund. A daughter of the Welmund family, and a man-in-training seeking manhood.”

“…Ah, I thought so. That tone of yours had me wondering. So your mental gender is…”

“My heart leans more towards the male side. But, well, it’s a minor thing.”

Yuri had figured out a lot about me, and we probably wouldn’t see each other again.

So I decided not to hide anything anymore—and spilled it all. This was the first time I’d ever laid it all out like this, outside of my sister.

“I see. No wonder you didn’t freak out when my dad saw you naked.”

“Yes.”

“I thought maybe you were like me—someone who gets excited when seen naked.”

“I’m glad we cleared up that misunderstanding, at the very end.”

So that’s what this little gremlin thought of me. I don’t get off on being seen.

…Though, I might have a bit of a fantasy about one day showing off a buff, muscular body in public. Like a bodybuilder. Just for fun.

“Ah—”

“What is it, Yuri?”

“So… does that mean you’re into girls, Irine?”

“Hmm… I wonder. I’ve never been in love with anyone, so I don’t really know. But if I had to say, I think I probably prefer girls?”

“…”

Yeah, that’s the truth. I’ve found plenty of girls cute. Take our maid, Sarah—she’s the spitting image of an “ideal big sister” type. Totally my type in my past life.

But maybe because I was born female, even when I saw Sarah naked in the bath, I didn’t feel my heart race. I just thought, “Wow, nice skin.”

That said, I don’t really feel attracted to guys either. I’ve had a few approaches in the social scene, but all I could think was, “Hmm… no muscles.”

I’ll probably have to get engaged to a man someday for my family’s sake, but for now, I’d really like to avoid it.

“I guess you could say, I find girls more tolerable than guys.”

“I see. Come to think of it, you never showed much interest in Karl.”

“Of course. I trust him as a swordsman, but romantically? Not even in the conversation.”

Sorry, Karl, for trash-talking you behind your back.

But that really is how I feel.

“Then, Irine…”

After hearing my answer, Yuuri looked like she had made up her mind.

She scooted closer, settling beside me on the bed I’d been sitting on.

“…Would you like to try kissing me?”

“…What?”

And then, voice trembling slightly—

She dropped that bombshell.

“U-Uh, Yuri?”

“Well, I’ve kind of been curious about that stuff… and I thought, if it were you, Irine, you’d be gentle about it.”

She gave a shy little smile as she said it.

She must’ve been nervous—Yuri’s smile was stiffer than usual.

“W-Wait, don’t tell me you’re into that kind of thing too, Yuri!?”

“Who knows? But somehow… right now, I kind of want to kiss you.”

Thump. Thump. My heartbeat sped up.

Hey, why am I freaking out? It’s just a little girl asking for a kiss—why am I losing my cool over that?

Calm down. Act like an adult. She’s probably just teasing me.

I can’t let myself get played so easily.

"Yuri, you should only do that kind of thing with someone you really like."

"We’re both girls, so this doesn’t even count. It’s just a kiss to show appreciation. Or... what, Irine, do you not want to kiss me?"

"N-No, it’s not that, but..."

Yuri giggled softly, casting a bewitching smile up at me.

What the... What is this girl? She’s kind of scary.

"……Besides, if it’s with you, Irine, I wouldn’t get mad no matter how far things went."

"……"

Wait, wait, wait—calm down.

Don’t get swept up by the mood. Think straight.

What the hell is happening? Why am I suddenly being hit with a yuri advance by a little girl!?

What’s Yuri thinking? Don’t tell me she’s actually into girls?

Haa, haa—my breathing grows heavy.

Just the two of us, alone in Yuri’s private room. The silver-haired girl, eyes slightly moist, timidly reaches out and takes my hand.

"……Would it be so bad... if it were me?"

She whispers the line so sweetly it could melt.

W-What should I do...

I...

I... I... I────

……As I get swept up in the moment, our eyes lock—and suddenly, I sense a strong dishonesty in her expression.

This is... the face of someone hiding something.

"……Hey, Yuri. You’re hiding something, aren’t you?"

"What are you talking about? This is the biggest, most serious decision of my life, you know. To say it like that... Honestly, I’m hurt. I guess I have no choice but to take responsibility—"

"Okay, let me just borrow this paper real quick."

"Ah—"

I reach for the paper Yuri kept glancing at, resting atop her desk.

Its title reads: "The Magical Composition of Spirit Art Users."

────To summarize, there is a high possibility that the hair of spirit users contains magical particles favored by spirits. Furthermore, their bodily fluids are thought to possess a powerful charm effect on spirits, though this remains speculative────

"……And what, pray tell, is this paper about?"

"It’s unrelated, Irine. I’ve already made up my mind. Come now—submit to your desires and do as you will with my young, delicate body upon the bed!"

"Like hell I will!!"

With a playful kyaa, she dives onto the bed wearing a mischievous grin—classic mad scientist behavior.

This damn kid, she just tried to offer up her chastity in the name of research. And now that I look closer, Yuri’s eyes are doing that wild swirl thing—she’s gone full mad mode!

"Yuri, you fiend! You were planning to collect sample data from my body, weren’t you!? You’re after me too, huh!"

"N-No, you’ve got it all wrong! I was just theorizing that if we tangled up on the bed, it would be the perfect chance to gather a variety of samples, that’s all!"

"Well... I do owe you a favor, so if it’s just a strand of hair or two, I don’t really mind giving you some. But—this stuff written in the paper..."

────If the spirit arts user were a woman, there would be no better sample than ●●────

"What the hell are you trying to collect, you pervy little brat!!"

"Owwie!"

Turns out, this little girl tried to lure me into bed so she could collect something so unmentionable no noble lady would ever even refer to it.

If word got out that such a thing had been used for research, the Velmund family’s reputation would take an enormous hit.

"……Isn’t there some way to extract it, Irine? Look, you can do whatever you want to me, okay?"

"On your knees, Yuri!!"

---

POW!!!

---

"...Good morning, Irine. Oh my, did you not sleep well?"

"Indeed. I had to sneak back under the cover of night, so I’m a little tired."

"Well, that makes sense. There’s still time before we leave, so why not rest a bit more?"

"No, I’ll be fine."

Phew. What a needlessly exhausting night.

I left Yuri, knocked out cold from one solid punch, sprawled out on the bed and returned to my room.

Every researcher out there seems hellbent on getting their hands on my body.

If I stay in this town any longer, it might cost me my life. These people—every last one of them—will do who knows what in the name of research.

"Come on down, would you? Sounds like Karl already got the next destination from the goddess."

"Our next destination, huh. I wonder if we can really trust this goddess."

"Right now, she’s the only source of intel we’ve got. Let’s just go down and hear what she has to say."

According to Sakura, the goddess has already given her divine message, and our next destination is set.

Her “The demons are at~” kind of tips are usually fairly reliable. Might as well follow along.

"Though apparently, the next town is pretty far from here. I think she said it was a port city."

"Don't tell me... Anat, the port city? Oh my, that's quite a journey. From Yowin, it takes about a month, you know."

My eyes widened at the mention of that city.

The place the goddess had pointed us to next was “Anat, the port city.”

Anat lies at the far eastern edge of the country, directly opposite from Yowin in the west.

It’s also the country’s top producer of seafood, thriving on salt production and fishing. I’ve heard it’s a popular tourist spot too, known for its beautiful scenery that warmly welcomes travelers.

Anat—the water capital I’d always wanted to visit at least once in my life.

I’m thrilled we get to go to such a wonderful city, but if we’re really heading to Anat, we’ll have to cross the entire country.

For someone like me—or Sakura—who isn’t used to long travels, that’s kind of concerning.

"I just hope we don’t get sick on the road and end up missing the deadline."

"Apparently, as long as we arrive within six months, we’re good. The demons aren’t expected to attack anytime soon, either."

"Oh, is that so?"

Six months, huh? Then we’ve got plenty of time.

We can stop and do some sightseeing in different towns along the way, and still make it. If Sakura or I get tired, we’ll just take a break whenever we need to.

"Well, I guess that means it’s not a journey we have to rush. So maybe sticking around here in Yowin a bit longer isn’t a bad idea either."

"As for me, since I don’t know when I might be abducted and used as a lab rat, I’d very much prefer we depart as soon as possible."

"Yeah, fair enough."

But staying in Yowin is absolutely out of the question. Even Yuri is after my body now—there’s no peace for me in this city.

"Well then, shall we go hear what they have to say, Irine?"

"Yes, let’s."

---

And just like that, our final night in Yowin came to an end.

We bid farewell to Yuri, who was still sporting a bump on her head, and—reluctantly—offered up a few strands of hair before leaving the city behind.

"I don’t care if the guards catch me! I’m getting their blood samples!!"

"Hand over your internal organs!!"

"You’ve shown your true colors, you mad scientist!"

Despite Garius’s attempts to intervene, we were chased by researchers the next day as well. With no other choice, our party made a break for it and fled outside the city.

"I’m never coming back to this place again!"

"Same here, dammit!"

And so, with chaos and commotion at our backs, we set off on our next journey.

Our next destination────the port city.