What's the Use of Being Pretty?
What's the use of being pretty? I open the door. Even that simple action takes tremendous effort.
"Ugh!"
I manage to walk a little, but I can't hold out and collapse to the ground. Has Seres always lived in a body like this?! I already knew he was pitiful, but experiencing it firsthand makes it even more heartbreaking.
"Grr, I won't give up!"
I grit my teeth and force myself to move somehow. If I can't walk, I'll crawl. I twist my body, and surprisingly, it works. Even this probably would have been impossible for the original Seres. They said his arms were so weak he couldn't even maneuver a wheelchair properly. Is it because I'm a guy from a relatively healthy body? Still, I won't last long like this. I keep crawling as best I can, searching for a place to hide.
I planned to tuck myself away in some quiet spot and wait until Arios left. That's when it happened.
"What are you doing?!"
Someone spotted me. A stunningly beautiful woman with long blonde hair tied in a ponytail. Tall and slender, she hurried toward me on those long legs of hers.
"Are you Young Master Seres? What on earth are you doing out here!"
Who is she? I've never seen her in the novel. Maybe a servant from the count's estate? She called me "young master" right away, so probably. There are tons of servants here since it's the count's estate. That's why they all rushed over when I made noise earlier. I'm actually surprised no one spotted me on the way here. They must all be busy entertaining Arios, leaving just her to find me.
"Where's your room? Pardon me, but let me carry you there!"
The woman lifted me up with both hands. My body is so frail right now, not exactly lightweight even for a woman, but she has incredible strength!
"Poor gentleman. Please forgive me for touching your body."
She spoke apologetically. She seems nice, probably just trying to do me a kindness by taking me back to my room.
"W-wait a second!"
It was unnecessary kindness. I stopped the nameless woman.
"Not right now. Instead, hide me somewhere out of sight."
"Why?"
"Th-there's this weird person who came to the house."
This situation is so absurd, and my body hurts so much, I can't come up with a good excuse. Confused, I blurt out something close to the truth.
"The hero Arios has fallen for me and wants to impregnate me."
"Pardon?"
"I know it's hard to believe, but it's true. That one's like that deep down!"
As I desperately explain, the woman stares at me blankly. Then she bursts out laughing. "Hahaha!!"
She's laughing because my story sounds ridiculous, right? Yeah, to someone who doesn't know the situation, I'd sound like a lunatic. I was about to beg her to hide me anyway, even if she didn't believe me, when I heard words I couldn't ignore.
"The hero Arios? What would I do to you? Haha!"
What? She said "I"?
"Pffft, how could a woman impregnate a man? You're hilarious."
The woman—no, Arios—kept laughing, saying I was funny, but my blood ran cold. She's Arios? Now that she mentions it, she does look similar. Arios was a polite-spoken blonde hunk in the novel, and this woman is a blonde beauty with a similar vibe. It's like if Arios turned into a woman, this is exactly what she'd be like.
"What's all the commotion?"
I'm frozen in this ridiculous situation when yet another person appears. A beauty with a cold aura and silver bobbed hair. I've never seen her before, but she flinches when she spots me.
"Lady Arios, why do you have my son in your arms?"
Son? What? Seres has no mother. She died long ago, and his hair color is inherited from the paternal line, so not silver... Wait. Is this woman Seres's father, Countess Ares Huferion? Ares Huferion, full name, father of Seres Huferion and current head of the Huferion count family. A man renowned across the kingdom for his competence, now a woman.
"I'm asking why you have my son. You're a guest—what's this nonsense? Put him down right now!"
Ares glared at Arios holding me, utterly unconcerned that she was the heir to a ducal house and a hero. Of course. The Ares I know looks cold but cherishes his daughter Seres more than life itself. Even as a woman, it's clearly her. Her attitude confirms it.
"Wait a moment. It's a misunderstanding."
Arios, receiving Ares's murderous glare, tried to explain.
"Young Master Seres had collapsed here. I was just taking him to his room."
"What? There's no way a child who can't even walk alone would be collapsed out here."
"Well, you see..."
Arios flashed a silly smile. She was about to repeat what I'd said earlier, so I quickly cut in.
"I came out to meet this person, Mother!"
I hid the pregnancy bit since it'd raise suspicions. And honestly, it was embarrassing. Telling her a woman—Arios—wanted to impregnate me? How absurd is that?
"I couldn't contain my excitement at meeting Hero Arios. I wanted to see her even a moment sooner."
"Then why not call a servant?"
"There was no one around."
"...They must've pulled even your attendants to prepare for Lady Arios's reception."
Ares, buying my excuse, furrowed her brow.
"My mistake. I apologize, Seres. Sorry for the needless misunderstanding, Lady Arios."
She apologizes first, then shoots another fierce look.
"How long do you plan to hold a grown child? Hand him over now."
"...Alright."
Arios hesitated a moment before handing me over. The two women passed me like I was some doll—light as can be. Arios was one thing, but Ares was set up as quite capable too. Guess even as women, their strength stays the same.
"Seres, are you alright?"
"Yes."
Nestled in Ares's arms, I nodded quietly. Sure, I'd been held by one stunning beauty after another, but I felt nothing. The situation was such a mess, I had no room for those emotions.
Soon a servant arrived to say preparations were complete.
"All set. Shall we go, Lady Arios? You too, Seres."
They're entertaining Arios, but taking me along too?
"Why me?"
"Didn't you say you came out to meet Lady Arios? I'll let you talk in the banquet hall, so just wait a bit."
I couldn't say no in this situation. Mute as a fish, I got dragged to the banquet hall.
The servants had gone all out— the hall was laden with every delicacy imaginable.
"Seres, sit here."
Ares set me down in the seat next to her, handling me with the utmost care, like fragile porcelain.
"Lady Arios, over there."
She gave Arios a prime seat, but she just stood there blankly, not sitting.
"What's wrong?"
"Oh, I prefer this side."
She picks "this side"—the seat next to Ares's, which is right beside me. Out of all the spots, she chooses mine, and Ares's eyebrow twitches. I stiffen too, but does she not see our reactions?
Having claimed the seat next to me, Arios beamed and kept talking to me.
"You're as beautiful as the rumors say. I came because of the talk, but you exceed expectations."
Praise for my looks? No thrill there. Seres was set up as the kingdom's top beauty. Even gender-swapped, my unchanged appearance being gorgeous is par for the course. And it's not even my real face anyway.
"Instead of wasting time coming to gawk at someone else's beauty based on rumors, wouldn't it be better spent somewhere more valuable?"
I switched to polite speech unlike before, but my tone was curt as hell. Gender aside, knowing this woman was that Arios, I couldn't think of her positively. She probably wouldn't like me either now—which was exactly what I wanted. Especially after my earlier slip-up. Better if this made her lose interest in me.
"Hehe, you're shy."
Damn. Not working. She probably thinks I'm acting weird on purpose to get her attention. Even my prickliness gets that cute gaze from her.
"Thank you for the hospitality. I really enjoyed today."
Finally, it was time for Arios to leave.
"Someone once said there's value in seeing Lady Seres at least once before dying. And they were right."
"What nonsense."
Ares said exactly what I wanted to.
"You've seen her. Now go. And ideally, never come back."
"Why?"
"An outsider woman dropping by constantly would make Seres uncomfortable."
"Hmm, well?"
Arios looked at me with playful eyes.
"What do you think, Lady Seres? I'd love to meet often."
There it was—the line from the original novel. Ares, displeased with Arios showing interest in her daughter, pushes her away. So Arios asks Seres directly. In this situation, I had only one answer I wanted to give.
Don't come!
The real Seres, thrilled at making a friend, had innocently invited her. But I knew everything and had no intention of that. I wanted to refuse flat-out.
But even if I said no, she'd probably use her power to come anyway, right? She's the ducal heir and a Sword Master. Hard for our count family to refuse.
Still, maybe I should refuse anyway— that's when.
"Lady Seres, a moment."
Arios whispered so only I could hear.
"I've taken a liking to you. Even if you say no, I'll come see you, so just say yes."
...Already obsessed. Even as a woman, she's definitely the original male lead Arios.