A Date, Part 1
The next morning, I woke from a nightmare.
In the dream, the conscription officers had caught me and hauled me off to a training camp — and the instructor who appeared was Veronica. Everything she called training was bizarre. She'd squeeze and knead my chest, insisting that a real girl ought to be able to get anywhere she needed on her breasts alone. She even tried to push her fingers into a hole that was never meant to take them.
"Aaah—!"
Thankfully, I woke screaming before those fingers found their way into the wrong place.
"Just a dream..."
I wiped the cold sweat from my brow and sat up, looking at the figure in the mirror. I'd taken off the magical artifact before bed, so the glass showed me as I really was — Leopold, short white hair and all.
It was nothing more than a nightmare. So why won't this uneasy feeling leave me?
Knock, knock, knock—
A rap sounded at the door.
"Miss Katrina, Miss Veronica asked me to tell you she'll be ready to leave shortly."
"Pardon? Leave?"
"You were going to buy underwear today..."
The maid on the other side of the door trailed off, glancing around as if the words themselves were embarrassing. Only then did last night's conversation with Veronica come back to me.
I thought she was joking. She actually meant it — we're going to buy underwear?
"Ha... All right. Tell her I'll be down soon."
"Yes, miss."
After the maid left, I opened the wardrobe. From among the women's clothes I'd grown far too used to, I pulled out a suitable dress and put it on. Wearing girls' clothes was getting easier by the day. I can't tell if that's a good thing or a bad one.
When I arrived at the mansion's front entrance, Veronica was already waiting.
"Sleep well?"
"Yes, sister."
"The weather's lovely today. Perfect for shopping."
"It's a bit of a way from the mansion to town. How are we getting there?"
"Don't worry. I've had a carriage prepared. Come on."
The two of us climbed into the carriage waiting out front. The scenery beyond the window was the picture of peace.
"Are we really going to buy underwear?"
"What, is there such a thing as fake underwear?"
"What if someone finds out... I've never even looked at women's underwear before...!"
"I'm here, aren't I? I'll teach you everything."
Veronica took my hand and held it tight. For a moment I was flustered, but I didn't pull away. The warmth traveling through her fingers had a strange way of settling my heart.
Not long after her warmth had calmed me, the carriage arrived at the market town. The moment we stepped down, the clamor of a bustling marketplace washed over us.
"This way."
Veronica took my hand and led me toward the lingerie shop. The market was packed with women. That wasn't a figure of speech — there really were nothing but women.
"I don't see any men."
"They've all been dragged off to the army. Nearly every young man has been conscripted, and a fair number of the older ones went too."
"Is that... so."
"What? Scared? Or is it guilt?"
"I'm not sure I—"
Just as Veronica started winding me up for a tease, a young man shoved past me and bolted sideways. If she hadn't caught me, I would have gone sprawling across the cobblestones.
"Out of the way! Move!"
"Grab that bastard!"
"Make way! Move aside!"
Uniformed soldiers pounded after the fleeing man. He had to be of conscription age, and the men chasing him were almost certainly conscription officers. The sudden uproar set the whole street buzzing.
"Let go! Let go of me!"
"Let go? Like hell. Hans, you're under arrest for evading conscription."
"Nngh... get off me!"
He didn't get far before they had him. One officer bound him with a rope; the other started toward us. My heart began to hammer like it wanted out of my chest.
"Are you all right?"
"I... that is..."
"We're fine."
"The young lady on the right looked as though she might have fallen. If you need any assis—"
"No. She was only badly startled. A little rest and she'll be fine."
"...I see. Then we'll be on our way."
The officer looked at me for a moment, then turned back toward his partner. Even after he'd gone, I couldn't lift my head.
"Help me! Please, help me! Don't just stand there — do something!"
The man begged for help the entire time they dragged him away, but not a soul moved to aid him. I kept my head down and shut my eyes. It was a scene that made my knees go weak — I was a draft evader too, after all.
With hands that wouldn't stop shaking, I caught the hem of Veronica's dress. I was desperate for that warm comfort she'd given me in the carriage.
"Scared?"
"No, it isn't that..."
"It's all right. The lingerie shop is just around that corner."
She drew me into a light embrace and patted my back. The heart that had been ready to burst began, little by little, to slow.
"Don't worry. There's not a conscription officer alive who'd raid a women's underwear shop."
"Yes..."
"Come on. Let's go."
Just as she'd said, a small shop sat around the corner. Through the large window, an array of women's underthings was on display. I drew a deep breath, then opened the door.
"Welcome."
A young clerk greeted us with a bright smile.
"What can I help you find today?"
"My friend here is looking to pick up some new underwear..."
Veronica said it while giving my hesitant self a little shove toward the clerk. Suddenly face-to-face with a stranger, I turned my head away, heat crawling up my neck.
"Ah, of course. Did you have a particular style in mind?"
"Hmm — I'd like to look at a few bra and panty sets, to start. Could you show us the ones over there?"
"Of course. One moment, please."
As the clerk headed off, Veronica leaned in and whispered.
"Don't worry. No one here is going to realize you're a man."
"But..."
"Just follow my lead."
The clerk returned with several sets and laid them out in front of me — bras and panties of every kind. From left to right the colors ran white, sky blue, pink, peach, and black. The designs ranged from plain and simple to ones dripping with lace.
"These five are the styles people have been asking for most."
"This one, and this one. And could you bring that black set over there as well?"
"Right away."
Veronica looked the pieces over and picked out a few more. Once the clerk had gone to fetch them, she whispered again.
"I chose the ones I thought would suit you."
"You want me to wear these?"
"If the maids found men's underwear in the detached villa where a young lady is staying, what do you think they'd say?"
"That's true, but..."
The clerk came back with still more sets.
"Have you found anything you like?"
"We'll try all of these on. You have a fitting room?"
"Yes — right that way."
Veronica took my hand and led me in. She shut the door, hung the lingerie along the wall, and looked at me.
"All right. Strip."
"What?! In here?"
"Of course. How else are you supposed to know if they fit?"
"Then at least wait outside..."
"You've never even looked at women's underwear, you said. Do you know how to put them on?"
I wanted to argue. Unfortunately, she was right. With no other choice, I started slowly working my way out of the dress.
"Um... could you at least turn around?"
"I don't want to."
"Please..."
"Hmm — fine."
She turned her back, however reluctantly. The moment she did, I stripped off the dress and my panties as fast as I could. Then I ran into trouble putting the women's things on.
The bottom was fine. The design was different, but you stepped into them the same way you did men's. The top was another matter. Trying to fasten those tiny hooks by feel alone, without looking, was nearly impossible.
"Done yet?"
"Just a moment. If I can get the hook..."
"Not going well, is it?"
"No..."
Veronica turned around, smiling. I startled at the movement, but it was already too late. Her gaze settled on my chest.
"Raise your arms."
I did as I was told. She stepped behind me and started putting the bra on herself. Every time her hands met my bare skin, my body gave a little twitch.
"Hold still."
She fastened the hooks with practiced ease, then slipped her hands through under my arms to adjust the pads.
"First time for this, isn't it?"
"Of course it is..."
"You're going to have to get used to it."
I looked in the mirror. Black lace lay against pale skin that had a soft, gentle curve to it. If you ignored the way the front of the panties bulged, anyone would have taken the figure in the glass for a girl.
"It looks strange..."
"It doesn't look strange at all. It looks incredible on you, Katrina."
Veronica wrapped her arms around my shoulders and studied our reflection. Veronica, with her ruby-red eyes and black hair. Leopold, with gold eyes and white hair. Together we made a contrast like a black-and-white photograph come to life.
"If it looks that good, let's just buy this one..."
"What are you talking about? You still have more to try on."
"What?!"
"I never said we were only buying one."
And so Veronica dressed me in every last set she'd brought. All I could do was stand there like a doll being changed in and out of clothes.
Only after I'd tried on a dozen sets or more did Veronica finally look satisfied.
"Black suits you. We'll take all the black ones..."
They're my underwear. So why is she the one examining them so intently? I was starting to want nothing more than to go back to the mansion.
"Are we done now?"
"No. Not yet."
"There's more? We tried on everything you brought!"
"Not that."
Something in her expression set off a warning. But resisting wasn't an option I had.
"What's that face for? All you have to do is stand there."
She steered me back until I was leaning against the fitting-room wall. Then she sank to her knees in front of me.
"Sister...?"