Still a Man
“Honestly, considering she’s the daughter of House Rami, I had rather high hopes. But she wasn't much at all. I suppose hailing from a ducal house doesn’t mean one actually trains hard in sparring. Facing Lady Oro would have been far more entertaining.”
“…You seem to have enjoyed it, Your Highness.”
“Well, I’ve never done anything like this before. For a first attempt, it was surprisingly fun.”
Cecilia hadn’t stopped talking about today’s duel ever since we returned to the dormitory. Given how the corners of her lips had curled up throughout the match, I knew she had enjoyed herself, but I hadn’t expected her to be this delighted. She was still smiling, bringing up her spar with Jessica for what had to be the dozenth time.
“Besides, even if Lady Rami’s lackluster responses took some of the thrill out of it, there’s quite a rush in defeating someone.”
“If you had fun, then that’s all that matters, Your Highness. Truth be told, I was worried you might get hurt during the match.”
“My opponent was frankly below expectations. I wanted a much higher-level spar, yet all she did was turtle up against my spells. How dreadfully dull.”
“It was likely Lady Rami’s first duel as well. Still, didn’t she cast her spells remarkably fast?”
“She lost to me anyway, so is there really any need to analyze her?”
Fair point. As Cecilia said, there wasn’t all that much worth discussing about her duel with Jessica. Besides, officially, I was just an ordinary maid. I had no business rambling on about combat tactics. I figured it would be best to shower Cecilia with endless praise and validation while she was riding high on her victory.
“You make a good point. You were truly magnificent today, Your Highness. I’m certain the students watching from the stands were thoroughly awed by your prowess.”
“Fufu, you think so too? Lady Rami may have been a disappointment, but there’s no denying my decisive victory.”
“Indeed. Although today was your very first duel at the Academy, no one could possibly belittle your magic. Among everyone who cast spells today, I doubt anyone was as swift and precise as you.”
“Phew… That’s nice to hear. Did I really look that good to you?”
“Of course. You were dazzling, Your Highness.”
How should I put it? Cecilia genuinely seemed to relish being showered with praise and held in high regard. It was the same during her speech at the entrance ceremony. This secret love for accolades didn’t quite match her haughty demeanor, which somehow made it rather endearing.
“Still, compared to the other students, I definitely have a long way to go. If I had faced Oro or someone else instead of Rami, I would’ve struggled. In fact, I probably would have lost, wouldn’t I?”
“It was only your first duel today, Your Highness. That’s only natural.”
“I’ll have to be more unorthodox in my next match. Instead of repeating simple spells like today, I need more variety.”
“……”
It was fascinating to see her critique her own performance so earnestly. Honestly, I never would have imagined Cecilia taking dueling this seriously. Watching her today convinced me I needed to revise my impression of her. She wasn’t just amusing herself by pushing people around; she was deriving genuine fulfillment from winning. While her trademark languid, hollow eyes still held a hint of lethargy, her expression was visibly brighter than usual.
“Anyway, perhaps because I gave it my all in class today, I’m quite tired.”
“You certainly were…”
She really had worked hard. Between the dueling practical and the subsequent lecture on magical theory, Cecilia had applied herself far more diligently than usual. Technically, that was just what any normal student was supposed to do… but for Cecilia, it was a monumental effort. Sitting right beside her all day, even I had to admit she had put in the work.
“Phew. Come over here.”
“Pardon?”
“If I lie down in bed now, I’ll sleep straight through until night. I’m just going to take a quick nap on the sofa.”
“Then why call for me…?”
Sitting on the sofa, Cecilia suddenly beckoned me over. I couldn’t help but blink in bewilderment. If she was taking a nap on the couch, why did she need me? I had no idea why she wanted me closer, but I took a few steps forward anyway.
“Here, sit down.”
“…Yes, Your Highness.”
“Whew…”
…Why did she make me sit right beside her on the couch? Was she offering me a chance to relax next to her? I wasn’t sure, but a strange prickle ran down my spine—the phantom sensation of hairs standing on end, despite having perfectly smooth skin.
“Move your hands.”
“Pardon?”
“I’m going to sleep with my head on your lap. How am I supposed to lie down if your hands are resting there?”
“…Your head?”
“Why? Am I not allowed?”
“Well, of course you’re not…?”
She said it so casually, as if asking to borrow a book, that my brain momentarily froze.
“It’s not as if you have anything else to do. I’m exhausted, so move your hands. It’s an order.”
“Wait, Your Highness. This is a bit…”
This was deeply problematic. Sure, I tailed Cecilia everywhere, attended her baths, and helped her get dressed, but this was fundamentally different. This was, well… intimacy. Skinship. Of course skin touched skin when bathing or dressing her, but this felt entirely distinct. Naturally, I couldn’t just move my hands—
“Tsk… I’ll just move them myself.”
“Ah, wait, Your Highness—?!”
“I told you, I’m tired. I want to sleep, so just stay still.”
“W-Wait…”
I tried to protest, but Cecilia brushed my hands aside, utterly ignoring my objections, and flopped her head right onto my lap. Completely shameless. Then, keeping her eyes shut, she muttered:
“Wake me in three hours.”
“…Understood.”
“As for your hands… well, put them wherever you like, as long as it’s not on my head.”
“……”
Having dropped that casual instruction, she drifted off into slumber. Stunned by her utter high-handedness, I couldn’t muster any further resistance. I could only sit petrified, staring down at Cecilia resting her head atop my soft thighs. Her head wasn’t particularly heavy, but it was… an intensely bizarre sensation.
“Haaah…”
“Don’t sigh. I haven’t even fallen asleep yet.”
“…Yes, Your Highness.”
Her face was so needlessly gorgeous that merely looking at her made my heart flutter involuntarily. Even though I had been turned into a woman, and even though I had spent months chatting and rubbing shoulders with women at the Assassins’ Guild Headquarters, having someone this breathtaking so close was hazardous to my cardiovascular health.
Suuu…
Her personality might be prickly. Her gaze might often look vacant and decadent. But Cecilia’s looks had struck my exact preferences ever since I first saw her character illustration back in my old world. In fact, her visuals were the very reason I had gotten hyped for the new game release in the first place—she was just that stunning. Involuntarily, my eyes remained glued to her face. Fortunately, her eyes were shut, so she didn’t catch me staring, but continuing to ogle my master like this had to be wrong. …Though resisting was an exercise in futility.
“…Your Highness?”
“Quiet.”
“…Understood.”
Still, what on earth was I supposed to do for three hours until Her Imperial Highness awoke from my lap? Thanks to her abrupt whim, I was trapped on this sofa, unable to budge. If she had given me even a moment’s notice, I could have grabbed a book to kill time. This was utterly suffocating.
Haaah…
Below me, Cecilia’s breathing steadied as she drifted off. Through the faint dark circles under her eyes, her skin looked almost as snow-white as mine—so pale it bordered on translucent. Her radiant pale-blond hair spread across my skirt like shimmering silk. Worse yet, with every slow rise and fall of her chest, her exceptionally… prominent bust asserted its formidable presence directly in my line of sight. That was the real problem.
“……”
Though I now inhabited this petite, delicate girl’s body, it seemed that on the inside, I was still very much a man. My mind told me to avert my eyes, yet my gaze refused to pull away. It was an undeniable, helpless truth.
After waking from her nap, Cecilia had dinner and chatted a bit before turning in early for the night. The day’s duel had clearly drained her energy. Once I helped her to bed, I had intended to turn in myself. But fate had other plans.
“Junior, got a minute?”
“…It’s past midnight.”
“Think of it as overtime. Anyway, you’re free, right?”
The moment I finished brushing my teeth before bed, Senior dropped by unannounced. And judging by the fact that she had slipped boldly through the window rather than using the front door… it seemed my time to clock in as an assassin, rather than a maid, had arrived.