A Bad-Tempered Beauty?

"Hehehe..."

A soft, absurdly cute giggle slipped unbidden from my small mouth, echoing in the quiet of my tiny room. In my defense, I was in a fantastic mood. Still, it seemed my emotions had developed an annoying habit of leaking straight into my facial expressions and physical gestures. Keeping them in check was proving to be a real struggle.

"Eheheh..."

And why was I in such high spirits, you ask? Because the agonizing, hellish boot camp from the depths of the underworld was finally over! After an entire month of relentless torment, my special training had drawn to a close, and looking at the fruits of my suffering right now, how could I not be thrilled?

"Man, looking at it now, I really grinded hard. By game standards... this is the kind of level you'd usually hit by clearing Chapter 2."

Typically, the prologue and Chapter 1 were tuned for levels five through fifteen, while Chapter 2 expected you to sit somewhere between twenty and thirty. Judging purely by level and traits, I was more than equipped to handle bodyguard duty. Real combat might throw a few curveballs, of course, but seeing tangible proof of a month's hard labor was deeply satisfying.

Beyond the raw level, my traits were particularly rewarding. For some reason, my 'Blood Drain' trait hadn't budged at all, but knowing I had thoroughly absorbed everything the senior assassins threw at me filled me with pride.

"'Maid Prowess' doesn't exactly scream deadly assassin, but hey... I'm supposed to blend in as a maid while guarding her, so I guess it fits."

I brushed the thought aside. In RPGs, the more traits you had, the better off you were anyway.

"Pfhaha."

I couldn't help it; a giddy laugh escaped me as I swayed my torso from side to side in pure satisfaction.

Truth be told, when I first found myself in Serena's shoes—specifically, when I realized I had turned into a woman—I felt immense resistance. I had lived for over two decades as a red-blooded South Korean guy and had even completed mandatory military service. Sure, I had messed up my ankle pretty badly halfway through, but I still came out in reasonably fine health. Being torn away from civilian life and Assassin Project during my enlistment had been agonizing, yet I had gritted my teeth and endured it, knowing that desertion would only keep me away longer.

So how could a guy like that easily accept turning into a girl from day one? Naturally, it was a massive shock.

And yet... strange as it was, my brain had simply adjusted, completely indifferent to my conscious objections.

"...Sigh."

Every time I showered or changed, I had to look at this small, soft body. It ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠wasn't the sort of physique that stirred any inappropriate urges in me anyway. The pale silver hair and crimson eyes still felt surreal whenever I caught my reflection, but over time, I had naturally accepted that this was just my body now. Even right now, catching sight of my reflection with the top buttons of my shirt undone didn't ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠bother me in the slightest.

"You've been summoned."

"Coming~!"

One month had passed. A month since transmigrating, and a month since the tutorial known as special training began. Having grown stronger and feeling thoroughly satisfied with my progress, I felt ready to take on my very first assignment in remarkably high spirits.

"Ah, Serena."

"Good morning, Guild Master!"

"Yes, good morning. Did you sleep well last night?"

"Always like a log. You worked me so hard I couldn't have stayed awake if I tried."

"Haha. Even so, it should feel far more manageable now, shouldn't it? From what I've heard from the others lately, they've had nothing but praise for you."

"Eheheh... really?"

If there was one distinct change since becoming Serena, it was that I had developed an insatiable craving for praise. Granted, anyone likes being complimented, but these days my physical reactions were absurdly pronounced. Before I even realized what I was doing, I was practically wiggling in my chair like an excited puppy. Seeing a cute girl act that way meant nobody thought twice about it, but there were definitely moments where I died a little inside from embarrassment.

"I hear you've grown quite adept with mana as well, even picking up a few mid-tier spells. Though for an assassin, the low-tier stealth spell, Silence, will always remain your most vital tool."

"I did learn some mid-tier magic, but I'm not confident enough to rely on it in a pinch yet. I'll probably stick to low-tier spells and rely on physical combat for the most part."

"An assassin's craft will always demand physical prowess, after all."

"I also learned a ton of trap setups, so I'm not too worried. Hannah was an amazing teacher."

"I'll have to make sure Hannah receives a bonus next month."

"Don't just give one to her—give bonuses to Sylvia, Kevin, and Ivan, too."

"Very well, I shall. Now then, shall we return to the matter of your assignment?"

"Oh, right! Yes, sir!"

We had been sharing pleasant banter, but business was business, and that ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠was the real reason I had been called here. The grueling training had essentially been the prologue and tutorial. This upcoming mission to guard the princess was where the true Chapter 1—the main campaign—finally began. At first, I had thought the bodyguard gig was just part of the prologue, but my perspective had shifted.

"Allow me to brief you further on the protection of the Third Imperial Princess."

Picking up a dossier resting on his office desk, the Guild Master slid the papers toward me. It was a hefty stack, easily ten pages or more—clearly full of critical intelligence I was expected to memorize before setting out.

"Cecilia de Aria. She is the individual you are tasked with protecting, and the master you will serve as a personal maid for at least the coming year."

"She's gorgeous. Doesn't look like she enjoys the best of health, though."

"A sharp observation. The Third Princess, Cecilia, has been frail since early childhood. Her mother, the late imperial concubine, was similarly sickly from her youth, and it appears the princess inherited her constitution."

"Ah, I see..."

So that was the story. When I first saw the illustration of Cecilia, she merely looked exhausted, but there was clearly more history behind it.

"Because of her delicate health, His Imperial Majesty the Emperor kept the Third Princess secluded within the Imperial Palace. While an official reason was never declared, he likely wished to prevent her from succumbing to illness as her mother did."

"Hmm... that makes sense."

"Indeed. And the reason you are assigned to guard her now is that this spring, she is slated to enroll at Avelino Academy as a Special Entrant."

"...The Academy?"

"Yes. While it is quite unusual for someone in her circumstances, arrangements have already been finalized."

The Academy. That name rang a bell from the promotional trailer for the upcoming sequel. It was the backdrop introduced alongside a sinister cabal of imperial nobles conspiring to overthrow the throne. As the Guild Master continued outlining details about the institution, my mind was already racing ahead, connecting the dots.

The trailer, the conspirators, the Academy, an imperial princess, assassination, bodyguard duty...

"...Ah."

"Is something the matter?"

"Oh, nothing. I just think I understand why the Emperor would hire the Assassin's Guild instead of relying on the imperial guard for a simple school enrollment."

"I see. Yes, given her frail health and the fact that she has rarely stepped beyond palace walls compared to her siblings, discreet protection was deemed essential."

"Yeah... that sounds about right."

Listening to his explanation, the broader picture snapped into focus. The shadowy syndicate teased in the sequel's trailer likely hadn't revealed itself to the world yet, meaning even our guild was completely in the dark about them. And right into that brewing storm, a sheltered princess was about to walk into the Academy—making her an irresistible target. If she were assassinated, the grief-stricken Emperor would fly into a rage, enact erratic, tyrannical policies, and push the empire toward ruin... a textbook dark fantasy plot.

It was only an educated gamer's guess for now, so I kept my mouth shut.

"For now, familiarize yourself thoroughly with the profile of the Third Princess. You are to enter her service as her personal maid, protecting her within the Academy while attending to her daily needs."

"Understood."

I listened attentively as the Guild Master elaborated on Cecilia's background. In truth, there wasn't much out of the ordinary: an itemized list of her physical condition, dietary preferences, and personal dislikes. Interspersed were notes regarding her temperament and frosty relationships with the other royals, but nothing entirely shocking.

By the time he finished, my takeaway boiled down to a single conclusion.

"So basically, she's a pretty girl with a terrible personality?"

"...Is that the impression you've gathered?"

"Well, she doesn't exactly sound like sunshine and rainbows. Having particular tastes in food is normal, but her attitude and interpersonal skills look abysmal on paper. I bet she has a harder time making friends than stoic Ivan."

"Well... she has spent her entire life confined to the palace, after all."

A sickly, bad-tempered princess forced into semi-shut-in life. That was my working summary of Cecilia de Aria. Guarding her was shaping up to be an absolute headache.

"That covers the princess and your protective duties. Next, allow me to introduce the assets that will assist you once you infiltrate the Academy."

"Ooh..."

"There is an active operative from our guild stationed within the Academy grounds."

"Oh, really?"

"Should an emergency arise or you require backup from headquarters, you may establish contact through her."

"Who is she?"

"Once you enter the Academy alongside the princess, she will make the initial approach."

"Fascinating..."

Now that felt like real covert tradecraft. Considering Avelino Academy was the premier institution in the entire empire, operating out in the open was out of the question. The Guild Master then walked me through my routine duties once inside. Apparently, my responsibilities weren't strictly limited to shadowing the princess around the clock. Chief among them was dispatching a monthly report detailing the past month's events, alongside requests for fresh weaponry and specialized ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠tools. While basic gear was provided upfront, tools of the trade were ultimately consumables.

"With that, our briefing is concluded."

"Sounds like a much tougher gig than I anticipated."

"The client and target are of imperial blood, after all. I apologize that your maiden assignment must carry such weight, but take it as proof of the high expectations the guild holds for you, Serena."

"Understood, sir."

"In that case, you may rendezvous with Sylvia outside and depart for the Imperial Palace immediately."

"...Right this second?"

"Yes. Your luggage has already been packed. Sylvia and Hannah prepared your belongings personally, and given their competence, I am certain nothing was overlooked."

And so, my deployment began. It was far more abrupt than I had braced myself for, but when Sylvia later explained that moving without delay was necessary to scrub any traceable link to the Assassin's Guild, I could only nod in agreement.

Cecilia de Aria...

On parchment, she seemed like nothing more than a bad-tempered beauty with frail health. I couldn't help but wonder what kind of person she would truly turn out to be face-to-face.