Getting Used to the Lady's Life
"C-Can I really eat something like this?"
"Of course, my lady. Normally, breakfast should be taken in the cafeteria, but since you are Lady Ramnusia, you may dine in your room."
Before me sat freshly baked bread, jam, and a fried egg.
"D-Do nobles really eat this every single day?"
"Some prefer to have a salad as well, my lady."
Salad? What on earth is a salad? Whatever, it doesn't matter. Bread is more than enough for me!
Holy crap...
How can bread be this soft and fluffy? The savory, sweet aroma is practically drifting through the whole room! And this is jam? I stole some once a long time ago, but this doesn't even compare!!!
"O-Oh, my...! H-How do I even..."
"Lady Ramnusia? You simply spread the jam on the bread like this. You may also add some butter if you like."
"A-Add butter? You don't just eat it plain?"
Keres's fingers twitched slightly, but she kept a gentle smile on her face. Aha! Nobles really don't know anything! Seriously! They have no idea what it's like to live in absolute poverty! They look at me like that because they don't know what it's like to eat out of cracked bowls and squeeze water out of mud just to survive!
"I-It's delicious! It's so good! So incredibly delicious...!"
The bread was so soft and delicious that I felt like I could eat nothing but this for an entire year. And the jam? It was unbelievably sweet. Having only ever eaten unripe or rotten fruit before, I couldn't even tell what kind of fruit it was made of, but it was sweet, delicious, and wonderfully tart. On top of that, there was milk. I had never in my life seen milk so white, beautiful, rich, and fragrant.
"Nom, nom, munch... chew... Keres, th-thank... munch."
"Lady Ramnusia, this is merely an ordinary meal. In fact, since it is breakfast, it is considered quite simple."
"S-S-Simple? This?! To me, this is the kind of food you'd only get to eat at a f-festival..."
Keres wore a bitter expression. But I was entirely serious. I had truly never tasted food this soft and delicious in my entire life.
"...You finished your meal quite quickly. In that case, may I test you on the information I asked you to memorize while I was preparing breakfast?"
"O-Of course. I'm quite good at learning." Though I ate so much. I hope I'm not ruining this beautiful girl's figure.
"What is the name of the place where Lady Ramnusia and I are currently staying?"
"H-Huuuh... Cosmos Academy. It's a place where the elite noble children of the Empire on which the sun never sets gather to receive their education."
Keres clapped her hands gently. Clap, clap, clap.
"And who is Lady Ramnusia?"
"Haa, haa...! Ramnusia Yuno is a second-year high school student at Cosmos Academy. She has no friends."
"Excellent work."
I felt a sudden urge to be praised even more by Keres. Should I try showing off a bit, even if it's a little presumptuous?
"H-Huu... And a typical day at the academy starts with waking up, w-washing, and having breakfast... Then we move from classroom to classroom according to the schedule to attend l-lessons. There's also lunchtime... and after the sixth period, students either participate in club activities or have free time."
"Oh my?"
"And Lady Ramnusia doesn't belong to any clubs, nor does she have any friends."
Keres blinked, her gaze shifting to a book resting on the desk. It was a guide containing the bare minimum of knowledge required to prevent anyone from realizing that Ramnusia Yuno had been replaced overnight by a 'man' inside. Frankly, no matter how much I looked at it, I couldn't wrap my head around table manners, fashion, or proper greetings, but since I had to live as Lady Ramnusia now, I didn't have a choice.
"Splendidly done, my lady. You are incredibly clever and bright. Your initiative to seek out knowledge on your own is truly admirable."
"...I-If I want to get revenge, I need to be capable of doing things on my own."
Keres nodded in agreement.
"Then, can I ask you about magic?"
Was my question too sudden? Keres nodded, a beat slower than usual.
"Yes, you may ask me anything, my lady. I shall offer whatever guidance I can."
"Can I use this Command Magic?"
"If you are asking because of the academy's rules, my answer is yes. However, should you be caught using magic on other students or discovered by a teacher, the assistance I can provide will be limited."
At the academy, students were strictly forbidden from using magic on one another outside of official duels. While minor spells that could be laughed off as pranks were usually overlooked, things like Command Magic, fireballs, ice spears, or lightning bolts would undoubtedly get you into serious trouble.
"Can I try using Command Magic on you, Keres?"
I understood the sensation of channeling magic now, but actually casting it was a different story. Being able to draw a bowstring and actually hitting the target were two entirely different things, after all.
"That is impossible, my lady."
"...Eh?"
"Because I am a stronger existence than you, Lady Ramnusia, I am immune to your Command Magic."
Keres took both of my hands in hers.
"When magic is used against a stronger opponent—someone with far greater magical power—its efficacy is halved. I apologize for not being able to serve as your practice partner."
"...N-No, it's fine. But then, how am I supposed to practice this spell?"
"You will encounter many such instances in the future. There will also be new spells that you can only cast once you have refined your magical power. After all, the Armonomicon is merely a grimoire that imparts knowledge."
Keres, still holding my hands, stared directly into my eyes as she spoke.
"For spells of this nature, I believe real-world experience is of the utmost importance."
"R-R-Real-world experience? But you just said I can't use it on you..."
"Indeed. And that is precisely why you must test it in the field."
It wasn't particularly difficult to grasp what Keres was implying.
"I c-c-c-c-can't do this!!!"
Is she insane?! Keres! This woman is actually incredibly dangerous, isn't she?!
"You can do it, my lady."
"H-How can I?! You told me to come to the c-cafeteria, so I did! But how can you ask me to do something like that?!"
Keres's plan was simple. Go to the cafeteria, find a student, and use Command Magic on them to gain practical experience.
"You are entirely capable, my lady."
"I c-can't! No way, no way! It's impossible! If I get caught, I'll be s-sentenced to death! I'll be stripped naked and c-castrated...!"
"You do not possess the anatomy to be castrated anyway, my lady."
"Aaaaargh! That's not the point!"
She's crazy! Absolutely out of her mind! Telling me to openly cast magic in the cafeteria to gain experience! If I get caught doing this, my life is literally over! It's common sense that playing tricks on nobles gets you killed!
"Lady Ramnusia."
"No way, no way, no way!"
"My lady!"
Keres grabbed my shoulders as I crouched on the floor, trembling, and forced me to my feet. The boys and girls passing by in the hallway snickered and mocked me, but not a single person stopped Keres.
"K-Keres..."
"Revenge will not fall into your lap like a ripe fruit while you sit and weep."
"I-I know, but..."
"If you do not build proper practical experience, you will never be able to exact your revenge on Lady Laura."
Keres squeezed my hand tightly, her eyes burning with intense determination.
"Keres?"
"I am willing to do absolutely anything to aid in your vengeance, my lady. So please, summon your courage."
"Ugh..."
Keres is right. Expecting a wild boar to drop dead the very first time I pull a bowstring is just wishful thinking.
"Huuu... Fine."
I steeled my resolve and stepped into the cafeteria with Keres close behind me.
"Whoa... There's so much delicious food..."
There were so many dishes that I didn't even know where to look. Is this even real food? My head spun at the sheer variety.
"Oh my! Look over there. It's Ramnusia."
"She actually crawled out of her room. Doesn't she know her place?"
What should I eat? What would a noble eat? ...Ah, wait. That's not the point.
I had to act like a noble lady! I grabbed a plate, picked up a single slice of bread, poured a cup of milk, and sat down at an empty table. Keres stood silently by my side. Who should I cast the Command Magic on? If Laura were here, I'd try it on her immediately, but...
I swallowed hard.
I spotted a student sitting in the corner of the cafeteria, eating cookies. She had brown hair tied neatly into twin tails. Staring at her, I discreetly wiggled my finger.
"Come sit next to me..."
Clatter!
The Command Magic actually worked! The brown-haired girl stared blankly at me, stood up, and walked over to sit right beside me.
"Is it alright if I sit here?"
"Y-Yes! Of course! Please, s-sit wherever you like."
"It was too noisy over there," the brown-haired girl muttered, immediately returning to the book she held in her right hand.
It worked. It actually worked! It worked! The Command Magic is way more effective than I thought?! What is this?! This is insane!
"This is crazy..."
I muttered under my breath, glancing up at Keres. She wore a proud, satisfied expression. What should I make her do next? What can I do? My heart is pounding. I can make this pretty girl do absolutely anything!
"...K-Kiss my cheek."
I cast the Command Magic again.
"...Hmm."
But nothing happened. Thinking I might have messed up, I wiggled my finger again and commanded her to kiss me, but there was absolutely no reaction. Why? What's the difference?
"My lady."
Keres leaned down, cupping her hand around my ear as she whispered.
"You cannot command someone to do something that defies common sense or strongly goes against their own will."
"S-So I can't just make them do anything?"
"Indeed. If that were possible, one could conquer the world with a single Command Magic spell, simply by ordering anyone who disobeyed to commit suicide."
It was a chilling analogy, but it made sense. Since it was a 'command,' the target had to possess at least a tiny, subconscious willingness to perform the action. In that case, how about this?
"...Spill your milk on your chest by mistake while drinking."
Following my command, the brown-haired girl picked up her cup of milk. Then, with a subtle slip of her thumb, she naturally splashed the milk right over her chest.
"Ah! H-How could I be so clumsy...!"
"Are you alright?"
Keres, standing behind me, smoothly pulled a handkerchief from her apron and approached the brown-haired girl.
"Ugh! Th-thank you."
The blouse, now completely soaked in milk, was rendered entirely useless. The wet, white fabric clung to her skin, turning translucent and revealing her light blue bra in vivid detail. Whoa, that is so hot. Seriously hot.
"Hehe, ehehehe..."
The milk-soaked blouse clung tightly to her breasts. Every time Keres pressed the handkerchief against her chest, the soft, heavy contour of her breasts was laid bare. Since Keres is touching them, I can touch them too, right?
"I-I'll help you too."
"I d-don't need your help, Ramnusia!"
The brown-haired girl gasped in shock and pushed my hand away. Wh-What? Did she read my mind about wanting to sneak a feel?!
"Ugh...! Why did I do that? How could I make such an embarrassing mistake...!"
The girl looked at Keres, then at me, bit her lower lip hard, covered her chest with her book, and bolted out of the cafeteria.
"Splendidly done, my lady. Do you now understand that while this magic is capable of many things, it also carries significant limitations?"
"I-I get it, but..."
Thump, thump, thump.
Was it because it was the first time in my life I had seen a bra so clearly? Or was it because I had just watched a girl's soft breasts being squished and molded right before my eyes?
"Ah... Haa, haaa... Haa."
"My lady?"
My heart was pounding. It was racing like crazy. My forehead felt burning hot, and a strange heat pooled in my lower abdomen.
"Th-This is... this is fun. Really fun. This revenge is going to be much more enjoyable than I th-thought."
"Lady Ramnusia, could you perhaps—"
Keres cut herself off mid-sentence and quickly stepped behind me.
"Look who couldn't even wait for Laura to get back before crawling out of her room."
"Honestly, Miss Ramnusia. You must know you don't deserve to remain at this academy, don't you?"
Two girls approached me, speaking in unison. The first one to speak was taller than Keres, with a body that radiated athletic health, and shoulder-length red hair with a hint of pink. The other girl was about my height, with slightly smaller breasts and neatly braided black hair.
"O-Oh... H-H-Hello...?"
Even without Keres explaining it to me, I instinctively realized exactly what kind of relationship these two girls had with the original 'Ramnusia Yuno'!