I'm His Girlfriend? (1)
The enormous colosseum hosting the main bracket of the martial arts tournament rang with countless voices chanting two names as if the crowd had fallen under a spell.
“Emilia! Emilia! Emilia!!”
“Sieg! Sieg! Sieg! Sieg!”
Even though Emilia was the one who had won the match, my name was being shouted alongside hers like a set menu. This happened without fail because, during every winner’s interview, she made sure to mention me.
“I was only able to win because Sieg-nim was there.”
Thanks to that, the unified roar of the massive crowd echoed in my ears. And Akasha, of all people, was enthusiastically chanting along—more passionately than anyone else.
Anyway, Emilia had now secured her spot in the finals. There had been a few heart-stopping moments befitting the main bracket, but she advanced with the steady dignity of a true Sword Master.
“Who’s her opponent in the finals?”
“A warrior from the Amazoness tribe—the ones called the fighting race,” Soho answered from beside me.
“The Amazoness who turn their entire bodies into weapons?”
“Exactly. The ones who can turn anything they hold into a weapon.”
Amazonesses were known as a demi-human race that had surpassed human limits. Even the smallest children in their tribe could hunt orcs alone, and their warriors were said to be worth an entire squadron of knights. On top of that, the strongest mercenary band in the world was also run by Amazonesses.
If there was one notable custom from the past, it was their old tradition of kidnapping their future husbands. That practice had vanished with the changing times, but back then they had been objects of pure terror.
“It’s the matchup everyone is dying to see—a Sword Master versus an Amazoness warrior. A true big match.”
Soho was right. Both were races known for their small numbers. The fact that two of them would be dueling made anyone curious.
“I’ve placed my bet on Lady Emilia, by the way.” Soho smiled, fiddling with her coin pouch. I wasn’t sure how things would turn out, but she had an eerily good instinct. She kept predicting winners accurately, not just in Emilia’s fights but in the others too. Watching her from the side gave me chills. She really was the goddess of victory.
“I’m looking forward to the day after tomorrow.”
The finals were scheduled for two days later. Because of that, Daeho had grown busy lately. With Lucifer plotting something, he was rushing around to prepare. It looked like he was meeting with various nobles to gather strength—he would vanish abruptly every morning. The information we had received said the Demon King’s army would make their move at the banquet the night before the finals.
“Oh, right! Does Sieg-nim happen to have banquet attire ready?”
Soho’s sudden question caught me off guard.
“Banquet attire?”
I didn’t. I had plenty of clothes since money wasn’t tight, but there had been no reason to prepare anything specifically for a banquet. All I owned were comfortable ready-made outfits.
“Is it really necessary?”
Maybe because I had never actually attended a banquet before, the idea didn’t quite click. I had seen them indirectly through various media, but stepping into one myself was an entirely different matter.
“Of course. There are no creatures with looser lips than nobles. Hairstyles, clothing, accessories, gestures, behavior—everything becomes gossip fodder. We have to eliminate anything that could be used as a weakness.”
She had a point. And wearing proper clothes wouldn’t exactly be a loss.
“Especially since we’ll be attending in the name of the Baekya Ducal Family, which represents the Seolha Empire. We cannot afford to be looked down on.”
“Then I suppose I need to get one made.”
Since we were attending under the Baekya name, I couldn’t embarrass them. When I nodded, Soho quickly averted her eyes and spoke in a rush.
“I-is that so? It can’t be helped, then. I was planning to get new clothes myself, so… shall we go together?! There’s a good tailor shop in the capital that I know well… It wouldn’t be bad at all.”
“I’d really appreciate it if you could show me the way.”
I knew absolutely nothing about banquet attire. As a high-ranking noble, Soho would be knowledgeable about these things.
“Shall we go right now?”
Soho and I decided to head to the tailor shop alone. I felt bad for Akasha, but the district was full of nobles, so I couldn’t bring her. There was too much risk of her beastman identity being discovered.
In the Arcadia Empire, where the one true god was revered as the state religion, beastmen were classified as absolute evil and heretics. It always made me uncomfortable to keep excluding her for that reason, but luckily Emilia had asked for Akasha as her training partner. In exchange, I promised to bring back delicious snacks.
“It’s the shop on this street.”
The moment we stepped down from the carriage, the atmosphere of the district felt completely different. The paved roads and the shops were all luxurious and refined. Everyone walking around was a noble dressed in elegant clothing. While the main streets of the capital were still buzzing with festival energy, this place carried a restrained, leisurely grace.
Even so, there were people hurrying about—the nobles’ servants. The nobles themselves were enjoying relaxed conversations over tea.
—Who do you think will become Her Highness the Princess’s husband?
—For Princess Morgan, appearance would surely be the top priority, right?
—In that case, it has to be our son. He has perfect etiquette, impeccable support skills, and outstanding looks—nothing is lacking.
—But I heard Princess Morgan is already exchanging words with Duke Deloa?
—There’s still a chance. He can make his move at the banquet.
From the fragments I caught, the hot topic was the list of candidates for the princess’s husband. Since it was a banquet attended by the imperial family and virtually every noble, many seemed to view it as their opportunity. It had nothing to do with me, though.
“We can go in there,” Soho said, pointing at a tailor shop that was larger than any of the others nearby. It was bustling, with several nobles coming and going.
“Welcome. Oh! If it isn’t Lady Soho of Baekya! Have you come to pick up your ordered garments?”
The moment we stepped inside, the employee recognized Soho and greeted her warmly. Soho accepted the greeting with familiar ease and replied,
“That, and this gentleman here needs something suitable to wear to the banquet.”
“This gentleman? Ooh…”
The employee looked at my face and let out an audible gasp. His eyes widened as they carefully scanned my entire body, then he clapped his hands together.
“Is he the young lady’s fiancé? Such a handsome man… I have had the honor of serving many distinguished guests, but this is the first time I’ve seen someone this good-looking. Even another man can tell at a glance… You have superb taste, my lady.”
“Ah, no. It’s not like that.”
Soho’s face flushed red as she denied it. Yet for some reason she wore a bright smile as she added excitedly, “But… does it really look that way?”
“Yes, you make a truly perfect pair. Lady Soho is no one to lose to in the looks department either. It’s like a painting come to life. Hahaha.”
“Still, hearing it phrased as a compliment feels nice.”
“Because it’s the truth. In any case, it is an honor to be given the chance to create garments for such a wonderful young master. My creative passion is burning for the first time in ages! Inspiration! The inspiration is striking!”
The employee spoke with wild excitement. The polite service worker from moments ago had vanished, replaced by what looked like a deranged artist.
“A masterpiece is going to be born. My hands are itching… Ah! I’ve kept you standing far too long. Please, come this way. I’ll guide you.”
After his outburst, the employee cleared his throat, composed himself, and led us forward.
The area we were taken to was on a different floor with noticeably fewer people. It was clearly reserved for nobles. The original floor had been well-organized with plenty of quality clothing, but this place paid attention to every detail—from the furniture to the interior design.
“The young master is significantly taller than other men, so we will need to proceed with full custom tailoring.”
Perhaps it was the nature of this gender-reversed world. Women were generally taller than men. Even a tall man would only be about the same height as the average woman. In contrast, I was larger than most women.
“Around 184? 185? We’ll need to take precise measurements. Would that be all right? We’ll have to measure chest and arm sizes as well.”
I nodded at the employee’s question. Soho, however, jumped in surprise.
“Th-then I’ll step away for a moment. I have some clothes I need to look at…”
With those words, she hurried off somewhere. When I turned to the employee in confusion, he kindly explained.
“For accurate measurements, you’ll need to remove your top.”
To me it was no big deal, but in this world it was apparently something else entirely. I kept forgetting that a man’s exposed skin was considered an overwhelmingly strong stimulus.
The measurements were finished quickly. The clothes would be custom-made, which meant choosing designs and fabrics, but I decided to wait for Soho first. After all, I knew nothing about this field.
“Are you here by yourself?”
While I sat waiting quietly, someone spoke to me. It was a woman with charming, smiling eyes. She naturally took the seat beside me.
“Are you here to order clothes for the upcoming banquet?”
“Yes… that’s right.”
“In that case, do you have a partner to attend with? If it’s your first time, I could escort you. How does that sound?”
She was being incredibly forward. That sly smile… was she hitting on me? I had felt gazes on me before, but this was the first time someone had approached so aggressively.
“To be honest, I came over because you caught my eye. What do you think of me? I’ve never been called unattractive, at least. Hehe.”
She was right. Her round eyes and elegant nose made her quite beautiful.
“I’ve never approached someone first like this before, you know. I really did fall for you at first sight and worked up the courage…”
She continued shyly. But I had no choice. I already had people to attend the banquet with.
“But what can I do? I’m already taken.”
The moment I tried to refuse, a familiar voice came from behind me. When I turned, I saw Soho standing there with a twisted expression.
“Ah… so he already has a lover.”
“Yes, that’s correct. Therefore I must decline any further advances.”
“I-I understand. Please excuse me.”
The woman who had been sitting beside me stood up in a hurry and fled. Soho glared at her retreating back for a long moment. Then our eyes met, and her face instantly turned bright red.
“I-I’m sorry. I got angry for a second and spoke out of turn. Did that… bother you?”
She bowed her head in apology. The sight was strangely cute, so I shook my head and answered,
“Not at all. It was an emergency. I don’t mind.”
“Th-then… would it be all right if I say something like that again next time? Only if a situation like this comes up again! It’s not that I want to go around saying it or anything! It’s just… necessary!”
Watching Soho hurriedly explain herself, I nodded. If she stepped in, it would be reassuring. Her presence was overwhelming—especially her chest.
“M-miss, you can’t just barge in here like that…!”
That was when the commotion started at the entrance.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
Footsteps? A massive vibration shook the floor. It gave me déjà vu—like the moment Corps Commander Chierre of the Demon King’s army had appeared.
“I’m just here to check something real quick, okay? Stop being annoying and get out of the way!”
A sharp, irritated voice preceded the appearance of a giant woman.
‘Who is she again?’
The face looked familiar. An impression that strong should have been impossible to forget.
“Th-this is the VIP room. Without a reservation, you cannot—”
“I’m a noble too! The lord who rules Brook territory! Do you want to be dragged off for insulting a noble? Move or what??”
The raised voice finally revealed her identity.
“I’ll have you severely punished in the name of Viscount Brook!”
It was the very same Viscountess of Brook who, in the original story, had purchased Sieg Barbary.