Chapter 248: Hilde (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 248: Hilde (2)
[I really thought you were about to do something scandalous with a girl you just met, Isaac.]
"Are you crazy…?"
Inside the Elma Hall dormitory.
I had dressed the Frost Dragon—now in her human form—and sat her down on the bed to ask her a few questions.
I was fully dressed as well. I sat in a chair with the Phantom Cat, Cheshire, curled up on my lap, observing Hilde.
As I stroked Cheshire, Hilde shot him a frigid glare. It was pure jealousy. Her eyes practically screamed, That should be me.
However, Hilde’s human form was so unfamiliar that I didn’t feel particularly inclined to pet her yet.
"Aren't you supposed to be with Alice?"
[It’s fine! This is way more fun. Alice is probably buried in paperwork and bored to tears right now anyway.]
"Is that so?"
Cheshire was all about seeking entertainment. There was no point in questioning his logic.
[So, Hilde, what’s with that look? Is it modeled after the Primordial Ice Sovereign?]
[No, Cheshire. This is simply my human form. My previous master was slender and had black hair.]
I didn't know what the Primordial Ice Sovereign looked like, but apparently, she had been a thin woman with raven-black hair.
[Could you always transform into a human?]
[I learned the magic of Polymorph because I wanted to be closer to my previous master. Though, in the end, I failed to bridge that distance.]
In the gaming community of my past life, this was commonly referred to as 'Polymorph.' There had been fan art online speculating what Hilde’s human form might look like, and some of them had actually been quite close.
This wasn't a simple illusion. Altering the very nature of one’s physical body was high-level magic. It wasn't a skill just anyone could pick up.
Aside from her horns, her mystical light-blue eyes, and her swaying tail, Hilde looked like an ordinary human girl. Her elegant, delicate voice suited this form perfectly. Perhaps she had always possessed such a voice because this was her true inner self.
"You want to get a dress fitted in that form, right?"
[Is that not obvious, Master? Did you seriously think I wanted to get a human dress fitted while in my dragon form?]
"..."
Was that sarcasm? How was I supposed to know?
Regardless, I had been flustered at first, but in hindsight, this was a good development.
"Fine. But can you hide your horns and tail?"
[You mean a complete human disguise? Yes, I can. However, my horns and tail are the focal points of my mana. I can't use magic while they're hidden, which is a bit inconvenient.]
That was a relief. It meant she could live like a normal person if she wanted to.
"You said you wanted to live like the people here. It seems possible in that form, doesn't it?"
[…Huh? Oh!]
Hilde’s expression instantly brightened.
She had helped me so much that I wanted to return the favor. At the very least, I could fulfill this wish. Since I intended to keep her summoned anyway, I wanted her to be happy.
*
[Cheshire has returned~!]
"You're late."
In Charles Hall, the dormitory for high-ranking students.
Alice, working at her desk under the glow of a lamp, greeted the Phantom Cat as he slipped through the window.
Starting tomorrow, Alice would begin organizing her duties to hand over the presidency to her successor. She was currently drafting a transition manual. It would only take a few days, but even that short span made her ache to see Isaac tonight.
She had sent Cheshire to ask Isaac for a meeting, but the cat had returned much later than expected.
[Something interesting happened.]
Cheshire grinned as he perched on the windowsill. Curious, Alice paused her work and looked at him.
"Something interesting?"
[I went to Isaac’s room and saw him completely naked, petting a girl! I was so shocked!]
"…?"
The words and the context failed to compute in Alice’s mind.
Why were "Isaac," "naked," and "girl" in the same sentence? And he was doing what to her?
Alice had already accepted the idea of Isaac’s harem, provided she remained his priority. Isaac seemed determined to avoid romance until the Evil God was defeated, so Alice had planned to win his heart slowly. Rash actions would only push him away.
But who could have beaten me to the punch at a time like this…?
Suppressing the storm of emotions rising within her, Alice tapped her finger lightly on the desk, maintaining her trademark gentle smile.
"Who… could have possibly seduced my Isaac? Was it Dorothy? Or perhaps Luce Eltania?"
The only two people left at the academy who posed a real threat were Dorothy and Luce. For a moment, she tried to reassure herself. Even if someone had managed to get close to him, Cheshire’s interruption meant they had been thwarted for now.
However, the Phantom Cat’s response was entirely unexpected.
[Eh? It wasn't either of them.]
What?
Alice’s finger stopped tapping.
"Neither of them?"
She leaned forward, her eyes narrowing. An unforeseen variable was trying to blindside her.
"Then… who was the girl with my dear Isaac?"
[It was Hilde.]
"Hilde?"
Alice’s thoughts froze.
Hilde.
The Frost Dragon, Hilde?
"Wait, you mean Isaac’s familiar? But Hilde is a dragon…"
[She can turn into a human.]
"A human?"
[I just found out today, too! Isaac was talking about getting Hilde a pretty dress and treating her like a human girl.]
The initial, scandalous misunderstanding faded, but Alice still had to process this new information.
Let’s look at the facts.
The Frost Dragon, Hilde, could transform into a human. Isaac, while undressed, had been petting her. Isaac had promised to buy her a pretty dress. Isaac was treating the Frost Dragon with the kind of affection one would show a human girl…
[Alice?]
"..."
Every single one of those facts seemed to point toward a very "impure" conclusion. A cold sweat trickled down Alice’s cheek.
Could it be… that Isaac’s tastes aren't limited to humans?
Did he think that by making the Frost Dragon his familiar, there would be no romantic complications?
This was a massive oversight.
[Huh? Alice?]
As the Student Council President, Alice was used to handling any crisis with composure, but this was so jarring that she was struggling to keep it together. The appearance of such an unexpected obstacle sent a wave of turmoil through her heart.
…Calm down.
Alice took a deep breath, wiped the sweat from her face, and smiled warmly.
"Cheshire, would you mind keeping a secret eye on my Isaac tonight?"
[Huh? Secretly? What about Isaac’s privacy?]
Why is the cat suddenly the voice of reason?
Of course, Alice respected Isaac’s privacy. But this was an emergency.
"We have a master-servant relationship with Isaac, don't we? Sometimes, for our master’s own well-being, we must… intervene slightly. Isaac will understand."
Isaac was an Archwizard. He would easily notice if the Phantom Cat was spying on him. In other words, it was impossible to truly "spy" on them tonight. If Isaac confronted her and asked why she was watching his room, she would just have to back off. But doing something was better than sitting here worrying.
Realizing Alice’s order was specifically to keep an eye on Hilde, Cheshire chirped an excited answer and vanished.
At dawn, the Phantom Cat reported back.
The Frost Dragon had returned to her small dragon form and was sleeping peacefully beside Isaac. Only then did Alice, who had unintentionally stayed up all night, finally feel a sense of relief.
*
"Hilde is getting a dress? That sounds like so much fun! Can I come? Let me come too!"
[I’m curious about this as well.]
It was lunchtime. I usually ate with Luce, but she had gone to Hegel Tower this morning for her apprenticeship duties. After finishing a solitary meal at the academy cafeteria, I headed out.
As I made my way toward the clothing boutique, I ran into Dorothy.
As if she had been waiting for me, Dorothy suddenly dropped down from a tree, greeting me cheerfully while hanging upside down from a branch. Her white cat familiar, Ella, was with her. It was such a common occurrence that I didn't even flinch.
With Hilde perched on my head in her small dragon form, I returned the greeting and explained that we were going to get her a dress fitted. Dorothy and Ella thought it sounded like a blast and decided to tag along.
"Hilde, leave the outfit selection to me! No one in our department has a better eye for elegant clothes than I do. I’ll make sure you look stunning."
[Oh, really? Then I shall entrust myself to you, Dorothy!]
"Nihihi, just leave it to me!"
Hilde was vibrating with excitement at the prospect of wearing a dress. She had been posing in front of the full-length mirror since early this morning.
[But Hilde, you are a dragon. Why do you wish to wear human clothing?]
The white cat, Ella, asked in a refined, haughty tone. At that moment, a floating purple cat appeared by my shoulder and zoomed toward her.
[Meow! There’s a very good reason for that!]
[Kyaah!!]
Ella shrieked reflexively and scrambled onto Dorothy’s shoulder.
"Cheshire?"
"Oh, it’s Cheshire!"
We stopped walking. The Phantom Cat deactivated his invisibility, stood on his hind legs, and rested his front paws on my leg. He seemed completely unfazed by the fact that Ella was avoiding him like the plague.
[Hilde would look beautiful in a human dress! Though, of course, she can’t quite compete with Ella’s radiant beauty!]
[Hissss!!]
Cheshire winked and threw a flirty remark at Ella, who responded by arching her back and hissing in pure hostility.
[That was incredibly rude, Cheshire! I am every bit as beautiful as Ella, if not more so!]
[Yeah, yeah. But you’re not a cat, are you?]
Hilde tried to challenge him, but the Phantom Cat brushed her off without even looking at her. Convinced she was the most beautiful creature regardless of race, Hilde trembled with indignation and looked down at me.
[Master, keep walking! We must go and get my dress fitted immediately!]
"Yeah, let's go. Cheshire, you coming?"
[Meow! Of course! This sounds like fun!]
With the Phantom Cat joining the group, we resumed our trek.
We chatted along the way. Dorothy and Cheshire seemed to get along surprisingly well, considering they had once fought with lethal intent. Perhaps because they were now on the same side, there was a strange, refreshing camaraderie between them.
On the other hand, Ella clung to Dorothy’s shoulder, refusing to even look at Cheshire. It was painfully obvious she despised him.
[Meow! Ella, you’re as beautiful as ever!]
[And you’re as hideous as ever.]
[Would you like to go see some fish with me later? I found a lovely lake.]
[How about you go to the River Styx instead? Alone.]
[Meow! I’ve never been there, but if it’s a place Ella picked for me, it must be a dream!]
[And for me, it’s a nightmare.]
[So, Ella, when are you free? I’d love to spend some quality time with you!]
[I have plenty of free time—just none to waste on you!]
[Oh, you must be very busy. That’s a shame. Is there anything you want? I’d love to give you a gift.]
[Your death.]
[Meow! You’re so cute when you’re being coy! I love how extreme you are!]
Despite the verbal abuse, the Phantom Cat continued to shower Ella with unwavering affection. Feeling a pang of pity for him, I looked away.
We eventually arrived at the boutique in the academy’s shopping district. The shop was filled with high-end vintage dresses and suits.
"Welcome… Oh! It’s been a while, Isaac! No, wait… I must be losing it. Should I call you… the Ice Sovereign now?"
The shop owner greeted us warmly. She was someone I’d gotten to know while working in the Magic Department last year. This was the same store where I’d rented a suit for a social gathering. She seemed genuinely flustered about how to address me now that my status had skyrocketed.
"Please, just treat me like you did before. It’ll only make me uncomfortable otherwise."
"Is that really okay?"
"Yes, of course."
"Hehe, that’s a relief for me too."
I prefer it this way.
"So, what can I do for you today, Ice Sovereign?"
"We’re here to look at dresses. For a lady."
The owner’s gaze naturally drifted toward Dorothy.
"Is it for her? Is she your girlfriend, perhaps?"
"Nihihi! You hit the nail on the head!"
"Oh my! Really? You two look wonderful together!"
Dorothy’s playful tone immediately convinced the shop owner.
"She’s just joking."
"Ah… really? Well, you still make a lovely pair."
The owner smiled. She seemed to have a good impression of us. I figured I’d remain a regular here until graduation.
Dorothy looked at me mischievously, stifling a giggle as if she could read my thoughts.
"Isaac, you seem a bit stiff. Were you excited because of m— Ouch!"
I flicked Dorothy’s forehead.
"Don't joke about things like that."
"You're so cold… You're breaking your Big Sis's heart."
Dorothy puffed out her cheeks in a mock pout. As I gently rubbed the spot I’d flicked, she closed her eyes and smiled, leaning into my touch.
"Actually, the dress is for her."
I pointed to Hilde, who was still perched on my head. She stood up on her hind legs, put her front paws on her hips, and struck a proud pose.
"Oh, uh… Huh?"
The shop owner froze. She clearly had a lot of questions but didn't know where to start.
…I feel you.
Meanwhile.
An Imperial carriage carrying White and Merlin, and a carriage from the Astrea Duchy carrying Gerald and Kaya, were both departing for Mären Academy.