First Outing on Worship Day
Worship Day—her first outing. An imperial holiday mandated by law, requiring worship of the Supreme God on the last day of every week. Regardless of its devout intentions, it had devolved into a rest day for weary laborers. Chloe, facing this Eveil, was preparing for her first trip outside since settling into the Evergreen Ducal Castle. And at her side...
"Teacher. Your makeup..."
"It's fine. I'm wearing this today."
"Ah, then I'll take my leave."
The woman who had nearly died from a thrown dagger on her very first day as Chloe's personal maid had somehow settled in well. Viola bowed politely and exited the bedroom once more.
Chloe appreciated her daily visits to assist with dressing and makeup, and the occasional help with her clothes was always welcome, but...
"I have to wear the uniform today. No need for help."
For today's outing, she had no intention of donning a dress. Instead, she planned to head into the city in the uniform of the Evergreen Guard. In recent days, she'd confirmed that among the territory's residents, the Guard was seen as the Grand Duke's right hand—his closest aides, not to be approached lightly.
Two women moving together.
The need to protect Marian safely.
The advantage of easily gaining assistance from guards if trouble arose.
Considering all that, going out in the Guard's formal uniform was the best choice. It was far more practical than the dresses Rosetta had gifted her, especially for mobility. The design wasn't to her taste, but practicality demanded it today.
"Alright, uniform's on..."
Having changed into the uniform, Chloe began concealing the daggers she'd lost in last night's skirmish but had painstakingly recovered by searching the castle high and low. Jacket inner pocket, waistband, back, sleeves, and finally inside the skirt hem.
"God, I hope I don't have to use these."
Praying to the Supreme God she didn't even believe in for a safe return without combat, she headed to Marian's bedroom—it really was time to go.
"Chloe's here!"
"You're up early, miss."
"Yeah! I woke up as soon as the sun rose!"
As Chloe grasped the doorknob to Marian's bedroom, the door flew open faster, and Marian burst out. She was clearly thrilled about today's outing. Chloe took her hand, leading her out the window into the wider world.
"This is your first time going out, right?"
"Yeah... that's right."
Marian was an unusual bastard child, born right here in the Ducal Castle. Her mother had been a criminal of the Evergreen Grand Ducal family, and Marian was conceived during Duke Haksen's punishment of her. She was a bastard with questionable but somehow unquestioned legitimacy.
That backstory was why, after the five legitimate children vanished, she could ascend to the position of lady.
"Why were you barred from going out?"
"Uh... because of the lady and the young masters..."
They'd raised Marian in confinement for that reason too. Even as a bastard, she undeniably carried Evergreen blood. Yet she couldn't mix with the legitimate children—and in emergencies, she could serve as their replacement insurance.
For those complicated reasons, they'd isolated her. By the time she'd spent exactly twelve years in that cramped room, she had become the eldest daughter of the Evergreen Grand Ducal family.
Of course, even after becoming the eldest lady, the ban on outings hadn't lifted. She could still only connect to the outside world through her window.
There were no alternatives to Marian in Evergreen anymore.
'They kept her locked up because she'd fight with the legitimate children while they were alive, then used safety as an excuse after they were gone. This outing was permitted because... luck's on our side all around.'
Duke Haksen was absent. Rosetta, his proxy, despised any entanglement with Marian. Chloe had proven her abilities by successfully neutralizing the assassin.
Those three factors had granted today's permission—pure luck.
Thank goodness things were falling into place just right.
"This place...!"
Stepping outside the castle for the first time in her life, Marian's eyes welled up with emotion. Chloe worried she might cry at first, but...
"Huh...?"
Far from tears, she pointed somewhere with a puzzled expression.
And where Marian's fingertip led...
"Why's there another castle? I definitely left the castle..."
"That's the castle wall, miss."
"Castle wall?"
"Yes, the castle wall."
There was a castle wall.
"It's a double wall built to prevent direct assaults on the Ducal Castle. High nobles' residences are all like this."
The Evergreen Grand Ducal family's stronghold, Grinid—also called the fortress city of Grinid. The Grand Ducal Castle where the Evergreens had resided for generations stood there, encircled by towering walls that enclosed the commercial district and residents' homes. This structure was highly advantageous for defense, as it allowed conscripting civilians into soldiers in wartime...
But no need to explain military strategy to Marian just yet. That time would come eventually, but not now.
"Assault? Who's bothering us?"
"Who knows. Not now, but someday someone with bad intentions might attack."
"Ah."
"Ah?"
"That's why you study alchemy? To catch thieves and invaders."
"Something like that."
Marian was just a normal twelve-year-old girl. Answering her immediate curiosities and guiding her slowly along the route Chloe had planned was enough.
"Tch, it's the Guard..."
"What's the Guard—who only stays inside the castle—doing here...?"
"But who's that girl next to her? Daughter...? Nah, maybe a little sister?"
"Dunno. Don't stare."
How long had they been strolling hand-in-hand through the city? The residents had noticed Chloe and Marian, starting to whisper among themselves.
"Ugh..."
Marian had extremely limited interactions with others. Compared to peers her age among the nobility, she had overwhelmingly fewer. Social skills? Nonexistent.
What happens when such a girl faces the gaze of an indeterminate crowd?
"Ch-Chloe..."
"It's fine. They're harmless anyway."
"R-Really? But..."
"If you're that scared, adjust your posture a bit."
"Eek..."
Marian huddled like a drenched puppy, trembling. Chloe clicked her tongue briefly and pulled Marian's shoulder close.
Now Marian couldn't hold Chloe's hand, but their bodies pressed tightly together, creating quite the novel sight.
'B-Big...'
It was Chloe's massive breasts, right there.
When someone slightly shorter than Chloe clung so close, those violently voluptuous breasts naturally filled her view.
'W-Will mine get that big too...?'
Marian knew fewer than ten women. Rosetta, who always grimaced like she'd bitten a bug at the sight of her, and her two now-absent daughters. The maids who came and went to handle miscellaneous tasks. And Chloe.
Among them, Rosetta's breasts were small. Her half-sisters, assassinated at an age similar to or slightly older than Marian's now, had been flat. The maids were just averagely ordinary.
So, the biggest breasts Marian knew belonged to Chloe.
'Must be heavy...'
Gazing down at her own flat chest—like her stepmother's and half-sisters'—Marian made a wistful face. Being this flat, could she ever become like Chloe...? Lost in such gloomy thoughts...
"We're here."
"Here?"
"The workshop everyone at the castle recommended. They handle a wide range of materials, and the quality of their finished equipment is top-notch, apparently."
"Ah..."
Before she knew it, they'd arrived at an alchemy workshop on the outskirts of Grinid.
An alchemy workshop that traded directly with the Ducal Castle.
Chloe, aware of the weight those words carried, looked expectant. But Marian, ignorant of the details, eyed the workshop warily—smoke billowing relentlessly from the chimney. What if it burst into flames?
'Chloe must like this place...'
But Chloe seemed genuinely intrigued by the workshop. No need for Marian to sour the mood with her personal qualms.
Chloe was someone Marian saw more often than even her own father, Haksen. If Chloe got disappointed and left, Marian would be alone again.
Lips pressed tight, Marian followed Chloe into the alchemy workshop.
And so...
"Ch-Chloe...!"
On the way back to the castle after finishing their business...
"M-My panties are gone...!"
Disaster struck.