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Once I regained my consciousness early in the morning, I woke up Cortina and Finia, who were fatigued and weary, with a kick. They did treat me terribly, but I guess I reaped what I sowed.

As they jumped up from their sleep, I confirmed that they had returned to their normal selves, making me relieved. I didn’t exactly hate their male forms, but I felt uncomfortable unless they looked like this.

“You two really did as you pleased with me, huh?”
“Pya?!”
“U-Um, I just…”

Seeing me standing in a daunting pose with veins bulging from anger, Cortina looked around, then picked up her clothes and made a run for it.

She probably got flustered by the situation and chose to flee until things calmed down. It was quite a Cortina-like decision, never accepting defeat.

Finia on the other hand looked shaken and she prostrated on the ground in apology.

“My apologies Lady Nicole! When I heard my long-desired wish would come true, I acted on reflex!”
“You mean, becoming a man?”
“No, attacking Lady Nicole.”
“It was even worse than I imagined!!”

Well, I’ve treated them quite terribly too so far. I guess it wouldn’t be right to scold her too much.

Anyway, I could still forgive Finia who apologized properly.

“Fine, I’ll accept your apology, Finia. But I’m not forgiving Cortina.”
“Huh, um, it would sadden me if your relationship worsened…”
“I’m happy that you feel that way. But forcing it like that isn’t an option. Not that I’m one to talk but still.”
“Ugh…”

She was usually the one mediating between us, but she didn’t have much persuasiveness in this situation.

“For the time being, change your clothes maybe? I think I’d end up attacking you if you remain like that.”

Finia, now in a female form, was sitting on the floor naked. Her slender limbs were too tempting even for me.

“O-Oh yes! Let me help you.”
“No, I mean yourself! Please, just get dressed!”

It was quite like her to worry about me first. Once I got her dressed and dressed myself too, I left the room with slightly giddy steps.

“Oh, good morning, Reid. Are you satisfied?”
“I’m nooot!!”

When I headed to the dining hall, Maria was there preparing breakfast. She dropped a ******* bomb on me as she saw my face.

“You’re surprisingly matchless. Did it pass down from Lyell?”
“I didn’t mean that! Agh.”
“Haha, sorry. I wasn’t sure how to react now that I know you’re Reid.”
“I know what you mean… Even I find it hard to talk.”
“You can use either male or female tone with me, okay? You’re both Reid and Nicole, after all.”
“Well, thanks for that. But more importantly, where’s Cortina.”
“I saw her rush out of the back door while holding her clothes earlier. She’s so immodest.”

That wasn’t the problem here, but I guess this was Maria’s broad-mindedness for you.

I’ll be sure to lecture Cortina later. She fled by reflex earlier, but I’m sure she’s reflecting on it too.

“Actually, where’s everyone?”
“Michelle returned to her village home after so long. It was still around.”
“Oh, that… sounds nice.”

Everyone felt good knowing they had a home to return to.

Though she only lived here until she was seven, this village was still the place she was born in. It was heartening for her house to still be left behind.

“Cloud is also staying there.”
“What?!”

Those two have been acting fishy lately, so leaving them alone with no parents seemed like a bad idea.

I really wanted to complain to Maria for leaving Cloud to his own devices. Actually, let’s do just that.

“Why did you leave a delicious bait before a wild beast?”
“That’s a terrible way of putting it. And you’re not the one to talk.”
“I was the bait here! I mean, Michelle’s the same.”
“It’s alright. Cloud is quite a wuss.”
“So even you’re seeing him that way… I kinda feel sorry for him.”

He was really sloppy for even Maria’s evaluation to be like that. But I guess that would contribute to Michelle’s safety now.

My back was hurting so I sat down on the chair in the dining hall. Maria prepared hot milk for me and told me the details about them.

“Speaking of which, Michelle and Cloud seem to have done a splendid job.”
“In what way?”
“I mean, during the defense of Stollar! They apparently took down three of those Devils.”
“Three?!”

Lyell and Maria’s combo had a hard time against two of those.

Even if they had the outer wall as a defensive mechanism, that achievement was still praiseworthy.

“Cloud defended against those Twin-Bladed Devil attacks, while Michelle accurately sniped them from a distance.”
“Wow, Michelle’s skill is crossing the human domain more and more.”
“Praise Cloud too. Without him, there would’ve been countless deaths.”
“I know that, but he gets carried away so I kinda don’t want to.”
“Don’t get sulky over something so trivial. Seeing you like that, I really see you as a girl.”
“Ugh… Don’t say it.”

My mind was basically still that of a man’s. But it was hard to deny that it was being influenced by my body and approaching a woman’s.

I’ve spent nearly sixteen years of my life as a girl after being reborn, so it would’ve been stranger if that wasn’t the case.

Maria and Finia had been drilling lady manners in me since an early age too, so I wanted them to close an eye when I acted like a girl.

“More importantly, what do you plan to do after this?”
“What do you mean?”
“I heard it from Michelle. Your identity got revealed to the Stollar residents, right?”
“Oh, right, now that you mention it.”

Back then, Finia’s panic made my identity well-known.

I’m sure it got spread through Stollar the same day, and would spread all around in the next few.

If so, continuing to work as an Adventurer as Nicole might be difficult.

“Baah, what do I do…”
“Don’t let out such a pathetic voice. Stop holding your head.”

I held my head and ruffled my hair as I plopped over on the table.

Maria was rebuking me, but she seemed somewhat amused.

“You seem to be having fun, huh?”
“Well, of course. I’m still feeling conflicted about Nicole, but I now know that Reid is fine, so it’s natural that I’m happy.”
“Well, thanks for that.”

I couldn’t be acting hard-headedly, but I didn’t know how to react, resulting in a somewhat sloppy response.

Still, Maria’s point was valid. If I return to Stollar now I’ll just get mobbed.

It would be a pain to explain things to every person I meet, so perhaps staying away from that city was the best choice.

Then again, it would be the same situation wherever I went, so that lowered the necessity to leave Stollar.

“Hmm, what do I do…”
“What about staying here in this village for the time being?”
“That would get things noisy too.”
“True. The villagers would find it hard to react knowing my daughter was Reid all along.”
“Well, Maxwell is the guy when troubled.”
“Yes, Maxwell is the guy.”
“If I push every problem on him he’ll do something about it.”
“Things worked out until now, after all.”

Plus, I could make trips to Raum as I pleased with Teleport, and there was Cortina’s house too.

Michelle’s parents were also there, so they would serve as her mental support.

I was worried about the nobles, but they’d have a hard time catching us if we teleported around.

“Then I guess I’ll drop by his place for the time being.”
“Alright, tell him hi from me.”
“Will do.”

Saying that, I downed the hot milk in one go, only to end up burning my tongue and writhing in pain.

Author’s note:

This happens before the TS Elf-san collab story. (chapter 622)

Maxwell got them a job after this, which led to the incident in the underground library.