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Actually, mingling with the public in a swimsuit wasn’t as bad as I expected.

Perhaps that stems from the fact that my figure and appearance were closer to that of a girl? Even if I bumped into a stranger, it was unlikely for them to check if there’s a bulge on my crotch. Rather, wouldn’t they look at my face, chest, and legs instead?

Huh, should I have thanked His Holiness for this girly appearance of mine?

Additionally, with my title as the saintess, Sister Angeline and her friends wouldn’t have suspected the saintess to be a boy.

Somehow, I felt guilty for failing to live up to everyone’s expectations…
I am so… so ashamed of myself.

Due to nervousness, I ate too many fruits while soaking in the hot spring, because of that, I was unable to partake in dinner. By nightfall, I was wearing a white nightgown and sat on the bed while watching Sister Angeline drying her hair with magic.

“Charlie, what’s that pole-like thing in your hands?” She stopped to ask.
“Oh, this? It’s the mascot of this inn, a long pillow in the shape of a bamboo monster.”

The bamboo monster was a subspecies of the tree spirit, but that wasn’t the main point. The main point is that it can help me cover up my front side. Who told me to bring such a thin nightgown with me on this trip?

“Bamboo monster? Isn’t it simply a bamboo?”
“Actually, it has a pair of hands,” While saying that, I grabbed its bean sprout-like arm and waved at her. Sister Angeline might think I am a little too childish for doing this though.
“I’m done drying my hair.”
While spreading her long hair, she asked, “Will you be sleeping on the inside or the outside?”
“Eh? Uhm… that’s…”

I panicked and couldn’t answer properly. At this time, she got closer and snatched the pillow from me.

“Huh…? G- give it back!”

Now that the pillow was taken from me, my front side felt so empty and insecure! However, I didn’t dare to make too many exaggerated actions… trying to forcefully snatch the pillow back could potentially expose myself. This thin layer of clothes doesn’t offer much for cover.

“What, you want to sleep with a hug pillow? Then why not hug me instead?”

Hug her…? Wut?! Why would Sister Angeline say something like that?!
I couldn’t respond to that, no matter what I said, Sister Angeline would definitely counter with, “What’s the big idea, we’re all girls anyway.”

No matter what happened, there’s no way I could ever tell her that I am actually a boy. The feeling of guilt involuntarily rose within my heart for the nth times. Now that I thought about it, going to soak in the hot spring with a swimsuit was nothing. The real hurdle was to sleep with Sister Angeline without her discovering anything.

As she got onto the bed, I shifted backward to make some space for her. Like this, I had unknowingly chosen to sleep on the inside.

Since there’s no chance to escape anyway, I might as well face it calmly, “Shall we switch off the light?”

Exactly because “we’re all girls anyway,” I would be exposing myself if I act too nervous.

The hanging lamp turned off automatically as Sister Angeline shot a glance at the switch. The ambiance turned dusky immediately, with the only light source coming from the bedside lamp. That, however, was not enough to hide the blush on my face.

“Charlie, why are you blushing so easily these days?” She leaned close to ask.
“I- it’s nothing, really. Speaking of, how did you do that just now, manipulation magic?”

There’s no way I could tell her I’m blushing because I’m a boy, right? That’s why I quickly changed the topic.

“Ding, ding, correct! That’s the most basic ability of manipulation magic.”

In other words, Sister Angeline would be able to easily lift my skirt from a distance or strip me naked… that was really horrifying to think about.

I remained silent but soon found myself snuggling into the comfort of the blanket. I feel a lot at ease with the blanket covering me, but the problem is that— we only have one blanket!

Within the blanket, her leg unconsciously brushed against mine. That subtle sense of touch between the skin caused me to involuntarily become taut.

No! Please, I beg of you, please don’t touch anything under the skirt, even by accident!
I quietly prayed to His Holiness. It would be the end of me if Sister Angeline accidentally touched my crotch.

“Charlie, isn’t this the first time we’ve slept together?” She turned her body to my side and looked at me with a smile.

“Y- yeah… that’s right…” I answered with a stammer. I didn’t know what kind of expression am I making now, but I could see a slight blush on Sister Angeline’s face. We were sticking so close to each other I could literally smell her breath, it was laced with a bit of alcohol.

“Sis, why was it that Francisca keeps trying to make me drink during the dinner?”
“That’s how the adult world works. If you drank a cup she offered to you, she would be bragging about it for one whole year.”
“In the end, you drank it all for me.”
“It matters not, I’m in a good mood today.”
“Is that… because the hero that is preordained to defeat that person has shown up?”
“That’s part of the reason, but it’s mainly because you’ve finally agreed to come to the hot spring with me.”
“……”

I was too embarrassed to answer to that, am I really that important in Sister Angeline’s heart?
And yet I am lying to her.

Soon after, a warm hand was placed on my face.

“You know why I wanted to take you out? I’ve never seen eye to eye with Queen Tristina’s decision. I’ve been feeling uncomfortable since I saw you serving the hero and pouring tea for him, I just can’t accept it.”

“But I don’t really mind,” I answered with a smile.

She stayed silent for a while, “You are a saintess for heaven’s sake! Lowering yourself to the position of a maid, I honestly can’t put up with it any longer.”

So that’s how it was…

“Actually, the hero is very kind. To support the person who will eventually defeat that person, isn’t that my responsibility as the saintess?”
“But it will be very dangerous for you to stay beside the hero! Who knows when will the confrontation with that person ever break out, I don’t want you to be in the heart of danger.”
“It’ll be fine, sis.”

I placed my hand on top of hers to give her assurance. In the very next second, however, she pulled me into a tight embrace.
She held me tightly in her arms and pressed me against her chest.

“Then I’ll protect you.”
——She whispered resolutely beside my ear.

“Even if I have to face that person, I will not let you be harmed even if I become crippled. You are the last treasure left in the world.”

Treasure…?

As she hugged me, I was hit by all sorts of emotions; shame, anxiety, fear. I was afraid that she’d discover the bulge between my crotch if she hugs me too tightly.

Why… why does it feel so different to be hugged on the bed? And those words she said to me just now made my heart thump like crazy. That feeling of breathlessness that stems from embarrassment comes back to assault me all at once and is making my entire body numb.

We can’t keep going like this! I quickly changed into a more comfortable position on the bed and lied on my stomach.

“Charlie, is something the matter?” Since it was so sudden, she prompted asked out of concern.

“It’s nothing……! I just suddenly… feel a little sick,” I answered with a blush, face buried in the soft pillow.

“That posture… is your stomach feeling unwell? Let me pour you a cup of warm water—”

Without breaking my posture, I used a finger to hook the hem of her clothes.

“I’m fine, really. I’ll be fine if I just lie on my stomach for awhile…!”

How would drinking warm water help? What I need now is to cool down.