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“……”

Seletina slowly woke up.

It was the most pleasant awakening of all. Her body was warm and tender, and her mind was strangely clear, perhaps because she’d had a good night’s sleep.

From the log cabin-like ceiling, the soft bed and blankets, and the occasional wood-burning fireplace, Seletina knew that she had been saved by someone.

The morning sun shone through a small window in the cozy private room, and it seemed that some time had passed since the heavy rainstorm had subsided.

(Did I survive… I guess someone saved me. It’s great that I’m still alive.)

Slowly, she raised herself and shook her head.

(Where am I? How far did I drift?)

After a while in her daze, the door to the room opened without a knock. The person who appeared was a girl who gave the impression of being full of life. She appeared to be about the same age as Seletina, or slightly younger, perhaps a little over ten years old.

Her skin was tanned, and her short, peach-colored hair, which for a moment could be mistaken for a boy’s, had a feminine luster to it. The girl’s hands were busy holding a tray with a pitcher of water and fruit on it, so she opened the door with her foot in an abrupt manner.

“Ah, ya awake! I’m so, so glad!” A wide smile appeared on the girl’s face as she put down the tray on a nearby side table.

The girl’s accent wasn’t familiar to Seletina, but she sounded just as lively as she looked.

“I was so surprised when I found ya lying naked on that riverbank! Are ya hurt somewhere, big bro? Where’d ya come from? Ya hungry?”

Seletina couldn’t hide her confusion at the girl who asked her so many questions.

(Naked? Big bro?)

“Please wait a minute, I’m…”

Seletina suddenly stopped. She was completely taken aback.

(What?!)

Her voice was low, overwhelmingly so.

Seletina was terribly surprised to hear a low, calm voice emanating from her vocal cords, not the usual bell-ringing soprano. What was more surprising was that this was a voice she knew well.

“Do you have a mirror?”
“A mirror? Ya want a mirror right after waking up? Big bro, are ya a narcissist? I got one right ‘ere, use it.”
“Thank you.”

Seletina jumped off the bed and hurried to the mirror.

(No way, no way, no way…)

Her heart raced. Sweat oozed from the sweat glands with every beating of her heart. She was afraid that her prediction might be correct.

“You’ve got to be kidding me…”

Seletina …… No, Orthus couldn’t help but look in the mirror with sheer shock. Deep blue head of hair. Tall, stout, and muscular body. Although not perfectly symmetrical, his face was well put together.

Orthus lifted his arms and touched his face and chest to get a better feel for them. The usual softness of her skin was not there and had been replaced with a rugged sensation, like that of a rock, a man’s skin.

It was then that Seletina was finally convinced that this was, in fact, reality.

“I’m back… In my old body?” Orthus’ heart raced inexplicably. His heartbeat conveyed a range of feelings, including joy, annoyance, worry, and anxiety.

◇◇◇

“Okay, ‘tis all cut up, enjoy. Ya’re hungry, no? God, how very lucky ya are to have such a beautiful girl peel fruit for ya.”
“Sure am. Thank you.”

While being a bit taken aback by the slightly pushy girl, Orthus picked one of the piles of fruit. It was a red fruit that Orthus had never seen before, but it was somewhat sour and was quite up to Orthus’ liking.

“So, what happened? I was shocked to see ya butt naked by the riverbank.” The girl asked Orthus while peeling another fruit.

“I got caught up when the river suddenly overflowed. Thanks for saving me. I really appreciate it.” Orthus then looked down at the shirt and pants he was wearing.

Although the fabric seemed cheap, it wasn’t worse than being naked.

The girl couldn’t help but chuckle at his remark.

“Phew, ya finally started speaking normally.”
“Normally?”
“When ya woke up, ya were all stiff and all dat. I thought ya’d be one of those stuck-ups.”
“If you prefer me to speak in that manner, then I would gladly oblige.”
“Nah, nah. I’m bad at dat kinda thing.”

Orthus chuckled at the girl, who shrugged her shoulders. It was then that he noticed the slight change.

When in Seletina’s body, he would naturally speak politely to people he met for the first time, even if they were children. While in Orthus’ body, he felt less inclined to be formal with this young girl.

Sitting on the bed, Orthus noticed even his legs were open, a stance unfamiliar to him as he typically kept them closed. His body’s actions and mannerisms had unconsciously shifted from those of a lady to those of a man.

(I guess just as water changes form based on its container, the soul too changes depending on the vessel.)

Orthus thought about these matters as he engaged in conversation with the girl.

The ladylike gestures that came naturally to him when he was Seletina now felt like nothing but a disgrace to him, and he lacked confidence in his ability to perform such gestures naturally.

(So strange.)

He didn’t know why he’d returned to this body or why he felt ashamed of his feminine gestures. He knew nothing. But he decided not to worry about it, finding amusement in the irony of being Seletina in this masculine form.

“Ey, big bro! Are ya listening?”

Perhaps because he had become lost in his thoughts, the girl gave Orthus a dissatisfied glance.

“Forgive me. What’s up?” Orthus responded promptly.
“What’s yar name? I’m Wisteria. Everyone calls me Wis.”
“My name… I’m Se… Orthus.”
“Hmph. What da ya do?”
“I’m a knight.”

(Or should I’ve said that I was a knight? Maybe I should correct myself…)

“A knight?! Amazing! Are ya really a knight?!” Before Orthus had any time to correct himself, the girl’s eyes filled with an uncontrollable flame of passion.

“Are knights that rare?”
“Da ya even need to ask? Not even Kingdom officials come to rural areas like this. Then does dat mean ya’re strong, bro? I guess ya are. Ya’re a knight, after all! Can ya teach me how to wield a sword after ya’re done eating? I’ve always wanted to know how good my sword skills are.”
“You wield a sword?”

(That’s quite unusual for a girl your age, no?)

Orthus thought, but refrained from saying it aloud.

The girl sniffed and puffed her nose proudly, showing off her determination.

“Course! After all, my dream is ta be a knight! I’ve never neglected my sword training!”
“That’s certainly admirable. Alright, Wis, I’ll train you. A few sessions are a small price to pay for saving my life.”
“Really? Thank ya! I’ve never been happier! After all, there’s no one in the village to teach me da sword…”
“Don’t you have someone who can wield a sword?”
“Dat’s not it…”

Having said that much, Wisteria seemed a bit flustered. While she was trying to find her words, a sudden storm appeared.

“That savage woman is trying to get a stranger to teach her how to use a sword!” A boy with a cheeky smile stuck his face outside the window.

At first glance, he seemed to be the same age as Wisteria. The boy wouldn’t stop giggling.

“Don’t bother. It’s useless for a woman to wield a sword!”
“Rowdon! You! My business is mine alone! Stay out of it!”
“Watch you speak! You’re even worse than men when it comes to using a sword! It won’t be long before Lord Kuro eats you up!”
“Rooowdoooon!!!” Wisteria yelled, her face turning bright red, and the boy, Rowdon, swiftly ran away.

Orthus was comforted by the exchange, which was typical for a boy and a girl of their age, but Wisteria herself seemed furious. She kept stomping her foot on the ground in frustration.

“You sure get on well.”
“Ya must be a knothead if ya think dat.”

Wisteria’s gaze was intense. She let out an exhausted sigh and slumped.

“It’s not just Rowdon. Everyone in da village is like dat. They say it’s savage for a woman to wield a sword. Say, big bro, do ya think it’s strange for a woman to want to be a knight?”

Wisteria looked somewhat dissatisfied as she ate the fruit, and Orthus couldn’t help but think back to his time as Seletina. It made him smile, and he felt a swell of desire to support her.

“Female knights are indeed rare. This is inevitable because of the way their bodies are built. A knight, above all, needs to be able to fight Demons. It’s a tough job for a woman, that’s for sure.”
“……”

As he spoke, Wisteria’s expression grew dimmer. But Orthus then smiled and stroked her head.

“But it is not strange for a woman to become a knight. Gender is a trivial matter if you are able to improve your skills and become strong enough to be recognized by His Majesty. You see, Wis, the most important thing for a knight isn’t their gender. It’s whether they have faith and pride.”
“Faith and pride.”

Orthus nodded.

“If you hold them dear, I’m sure your efforts will eventually take you to unimaginable places. Never forget this, Wis. As long as you want to be a knight, the path that will lead you there will appear.”

That was what Orthus, or even Seletina herself, had been telling herself.

Wisteria’s face lit up, and she nodded again and again.

“Ya’re right! Ya’re totally right! I’ll do my best! The words of a real knight are way better than that stuff da people in the village keep sprouting!”
“Sprouting is a bit…”
“I can’t wait to become a knight and blow away Lord Kuro!”
“That boy mentioned it just now as well. Just what’s this, Lord Kuro?”

Orthus asked, picking up another piece of fruit.