I tried various things using mana.
Then, I came up with the idea of concentrating all my mana on protection.
I gathered the mana tightly within my body to resist the divine power that oppressed my flesh.
Only to stand against the divine power.
I had to give up all the beneficial effects of mana, such as physical enhancement, but it worked.
The mansion’s hallway.
There, Ares, Alios, and Hames were gathered.
I stood alone, a little distance away from them.
I took a deep breath, feeling the intense gazes of the three staring at me.
One step, then another.
Slowly, but surely, I walked across the entire hallway.
“Ce… Ceres!”
The moment I succeeded in walking the entire hallway without collapsing, Ares ran to me.
With a face on the verge of tears, she embraced me.
“You… you can walk now!”
Ares was so overwhelmed with emotion that she couldn’t even finish her sentence.
I wasn’t as emotional as her, but I was proud.
I had finally succeeded in walking properly with this body—how could I not be happy?
“Ceres, congratulations.”
Alios wiped the corner of her eyes and spoke.
“To think I would ever see you walking like this. I couldn’t have imagined it when we first met.”
“…It’s thanks to you.”
I wasn’t happy about it, but it was true that her help contributed to this, so I admitted it.
“I didn’t expect it to actually work.”
Hames, who had doubted my method, looked surprised.
“Since it’s actually effective, I have to acknowledge it. But in the end, divine power wasn’t much help, was it?”
“No, it was helpful.”
It didn’t have the dramatic effects that mana did, but it definitely contributed to healing my body.
“I still can’t run, but this is significant progress. You both did well.”
I praised the two who had helped me. The atmosphere was heartwarming.
However…
“Now that you can walk, there’s no problem with leaving tomorrow.”
It would have been better if I had been able to walk sooner.
It had taken too long, and now there was only one day left until the party.
When I mentioned this reality, Ares looked devastated.
“I… I’m sorry, Ceres. If only I had been a little stronger, then I could have…”
Anyone watching would think I was heading to an execution rather than a party.
Well, given that I was going to meet him with this frail body, it might be more dangerous than an execution.
“I’ll take care of the rest. You both can go back now.”
Supporting Ares’ trembling body, I spoke to Alios and Hames.
“See you tomorrow.”
“…If you need help, call me anytime.”
Alios left more readily than expected, while Hames seemed to be holding back something she wanted to say before leaving.
And then, the next day.
“Ceres, let’s go.”
“Yes.”
I got into the carriage with Ares and headed to the capital.
A few hours later, we arrived.
Our territory wasn’t too far from the capital, so we arrived relatively quickly.
The first sight of the capital matched its setting—it was a highly developed and luxurious place.
As expected of the capital of an empire.
Inside the city, we took another carriage to the imperial palace.
“I’ve been waiting for you.”
Upon arrival, a woman greeted me.
She looked so different that I didn’t recognize her at first.
She had let her long blonde hair down and was wearing a white dress—it was Alios.
“Are you surprised?”
“No.”
In the original story, Ceres had already arrived at the imperial palace and met Alios.
Since Alios was a high-ranking noble, she was naturally invited to the party.
So, I expected to meet her, but Ares frowned as soon as she saw her.
“Lady Alios, why don’t you just leave us alone and attend on your own?”
“Are you sure about that?”
Alios smirked smugly.
“If I don’t escort Ceres, women who think he has no partner will keep approaching and bothering him.”
“Umm, well, I…”
“You’re his mother, aren’t you? I’ll make sure to keep them away, so leave the partner role to me.”
This was similar yet different from the original.
The male Alios had been more polite and had made a proper request, whereas the female Alios was a bit more forward.
I had noticed before—there were subtle personality differences, perhaps due to the gender change.
“Mother, let’s accept it.”
If it’s hard to shake her off, I might as well use her.
In the original story, thanks to Alios, Ceres wasn’t troubled by unwanted attention, so this method was proven effective.
“You can act as my partner, but know that we’re not in that kind of relationship.”
“Hehe, how cute.”
I warned her, but she ignored it lightly and stepped closer.
“Was everything fine during the carriage ride?”
Not really.
With my weak body, the carriage’s vibrations caused a dull ache.
While chatting with Alios, we entered the imperial palace.
The grand banquet hall inside was already filled with people.
Everyone was dressed extravagantly. There were women wearing trousers, but no men in skirts.
Thankfully, the gender-reversed world didn’t extend to clothing norms.
I entered with beautiful women on either side.
In my original world, they would have drawn attention, but here, all eyes were on me.
“My goodness.”
“Is that him?”
“You can tell who he is at a glance.”
“They said he was the most beautiful in the empire, and now I see why!”
Regardless of gender, the nobles whispered in amazement at my appearance.
It had been like this everywhere I went, and the imperial palace was no exception.
By now, I was somewhat used to it.
With Ceres’ looks, it was inevitable.
“Lord Ceres?”
“It’s an honor to meet you.”
…No, this was new.
A few women immediately approached me.
This had never happened before.
Until now, most of the places I had visited were full of commoners, so they probably didn’t have the courage to speak to me.
Even though I wasn’t the male lead of the original story, unfamiliar women were flocking to me just because of my face.
It was a first. I wasn’t exactly pleased, but it was interesting.
In my original world, I would never have experienced something like this.
“I am from the Viscount Sereor family…”
Like men in my original world, the women tried to find ways to talk to me, but Alios blocked them.
“Enough. You’ve heard the rumors, haven’t you? Ceres isn’t in perfect health.”
“We just wanted to—”
“Didn’t you hear me? And how shameless of you to approach him when I walked in with him.”
Alios smiled as she spoke, but her eyes were anything but friendly.
The women, unable to withstand her firm demeanor, hesitated and backed off.
Watching this, I thought, She really is different, despite the similarities.
In the original, the male Alios had said:
“Ladies, I’m sorry, but she’s not in the best health. Please don’t trouble her too much. For now, I am his official partner.”
But this version of Alios practically declared, “He’s mine, so get lost.”
“Mother, how was that? Quite helpful, right?”
“Why am I your mother?”
She kept up her nonsense, calling Ares ‘Mother.’
The male Alios never had this foolish side.
“Lady Alios is incredibly sharp today.”
“She’s just making sure no one flirts with her man.”
“So the rumors were true? That she visits Lord Ceres every day?”
Thanks to Alios’ overreaction, awkward rumors spread through the banquet hall.
“Here, Ceres. Say ‘ahh~.’”
Alios, unfazed by the murmurs, continued her antics.
She stabbed a piece of salad from the party buffet and held it out to me.
I stared at it for a moment before saying,
“Ahh~.”
I ate it just as she wanted.
Alios was the one surprised.
“You actually ate it?”
“You were the one who offered it.”
I defended myself, seeing her unexpected reaction.
Why does she look prettier today?
It felt different from usual, and I swallowed without realizing why.
Was it because she let her hair down? Or was it the outfit…?
Ah, wait. This is the same design as what Ceres wore in the original!
Now that I looked closely, the size was different, but the design was identical.
In the original story, Alios had specially ordered and gifted that dress to Ceres for the party.
Since her gender was reversed, instead of giving it to me, she wore it herself.
No wonder she looked unusually stunning today.
“Here, try this too!”
“Sure.”
Alios, excited, kept feeding me, and I accepted without resistance.
Dressed like Ceres from the original, I felt weak to her actions.
As I continued eating whatever she handed me…
“Everyone, prepare yourselves! His Majesty the Emperor is arriving!”
Whether it was in a good or bad way, the true star of the event had arrived.
The lively banquet hall instantly fell silent.
Even Alios flinched and stopped her antics.
As everyone turned their gaze toward a specific direction, a woman appeared.
She had a mature, model-like figure.
Her long, luxurious red hair was tied into twin tails, and she wore a pitch-black dress.
A regal, domineering beauty surveyed the silent hall.
“It’s quiet.”
She eyed the attendees with discontent.
“Why did everyone go silent the moment I arrived? That’s unpleasant.”
She ordered coldly, “That’s an order. Everyone, smile.”
The nobles reluctantly forced smiles.
“You think you can mock me with those fake smiles? Laugh louder!”
Forced to obey, the crowd erupted into loud laughter.
Then, the woman herself laughed.
“Hahaha, you actually laughed? How pathetic, spineless fools!”
She mocked them despite having given the order herself.
…There was no doubt.
This woman was the mad tyrant from the original story—Viol.