“You…How did you decide that I’m Keti? On what basis, do you… do you have any obvious evidence, mm……”
Even though her identity had been revealed by the other party in an instant, and it looked like Lynn was extremely confident in his guess, there was no point in pretending anymore.
But Keti still wanted to struggle a little…
After all, up until now, she just couldn’t figure out how Lynn dared to believe that the silver-haired girl in front of him was actually her.
After all, look at what she’s become!
If it were Alice, Layla, Sylvia, those teammates who spent every day with her, maybe they could recognize her from some small details—
Keti could barely believe that, maybe even worried it might really happen.
But, but…
She and Lynn, apart from being rivals, weren’t even that close!
So, this……………
“Mm…you want to ask why, even after you’ve become like this, I can still recognize you, right?”
Lynn seemed to read the thoughts in the girl’s heart in a second, so accurately that Keti started to wonder if this guy had mastered some kind of mind-reading skill.
If that were the case, uh…it could kind of explain things.
But the silver-haired girl still didn’t react much…
Of course, if she agreed with him now, wouldn’t that be the same as directly admitting her identity…
Keti knew she couldn’t keep up the act much longer, but…until the last moment, she definitely wouldn’t admit it!
“Well, actually, at first, I didn’t expect it either. I just saw a little girl sitting here all alone, which was odd, so I came over to ask what was going on! At that time, I couldn’t connect your current appearance to the you from two years ago at all, but………”
Lynn pointed at the stall on the ground, then the corners of his mouth curled up in a slight, helpless smile as he continued,
“After I saw what you were selling, it was really hard not to think of you. This, this, and this…These few ingredients are only used in extremely rare Alchemical Recipes, right? Other than you, who would collect these things yourself, I doubt anyone else would bother to sell them.”
“Uh, ah, this, this………………”
Keti was struck by realization.
So…so that was the reason?
Hiss…
Indeed, what he said made sense.
The Alchemy ingredients she was selling…had way too much of her personal style and flair.
Most of them were so obscure, nobody bought or sold them, so……………..
Just like that, it made Lynn think of her?
“But at first, I didn’t think it was you either. I thought maybe you just knew Keti. But after a few rounds of conversation, seeing how flustered you got, plus your silver hair, I gradually became certain—you…you are definitely the Keti I know~ So, how’s my deduction?”
Lynn tilted his head.
Ugh…so annoying, that smug look!
The silver-haired beauty instantly blushed, wishing she could punch him in the face again, but…but…….
Right now, she couldn’t think of anything at all.
Even though her face was burning red, her identity had been exposed, and it was her archrival who did it, with no way to deny it.
Forced to stand there in shame before him, this feeling…this feeling…
A……
It was just too, too humiliating, ahhhh——!
Full of grief and indignation, Keti had no desire to speak at all.
She just lowered her head in silence again, then, as if giving up, plopped down by the street, burying her head in her clothes.
“Ahem…so, Keti, why do you look like this, and why are you here? Weren’t you teaming up with Alice and the others to clear a Dungeon? Uh, don’t tell me…you awakened a fondness for crossdressing?”
Seeing Keti visibly deflate, Lynn froze for a second, then started to regret—maybe he was too busy showing off his deductive skills and ignored her feelings?
So, he hurried to change the subject, but…
“Ahaha………………Actually, you look pretty cute like this. Uh, your, um, chest, it’s pretty convincing, hahaha, honestly, I get it, everyone has their own preferences. Mm… eh, wait, how come you’re a bit shorter than before………………”
Before he could finish, Lynn saw Keti’s mouth twitch, and she instantly jumped up, furiously shouting at him,
“Who—who the heck are you calling a trap! You—you—you… you’re the crossdressing pervert! I’m wearing men’s clothes! Men’s clothes! Even after turning into a girl, I’m still wearing men’s clothes! Guh… huu~ ”
“De……og?”
Apparently, Lynn really hadn’t considered that Keti had actually turned into a girl.
He’d thought about the possibility, but…he’d never actually seen something like this before…
But Keti was frustrated too.
This guy kept calling her Miss Keti, Miss Keti, and after all that, he still thought she was a trap, this, this………………
“Uwah…fine, fine! I’m done! Ugh, that’s right, I’m…I’m Keti! That…dumb Keti, who not only got kicked from the team for being too untalented, but also got drunk and messed up brewing a Potion, drank it, turned into a girl, and now can’t turn back!”
As she spoke, the petite white-haired loli started bawling, tears welling up in her eyes. She never expected…that the bitterness in her heart would, for the first time, burst out as she cried to her archrival………………
“Ugh, I…I have nowhere to go now, not even a place to stay, can’t even afford food. I had to sell off all my belongings just to scrape together enough money to go home, and even then, nobody wants to buy my stuff. I…I……………… Uwah, that’s it, I’ve said it all, you…you can laugh at me now! Go ahead and mock me! I—ahh, uwahhh——!”
It was as if she had given up completely.
Keti didn’t care about protecting herself anymore, ranting and sobbing, fully expecting her nemesis Lynn to mock and ridicule her as revenge for the past……………
But…what Keti didn’t expect was that, after a moment, Lynn quietly took off his jacket and draped it over her shivering body, gently wrapping her up, then reached out and wiped the tears from her face.
“There, there, I’m sorry, it’s my fault. It’s okay, now that you’ve told me all this, I won’t just sit back and do nothing, Keti. Don’t cry, okay? Teacher is here…………………”
Keti immediately sniffled, then blinked at him in a daze, all her grievances instantly swept away, replaced by a huge…
Wait, huh?!
No, wait, what is going on?!
It’s a bit strange, but never mind.