Pingchang Girl. Lily Rapha Ashtar.
Her looks are a big advantage, but how many people would like her personality?
Honestly, even Syria or Ella are better.
At least they don’t get angry as long as you don’t provoke them.
But Lily? She acts like a scared mouse, freaking out and squeaking if you even come near her.
“By detailed investigation, what do you mean?”
“It’s suspicious, isn’t it?”
No matter how you look at it, it’s suspicious.
I’m not just judging her based on her appearance, alright? I just have a feeling. A strong one.
“Is it because of His Highness, the Crown Prince?”
Of course not.
“No, it’s not that. Common sense tells you—her figure is as flat as a board, her chest could be used as a cutting board in a restaurant, and she’s not exactly the brightest. Her personality doesn’t seem all that great either. So why is she so popular?”
And it’s mostly with men, too.
If it were her personality, she’d at least have a friend or two, but she doesn’t seem to have any close friends.
There are some noble ladies approaching her, probably because she’s the new fiancée of the Crown Prince, but that’s about it.
“Do you suspect some sort of spell or curse?”
“I don’t care about the Crown Prince, but isn’t it strange that all the guys are going crazy over a girl like that? Especially noblemen. Sure, nobles like unusual things, so maybe they find her peasant-like air charming for a bit, but their devotion is weird.”
If I really wanted to interfere with her, I could, but there are too many complications.
“Didn’t we already confirm everything when she was brought into the Ashtar family? I remember we investigated how, where, and with whom she spent her childhood.”
“Didn’t it end with proving her bloodline?”
Normally, proving someone’s bloodline involves a specific process.
In the case of mages, the mana in their blood allows you to verify their lineage, so it’s impossible to fake noble ancestry these days.
“That’s true. The investigation ended unusually quickly, though. Her bloodline is definitely from Ishtar.”
That certainty about her bloodline must mean something is up.
“Was the investigator who looked into her a man, by any chance?”
“Yes.”
“And the bloodline verification was done by an assassin from the Ashtar family’s guild?”
“Yes.”
That’s a relief.
“Send some capable people from the assassin guild to investigate further.”
“Are you suspecting something that ensnares men?”
“Exactly.”
Such curses do exist.
There’s something called a succubus.
They’re weak, but they’re specialized in seducing men.
That Pingchang girl might have realized how insignificant her own body is and made a contract with a succubus to drain men’s vitality.
If we handle this wrong, it could be dangerous.
The second daughter of the renowned Ashtar family making a contract with a monster?
Unlike demons, succubi are considered lowly, so if she’s made a deal with one, she’ll be treated worse than a common prostitute.
No, wait… not with that body, right?
“I’ll look into it.”
I can trust the assassin guild with this, right?
“I hope this is just baseless worrying, but we can’t have anyone in the Ashtar family involved with demons or using power in a harmful way.”
Better safe than sorry.
“Of course, you’re absolutely right.”
“Alright, you may go.”
***
Being alone with a woman still feels awkward.
“Oh, by the way, my lady. Aren’t you going to take a bath?”
“I’m not. Why?”
At my response, Claire trembled, her eyes quivering as if in shock.
Is that how she expresses emotions? That’s peculiar.
Wait, is it really that surprising?
“No, it’s just that women should maintain cleanliness. You should bath every day.”
Oh, I see.
She thinks I’m some filthy woman who doesn’t bath.
If that’s what she’s worried about, she can relax.
There’s something called magic in this world, you know.
And I’m at the forefront of it.
“I just clean myself with mana in the bathroom. That’s enough.”
“Why… why did you become like this during your time at the academy?”
Claire shook her head as if she was asking why I’d become so dirty.
What? She’s shaking her head? Is that something you should do in front of the lady you serve?
This is why I can’t understand people who know nothing about magic.
“There’s nothing wrong with it. As long as you get clean, it doesn’t matter how you do it, right?”
In fact, using mana to coat your body and wash off is way easier.
There’s no need to go to the bathhouse and scrub yourself.
It’s only been a few days since I became Olivia, but I’m still not used to seeing a woman’s naked body.
Most of all, now that I’m a woman, the parts that were easy to clean as a man are a hassle.
On top of that, that stupid pervert and the lustful saint scolded me, saying that I should take my time because women need to wash delicately.
In other words, I’m supposed to take forever to bath.
But even taking your time doesn’t compare to just using mana to clean your body.
“Even so, women have their own way of bathing. Although Atlerina is a noble, she handles things herself. But today, I’ll teach you how to bathe properly and help you wash.”
‘That sounds like a hassle. I wish she wouldn’t force it on me.’
“No, what kind of nonsense is that?”
“Follow me.”
Claire grabbed my wrist and started dragging me.
“Wait, hold on. How is a maid this strong?”
If I hadn’t braced myself, I would’ve been dragged along just like that.
I figured she’d be strong since she’s from the assassin guild, but is it really okay for her to treat the lady she serves like this?
“If you keep resisting, I’ll have no choice but to report this to the Duke and Duchess. Do you really think it’s appropriate for a noble lady to be cleaning herself with mana?”
“I can get even cleaner this way!”
‘It’s way more convenient for me as a former man.’
It also feels like I’m preserving my male pride.
“You should wash more thoroughly. Or would you prefer if I washed you?”
“Ah, fine! I’ll wash myself! I’ll do it!”
There was no way I could bear the humiliation of someone else washing me.
***
In the end, I had no choice but to enter the women’s bath attached to the dormitory by myself.
As expected, the bath in the Empire’s Atlerina region is extravagant.
There must still be many people who can’t afford this level of luxury in the provinces.
It’s so over the top.
If I were still a man, this would’ve been perfect.
“Damn it. How did I end up like this?”
As I was taking off my clothes, I noticed none other than the Pingchang girl with her unimpressive figure.
She was even surrounded by noble ladies.
“So, as the fiancée of His Highness the Crown Prince, I’m saying I’ll be using this bath. Why won’t you let me in?”
She had the audacity to say that so boldly with her own mouth.
“Oh, does being a lady of the Ashtar family make you think you’re special? Weren’t you a commoner until recently?”
“That’s right. You shouldn’t be allowed in until that commoner smell is gone.”
Wow, they’re straight up bullying her.
It’s pathetic. Really.
“What’s the problem? If you keep this up, I’ll tell His Highness the Crown Prince!”
That girl is fiercely fighting with the other ladies again today.
‘But that has nothing to do with me.’
“Hmph, you’re nothing without the Crown Prince.”
“I have my proud sister, not just his Highness!”
Wasn’t she the one who said she’d take the saintess position away from me?
“Are you talking about that sister who stole the Crown Prince from Lady Olivia?”
“Isn’t it this younger sister who spread those evil rumors?”
‘Wow, is this how girls fight? Scary.’
I still don’t want to get involved.
I don’t have any loyalty to help Lily out.
‘I mean, look at her. With that unimpressive body.’
“Unimpressive? Don’t you know that bodies like this are popular these days?”
‘…No, that’s not true.’
Even a hero wouldn’t like a body like yours.
I wanted to go over and tell her she’s wrong, but it would be too troublesome if I got involved.
Not wanting to be seen, I cast a stealth spell to conceal myself and slipped into the bath.
‘I never thought I’d find myself in the bath in a woman’s body.’
‘Now that I think about it, this body is pretty inconvenient.’
The first problem is the chest. The weight is an issue.
I didn’t feel this kind of imbalance when I was Noah.
Even though I’ve merged with mana and transcended the limits of a human body to some extent, the swollen chest and hips make movement awkward.
At first, I thought it’d be fine, but nope—it’s definitely annoying.
‘That’s why I’m jealous of that Pingchang girl.’
Even as a woman, if my body were that flat and devoid of charm, at least I wouldn’t attract attention from men, and I’d feel lighter.
That foolish girl doesn’t realize how convenient her body would be in a battle.
Am I going to end up seeing all these noble girls naked?
I might even have to witness Pingchang girl’s unimpressive naked body.
Should I just leave? No, I can’t.
Claire is probably watching me somewhere, keeping an eye on this place.
***
“You should just give up everything already.”
“What… what did you just say?”
“Are we wrong?”
‘If you’re going to fight, go outside and do it. This is so annoying.’
Still, I’m not going to side with Lily.
Even the old Olivia bullied Lily, and even her own sister was always fighting with her.
I have no reason to care about her.
“To be honest, you stink.”
“That’s right. How do you plan to win over His Highness with that pathetic body?”
‘Okay, I’ve had enough.’
‘At least don’t interrupt my bath.’
I should just kick everyone out, including Lily.
Yeah, that’s the answer.
“Huh?”
Something changed in Lily’s demeanor.
Her eyes started glowing red as she focused on the noble girls.
“This is my first time using this on anyone other than my sister.”
“What? Why are your eyes so red?”
In that moment, the noble girls who had been bullying Lily suddenly stopped.
I couldn’t see everything from my angle, but they were clearly under some sort of spell.
I definitely see traces of magic.
“From now on, when you see me, you’ll want to compliment me.”
“Yes.”
“And you won’t dare say anything to me about His Highness the Crown Prince.”
“Yes.”
‘What the hell. Is she using mind control magic?’
Pingchang girl, using such high-level magic?
No, it doesn’t look like that.
Judging by the unnatural glow in her eyes, it seems more like a contract than a spell she learned.
“Didn’t they say it’s dangerous to overuse this?”
She’s even talking like someone taught her this.
It’s clear someone gave Pingchang girl this power.
No sane mage would give a young girl a weapon like that.
I doubt she’s learned mind control magic with that brain of hers.
That means this power is most likely connected to a demon or monster.
Thinking about it, it makes sense.
‘If she lived in a rural area without knowing her status, it’s not surprising.’
If she had noble blood, it would’ve been discovered in the provinces.
Since the barriers protecting towns are weaker in rural areas, it’s possible she came into contact with a succubus.
She might even be a succubus herself.
What she’s doing is very similar to succubus seduction magic.
‘If I try to do something about it now, I could end up a wreck.’
‘And if it gets out that Olivia, the infamous villainess, attacked Lily, people would go wild.’
So what should I do with that Pingchang girl? Kill her? Let her live?