SOAT Chapter 126

The plan is for me to pretend to be Rido’s younger brother, carry a fake petition, and negotiate with the lord of Gorera to hand over Rido… Even thinking about it now, I still can’t believe it and it doesn’t make sense. What was supposed to be a fun trip with Gazelle and Felix has turned into me taking on the crucial role of hostage negotiator. Is this a dream?

“Takumi… are you sure? Even now, we could find someone else…”

“No, it’s fine. No one from the Blue-winged Knights can take on this role, and we can’t involve anyone else either. I’m the most suitable one.”

I suppress the anxiety in my chest and manage to give Felix a fake smile so as not to worry him. Ugh… I really hate this, I’m not confident, and I’m so scared I can’t stand it. But – now that it’s come to this, I have no choice but to do it…! If the lord finds out that the petition has been handed over to the Blue-winged Knights, he’ll immediately kill Rido, who has become useless. For the lord, Rido, who knows the reality of the silver mine development in Belcarna, is nothing but an eyesore. If I don’t do this now, Rido will die. Not only that, but the lord must be subjecting him to harsh interrogation to find out where the petition is. That’s why we have to rescue Rido as soon as possible. For that purpose – if there’s something even I can do, I should give it my all!

“…That’s right, I know I’m the most suitable one. Yeah, I know that, but… can’t we do something about this outfit?”

As I grumbled complaints, Gazelle shrugged with a wry smile.

“This time, it can’t be helped, Takumi. Back then, the bandits saw you. If they turn out to be the lord’s underlings, we need to disguise you to some extent, or they’ll see through it right away.” “…I know that, I know. But…”

As I continue complaining with pursed lips, Gazelle grins.

“Haha, you look way more annoyed than before, Takumi.” “Before, it was just in the room, and only Gazelle and Felix saw me. But this time, I have to walk outside in this getup. I’m more worried about being found out as a man than about pretending to be Rido’s relative…” “Haha, if that’s the case, don’t worry. No matter how you look at it, right now you look like nothing but a cute girl.”

That’s right – my current outfit is once again a dress for girls. However, this dress is not borrowed from the Alpharetta family. It was purchased in the downtown area of Gorera City. For the plan of pretending to be Rido’s sister instead of brother and negotiating with the lord of Gorera to exchange the petition for Rido – the clothes borrowed from the Alpharetta family were too high in quality and unnatural for posing as Rido’s sister, who is a commoner. That’s why we bought it at a store in Gorera City.

It’s a raw umber-colored shirt with a skirt that reaches halfway down my calves. The crimson vest has a ribbon of the same color attached. Under the skirt, I’m wearing drawers, white socks, and leather shoes. Since we had to buy it in a hurry in the city, the size of the clothes is a bit large. The sleeves and waist area are quite baggy. Also, it’s not just the clothes. Since my black hair and eyes would stand out, a magic user from the Blue-winged Knights used magic to change my hair and eye color. So now my eyes and hair are a light brown color. And since I’m wearing a wig of the same color as my dyed hair, at first glance, I look like a village girl with brown hair in a ponytail… or at least I should. However, the effect of this appearance-changing magic only lasts for about half a day. Also, it’s not like I can change my hair and eyes to any color; it’s either brown or red.

Considering that, the magic potion I took was really amazing. Just one dose and I can stay in this form for ten days. Well, no matter how amazing the potion is, it’s all for naught when they accidentally deliver the wrong one! But this time, it’s precisely because I’m in this form that I can pretend to be Rido’s sibling – no, sister – and negotiate with the lord. It’s been three days since Rido was abducted. Even now, Rido might be going through a terrible ordeal. So – if I think about his current situation, this cross-dressing is… yeah! I really hate it and it’s embarrassing, but I can endure it!

“…There’s no point in complaining about what’s already been decided. If it only lasts half a day, we don’t have time to dawdle. I’ll go and get it over with.”

Pulling myself together, I stood up.

We three are currently not at the Blue-winged Knights’ garrison. We’re at an inn located on a side street, one block away from the main avenue.

The owner of this inn is apparently someone Commander Hartus is close with, and he hastily rented us a room for this operation.

Officially, the Blue-winged Knights are not involved in this negotiation. Therefore, it would be problematic for someone claiming to be “Rido’s sister” to be seen coming and going from the Blue-winged Knights’ garrison. So after the strategy meeting ended, Gazelle, Felix, and I moved to this inn and disguised ourselves.

As we were leaving the garrison, Commander Hartus apologized and encouraged us, saying, “I wanna go with ya to help Takumi-chan, but if I, the commander, go, it’ll draw too much attention… I’m real sorry. But I’ll have some of our members discreetly positioned around the lord’s mansion so we can move right away if anythin’ happens. Do yer best!”

I need to work hard to live up to those words—and to make sure my cross-dressing isn’t in vain!

“Well then, I’m off.”

About a twenty-minute walk from this inn is Capirio Square in the center of Gorera City. And if you follow the road extending from that square, you’ll reach the lord’s mansion where the lord resides.

It’s a thirty-minute walk one way from the inn to the lord’s mansion. Since the drug’s effects only last half a day, now that I’ve taken it, I need to get to the mansion quickly.

“Takumi, don’t push yourself too hard. Prioritize your own safety above all else. If you think things are going south, retreat immediately.”

As I was about to leave the room, Gazelle squatted down and peered at my face with a worried expression.

Then Felix also knelt on one knee and clasped my hands tightly in both of his.

“Gazelle and I will each be disguised and on standby around the lord’s mansion. If anything happens, we’ll rush to you right away.”

Gazelle and Felix’s excessive worrying is actually making me feel calmer.

It’s true that seeing people more flustered than yourself helps you relax.

“You don’t need to worry that much. I’m not unarmed, and the Blue-winged Knights even cast magic on me so they can track me. If anything happens, I’ll signal you two as planned.”

However, for some reason, my words made their expressions grow even more concerned. Huh?

“Um, Takumi… about the way you’re speaking…”

“Yeah?”

“Takumi. I think you get it, but once you leave the inn, change your way of talking, okay? Your appearance and voice probably won’t give you away, but that manner of speaking will expose you immediately.”

…Oh.

“…Heh, don’t worry. Of course I knew that. My manner of speaking, right? Ah, no… I understand. Yes. It’ll be fine. …It shall be fine?”

“…………”

“…………”

Gazelle and Felix’s faces grew even more uneasy at my response.

I-It’ll be fine, you two!

Just now, well… Admittedly, I had completely forgotten about the speech issue! But come on, I never usually talk in a girly way, so it can’t be helped!?

………

………Maybe it would be better to have someone else go instead of me after all?

◆

——Steeling my resolve, I finally headed towards the lord’s mansion.

When I left the inn, I was quite nervous that my disguise would be seen through, but fortunately, no one gave me odd looks.

Well, thanks to the knee-length skirt and socks, my legs are barely visible, and my hair is in a ponytail with extensions.

Feeling relieved, I passed through the crowded square and continued down the main street.

This is my first time visiting the lord’s mansion in Gorera City, but I knew it was the one at first glance. It was larger than any other building I had seen in Gorera City, and it was completely enclosed by an iron fence and hedges.

I stood in front of the mansion’s main gate and gazed intently up at the building.

Just like the townscape of Gorera City, the exterior walls of the lord’s mansion were whitewashed with lime plaster, but parts of the walls, window frames, and roof were decorated with gold.

The ornate decorations dazzlingly reflected the sunlight pouring down, and honestly, it didn’t seem to be in very good taste.

“Hey, you there, girl!”

As I was looking up at the building like that, someone suddenly tapped me firmly on the shoulder from the side.

I reflexively turned my face in that direction and gasped.

Standing there was one of the trio of lord’s knights who had come to the inn just the other day. Perhaps he had been drinking again today, as a faint smell of alcohol wafted from his mouth.

And the man stood by my side, looking me up and down.

“I’ve been calling out to you for a while now. Why didn’t you answer?”

“I… I’m sorry…”

Even as I tried to take a step back, the man kept his hand on my shoulder and wouldn’t let go.

C-Could it be that I’m already under suspicion!?

Overcome with nervousness, I answered in a voice that seemed about to disappear.

“Um, I was so captivated by the size of this mansion that I ended up staring at it… I-I wasn’t trying to ignore you…”

This is bad. To have the plan fall apart in a place like this before I even meet the lord…!

“Um… well… I really wasn’t trying to ignore you…”

I felt so pathetic for failing and so sorry to Rido that I stammered incoherently. Actually, I’m about to cry!

Then, for some reason, the man in front of me let out a flustered-sounding voice.

“D-Don’t cry! I-I wasn’t trying to reprimand you or anything! I just thought you were kind of cute, so I called out to you, that’s all…”

As I rubbed at my eyes with the back of my hand, for some reason, the man also began stammering an explanation.

…Hmm? I don’t really get it, but it seems he didn’t see through my disguise or question me as a suspicious person.

“I’m sorry… You see, I’m just a country bumpkin, so this is my first time seeing such a large building and meeting such a fine knight, so I ended up getting flustered and confused from nervousness.”

“Oh! I-I see.”

When I said that, he immediately flashed me a lecherous grin.

“So this is your first time coming to Gorera City? This is the mansion where Lord Vishwa Witz Gorera, who governs our Gorera domain, resides. Not many other domains have a mansion as luxurious and beautiful as this one! Of course, I, who has been entrusted with guarding the gate of this mansion, am also an exceptionally valiant warrior—”

The man continued explaining in a boastful tone.

However, I don’t have time for a lengthy conversation here. Unfortunately, the color-changing magic on my hair and eyes only lasts half a day.

I felt bad, but as the knight continued his explanation with a smug expression, I nervously parted my lips.

“Is that so… In that case, it would be inappropriate for me to waste the precious time of a knight entrusted with such an important role on someone like myself.”

“Huh? Oh, no, that’s not really—”

“Therefore, I’ll get straight to the point. The truth is, I came here because I have a matter to discuss with the lord. I’m terribly sorry, but could you please arrange an audience for me? If you tell them it concerns my brother Rido from Belcarna, who is still imposing on them… I believe they will understand right away.”

“Huh!? From Belcarna…?”

The man’s complexion changed instantly at my words.

While trying to calm my racing heart, I stared back at the man.

The man remained silent for a while, but then suddenly averted his gaze and said, “…I’ll go check. Wait there for a bit,” before entering the mansion.

I was made to wait outside for about thirty minutes, but it felt more than twice as long.

So when the man returned to the main gate, I felt somewhat relieved.

“The lord says he’ll meet with you. Follow me.”

After informing me curtly, the man abruptly turned his back to me.

I followed silently about three steps behind him.

—All right! This is where things really get serious…!