Chapter 1: The Unspoken Service of Kate, the Male-Disguised Hero Part 1
Dino Turner, who had discovered the big secret of the Hero Kay Brennan, was walking to school the next day with bright red autumn leaves on his cheeks.
Students passing by him were surprised and started laughing. The students who managed to hold their laughter in so as not to make a sound were still conscientious. After a humiliating visit to Tiana Lintner to have his swollen cheek treated, she pointed the finger at him and laughed.
Normally, he would have complained to her about her behavior, which was unlike that of a child of a noble family, but he felts guilty that he had forced himself to look at the naked body of a girl, even though he did not know her, so he took the curious stares and laughter of his quarreling friends as a punishment.
(But who would have known that the hero of the Holy Sword is a girl and that she attends the school dressed as a man!)
To be honest, he couldn't even sleep properly last night. He was so shocked that he wanted to think that what happened in the locker room was not a dream. When he closed his eyes, Kay's naked body, her cherry-red nipples, and the girl's crack clearly visible on her hairless pubic area come vividly to mind and do not disappear.
This caused him to spend an agonizing amount of time.
Needless to say, he could not even concentrate on the classroom lecture, and the afternoon practice class ended in a mess.
「That's it! Winner, Akira Konoe!」
「...... God damn it!」
「You're not like your usual self ...... You need to take this more seriously.」
The one who gave the cold words of encouragement was Akira Konoe, the third most talented student at the school. He was the picture of sincerity, and he probably didn't like Dino's absentmindedness. Despite his victory, there was not the slightest hint of happiness in his eyes.
Akira, who is of Eastern descent, has shiny black hair tied into a single string, giving him a cool appearance. Although of average height, his slender but moderately muscled limbs and well-groomed posture make him appear taller than the numbers indicate.
His brown eyes reflect no interest other than to be strong, and he has something in common with Dino, who is also in search of strength. But today was different.
Dino's head was filled with the naked body of a hero dressed as a man. Akira, on the other hand, seemed to be even a little taken aback by Dino.
(There is no way I can say that I am in agony and have no strength because I saw her naked. ......)
Dino was greatly depressed at his first defeat other than Kay.
「I said a little too much. But I don't think this victory is a real victory. I want a rematch.」
「Yeah, I'll do better next time.」
「if it is the case then, fine」
With that, Akira heads for the locker room.
As Dino, who was left behind, was apologizing inwardly to Akira, Tiana approached him.
「Yesterday you lost to Kay-sama, and today you lost to Konoe-san.」
「I'm a loser anyway. Laugh it up.」
「Oh-ho-ho-ho!」
「Don't laugh!」
「You're a troublesome gentleman. Didn't you tell me to laugh?.」
「I didn't expect a noble lady to open her big mouth and laugh.」
However, it is too late now, as she had laughed against Dino, who had also made autumn leaves on his cheeks in the morning.
(I'll get even with him someday.)
A warm glow envelops Dino's body as he vows revenge on the unreserved young lady.
「I-I, for one, have a policy of being kind to losers. Today, Kay-sama said he was feeling unwell and missed his afternoon classes, so I was short on time as a healer.」
「Well, thank you」
He was about to say, "Who's a loser" but he was more concerned about Kay missing class.
(No doubt, it's my fault.)
Yesterday, Kay, who had been struck with the force of a hero's power so hard that her brain was shaken and she was unable to move without strength in her limbs, left the changing room without changing her clothes at a blindingly fast pace.
The fact that he was forced to look at the naked body of a girl who didn't want to, and the fact that he saw the naked body of a girl for the first time, raged in his brain and his mind hasn't been at ease since yesterday.
Perhaps Kay is wary that Dino is telling the world that she was dressed as a man.
(What am I supposed to do with a secret too big to be a hero ...... Don't tell me, am I going erased?)
Not only the secret of a hero but also the naked body of a maiden had been worshipped. He could not complain even if he was purged without question.
If Kay, who had defeated him in succession, seriously tried to silence him, Dino would be at his wits' end. Of course, he will resist and he must apologize before she does so, but he doesn't want to die just because he saw her naked body.
From a girl's point of view, the fact that a man she doesn't like has seen her naked body may be worth all the deaths, but what he doesn't want to die for is not dying.
「You are very quiet today, aren't you?」
「Say.」
「Yes?」
「What would you do if a man you didn't like saw you naked?」
「I'll kill him. I'll give him a nasty surprise, and then I'll slaughter him.」
「...... I guess.」
When he asked Tiana, who is the same gender as Kay, in her opinion, he received a reply that was more horrifying than he had imagined and sent a chill down his spine. He thinks he may have asked the wrong person, but he is certain, without having to ask, that it is not something he's happy to see.
「What is it, suddenly asking that?」
「No, I didn't mean anything in particular. And, while I'm at it, let me ask you―what do you think of girls dressed as men?」
「I think you probably suffered a serious and fatal head injury in the fight with Konoe-san. Infirmary ...... No, please wait here while I make arrangements for you to be admitted to the Royal Hospital.」
「No, no, no, no! I'm not crazy! Also don't casually focus your recovery magic on my head.」
He is aware that he asked a strange question without context, but he did not expect to be treated this much. In other words, it is not so often that there are girls dressed as men.
Even Dino did not think that anyone would go to the trouble of dressing up as a man to attend school. And this was from a hero who was the focus of everyone's attention.
(What's the point of dressing up as a man in the first place? A hobby, maybe? No, I don't think so.)
「If there were a woman dressed as a man, she would probably have a very special reason for doing so.」
「What does that mean?」
「What kind of a life must be lived under constant surveillance to disguise one's gender? I would definitely be stressed out. I am sure that person must be feeling a lot of stress. Or, he/she would probably be alone and not in contact with anyone so as not to feel any stress.」
It reminds him of something he was told. Kay Brennan has no close friends, and even with Tiana and the other chaperones, she has a minimal conversation.
It is not clear why a young girl of her age would be lying about her gender, but perhaps her minimal contact with anyone is to hide her false gender identity.
「I don't think such a person actually exists, though. If there were, surely it would only be in your boiling brain?」
「...... I told you, you don't have to focus your restorative magic on my head. I'm just sort of asking.」
After thanking Tiana for most of the recovery, Dino decided to meet with Kay. First, he would apologize for forcing to see her naked, even though she did not know, and tell her that he would not tell anyone else about her secret.
He stands up, hoping to reassure Kay, who may be feeling stressed and anxious every day, as much as possible.
「Oh my, don't you need to go to the infirmary? I-I'd be happy to keep you company if you'd like, you know?」
「Not today. Thank you. Oh, I haven't forgotten about our appointment yesterday, so maybe another time.」
「Hold on ...... Can't you at least say something thoughtful about coming back with me on the way?」
He thanks Tiana and return to the locker room. After a quick shower and sweat, he noticed a letter in his locker.
「...... From who?」
It's not likely to be a love letter. Sad to say, he doesn't have a deep enough relationship to be adored by anyone. If so, a letter of appreciation―I have an idea of what this might be. I had received a few, but not once since I fought with Kay and won second place in the school.
He opened the letterhead, wondering who in the world had sent the letter and when, and found that it was written in cute and concise letters.
―I'll be waiting for you in the arena after school.
「Ah, this must be to keep me quiet.」
The sender was Kay Brennan, without needing to check.
※
After school, Dino was alone in a corner of the arena waiting for Kay Brennan.
In the end, she had missed all her afternoon classes after all and had not been seen.
(I bet she's probably plotting my demise right now.)
As he was envisioning his own selfish paranoia, the person in question appeared.
As a minimum of manners, Dino was unarmed. In contrast, Kay had a holy sword at her waist.
(I failed. ...... I should have brought at least one of my swords)
He wanted to believe that as a hero, it was natural for her to carry a holy sword with her at all times and that it was never meant to harm him.
「You came as you promised」
「Yeah. I thought it would be a good time since I needed to talk to you too.」
She looked around to make sure no one was around.
「What you wanted to ask me was about yesterday, right?」
「That's right. But first, let me apologize. I know you're trying to keep me quiet. I've learned your secret and, you know, it's true that I've forced myself to look at it―I'm sorry.」
Dino bowed deeply.
It is true to say that he did not know she was a girl, but since he had seen her naked body, it was unconditionally worse for the man. This is always the same.
Even though he had a pretty good idea of what she was going to do to him, he wanted to at least make sure he apologized. That was Dino's way of being sincere.
「Uhh, I'm not trying to keep Dino's mouth shut.」
「―What? Really?」
He couldn't help but look up when he heard a confused voice.
Kay smiled bitterly and revealed that she had actually thought about keeping his mouth shut at first, which cooled Dino's nerves.
"I knew it," he said, breaking into a cold sweat at the thought of the worst-case scenario. If she had really tried to keep him from talking, Dino would not have won. The odds might be different if it came down to a fight for his life, but he was too reckless to take on an undefeated hero.
「Then why did you call me out?」
「I had a favor to ask Dino, well, you know ......」
She swallowed her spit, nodded once deeply and determinedly, and
「I'll do anything, just don't tell my secret!」
Dino was stunned to hear this.
(I can't believe she's asking me for a favor. ......)
I'm in trouble.
(I mean, don't say you'll do anything for a guy. ...... Doesn't she have a sense of crisis?)
This is not something you say to the opposite sex even in jest, no matter how much they know who you are. But he can tell by the look in her eyes that she means it.
(How did this happen?)
His head hurts. No doubt, it's because of the nakedness Dino saw yesterday when he revealed his taste for Kay, who didn't like it.
(Yep, you got what you deserved. ......)
She must be confused because he knows she lied about her gender. Dino finds a few tears in Kay's eyes and leads her to the bleachers to sit down.
「If you don't mind, could you tell me the situation?」
He felt guilty for her tears and asked her what was going on, hoping that he could do something to help her because he was aware that he had caused her to be trapped, even if it was an irresistible force.
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