When the other beastmen heard what happened with the catlike and doglike beastmen, they sent requests for help themselves. Of course, Luke happily responded to each one.
Like that, the beastmen’s food situation has improved greatly in only a short time.
And since the beastmen had enough food, they didn’t need to raid the duchy anymore.
“Hmm, what is happening? I find it hard to believe that they solve their food crisis on their own and so quickly…”
Tilting his head in confusion was Duke Kaion.
He had received reports from his vassals saying that the raids from the beastmen had all of a sudden stopped and they had no idea why.
“This is just a rumor, sir, but according to it, a human girl has been using her mysterious powers and made the beastmen’s barren land be able to produce a sufficient yield of crops…”
“A human girl? Can it…no, that’s impossible. He has been in the duchy responding to our requests this whole time…”
Duke Kaion still didn’t know that the Luke in his duchy was a body double.
Whatever the case might be, the lack of the raids from the north was a welcome reprieve. And so, while still keeping an eye out for the beastmen’s movement, they began their preparation for winter in earnest.
◇ ◇ ◇
“I’m finally free!!!”
I said so while raising my fist up.
I had suffered so much emotional pain during this past month. Each day, I had to endure the inquisitive looks from those around me.
I was unable to say anything, whenever an innocent child asked ‘why are you dressed like that?’, but never do I have to suffer through that again.
There have also been times where people have tried to pick me up without realizing that I was a man. And whenever I informed them that I was indeed a man, they would say ‘nah, such a cute girl like you can’t possibly be a man’.
Other comments said things like ‘you look better this way’, ‘so you really were a girl’, ‘you should keep that look forever’, but I brushed those aside as well.
However, today, I could finally say farewell to that experience.
Yes, today marks the end of the month-long punishment that Selen has given me.
“I never want to wear this again!”
I said so as I aggressively took off the dress I was wearing.
I then proceeded to remove my wig and my make-up.
Before long, I was back in my original look. When I looked at the mirror…
“…huh? Why do I not look as masculine as I thought I would be…”
I haven’t seen myself look like this in a while, so maybe I was just expecting too much of myself.
When they saw me, Millia and Selen looked horrified for some reason and hounded me with such questions. Meanwhile, I calmly answered them like that.
“B-but everyone loved it. You’ll surely do it again, right?”
“Yeah, you sure were popular looking like that! You should don that look every once in a while!”
I firmly rejected them.
“No way, okay? I’m never dressing like that ever again.”
“N-no…so, I won’t see that sublime form ever again!?”
“Curses…I should have made you dress like that for eternity instead of just a month!”
“Why are you two saying such horrible things???”
And then, as though she just thought of something, Millia excitedly began saying something.
“Ohh! That’s it! The body doubles still haven’t changed, right!?”
“I’m obviously going to make all of them change back soon.”
“Why though!? At least a few of them should keep that look!”
The two protested fervently, but I was unmoved.
“Actually, I should tell them to change back now…ahh!”
I then remembered something.
“If they find out that I’m a man…”
The beastmen didn’t know that I was merely crossdressing. For them, I was an actual girl.
If Lili-san found out that I was a man, it would almost certainly cause problems.
After all, men were normally prohibited from entering their settlement. And if one were to somehow get in without the proper permissions, they would be executed on sight.
And I had even entered the bath with them…
“I see no other way…that particular body double would have to remain being in drag…”