Editing Kaze no Kishihime v1c3

'''Chapter 3 — Lord Jervul’s Residence''' 

The next morning…

After waking up in her inn room, Karin recalled what happened the night before, and her face flushed bright red.

“Uwaaaaaaaahhhhhhh!!”

She rolled around on the bed, letting out a completely unladylike groan that didn’t match her refined appearance at all.

She looked like a completely different person from the calm figure she had been the night before. Because she had sworn never to let anyone discover she was a girl, she always forced herself to stay composed in front of others.

But now, alone, it was different.

“…I lost.”

The words slipped out in a feminine tone.

Karin had never truly wanted to become a boy, so when she was by herself, she naturally returned to her normal way of speaking.

“To think I’d lose to someone like that!”

Even though it had been called her victory, anyone could see that she had lost that duel. The moment her leg was cut, the outcome had already been decided. If he had struck her body then, she wouldn’t be standing here now. Even the wound on her leg was nothing more than a shallow cut that wouldn’t even leave a scar.

Frustrating.

Not even being treated as a proper opponent, why did that feel so frustrating?

That gray-haired man… his name was Cendrillon, right?

That roundabout way of speaking. That mocking gaze. That attitude like he was looking down on her… and on top of that, he was a coward.

“…To lose to someone like that… I guess I’m still not good enough…”

Her confidence, which had been so firm until now, began to waver.

After all, up until now, as long as she used the “magic of courage” taught to her by that knight, she never lost, no matter the opponent.

But the world really was vast. In a city like this, people of that level must be everywhere.

The fact that he held back and spared her was proof that her training was still lacking.

And on top of that…

he said she was ''beautiful''.

Unforgivable.

To think about something like that in the middle of a duel, what kind of disgraceful knight was that?! Whether someone was beautiful or not, that kind of thing had nothing to do with it!

Karin grabbed the blanket, imagining it was that damn knight Cendrillon, and beat it repeatedly.

Only after venting her anger did she finally calm down and start thinking clearly.

Even if she had lost, her dream of becoming a knight would not waver.

Although she didn't  manage to meet Lord Dragignian, the very person who was supposed to introduce her, it still felt too early to give up.

After agonizing over it for a long time, Karin finally decided to go directly to visit the captain of the Magic Knight Corps, Lord Jervul. She had no introduction, but at this point, her only option was to explain her situation honestly and ask for permission to join.

Returning to the countryside was out of the question, but she also had no intention of drifting aimlessly around the capital. In the end… she would just have to face the difficulty head-on.

After worrying over various things, preparing herself, and thinking through how to explain everything, it was already nearing evening. If she didn’t hurry, it would be dark soon. Karin quickly rushed out of her room.

When she asked the innkeeper for the address of Lord Jervul’s residence, his eyes widened.

“Oh! A noble as beautiful as you?”

Thinking he was mocking her as some “pretty little kid,” Karin shot him an irritated look. The innkeeper, sensing that, said nothing more and simply gave her the directions.

Apparently, it was on Midsummer Street nearby.

Following the route she received, she soon found Lord Jervul’s estate. As expected of the royal guard entrusted with protecting the king, it was a large and imposing mansion.

She knocked nervously on the door.

No response.

She waited for a while, but no one came. Just as she began to wonder what was going on, a nobleman approached from behind, casually opened the door, and walked inside.

“…?”

Was this the kind of place people could just enter freely?

It was hard to imagine in the countryside, but perhaps things worked differently in the capital. Karin did the same, she opened the door and stepped inside.

A narrow courtyard lit by torches came into view, leading to the entrance hall. She knocked again. Still no response. However, she could hear noise from inside.

So someone ''was'' there.

Gathering her courage, she pushed the door open.

What greeted her was chaos.

A large group of men who looked like knights were gathered together, drinking heavily in broad daylight and shouting loudly. Every single one of them looked rough and ill-mannered.

What is this…? Some kind of party?

Lavish nobles holding banquets for days wasn’t unusual, but what was with these people? Listening closely, they weren’t even talking about anything important. 

It was all love talk. Stories about flirting with maids, making promises with noble girls…

Karin frowned deeply. She hated this kind of talk.

She was infatuated… falling in love… Those weren’t things a knight should concern themselves with. A knight should devote themselves to the king and country, earn glory, and become a hero.

What could possibly be more important than that?

The men turned sharp eyes toward her.

“Well well! What a high-quality catch! What’s this, little lady? Playing dress-up as a knight?”

“This is not a game. I have come to apply for entry into the Magic Knight Corps.”

Her outdated, overly formal tone made the nobles burst out laughing.

“It’s a boy! Now this is a ridiculous applicant!”

“Sending someone who looks like a girl! This corps really is finished!”

Karin felt anger rise in her chest. If this weren’t the captain’s residence, she would’ve drawn her wand already.

“These must be knights from other units invited here…” she thought.

“May I meet the captain?”

“The acting captain is upstairs.”

One man jerked his chin lazily as if to say “go ahead.”

Karin went up the stairs and knocked on the door at the end.

“Come in.”

A young woman’s voice.

Karin hesitated for a moment. A secretary…?

She opened the door. Inside sat a woman in her early twenties, leaning on a large desk, staring straight at her.

Karin froze.

The room itself radiated with severity—tapestries depicting battles, multiple military wands mounted on the wall, shelves filled with medals and decorated hats.

It was unmistakably the room of a seasoned warrior.

But…The one sitting there was a young woman.

She had long, straight black hair and deep blue eyes. Her face was undeniably beautiful, but the aura she gave off was sharp, like a blade.

“…Wait.”

Was ''this'' the acting captain?

“I heard Lord Jervul was an elderly warrior…”

The woman brushed back her hair and looked at Karin coldly.

“Who are you?”

Her tone was blunt, almost rough, completely at odds with her appearance.

Straightening her posture, Karin answered.

“My name is Karin du Maillart.”

The situation was unexpected, but at the very least, the woman was sitting in the captain’s seat. Proper etiquette had to be observed.

“What is your business?”

“I have come from my homeland to apply for entry into the honorable Magic Knight Corps.”

The young woman said nothing. She simply stared at Karin.

One minute… two minutes…

Time passed in silence. That gaze, like she was being evaluated, was deeply uncomfortable.

She’s going to say I’m ridiculous… probably.

Showing up unannounced, without any recommendation… Karin, already timid by nature, began to grow extremely uneasy. Just as she was thinking she might not last without writing “courage” on her palm, the woman smiled.

“Very well. I’ll allow you to join.”

Karin’s mouth fell open.

“…What?”

“What is it?”

“What do you mean ‘what is it’?! You don’t even know who I— I mean, what kind of person I am!”

“Because you have a good face,” the woman replied flatly.

“…Excuse me, is that really all?”

One surprise after another, Karin could only stare at her in disbelief.

“It’s not just about beauty. You can tell a lot about a person from their face—what they’re thinking, what kind of person they are. It’s more reliable than some half-baked paperwork. Or… are you someone suspicious?”

“I’m not, but…”

“My name is Vivian du Jerval. I am acting captain in place of my father, who has fallen ill.”

It all happened far too easily.

And besides, weren’t women not allowed to join? That was why Karin had gone to such lengths to disguise herself as a man.

“I heard that women are not allowed to enlist.”

“I am the ''acting'' captain, not a regular member.”

It sounded like a flimsy excuse, but Karin had no authority to argue further. In any case, it seemed that women still weren’t permitted to join.

A bad feeling crept over her, and she spoke up.

“Lady Vivian, may I ask something?”

“Just call me Vivi.”

“That would be far too disrespectful! To address the acting captain so familiarly—”

“It’s fine.”

Vivian smiled. Karin had no choice but to comply.

“Th-then… Lady Vivi. I’m grateful, but… is it really alright to accept me so easily?”

“It’s nothing. We’re short on personnel right now. As long as there aren’t any major issues, we accept people.”

Short on personnel? What did that mean? The Magic Knight Corps was supposed to be the dream of every noble in the country.

“Of course, not just ''anyone'' can get in.”

…Really?

At this point, it felt like anyone who applied would be accepted. Otherwise, there was no way it would be this easy.

That uneasy feeling swelled inside Karin, threatening to overwhelm her.

Come to think of it…

“Um… the people on the first floor…”

“Our elite Magic Guards—the Griffin Squad.”

A bead of cold sweat ran down Karin’s forehead.

Something was clearly off. This Magic Knight Corps was nothing like what she had heard about.

B-but…

She recalled the noble figures of the Unicorn Squad, clad in pure white cloaks, and nodded to herself. Yes, there ''were'' units like that. And the Unicorn Squad still existed.

No matter what, she would find a way to join that distinguished unit.

Then, she could still become the knight she dreamed of.

“Now then, sign the enlistment form. According to regulations, you’ll start as a knight apprentice. Once you achieve notable merit, or after serving the required time, you can be formally recognized as a knight.”

Karin signed the document, filling in her date of birth, the name of the priest who witnessed her baptism, and the names of her father and grandfather. There was no field for gender.

She let out a quiet sigh of relief. Even though she had resolved to keep up the lie, putting it into writing still made her uneasy.

Then, as minimal proof of identity, she took out the letter of introduction she didn’t use.

Vivian glanced at it briefly and immediately put it away in a drawer. It seemed she had no interest in Karin’s background.

“Then report for duty starting tomorrow as a knight apprentice. You’re aware that there’s no pay during the training period, correct? Do you have enough money?”

“I still have about thirty gold coins left, the ones my father gave me.”

Karin answered honestly.

“In that case, even renting a room would be difficult.”

“Eh? Is that so? Back in the countryside…”

“I don’t know how things are in the countryside, but this is the capital of the kingdom Tristania. Even the most rundown room costs five gold coins a week.”

Karin’s face went pale.

Now that she thought about it, even the inn was quite expensive…

“Well, don’t worry. I’ll figure something out for your lodging and meals. Anything else?”

At that moment, Karin decided to voice her wish honestly.

“I’ve already received such generous treatment, so I hesitate to ask…”

“What is it?”

“I would like to be assigned to the Unicorn Squad.”

Vivian’s brow twitched slightly.

“The Unicorn Squad?”

“Yes.”

“That unit doesn’t exist in the Magic Knight Corps. We have the Manticore Squad, the Griffin Squad, and the Hippogriff Squad. That’s all, and each squad has a fixed number of members.”

Karin’s eyes widened.

“What do you mean? Just yesterday, I saw a unit of knights riding unicorns in the city.”

“A unit riding unicorns? Ah… that would be the personal guard of Duke Estaché.”

Duke Estaché.

The prime minister of the Tristain Kingdom, a man said to be a once-in-a-century political genius. Though still young, he was known to handle the affairs of the entire government.

Even Karin knew that much, so hearing that it was his personal guard came as a shock.

“The Duke’s personal guard?”

“That’s right. The one who assists His Majesty as prime minister, Duke Estaché. The unit assigned to protect him is the Unicorn Squad.”

So… that wasn’t the Magic Knight Corps at all? Then… didn’t everything already go wrong?

The Magic Knight Corps she had dreamed of was nothing like she imagined. And the knights she had admired with her own eyes… belonged to someone else entirely.

Sensing the subtle shift in Karin’s thoughts, Vivian smiled knowingly.

“You’re Karin, correct? I’m very grateful that a young and… beautiful noble like yourself has joined the Magic Knight Corps. As acting captain, I have high expectations for you.”

“Th-thank you very much.”

“Right now, the Corps is in a rather difficult situation… though that’s not something I should be telling you. In any case, do your best. That’s all.”

At this point, there was no way she could say something like ''“I quit.”''

It seemed that this Corps possessed nothing but the remnants of past glory. At this rate, it probably didn’t hold a very good reputation in His Majesty’s eyes either…

Could she really become a great knight by joining a unit like this?

Karin’s misfortune didn’t end there.

Vivian suddenly called out:

“Cendrillon!”

“…Huh? What did she just say?”

The door to the adjoining room opened, and a man stepped inside.

“You called for me?”

Karin couldn’t help but let out a small cry.

“Y-you—!”

Standing there was the silver-haired young man, the very same Cendrillon she dueled the night before.

The anger that had been simmering inside her suddenly boiled over.

“Y-you…!”

This guy… this guy who made a fool out of her was actually a member of the Magic Knight Corps?!

“You! Why are you here?!”

Cendrillon’s eyes widened in surprise as well.

Watching the two of them, Vivian spoke with amusement:

“Oh? So you know each other? Even better. Cendrillon, this is Karin, he just joined us as a knight apprentice.”

“What?”

Cendrillon looked at the agitated Karin, clearly confused.

“And I’d like you to look after him. It seems he doesn’t have a place to stay, so let him lodge at your house for the time being.”

“I refuse.”

Cendrillon rejected the idea immediately.

If someone like that violent brat started living in his house, there was no telling what might happen.

Keeping her smile, Vivian turned to Cendrillon.

“Why?”

“Please listen. This Karin… how should I put it… If I’m being polite, he’s not exactly well-mannered.”

“Sounds like he’ll fit right in with you.”

“He won’t. My body won’t survive it.”

Cendrillon said flatly.

Vivian’s voice turned cold.

“This is an order.”

“That is the one thing I cannot obey.”

“Then I’ll dock your pay for insubordination. Normally, it would be a death sentence.”

It was like a spell.

Cendrillon’s shoulders slumped.

“…Understood. I will comply.”

“Good. Disobeying orders isn’t something a knight like you should be doing,” Vivian said, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

Karin panicked.

“I’ll find a way to rent a room! So please, anything but staying with this guy. No, at his place—”

“Rent a room? Didn’t I just say that’s impossible?”

“Then I’ll sleep in the stables!”

''There’s no way I can live with a man! My identity will be exposed! And of all people, it has to be this Cendrillon?!''

Vivian frowned slightly.

“I can’t have a noble sleeping in a stable. And this residence is already full.”

Karin cried out:

“Then please revoke my enlistment! I’ll gather money somehow and apply again later!”

“You do realize, you’ve already become a member of His Majesty’s guard. If you wish to leave, you’ll need His Majesty’s permission. If you leave by any other means…”

“…What happens?”

“You’ll be considered a deserter. Under normal circumstances, desertion is punishable by death. It would be such a shame for a promising young noble like yourself to be executed… but the law must be upheld.”

That was it.

Karin felt her last hope vanish. This Vivian… she was dangerous.

“Now then, Cendrillon. Why are you refusing?”

“Because I prefer living alone.”

“I know.” Vivian smiled.

“That’s precisely why I’m assigning this to you.”

Both Cendrillon and Karin slumped in defeat.

Vivian waved her hand dismissively.

“That’s all. Karin, ask Cendrillon for the details. You may go.”

Cendrillon’s home was on Chekton Street, near Lord Jervul’s estate. The entire walk back, he remained silent.

Only occasionally scratching his head in irritation.

Karin, on the other hand, was restless the whole way.

''I have to live alone.'' That’s non-negotiable.

If she were to live with someone, her identity as a woman would inevitably be exposed.

And of all people… it had to be ''him''.

The bitterness of last night’s defeat lingered in her mouth.

''I actually lost to a guy like that…''

“This is it.”

Cendrillon pointed at a building with a grocery shop on the first floor. Karin finally raised her head.

“Your place is a food shop?” She glanced at the goods on display.

Cendrillon shook his head.

“Of course not. I rent a room upstairs.”

It seemed the third floor of the building was where Sandurion was renting his room. Just as they started up the stairs, he muttered:

“Seriously… what a joke. Why do I have to take care of a violent maniac like you?”

Karin immediately snapped back.

“Who are you calling a maniac?”

“You, of course! You, with that drunken-looking pink hair!”

He pointed at her with his finger as he spoke, and Karin shook her head.

“I am not violent. If you want to say that, then what are you supposed to be? Holding back in a duel, who do you think you are? Th-that, that kind of attitude, treating people like fools… that is what makes me the most angry!”

“How could I possibly go all out against a child?”

Cendrillon said this with a troubled expression, and Karin immediately drew her wand.

“Y-you dare say that! Then this time I will definitely settle things with you! Last night I was simply careless! If I fight seriously, someone like you—”

Just as they were arguing, the shop owner, who had been weighing beans, spoke up. He was a middle-aged man with sharp eyes.

“Well now, young master, is this a guest?”

“…He will be staying at my place.”

“Oh? Is that so?”

The shop owner looked Karin up and down, then let out a sound of admiration.

“My, how beautiful! Even Lord Narcis would pale in comparison! What a waste that you are a man!”

Ugh…

Really, why does everyone have to praise my appearance like that? Being complimented for that does not make me happy at all.

I just want to be acknowledged as a knight as soon as possible. If that happens, this man, Cendrillon, will not keep treating me like a fool.

It seemed that Cendrillon had rented out the entire third floor. That said, there were not many rooms, just a living room and a bedroom, nothing more.

After entering the room, Cendrillon dropped himself into a chair. Karin looked around, but there were no other chairs.

As she stood there awkwardly, Cendrillon said with exasperation:

“You… do you not even know how to say ‘I will be in your care’?”

“I am not staying here because I want to. It is because of an order, so I have no choice but to comply.”

Karin replied in a trembling, angry voice. Though timid by nature, she was also quite competitive. She could not stand being looked down on by this man, there was no way she would bow her head to him.

Then Cendrillon spoke in a cold tone.

“Hey, kid. That is enough.”

“What! You dare call me a kid!”

“You are a kid, so I call you a kid. I do not know what backwater you came from, but did your parents not teach you even the slightest bit of manners? In a situation like this, no matter how much you dislike the other person, you are supposed to lower your head politely. Otherwise, you will never become a knight, nor even a proper adult.”

Ugh… Karin had no response. What Cendrillon said was completely correct. Reluctantly, she lowered her head.

“P-please take care of me, Lord Cendrillon.”

“You mean, ‘I will be in your care.’”

“I—I will be in your care.”

There was not the slightest trace of gratitude in her expression.

Cendrillon sighed and shook his head.

“Honestly, joining the Magic Guard at a time like this… You look like some sheltered young noble. Why would you even come to a unit like ours?”

“…Is it wrong to want to become a knight?”

“You must have read some hero stories, found them lacking, and decided you wanted to become one yourself, right?”

Mm… not entirely wrong. Karin’s face flushed red.

“Listen. I am not trying to harm you. Go back to the countryside tomorrow.”

Cendrillon waved his hand dismissively.

“What did you say?”

“I said, if you value your life, go back.”

He took a bottle of red wine from the shelf and poured himself a glass.

“Would that not count as desertion?”

“That is just meant to scare you. If a mere trainee runs away, no one will care. Honestly, Lady Vivi is causing trouble again, what is she thinking? Letting someone like you join… What is the point? Listen carefully, if you value your life, go back.”

Karin clenched her fists.

“Do not joke with me.”

“What did you say?”

“I said, do not joke with me. If I can become a knight, then I do not care what happens to my life. ”

Cendrillon shook his head. He had seen too many young nobles say things like that, only to die on the battlefield. Spirit was important, but…

“You saw it yourself, didn’t you? The state of the Magic Guard. I am not trying to frighten you.”

Right.

Why did the once-glorious Magic Guard end up like this, like some den of vagrants?

“It was not like this half a year ago. They were not exactly paragons of virtue, but there was still a group of reasonably decent people. But…”

Karin swallowed hard.

What Cendrillon was describing was something genuinely frightening.

“It all began when the commander, Lord Jervul, fell ill. After that, one by one, the captains of each squad started to die. There were all kinds of causes, some lost in duels, some were attacked by bandits while traveling, others were struck down by shadowy assassins who appeared out of nowhere…”

A bead of sweat slid down Karin’s forehead.

“From that point on, rumors began to spread, that the Magic Guard was cursed, that it was abandoned by the gods. And as if to prove those rumors true, misfortune started befalling the members as well—falling from horses, injuries during training. That much would be one thing, but there were even deaths. Some were attacked in the dead of night by unknown murders, others were killed in their sleep by thieves… the causes varied. In the end, those who had ability—or at least some sense—could not endure it any longer and left, one after another. And what remains is what you see now. There are not even a third of the original number left. At this rate, the unit will be disbanded, so they have reached a point where they accept anyone who volunteers. I am hardly in a position to criticize, but there really are a lot of strange people now. The reason you were able to join so easily is precisely because of that.”

“…………”

Seeing Karin fall silent, Cendrillon smiled.

“I am serious. Things have calmed down a bit recently, but those who left are not coming back. That is how it is.”

Karin felt as though she could not bear the fear.

What did that mean… would she be cursed too? Her face turned pale, and her legs began to tremble.

“What is it? Are you scared?”

“I am not. I am simply steadying myself.”

Karin quickly turned her back to him, traced the characters for “courage” on her left palm with her index finger, and licked it.

Then her mind settled… and courage welled up from withinю She already decided, on that day, to become a knight.

To become the greatest knight in the kingdom.

When she turned back again, she was no longer trembling. A bold smile appeared on her face.

“How interesting. So this is the adversity granted by the gods. Perhaps even this situation is part of it.”

Seeing Karin look around the room as she said that, Cendrillon shook his head.

“…Honestly. Courage and recklessness are not the same thing. Well, there is no point saying that to someone as young as you. You would not listen anyway.”

“And what about you, then?”

“Me?”

“Yes. Why are you still in the unit?”

“Because I have nowhere else to go.”

Cendrillon leaned back, resting his hands behind his head, and laughed.

“In any case, I will not give up. I absolutely will not.”

“I see. Then I will not try to stop you anymore. Do as you like.”

Saying that, Cendrillon stood up.

“What is it?”

“I am going to sleep.”

Just like that, ignoring her presence, he moved toward the bedroom. Karin hurriedly spoke up.

“Then where am I supposed to sleep?”

“Listen. Let me make one thing clear, I am not your father, and I am not your brother. I am only letting you stay here because of Lady Vivi’s request. Where you sleep is something you can figure out yourself.”

As he said that, Cendrillon began taking off his clothes. His bare chest came into view, and Karin immediately panicked.

“W-what are you doing?!”

“I am going to sleep, so I am taking off my clothes.”

With a look that said ''what are you talking about?'', Cendrillon continued undressing. He looked slender, but his body was well-built.

“D-don’t undress in front of other people, you idiot!”

Karin’s face flushed bright red as she turned away. Cendrillon looked at her, puzzled.

“Aren’t we both men? What are you talking about?”

“Th-that may be true, but…”

At that moment, Karin suddenly realized something. If she was going to live here with Cendrillon, then that meant…

There was a real possibility that her body could be seen.

How could this be? This was a serious problem.

Karin, who had never once imagined being seen by a man, could not contain her emotions. Her face burned red.

The problem did not end there. The unease from earlier rose up in her mind once again.

If the fact that she was a woman were exposed… even if the Magic Guard was short on manpower, she would probably be expelled. No, she might even be thrown into prison. She already prepared herself for that possibility, but if it could be avoided, she wanted to avoid it.

Fortunately, her body was very slender, lacking the softness typical of women. As for her chest, honestly, it could be called flat. That was precisely why she had been able to pass as a boy like this, but…

''If we live together in such a cramped room, it will definitely be exposed.''

As Karin was worrying about this, Cendrillon continued taking off his clothes one by one.

Naked.

Na—ked!

“Do not take them off! Do not do it here! Go outside if you are going to undress!”

Panicking, Karin lunged at Cendrillon.

“H-hey! What are you doing!”

“I am begging you, do not undress in front of me!”

At that moment, Karin noticed it. Around Cendrillon’s abdomen, there were bandages, faintly stained with red, it was a fairly serious wound.

“Th-this… could it be from my magic yesterday?”

Although she unleashed her magic in anger after the duel, she had not intended to injure him this badly, and so she asked anxiously.

“Of course not. This is a wound I already had.”

At that, Karin realized. This man… he was not only holding back, he was fighting while injured! And even under those conditions, he demonstrated that level of skill with Blade. Contrary to his flippant attitude, he was actually a frighteningly capable fighter.

But at the same time, a surge of anger rose within her.

“So I lost to someone who was injured! It was not just that you held back! How can this be!”

The wind around her began to stir.

Not wanting a repeat of last night, Cendrillon quickly said,

“Hey, stop that! I already said that counts as your win. That should be enough, right?”

“Not at all! How long do you intend to make a fool of me!”

Without thinking, she lunged at him, ending up clinging tightly to his bare body, and Karin flushed bright red.

“D-do not come any closer! Let go of me, you idiot!”

“You are the one who jumped at me! Enough already! I am injured, you know!”

Karin lowered her head silently. Seeing that, Cendrillon looked at her in surprise.

“Wait… are you that type? A man who likes men…”

“N-no, it is not like that! It is just… I am not used to seeing other people’s bodies, or having mine seen…”

Mumbling excuses, Karin made Cendrillon stare at her in exasperation.

“You… and you still want to join the knights? If war breaks out, what do you plan to do?”

Having finished undressing, Cendrillon tossed his clothes onto a chair and took a set of sleepwear from the wardrobe.

Then he went into the bedroom and brought out a blanket.

“Here, use this. As for where you sleep, on the floor or on a chair, that is up to you. Though if you want my advice, go downstairs and grab some straw from the stable.”

With that, Cendrillon returned to the bedroom.

Karin stared at the worn-out blanket for a moment, then obediently went down to the stable and brought back a bundle of straw piled there.

The strong animal smell made her uncomfortable, but she had no choice but to spread it out in a corner of the living room. Then… after taking a deep breath, she took out her sleepwear from her luggage and groaned, clutching her head.

It was a frilly women’s nightgown, extravagantly decorated with ruffles. If she were seen wearing something like that, Cendrillon might faint on the spot.

“I might actually be an idiot…”

When preparing her things, she didn’t think about sleepwear at all. She had never intended to show it to anyone, so in that sense, it could not be helped…

In any case, there was no way she could sleep in that. But sleeping in her only set of knight’s clothes was also troublesome. If she did that, they would get wrinkled, and if she ever met someone of high standing in that state, it would leave a bad impression.

After thinking it over, Karin decided she would just sleep in her undershirt for now.

While telling herself that she would buy proper sleepwear first thing tomorrow, she carefully began to undress. Boots, jacket, then trousers… just as she was down to her undershirt, the bedroom door opened.

“Hey, Karin, before going to sleep you need to put out the candle on the table—whoa!”

Water from a pitcher splashed over him, and Cendrillon let out a shout.

“What are you doing!”

“D-do not come in when I am changing, you idiot!”

Karin quickly covered her body with both hands and let out a shout.

“What a strange person…”

Muttering that in exasperation, Cendrillon returned to the bedroom. Karin wrapped herself tightly in the blanket and collapsed onto the bundle of straw.

Then she closed her eyes.

She had finally joined the Magic Guard she had long admired… and yet, the road ahead already seemed difficult.

The Magic Guard itself appeared to have fallen into disarray, and she could not even live on her own.

In any case, no matter what, she had to find a way to become a full-fledged knight, Karin made that resolve firmly.

If she did, she would receive a salary, and she would be able to rent a room. Until then, she absolutely had to keep the fact that she was a woman hidden.

And then… what was with that man? The one she was forced to rely on—Cendrillon! There should be a limit to how much someone could mock another person!

Karin’s competitive nature made it impossible for her to accept being held back against. No matter how much she tried to forget it, she could not.

“One day, I will definitely defeat him.”

Completely…

Whispering that, her small body, already exhausted, was soon overtaken by deep sleep.

And so, just like that, the strange cohabitation between Karin, the cross-dressing knight trainee, and Cendrillon, the knight who disliked women, began.