"…Who is that?"

"Don't joke around, master."

Is that really Sylvia?
The Sylvia I know?
The moment I saw the long dress dragging on the floor, revealing her silhouette, I was left speechless.

"You… did you lose weight?"

"…You really say such impolite things so casually."

Wasn't Sylvia supposed to have some excess fat?
When I had to hug her, buried among an army of ants, I distinctly remembered that feeling. But now, in an outfit that accentuated her body shape, there was no trace of any extra fat.

Boldly, the low-cut back of her dress revealed the curve just above her hips.
The fabric covering her chest hung around her neck, obscuring the mark of Sylvia’s identity.
Despite her back muscles being intentionally relaxed, the basic shape was still apparent, and it was more than enough to stir a man’s admiration.

She looked so stunning, I couldn’t even think of making a sarcastic remark.
It was almost like a statue.
Unlike Charlotte or Yuria, who didn’t have such ideal curves, Sylvia certainly did.

"But don’t you think this is a bit too much? Have you forgotten the nature of your mission?"

"I understand well, and I chose this outfit with that in mind. I judged that I needed to attract attention appropriately."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Until now, Vermont has maintained a policy of silence diplomacy, not showing up at public events. So, for Vermont to attend an event just because the Emperor invited him would still seem suspicious. It might be more natural to attend pretending to show off a beautiful lady."

"A beautiful lady? Are you talking about yourself?"

"Obviously. Isn’t it clear, girls?"

"That’s right! Lady Knight, you look so pretty in that!"

"I was surprised too. You look like the daughter of a high noble."

"…"

Encouraged by the compliments from Charlotte and Yuria, Sylvia stood proudly.
Her tone was so shameless that it was a bit unpleasant.
But there was some merit in her words.

Many people must have questioned why Aslan Vermont suddenly started participating in public activities.
And Reinhardt was clearly watching me closely.
To dispel any doubt, every justification became important.

‘I have no words to refute.’

It was a bit humiliating to hear Sylvia praise herself so openly, but I couldn’t deny it.
Today, Sylvia truly exuded a refined beauty.
It was a mystery how her fashion sense could be so impeccable when everything else was lacking.

Perhaps because she had always worn modest clothes that concealed her shape, or because her outfits were too tightly wrapped, she looked completely different in a form-fitting dress like this.

"I haven’t heard your opinion yet, master. Don’t try to brush me off, just tell me your honest thoughts."

"..."

Sylvia smiled leisurely, staring at me with expectation.
I wanted to break that arrogant nose of hers.

"Well, obviously, you’ll just mock me with empty words and sarcasm, I can tell..."

"You’re really beautiful, Sylvia. I used to think you had quite a bit of extra fat, but seeing you now, that’s not really the case. Your well-defined muscles and a slight but noticeable curve really show off your feminine beauty. Especially your back muscles. Every time I see them, I get curious about what would happen if you flexed them. They say clothes make the man, but this saying is definitely true for you."

"Huh? What? Eh…?"

"What’s wrong?"

"Ah, no… no, nothing… really… It’s nothing…"

I gave her the straightforward compliments she asked for.
She froze in surprise, and slowly, her face began to turn red.
When I took a step closer, Sylvia fumbled, trying to avoid my gaze.

Before long, the confident figure she had was completely gone, and all that was left was Sylvia, trying to hide her now flushed face.

"…!"

"…!!!"

But there were others even more surprised than Sylvia.
The maids who had been peeking from the hallway all gaped and looked astonished, and when their eyes met mine, they immediately fled, huddling together and whispering among themselves.

…It felt like strange rumors would spread again.

[The Demon God, 'Kali', warns you about your careless words and actions.]

‘Ah. What about Charlotte and Yuria?’

After hearing Kali’s warning, I realized my mistake.
I had been worried that Charlotte and Yuria might be upset after hearing my compliment to Sylvia.
When I quickly turned around, Charlotte and Yuria didn’t seem to be particularly disturbed.

Thank goodness.

If Charlotte and Yuria had been disappointed in me,
I might have just given up on life from the shock.

"Umm, Master…"

"Speak."

"My face is burning up… I’ll go wash my face and redo my makeup…"

"..."

Sylvia hastily closed the door with a slam and ran off.
After a brief silence, Charlotte opened her mouth.

"You made the Lady Knight cry!"

"No, I didn’t."

[The Demon God, 'Kali', is anxious.]

This…
It seemed like some strange misunderstanding had already begun to spread.

During the brief moment of peace while waiting for Sylvia,
Charlotte and Yuria had been bombarded by the maids with constant requests to ensure their clothes and accessories didn’t get damaged.
After that, they were finally able to escape.

Once Charlotte and Yuria had made it to a place out of my sight,
they immediately began discussing Sylvia.

"Wh-what do we do!? Lady Knight was pretty before, but now she’s even prettier after dressing up like that!"

"I didn’t think Aslan would be so surprised. It’s like the appearance of a formidable rival…"

They held an emergency meeting.
I had always thought that Sylvia was too beautiful to be just a guard knight, but now that I had seen her fully dressed, I was speechless by how stunning she looked.

Normally, she wore practical clothes with belts and pants for easy movement, since she had to carry a sword.
But now, without needing a sword, she had chosen a dress that fully embraced her feminine charm.

We were all lost for words, but what about Aslan, a man?
As soon as that thought crossed my mind,
Charlotte and Yuria were quickly swept into a whirlwind of overwhelming anxiety.

"Oh no! The Lady Knight, who always punished herself by being so casual, has started dressing up. I can’t see a way to win now!"

"No, no. Sylvia doesn’t have any intentions of seducing Aslan..."

"Don’t escape reality! Face it head-on! Yuria, you’re about to be eclipsed by the Lady Knight! As a woman, she’ll always be at least five years ahead of you!"

"...!"

Yuria’s pupils began to shake as she quietly whispered to herself, reassuring herself that everything would be fine.
Charlotte’s words were true.
Sylvia had already fully blossomed as a woman, and her beauty had reached its peak.
On the other hand, Yuria still had a long way to go.

There was no guarantee that, even when Yuria fully matured, she could surpass Sylvia.
How could she compete with Sylvia’s powerful chest, narrow waist, and well-defined back muscles, which Aslan particularly admired?

No matter how much I thought about it, it seemed like an impossible fight.

Faced with such overwhelming odds, Yuria sank into shock and was left speechless.

"I just can’t… win…"

"Don’t give up! Snap out of it, Yuria! Get it together!"

"Ughhh…"

Charlotte grabbed Yuria by the shoulders and shook her violently.
But Yuria showed no sign of recovering.

Ah, this is hopeless.

It seemed like she was overwhelmed by the sheer power of the competition.
It would probably stay this way for a while.

As Charlotte gave up and let go of Yuria, letting out a deep sigh,
she suddenly spoke.

"Ah!? I think Yuria just arrived!"

"Ugh, huh…?"

"No, not 'ugh!' Let’s go meet her!"

Then, Charlotte, with her sharp ears, caught a sound coming from outside.
She grabbed Yuria’s limp hand and started running.

"Ugh! I can’t run, my clothes are way too big compared to yours…!"

"Then I’ll carry you!"

"Wha!? Ahh!!"

In an instant, Charlotte lifted Yuria and started running down the stairs.

As Charlotte carried Yuria, the rapid acceleration gave her the feeling of weightlessness for a moment.

Down the stairs, spinning in a circle, and then down again—every time they went, Yuria’s screams echoed through the mansion.

It felt like the experience of falling off a cliff repeatedly.

By the time they finally reached the outside,
Aslan was waiting for them, kneeling on one knee on the dirt floor, gently tying Yuria’s hair.

And Yuria, with a strangely pleased expression, didn’t seem to mind it as much as she had shown before.