“Carvaldr’s Unit. The reason you want that item must be to take everyday photos of your familiar, right?”
I had expected Fjodra to ask why I wanted the camera.
So I had prepared the answer, ‘It is to preserve Yor’s cute and lovable appearance in photographs.’
But it seemed I didn’t even need to do that.
“I had anticipated that Her Imperial Princess, being the master of a familiar just like me, would naturally understand my feelings. But to see through my purpose so instantly…”
“Mmm… Yes, that feeling. Of course I understand it. In fact, I often take pictures of Lausa myself.”
For some reason, the other party’s reaction was extremely peculiar.
Even as she verbally expressed sympathy with my words, her expression betrayed bewilderment.
I couldn’t help but tilt my head in confusion.
“Tsundere Young Lord…? Whether you have a familiar or not, anyone could have figured out your purpose!”
“Lady Hailga is right! Even I, who have no familiar, immediately realized why Senior Carvaldr wanted a portable camera!”
“Um… Kar already took a ton of solo shots of Yor at the photo studio earlier, didn’t he…?”
“And that’s not all! He also took a two-shot alone with Lord Yor! I wanted a two-shot with Carvaldr-nim too, but he wouldn’t take one with me, only with Lord Yor!”
First, Hailga spoke with an incredulous expression, and Pret immediately agreed with her words.
Vigdis mentioned the reason.
Liolikin subtly voiced his personal complaint.
Hearing them, I think I understand now why Fjodra’s words and expression didn’t match.
She had merely stated what was as plain as day, and she seemed surprised that I was amazed by her knowing it.
That’s why she was dumbfounded.
Upon realizing this, I felt a bit embarrassed.
Still, I couldn’t give up on the camera, so I cleared my throat needlessly and continued my conversation with Fjodra.
“Ahem, ahem! Anyway, for that reason, I wish to receive permission to possess a portable camera.”
“Recalling the rumors that you once controlled even Lady Vigdis’s human relationships and engaged in courtship activities bordering on threats, this is quite a concerning matter.”
She means she’s hesitant to allow it because of this possessed body’s stalking history.
It was because I possessed Carvaldr’s body that I could meet Yor, but now Carvaldr’s past deeds are holding me back and preventing me from getting permission to possess a camera?
As I despaired at this absurd irony and even failed to maintain my expression.
“However, based on what I have personally observed over the past half-month, it seems there is no possibility that you would commit such acts again.”
“Th-that means…?”
“Carvaldr’s Unit. I believe you wouldn’t misuse the camera as you are now, so I think it’s fine to permit it.”
“Are you serious…?!”
“Of course I’m serious. But I can’t just grant possession permission without a justification… I was thinking of offering it as the prize for the cross-dressing contest winner…”
I briefly wondered, ‘Is it really acceptable to use something like that as a justification?’ but.
Regardless, it was a conclusion that suited my wishes, so I had no complaints.
“There is a significant problem with this method. Providing camera possession rights only to the winner of the cross-dressing category would be unfair, so we would have to offer it to the winners of other categories as well. We could hope for Lady Hailga in the female category, but the male and male-dressing categories…”
Fjodra rambled on with such words, casually sweeping her gaze over those present.
Then, with an expression of ‘That’s it!’ she spoke again.
“Lord Reysir and Lady Vigdis, you two can participate.”
Had the original author always intended to put these two in that category’s beauty contest?
Or did she watch how things were unfolding and suddenly think it would be better to do so, leading to this result?
Or was it Fjodra’s arbitrary decision?
There’s no way to confirm the truth.
But the results could be confirmed immediately.
“Carvaldr, I’m participating in the handsome man contest for you, alright? So you can’t be upset that I didn’t enter the cross-dressing contest with you.”
First, the protagonist of another novel accepted Fjodra’s proposal by spouting such nonsense at me.
If he truly cared for me, wouldn’t it be right for him to enter the cross-dressing contest himself and yield the handsome man contest to me?
Such a thought crossed my mind, but I had to give up on arguing.
“I don’t have confidence in winning, but if Kar is entering the cross-dressing contest… I happened to want to get a pair of pants-style formal wear, so I’ll try participating as well.”
Vigdis said this.
Her father absolutely opposes Vigdis cross-dressing of her own will or wearing formal wear other than dresses.
But he allowed it when Carvaldr was involved.
She was saying she’d use this situation as an excuse to buy the style of clothes she’d always wanted…
‘If I don’t enter the cross-dressing contest, Vigdis can’t enter the male-dressing contest. And that means the chance to obtain camera possession rights flies away, doesn’t it?!’
I don’t want to accept it, but it seems the time has come to do so.
The reality that I cannot avoid cross-dressing.
“Carvaldr’s Unit. I’m telling you this because I expect you to ask Lord Reysir to switch categories, but if you do, the plan to give the camera possession rights to the winner is canceled. This is the only time we’ll offer those rights as a prize. I plan to announce it as a special additional prize, riding on the buzz your decision to enter the cross-dressing contest will bring.”
“Th… uh… Yes.”
I don’t know what’s so remarkable about Carvaldr entering a cross-dressing contest that warrants talk of buzz.
I suspect the original author is just pounding her keyboard with the single-minded determination not to cross-dress her own protagonist.
‘Well, fine… I already decided to accept it, right? The best option would have been the protagonist of another novel cross-dressing alone, but I did have cross-dressing myself as a second option in mind…
If I win the contest, the camera I’ve longed for will be in my hands.
Let’s just think about that for now.
The photo album is going to be filled to the brim with pictures of Yor’s growth and adorable daily moments, so what is a little cross-dressing?
And come to think of it, even if I cross-dress, it’s not my body wearing the dress.
It’s Carvaldr’s body.
So the cross-dressing is done by Carvaldr, not by me.’
“Ohh…! I really, really want a camera too! It’s a shame I’m not as beautiful as Senior Carvaldr or as handsome as Senior Reysir…!”
The person who works in the industry that is the number one threat to privacy, and who must never be given a camera, lamented sincerely.
But it seems she has no intention of changing her face with the [Camouflage] skill and participating in the contest.
Not only did she quickly wipe away her disappointed expression.
“I don’t have the confidence to enter the contest, but I still want to join in on the fun event. Could I help you seniors? Since standing on a circus stage requires makeup, I’m confident in my skills! The ladies in our circus troupe always ask me to do their makeup, it’s overwhelming!”
-Judging by how she’s offering to help instead of treating us as rivals.
I hadn’t planned on wearing makeup.
A professional offering to help leaves me unsure whether to be grateful or not.
“And I can also connect you with a dress shop I know well! It’s a shop called ‘Thread of Dawn’…”
“Wait a moment. If it’s ‘Thread of Dawn,’ that place is extremely famous among nobles, hard to get a reservation, and well-known for its expensive prices?”
Hailga cut off Pret’s words and raised a doubt.
If the shop’s status is as great as she says, it wouldn’t make sense for a mere commoner to boldly step forward saying they can make a connection.
But Pret, though of commoner status, was someone who didn’t suit the modifier ‘mere.’
“Hehehe, that’s true. But the owner there received help from our troupe leader a long time ago! So she always makes new stage outfits for our circus troupe, or remodels them ‘charging only for materials’~? No matter how busy she is, she prioritizes us. Ah! And this is a secret, by the way. If other people found out, there’d be chaos.”
I can guarantee it.
That dress shop called ‘Thread of Dawn’ is definitely one of the places run by the Hrafnin information guild.
‘Considering the various conditions, a dress shop is an industry the information guild has no reason not to reach into.’
It’s also a good place for noble ladies and young misses to come shopping together, flip through catalogs, and chat.
Employees can ask detailed questions about customers’ tastes without arousing suspicion.
And they even offer at-home visiting services to customers’ residences.
“Even if what you say is true… We’re not circus troupe members.”
“It’s fine, it’s fine! I frequent the shop on errands, so I’ve become really close with the owner! If I act cute and ask her nicely, she’ll definitely do the work under the exact same conditions as our circus troupe’s outfits!!”
“……Whether it works or not, there’s no harm in going to see.”
Hailga didn’t take Pret’s words at face value.
Especially when he said he’d act cute while asking, she even showed distrust.
But in the end, she concluded that accepting Pret’s proposal was the best choice.
‘Thread of Dawn’ is a shop with guaranteed skill.
And on top of that, hearing that remodels are done charging only for materials, she naturally had to be tempted.
On the other hand.
‘Reysir looks extremely suspicious.’
He must have noticed too.
That a place introduced by the heir of the information guild leader could not possibly be an ordinary dress shop.
But Reysir’s circumstances aren’t comfortable enough to turn down the opportunity for cheap clothing remodels.
He has no proper reason to object, so he seems to have chosen to stay silent.
Whether it’s a coincidence or an inevitability reflecting the original author’s intervention, ‘Thread of Dawn’ happened to be close to where we were having dinner.
After finishing our meal in a hurry, we headed there.
Whether to coordinate with the shop owner and staff, Pret went inside alone and only let us in after about 5 minutes had passed.
Through the back door, not the front.
“I’ve heard all about it from our adorable Pret. You’re academy seniors who are going to enter the beauty contest, right? Ho ho ho! This madam will do her best to help you build wonderful memories.”
The person who doubled as the dress shop owner and an informant greeted us warmly.
Hailga looked at Pret with a shocked expression.
“So the cuteness actually worked…?”
“Oh, now that I think about it, I have one more way to help you all! Would you like to learn cuteness from me as a sure-win strategy for the beauty contest?”
“…No, I’m fine. I’ve decided to compete with my natural charm.”
“Wow~! Lady Hailga is just as cool as always!”
“……”
LET’S GO CROSS DRESSING CONTEST!