Chương 49: Departure

Early the next morning, I slipped out of my room before the sun had even crested the horizon. I bundled myself into a voluminous, oversized cloak, having already donned the dress underneath just in case I was forced to remove the outer layer upon entering the Cathedral. As for the wig, I could put that on once I reached the gates. From the outside, I probably didn't look too out of the ordinary.

Han, like most of the others in the male dormitory, was still fast asleep, so I managed to reach the gates without encountering any trouble. About half an hour later, Lealia appeared, hauling two large bags and a massive trunk. I honestly couldn't fathom how that small, slender frame of hers managed to lug all that gear. Despite the concealing cloak, I felt a literal crawling sensation over my skin at the thought of encountering others while dressed as a girl—everything felt utterly unnatural.

When Lealia caught sight of me in the wig, her eyes nearly popped out of her head. She opened her mouth to say something, but I held up a hand to cut her off, signaling that I had zero interest in hearing any critiques of my cross-dressing abilities. To steer the conversation away from myself, I asked, "Why did you bring so much stuff?" Lealia shook her head.

"It's not that much. The trunk holds my tools and some essential herbs; the bags are just clothes. We'll be gone for a whole week, after all. Isn't that tiny bag of yours a bit light?" I glanced at my compact satchel.

"For a guy, this is plenty."

"Um, but right now you're..."

"... I'll change back once we get there, obviously! I only need to deceive the people at the Cathedral." Sensing someone approaching, I pulled my hood low and signaled to Lealia that we should wait for the carriages outside the gates. Each Candidate would have their own carriage anyway. If Iris recognized me before we even reached the Cathedral, it would cause a litany of headaches. The newcomer was indeed Iris.

She was also carrying a mountain of luggage, but thanks to the two assistants trailing behind her to do the heavy lifting, she looked quite relaxed. Those two assistants were students from Class B. They claimed to be the President and Vice-President of the"Iris Fan Club" and were more than willing to tag along and help. Yes, that stupid club actually exists. It has somewhere around twenty members. The flutist, a boy named Edgar, arrived shortly after.

When Iris struck up a cheerful conversation with him, he mentioned that he was bringing an assistant along - a relative who worked professionally as a bodyguard. His carriage would stop along the way to pick them up later. Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. The final Candidate for this mission was Nathan. He appeared silently, seemingly materializing out of thin air in the middle of the conversation between Iris and Edgar.

I wanted to catch a glimpse of his status window, but I was currently too far away to activate the skill. Four Church carriages clattered into view. I hauled Lealia's luggage and moved quickly to claim the one closest to us. Taking advantage of the carriage's movement, I borrowed some of Lealia's lipstick and applied a small amount to my lips. I hoped this would make me look less pale and more feminine. Fine, I admit it, I still care about my appearance.

Judging by Lealia's reaction when we first met, I clearly didn't look my best. Cross-dressing is embarrassing enough as it is; being an ugly cross-dresser is even worse. Lealia looked as if a new horizon of understanding had just opened up to her, staring at me incessantly. It's true that men with a "liberal" attitude toward skincare and aesthetics are rare in this medieval-esque society, but back on Earth, this much was common practice.

I neither enjoy nor despise cross-dressing, but I have to admit the skill is occasionally useful. Highly recommended for those who fear being ambushed on their way to school, especially for someone who has made as many enemies as I have. Upon arriving at the Cathedral, we were led to the teleportation chamber. This was a type of magic circle that allowed displacement between fixed locations, typically situated within the big church scattered across Averula.

The Candidates were told they would receive the mission details upon arrival, so everyone was ushered into the teleportation circle almost immediately. From the moment I stepped into the Cathedral, I kept my hood pulled high and stayed tucked behind Lealia, escaping any suspicion. As the magic sigils beneath our feet began to glow, Lealia whispered to me:"It's going to be a bit uncomfortable, but it'll be over soon." She reached out and squeezed my hand as if to offer me courage.

I remembered this sensation vividly. The easiest comparison is standing in an elevator that shoots up and down at blink speed. One second you feel crushed by heavy gravity, the next you're in freefall, looping continuously for about half a minute. The first time I used this thing, I vomited right in the center of the destination church. Jullius looked like he wanted to scold me, but his own face was so green with nausea that he didn't have the strength to open his mouth. But I'm used to it now.

When the teleportation process concluded, I was the only one still standing while the others nearly collapsed to their knees. I shed the hood and the wig, helping Lealia up as we stepped off the stone teleportation dais. A moment later, as Iris regained her senses, she recognized me almost instantly.

"Asher? You... you're Lealia's assistant?" I nodded nonchalantly.

"That's right. Didn't you notice me earlier? I was so busy hauling luggage that I didn't have a chance to say hello." In truth, I had deliberately positioned myself behind her the entire time, so it was only natural she hadn't seen me. But by framing it that way, I shifted the "inattentiveness" onto her. Iris forced a smile.

"Is that so... I was so absent-minded. It's my first time on a mission with such a small group, so I was a bit tense."

"It's fine. I don't take it to heart." We had arrived at a small church located about half a day's walk from the town of Grasiva. The priests and nuns had gathered around the teleportation dais to welcome the newly arrived Hero Candidates with warm hospitality. We were invited into a meeting room where the head priest was already waiting to brief us on the situation in Grasiva.

"Welcome, Hero Candidates. We have been waiting for you for a very long time." Iris naturally stepped forward, speaking softly.

"You must have all suffered so much. If there is anything we can do to help, we will certainly do our best!"

"Yes, please, everyone sit down and have a cup of tea. Then, I shall explain everything clearly."