CH 57

“Welcome home, Flora dear! I heard the news! Congratulations!” Mother said.

After Isabella wiped me down and changed my clothes, I returned to Manor Carruthers. As I thought, I didn’t want to continue working for today.

And as she saw me like that, Mother approached me with a smile and then said the above. Honestly, I don’t think there’s anything worth celebrating. I feel terrible, it’s awful.

In this world, there are no proper underwear or women’s sanitary products. I was a man in my previous life, so I never used women’s sanitary products, but even so, it’s probably better than this life… after all, right now I’m… let’s call it a girdle, but it’s actually just a belt-like thing, with a rolled up piece of cloth fastened between my legs. It’s like loincloth or something. This seems normal in this world.

My stomach hurts, I feel sick, my crotch bothers me, and there’s nothing good about it. The worst is…….

“Let’s treat ourselves to a celebration today!” Mother said.

“No… I don’t have much of an appetite…” I said.

And when I thought about retreating to my room, Mother glared at me. Terrifying…….. maybe Mother is scarier than Father. I used to think she was a beautiful mother, but when she gets angry, she might be worse than Father.

“Wah, I, I’m looking forward to it…~” I whimpered.

“Right!?!” Mother said. “Well then, I’ll go tell Damian!”

With sparkles in her eyes, Mother trotted off happily. Maybe she just wanted to have this celebration for herself?

People in this House eat considerably better than others. I taught them various ingredients, seasonings, and cooking methods, but in this world, they probably eat more feasts than royalty.

Even so, this world isn’t rich enough to have luxury every day. From the point of view of other Houses, it must have been a luxurious treat, but from my point of view, knowing my past life, even House Carruthers has a poor dining table. Under such circumstances, I can understand the feeling of looking forward to having a little luxury once in a while.

Looking down the corridor where my mother had left, I was a little worried about whether I would be able to eat a feast in my worst mood yet.

After I managed to eat, I wiped down my crotch and went to sleep. But I can’t sleep. It made me realize that I’m still a woman even if I don’t like it.

Until just a little while ago, I wasn’t thinking about it. Someday I’ll have to marry a man, but if I can hang out with girls until then, can I put up with it?

I can’t. It’s not that I hate my fiancé, Ludwig. If you ask me if I like him as a man, I don’t feel that way at all, but when I see a young boy who works hard, it makes me smile.

But in a few more years I might really get married to Ludwig. And Ludwig’s third leg would stick inside me… it’s terrifying to even imagine. It’s not that bad, but I don’t think I can handle it mentally.

Not hating Ludwig and having Ludwig use his third leg on me are two different things. If I’m a normal woman mentally and I liked Ludwig that way, I could. But I’m a man inside and I don’t particularly like Ludwig as a man.

Ah~! I can’t, I can’t, I can’t! I just caaaan’t stop thinking about all the bad things! I can’t sleep! What in the hell is this?!!

It’s been a week since my first menstruation came, and the catastrophe between my legs has completely subsided and my daily life has returned. It is useless to think about marriage with Ludwig. How could I have thought so hard about it? It’s useless even if I think anyway, it’s going to happen regardless!

“It looks like your body is fine now. Then let’s not hesitate today,” Father said.

“—-!” I went.

During training, Father hit me a little harder, probably because I was thinking about unnecessary things during it. What a terrible thing to do! This father, really!

Erich and Dominic work well together to keep me in check. I think they’ve gotten a little stronger too, but somehow these two are getting along better, or rather, their cooperation is getting better, and the gap isn’t closing. Why do I feel like I can’t win no matter how long I train…?

“Nu…?”

“Oh?”

But luck was on my side today. The ground at the training ground was slightly hollowed out and Father tripped on one leg. It’s a rare chance. I’ve been training every morning and night, but I’ve never gotten a hit on Father. Erich and Dominique were sacrificed as Father’s meatshields, but he never tastes my sword. Today is my chance to make a long-cherished wish come true!

“Yah…!” I cried.

“… Hmm. Just a bit… shall we go stronger? Brace yourself, Flora,” Father said.

I saw there was a gap, struck with all my might, but Father’s sword completely stopped it with one hand in an unstable posture.

Impossible. No, this can’t be.

No matter how much the physical strength difference between me and my father, no matter how much the difference between men and women, there’s no way he could receive the full power of me with both hands outside of a stable posture. With the difference in physical strength between my father and me, it is absolutely impossible. Moreover, I hit it with momentum, so my weight and acceleration are also added. To receive it with one hand in such a posture…

“-!? Kaha…!” I cried.

Maybe because I was thinking about it, from blocking my sword, Father pushed back and I was blown away. And then Father’s sword strikes my torso. Why is the blow from such an unstable posture so heavy? Even with this, I should have pulled back my deflected sword and caught that…

My blow doesn’t reach and Father’s sword does damage to me. What’s the difference between me and my father’s sword?

“What’s wrong? Are you finished now?” Father asked.

“Guh…” I groaned.

As I was rolling around, he swung his sword at me. Right before me, Father suddenly overflowed with magic…

“Gaha…!”

I should have been laid out flat and was instead launched high into the sky. I lost consciousness in the middle and don’t remember what happened after that.

When I woke up, I saw a familiar canopy. What is it…….? Why was I sleeping?

“… Ah, that’s right…”

Did I pass out after being blown away by Father during morning training?

Why is Father’s sword so heavy? Could he really have caught my sword so easily?

I am a child and there is no doubt that there is a difference in strength and weight between my father and me. But there is a huge difference that cannot be explained by that alone.

I think I’ve come to be able to use my sword arm to some extent. But I’m no match for that strong sword-hand Father has. I’ve never even hit him once. This is unbelievable.

“Are you awake?”

“…… Father?”

When someone entered the room without hesitation, I turned to look and found Father. I wonder if he understands I’m a daughter going through puberty. What is he going to do if he enters at a terrible time and I find myself in a crisis? Well, even if I say all that, I don’t think it’ll happen… to begin with, I don’t really think I’m a noble lady myself…

“I think I hit you a little too hard. Are you okay?” Father said.

Oh! Father is worried about me Normally, I wouldn’t worry about getting banged up during training, but sometimes things like this happen rarely.

“I’m fine… Um… Father…” I said, quieting down.

“What’s wrong?” Father asked, politely nodding and urging me to go ahead.

So, I don’t hesitate to ask: “Why can’t I hit you with my sword and why is your sword hand so powerful?”

“…What are you talking about?” Father said. “You always use boosts, don’t you, Flora? Combining the strength of your body with the effects of the boosts gives you more than normal strength. Isn’t it the same as the ones you use?”

Hmm? Mm? What is that? What is a “boost?”

“Father… what’s a ‘boost’?” I asked.

“Flora…… did you unconsciously use the boosts without even knowing it?” Father asked.

No, even if you say that, you never taught me anything. Most of the training was on-the-job training, and I was beaten down with an iron bar, right?

When I said that to Father, he called Leon and Erich and they explained various things. Apparently, Father is bad at explaining things. By the way, Dominic wasn’t called. I didn’t ask if Dominic couldn’t use those “boosts” he was talking about or if he was as bad at explaining things as Father, so if Leon and Erich were there, he thought the explanation would be enough, and that’s why he wasn’t called, too.

“I see… using magic power…” I said.

After listening to everyone’s explanations, I understood most of them. But it’s also a story with a lot of discomforts.

Roughly speaking, “boost” is something like a so-called “buff”. However, unlike the buffs in games, it doesn’t seem to cast magic that increases status, but it seems to instantly strengthen oneself with your magical power.

But, if it’s true that you can get that kind of effect just by collecting magic power and putting it in, why can’t most people do that? I don’t know.

Only a few of the knights who have undergone rigorous training can use it, but all humans have magical powers to a greater or lesser extent. If it’s okay to put magic into it, most people should be able to do it.

If you can’t use boost magic if you can’t manipulate magic, then all magicians should be able to use it. However, in reality, there are no mages who can use boosts. It seems that boosting is a means for warrior-type people to strengthen themselves and fight against magicians and monsters.

It’s strange that you can strengthen your body just by pouring magic power into it without needing a spell. I had never noticed that magic had such an effect. If it’s possible to increase physical ability simply by putting magic into it, then if I put magic into it and do something, it should show tremendous power. But when I try, it doesn’t happen.

I thanked Leon and Erich for the explanation, and when everyone left, I proceeded with verification.

Certainly, in the end, I felt Father’s magical power gushing out. I had never felt it before, so why did I feel it today? It doesn’t seem like he uses it all the time. It seems that Father’s superhuman strength and physical abilities are due to boosts. With everything said, it seems true. Otherwise, Father would end up being a super strong man who would crush cups just by gripping them.

And it seems I’ve been using it unconsciously for a long time. It seems that Erich and Dominic are also using it. It means that all the people in this world who are famous for their swordsmanship are using boosts. It is said that a long time ago, a master swordsman blocked a sword with his unarmored arm, and then split the earth with a single swing of his sword. It may be proof that something close to it is possible, even if it’s an exaggeration.

Let’s do… some research… if I can do this, I might be able to get one over Father.

I’m at Manor Caanburg today. Even after Manor Caanburg was completed, I still maintain my three bases of Manor Carruthers, the shack in the woods, and this mansion. The shack is close to Carruzan, so it’s convenient. Besides, House Caan soldiers aren’t coming around, so it’s perfect when you want peace and quiet. If it’s a mansion, my subordinates are always wandering around.

But today the mansion is more convenient. If you enter the forest in the northwest direction from the mansion, you will find yourself in an untouched forest. I secretly sneak out of the office and go into the forest.

In my understanding, magical power is interpreted as just the same as fuel. And yet, is it something that strengthens the body just because it is injected with that fuel? That was my question.

In order to use fuel, you must have an engine that burns that fuel and converts it into power. It is the spell that plays the role of the engine, and if the spell is not properly done, it will not work properly even if you put fuel in it and burn it.

In that case, isn’t it possible that the reason knights momentarily use that buff called “boosting” is because they’re activating some kind of spell? You could assume that magicians can’t boost because they can’t construct the spell. If you don’t move your body on a regular basis, you may not be able to build or synthesize buff spells related to the body.

Of course, there’s no guarantee that my thoughts are correct, so it’s possible that they’re activating it regardless of the spell. But even if it’s different from the normal boost, if I create magic that converts mana into that kind of effect, I wonder if I can get the same effect. In other words, what I’m trying to do from now on is the development of buff magic.

It doesn’t matter if it’s a boost or an entirely separate ability with the same kind of effect when it succeeds. In short, if you can freely use something like a boost controlled by a spell, I will achieve your goal.

After learning about this boost, I worked hard to develop buff magic for days and days. Unlike magic so far, it won’t be easy. Heat magic could be created by simply rewriting existing magic formulas, but there is no such thing as magic that strengthens the body, so just taking something as a base and making a few changes won’t complete it.

For days and days, I thought about the formula, built it, tried it, and failed repeatedly. Sometimes my muscles would go crazy and cramp, blood vessels would pop out, and blood would spurt out.

“Alright… this time… ‘Boost’!” I cried.

I am confident this time. The failures so far have not been in vain. I felt like my body had become lighter, and when I jumped lightly, I jumped to a height that would be impossible for a human being.

“Hooray! Success!”

It’s not the ratio of the boost that I usually use. The buff magic, which is perfectly controlled by the magical spell, is an order of magnitude more efficient than the boosts used by the knights. Moreover, the duration can be set freely. It can be used continuously as long as I continue to put magic into it and maintain the spell.

It’s just that the burden on the body is probably heavy. No matter how much you strengthen it, it’s not possible that it won’t affect your body because you’re putting out power that it normally can’t do. That’s why I think the knights’ boost is also momentary. I’m sure there’s also the problem of depletion of mana…

“Wait a minute… let’s run through the forest.”

I repeatedly jump, leap, and run while confirming the effect of buff magic. I’ve never been activating spells all the time. How about reducing the burden on the body and consumption of magical power by activating it only at the moment of kicking the ground or the moment of landing? While running through the forest while trying various things, before I knew it, I was near the tallest mountain that I could see in the far northwest. Apparently, I got carried away and went too deep into the forest.

“This is… I think it’s time to go back… Huh? What’s that?”

Once I jumped to the top of the forest and checked the surroundings, I found a figure. Are people deep in the forest like this? It’s strange that there are people in a place where I’ve heard that even hunters don’t enter. Let’s check it out for a moment.

I rushed over to the place where I found the figure, and there it was…

“Ah! Look out!”

“Huh? Kyaa!”

There was a girl who was about to be attacked by a wild boar-like beast, not a monster, so I ran up to her, grabbed her, and leaped away. But the girl seemed to be able to do something on her own. The spell the girl fired before I scooped her up hit the boar-like beast and killed it.

Is that so? Being alone in a place like this also means that you have a means of self-defense. Otherwise, she would not have been able to come to a place like this, to begin with.

“Hold up! What are you doing!?”

“Ah, I’m sorry… Huh?… Black eyes and black hair?” I said.

“Ah… a human!?”

When I peered at the girl I was holding, it was the first time since I came to this world that I saw a girl with black eyes and black hair in twin tails.