Chapter 7: Misunderstandings and Unwanted Revelations
by xennovelNow, swing away as much as you want.
The company commander, arms folded, opened his eyes wide as if to watch every move. Although it felt overwhelming, Lara Schmord followed his orders. With a sharp swish, she swung her sword in the air a few times before subtly glancing at him.
His face was set in stone—as if on the verge of being petrified by Medusa’s curse. The expression was as hard as rock, enough to send shivers up anyone’s spine.
“You little brat! This isn’t just some playful swinging. What’s the matter? Do you think I’m joking? Hah!”
“Eek…”
“Not like that—swing it like this, exactly like so!”
Unable to tolerate it any longer, the commander stepped closer and put a hand on each of Lara’s arms, still gripping her sword. The moment his hand touched her, his gaze trembled like a boat caught in a storm.
“You… are you a girl, by any chance?”
‘No way—how could he tell just from grabbing my arms?!’
Panicked at the thought of being exposed so clumsily, Lara hesitated and stepped back. At that moment, an officer passing by accidentally bumped elbows with her, and the commander’s stare wavered once more.
“You… could you really be a girl?”
‘How on earth can he tell just from an elbow bump?!’
Lara was equally confused. Normally, one would notice a woman by her chest, not her arms. Could it be that this group of psychic detectors distinguishes gender merely by an arm?
“Hey, Commander, go easy on the rookie.”
From a distance, an officer with a friendly smile began to approach. Feeling a pang of guilt for accepting help, Lara pretended to make a mistake and lightly stepped on his foot.
Even though it was just a slight tap on his instep, the officer’s gaze, fixed on Lara, started to waver.
“You… are you really a girl?”
‘I’m not even surprised at this point. Fine, you’ve got it.’
As muffled murmurs echoed around her, Lara finally began to understand the chaos. Just as she was about to slip away, a voice grabbed her from behind.
“Hold on a minute… Did I see you yesterday?”
Desperately trying to escape, Lara dashed toward the exit, but a strong hand yanked her arm from behind, forcing her to turn around.
Her older brother’s concerned eyes met hers as he released his grip.
‘Really, you too?’
“You… seriously, how can a woman be in the Knight Order?”
‘If you can figure out I’m a woman, maybe you could notice that she might even be your sister!’
Lara completely understood the desolation in God’s tone—it was a disaster of epic proportions.
Within just one day of joining, a third of the Knight Order had uncovered that Lara was a woman. Even if she was just a supporting character, the real worry was for Lady Elina III.
During a meal, Lara discreetly looked at Lady Elina III, who, while discussing training, still seemed so boyish. She hoped nothing else would be overlooked.
Taking advantage of the relaxed dining atmosphere, Lara asked softly, “Edgar III is quite popular with the ladies, isn’t he?” Almost instantly, most of the knights either averted their eyes with mysterious smiles or chuckled softly, exuding a knowing ease.
It was clear that her fellow knights already knew she was a woman. Even as they treated her like any other colleague, they still didn’t acknowledge her true status as a noblewoman.
‘I wonder if the Knight Commander ever realizes that Lady Elina III is not only a woman, but a noblewoman?’
‘This is a disaster. I need to confirm it immediately!’
Lara abruptly pushed her chair back and stood. As she walked out of the dining hall, footsteps echoed behind her. Thinking Lady Elina III might have abandoned her meal to follow, she turned around to find her reluctant older brother hesitantly standing there.
“I’m sorry for the misunderstanding. I assumed you were in your sister’s room in the middle of the night—figured you looked like that poor soul.”
‘…What on earth does that poor soul even mean?’
Lara forced a strained smile while clenching her trembling fists.
“I’ve got a busy schedule, so I’m leaving now.”
“Hey, wait up!”
“Let go of me!”
Shaking off her brother’s icy grip on her wrist, Lara glared fiercely. Lawrence, however, withdrew his hand and awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck.
“I get why you’re so jumpy.”
“Then give it a rest already.”
“Sigh… I’d really like to get along with you. Can I keep in touch?”
Lara’s eyes, blazing with anger, soon widened in disgust as a flush spread over her brother’s ear—a soft, unmistakable blush.
“They say people are drawn to those who resemble themselves. Honestly, from the moment I first saw you, I thought you bore a striking resemblance to me.”
‘That’s because we came from the same boat, you idiot!’
The more she heard, the more exasperated Lara became. She felt like smashing her head against a nearby column. Oh, dear God, save me from this unrelenting fool.
It was a sudden reminder of her purpose.
“I need the restroom urgently! I’ll be off now.”
“That way leads to the Commander’s office…?”
Though voices tried to call her back—‘Hey, wait!’—Lara ignored them and activated the Lady’s Teleportation Technique. Memories of cherished childhood moments with her brother bolstered her resolve.
Click.
A crisp knock echoed in the office as Diches, buried in paperwork despite it being lunchtime, looked up. A neutral voice came from behind the door before anyone could speak.
“I am the new knight, Raan. May I see the Commander?”
“Come in.”
Diches briefly set aside his documents and focused on the door. Surely, Raan was the new recruit who had just arrived.
“Do you have any business here?”
“I’d like to ask you something about my friend.”
“Speak up.”
“For several days now, Edgar III has complained of stomach pains. He even looked noticeably ill during training. It’s not just a simple upset stomach… Do you happen to know what might be wrong?”
“I haven’t heard of him having any chronic issues,” Diches replied.
Appearing thoughtful, Diches continued while Lara’s gaze, sharper than a laser, scrutinized his face.
‘No matter how closely I look, he still can’t tell I’m a woman, can he?’
‘Perhaps I should push further?’
With a silent nod from God, Lara decided to raise the stakes.
“Earlier during training, Edgar III tripped and we ended up rolling in the dirt. When I suggested we shower together, he stubbornly insisted on doing it alone. So, I had to force him into the shower and help him undress.”
“……”
In an instant, Diches’ face hardened into a chilling glare.
“Why bring this up here?”
<…You seem to be getting dangerously obsessive.>
‘I suspected as much. He clearly sees you as nothing more than a woman.’
Just when Lara was about to feel vindicated, Diches abruptly pushed himself from his seat. A menacing aura filled the room, and Lara slowly looked up to see his face looming above hers.
In the dim light, his features were marked by deep, foreboding shadows. His intense ferocity made Lara worry for her own safety.
Provoking him so blatantly—as if daring the Empire’s Sword itself—was recklessly dangerous, especially since, masquerading as a common knight, she risked being cut down.
“As of today, you are completely under my command.”
“T-That was rash… Please, if you just save my life…”
“But you dared to meddle in someone else’s affairs on your first day. You haven’t even touched me without permission.”
A firm hand roughly grabbed Lara’s wrist, then slid between the opened folds of his uniform, probing deeper.
“Try undressing me all you want. Come on—do it!”
“Eek! W-What are you doing? Let go of me!”
“And you’ll shower with me too. Whether we’re rolling in dirt during training or not, you’ll do everything with me.”
Lara’s heart pounded as she shivered at the feel of his solid, muscular chest beneath her palm. The sight of his firmly moving chest muscles was entirely foreign to her.
Just then, a knock sounded at the door. Lara’s heart leaped with hope that whoever it was might rescue her from this nightmare.
“Come in.”
The door opened to reveal a knight in his late twenties, who entered with a respectful bow, head lowered.
“I just returned… Oh, my apologies.”
The moment he raised his head, the knight’s expression turned ashen. The Commander, with his hand inserted between his unbuttoned shirt, was holding onto a young knight’s wrist. Whether he was trying to pull him away or prevent him from leaving, it was clear there was room for misunderstanding.
“Commander, if you’re in the middle of something important, I can come back later.”
“No, come in and have a seat.”
‘I wish he’d let go of my arm already!’
Perhaps sensing her inner turmoil, Diches remained seated on the sofa. As Lara reluctantly took a seat beside him, the young knight stiffly sat on the opposite sofa.
Diches cast a softened glance toward the young knight, unable to meet his eyes.
“How was your honeymoon?”
“Yes, I just got back from it.”
“The bodyguard told me all about it. So, how was your trip?”