You Saw It, Didn’t You?

The Kingdom of Somlang was a sprawling kingdom nestled along the coast of the Yada Continent, constantly vying for power with two other formidable kingdoms that stood in opposition.

For a decade prior, incessant warfare had plagued these three nations.

Border disputes frequently flared up, escalating into full-blown battles.

The immediate casualties were always the smaller, adjacent nations.

As a result, countless small states lodged protests with the great powers, some even forging alliances to oppose the relentless conflicts.

Yet, the wars showed no signs of abating; instead, they grew ever more fierce.

Until that pivotal incident, a decade ago…

Time: The day I transmigrated to this other world.

Location: The central castle of the Kingdom of Somlang’s Royal Palace.

Though a more precise description might lead to immediate assumptions, the unfolding plot would inevitably reveal the location regardless.

So, I might as well state it plainly now.

This, then, was the private chamber of Her Majesty, Queen Ji Qianluo.

My eyebrows twitched, betraying my unease.

I stood awkwardly in the center of the bedroom, my hands feeling utterly lost.

Though I currently inhabited a girl’s body, my inner self remained decidedly male.

Discounting my brief appearance in Airi William Barth James’s original room that very morning, this marked my first audacious entry into a girl’s private chambers.

A delicate rose fragrance wafted past my nose, and everything I beheld was precisely what one would expect to find in a young woman’s boudoir.

A luxurious vanity stood beside the bed.

Pale pink curtains were drawn open, allowing golden sunlight to stream in and bathe the soft, classical canopy bed.

The floor was covered by a plush, deep red carpet, its fine fibers mirroring the color of my own hair.

My gaze then drifted to the far right.

Adorning the far-right wall were portraits of past Kings, each depicted with benevolent eyes, handsome features, and an air of regality.

I would wager, however, that at least half were masterpieces born of the artist’s selective blindness.

‘Don’t believe me? Just compare them to portraits of Napoleon or Zhu Yuanzhang. These royal nobles, all they ever did was…’

‘No, no, this is all wrong. What on earth am I rambling about? The most critical thing right now is that I’m absolutely stuck in Ji Qianluo’s bedroom!’

‘And even more importantly, Ji Qianluo is currently bathing in the adjacent bathroom; I can hear the distinct gurgle of water from the bathtub!’

‘Damn it, she summoned me here, only to leave me stranded while she went to bathe? What kind of game is this? Is she intentionally making me listen to her? Does she imagine I’ll be thrilled like some pervert? She truly underestimates me!’

‘Ah, don’t misunderstand, my flushed face and racing heart have absolutely nothing to do with hearing Ji Qianluo bathe!’

‘Ugh, seriously, how did it come to this? The original plan was for Ji Qianluo to readily agree to my terms, restore me to my male form, and then for me to return to my own world, wasn’t it?’

‘Yet, after that expressionless maid—whom Ji Qianluo addressed as “Little Leilei”—led me here and departed, I discovered Ji Qianluo was bathing?’

‘I should have brought Lance Paritch Aud Horrisman along to the platform earlier.’

‘Come to think of it, I still haven’t settled scores with Lance Paritch Aud Horrisman, have I?’

As I stood there, lost in a whirlwind of thoughts, a sudden gurgle of water from the bathroom jolted me.

I instantly tensed, took a few steps back, and nervously fixed my gaze on the bathroom door.

A series of soft, padding footsteps was followed by a distinct click as the door opened.

There stood Ji Qianluo, clad only in a bath towel, her hair coiled atop her head, slippers on her feet.

‘Holy crap, you just came out wrapped in only a bath towel! Is it because you’re in your own bedroom that you’re so utterly defenseless? This won’t do, young lady! With such a lack of caution, you’ll suffer a grave loss someday!’

Regardless, I swiftly turned my back, deliberately averting my gaze from Ji Qianluo.

“Oh, you’re already here?”

Seeing me spin around in a fluster, Ji Qianluo offered a faint smile.

She strolled unhurriedly to the bedside, kicked off her slippers, and then, with a sudden “whoosh,” flopped onto the bed, emitting a blissful groan.

‘I’m still standing right here, you know. Could you please refrain from making such peculiar noises?’

Ji Qianluo, though I hadn’t looked, must now be lounging languidly on the bed.

She looked in my direction, chuckling, “Little Sister Airi, aren’t you coming over?”

“Who would come over?!”

I yelled, my face burning, still keeping my back to her.

Ji Qianluo snickered. “We’re both girls. What’s there to be shy about?”

“Who’s a girl like you?!”

“Oh my, could it be that the charming and alluring ‘Sister Airi’ from moments ago is actually a boy?”

‘That scoundrel! She was deliberately exposing my predicament. Wasn’t everything I did earlier a direct result of her coercion?’

“Ji Qianluo, stop playing games. Just tell me directly: what will it take for you to let me return?”

With no other option, I decided to be blunt with Ji Qianluo.

“Hehe, go back? Little Sister Airi can return anytime she pleases. I’m not holding you captive.”

‘Damn it, this woman was still playing coy with me—no, playing dumb.’

“Ji Qianluo, can’t you be a little serious… ”

I suddenly grew agitated and spun around abruptly.

Just then, Ji Qianluo’s urgent voice reached my ear: “Wait… ”

‘Wait? What did she mean?’

Before I could fully process her words, the scene before me elucidated their meaning with shocking clarity.

Ji Qianluo, right before my eyes, had already untied her bath towel and cast it aside, lying completely naked on the bed.

The soft sunlight filtering through the window illuminated her form, making Ji Qianluo’s fair skin appear even more luminous and ethereal.

‘Holy crap, this is an R-rated scene! I’m still a virgin, and you’re subjecting me to this level of stimulation! Is this trial from the Demon God truly so intense?’

“Ugh!”

I let out a startled cry and swiftly spun back around.

Behind me, Ji Qianluo hastily covered herself with the quilt, a faint blush dusting her cheeks.

She gazed at me, her voice a low murmur: “You saw it all, didn’t you?”

“N-no, I didn’t see anything!”

Driven by pure instinct, I immediately denied it.

Simultaneously, I tilted my head back, desperately trying to prevent an uncontrolled nosebleed.

‘Seriously, wasn’t she the one who came out wrapped in only a bath towel, and then lay stark naked behind me? I warned her she’d suffer a grave loss, didn’t I? Now she was blaming me? Whose fault was this, really?’

A moment of silence hung in the air behind me, finally broken by a long, drawn-out sigh.

“Fine, I’ll stop jesting with you. Consider this a bonus for you. It seems you’re not quite as innocent as you appear, ‘Little Sister Airi.’ No, perhaps I should call you… ”

“Li Qingchen, wouldn’t that be more fitting?”