A Surprising Transformation

“What’s happened, Phil? Why have we stopped so abruptly? The charity event is about to begin, and as the host, I simply cannot be late. It would be an unforgivable slight to His Excellency the Legion Commander and Lord Domu!” A voice of utmost elegance and refinement drifted from within the golden pig-drawn carriage, tinged with a note of bewilderment.

“Mr. Tule, we have encountered Lord Domu and Lady Soronna…” Hearing the voice from inside the carriage, Phil replied reverently.

“Oh, heavens above! Why didn’t you inform me sooner? The mighty Lord Domu is my great benefactor! Quickly, I must personally greet Lord Domu!” Mr. Tule’s voice from within the carriage immediately grew agitated.

“Phil, it’s been a long time. This is our first meeting since we parted ways at Mr. Tule’s estate, isn’t it?” Seeing Phil slowly approach with the golden pig-drawn carriage, Domu raised a hand in greeting.

“Lord Domu! It truly has been a long time. And Lady Soronna, good morning!” Phil pulled the carriage to the roadside, alighted, and stood respectfully before the two of them.

He showed no particular reaction to Domu and Soronna’s intimate posture. Then he stepped to the carriage door and opened it.

“Good morning, Big Brother~ Good morning, Sister Soronna~” Philly was the first to emerge, still dressed as a mage, a large wizard’s hat perched atop her head.

Her eyes widened briefly at Domu and Soronna’s affectionate stance, but she still greeted them politely.

Soronna, however, seemed somewhat displeased. Her rare moment alone with Domu had been interrupted by these unexpected arrivals—and two rather innocent Oolies. She clung to Domu’s arm, completely ignoring Phil.

Yet upon seeing Philly, her expression softened, a smile blooming across her face as she looked up and waved.

“Hahahahaha~ Mighty Lord Domu! It’s been too long! I had expected to meet you only at the charity venue, yet my luck is truly exceptional to encounter you right after stepping out!” Mr. Tule’s voice boomed even before he appeared, filled with hearty laughter.

“Indeed, Mr. Tule…” Hearing his voice, Domu felt a surge of happiness—after all, Mr. Tule had saved him considerable trouble. However, just as he was about to respond properly, he froze at the sight of the man stepping out of the carriage.

The man who descended was tall, clad in a crisp suit embroidered with dazzling golden thread patterns. His well-tailored trousers made his legs appear especially long.

His striking appearance caused passersby to blush unconsciously. He was extraordinarily handsome, appearing under thirty, with neatly styled golden hair and deep blue eyes.

Combined with his refined and gentle demeanor, he perfectly embodied the image of a dashing, wealthy gentleman.

“Excuse me… are you… Mr. Tule?” Domu looked at him, utterly different from the figure in his memory, and felt genuine uncertainty.

In Domu’s recollection, Mr. Tule had been a portly, middle-aged man with beady eyes, a large nose, a prosperous face, and a bald head. But this man… this man… was far more handsome than that image. Could he be Mr. Tule’s son?

Yet seeing Phil and Philly’s respectful demeanor, Domu’s confusion only deepened.

“Hahahahaha~ Lord Domu, it’s no wonder you didn’t recognize me. Indeed, I am Tule! This is all thanks to Lord Domu’s help in finding a way for me to recover. Otherwise, I would have been deprived of this charming, handsome face that captivates all!” Mr. Tule burst into joyous laughter.

With his current appearance, his smile truly could be called captivating. His gleaming teeth and radiant golden hair made him seem almost like a divine child bathed in sunlight.

“This is truly… congratulations, Mr. Tule… Could it be… Balyaas Rabbit’s conspiracy… has a cosmetic surgery function?” The first part Domu said aloud; the latter he muttered to himself, head lowered.

Looking at the refined and handsome Mr. Tule before him, Domu couldn’t help but feel a trace of envy. If only I were that handsome… And Mr. Tule is so wealthy—truly a winner in life… But does Balyaas Rabbit’s conspiracy really have a cosmetic surgery function? Should I go back and discuss it with Billy, maybe borrow a few to try…

At that very moment, Billy—sprawled beside Dora in the inn—suddenly felt as if some terrifying demon had fixed its gaze upon him. His fur bristled instinctively, and his three eyes darted about in panic.

After confirming nothing was actually wrong, he glanced at Dora, saw she was still sleeping soundly, and settled back down.

“Hahahahaha, Lord Domu is truly too humorous~ I am deeply honored to receive such praise. By the way, this must be Lady Soronna, leader of the Eye of Soaroka Mercenary Group and Lord Domu’s dearest companion. It is a great honor to meet you, Lady Soronna—though it seems I may soon have the privilege of addressing you as Mrs. Soronna?” Mr. Tule laughed so hard his body swayed like a branch in the wind.

He took out a handkerchief, lightly covering his mouth as he coughed twice, appearing slightly embarrassed. Then he bowed politely and offered Soronna a flawless smile.

“Oh hohoho~ Mr. Tule, it is an honor to meet you. I must say, your wisdom is as outstanding as your appearance. However, Domu and I are still merely good friends.” Soronna, who usually showed favor only to Philly, had not even glanced at Mr. Tule or Phil before.

But upon hearing his words, her eyes widened, and a blissful smile spread across her face. She let out a delighted laugh, performed an elegant curtsy, then bit her lip and cast Domu a subtly suggestive glance.

“Hahahahaha~ Lady Soronna is truly delightful. Among all the people I have met, only Lady Soronna is worthy of Lord Domu!”

“Oh hohoho~ Mr. Tule, you flatter me too much. I still have a long way to go. However, I am confident that my love for Domu will not lose to anyone!”

“Hahahahaha~ I deeply admire women like Lady Soronna, who dare to love and act. With Lady Soronna supporting him, Lord Domu’s future achievements will surely reach even greater heights!”

“Oh hohoho~ I also greatly appreciate honest people like Mr. Tule.”

“Mr. Tule… I believe the charity event is about to begin. As important guests, wouldn’t it be impolite if we have yet to arrive?” Domu, now thoroughly overwhelmed by their mutual flattery, quickly tried to redirect the conversation.

“Hahahahaha, I was being presumptuous. However, my carriage is quite spacious. If Lord Domu and Lady Soronna don’t mind, I would be honored to offer you both a ride.” Mr. Tule smiled and gracefully opened the carriage door in invitation.

“Ah, no, I…” Domu actually didn’t want to ride in the golden pig-drawn carriage again and was about to refuse.

“Oh hohoho~ Thank you very much, Mr. Tule. I happen to have many things about Domu that I’d like to discuss with you.” Soronna, still clinging to Domu’s arm, dragged him into the carriage before he could finish, smiling sweetly as she thanked Mr. Tule.

Domu found himself seated inside the carriage once again, though he wasn’t entirely sure how he had ended up there. While the interior was undeniably comfortable, riding in a pig-drawn vehicle still felt incredibly awkward.

Watching Soronna cling to his arm while chatting animatedly with Mr. Tule—mostly about him—Domu let out a soft sigh.

“Big Brother, what’s wrong? Are you feeling stuffy? Should Philly open the window for you?” Philly, seated beside him, seemed to notice and asked kindly.

“Ah, Philly, thank you, I’m fine.” Domu nodded. She truly was a sweet child, and her relationship with her brother was admirable. Looking at her, Domu felt a faint sense of envy.

He wondered where Na’er was now—but Na’er was clever. Surely nothing bad had happened to her.

“Oh, Big Brother, how is the little rabbit doing?” Philly suddenly remembered Billy, biting her thumb as she asked curiously.

“He’s doing very well. He’s staying where we live. If you like, Philly, you can come visit sometime. Oh, and we gave him a name—Billy. How does it sound? Pretty imposing, right?” It had been a long time since Philly last saw the Balyaas Rabbit. Perhaps next time, he could invite her over to keep Dora company.

“Billy… Billy… What a cute name!” Philly repeated it, smiling brightly.

“Where I used to live, Billy was the name of a king! By the way, Philly… don’t you and Phil think… Mr. Tule’s appearance has changed quite a bit?” Domu explained proudly, but his doubts lingered, so he lowered his voice and whispered.

“Huh… Is Lord Domu referring to Mr. Tule’s appearance?” Philly looked puzzled.

“Yes… yes… Isn’t he completely different from before? No—he’s practically a different person!” Domu recalled the bald, portly figure from before, then looked at the refined gentleman chatting beside Soronna, utterly baffled.

“No… Although Mr. Tule used to wear a wig for certain reasons… he’s always looked like this! He’s just more confident now!” Philly glanced at Mr. Tule, then covered her mouth as she whispered.

“…………”

So that was it…

Was the Mr. Tule he had first seen merely an illusion? Some kind of glamour spell? Or was this truly his original appearance?

Or perhaps… could it really be that confidence alone could transform a person to such an extent?

What nonsense! How could that be!

Domu rubbed his forehead with his free hand, utterly helpless.