Unexpected Charms and Lingering Doubts

“Mr. Tule! The Despair Symphony Orchestra has arrived and is waiting for you backstage,” a young man called out, rushing over from a distance. “Ah… Lady Soronna, Lord Mofimod… and… ah… may I inquire who this lady is?”

This young man was Phil, who had been relaying information to Mr. Tule as he ran. Halting before Mr. Tule, Phil greeted the esteemed individuals present. Upon seeing Domu, a blush crept across his face, and his gaze flickered away as he posed his question.

“Phil, I am Domu.” Domu, though somewhat perplexed by Phil’s bashful expression, recognized him and kindly offered the clarification.

“L-L-Lord Domu?!” Hearing the stunning white-haired beauty speak, Phil suddenly realized that despite her exquisite face, his voice was unmistakably Lord Domu’s deep, magnetic tone. Though a sense of incongruity lingered, Phil’s face reddened further as he bowed his head respectfully, his voice still brimming with unconcealed astonishment.

“I shall go receive the members of the Despair Symphony Orchestra. Phil, quickly have someone bring the food for Lord Domu and Lord Mofimod here. Now… ladies and gentlemen, I must take my leave.”

Mr. Tule bowed to the three of them, then instructed Phil, who still stood with his head lowered and face flushed. Finally, with a hint of embarrassment, he inquired of Domu, “Ah… and Lord Domu, if you don’t mind, would you permit me to address you simply as Domu in the future? Of course, you may simply call me Tule.”

“Just a form of address? Yes, that’s fine, Mr. Tule.” While Mr. Tule’s earlier words had made Domu feel a bit awkward, he had, after all, helped him immensely. Simply being addressed by name seemed perfectly acceptable.

However, Domu felt it would be impolite to address him simply as Tule, so he couldn’t resist adding “Mr.” to his name.

“Hehe, I am truly grateful, Domu.” Hearing Domu’s agreement, Mr. Tule beamed with a joyful smile. Although Domu still called him “Mr. Tule,” he felt a surge of excitement, knowing it meant they had grown a step closer.

He was not in a hurry, believing in the power of gradual progress. With a final greeting, Mr. Tule departed from Domu and the others, leaving a crimson-faced Phil standing rooted to the spot.

“Lady Soronna, Lord Mofimod, and Lo—Lord Domu! I will immediately arrange for your meals to be served. Please wait a moment!” Phil quickly said, his head bowed, upon seeing Mr. Tule leave.

He then stole a glance at Domu, who was seated beside Soronna, before fleeing as if in escape, his head still lowered.

Just as Domu began to feel a pang of hunger, Soronna suddenly tugged at his arm, whispering, “Domu… you haven’t… you haven’t truly fallen for Mr. Tule, have you! I won’t allow it! You’re only supposed to like me!”

“How could I… I am… I am…” Soronna’s words startled Domu. He had never imagined Soronna would think he could fall for a man.

After all, despite now inhabiting a female body, he had been a genuine man for over twenty years! There was no way he could ever like a man. While Mr. Tule was handsome, Domu knew that his true form was that of a balding, middle-aged, overweight uncle!

No, even if he wasn’t an overweight uncle, Domu would never like a man! Realizing this, Domu frantically tried to explain to Soronna. Yet, midway through, he found himself at a loss for words. How could he tell Soronna that he used to be a man? No… that wouldn’t be good… especially since he and Soronna had already… done that… even if he had been passive.

“I… I like… I like… girls…” In the end, Domu couldn’t bring himself to tell Soronna he was once a man. He could only resort to his previous excuse: he liked girls. While it was true he liked girls, Domu still felt incredibly despicable.

Watching Soronna beam with a satisfied smile at his answer, Domu sighed deeply within his heart.

He glanced at Soronna, who was tightly clutching his arm, a blissful smile gracing her face. Then, he looked up at Mofimod, who was staring at them with a cold expression. Domu suddenly realized that their little intimate gestures had likely been observed by Mofimod.

Feeling a touch of embarrassment, Domu offered Mofimod a small, polite smile and a nod.

“Uh…” Observing Domu’s intimately close actions with Princess Soronna, Mofimod surprisingly felt no anger. Instead, he found himself thinking that the scene somehow looked rather… beautiful. What nonsense! Mofimod, you are the Second Legion Commander of the Norachi Kingdom, loyal to the imperial family and Her Majesty the Empress!

This despicable man is employing extremely vile tactics and possesses an incredibly thick skin. If I continue to use conventional methods, I will undoubtedly fail to curb him. Mofimod pondered this, his gaze shifting to the magical energy barrier devices surrounding the stage, deep in thought.

However, before Mofimod could devise a viable solution, he suddenly noticed Domu’s gaze upon him. Mofimod met Domu’s eyes with a cold stare, then saw the beautiful, despicable man opposite him offer an innocent smile and a nod. Mofimod’s heart skipped a beat.

****

Soon, platters of sumptuous breakfast dishes were laid upon the table. Domu swallowed, his mouth watering at the sight of the lavish spread. He opened his mouth to accept a small, fragrant pastry offered by Soronna.

As the delightful flavors registered on his taste buds and sent signals to his brain, a look of pure bliss spread across Domu’s face.

Most guests couldn’t help but steal glances at Domu. After all, the person seated there was not only a demigod-level powerhouse but also an exceptionally attractive beauty. Furthermore, Lord Domu’s gentle nature was widely known throughout Morgan City, prompting some bolder individuals to openly stare at Domu with fervent gazes as he ate.

Despite noticing the many eyes still fixed on him, Domu prioritized satisfying his hunger when faced with such delicious food. Moreover, the effects of [Lilian’s Makeup Kit] only lasted for half an hour, and time was almost up. Even if the current effect seemed negligible, Domu intended to put on his helmet before it wore off.

What truly relieved Domu was that, despite his makeup seeming to have failed this time, no one appeared to doubt his male identity. While the process seemed less than ideal, the outcome suggested this transformation was probably a success… or so he hoped. Domu comforted himself with these thoughts, continuing to eat the delicacies Soronna kept offering to his lips.

“Soronna, you should eat some yourself too,” Domu said, feeling a little guilty as Soronna kept feeding him without taking a single bite for herself.

“Hehe, then I want Domu to feed me!” Soronna giggled, propping her chin on one hand. With the other, she picked up a piece of dessert with her chopsticks and playfully brushed it against Domu’s full lips.

“Mmm… No overly demanding requests, Soronna,” Domu murmured, eating the dessert Soronna had teased him with. Thinking of Soronna’s currently unstable demeanor, Domu feared he might propose something like feeding mouth-to-mouth, so he quickly set a boundary beforehand.

“Of course not, ah! Domu! Hehe, I want that one!” Soronna laughed happily, then winked at Domu and pointed to a fried egg.

“Open wide, ah~” Domu picked up the fried egg Soronna indicated and placed it in a bowl. He gently blew on it to ensure it wasn’t too hot, then brought it to Soronna’s lips, making a soft “ah” sound.

“Awu~ Hehe~” Soronna happily took a bite of the now-cooled fried egg, her face breaking into a blissful, giggling smile.

‘Damn it… he’s certainly got a strategy…’ Mofimod, eating his breakfast alone beside them, observed the interaction between Soronna and Domu. While he felt no anger, Domu’s actions made him deeply uncomfortable. This man truly had a knack for manipulation, possessing not only an attractive face but also such cunning methods. It was no wonder Princess Soronna was drawn to him.

He just couldn’t fathom the man’s true objective. Regardless, as a legion commander, he had to put a stop to this. Mofimod stared at Domu, who was currently feeding Princess Soronna, lost in thought.

“Um, would Mr. Mofimod like some of this too? Mmm… open wide… ah…” Domu, who was cooling food for Soronna, suddenly noticed Mofimod staring intently at the food in his bowl. Feeling a bit awkward, but out of politeness, Domu offered some to him.

Seeing his surprised expression, Domu smiled faintly, then switched to a fresh pair of chopsticks. He brought the cooled food to Mofimod’s lips, making the same “ah” sound.

“Er…” Poor Mofimod. Seeing the food so close and that pure, beautiful face, his scalp tingled uncontrollably once more.

“Distinguished guests, I hope the breakfast I’ve prepared for you is to your satisfaction! The upcoming performance, I assure you, will be unforgettable. Please welcome the Happy Arena’s most renowned ensemble, the ‘Despair Symphony Orchestra,’ as they grace our charity event with their magnificent performance!” Mr. Tule’s voice immediately drew everyone’s attention to the center of the stage.