SWNOVELXO “…”
“……..”
“Hmm.”
“Hrum…”
1 to 3 is just not fair.
Honestly, it felt a bit unfair.
I’m not some legendary general from a historical epic or martial arts story.
Getting ganged up on like this is a bit over the top.
Usually, discussions and debates are held with a similar number of people, right? You wouldn’t want it to look like one side is outnumbered obviously.
“I’m not wearing it.”
“Why not?!”
“Because I don’t want to!”
“But Lady Lindera, it’s such a shame to go to the party without wearing a dress.”
“It’s not like it’s a dress I’ll wear again after once…!”
I just couldn’t understand why everyone was so insistent on making me wear a dress, and I also didn’t get why no one was on my side!
Why is nobody against the idea of me going in a suit?
“Commander, we’ve already discussed this before…”
“I stopped her, but you both are too stubborn.”
“I’m seeing all your smiles…”
For saying he stopped me, his expression was way too cheerful.
You could tell he was on their side~.
“Is that so?”
“…Yeah.”
“It’s just your imagination.”
“…Hah.”
“More importantly, Lindera, you really should wear it! I mean, how do you not wear a dress to a party?!”
“Sometimes, you don’t have to follow common sense.”
“That kind of thing doesn’t exist!”
“It does, if I say so.”
“That’s completely ridiculous…”
Ridiculous is what the three of them are doing right now.
Surrounded by them, they’re still trying to force me to wear a dress.
I could just not wear one, so why is this happening?
“You don’t need to wear it.”
“Why not?”
“Uh… that…”
How do I respond so it sounds good?
Clearly, my previous responses wouldn’t work, so I had to come up with something better.
Hmm.
Hmm…
Umm…
“I… I…”
“I…?”
“…don’t you think I look pretty without it?”
“…Huh.”
“……..”
Hmm.
I wanted to die.
Seriously.
If only I hadn’t answered and just stayed quiet… that would have been better…
“…Are you embarrassed?”
“…Yeah.”
“Pfft.”
“Don’t laugh…”
I knew I looked dumb just now.
That’s why it was even more embarrassing.
Saying you’re pretty in front of colleagues including your superior… is definitely shameful.
Of course, it wouldn’t be a lie to say I’m actually pretty… but still, embarrassment can’t be avoided.
Just facing it.
“Umm… it’s true that Lindera is pretty.”
“Yeah. She’s so pretty that she doesn’t even need to wear a dress.”
Ah.
“…I’m sorry.”
“Don’t you agree, Commander?”
“Me?”
“Yes. You think the same, right?”
Seriously… if I had just stayed quiet, I could’ve escaped half of this.
I really wanted to run away…
But the problem was, no matter how fast I ran, I’d definitely be caught by the three of them.
My stamina aside, their physical specs were just too different.
“Well… objectively, you’re pretty.”
“It’s not just objective. Subjectively, do you think Lindera is pretty, Commander?”
“Why are you asking that… don’t make the Commander uncomfortable…”
“Hu hu… just wait.”
Is it really that fun to tease me…?
Now they even dragged the Commander into their teasing.
Being objectively good-looking aside, this was genuinely embarrassing.
It felt like I was being made the center of attention…
“Okay, just tell me quickly. How is she?”
“…Pretty.”
“Ugh…”
Hearing the Commander’s words made shivers run down my spine.
Something felt weird in my lower abdomen…
Just felt strange.
Very.
“No matter how much you say it… I’m absolutely not wearing it.”
I have no idea why they’re so keen on making me wear this.
“Hah…”
“But… why the need to keep insisting on this…”
“Then!”
Suddenly, Midori stood up and shouted.
What now.
I didn’t know what she was about to say, but somehow it felt…
Scary.
Midori is one of the most unpredictable people around here, so it just felt worse.
What on earth is she about to say standing up like that…?
“Just wear the dress once!!!”
“…Huh?”
“Just try it on once! If you don’t like it… then I won’t ask again!”
“…Huh?”
*
And so…
“…Hah.”
I ended up agreeing to wear it.
It’s a bit… harsh reality hitting me, but…
I decided this was the most comfortable option…
At least it was better than sitting there hearing everyone in the office, dining room, and cafe keep insisting I wear a dress.
Honestly… if I just tolerate it once, that would be it.
After I wear it, if I refuse afterward, everyone promised they wouldn’t insist anymore.
“But… why do I have to follow you…”
“Oh come on. You and the Commander are going to the party, right? The partner needs to help choose the outfit!”
“……..”
“……..”
She didn’t say anything incorrect for a change, so I couldn’t do anything.
Anyway, we… arrived at a completely different store than the one we’ve been to so far.
From the entrance onwards, everything gave off a luxurious vibe.
“…You go in first.”
“Me…?”
“Come on, you’re the only guy among us. Go on in.”
Pushing the back of the Commander, I urged him in.
I’m a man too, but… right now, I’m also in a woman’s body…?
Plus, I was too scared to open the door first.
In the end, we started entering one by one, starting with the Commander.
I felt like I was visiting a place selling dresses for the first time in my life.
“…Hah.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing, really. Just… I can’t believe I walked in here on my own…”
“Hehe…”
I never thought I’d actually come to a place like this.
Looking around, there were incredibly beautiful dresses hung up, along with a variety of perfumes and small necklaces or earrings.
I would’ve loved to come here with a beautiful girlfriend…
But of course, I don’t have a girlfriend.
And now I’m here as a woman, so the feelings were all sorts of awkward.
“Lindera.”
“Y-yes?”
“Go that way. They’re calling you.”
“Ah…”
Did I focus too much on looking around?
I got startled when the Commander gently tapped my shoulder to call me.
I should’ve at least tried to pretend I wasn’t in awe…
“What is it?”
“Oh? Nothing much… I was just checking what color would suit you.”
“…Huh?”
For some reason, they were holding out several kinds of suitable dresses.
Not just one, but several colors.
White, black, blue, red, purple…
“…You can’t be serious, I have to try them all on?”
“Hehe…”
“Hehe…”
Ah.
No way.
You can’t be serious that I really have to try them all on…?
“Of course, that’s not true!”
“…Really?”
“Yeah. I just want you to hold them against your body once. I’m just checking the feel of them.”
“…Phew.”
I couldn’t help but feel relieved.
There’s no way I could’ve tried them all on… that would’ve definitely been a hassle.
“So what do I do?”
“Just stand here and stay still. I’ll take a quick look.”
“Okay.”
Had they already finished talking with the staff?
Aren’t these usually things the staff handle…?
For some reason, it felt a bit awkward that they were doing the staff’s job, but it was still better than having complete strangers doing it.
“Commander.”
“What.”
“Come over here for a second…”
“…?”
Suddenly, Dolores pulled the Commander to the side.
And I could see the two of them whispering something together.
Why don’t they just say it normally? Why do they need to whisper so only they can hear…?
“…Tch.”
It just felt wrong somehow.
I couldn’t pinpoint why.
Clearly, they weren’t that close, so why were they huddling so closely to whisper…?
“…….”
It just felt off.
*
“Does blue suit me?”
“…Stay quiet.”
“Why? The Commander picked the color.”
“…I didn’t pick it. I just said it suits you.”
“Doesn’t that mean the same?”
Is it just my imagination, or is the Commander more embarrassed than I am?
I mean, even if it’s not the design, he picked the color and yet… why is he feeling awkward?
I’m the one wearing it, after all.
“Do I look bad in it?”
“…Not really.”
“Then why aren’t you looking at me properly…? Is it weird?”
Just so you know, I’m wearing a dress right now.
It’s the kind you’d wear to a party.
With a slight exposure around the chest and back, and the length of the skirt is almost like a mini.
Having worn various women’s clothes including miniskirts, maybe that’s why I didn’t feel the exposure as much.
Still a bit embarrassing, though.
“I think… it looks okay.”
If it wasn’t me inside it, it would’ve looked much better.
The dress was undoubtedly pretty.
Just… mmm.
“…But am I really going to be walking around in this at the party?”
“Of course.”
“…I think I’ll attract a bit of attention.”
“Well, you’re pretty, so eyes are on you anyway. Don’t say it like that.”
“…Don’t say weird things.”
We were talking about the dress, and then suddenly he said something strange, catching me off guard.
Of course, it seems like eyes would turn to you a bit…
But still, it would be less than when wearing a dress.
There’s also a psychological resistance going on.
“Aside from the dress being pretty… wearing it is a bit…”
“…Why?”
“Because it’s embarrassing, isn’t it? And the Commander doesn’t seem to be giving good feedback either.”
“That’s…”
Dolores and Midori were both incredibly excited as soon as I put it on.
But the guy’s reaction seemed a bit duller.
They probably just complimented for the sake of it.
“Honestly, I never intended to wear it from the start, so it’s fine.”
“…It’s pretty.”
“?”
“It’s pretty… so can you just wear it for that one day?”
Suddenly, the Commander said that.
Why is he facing the opposite direction when he could just say it directly?
“Look this way when you talk. What’s wrong with you?”
“…Just because it’s pretty… if I see it again, I feel like I’d keep looking.”
“…….”
Am I really going crazy?
There’s no way I’d be thinking this otherwise.
Seriously… why do I find it cute that a guy is saying this…?
I’m losing my mind.
Aside from not being able to read my real name, did I develop a new mental illness?