After some casual chatter, Emily continued bustling about with cleaning and arranging. After all, this villa was enormous, and there was plenty to do. I returned to my bedroom to meditate.

Considering only Emily and I lived in this vast house, if she discovered I was actually male, she’d inevitably feel uneasy or worried. So I didn’t correct her misunderstanding about my gender. The sorrowful, pleading look in her eyes at the guild yesterday still haunted me. If possible, I at least wanted her to feel safe and relaxed within these walls.

After all, I wouldn’t stay long in this other world. I couldn’t take her to Earth either. It was best to avoid unnecessary attachments. I wanted Emily to see me as a kind, gentle older sister during this time—not a heartless man who’d steal her innocence and abandon her.

I’m no saint, but I have my own moral boundaries.

After shedding my robe and mask, I slept surprisingly soundly that night. I only woke late the next morning, the sun high in the sky. Wearing pajamas, I left my bedroom. Seeing the spotless, gleaming house filled me with quiet pride.

Emily must have heard me moving. She popped out of a room, beaming as she hurried over. "Sister Rylin, you’re finally awake! Come eat breakfast—I’m so hungry!"

"If you were hungry, you should’ve eaten without me."

"How could I? You’re not just my master, Sister Rylin—you’re my savior. It’d be terribly rude!"

*You barged in while I was bathing last night and that wasn’t rude?*

Breakfast was toast, boiled eggs, and fresh milk. The long wooden table in the dining room could seat over ten, yet only Emily and I sat at opposite ends. Bright sunlight flooded the spacious, immaculate room, sharpening my appetite. I polished off my plate in a few quick bites.

Watching me, Emily’s eyes crinkled with laughter. "Sister Rylin, you don’t eat like a lady at all!"

"I was never one to begin with." I dabbed my mouth with a napkin and stretched lazily. "Emily, you don’t have to stay cooped up here all the time. Feel free to go out when you’re free. I don’t need much tending to."

"Oh, I was just about to go out! See, we still need bookshelves, the candlesticks need updating, and that overgrown little garden outside desperately needs trimming… Oh! And Sister Rylin, you didn’t bring many clothes. I’ll buy some for you too."

"Uh… I don’t know much about these things. I’ll leave it to you. Do you need funds?"

"It’s plenty! You gave me three whole gold coins yesterday, Sister! As a Mage, you’re probably used to wealth—but for ordinary folks, three gold coins are a fortune!"

Emily worked efficiently. Soon, hired workers arrived to move furniture and tidy the garden while I stayed hidden in my room, meditating. Once they left, Emily approached me holding a brand-new dress. "Try this on, Sister Rylin. If it doesn’t fit, I’ll exchange it."

"Wait—why is it a dress?"

"Huh? Sister Rylin’s a girl. Shouldn’t she wear women’s clothes?"

Reluctant but reasoning that with only two of us in the house, wearing a dress wasn’t shameful, I shooed her out and changed.

The mirror reflected a Lolita-style maiden straight out of a medieval tale. The loose yet fitted gown accentuated a slender frame, and porcelain-white arms peeked from the sleeves. I rose onto my toes, twirling lightly. The white skirt flared like swirling flower petals. I stood mesmerized before the glass far longer than I should have. *This isn’t good. At this rate, I might actually become a cross-dressing enthusiast.*

When I stepped out, Emily’s eyes lit up. She circled me, showering praise. "Sister Rylin, you’re naturally stunning! And the dress fits perfectly! Come here—I’ll fix your hair."

A homebody at heart, I’d always neglected my hair, letting it grow wild until it became bothersome. It had reached my neck back on Earth, and after weeks in this world, it now brushed my shoulders—about the length of the short-haired girls in my old class.

Emily seated me before the mirror. With a horn comb, she patiently smoothed my slightly unruly locks, then tied two cute little ponytails at the back of my head. "Your hair’s still too short, Sister Rylin. Once it grows longer, I’ll style it in so many pretty ways!"

"Whatever you like…" I didn’t care much about hairstyles. I just wanted to make Emily happy.

Just then, a knock echoed at the front door. *I’ve only lived here a day—who could be visiting?*

Emily checked the peephole herself. When she returned, her face was pale.

"It’s Father. Father has come."