By common sense, it’s strange for a girl not to know her own size, right? Maybe it wasn’t *that* unusual for some girls—but Tiyi felt guilty, so her nerves tightened like a bowstring.

"My size… Sorry. My maid always handled my undergarments before," Tiyi quickly came up with an excuse. For some reason, Gallilu’s face flashed in her mind.

"Hah, no need to apologize." Qingruo didn’t press or doubt her like usual. Instead, she spoke casually, as if this were perfectly normal. "Before coming to the Academy, I didn’t know—or even care—about my size. My family’s attendants took care of everything. But… what kind of maid does your household employ?"

*A maid named Xialda. She’s terrible. Never gave me proper women’s undergarments.* Tiyi almost wanted to report this Witch to her Holy Temple Knight sister right now.

"Let’s go with this size." Qingruo’s pale finger tapped a brass plaque on the shelf, pointing out bra and underwear measurements. "You should be… about my size."

A flicker of shame crossed Qingruo’s heart. Though pure in intention, bearing such generous curves as a devotee of chastity was an arduous trial. Yet she knew—someday, she’d offer everything to the Holy Lord.

"Understood," the shop assistant bowed.

"Mm. And this style…" Qingruo moved through aisles bursting with dazzling options. Tiyi followed like she was walking through a maze of blossoms, too shy to glance around.

"This one. This one. And that set over there…"

Qingruo turned, holding up a black lingerie set to compare against Tiyi’s frame.

"Eh?!" The shock hit Tiyi like a physical blow—not from embarrassment, but because the girl she secretly loved was now holding underwear against her body. Her everyday convictions felt like they were crumbling.

*Right now… I’m just like any ordinary girl. Shopping for lingerie with another beautiful woman.*

Sometimes, these mundane acts of womanhood made Tiyi feel the deepest loss.

"Find these styles in her size. Have her try them on," Qingruo instructed smoothly. Since her first year at Holy Academy—when she’d bought swimwear for diving expeditions—she’d mastered shopping for herself. Though the bikini top from that year no longer fit.

"Eh?!" Tiyi jolted.

As a boy, she’d never cared about clothes—armor and gear aside. But girls *always* tried on underwear before buying.

That made sense… but here? Under the same roof as her senior?

"This way, miss." The assistant stood before two curtained changing rooms. The shop was empty otherwise.

"…Alright." Tiyi took the colorful lingerie Qingruo had chosen. It felt like her most private secrets were now under her senior’s supervision. *Probably just my imagination.*

She wasn’t thrilled, but she’d be alone inside. *Logically*, trying clothes ensured a proper fit. What was there to fuss about? After all, she was still a boy inside—undeniably so.

The assistant drew back one curtain. Tiyi clutched the lingerie, calming herself as she stepped in.

"Tiyi," Qingruo’s voice floated after her—warm yet commanding. "Show me each set after you change."

"Eh?!" Tiyi turned back, eyes wide with dismay. But Qingruo’s gaze—so beautiful it brooked no argument—stole her courage to protest.

*Even if I made excuses… she’d just say, "That’s final."*

Resigned, Tiyi slipped inside and let the thick, light-blocking curtain fall. The tiny room offered brief sanctuary.

She began undressing. She’d learned this quickly—mastering any skill came easily to her, even feminine rituals.

As she changed, she heard new customers enter—a mother and young daughter. She paid them no mind.

Qingruo had picked many sets. Tiyi chose the first one: pure white.

An antique full-length mirror stood in the corner. Tiyi stared at her own figure—curved yet agile, undeniably feminine—in the white ladylike lingerie Qingruo had chosen.

Objectively? She looked like a modest girl hiding fiery warmth beneath innocence.

Tiyi let out a soft, reluctant sigh.

*What boy am I kidding?* Here she stood—in a bra and panties—about to show her senior. Her so-called "rational analysis" felt like a split personality.

*Maybe… I, Alandiye, truly don’t deserve to be a boy.*

*When I pull this curtain back…*

*But I can’t disobey her. She means well. Just… a noblewoman’s need to control things.*

Tiyi had known this when she agreed to come out with her. She’d accepted being led. Now, she drowned in shame.

*Swish—*

The thick curtain parted.

Qingruo’s eyes took in Tiyi’s white lingerie-clad form.

Perhaps Qingruo’s soul trembled just slightly. Her chest rose a fraction deeper.

She seemed to be holding something back.

After a moment of appraising silence, Qingruo commanded, "Turn around. Let me see."

Tiyi stayed quiet. What could she say but "Yes"?

Her own breath hitched, making her chest rise and fall more noticeably than Qingruo’s. A blush stained her cheeks. From the corner of her eye, she saw the mother and daughter glance over—but the shop’s layout shielded them from the view outside.

*A boy turned girl. Trying on women’s underwear. Being watched—not just by her crush, but strangers too.*

To them, it was ordinary.

To Tiyi, it felt like fate’s cruel revenge. Like being trampled underfoot. Her fragile strength, the last ember of masculinity in her soul—it couldn’t withstand this weight.

Perhaps… bearing such burdens required a buffer. A *yin-like softness*.