Kiraware Yūsha ni Tensei Shitanode Aisare Yūsha o Mezashimasu! - CH 124

[Truth]

Madeline Halman was a boy.

…No, no, no, no, no!

I told you, there was no way that was the case, me!

After I suggested that we first calm down and then talk, we decided to move to a more suitable place.

On the way, I took a peek at the venue and confirmed that Tayte and Reina were still chatting. Additionally, they had been joined by Jarvis, Kleine, and Melia, so it seemed they would take longer.

And so, we moved to a room in the auditorium.

After making sure that the door was locked, the discussion began.

“For starters… have you been dressing as a girl to school all this time?”

“Y-you’ve got it wrong!”

“Indeed. This is Young Master Joel’s personal hobby.”

“You forced me to wear it!”

“I just acted on your unconscious mind’s behalf—”

“You told me to act as Sister’s substitute, but you never said about dressing up as a girl and attending the banquet!”

“However, it didn’t feel bad, did it? Appearing in public dressed as a woman thrilled you, didn’t it?”

“T-that’s—wait, there’s no way that’s the case!”

Whew, I got a feeling like they almost fell into an inescapable rabbit hole there… M-more importantly, a couple of things bothered me.

“? Joel? Sister?”

Putting the cross-dressing hobby aside, I couldn’t overlook these two words.

“What did you mean by those? Are you not Madeline?”

““……”” The two looked at each other and then let out a big sigh as if they had given up and told me the truth.

“You’re right, I’m not Madeline Halman. I’m her twin brother, Joel Halman.”

“?! Twin brother?!”

I see… so that’s what’s going on.

“Why would you, her twin brother, go out of your way to dress up as a girl for the banquet? I mean, what happened to the real Madeline Halman?”

“T-that’s…” Joel stuttered, seemingly finding it difficult to speak.

There, Eleanor, the maid, took over. “Young Mistress Madeline is currently running away from home.”

“W-what?!”

It suddenly turned into a disturbing development.

“As a matter of fact, Young Mistress Madeline started looking down a few days ago… as if something was on her mind.”

As if something was on her mind… huh?

I wondered if it was the anguish of being born into a prestigious house sort of thing.

“However, although she has gone missing, it is extremely difficult to leave the academy without permission… thus, we believe that Young Mistress Madeline is still somewhere in the academy.”

I agreed with her on that.

Just that…

“But what’s that got to do with Joel dressing as a girl?”

That was what I couldn’t understand.

Hearing my doubt, Eleanor spoke again, “It is a great honor to be selected as a participant in a martial arts tournament as a first-year student. If she were to waste the opportunity for momentary feelings, it would cast a shadow on Young Mistress Madeline’s life in the future.”

“…Well, the banquet also serves as a meeting place for those who will be participating in the martial arts tournament… Was that why you asked her twin brother to dress up as a girl and attend?”

“Yes. I personally picked the wig and underwear myself.”

“Talk about dedication—Hm? Underwear?”

“Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!” Joel shouted, drowning out my thoughts.

…Let’s stop prying any further.

Well, that aside…

“Joel.”

“W-what is it, Barrett?”

“Why did you enter the men’s restroom?”

“…Huh?”

“I mean, your cross-dressing is so perfect, I doubt anyone will be suspicious of you if you enter the women’s restroom. You do your business in the toilet cubicle, too. And if you’re still worried, you can ask Eleanor to watch the door—”

“…………”

Ah.

Joel’s expression suddenly clouded over.

I shouldn’t have asked that—I thought, but Joel soon told me his reason.

“—turn back.”

“Huh?”

“If I went into the women’s restroom in this get-up, wouldn’t that make me a big pervert that could no longer turn back!!”

“Ehh…”

I felt like it was already too late for him to worry about such a thing, though…

And there…

“Young Master Joel.”

…Eleanor took a step forward.

Would she cover up for him as his personal maid?

“Based on what you just said… is it correct to say that you recognize yourself as a big pervert that can still turn back?”

““?!””

No way, to think she’d go out to deal him the finishing blow…

After that, while calming down Joel who broke down in tears, I offered to help Eleanor to search for her runaway young mistress.

…I sure had a bad feeling about this.