“Are you nervous?”
“Um… do I look like I’m not?”
Even from the side, it was clear that she was tense.
Yona’s pale face was stiff as she glared at the entrance of the Mage Tower in front of her.
And beside her, Alex was quietly observing her profile.
‘It must be impossible.’
Alex didn’t fully believe that Yona said she used to be a man.
To be exact, he didn’t completely dismiss it, but just wondered if maybe—just maybe—there was some truth to her claim of being a man from another world. That slight unease coexisted within him.
Separately from that, what if there was a spell that could change someone’s gender?
What if there was magic that simply swapped her gender from female to male, regardless of whether Yona used to be a man or not?
Yona would probably ask for that without thinking too deeply.
That worried Alex.
Maybe that’s why he couldn’t shake off his own tension.
So, standing in front of the Mage Tower’s entrance, the two of them took deep breaths.
One thought there absolutely had to be a way,
and the other thought there absolutely shouldn’t be a way.
“Alright, let’s go.”
“Yeah, let’s go.”
Even as Alex said that, he pushed Yona’s back, who wasn’t moving at all, and went inside the Mage Tower.
And there they stood, right in front of that receptionist they had talked about just the day before.
Instead of Yona, who had stiffened up completely, Alex flashed a secretly soft smile and said to the receptionist,
“I’ve come to see Alebians… may I meet her?”
The receptionist seemed to recognize the two right away.
It would actually have been odd if she didn’t, considering their distinctive appearances that were hard to forget.
“Yes, you must be the ones who had an appointment, right? Please…”
Before the receptionist could finish her sentence, a blonde fairy—Alebians—suddenly rushed over and wrapped her arms around Yona, leaving the receptionist wide-eyed and speechless.
“Why did you take so long, my pretty?”
Yona, caught in the enthusiastic embrace, struggled to push Alebians away, but whether it was because of the strength difference or how tightly Alebians hugged, she couldn’t get free at all.
Despite her flailing, it was all in vain; Yona eventually gave up resisting and stood still.
With her face buried in Yona’s neck, Alebians breathed in her scent until she was satisfied before finally letting Yona go.
“There, there… Come here, Yona. Oh, you’re here too, baldie. Let’s go together.”
Alebians sparkled her peculiar eyes and flashed a smile at Alex too.
Alex awkwardly returned a smile, and Alebians, holding Yona’s hand tightly, walked past the lobby and headed towards the interior of the tower.
The receptionist watched their retreating figures in a daze.
“But Alebians, why are you even here?”
The question he’d forgotten to ask yesterday popped into his mind.
While he tried to brush it off, curiosity gnawed at him. Why was she at the Mage Tower instead of where she should be, and what scheme was she hatching?
“Well, I’m a mage, you know. I kinda have my own place in the Mage Tower. Plus, with my pretty girl not in Evian, there’s really no reason for me to be there.”
“…Um, your apprentice is still in Evian, right?”
Freaky.
A goblin mage.
She was Alebians’ apprentice and also dabbled in adventuring.
“Sure, she’s my apprentice, but my pretty girl is my priority. She’s way more important to me.”
“Ugh…”
Yona grimaced.
“Even so, seeing how Freaky admires and likes Alebians, I felt a bit weird hearing that Alebians thinks this way in front of him.”
…Thinking back, I guess I don’t really like her.
“Baldy, did you take care of Yona well?”
“Uh, um… just, sort of.”
I have no idea why Alebians likes Yona so much, and Alex awkwardly chuckled without anything to say.
Most people tend to避시는 알레비앙, and Alex is one of those people too.
A strangely off-putting fairy, the name Alebians.
*
“What, what is this?”
Yona instinctively took a step back.
Habitually, Alex blocked Yona’s path, and she was so startled that she instinctively placed her hand on his shoulder.
“Don’t be so surprised. She’s already tamed and gentle.”
Alebians reached out her hand.
The pretty huge beast sitting in front of them leaned its head forward like a bird so Alebians could reach it, and she slowly patted its head.
To Yona, that eagle-like head and upper body, along with the lion’s lower body and the wings sprouting from its back, felt strangely familiar.
Familiar, but only in the games or novels she enjoyed, that name, Griffin.
The beast, larger than six times Yona’s size, unexpectedly made a grumbling noise, thoroughly enjoying Alebians’ touch.
Despite knowing what it was, Yona was still scared seeing it in person for the first time.
If that giant eagle-headed beak pecked at her…
“It’s okay. Now, Griffin, let’s fly.”
As Alebians said in a relaxed voice, Griffin purred and lowered its posture even more.
Looking at it this way, there was a saddle between its wings to sit, and it even had a backrest to keep you secured.
“It’s faster to ride him to my room. You guys are my VIPs; I can’t treat you like everyone else, right?”
Once Alebians said that, there was no turning back.
Moreover, with Alebians getting on the Griffin’s back first and waving her hand, it became even harder to refuse.
“I’ll go first.”
Considering its size, the saddle had six seats.
Alebians took the front seat, while Alex hopped up with a thud and settled in the third seat.
“Yona, get on.”
Alex extended his hand to Yona.
She glanced at the hand for a moment before grabbing it and stepping onto the saddle.
“Whoop!”
As Alex lightly pulled her, Yona was suddenly pulled up and plopped between Alebians and Alex.
“Alright, here we go. Hold on tight.”
With Alebians’ words, Griffin’s wings began to flap slowly.
Every time those snow-white feathers flapped, the wind surged, and Yona watched in fascination.
“That’s so amazing.”
“Right? It is amazing.”
The exposed back, apart from the saddled areas, was covered in fur instead of feathers.
Touching its brown fur, she felt the soft texture despite the prickliness of the short hair.
In front was the back of a snow-white eagle.
And when she looked back, the swaying tail resembled that of a scorpion.
Looking down slightly revealed both lion and eagle feet.
“Seriously amazing…”
“Alright, here we go.”
With Alebians’ voice, Griffin’s flapping became more vigorous, raising a stronger wind.
Then they lifted off the ground, and as the wind blew up from the eagle’s head, Yona lost her balance and fell backward without realizing it.
Yona’s body floated up, but as her mind immediately went to the image of an eagle’s head, she stumbled and fell backward without even realizing it.
“Eek?!”
As soon as Yona started to fall, Alex caught her.
His hands unintentionally wrapped around Yona’s waist, and while his face was burning red, Yona didn’t seem to mind at all.
“Hey, hold on tight! What if I really fall?”
“Um, uh… okay.”
Since she insisted that he grip harder, Alex squeezed Yona’s waist even more.
With one hand gripping the saddle handle and the other wrapped around Yona’s waist, Alex savored the soft sensation he felt from her.
*
The wind brushed through her hair.
The villages below appeared faintly.
It was a bit scary when her body first rose, but Yona quickly adapted.
“Wow, this is really amazing!”
“Is it?”
Yona smiled brightly like a child who had entered the water. Her hair danced in the wind, tickling Alex’s face, and oblivious to the faint fragrance wafting from her hair that was intoxicating him, Yona marveled as she looked down and then up again.
“We’re almost there.”
Alebians chuckled as they looked back at Yona.
With her childlike laughter, Yona seemed so innocent, and Alebians quite liked that about her.
The griffon soared for quite some time.
If it had flown in a straight line, they would have arrived quickly, but since Yona was having so much fun, they deliberately circled around the tower, extending the flight time.
Their destination was the 13th floor of the tower.
As the griffon landed on a prepared haystack, Alex jumped down first and extended his hand to Yona.
“Be careful coming down.”
“Okay.”
As Yona grabbed Alex’s hand and descended, Alebians followed her down from the griffon.
“Now let’s go, beautiful. You’re about to meet someone who can fulfill your long-held wish.”
“Really?”
Yona’s eyes sparkled at those words.
If it was her long-held wish, then it could only be one thing.
At Alebians’ invitation to go fulfill that wish, Yona’s heart started to race.
“Is it really possible?”
“If it were up to me, I’d give you a definite answer, but sadly, it’s not under my control. So I can’t promise anything. But when it comes to that field, there’s no expert like him.”
“…Is it really possible?”
While Yona’s voice brimmed with hope, Alex’s voice was full of disappointment.
He wished there was no way, but the idea that there might be a way left him feeling even more let down.
“Maybe.”
Alebians walked ahead with an inscrutable smile.
Yona, full of expectation, and Alex, clearly disappointed, followed behind, wrapped in their contrasting emotions.
“Here it is.”
The place where Alebians stopped was a room marked with a plaque that read “Life Transformation, Escara.”
“Life transformation…?”
“Just think of it as the name of the magic. Explaining what it means would take too long, and you didn’t come here to hear all that, right?”
That was true.
But Yona’s face began to show signs of tension.
“Escara, I’m going in.”
– Okay.
With a reply of consent, Alebians opened the door without hesitation.
As soon as the door opened, the scene inside the room revealed itself, barely different from a library, but the fragrance that rushed in was as clear and refreshing as the scent of flowers, tickling her nose.
“It smells completely different from Alebians’ lab.”
“That’s rude, beautiful. Such comments are inappropriate.”
“But it’s the truth.”
Alebians gently tugged Yona’s cheek before stepping into the room.
The room was pretty spacious, with a bookshelf on either side that seemed to have at least five or six sections each.
With that many bookshelves, right in the middle of the room—immediately visible upon entering—was a desk, a rectangular table in front of it, and a neatly arranged black leather sofa surrounding the table, showcasing that the owner of the room was quite the tidy person.
“Welcome, Alebians. Is that the kid you mentioned?”
Her short hair shimmered violet.
Her eyes sparkled purple, glimmering like stars, filled with mischief.
With a playful face, she wore a smile that was refreshingly bright,
A bit taller than Yona, her slender figure was on full display.
“Come on in. So, your name is—”
“Yona, it’s Yona.”
Each of her relaxed gestures confirmed she was definitely older than Yona.
Despite the casual demeanour, Yona didn’t feel offended and unconsciously responded politely.
“Nice to meet you, Yona. I’m Escarla, specialized in life-transformation magic.”
“O, oh, I see.”
Yona nodded, not really understanding what that meant anyway.
“Come sit down. We might as well get started right away, right?”
Escarla naturally took a seat on the couch’s most honored spot.
Alebians sat to her left, while Yona and Alex lined up on her right.
Once seated, Escarla snapped her fingers.
Suddenly, a tea table approached out of nowhere.
Even without anyone pushing it, the tea table glided over, clinking as tea cups floated in, neatly arranging themselves in front of each person.
“Wow…”
Alex, silent and still, couldn’t help but be amazed alongside Yona, whose heart raced at the series of incredible sights.
The tea cups were placed down, the teapot flew in with a soft sound, pouring tea into each cup.
A plate with a few snacks settled in the middle of the table.
“Now then, shall we get to the point?”
“Y-yes!”
Yona hadn’t even touched the teacups or snacks.
As Escarla spoke, Alex tensed up, and both Yona and his gaze fixed on Escarla.
“You were originally a guy in another world. Then you were suddenly summoned to this world and turned into a girl. So, you want to go back to being a guy. Isn’t that it?”
Yona’s head bobbed up and down vigorously at Escarla’s words.
Exactly. That’s precisely what it was. Yona felt no need to add anything further.
“Alebians, you said this case completely matches what you were looking for.”
Only Alebians leisurely sipped her tea, a smirk dancing on her lips as she shifted her gaze between Escarla and Yona.
“Anyway, it’s not like something like that hasn’t happened before. Quite a long time ago, someone did go from being a guy to a girl.”
“The couple god… you’re talking about, right?”
“Yup. You… yeah, looking at your outfit, I can tell you know. No way you wouldn’t. Anyway, since it’s not completely unprecedented, it’s likely possible. There has been quite a bit of research based on that.”
Escarla smiled brightly at Yona while saying that.
“If you really were a guy, and something unknown turned you into a girl’s body, then… yeah.”
The only sound that filled the room was Yona swallowing hard.
Escarla, speaking with certainty, declared:
“It’s possible.”
In theory, at least.
But Escarla didn’t say that part.
And hearing those words, joy blossomed on Yona’s face.
In contrast, despair wilted Alex’s expression.
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