The drowsiness of sleep is not easily shaken off, especially not in those first waking moments.
Buried in the plush comfort of my bed, wrapped in a thick blanket, I was experiencing a level of coziness beyond imagination.
But when there are things to do, a person has no choice but to rise from that delightful cocoon of warmth.
And I was no exception.
In the past, I could indulge in this laziness for ages, but nowadays, with my sleep drastically reduced, I would rouse myself almost immediately upon dozing off.
Today was no different…
“Miss~ It’s almost time to get up, you know?”
[GAH!]
I really didn’t want to wake up.
The will to stand up was completely crushed by that mischievous voice ringing from outside the covers.
Sunlight was streaming in through the window. It was the morning of Day Four of the Birth Festival, the day of the cross-dressing contest…
“Ugh…”
My leg, sneaking out from under the blanket, started to shake like a leaf. I curled back up, scooping the blanket around myself like armor.
The playful tone laughed softly.
“You still have some time, but wouldn’t it be better to wake up and shake off the sleep?”
Her blue eyes sparkled like crescent moons. Baek Ahrin wasn’t hiding her giggles as she patted the rounded blanket calmly.
“Come on, be a good sport. Let’s get up, shall we~?”
– Thump, thump, thump…
Just like during the night, a rhythmic touch reverberated through my body.
The comforting pats, timed with my heartbeat, soothed my trembling body and mind ever so gently.
“…I guess I should get up…”
“Of course, I know Ha-yul is just being a little brat and acting cute, but you really need to wake up now!”
[Heeek!]
[Stab]
[Shock]
[Denial…]
Just as I was steeling myself, an underhanded trick made my body jump.
Startled, I poked my head out from under the blanket, and there was Baek Ahrin, grinning with a hand outstretched like she was waiting for me.
That hand dove into the covers and lifted me out as if pulling a radish from the ground.
“Gotcha!”
[Ah!]
Was this a psychological warfare move?
In that fleeting moment of surprise, Baek Ahrin effortlessly scooped me into her arms, leaning me against her bosom.
I was already somewhat awake. I shook about to find a comfortable position, resting my head gently against Baek Ahrin’s chest.
“Good boy, listening well… so sweet.”
With a smile, Baek Ahrin began to move her hands. Cool fingers tapped on my lips, making my mouth pop open involuntarily.
– Drip
Water trickled from the fingertip resting on my lips. Just as my mouth was parched from sleeping too long, I, reflexively pleased, gulped down the refreshing liquid.
“Do you know someone who was at the Tower of Growth event?”
Without warning, the question flew out. My fingers paused in sucking as I suddenly froze.
Baek Ahrin was still looking down at me with that strange smile while leaving her fingers in my mouth.
I mulled it over, muttering.
[…It’s both yes and no…]
“What does that mean?”
– Mu, mueh?
Baek Ahrin tilted her head. Then she poked at my tongue with her still wet fingers.
– Ueheee
Her fingers were like a little petulant child. I gently bit down to secure her finger.
“Ah, that tickles!”
– Meh meh meh meh
To be honest, it’s a weird thing to say, but if I were to explain it, that’s about right.
I know about the fifth round of the game, but I have no clue about the real-life experiences of the fifth round.
To explain this in detail would require revealing many secrets, but I’m not in a position to unveil them all just yet.
Especially to Baek Ahrin, I still have quite a few tidbits to keep under wraps.
“Well, I just had a hunch that you knew someone, so I asked. Oh, by the way.”
After a moment of playing with my tongue, Baek Ahrin shrugged. Then, as if hitting upon an inspiration, she gasped and skillfully manipulated a hologram with one hand.
“Did you know? There was a photo of this posted in the community. You wouldn’t have seen it since you don’t do the internet, right?”
A picture popped up in the hologram.
It looked like a scene from a web post, featuring a photo of me and Baek Ahrin together.
It was from the first day of the Birth Festival, capturing the moment I’d conjured Gop-hwa for Baek Ahrin on the street.
Baek Ahrin rested her chin on my head, giggling at the picture.
“Look at this! It turned out amazing, right? Ever since this picture went viral, my profile subscribers have increased quite a bit!”
[Profile…?]
“Yes, my SNS account! Of course, my family manages pretty much everything for me… but you haven’t made one yet, have you?”
[No.]
“Now that it’s the Birth Festival, you should definitely consider making one…?”
[Uh… I’m not sure about that…]
I pushed her finger away from my mouth, partially due to embarrassment.
[Ah.]
Suddenly, it struck me.
This photo was making waves in the community. Drones had been buzzing around during the festival, capturing and broadcasting the event from all over.
Today’s activities would surely be streamed, leading to photos and videos circulating in the community…
Would they be lost in the ocean of information forever…?
[……]
Suddenly, I began to feel a wave of nausea.
.
.
.
On Day Four of the Birth Festival, there were many minor events to fill the agenda.
With the tower entry from the third day behind me, the only remaining events were the closing ceremony of the Birth Festival and the forthcoming vacation ceremony.
How one spends their vacation is a personal affair. Given the academic schedule, the cadets would be free until the next new semester next year.
In that sense, Day Four was filled with amusing and enjoyable activities.
Typically, the gut-busting schedules had the cadets participating directly and getting their bodies moving as prime examples.
Among the popular events were the cross-dressing contest and costume contests.
“Why are there so many people…?”
As the sun tilted in the sky, I found myself pale with shock as I entered the venue.
There were already packed seats overflowing with gazes.
A whole lot. These weren’t just cadets or residents of Shio-ram, but eyes from the outside.
While it was daunting, I no longer felt so shaken by the stares.
But still, my complexion remained tense.
Among those looking on, there were participants as well.
Men cadets participating in the cross-dressing contest taking place in this venue.
“Everyone’s here to have fun and enjoy themselves. It’s all laid back!”
“The rewards are common too, and the qualifications aren’t tough. You just apply, and if you don’t make it, you just shrug it off.”
Elia and Yeonhwa chimed in with soft chuckles beside me.
I couldn’t agree with that at all.
“Just have fun and enjoy it, relax, just apply casually…”
Given the tone, it certainly didn’t match the faces of most participants, which were pale and crumpled.
I recalled the earlier image of participants entering like pigs being led to slaughter—a memory that rang true, as I was one of those many pigs…
[…Baije?]
“…Lee Ha-yul?”
Among the pigs was Baije too, his expression dazed as he stared up at the ceiling. He turned his gaze to me.
I tilted my head in a daze, with the same blank expression.
[Why are you here…?]
At my question, Baije looked away awkwardly.
“Ah, well… I lost a bet…”
[Ah.]
So he was another forcibly dragged pig. A momentary pity crossed my face before I quickly wiped it, realizing I was in the same boat.
[…Good luck.]
“…You too, Lee Ha-yul.”
He nodded, then awkwardly slipped away.
“Time to start preparing. I’m off?”
“Mm.”
Yeonhwa, who had been petting my head, along with Baek Ahrin, turned away as well.
This venue would host the simultaneous male and female cross-dressing competitions.
Yeonhwa, feeling uncomfortable about me being the only one in the female contest, decided to join the male competition as well, and Baek Ahrin found it amusing and joined in too.
‘……’
But honestly, seeing those two, I couldn’t help but think they’d look good in male outfits too, so maybe participating wouldn’t matter that much…
“Ahem.”
However, as soon as I turned back and witnessed Yeonhwa’s excited expression, I nodded in agreement.
With her so expectant, my own embarrassment didn’t matter all that much.
“…See you later.”
Eventually, I trudged towards the waiting room, alongside the other participant cadets.
.
.
.
The waiting room we arrived at was not a shared space but a private room.
There was a simple chair and a large full-length mirror directly in front.
Surrounding tables held all the necessities for grooming, including cosmetics.
One wall was adorned with a colorful display of wigs and airy outfits, causing my mouth to tremble at the sight.
“Wow, there’s a lot of choices! There are wigs of every kind here… but no magical items. It looks like the materials don’t contain any magic, so this will all proceed with these materials only?”
The disguise contest usually operated under poor preparations.
There are events that provide higher quality decorations, but most often it’s about throwing something together and calling it done.
Since the goal is to share laughs and tease each other, there’s no need for elevated standards.
For that reason, the use of magic or special abilities is excluded.
“Um, why are you following me here?”
I asked, still fiddling with a chair, glancing over at Elia, who was examining the wigs with a puzzled expression.
“Of course, I came to help you get ready!”
She declared proudly, thumping her chest like it was the most natural thing in the world. I was just left bewildered.
“Well… you really don’t have to—”
“Sure, you’re already winning as you are, but wouldn’t it be better to glam it up a bit?”
“Ugh… please don’t tease me…”
“What? I’m being sincere here!”
“That sounds like teasing…”
“Oh come on, no way! Now, let’s figure out a plan while we wait.”
The cross-dressing and male competitions would kick off shortly, with cadets going on stage before the transformations in a cruel twist.
Elia, grinning widely, gently pushed me into a chair, her hand on my shoulder.
“Hmm…”
Gradually, those bright yellow eyes scrutinized my reflection in the mirror with utmost seriousness.
“There really isn’t much to enhance here… should we just go out like this?”
“Ugh…”
“Even if you apply cosmetics to your skin, it might backfire… hair?”
Elia, tilting her head, began to play with my hair.
“If we place a wig on this hair, it would be too obvious… if you did get a wig, it would look like seaweed sitting atop a beautiful head…”
“……”
I kept my mouth shut, astonished at her serious mumbles. Seaweed? Wigs? I wasn’t so sure; wouldn’t tossing something on be just about right?
‘Wigs, huh?’
When one thinks of cross-dressing, they naturally envision a long wig.
‘Long hair…’
I sank into deep thoughts aimed at escape.
Many people grow their hair long. Women often do, and quite a few men keep it lengthy as well.
I never thought about wanting long hair.
Beyond aesthetic concern, it clashed with my understanding of how bothersome it is to manage long hair.
Just a casual search online brings up countless grievances about the hassle of maintaining long hair, doesn’t it?
After all, I was a bizarre being who couldn’t even manage normal hair or nails. So the thought of possessing long hair was even more alien.
I took a moment to envision myself with long hair.
…There was no particular thrill in it—just hair getting longer, more maintenance mounting—careful with the hair in battle…
“Hmm?”
Suddenly, Elia gasped. Her voice filled with curiosity and surprise grabbed my attention, and I blinked.
“What’s up?”
Even as I asked, Elia just kept on blinking at me, as if she had lost her wits. Something seemed weird—so I turned my head back.
– Swoosh
“What?”
I felt something brush against my neck. I blinked twice, like Elia.
The Sight Ability flared. Something had brushed my neck. It wasn’t threatening, though…
“……”
The incoming information felt off. With trembling fingers, I absentmindedly touched the nape of my neck.
It was soft. It divided and flowed between my fingers. As I relaxed, it slipped away and dangled below.
The information I funneled didn’t carry a sense of urgency; moreover, nothing felt particularly odd.
Naturally.
What flowed down was my hair.
[What the hell?]
My hair had grown long.
This insane body of mine.
*
[Player Adjustment System: Progress Level]
[Sub-Quest “Birth Festival: Day 3” Completed]
[Sub-Quest “Tower Entry: 5th Round” Completed]
[Points are accumulating.]
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