Chapter 1 – ??, Yoschu□ Verdi□

Chapter 1: ??, Yoschu□ Verdi□

“…”

“Yeah, you calmed down a bit?”

I’d left my room and come to Mr. Luca’s office, and now I was sitting on the sofa with a devastated expression.

Mr. Luca handed me a cup of coffee. But I didn’t feel like drinking it. Who knows what he might have put in it this time.

“…What is this?”

I pointed at my face — the face that had become a silver-haired girl — and asked.

“I told you yesterday.”

“You told me yesterday?”

At Mr. Luca’s words, I tried to recall what happened yesterday.

But no matter how hard I thought, nothing came back.

All I remembered was sleeping all day, then going to a bar in the afternoon and drinking myself into a stupor.

“Yeah, you don’t remember? You were drinking pretty heavily yesterday, so I figured you might be in a weird state.”

“Then you could’ve come back the next day! You came to the only place I can let my guard down, my sanctuary, and what the hell did you do to me?!”

“Then pay back your debt faster!!”

*BAM!* Mr. Luca slammed his desk and shouted.

“Eep.”

Startled by the sight, I flinched without meaning to.

He was usually the type who didn’t get angry even when I joked or messed around, but I’d momentarily forgotten that he gets sensitive when money’s involved.

“Anyway, since you say you forgot, I’ll tell you one more time.”

“…Thank you.”

What Mr. Luca held out was a document envelope. I took the envelope and carefully checked the contents inside.

There was a piece of paper that said “Contract.” The moment I skimmed that contract from top to bottom, my eyes went wide.

My name was written on this contract I had no memory of. And the handwriting was definitely mine.

Then the owner of that red seal at the very bottom… no doubt about it, it was me.

“What happened?”

I asked Mr. Luca with an expression like I’d just seen someone I didn’t want to deal with. What the hell is this mysterious contract?

“It’s because you never pay back your debt. So yesterday I asked you. I told you there’s a new drug being developed upstairs, and if you’d take it for the experiment, I’d wipe your debt. You got all excited and stamped it right away. I still remember it clearly.”

“What the fu—”

Couldn’t you at least have done it when I was sober? Why did you have to come when I wasn’t in my right mind?

…But the amount of debt being forgiven is pretty substantial.

At this level, I probably would’ve agreed even if I’d been sober…

“So is this why my body turned out like this?”

“Yeah.”

“Tch…”

I barely swallowed the curse.

“But it’s a good thing, isn’t it? I didn’t know it would turn out like this either, but you didn’t become something ugly — you became a cute enough girl that even I have to admit it. Shouldn’t you be grateful instead? Makes me wonder if I shouldn’t have forgiven the debt.”

“Don’t talk bullshit. I’m not in the mood right now.”

“You little shit, is that any way to talk to an adult? And besides, you don’t even have a dick anymore.”

“God fucking damn it…”

When I pointed at my empty lower half with both hands, Mr. Luca burst out laughing, apparently finding the sight amusing.

“What do I have to do to go back to normal?”

“How the hell would I know?”

“Huh?”

What, just now?

“I don’t know either. I got that drug too, you know.”

“You fed it to me without knowing the effects or how to reverse it?”

“I didn’t have time. They kept pushing me from upstairs, what was I supposed to do? I needed to find someone to take it, but I couldn’t. I’ve got my own circumstances, you know. I forgave a lot of your debt.”

Circumstances my ass! It’s obviously about money!

“So you fed it to me?”

“I figured you’d be fine with it. You weren’t doing anything anyway, living like a wretch every day. And you weren’t paying back your debt, you bastard.”

“…”

He wasn’t wrong. So I couldn’t deny it.

Mr. Luca put a cigar in his mouth, blew out a breath, then spoke again.

“Well, it worked out, didn’t it? I didn’t think you’d end up looking like that either.”

“What’s worked out about it…”

“You were pretty famous, you know. In a bad way.”

At Mr. Luca’s words, I turned my head away. That wasn’t something I wanted to hear.

—Murderer!

—You killed them!

As he said, my public reputation was famous in a bad way.

“So, speaking of which, since things turned out this way, how about starting over?”

“Starting over?”

“Yeah. No one’s going to think you’re Yoschuko Verdiol, right?”

“Well… I guess so. Except for Mr. Luca.”

There wasn’t a single resemblance between my original appearance and this girl’s.

‘A fresh start, huh…’

Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad. If people in the world couldn’t recognize me…

“Oh, but don’t get any ideas about skipping out on your debt.”

“…I won’t.”

I answered with a fed-up expression. If I’d wanted to run, I would’ve done it long ago. Though I’d probably have been caught anyway.

I’d acted cocky toward Mr. Luca a few times, but he’s the kind of guy who’d do anything when it comes to money. If I ran without paying off my debt, he’d probably chase me to the ends of hell.

“Or you could sell your body. With that face, you’d definitely sell well.”

Tap tap tap!

“Ah, you son of a bitch!”

The sight of Mr. Luca clapping his hands disgusted me, and I shot up from my seat with a curse.

“It’s a joke, a joke. Why’re you taking it so seriously?”

“…”

I slumped back down weakly. I’d imagined it. Me, soliciting men.

And… and… fuck!

The thoughts kept flooding in, disgusting me, and I couldn’t stand it anymore.

I don’t know if Mr. Luca noticed, but he didn’t sexually harass me any further.

“…Can I go back to my room for today?”

“Sure. I wasn’t planning on collecting money today anyway.”

“…Thank you.”

My hangover seemed to be gone, but my head was throbbing. I got up and went straight back to my room.

*

“…”

Back in my room, I stared blankly at my reflection in the mirror. Then I tried making various expressions.

‘…She really is cute, I guess.’

Her chest seemed a bit lacking, but aside from that, she was a stunning beauty without a single flaw.

‘…Hmm.’

I slowly looked over the girl’s body that was now mine. I felt a little embarrassed, and even a bit sorry that I still couldn’t accept it as my own body. Then my gaze naturally drifted to one spot.

‘…It feels weird because there’s nothing there.’

Between my legs felt empty. A hollow sensation crept over me.

‘Should I… check?’

I cautiously started to pull down my loose pants, but then—

‘I can’t do it, fuck!’

Feeling too embarrassed, I pulled my pants back up and threw myself onto the bed.

‘It’s good that the debt was wiped, but…’

I just couldn’t get used to this body. I kept thinking I must be dreaming.

So I pinched my cheek, but the pain was real enough. In the end, I let out a sigh and closed my eyes.

I didn’t want to think about anything.

*

—Is, is she dead?

Someone’s flustered voice rang in my ears.

—Th-that’s a lie, right? She’s really dead?

Ah… that’s my voice. I’m sure of it.

It’s a voice I can’t make anymore, but I remember it clearly since I was using it until yesterday.

—I knew it from the way she strutted around.

—You killed them!

—Murderer!

Multiple voices crossed and echoed in my ears. All of them were voices I remembered.

Memories I wanted to erase and their voices kept ringing in my ears.

—Hey, how about we stop here?

—…Are you serious?

No, no. I was just saying it. Don’t go. Don’t leave me alone.

I’d wanted him to stop me. My only trustworthy colleague, my friend.

Don’t leave me alone.

*

“Hah…!”

…Was that a dream?

I looked around; the room had gotten dark, maybe because the sun had set.

“…Fucking hell.”

Thanks to the nightmare, my whole body was soaked in sweat. I felt like I should wash up…

I quietly stared at the mirror. I saw the girl’s body drenched in sweat.

Because her clothes were wet, the bare skin of her upper body was exposed—

“…!!”

Feeling embarrassed again, I buried myself back under the covers, even forgetting the nightmare.

I wanted to fall asleep again just like that, but—

“…Ah, shit.”

As much as I hate to say it, the sweat and the smell clinging to my body made it impossible to sleep.

Now that I think about it, I chugged a ton of booze yesterday and passed out without washing up. Thanks to that, the stench of alcohol was still soaked into my body.

‘Mr. Luca, he sure held back from bringing up the booze…’

I sat up again.

Even though I’d become a girl, this body was still me. I could recognize that all over again through the smell of alcohol.

‘…No helping it.’

I got up from my spot and headed straight to the bathroom. After undressing, I stood in front of the shower. For the first time, I was seeing a girl’s… my naked body.

The embarrassment hadn’t completely disappeared, and guilt naturally crept in too, but there was no choice.

For now, getting rid of the guilt over the alcohol smell clinging to this girl’s body took priority over the guilt of looking at it.

After finishing my shower, I put away the clothes I’d been wearing and pulled out new ones… but a problem came up.

Naturally enough, there was no way they’d fit. This girl’s body was way smaller than my original build.

For now, I draped the pajamas, which had gotten disgustingly oversized, over my body.

‘What do I do?’

After a brief moment of deliberation, the choice I made was—

—You called?

To summon Mr. Luca.

Not long after that, Mr. Luca knocked on the door.

This time, I opened it willingly. Mr. Luca appeared from outside the door, and in his hand was something like a shopping bag.

“Take it.”

“…Thanks. But where’d you get it?”

“My daughter.”

I could accept that right away. As rough as he looks, Mr. Luca is a married man. He and his wife get along well.

Actually, I’d been indebted to Mrs. Luca a few times before.

“I’m billing you for it.”

“…Can’t you cut me some slack?”

That’s seriously too much — and they’re not even new, they’re hand-me-downs!

“Tch, fine.”

Mr. Luca clicked his tongue as he said that.

At the words that I didn’t have to pay it back, I quickly bowed 90 degrees. I wasn’t in a position to be picky right now.

“Ah, you don’t have to return those clothes. They won’t fit you anymore anyway.”

Anyway, I sent Mr. Luca off like that and checked the shopping bag he’d given me.

‘Come to think of it, how old is Mr. Luca’s daughter now?’

I think I heard she’s still attending the Hunter Academy… Anyway, it’s not something I need to worry about.

I came back and stood in front of the mirror to check the clothes Mr. Luca had given me…

“No way, what the fuck!”

How old was she when she wore these clothes?! Why are the designs like this!

They’ve got ribbons dangling all over or tons of cute frills attached. Do kids these days actually wear stuff like this?

What pissed me off even more was that these unnecessarily cute clothes fit my body perfectly.

“Haah…”

Even after putting the clothes on, I felt embarrassed automatically.

I never thought the day would come when I’d wear a skirt.

Ah, of course, if I’d been told to wear it in my original body, I would’ve chosen suicide on the spot.

“…”

I stared blankly at my reflection in the mirror while holding the clothes, then spun around once.

…It is fucking cute, I’ll give it that.