Book 1 Chapter 1003

"Wow! If I were a guy, I'd fall for you!"

"Brother! You are truly beautiful!"

Leo looked at the two women admiring him with a somewhat tired expression.

Elena and Lil, as if they had returned to their childhood, played dress-up with Leo.

Although Leo's prettiness had faded as he neared adulthood, the genes passed down from Reina were overwhelmingly superior.

Furthermore, at Elena's request, he had used his aura skill to change his skeletal structure to be smaller, so with makeup, Leo's appearance was undeniably that of a beautiful woman.

"Do you guys find this fun?"

"We're having a blast!"

"It feels like we're playing with dolls like we did when we were kids."

"I bet you used to bash your dolls' heads with a hammer when you played with them as a child."

"……"

Hurt by Leo's words, Lil rummaged through the clothes Elena had brought and pulled out a particularly short skirt.

"How about this one?"

"Hmm. I bought that to seduce Leo, so it's a bit daring and might not suit you."

Elena shook her head and smiled brightly, pulling out another outfit.

"Leo, these frilly, lacey clothes would suit you."

Seeing the outfit, Leo let out a snort and chuckled.

"Those clothes really don't suit you."

"……"

Elena's face turned cold.

"Leo, I think you've forgotten your situation. Don't forget that you have to wear the clothes we chose today."

"It doesn't matter anyway, since no one will recognize me."

Even if the goal was to embarrass Leo, he was still called the King of the World.

Since an illusion magic that hindered recognition was necessarily applied, Leo felt tired but had no qualms.

'No, to begin with, this guy has such an incredibly sturdy mentality that he would probably wear women's clothes without recognition magic and be fine.'

Since he looked so incredibly good in women's clothes, it seemed like it would just be a minor incident.

Just as Elena lightly clicked her tongue.

"Leo-nim. I have a report…"

Melina warped into the room where the three of them were.

And upon seeing the scene before her, she was utterly aghast.

After a moment of assessing the situation, Melina's eyes sharpened.

"What are you doing?"

At her reaction, Elena and Lil instinctively hid the clothes they were holding behind their backs.

"Th-that is, Professor Mel."

As Lil hastily tried to make an excuse, Melina said coldly.

"It's Melina now."

Seeing Melina emphasizing that she was the Dragon Lord, not a professor at the school, Lil broke into a cold sweat.

As Leo's closest confidante, Melina knew that Leo had no such hobbies.

This meant that for some reason, Elena and Lil had forced the great hero Leo to cross-dress.

While it might be a minor incident among students, it was actually a grave sin that would not be strange even if they were punished by heaven.

Elena quickly snitched.

"It was Lil's doing."

"Senior Elena!"

"Why? It was your wish to have Leo cross-dress, wasn't it?"

"B-but you were the one who suggested it, Senior Elena…"

"Are you really going to do it if I suggest it?"

"Crrrk!"

Betrayed by Elena, Lil looked aggrieved.

"I am truly disappointed in both of you!"

Melina looked at the two with a stern expression.

As Elena and Lil hunched their necks, Melina strode towards Leo.

Seeing this, Leo could only sigh deeply.

'She's not on my side anyway.'

"Even though neither of you is interested in makeup! What is this makeup in the world! It's a mess!"

Upon seeing the makeup the two had put on Leo, Melina looked extremely displeased.

It was evident that they hadn't done much makeup.

"Dress up like your peers! Of course, you two are beautiful enough without makeup… but it's a waste!"

At those words, Elena and Lil's eyes widened.

"Do you have a lot of grudges against me too?"

"Of course."

In response to Leo's question, Melina's eyes sparkled.

"Miss Luce. May I be the one to dress up Leo-nim?"

"Yes? Ah, yes. It's fine."

Lil nodded and brought the clothes she had hidden behind her to the front.

However, Melina shook her head.

"Such clothes don't suit Leo-nim. The clothes Miss Elena is holding are the same."

Melina, with her arms crossed, had a serious expression.

"Leo-nim's current appearance, despite being outwardly pure, somehow exudes a feeling of being worn down by society."

"What kind of nonsense is that?"

Leo was exasperated, but Melina didn't listen.

"Ah, I wonder how I should dress you up?"

"You're being frivolous now. Why don't you have some dignity as a Lord?"

"You treat me like a child anyway. Why be so particular now?"

Leo's attack had no effect on Melina.

Seeing this, Elena's face became slightly serious.

"Lil."

"Yes."

"Did I perhaps live my life very badly?"

"Shall I tell you honestly?"

"Yes."

"You were the worst senior."

"……"

"But why are you asking that?"

"No, seeing Leo now, I don't think I should accumulate more karma."

"Senior, you've already accumulated enough."

"Right? I should just live as I always have."

Elena, having reached a cheerful conclusion, smiled brightly.

"Both of you, stop chatting and go buy some drinks."

"Yes."

"Please dress him up beautifully."

"Leave it to us."

Leo, watching the three of them in perfect sync, wore a tired expression.

"They're playing well."

At that, Melina giggled.

"So? What was the report about?"

Leo noticed that Melina had naturally sent the other two away.

Melina said while applying makeup to Leo's face.

"We found traces of an intruder in the Northwest Sea."

"Hmm? Eiran and Iliana did say they saw a suspicious human girl."

"Whether it's the same person is unknown, but we found traces of someone breaking through the ice sea and infiltrating the deep ocean. And there, we discovered the 'Hero Dungeon'."

"What about Erebus's movements?"

"None. Just as you said, Leo-nim, it's confirmed that Erebus in the world of creation has no intention of appearing right now."

"Should I consider this good news, or is it a troublesome matter in its own way?"

Leo let out a deep sigh.

At his words, Melina gave a wry smile.

"For now, I think we have to hope that Seirun-nim can gain something in the current era."

Lumen, Azonia, and Damian succeeded in moving forward one step at a time during their time out of the world of creation.

Although they were beings trapped and frozen in the cracks of time, their time outside could flow at any moment.

That meant they could move forward one step at a time.

"It's not easy. I'm really not good at magic."

"You, Leo-nim?"

Seeing Melina's surprised expression, Leo said.

"Compared to Seirun, that is."

"There's someone who can give Seirun-nim inspiration, isn't there?"

"But she's too young."

Leo clicked his tongue.

"It would be nice if I could find a path forward by looking at young Luna."

At those words, Melina stared intently at Leo.

"Why?"

"No, it's because you don't seem to treat Seirun-nim like a child."

"She does her job well."

"What about me?"

"Are you jealous?"

"It's not that, but…"

"You also do your job well."

"Then why is the treatment different?"

"Why? Should I treat you like a 3000-year-old hag?"

At that, Melina grumbled softly.

***

Returning to the present.

'Is there anywhere to buy alcohol?'

Leo roamed around the competition venue, scratching his head.

In his past life.

There was a time when he was steeped in alcohol.

He wasn't as much of a drinker as Luna, but Kyle also drank a lot.

'Well, I didn't drink because I liked it as much as Luna did.'

Whatever the case, Leo wanted a drink now.

It wasn't strictly necessary to be sober, but he didn't want to be sober.

Although he granted her wish, cross-dressing in front of others wasn't something he particularly welcomed.

As Leo wandered around, not caring about people's gazes.

Whoosh-!

Someone grabbed Leo and dragged him to a deserted place.

"Leo-doryeong! What is this get-up!"

Chen Xia asked with a bright red face, and Leo calmly replied.

"Does recognition-inhibiting magic not work on you? Well, you've seen me disguised as a woman before, haven't you?"

Recalling a past event, Leo clicked his tongue.

"It seems it doesn't work on those who are aware."

Seeing Leo's composed demeanor, Chen Xia sighed deeply.

"I didn't know Leo-doryeong had this hobby."

"Lil made me do it as a wish."

"Hmm?"

At those words, Chen Xia's eyes narrowed and she said.

"So you should have stopped teasing your seniors. It's karma. Karma."

"Yes, it's all my karma."

Having understood the situation, Chen Xia tilted her head.

"You don't seem to feel much shame participating in a beauty contest dressed as a woman in public?"

"I feel shame."

"Even so, you were wandering around so casually?"

"My life hasn't been smooth enough to be shaken by this."

Upon hearing that, Chen Xia gazed intently at Leo's face.

"Why?"

"It's hard to explain, but you suit it so surprisingly well. You could even charm a man."

"Should I try to seduce one?"

"…Leo-doryeong, please refrain because you actually might."

Seeing Leo, who wouldn't back down, Chen Xia sighed softly.

Leo looked at the sighing Chen Xia with a puzzled expression.

"By the way, are you also participating in the beauty contest?"

"For now."

"What a shame?"

"What do you mean?"

"If you lose to a man like me, isn't that a disgrace for you?"

"Do you really think I would lose to Leo-doryeong?"

"Is that so?"

"……"

Seeing Leo's smirk, Chen Xia's face contorted.

"Even so, I won't lose to Leo-doryeong. I'm aiming for first place."

"Yes. Yes. Try your best."

Leo patted Chen Xia's head and left.

Watching Leo's receding figure, Chen Xia wore an uneasy expression.

'Come to think of it… I'm already treated like a child, and if I lose in a beauty contest, won't people see me as even less of a woman?'

Chen Xia, her expression wavering, hardened her resolve.

'At least I have to be prettier than Leo-doryeong.'

Chen Xia vowed with a serious expression.