Chapter 28: It Is Anne, All Grown Up

With her undergarments properly adjusted, the maids brought forward Annie’s dress. Lu Xing glanced at it, flipped through the fabric with his hands, and rubbed his forehead in resignation. "Is there anything that isn't a dress? Something more like men's attire?"

"You—you are a man?!"

Catherine’s expression finally shifted; she looked as though she had been struck by terror, caught in a state of profound shock. How could a man’s soul choose to invade Annie? The surrounding maids stole a glance, then quickly lowered their heads, daring not to utter a word.

Lu Xing sighed. "How many times must I say it? I am Annie! Or are you suggesting that Annie is a man?"

Catherine’s lips trembled. "I—I must tell the Lady! I will ask the Saintess to come to the Northern Territory and cast out this demon!"

Lu Xing spared her a glance and, using Annie’s adorable face, declared righteously, "The radiance of the Goddess shines upon the Northern Territory!"

"..."

Catherine ultimately conceded. The "demon" currently occupying Annie’s body was a being who had been gazed upon by the Goddess of Holy Light. Even if it were impossible for the Saintess to travel to the Northern Territory, should she ever arrive, she would have to be the one to actively seek out this Annie and befriend her.

"Respected Miss Annie," Catherine said, stepping back and performing a curtsy. "The Goddess watches over you."

The maids followed suit, echoing Catherine’s words. Lu Xing couldn't help but smile; Annie hadn't been lying—that line really worked!

"So, are there any other clothes?"

If he could help it, he didn't want to wear a dress—especially not the sparkly, frilly kind that noble young ladies like Annie favored. Underneath the skirt were white silk stockings patterned with magical embroidery, at once innocent and alluring, paired with glistening crystal shoes. For a male college student like Lu Xing, this was truly a trial; not everyone enjoyed cross-dressing. Though, since Lu Xing was wearing them, did that make him... a cross-dressing girl?

Catherine was silent for a moment before replying, "Annie has a lesson in Ancient Elven Language later, which is why this formal attire was prepared. If you do not intend to attend the class, I can change you into something else." She added a condition: "But you must promise—when changing, you are not allowed to open your eyes to look at Miss Annie!"

Lu Xing wasn't a pervert obsessed with looking at Annie’s delicate, slender form, but since Annie had written in her letter that she didn't mind him looking, he found it odd that a head maid would dare to bargain with him.

"I refuse." Lu Xing said slowly. "I am Annie; I shall look however I wish!"

"Then you shall wear this dress!" Catherine retorted immediately, as if she had already rehearsed his answer in her mind.

"My dear Catherine," Lu Xing laughed. It wasn't the cute, happy laugh of the usual Annie, but rather the mischievous grin of a little demon from hell who had forsaken the gods. "You wouldn't want to see Annie make a fool of herself because she isn't accustomed to this dress, would you?"

The room fell silent. The maids stole glances at Catherine, then at Miss Annie. Annie was truly lovely; even while threatening Catherine, she exuded the cute, playful aura of a little demon. Even though everyone knew that the person before them was not Annie, but a man.

After a moment of silence, Catherine seemed to find a way to deal with him. Expressionless, she said, "Are you certain Miss Annie would allow you to do this?"

"Why wouldn't she?" Lu Xing countered.

"The Ancient Elves were among the first creatures of creation, a symbol of nobility and elegance. Even the current Elven race mimics them. Annie always wears formal attire for her Ancient Elven Language lessons. If you do not wish to wear it, I suggest you skip the class to avoid embarrassing yourself!" Catherine added coldly.

Lu Xing pondered this. He remembered that his novice mission required him to fully experience a day in the life of a noble lady as Annie and earn a score of at least 60. If he skipped the language class, the other lessons—magic, alchemy, etiquette, horsemanship—would likely be no easier.

"Fine, I'll wear it." Lu Xing compromised, then asked, "But you must tell me: what classes do I have today? And what is the etiquette for the lessons?"

One side took a step back. Catherine realized that if she didn't want Annie to make a fool of herself, she had to help him.

"Miss Annie does not have Ancient Elven Language every day. It is only because Mr. Noi is traveling through the North that the Lady invited him to give Annie a few sessions," Catherine explained. "As for the etiquette, I will instruct you once you are dressed."

"Good." Lu Xing cooperated.

Garment after garment of beautiful, ornate clothing was layered onto him. Perhaps because she sensed his different aesthetic, Catherine didn't let Lu Xing choose his own jewelry this time, deciding for him instead. Once the clothes and accessories were on and his hair was braided, Lu Xing stood before the mirror to admire Annie’s beauty once more.

The formal dress was a pale gold, featuring three layers of skirts made from a material similar to chiffon, accented with crystal ornaments, metallic threads, gauze, cotton, and various fabrics—over ten materials woven together to create a stunning, shimmering gown.

"Gloves." Catherine’s tone had softened, perhaps seeing the resemblance between the Lu Xing of this moment and the Annie in her memory. Though, it was only a superficial resemblance. The maid brought out two white, patterned gloves and, lifting Miss Annie’s slender hands, carefully put them on for her.

Lu Xing looked into the mirror, his heart nearly melting. Though the worlds and genders were different, beauty was universal. At this moment, Miss Annie looked like a noble little princess; the golden dress and her long hair complemented each other, and the white patterned gloves added a touch of elegance and refinement. She was beautiful and adorable.

What made Lu Xing’s imagination run even wilder was that he had already seen what Annie looked like without any clothes at all...

"The clothes are on. What about the etiquette?" Lu Xing calmed himself, looking at the Annie in the mirror, and asked Catherine, "The etiquette for the class, the greetings—tell me, how did Annie usually do it?"

Catherine also looked at the Annie in the mirror and said flatly, "If it were Miss Annie, she would lift her skirt and spin around, admiring herself in the mirror, then praise the maids for their fine work, before heading off with a radiant smile to see the Lady and show off how beautiful her dress is."

Very well, very Annie—the lively and cute Annie.

Lu Xing took a deep breath. "How do I lift the skirt?"

"..."

The maids dared not speak, keeping their heads down and suppressing their laughter. Catherine’s expression seemed to flicker as well. After a long pause, she maintained her neutral composure, reached out, took Lu Xing’s hand, and led it to the second layer of the skirt, guiding him personally.

"You do not need to truly hoist the skirt; simply pinching it slightly to strike an elegant pose is enough. You only need to lift the hem if it is a long dress that covers your feet. Additionally, when walking down stairs, remember not to run, even if you are wearing a shorter skirt or trousers..."

Lu Xing adopted the same serious attitude he used for studying at school. He pinched the gold hem with Annie’s slender fingers, spun around, and looked in the mirror, flashing a smile. The smile on Annie’s face was very cute.

"How is it?" he asked Catherine.

"It bears a three-tenths resemblance," Catherine said coldly. "After all, you are using Miss Annie’s body."

Lu Xing laughed. "Annie has grown up. Yes, I am the grown-up Annie!" With that, he stepped away from the vanity. "Let’s go have breakfast and get to class early!"

"Even a grown-up Annie would not forget to thank the maids who serve her," Catherine’s voice came from behind.

Lu Xing paused, turned around, pinched his skirt, and bowed to them. "Annie thanks you all."

The young maids were startled and hurriedly returned the gesture, telling him there was no need.

"A noble young lady should not bow to her maids! You need only praise their work," Catherine corrected him again.

Lu Xing pretended not to hear, clacking his crystal shoes as he walked out of the bedroom, once again taking in the decor of the Duke’s castle in this magical world.