The Ruse Is Shattered

Still dressed as a girl, Deen Lhant continued to assume the identity of "Dianne Ranto"; even though it pained him to persist in making a fool of himself, he would do so.

On his side;

"Oooh, it's frilly..." Tsuruko, who was smiling while pinching on the hem of Deen's apron with many frills attached on it,

On top of a dark blue long dress with a tint of black as a neutral colour on it, was a pure white apron with an excessive amount of frills. Incidentally on their heads, they were also wearing a cute headdress with frills decorated on it.

To put it in one word, this was the sexiness of a maid.

"....Why me...." The damn uniform was the same but, as expected, Deen had never thought the day would come when he would have to cosplay as a maid. He felt an important part of his masculinity was tainted and once again dropped his shoulders.

"Err...you look kinda cute, Deen." After Tsuruko said that, she made an awkward smile towards him. Deen turned around and squatted down, crying; a pose of supplication.

"Dammit don't say those kind words! Don't look at what I've become; my masculinity has gone from the Bruce Wayne in The Dark Knight to the Bruce Wayne in the 60s!" Deen shouted this with a shriek-like voice.

While he didn't give a damn when the others looked at him in a dress, when he was seen by both of Tsuruko's clear eyes, for some reason he was attacked by an illusion that he has done something very bad. It was like, a vampire's body trembling when the power of the sun beamed down upon it. No, if that is all that is to it, then that example was still better. If the vampire was being blasted by UV rays, then it'd get friggin' vaporized and turn into ash.

"Hm, from what I see, Deen's engaging himself in a very lofty and proud work. It's probably not his hobby." Without a moment of delay, Giselle's help came in. Tsuruko opened her eyes in surprise. Yes, Tsuruko had explained the thing about Deen to Giselle first thing right away, and made her keep it a secret.

"I, is that so………?" Tsuruko was surprised. While she did explain it to Giselle, Tsuruko...really didn't understand why he was cross-dressing. She thought it was really, really odd.

"He got used to cross-dressing recently, and the posture when he puts on lip gloss means that he's really getting into the role, but, it is by no means that he is doing it because he likes it." Giselle continued on, poking fun at Deen, who snapped;

"Dammit, what are you putting in her head!?" Unable to stand it anymore, he stood up and shouted.

But, Giselle tilted her head in wonder. "Oh, my, my. I was trying to help you in explaining "Cross-dressing For Dummies", but you refute my exposition?"

Deen dropped his shoulders. In reality, she was probably serious about that. He felt wicked instead; rather, he wondered when he got skilled doing it. He was determined to be cautious not to fall into the dark ways.

As Deen walked out, he noticed that a large crowd had formed. Naturally, it was not as though there were many people inside the hall of the academy but, that spot obviously has a different population density.

In a beat, Deen found out about the identity of the group. At the same time, the crowd split into left and right, and a girl wearing a school uniform with a composed air around her walked through the middle like Moses.

Around her, he could see a group of female students wearing the official uniforms and with the same composed air. Looking closely, he saw photographers carrying television cameras chasing after her.

It looks like he wasn’t mistaken. That is. "Oh, it's Kaguya."

He called her name with a soft voice. It was impossible for Deen's voice to reach her but, Kaguya moved the sides of her eyebrows and noticed 'Dianne' at the same time as he said that, she then closed in on the room and stood in front of Deen.

She then raised the corners of her lips. "Good morning, Dianne. It seems that you're the only person that I can actually look forward to seeing every day."

Deen was surrounded by the crowd of people, somehow suppressing the un-calm feeling he was getting. An ominous chill ran down his spine.

"Fufu, it looks good on you—that outfit. It’s nice. When Dianne becomes mine, it would be interesting to have you wear that outfit forever."

In order to infer the true meaning of Kaguya's remark, the people gathered around started making a commotion. It looks like the television cameras started taking photos of Kaguya and Deen alternatively. It was this time that Deen felt like getting the hell out of there.

After Deen turned her head in irritation, she then directed her voice toward the television crew around them.

"—You're a bother. Get out of my face." The instant Kaguya said that, the crowd gathered around Kaguya immediately scattered away nearby. Not only the television crew, but also the students made to follow Kaguya also left, and finally Kaguya was the only one left there.

He twitched his shoulder a little. There was no mistake. She really was a scary woman; even scarier than his mother.

"Ahaha, I finally feel refreshed. I should have done this faster."

"...My god." Deen let sweat flow down his cheeks while saying that.

"Hmm, Dianne. I wanted to see if you can come with me for a bit." Her words left her mouth so peacefully; it really was a surprise.

When Deen tilted his head in suspicion, Kaguya continued in a flat tone. "You're the only person who seems to be half-fucking-competent here. Come on, I'm taking you out."

"Wait, whaddya mean?" Unable to understand the meaning of what Kaguya had just said, Deen's eyes widened. "Out?" After repeating that word, Deen immediately twitched his shoulders. If Tsuruko heard this conversation, he thought the situation will get even worse. He made a sigh of relief before returning his sights back to Kaguya.

---

"Here, Dianne, strawberry cream right?"

"A, aah……"

Deen made a bewildered nod before receiving the beautifully decorated crepe from Kaguya. After Kaguya made a satisfied smile, she took a bite of the chocolate banana crepe she was holding in her other hand and made a very happy face; as she swung her uniform skirt around while bending her body.

While looking at her like that, Deen sighed in exasperation. "...What the hell am I doing here?" Incidentally, needless to say, whether or not Deen Lhant was male or female was already decided already but…he didn't say a word out of fear of being found out.

"Aren't you going to eat—?"

"No…………I'll eat it." Off in fantasy land, Deen was snapped back to reality. He transported the crepe he was holding to his mouth in panic. The sweet taste of the fresh cream wrapped in thin batter and the sourness of the strawberry spread though his mouth. Probably because the batter was cooked properly, although it was simple, it's true that the result produced has an unfavorable comparison to those sold on the road. "Hnn…….this is pretty good."

"Ufufu—, that's more important than anything." After Kaguya said that, in the next moment, she took a bite of Deen's crepe.

"...Huh."

"Hnn—, this is delicious too. I must compliment the chef; it seems that the little people are at least good at cooking." While rubbing her cheeks, Kaguya said that in satisfaction.

Probably noticing "Dianne's" surprised face, she laughed while offering the chocolate banana crepe she was holding.

"Here, we'll be even with this."

"E-err…………" Pushed by Kaguya, he took one bite of the crepe while being urged. It was delicious, but honestly speaking he couldn’t get most of the taste.

"Is it delicious—?"

"Eh, not bad."

"Wahahaha, it's in indirect kiss."

Deen tried not to scream like a girl. "Whaa?" Although he somehow managed to stop the crepe inside his mouth, he coughed lightly.

"Wahahaha, you seem one of those virginal types." Kaguya laughed while rubbing Deen's back.

"N-Nah……I'm fine, I'm fine. I'm just a bit surprised." Deen calmed his breathing and made a small nod.

After Kaguya made a smile resembling kindness after looking at Deen in that state once more, she ate the chocolate banana crepe she held in her hand and pointed towards several students walking around outside the academy.

Deen shoved the remaining crepe into his mouth. He then pushed the wrapping paper left in his hands into his apron pocket and asked Kaguya, "Eh, why are you even paying attention to me?"

"You see, there's a good reason for that, Dianne. I've noticed that the Rosa Dimaggio girl tends to hang around that nerdy purple-haired witch, Tsuruko Sejren. So you are now my Rosa, but better!" Kaguya cackled, snorting.

"...I didn't agree to this..."

"Wahahahaha, this is going to be absolutely perfect! With our beauty, smarts, and lovely personalities, we'll be unstoppable! I just imagined it all now - we'll be popular, we'll be celebrities, we'll become honour students! Then we'll take care of that Tsuruko girl!" Kaguya ranted on; her laughing was interspersed with snorting like a pig—at this time Deen realized how unattractive Kaguya Kobayashi was.

"...Why do you hate her, anyway? Just because she bumped into you once?" Deen thought that Kaguya was just flailing for reasons to dislike Tsuruko; she seemed the sort of person who stuck by her first impression, even if the first impression was wrong.

"As the heiress of Doma Enterprises, the little people are my pawns and toys. But you don't have to mind that. Because you're a special existence that I directly admit. The riffraff of the poor can do whatever they like; but for that girl to touch my flawless figure, she deserves to suffer." Kaguya said that with eyes that displayed the number of damns she gave, all in an unpleasant voice.

Deen clenched his fists. While a bit stuffy, Kaguya wasn't really a bad person. The only thing was, because of her riches, her sense of value got twisted.

This would probably take time. It would also take effort.

If he did not get her to stand on the same place with normal humans, if this keeps on, she would only continue seeing humans only as pawns or toys like this. That was what he wanted.

"Listen to me this instant, Kaguya Kobayashi. I'm going to make you talk to the so-called "little people" and learn to accept them as equals."

"With flies, you say? But I'm already talking with such degenerates! You're acting really weird—"

"You don't have to understand now. But, remember this. The "little people" aren't so obedient and convenient to just exist for you to use and throw away." Deen's voice lowered subtly.

"What do you mean?" Hearing "Dianne's" words, a scornful smile crossed Kaguya's face. "Oh, those below me, they are simple things. I can control them to do anything. Dianne, it's better you don't think about it too much, you know?"

Deen hissed, "Hmph, don't look down on regular joes. If you think everything is going to go your way, you're going to end up tripping and falling so hard it won't be funny."

"Wahahaa..." Kaguya closed her eyes partly in interest. "I may as well let you try and convince me."

"What on earth are you bitching about now?" Deen kept his frown up; but Kaguya didn't even answer him.

"Though I regret it, let's end today's date here. Tomorrow, I want you to impress me. Show me what's so special about you lowlifes. Goodbye, Dianne Ranto."

Kaguya flicked the finger she used to touch her lips with, and after smirking at Deen, she turned her heels around and left.

Deen really didn't know what to do here. "....Ah, shit. Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit."

This was going to be extremely difficult; trying to get somebody so stuck up as Kaguya to listen....