The Cursed Gender Swap: My Fiancées Are All Men?! The Assassin Noble Luge's Hellish Rom-Com
Rugh Touahade has a problem. Several, actually.
First: he's the heir to an assassin noble house, secretly handling the kingdom's dirty work while maintaining a polite public face. Second: he's been reincarnated from a past life as an organization's assassin, which honestly explains more about his personality than he'd like to admit. Third: as of this morning, every woman in his domain has turned into a man—including Dia, his childhood friend and magic teacher, who is currently sobbing on the fl
The Cursed Gender Swap: My Fiancées Are All Men?! The Assassin Noble Luge's Hellish Rom-Com - Beyond the Storm—The Confession Isn't Over Yet
Debris rains down.
The research building's ceiling collapsed with a thunderous roar. The pillar of light born from the star-reading magic's rampage pierced the walls and shattered the floor. The air was thick with the smell of scorched stone.
"Dia!"
Rugh shouted.
As shattered stone poured down like rain, he wrapped both arms around Dia's body and rolled across the floor. Sharp pain shot through his back. A fragment of debris drew blood from his shoulder.
(Damn... I can't see.)
The dust blinded him. Even so, Dia in his arms was unmistakable—her slender shoulders, even in a man's body. Her long silver hair. And her trembling fingertips.
" Rugh... I still haven't... I haven't been able to confess..."
Dia's voice trembled against his ear.
"...Don't talk now."
Rugh said it flatly.
(I know that.)
(I heard it, back then. Clearly.)
("I love you"—)
The words Dia had spoken through tears in the depths of the laboratory. Those words still burned hot in Rugh's chest.
But now wasn't the time.
"...I'll carry you somewhere safe. Hold on."
" I'm always... always being protected by you..."
"Of course. You're my master, aren't you?"
Rugh lifted Dia into his arms.
That was when it happened.
"Masterrrrr!!"
A scream that split the explosions.
He turned—and beyond the mountain of rubble, he saw Tart running toward them, chestnut hair flying wild. Even in a man's body, her maid uniform's skirt was unchanged. She carried a spear pulled from beneath that skirt, slung across her back.
"Tart! With those wounds—"
" Master! The device's power source is directly beneath that pillar of light! I'll go!"
"Don't be a fool! If you go in there, your body will—"
" Master. I am your exclusive maid."
Tart pressed a hand firmly against her shoulder, wrapped in blood-seeping bandages.
" Please, take care of Lady Dia."
With that, Tart smiled.
Rugh couldn't say a word to that smile.
(This one's always like this.)
(No matter how I try to stop her, she never listens.)
Tart drew a deep breath.
"—Wind."
The instant she whispered, wind spiraled at her feet. Body enhancement and wind acceleration magic. Tart's specialty.
"Going!"
Tart's body launched like a bullet.
—The Valkyrie of Lightning Speed.
That epithet flashed through Rugh's mind.
Weaving between the rubble, Tart ran. The pillar of light raged right before her. Heat that seared the skin. The smell of burning hair. And still, Tart didn't stop.
"Uwaaaaaah!!"
Screaming, Tart dove directly beneath the pillar of light.
There lay a massive magical circuit, constructed by the power of star-reading magic. The heart of the curse-control device that Headmaster Theodore had forcibly activated. Starlight coursed through the circuits like blood vessels.
"So this is... the cause!"
Tart drew the spear from her back.
Her beloved spear. The one she had first claimed as her own in the Touahade family armory.
"—Master! Now!!"
Tart drove the spear into the circuit with all her strength.
GAGIIIIIN!!
Metal clanged. Sparks scattered.
The circuit screamed. The light flickered.
"W-what are you doing?! Stop, you wench!"
Headmaster Theodore, standing beside the device, shouted with a pale face.
A thin, elderly man with silver-rimmed glasses. His crimson robe—the proof of his headmastership—billowed in the wind of rampaging magic.
" That device is the only hope for controlling this curse! Destroy it, and the gender chaos across the royal capital will only worsen!"
" Shut up!"
Rugh laid Dia in the shadow of the rubble and stood.
"You took Dia hostage. You tried to use the curse for political gain. That device isn't for lifting the curse—it's a tool for your own power."
" On what grounds—"
"The grounds are right here."
A clear voice rang out from the collapsed entrance.
An ash-blonde short bob. Amber eyes. Even in a man's body, her crisp suit looked eerily immaculate amid the dust. Maha Barol.
In her hands, a thick bundle of documents.
" Headmaster Theodore Vain. Records of your embezzlement of the academy's research funds. And records of the pressure you applied to the Star-Reading Council to obstruct their investigation. All of it is here."
Maha raised the bundle of documents.
"Wha... how did those get into your hands..."
" Brother. Right now, students are gathered outside the academy. Plenty of onlookers drawn by the commotion, too. Shall I read these documents aloud in front of them?"
Maha smiled at Rugh. A perfect, business smile.
"...Yeah. Go ahead."
" Yes, brother."
Maha opened the documents.
" First, the embezzlement. In Star Calendar year 826, 3,000 gold coins were disbursed from the academy under the name of 'Practical Application Research of Star-Reading Magic.' However, there is no trace of it being used for research. The money vanished into renovations for your private residence."
"Th-that's nonsense! There's no such—"
" Next, the pressure on the Council. When you learned the Council had begun investigating the curse, you threatened the families of key Council members. These letters are the proof. 'Withdraw from the investigation, or I will see your daughter's engagement broken off'—written in your hand."
Maha's voice rang out with terrifying clarity through the crumbling laboratory.
" And this is the record of your holding Lady Dia hostage. 'Secure the person of Dia Vicone. As research material for the curse, and as a hostage to silence the Touahade family'—your order, addressed to the academy's upper echelon."
"Stop... stoooop!!"
Theodore lunged at Maha.
That was when it happened.
"—That's far enough, Theodore Vain."
A low, heavy voice.
From the entrance appeared Lawrence, representative of the Star-Reading Council, accompanied by several Council mages.
A veteran star-reading mage with a white beard. His deep indigo robe was embroidered with star charts. At the tip of his staff, starlight flickered quietly.
" The Council cannot overlook your corruption. The crime of staining the name of star-reading mages is grave. You are under arrest."
"W-wait! I am the headmaster! If you arrest me, the academy will—"
"The academy will run without you."
Lawrence spoke coldly.
"You took a single human being—Dia Vicone—hostage for your own self-preservation. That fact alone disqualifies you from being headmaster."
"U-uwaaaaaah!!"
Theodore screamed.
As if that cry were a signal, Tart twisted her spear.
BAKIIIN!
The magical circuit shattered.
The pillar of light swelled hugely for an instant—
And then, it vanished.
Silence.
A deep silence that left the ears ringing.
The dust slowly settled.
"...Is it over?"
Rugh murmured.
" No, not completely. But the rampage has stopped. The Council's magic will calm the remaining mana."
Lawrence raised his staff.
"Stars."
From his staff, soft starlight overflowed. It enveloped the wreckage of the broken device and slowly soothed the smoldering remnants of magic.
"...Amazing."
In the shadow of the rubble, Dia murmured.
"That's how star-reading magic is meant to be used. Starlight isn't only for destruction. It's for healing, calming, guiding. ...I want to be like that someday."
Dia's eyes gazed quietly at Lawrence's light.
"...You will be."
Rugh crouched beside Dia.
" You're my master, aren't you?"
"...Yes."
Dia smiled.
At that smile, Rugh felt just a little of the weight lift from his chest.
—
It was some time later that the chaos finally settled.
Headmaster Theodore Vain was taken away by the Council's mages. His downfall would soon be known throughout the academy—no, throughout the royal capital.
Outside the collapsed laboratory, students had gathered.
" The headmaster got arrested!"
" So those embezzlement rumors were true..."
" He took Professor Dia hostage? Seriously?"
" That's the worst! He was embezzling our tuition, wasn't he!?"
The students' anger churned.
The effect of Maha reading the documents aloud was immense.
"Brother. The students are completely on our side now. The pressure on the Council should ease considerably after this."
Maha whispered into Rugh's ear.
"...When did you get your hands on those documents?"
" Brother, this is profitable. With the trading company's network, the academy's ledgers are child's play. Besides, having someone who holds leverage over the Council in your debt isn't a bad thing, is it?"
Maha smiled mischievously.
"...You really are a merchant."
" Yes. The curse chaos has doubled Orna's orders, and this uproar will spread our name even further."
"...I see. Things have gotten troublesome."
Rugh sighed.
"Master!"
He turned toward the voice—Tart stood there in her tattered maid uniform. The bandage on her shoulder was soaked bright red. Even so, she stood firm, using her spear as a cane.
"Tart. Get yourself treated, now—"
" Master. Is Lady Dia safe?"
"Yeah. Thanks to you."
" ...Thank goodness. Really, thank goodness."
Tart crumpled to the ground right there.
" Master. Was I... was I useful?"
"...Yeah. You're the finest maid there is."
Rugh placed his hand gently on Tart's head.
" Master... uuu..."
In her man's body, Tart wept openly.
"...Don't cry. It's unbecoming."
" But... but..."
"...Here. Can you stand?"
Rugh extended his hand to Tart.
Tart grasped it back.
That was when it happened.
"Rugh."
Dia called his name.
He turned—Dia was slowly rising from the shadow of the rubble. Her long silver hair caught the twilight and glowed faintly. Even in a man's body, to Rugh's eyes, she looked unbearably beautiful.
"...Dia. Don't move yet. Your body—"
" It's all right. I'm fine now."
Dia stood before Rugh.
" Rugh. I'm going to say it again."
Dia's violet eyes looked straight at him.
" I love you. Since I was little, I've always—"
Her words cut off.
"...Dia?"
Dia's body swayed.
"Dia!"
Rugh caught her in a panic.
" ...I'm sorry. I think I'm just... a little tired..."
Dia smiled weakly in Rugh's arms.
" Next time, I promise I'll say it properly..."
"...Yeah. I'll be waiting."
Rugh gently drew Dia close.
(She couldn't say it again.)
(But that's fine.)
(We're alive. There'll be another chance.)
Rugh held her, as if confirming her warmth.
" I won't lose to Lady Dia."
Tart stood up, her face a mess of tears.
" I'll tell you properly too, Master. ...These feelings of mine."
"...Now you're starting too?"
" Master. I'm serious."
Tart's eyes were utterly earnest.
" My, my. Brother, you're quite popular."
Maha laughed delightedly.
" But brother, I won't lose either. ...Who is the most suitable partner to break this curse? ...It's me."
"...Huh? I don't follow."
Rugh was visibly rattled.
" After all, brother—if you marry me, all the trading company's profits become yours. The curse gets lifted, and you get money. ...Don't you think that's the best choice?"
"...Don't have that kind of conversation in a place like this."
" Business negotiations don't choose their venue, brother."
"...I see. Things have gotten troublesome."
Rugh heaved a deep, deep sigh.
—
That night.
Rugh and the others returned to the Touahade family's royal capital villa.
Dia was put to bed, and Tart's wounds were treated before she was sent to rest in her room. Maha said she had the trading company's aftermath to deal with and wrestled with documents late into the night.
Rugh sat alone on the sofa in the reception room.
(Today was quite a day.)
(The headmaster has fallen.)
(Dia is safe.)
(Tart and Maha are alive.)
(But—)
Rugh looked out the window.
Stars twinkled in the night sky.
(The curse isn't lifted yet.)
(And then there's what that goddess's letter said—)
"Make a true confession of love."
(A confession of love, huh.)
(Dia, Tart, Maha—they all have feelings for me.)
(I know that.)
(But I—)
Rugh stared at his own hands.
An assassin's hands.
Hands that, in a previous life, took countless lives as an organization's dog.
In this life too, as the next head of the Touahade family, he
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