Volume 7, Chapter 7 – Physical Examination

Night fell.

“Your Highness… it is me.”

Heart pounding with trepidation, Anastasia, clad in a nightgown, knocked on Fia’s door. Due to the complex and disorganized nature of the Land of Exile, coupled with the residents’ refusal to hand over their children—believing it to be a noble’s plot to sell them off—the task of gathering the underage elves had taken the entire afternoon. It was already seven o’clock that evening by the time Fia arrived at Baron Yarua’s city with the soldiers and children.

Afterward, Baron Yarua warmly hosted Fia in her capacity as the Eldest Princess and briefed her on the situation regarding last year’s winter offensive.

For some reason, ever since the Milcandis Holy Kingdom launched its sneak attack on Silvar two years ago, the undead of the Netherworld had become much more disorganized. In previous years, the undead always attacked with organization and strategy, but starting two years ago, they began appearing aimlessly in clusters as if they had lost their commander, only to be swept away by elven magic chanters. Consequently, the pressure on the defensive line had suddenly decreased, which felt unsettlingly unfamiliar.

Of course, this was merely an interlude. Fia had no interest in exchanging pleasantries with nobles, and Baron Yarua, having met Fia before and knowing the Eldest Princess to be a distant and taciturn noble, took no offense at Fia’s “disdainful” behavior toward him. Ultimately, Baron Yarua followed Fia’s orders to find accommodations for the underage elves, and Fia, after a simple dinner, returned to the guest room arranged for her.

And thus, the current scene unfolded.

Under the glow of the candlelight from one side of the corridor, Anastasia’s near-perfect, mature figure was faintly visible. She had changed into a light green gauze nightgown adorned with blue and purple butterfly patterns. Her long golden hair was draped over her shoulders, carrying the moisture and fragrance of a recent bath. Her skin glowed with a soft pink hue from soaking too long in the wooden tub, making her look like a succulent, ripe fruit waiting to be plucked.

This is so embarrassing…

Hearing the sound of footsteps coming from inside the room, the already nervous Anastasia grew even more apprehensive. She subconsciously clutched her chest, but this only served to make her bosom—lush enough to make even Erin Slate envious—protrude further. Normally, when Anastasia looked down, she couldn’t even see her own feet.

She began to check herself for any impropriety. In truth, because her chest was so well-developed, it blocked most of the light, leaving the area below in shadow and revealing only a blurred silhouette. Nevertheless, Anastasia possessed a powerful “older sister” charm; even though the light green nightgown was quite loose, it was still pulled into alluring curves by her rounded thighs and pert rear. The dim candlelight filtered through the gauze hem, faintly illuminating her shapely, slender legs. The mysterious atmosphere was intensely seductive; she looked less like an elf and more like a female demon luring a lost lamb.

Even though I’m wearing proper underwear, I still can’t stay calm.

Anastasia swallowed hard.

Click.

The door was opened from the inside, and Fia, dressed in a pale pink nightgown, appeared before Anastasia. Anastasia’s skin tightened instantly, like a soldier stepping onto the battlefield for the first time. Her adrenaline spiked, and her heart hammered incessantly against her ribs.

She saw Fia’s pupils dilate significantly as her ruby eyes moved up and down, clearly assessing her attire with a mix of astonishment and admiration.

Fia’s blatant gaze made Anastasia squirm, and she tried to turn away to avoid the scrutiny. However, Fia stopped there. She returned to the bedside and picked up a thick book, her expression unreadable. Anastasia noticed other ancient texts scattered haphazardly across the bed; it seemed Fia had been searching through something since returning to her room.

“Come in. Sit for a while.”

“Alright…”

Anastasia carefully closed the door, then tiptoed toward the chairs in the bedroom. She sat upright like a baby in a new environment, watching Fia as she sat on the bed.

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Then, she witnessed a scene that left her dumbstruck. She had assumed Fia was studying the books seriously, but it didn’t look like she was reading at all—the pages flipped with a rhythmic shk-shk sound. Anastasia couldn’t even make out the first word before Fia had already turned the page. Fia finished an ancient text of over a hundred pages in just a few minutes, making one wonder if she was actually paying attention.

One had to understand that these were ancient texts filled with many difficult terms and footnotes, some parts even being blurred and mixed with Archaic Elven. If it were Anastasia, it might take her an entire day just to decipher a single page. Although Anastasia didn’t have Erin Slate’s literary foundation, Royal Swordsmen were required to study literature and magic; her slow reading wasn’t due to a lack of literacy like Nola, but because the texts were simply that difficult.

Is Dofi just pretending to be composed? Is she actually like me, unable to calm down at all?

Realizing this, Anastasia’s tense heart instantly relaxed. Ever since she heard Fia say this morning, “Come to my room tonight, and don’t dress too heavily,” her mind had been wandering and filled with wild fantasies.

Of course, she didn’t harbor the extravagant hope that Fia intended to confess; such a possibility didn’t exist. She simply thought that perhaps Fia wanted to seek help from her “older sister,” such as wanting to learn some… technical things. As a maid, she technically had such a responsibility (not really), and she had already done a considerable amount of homework for this day.

That said, as soon as she thought about having to suppress her shame and use a serious expression to teach Fia such shameless knowledge, she couldn’t help but feel her body and cheeks heating up together. The thought of touching her sister’s skin made her cover her face in bashfulness, her appearance becoming enchantingly vivid. Just thinking about it made her tremble with excitement. After today, she probably wouldn’t need to bathe for days—no, she wouldn’t be able to calm down for weeks. Every time she gets into bed, she won’t be able to stop thinking about the Dofilia from tonight…

So, the Dofi who is seeking help must also be incredibly embarrassed right now!

Yes, that has to be it!

Anastasia cheered in her heart. Thinking about it carefully, how could Fia be completely fine as the one seeking help? If it were her, unless she encountered a confusing issue like having no sensation during intimacy, she would never seek help from others. Therefore, Fia must have run into a problem so troubling that she felt she absolutely had to speak out.

She would let this “older sister” resolve her doubts. It was truly impressive that she could still pretend to flip through books with such feigned gravity, but there was no need to be so restrained in front of her sister. Just say it all!

Filled with expectation, Anastasia watched over Fia with the warm smile of an older sister looking at her younger sibling, quietly waiting for the moment Fia would speak.

Until Fia, still flipping through her book, asked out of the blue.

“I didn’t realize Anastasia had such fancy clothes.”

“Eh?” Fia’s calm tone made Anastasia’s heart tighten. She quickly sat upright and answered, “Th—These aren’t my clothes. No, why do you ask?”

“I’ve never seen Anastasia wear this kind of nightgown before. The old Anastasia would only wear things that looked like nightgowns but were actually loose robes, right? And the color was always white. This is the first time I’ve seen such a light green nightgown, and it’s so thin.”

It’s a wonder Anastasia could even leave her room in such clothes.

Fia didn’t voice this embarrassing thought. The current Anastasia looked less like a maid and more like an elven succubus tempting her to pull her into bed. She could even see the color of her underwear through the nightgown—it was a white with subtle lace that suited Anastasia perfectly. Even a man of character wouldn’t be able to help but steal a few extra glances and let his imagination run wild.

However, even though Fia didn’t spell it out, Anastasia understood what she was trying to convey. This nightgown wasn’t her own; she thought Fia might care about… “atmosphere,” so she had specifically borrowed a nightgown from Erin Slate. Although she was puzzled as to why Erin Slate kept such a “decisive” nightgown with a slit down the chest, Fia’s invitation came first, and she didn’t have time to overthink it.

“That’s because… that’s because… you told me not to dress too heavily…”

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“Sigh,” Fia put down her book and stood up, letting out a long breath. “What I meant was not to wear those layers upon layers of clothes that are inconvenient to take off, not for you to change into a misinterpretable night—nightgown. If Liti or Milu were to knock on the door right now, Anastasia would have to hide in the wardrobe.”

“Eh? You…”

You didn’t mean it that way? But then what does “convenient to take off” mean? Is Dofi actually someone who doesn’t care about “atmosphere” at all—someone who can be interested even if the woman isn’t wearing seductive clothes or cultivating a romantic mood? But that’s so unromantic, not like a young girl at all…

So Miss Claire has always been facing this kind of Dofi. No wonder she’s always dropping hints… she must be very troubled and wants me, as the older sister, to teach her, right?

At this thought, Anastasia was suddenly filled with a sense of responsibility. Her earlier panic was replaced by seriousness. She regained her composure and asked with feigned confusion.

“May I ask why Your Highness summoned your subordinate…”

“Right. I went back to the Royal Capital tonight and brought back many books. Anastasia, stand up and take off your clothes, including your underwear.”

“Yes.”

Without a shred of hesitation, Anastasia stood up. She untied the light green silk ribbon at the chest of her nightgown, then unfastened the buttons of her bra. In an instant, her lush bosom popped out like jelly poured from a cup. Her translucent skin, as smooth as ivory, shimmered against her golden hair. The stunning curve from her slender waist to her full thighs was impossible to look away from. Though she had very little fabric covering her, it was impossible to feel sacrilegious; like a statue of a goddess in a holy cathedral, she was a perfect masterpiece, a literal work of art.

So dazzling…

For the first time, Fia felt that there were things she couldn’t do—Anastasia was simply far superior to her.

Anastasia didn’t stop there. She lifted one leg, intending to remove the final piece of underwear, but Fia stopped her.

“Wait, this is enough.”

“Yes.”

“…Anastasia, aren’t you acting a bit strange?”

Finally unable to help herself, Fia did her best not to look at Anastasia’s private areas and said hesitantly.

“Strange? What does Your Highness mean?”

“I mean, if it were the old Anastasia, you’d at least be blushing. Right now, you don’t seem to have any reaction at all.”

“Although your subordinate is embarrassed, if it is for Your Highness’s sake, this is nothing worth mentioning,” Anastasia said, her heart full of eagerness as she stole a glance at Fia, adding seriously as if to emphasize or hint, “If Your Highness has anything you don’t understand, your subordinate is willing to resolve your doubts.”

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As for the inevitable physical contact during the process of “resolving doubts,” that was unavoidable. In any case, whatever was supposed to happen between Dofi and Claire had already happened; there shouldn’t be any so-called first-time hesitations—their physical contact had probably reached double digits by now.

I am providing guidance, definitely not taking advantage of my position. Yes, guidance.

However, Fia did not explain her difficulties with a bashful face as Anastasia had imagined. Instead, she calmly moved behind Anastasia.

“What are you talking about? I’m checking to see if there are any marks of the Darkborn disease on Anastasia’s body—to see if you’ve been infected with something unclean.”

As she spoke, Fia lightly pressed her cold index finger against Anastasia’s slender back. The ice-like cold made Anastasia’s back jerk, and a cry escaped her lips.

“Eek!”

“Don’t be afraid. This is a necessary examination.”

What is Her Highness doing?

Unable to see Fia’s face, Anastasia couldn’t help but grow nervous.

Could it be that things aren’t what I thought? Dofi doesn’t want to ask me for sexual knowledge, but something else?

Then wouldn’t my dressing like this—and even being teased by Lady Erin Slate with that bewildered look, saying “Anastasia has finally seen the light”—be… wouldn’t it be a complete misunderstanding? Was I being too narcissistic?

The more she thought this way, the more Anastasia felt that was exactly the case. With Fia’s serious personality, how could she do something frivolous? It was she who was being too lewd, thinking something indescribably intimate would happen.

What… what was I fantasizing about Dofi!

A crimson flush gradually climbed from Anastasia’s neck to her cheeks, until even the tips of her pointed elven ears turned red. Fia could clearly feel Anastasia’s body becoming stiff.

“Anastasia, do you have a fever?”

“Fe—Fever?”

“You don’t feel it? Your body suddenly became hot. If you feel cold, we can go to the bathroom instead, if Baron Yarua has one here.”

“No, no, no, it’s fine. Your subordinate is fine here, right here…” Anastasia laughed sheepishly in agreement. She carefully turned her head, but could only see Fia’s pensive profile. “Why did Your Highness suddenly want to perform an examination? Your subordinate does not have the Darkborn disease, and I have been by your side lately. If I were feeling unwell, I would have noticed long ago.”

“If only noticing were that simple. Didn’t Anastasia almost trip this morning? If you were an ordinary person with very little mana, that would be nothing, but you are a Fifth Rank warrior. It’s impossible for you to trip for no reason.”

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What was more troubling was that she had completely forgotten the joke she had made, as if her memory had been rewound. If this were some kind of mental magic, she—who was beside Anastasia at the time—surely would have detected a trace of mana. Yet, she hadn’t sensed even a hint of abnormality; the problem clearly lay with Anastasia herself.

But even after scouring the ancient texts, she hadn’t found any relevant records, leaving her with nowhere to start. This inevitably brought to mind Davis’s explanation: transmigrators themselves are existences that destroy order. They are like iron balls dropped onto a curtain; simply being there causes the surrounding fabric to sag. This means that order cannot function normally around them, which in turn affects those around them. The Darkborn disease is the product of such destroyed order.

If Davis’s hypothesis was correct, Anastasia had been with her the longest, so it would be logical for her to be the first to show abnormalities. Although Fia felt that Davis’s hypothesis was unreliable since it couldn’t explain the sporadic appearances of the Darkborn disease, she couldn’t help but worry that it was she who had caused Anastasia to become like this.

If the symptoms grew more severe, she would have to separate from Anastasia and Liti for a while. That should allow the order around them to heal itself, and then she could be with them again.

No, it might not necessarily be like that.

Realizing she was thinking too far ahead, Fia shook her head repeatedly, driving the worst-case thoughts from her mind.

“Your Highness, have you… finished the examination?”

Whether out of fear or embarrassment, there was a great deal of trembling in Anastasia’s voice. Only then did Fia realize that at some point, her right hand had come to rest on Anastasia’s hip. The face Anastasia turned back toward her was completely red, and crystalline tears were even appearing in the corners of her eyes. She was embarrassed to the extreme; she must have been enduring her “sexual harassment” for quite a while.

It must be because Anastasia is so soft; it’s hard to let go…

I’ve become a terrible boss.

She really didn’t know if, should Anastasia truly become the Second Consort, she would spend all day indulging in the gentle embrace of these two older sisters—that would be far too decadent.

Fia politely withdrew her hand and coughed loudly.

“Ahem! I’m sorry, I got distracted. There are no problems on your back. Let’s check the front. Anastasia, cover the parts that need covering with your hands.”

“Alright…”

Anastasia swallowed with difficulty. Fia’s black twin tails brushed against her waist, giving her a sensation of itching that was hard to control.

Now, the one who was embarrassed had become herself.

Despite coming here with the intent to teach Dofi and expecting to see her sitting on the bed, covering her mouth in bashfulness, how did it turn into this…