I stared at Laurent, who was swaggering and showing off in front of me.
It was like a male peacock in its breeding season, spreading its magnificent tail to seduce a female...
Thinking that way, I started to get a little angry.
Even though I had become a woman, I didn't like being treated like one.
"I heard you were a Musketeer Corps, too... Is that right?"
Laurent was cutting down Duchac's soldiers while talking to me.
"Yes, I fought as a Musketeer Corps in the Thirty Years' War."
"For such a beautiful woman like you to have fought in such a dangerous battlefield, that's quite something..."
Laurent wrapped the enemies' swords with his own, like a snake coiling around its prey, and knocked the swords out of their hands.
Chaenggeurang!
As the swords fell to the ground, the soldiers stared blankly at Laurent.
Laurent swung his sword in a flamboyant motion and cut down a soldier.
"Hey, can't you see I'm talking to the Young Lady?"
Laurent kicked the fallen soldiers' heads with his foot and scolded them.
"So, what do you think?"
Laurent swept back his bangs.
"Oh, geez..."
Watching Laurent like that, I let out a hollow laugh.
"Not really? Then how about my swordsmanship?"
Laurent struck a pose and looked at me.
"With this swordsmanship alone, my dream was to become the best swordsman in Elans."
Laurent was deliberately showing off in front of me, performing uselessly flamboyant movements without any practicality.
I sighed, looking pitifully at Laurent, who was earnestly trying to woo me.
When my reaction wasn't very enthusiastic, Laurent stopped his swordsmanship.
"Are you... always this cocky?"
"No, originally I'm a humble and romantic romanticist who can't control his romance."
Laurent said, spreading his arms wide to the sides.
"But, in front of a beautiful woman, I can't seem to control the talent inside me."
Hearing Laurent's cheesy words, I was dumbfounded and got up from my seat, drawing my sword.
Seureureung!
As the saber was drawn from its scabbard, making a chilling sound, the soldiers looked at me.
"Come at me, you bastards."
The soldiers, who had hesitated because I was a woman, seemed to have decided to attack me and started rushing at me.
I lightly parried the blades coming at me and separated a soldier's head from his body in one go.
The head that fell from the body rolled around on the floor, degururu.
As the hot blood gushing from the soldier's neck splattered on my face, an unknown thrill enveloped my entire body.
When I fought Duchac's soldiers before, it was no different from exercising, but now it was different.
Fighting, covering my body with the opponent's hot blood, and continuing to fight...
Suddenly, I remembered that blood had splattered on my body, and I worried that blood might have gotten on my clothes, but fortunately, only my face was slightly stained with blood.
As I smiled in relief and looked at the soldiers, they flinched at my appearance.
While the soldiers were flinching, I rushed at them and slashed the abdomens of three of them in an instant.
Then they all grabbed their bellies and fell to the floor.
"What was that, you punk?"
I swung my sword hard to shake off the blood on the blade.
"With that kind of swordsmanship, the best swordsman in Elans is nonsense... You only talk big and keep doing movements that look flashy but have no substance in swordsmanship. I don't know who your teacher is, but they wouldn't have taught you that way."
Laurent's expression turned sour at my words.
"And that cheesy way of talking might have worked in your hometown, but it's creepy to listen to, so don't ever do it again."
"Ah... Aaa..."
Laurent sighed softly at my words.
I wiped the blood from my cheek with the back of my hand and went to Aramis, who was fighting alone, leaving Laurent standing there blankly.
"Hahaha! Don't be too disappointed. Ladies in Paris are usually that complicated."
Lotos, who had approached Laurent, patted him on the shoulder.
"Huh?"
"Among them, Marie is still better, she's much different from ordinary Parisian women, she's better than most."
Lotos grinned mockingly, but when I glared at him with a fierce look, he was startled and started fighting the soldiers again.
"Marie! Are you joining in too?"
"After watching, I can't stand it either. I'll join in a bit."
"Yeah, if you can't stand watching the fight, you have to fight."
Aramis smiled broadly as if my participation was welcome news.
"Somehow, that kid is fighting alone over there. You came here without helping him."
Lotos had already cut down the soldiers and approached us.
"He was cocky, but isn't he a comrade fighting with us now? Let's go help him."
We approached Laurent and started helping him.
"Uh... um..."
Laurent looked at us in surprise as we directly stepped in to help him.
"He came to help again. Adding one more person, that is."
At Lotos's words, Laurent seemed to gain confidence and rushed at Duchac.
"You cocky bastard!"
Jjaak!
Duchac screamed and swung his sword, but Laurent lightly dodged to the side and then swung the flat of his sword like a whip, striking Duchac's back.
"Eugh!"
Duchac, who had been hit in the back by Laurent, pointed his sword at Laurent again and started stabbing wildly.
Duchac was angry and panting as he stabbed his sword at Laurent, but none of them reached Laurent, and he was just flailing his sword in the air.
After playing with Duchac for a while, Laurent broke Duchac's arm and took his sword.
Duchac, who had his sword taken away, glared at Laurent as if he would kill him.
"What, do you want to try again?"
Laurent threw the sword back to Duchac.
"You... cocky bastard! I'll definitely kill you next time!"
Duchac grabbed the sword, broke it by stomping on it with his knee, and retreated.
"Let's go back!"
Duchac's soldiers were angry and panting as they hurriedly ran away, following Duchac, who was returning.
"Waaaaah!"
"The Three Musketeers! The Three Musketeers! The Three Musketeers!"
The citizens who had been watching our fight cheered.
The cheers and applause coming from all directions made my heart swell.
"This kind of thing... it's been a while..."
Aramis closed his eyes as if he was lost in emotion.
Lotos waved to the citizens, encouraging their response.
"Why are people cheering?"
"Don't ask things like that, just feel this situation, you rascal."
In response to Laurent's question, I waved to the people and answered.
When I waved, even louder cheers erupted.
Hwiig! Hwiig!
Some people even whistled and cheered even more.
"As expected, being a beauty makes you more popular?"
"Get your hand off me."
When Lotos grabbed my shoulder, I shook off his hand.
"You've become fierce since becoming a woman, huh."
"Please shut that mouth of yours."
When I glared at him, Lotos grinned and stepped back.
"Okay, let's stop the banter there. Unless you want to fight all of the Duke of Orleans' soldiers, let's get out of here quickly."
At Aramis's words, we left the fountain.
"What are you doing? You have to come with us too."
Lotos put his arm around Laurent's shoulders and followed me and Aramis.
#
We hurriedly left the fountain and started walking down the street.
The streets were filled with stalls selling fruits and various miscellaneous items.
Young Ladies wearing dresses and parasols, laughing and chatting, nuns returning to the cathedral with groceries in their arms, swordsmen heading somewhere with their hats pulled down low, and various other people were strolling along the road.
Long, slender barges were carrying people and goods over the river.
Usually, it was a street that I, Lotos, and Aramis walked together, but this time Laurent joined, making it four of us.
Laurent followed us, holding his horse's reins.
"So, what are we going to do about our duel?"
Laurent looked at the three of us and asked.
"Don't you ever get tired? It seems like we've already done more than enough fighting for today."
At Lotos's words, Laurent closed his mouth.
"We fought together, so aren't we comrades?"
"That's right, if we fought together, we're definitely comrades."
Aramis chimed in at my words.
"By the way, I'm worried about my future now."
"Well, you've made the most powerful person in Elans, the Duke of Orleans, and the best swordsman in Elans and the Duke of Orleans' right-hand man, Count Raschfort, your enemies..."
"You've been properly marked by the higher-ups just one day after coming to Paris."
"Haa..."
Laurent sighed deeply at my and Aramis's words.
"Reckless, cocky, no manners, and a quick temper."
Lotos listed Laurent's flaws, and he glared at Lotos.
"Even though it seems like your head will be chopped off soon, your fiery personality is just my style."
"I don't know whether to be happy or not that you like me."
As we walked down the street, we arrived at the bridge built over the Seine River.
"So, where are we going now?"
"Hey, young master. Do you have a place to stay?"
"Originally... I would have joined the Musketeer Corps and stayed in the dormitory."
"Oh, dear..."
Laurent shook his head at Lotos's question.
"Then where are you planning to stay?"
"I don't know."
"Then do you have money?"
Laurent grinned and took out a coin purse from the saddle, showing it to us.
"In that case, I invite you and your wonderful horse-nim to my humble home."
Lotos pointed to his house built on the bridge.
"I heard that people build houses on the Seine River when they go to Paris, and it was true."
"But it's only temporary. Find a place to stay tomorrow."
Lotos patted Laurent on the shoulder and went up to the second floor via the stairs.
"Tie the horse in the stable in the corner on the first floor."
At Aramis's words, Laurent nodded and led the horse to the stable, and we entered Lotos's house.
"Ah, that's right. If Laurent is staying at your house today, what are you going to do with that guy?"
"That guy?"
"Planchet. I'm talking about your servant."
"I have a way, so leave it to me."
As we opened the door and entered, Planchet hurriedly ran to the entrance.
"Oh my, have you come, masters?"
Planchet bowed to us, bending his waist, which was not easily bent due to his belly fat.
"I thought you would be at the bar until dinner again and then come back..."
Planchet scanned us standing at the entrance.
"Heok!"
Then, when his eyes met mine, he was startled and shrugged his shoulders.
"Why are you so surprised? Why, you rascal?"
Lotos, seeing Planchet's strange reaction, pointed at me with his finger.
"Oh my, how can such a beautiful person be with our master-nim who is like an orc..."
"What did you say, you rascal? An orc?"
"Oh no! That's not it. I'm just saying that, it's not that master-nim is really like an orc, I just meant that he's as strong as an orc..."
"You piece of shit!"
Jjaak!
Lotos raised his hand and strongly struck Planchet's back.
"Ouch, that hurts! Planchet is dying!"
Planchet made a fuss and started jumping up and down on the spot.
"Planchet."
"Yes, yep?!"
Planchet stopped his actions when Lotos called him.
"Shut up and go get some alcohol."
"Yes, yes, I understand."
Planchet hesitated and then quickly ran to the kitchen, afraid of getting hit again.
"Okay, let's go inside and keep drinking."
As we sat down, Planchet came with five bottles of alcohol full in his arms and placed them on the table.
"Here~ I brought them."
"Okay, pour it! Pour it! Euhahahaha!"
Lotos, whose face brightened at the sight of the alcohol, started pouring alcohol into the glass.
"For the beautiful lady, this luxurious glass..."
"Leave it and get lost."
I, who was in a good mood thinking about drinking alcohol, suddenly felt bad when Planchet acted like I was a noble Young Lady.
"Ah... Aaa... Did I do something wrong?"
"Ah, just leave the glass and go!"
When I snapped and got annoyed, Planchet hunched his shoulders.
"Haa... Sorry for getting angry."
I sighed and roughly washed my face with my dry hands.
"That friend is on edge today."
Lotos laughed heartily at my appearance of getting angry at Planchet.
"Hoo... I don't know either. I get angry when I see people trying to treat me well just because I'm a woman."
"It's because you're a woman that they're treating you well... Hey, Planchet, you rascal, that's why I told you to shave your beard and lose some weight, didn't I?!"
Lotos scolded the innocent Planchet.
"Oh my... I'll lose weight quickly."
"You've been saying that for three years already, three years."
"No matter how I look at it, I don't think it's because of the weight and beard..."
Planchet grumbled at Lotos's scolding and ran away to the kitchen.
"But... you always drink wine at home."
"Still, if I drink expensive alcohol, that rascal Planchet won't steal it."
Aramis chuckled at Lotos's answer.
"That friend also likes alcohol a lot, so sometimes drink with him too."
"I'll think about that later."
I sat blankly, shaking the glass and swirling the wine inside.
Even though I say that my body being changed is God's blessing, why can't I still adapt to the fact that I'm a woman?
The Cardinal-nim also said that I can't go back to being a man because it's God's blessing, and I thought I had accepted it to some extent for several days, but I felt resentful every time I was treated like a woman.
Could it be that I am a sinner who cannot accept even God's blessing?
That's because what is it to feel such joy while cutting down people?
Even after fighting and thinking about it, I thought it wasn't normal.
"Why are you shaking the innocent alcohol without drinking it?"
"That's what I'm saying, what's the reason why I don't feel like drinking...?"
"Even if you don't feel like drinking, isn't alcohol something that goes down smoothly once you drink it? I don't know what you're thinking so much about, but drink it."
At Aramis's advice, I nodded and downed the wine in one shot.