From Hero to Her: Cale's Quirky Adventure

Chapter 4: A Beautiful Disguise

As Cale stepped into the dining hall, every gaze in the room immediately fixed on him—or rather, her. The stunned silence was so complete that Cale could almost hear the clinking of cutlery from the kitchens. In the oversized shirt with sleeves hanging well past his hands and pants bunched up in every possible place, Cale felt like a walking, tragic comedy.

Count Deruth Henituse, Cale's father, was the first to react, blinking once, then twice, as if trying to clear a fog from his mind. The sight before him—his previously slacker son now transformed into a delicate young woman—was just too surreal. His mouth opened as if to speak, but no words came out. Instead, he let out a sound that could only be described as a mix of a gulp and a hiccup.

"Cale... is that... you?" Deruth's tone was one of disbelief tinged with an almost pleading hope that this was all some strange trick of the morning light.

"Yes, Father," Cale answered, sounding thoroughly annoyed as he adjusted the sleeves that kept falling over his hands. "It's me. Just... different."

Countess Violan, ever composed, took a moment to assess her transformed stepson with the practiced eye of someone accustomed to dealing with unexpected turns of fate. Her gaze softened slightly, and, to Cale's growing discomfort, she let out a small, amused chuckle.

"Oh, Cale, you... you're actually quite lovely like this," Violan said with an unusual warmth. "It suits you," she added, and for a moment, a glimmer of motherly pride flickered in her eyes.

Cale's eye twitched. Lovely? Suits me? He had been prepared for shock, perhaps even disbelief—but compliments? That, he did not expect. Deruth, however, was still blinking, as if he were trying to match Cale's new appearance with his memory of his son.

"Ah, well... Cale, you... erm..." Deruth began, scratching his head awkwardly, as if struggling to put his own thoughts together. "Are you feeling alright? You haven't... um... sprouted any wings or extra limbs, have you?"

Cale sighed, trying to maintain his patience. "No, Father, just this... appearance. Otherwise, I'm perfectly fine."

His words didn't seem to ease Deruth's confusion. Instead, his father merely nodded, more to himself than to Cale. "Right, yes. Just... just a girl now. I suppose that's... that's normal..." Deruth trailed off, looking as if he was trying to reassure himself of some unconvincing truth.

Across the table, Basen, Cale's younger half-brother, was wide-eyed, his cheeks red with what appeared to be a mix of shock and confusion. His mouth opened as if he had something to say but immediately shut it, realizing that no words seemed appropriate. Then, he quickly cast his gaze down to his lap, cheeks a blazing crimson.

Lily, however, was entirely unfazed by the transformation. With a grin that was equal parts admiration and excitement, she jumped up from her seat, practically bouncing over to Cale.

"Cale, you're so pretty!" she exclaimed, clasping her hands together. "Are you my big sister now?"

Cale couldn't help but groan. "I'm still your brother, Lily. Just... a bit different on the outside, alright?"

Lily looked thoughtful, her eyes still sparkling with awe. "Well, you'd make a great sister too, you know!" She turned to her mother, a wide grin on her face. "Can Cale be my sister now, Mama? She's way prettier than I ever imagined!"

Violan stifled a chuckle, clearly amused by the whole situation. "Let's not rush to change titles just yet, Lily. I'm sure your brother is still... himself inside." But there was a glimmer of mischief in her eyes as she glanced at Cale. "Although, Cale, it does feel like a... divine blessing of sorts. Have you considered that?"

Cale resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "If this is a blessing, I'd like a refund."

Violan's lips twitched, but she merely shrugged with an air of grace. "Well, however this happened, Cale, I must say you wear it well. I never imagined... this."

Deruth, trying to regain his composure, cleared his throat. "Yes, well. No matter what, you're still our child, Cale," he said, attempting a confident nod. "Boy or girl, we love you just the same."

Cale's gaze softened slightly, even as he struggled to process the chaos of reactions around him. It was oddly reassuring that, even if his family was bewildered by his transformation, their acceptance of him remained the same.

But then Deruth continued. "Though... it does make one think. Perhaps this is fate's way of giving us another daughter!"

Cale nearly choked, glancing at his father with a look of utter betrayal. "Father, please don't encourage this. I am not a daughter."

"Of course not, of course not," Deruth said quickly, raising his hands in a placating gesture. But his eyes sparkled with an almost mischievous amusement. "Still... it's a lovely change."

Cale groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. "This isn't permanent. I'm going to fix it, alright? I'll go back to normal soon."

The entire table nodded, though it was clear that Violan and Deruth were somewhat amused by the situation, even if they were trying to be supportive. Basen continued to steal glances, looking embarrassed but slightly fascinated, while Lily remained enthusiastic, peppering Cale with questions about what it was like to be a girl.

"Can you still do all the things you could do before?" she asked eagerly. "Are your powers still the same? Oh! Do you feel any different?"

"I feel exactly the same," Cale replied with a sigh. "The only difference is that now everyone is acting like I've grown a second head."

Lily giggled. "Not a second head—just a prettier face!"

Cale could only let out a defeated groan, and the rest of the breakfast passed with the family attempting to act as if everything was normal—though it was clear everyone was still processing the change in their own way.

As breakfast concluded, Violan stood, casting a thoughtful look at Cale. "We may need to see about getting you some proper attire, Cale," she said with a wry smile. "I can't imagine those oversized clothes will serve you well for long."

Cale's eyes widened in alarm. "No need for that, I'll be back to normal before we know it!" he said hurriedly, not keen on the idea of being paraded around in dresses.

But Violan merely raised an eyebrow. "Just in case," she said smoothly, her tone leaving little room for argument. Cale's shoulders slumped in resignation, realizing he had no say in the matter.

As they rose from the table, Cale shot a look at Ron, who was waiting nearby, his face as unreadable as ever. However, there was a distinct glimmer of mirth in the butler's eyes, which only deepened as he met Cale's gaze.

"Ron," Cale muttered, walking over to him. "Please tell me you're taking this seriously."

"Oh, I am, Young Master," Ron replied smoothly, though there was a hint of laughter in his tone. "After all, it's not every day one's young master becomes such a lovely lady."

Cale let out a strangled groan. "Not you too, Ron."

Ron only smiled, unfazed by Cale's exasperation. "Don't worry, Young Master. Whatever form you take, I'll serve you just the same."

"Great," Cale muttered sarcastically, his patience wearing thin. "Just... try not to enjoy this too much, will you?"

Ron's grin only widened ever so slightly. "I wouldn't dream of it, Young Master."

As Cale exited the dining hall, he couldn't shake the strange feeling of warmth. Annoying as his family's reactions were, there was an undeniable sense of comfort in their acceptance—even if it meant putting up with Lily's endless questions, Deruth's awkward support, and Violan's unexpected interest in finding him dresses.

With his usual grace (and a slight stumble fromhis ill-fitting pants), Cale walked out, realizing that while histransformation had caused a stir, his family's loyalty remained intact. Anddespite his grumbling, he knew deep down that he wouldn't have it any otherway.