I Didn't Even Want To Live, But God Forced Me To Reincarnate! Chapter 51: The Plan (3): What's Your Disguise?

"Whoa, Mom, aren't you jealous that Dad is working with a woman like Rupert?" Alt-nii tried to tease Mom.

"...hmmm, so you're suggesting that Cyan has something with Rupert?"

Mom's answer was totally unexpected. Her voice is very, very calm.

I thought that at some point, Mom would hold some kind of jealousy against Rupert.

"Well, the three of them seemed close and all... Ah, maybe Rupert is with Gale, instead?" Alt-nii asked.

"Eh, no, I'm not into something like—," Gale quickly retorted.

"Uh, Rupert, I mean...," Dad was stuttering.

"No problem. I'm used to it already. Instead, I am happy that I can captivate the others without using any trick," Rupert's wry smile remained.

"...Huh?"

Alt-nii and I are looking at each other with confusion.

"Fufu, it would be funny if your dad is indeed smitten with Rupert. Okay, I shall encourage him to that path instead~," Mom chuckled.

...wait...

This reaction...

...now that I can take a closer look at Rupert... could it be that Rupert... is a man?!

A beautifully handsome man?

...Her body built is slender and slim so I can't really tell—her skin is beautiful, too—no way...

"Could it be that Rupert...," I started to speak.

"...Eh?!" Alt-nii seemed to notice it, as well, as he kept observing Rupert.

"Yes. Rupert here, is a man," Dad clarified for us.

"S-sorry, Rupert!" Alt-nii and I both bowed our heads to apologize.

"No problem."

"But, but, you look so alluring and beautiful that I—uhh, I mean, as a man, you're also good-looking! But your aura..."

Alt-nii is babbling. He's trying to hide his embarra.s.sment.

"No worries there," Rupert gently smiled.

"Then, let's proceed to discuss our plan!" Dad clapped his hands together.

"I will be going with Meredea on a separate carriage," Mom's voice slightly hinted her sadness, looking at both me and Altaire bitterly.

"Meredea will arrive using a carriage from Capicastle. So, we'll be going ahead of you."

"We have devised a disguise plan, so listen carefully," Dad said.

"We will be going under the disguise of traveling merchants. I will be taking the role of the father—let's say, I will name my disguise Marvel Rashad," Dad then proceeded to use his illusion skills.

Dad then turned into a shorter and fatter man with a beard. His black hair is really in contrast with his real appearance. His eyes are now brown.

I don't think we have to really think about our disguise's names, but perhaps it's there to make sure we don't call one another with our real names in public?

"Next, I will be the mother figure," Rupert stood up and chanted.

[Gliderung, sâwolhord wendan] (Illusion, body alter)

Then, he turned into a beautiful woman. His formerly ashen grey hair turns into beautiful silky silver hair—as long as his waist, but his right bang still covers his right face.

His lips turned into seductive red, the same as his eyes—but his skin is still brown.

"The name's Ruby."

After that, he called off his disguise and returned to his true self.

"Eh?"

He isn't going to keep his disguise?

"Lyra, using illusion magic to disguise themselves cost lots of mana. Therefore, they won't be in disguise when it's just us."

Dad patted my head—wait what, no, not with that appearance, Dad.

Rupert smiled at me.

"That's right. Both Gale and I use additional magical tools to regenerate our mana and to make our disguise perfect."

"I, is that so?" I asked.

"Anyway, let me pose as the eldest son of you two."

It's time for Gale to take on the spotlight.

[Scinna, scîene wandrian] (Illusion, light alteration)

Huh, different spell?

He then took on the form of a teenage boy, with brown skin, silver hair and matte brown eyes.

"Voila, that's it, the name's Robert, the first son! What about you kids?" He then asked me and Altaire.

"Well, Altaire and Lyra should just be the second and third children, then. And to keep it easier, don't change into your opposite gender. Just try to think about your desired appearances," Dad encouraged us.

"Oh, I got an idea!"

Altaire-nii stood up and quickly transformed—nah, used his illusion magic to disguise himself in front of us.

His navy blue hair turned black, and his eyes turned both red. He also added some freckles to his face. He's become the cute younger brother!

"The second son of Rashad family, Rye~"

...which leaves me.

"Uhm, then I will be the third so—wait, third child and the only daughter... uhm..."

I stood up and focused myself to alter my appearance by illusion magic—let see, use my mana to cover my body and...

I turned my hair into the same long silver and silky hair that Rupert chose—and my eyes would turn both red. No changes to my skin.

"What about this?" I asked.

"Lyra is still cute, no matter how she's turned to!" Dad's remark. As usual.

"Good!"

"Well, you will certainly look like my daughter that way," Rupert added.

It felt kinda wrong, but okay.

"T, then call me... Murphy?"

"That's cute!" Gale said.

"Murph, Murph... That's nice! Hi, Murph, oh, just call me Rye or Nii-chan~!" Alt-nii took my hands and shook it up and down.

He must have taken a liking to the name that I chose.

"Eh, come to think about it. Gale used a different spell than Rupert?" I asked before I forgot.

"Ah, yup. Gale's affinity is light, so he's manipulating the light to create an optical illusion to disguise himself," Dad explained.

"Yes, Lyra! The three elements known to be able to show illusion are [Neutral], [Light], and [Dark]~!"

Neutral... well, the same mechanism as for how our Hartmann secret arts could act—manipulating mana to control our appearance, but it is limited so that it wouldn't be able to transform ourselves to such extent.

Light... As Dad explained, by manipulating the light, it's possible to generate optical illusion.

...What about dark?

"Uhm... Neutral... Light... I know how, but Dark...?"

"Dark magic can manipulate the light by absorbing them into darkness, or by using illusive suggestion to the target's minds," Rupert explained.

"Oh, I see... So, those are the only three elements that can use variations of illusion magic?"

"Exactly. Mine was a [Neutral] magic."

"I see... That's awesome..."

I was really in awe. The fact that the two of them can skillfully change their appearances is the undeniable proof that they are powerful in terms of magical power.

"Do all members of the Royal Spies have such powerful magical power?" I asked.

"Hmmm, well... No, there are people who rely on magical devices, potions, or other disguising tools. We all have different specialties and roles," Rupert kindly explained it to me.

"Well, if proficiency and excellency at magical power is an absolute requirement to be a spy, then there would be lots of Royal Magicians who are doing double-job as Royal Spies as well, right?" Alt-nii deducted.

"True. But being excellent in magic such as illusion magic alone is not enough for the magicians to be spies," Mom replied.

"Of course! You're gonna need lots of guts, and nice acting skills!" Gale said it with pride.

Oh my... I am really looking forward to seeing how they operate!

And no wonder Alt-nii and I are instructed to just disguise ourselves as the children—since basically, it's the same as our role right now. It will be easier for us—who are untrained in terms of underground activities—to disguise ourselves.

"Excuse me."

The front door is being knocked three times and a familiar voice could be heard.