Thanks to the delicious meals Alice's aunt cooked for me every day, I made a full recovery in just a few days.

  Even though I was healed, I had nowhere to go, so the two of them kindly let me continue staying with them. Not only that, seeing as I had no change of clothes, they even bought me several outfits.

  At the clothing store they took me to, Alice treated me like a dress-up doll, and I was bewildered by the sensation of wearing a bra (apparently called an "Inner" here) for the first time... but that’s a story for another time. Yeah. Remembering it is embarrassing, so please let's pretend it happened off-screen.

  Living here for a while, I realized something.

  It seems this world isn't completely devoid of similarities to Earth. On average, the civilization level is lower than Earth's, but there are many counterparts to things that exist back home. Magic makes up for the lack of scientific advancement in many areas.

  "Light Lamps" using Light Magic illuminate the town at night, cooking appliances utilizing Fire Magic are standard in households, and water systems applying Water Magic run throughout the town. So, it wasn't particularly inconvenient.

  There was also something that surprised me. For some reason, I can read and write the language of this world.

  When I want to read, the meaning automatically translates into Japanese in my head. When I want to write, if I think in Japanese first, the characters of this world naturally come to mind, and I can write them fluently.

  I don't know the trick behind it, but I thought it was an overly convenient ability. At least, it's probably way more useful than the transformation ability.

  Now, one day, with Alice's entrance ceremony just around the corner, I decided to go to the public office to measure my Magic Power.

  Alice, who had accompanied me everywhere until now, tried to come along as usual. But since I already knew where the office was, I told her I wanted to try walking around the town alone once and declined. She looked quite disappointed, but I apologized and soothed her.

  Of course, I didn't turn her down without reason. If she was with me, I wouldn't have a chance to transform.

  It couldn't be helped. I intended to measure my Magic Power in my male state as well. I thought there might be a possibility that my Magic Power value would be different when I was a man versus a woman.

  The streetscape of Sacris seemed to center around stone buildings. Many houses were made of brick, and while there were some wooden ones, they were few. In the center of the town, a magnificent clock tower stood tall. Since there were few high buildings, it was visible from anywhere.

  Four times a day, from morning to evening, beautiful bells rang out, telling people the time. Looking only at the buildings, the scenery looked just like medieval Europe.

  But as I mentioned before, there are many differences, such as streetlights everywhere. What surprised me was that this town has a station and a railway powered by magic. It connects various towns closely, and trade is flourishing. From an Earth perspective, parts of it are already modernized.

  On the other hand, there are parts that remain archaic.

  The residents of this town are largely divided into commoners and nobles. And nobles possess various privileges. For example, only they have the right to participate in politics, or there are jobs only they can take.

  Residential areas are also clearly divided into the Commoner District and the Noble District, and it seems to be taboo—or rather strictly forbidden—for ordinary people to enter the Noble District without special business. By the way, Alice and her aunt are commoners.

  While enjoying the streetscape and walking down the main street for a while, I arrived at the public office easily. There was a huge signboard proclaiming "This is the Public Office," so there was no mistaking it.

  However, I didn't enter immediately. Instead, I went into a nearby park. I wandered around inside for a bit, looking for my target location.

  Found it. A public restroom.

  I intended to transform in a stall here. So that no one would ever see my gender suddenly change.

  After confirming there was no one around or inside, I quickly infiltrated the men's restroom.

  The reason I didn't choose the women's restroom was, of course, considering my gender after the transformation. I judged that the risk of being seen is higher when exiting a stall than when entering it from the outside. You can't see outside from inside, after all. If someone saw a man coming out of a women's restroom, I'd be reported immediately. I wanted to avoid that at all costs.

  When I entered, I saw several urinals lined up in front. Cleaning wasn't done at all; they were all so dirty I wanted to cover my eyes. The smell of ammonia drifted everywhere, stinging my nose. I grimaced involuntarily. It seems things like this are common even across worlds.

  ...Still. I should be used to entering men's restrooms.

  Why is it? Being a girl right now, I feel like I'm doing something very wrong. My heart starts pounding. My feet hurry as if responding to the throbbing in my chest. I slipped into a stall at top speed and locked it immediately.

  Haa... haa...

  Breathing hard from the unexpected excitement, I sighed in relief. For now, I don't have to worry about anyone seeing me...

  Ugh... This stall smells like man.

  It even faintly smells like squid... Did someone do it here? Ugh, disgusting. Maybe because I'm a woman, I'm sensitive to the smell of men? But I came all this way. Patience. Patience.

  Pulling myself together. Before transforming, I have to change my clothes first. Otherwise, I'll become a perverted man wearing women's clothes.

  I imagined myself as a man wearing a mini-skirt and bra, and shook my head violently. That nightmare of a beauty pageant back in middle school, which I was forced to enter due to a class prank, was enough of that for a lifetime.

  Back then, even though I was a boy, I was made to cross-dress. Girls treated me like a dress-up doll, boys jeered at me. It was so embarrassing... Ah, I remembered something unpleasant.

  I put down the backpack I was carrying in a suitable spot. Because Alice was watching, I couldn't buy men's clothes. But for this day, I had chosen and bought two unisex-looking tops. I had packed them into this backpack I borrowed from her aunt. I'm wearing one of them now.

  I plan to change into the other one after I finish measuring at the office as a man and become a woman again.

  Why go through such trouble? To avoid suspicion, of course. Even if my gender is different, there's no doubt my name is quite rare in this world. If a person with the exact same name comes to measure magic on the same day wearing the exact same clothes... It would stand out a lot. They might think it's strange.

  I think I might be worrying too much, but considering the immeasurable risk if this ability is exposed to the public, I should do what I can. If it became known that I possess such a strange body, what kind of freak would I be treated as? Worst case, I might be experimented on. Just thinking about it was scary.

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  That covers the top. As for the bottom, unfortunately, there were no unisex pants in that clothing store. So, I decided to wear the jeans I had on when I came to this world. It stands out a bit, but it can't be helped.

  Let's start changing.

  First, I lift my shirt. Maybe because I've been weirdly nervous, I was sweating stickily before I knew it. I tried sniffing a little.

  ...It's my own smell so I can't really tell, but it feels slightly sweet and sour.

  I guess it's a different smell from when I'm a man. Wait, what am I doing?

  I reached for the hook of my bra. At first, I didn't know how to put it on or take it off, and Alice had to teach me (needless to say, she looked at me weirdly again, saying "You don't even know that?"), but now I've done it many times.

  With practiced hands, I undid the hook, and my chest, freed from the wire's pressure, jiggled. Looking down at them, firm and bouncy, a sight I was already used to. I sighed lightly.

  Having breasts isn't all good. It hurts when they bounce, and my shoulders get stiff. Above all, I worry about men's gazes. I think there are sensations you can't understand unless you become one.

  Bras can be a hassle, but there are clothes where you absolutely have to wear one or your nipples will show through. And you have to shave hair frequently or it's embarrassing. I understand now that women go through a lot of trouble with nonchalant faces.

  Well, I know men have their own struggles too. I guess we're even.

  I put my shirt back down, took off my mini-skirt, took off my panties. I carefully put the removed items into the backpack and took out boxers and jeans to put on. They're a bit loose.

  Preparation complete. Yeah. It's not as unforgivable as the reverse pattern, but these clothes on a female figure still feel terribly mismatched. No wonder Alice thought it was weird.

  Now, transform.

  I felt that sensation of electricity running through my whole body again, and I became a man. Alright, let's go. Before I knew it, the manly smell that had been so tough on me and the weird feeling of doing something wrong had completely vanished.

  The Magic Power Measuring Device was available at the Magic Department of the public office. When I went there, a receptionist lady attended to me. She seemed quite friendly for a government worker.

  "Please fill in your name and other information on this form. We use it to issue certificates, so please write accurately."

  I wrote down the required items on the paper handed to me. It's still creepy how characters I shouldn't know flow out of me fluently. When I finished writing everything and handed it to her, she confirmed my name.

  "Mr. Yu Hoshimi, correct?"

  "Yes."

  "Then, this is the measuring device. There will be instructions from a mechanical voice on how to use it, so please follow them. If you still have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask me."

  "Understood."

  Following the mechanical voice instructions wasn't trouble at all since it looked exactly like a blood pressure monitor. The difference is that it doesn't compress your arm since it's not measuring blood pressure.

  However... I put my arm in, but...

  Why does the numerical display on this device not budge from zero?

  While I was wondering, the voice announcing the successful completion of the measurement played. It seems there was no error in the measurement itself, but... what does this mean?

  The question was solved immediately. Because the lady who looked at the result from the side said with a surprised face.

  "It seems... it's zero."

  Zero...?

  I was stunned. No way! Does that mean I can't use magic at all!? Ah. I even dreamed about it. I wanted to produce fire from my hands... My disappointment was immense because I had expected a lot from magic.

  "It is extremely rare to have absolutely no Magic Power. Usually, everyone has at least a little."

  "Is that so..."

  "There is no need to issue a Magic Power Certificate."

  "Yes..."

  My blatant disappointment must have been too much to watch. The lady comforted me with a somewhat stiff smile.

  "It's okay. There are many people who have almost no Magic Power. Um... please don't be too discouraged."

  "Okay..."

  Dejected. I left the office with heavy steps. Damn it, I'm an Earthling after all. Is magic impossible for me?

  —No, I don't know yet.

  I somehow roused myself from heartbreak. That's right. I still have my female self left. There is one more chance. Although, I can't expect much just because my gender changed...

  No, no. I shouldn't be pessimistic.

  Alright. It would be bad to go back immediately, so let's leave some time and try again. If being a woman doesn't work either... it's frustrating, but it can't be helped. I'll feel bad for Alice, but I'll have to think of another way. I have to get strong no matter what, or I won't be able to survive in the future.

  I immediately headed to that public restroom in the park. Checking again that no one was there, I entered the women's restroom this time.

  Ah. I'm so nervous.

  If a woman is in the men's room, she might be overlooked if she says "I made a mistake!" cutely. But if a man is found in the women's room, it's an immediate arrest. Seriously dangerous. Scary.

  To think I'd end up doing something like a pervert just to keep my transformation a secret. It's a pity I couldn't come up with a better method. Fortunately, no one saw me.

  I entered a stall, locked it, and this time transformed first before changing clothes. If I stayed a man, women's clothes would be too tight to wear properly.

  Safely becoming a woman in both body and clothes, I first enjoyed window shopping at a nearby store. Killing time like that, I headed to the office again.

  Ideally, the decisive battle. The witness for the big match was that lady again. I wrote down the necessary items on the form again. I finished writing smoother than the first time.

  "Ms. Yu Hoshimi, right? Oh?"

  "Is something wrong?"

  "Someone with the same name came just a while ago. Excuse me, but it's a rare name. Although, it was a man earlier."

  "Heeeh! Strange coincidences happen, don't they!"

  "Indeed. I'm sorry for mentioning something unrelated."

  "No, no."

  Phew. I broke out in a cold sweat a little. It seems changing clothes was the right move.

  Now, here comes the measuring device. Please. Magic Power, exist! Fearfully, I inserted my slender arm.

  Then, this time, the reaction was completely different from when I was a man. The numbers climbed rapidly. It was incredible speed. And finally, it stopped just past ten thousand.

  Ten thousand. Not zero!

  Thank goodness. Truly thank goodness. It seems she has Magic Power. Now I won't have to make Alice sad. There was no winning or losing, but I felt like I won some kind of match. Feeling a bit triumphant, I looked at the lady.

  Then, she was—surprised beyond comparison to when I was a man.

  "My! Oh my goodness!"

  "Eh?"

  "This is the first time I've seen someone with a Magic Power value exceeding ten thousand with my own eyes!"

  What is she so surprised about? Or rather, Miss, your tone has returned to your natural self even though you're working.

  "Is that something so surprising?"

  "Yes, it's incredible! Because the average Magic Power is about a few dozen, and even mages usually have between a few hundred to a thousand and something."

  "Huh."

  "But yours is ten thousand! Ten thousand! People with this much power are rare even if you search the whole country!"

  "Is it that much..."

  The lady was so high-tension I was slightly put off. Is it that rare? For me, who was just relieved that I had magic, it was a bolt from the blue. But if her story is true, it means I have about ten times the magic power compared to a normal mage.

  I see. That might indeed be amazing.

  "I will issue the Magic Power Certificate right away!"

  "Ah, yes."

  Still breathing heavily, she half-forced the certificate onto me. Quite a difference from when I was a man... I scurried outside amidst the public gaze. Because the lady made a fuss, I attracted way too much attention. It was really embarrassing...

  Taking a breather, I looked through the certificate I received. It stated my Magic Power value of 10,276 and that it was issued by the public office. And there was a special seal shining brightly, probably using magic. It seems this seal guarantees its authenticity. Like a watermark on a bill.

  Anyway, I learned something important. It seems my two bodies have different properties beyond simple gender differences.

  Or rather, isn't male-me too miserable? One is zero Magic Power. The other is ten thousand, rare even in the country. If I learn magic, the overwhelming gap might make male-me turn into dust. Couldn't the gender balance be a little better?

  ...No use complaining. Maybe men have different strengths. I don't know, though.

  Well anyway, my business is done. Let's go back to the aunt's house.

  When I returned home, Alice was the first to greet me.

  "I'm home."

  "Welcome back. How was it?"

  To her looking at me a bit worriedly, I waved the certificate while purposely speaking curtly.

  "It said ten thousand."

  "I see, ten thousand... wait, EEEEEEEEEEEEEH!?"

  She let out a wild voice. She gave me an amusing reaction, just as I expected. Not stopping there, she immediately flew over and grabbed my shoulders firmly with both hands. She shook me violently. W-woah, too strong.

  "Yu, that's amazing! Even I, who was told I have quite the aptitude, have about 4,500!"

  Because she rejoiced as if it were her own achievement, I became even happier.

  "Ahaha. So this really is that big of a deal."

  "Yes. At that level... Argus Ozbein. The guy said to be the greatest genius student since the founding of Sacris Magic Academy, I recall hearing he has 15,000."

  "Heh. There's always someone better."

  But if that genius has 15,000, that means I'm pretty up there too. It's unfortunate that my male Magic Power was zero, but as someone who wants to become strong, I can say I was extremely lucky.

  "Still, that's plenty amazing. You might be number one among the girls."

  "I see. Anyway, does this mean I can get in?"

  "Yes, of course!"

  "Really!?"

  "Yeah. In reality, they don't just look at magic but also have academic exams and such. But with that Magic Power value, they'll accept you immediately. They might even make it in time for enrollment as a special case!"

  Alice laughed as if bursting with joy.

  "You did it! Yu!"

  I don't know how much I've been encouraged by her warm, wonderful smile with absolutely no ulterior motives. Before I knew it, I was smiling naturally too.

  "Yeah. I'm happy, Alice."