Chapter 91: Are You Sure You Are Just A C-Rank Guide?

The entire day felt like a whirlwind of confusion in Lydia’s head. She couldn’t focus on anything during class. Not when Russell was sitting right beside her.

Not as a woman. But as a man.

"Today is your appointment with Dr. Sasha, Lydia. Don’t you feel nervous?"

"A lot, to be honest. My stomach is doing somersaults."

To be honest, Lydia had trouble catching some sleep last night. Mostly because she was nervous about the reevaluation.

Since Russell had made Lydia’s Guide Rank reevaluation a condition for joining Nexus Guild, he had promised to accompany her.

She couldn’t help feeling a little nervous about the appointment.

After all, Lydia had spent her entire life believing that she was an F-Rank Guide in her previous life and a C-Rank Guide in this one.

There was still about two hours before the appointment. So Lydia and Russell stopped by a restaurant for lunch.

They ordered their meals and settled down at a table near the window. Russell seemed much more relaxed than he had been the previous day.

"I never thought I’d be able to do this back then," Russell said with a happy smile. "But thanks to House Valendorf, I finally got to reveal my identity. I owe Lord Vincent and... you a lot."

"But how did you do it?" Lydia asked. "I mean, how did you become Rishe so elegantly? You even fooled me and Ephraim!"

Russell chuckled. "What can I say? I was born with the talent to be a pretty girl."

"Yes, yes. That was what I meant. Especially when you fanned yourself with and concealed your smile like this, then laughed at Ephraim. You sure give the impression of a baddie!"

Lydia’s comment made Russell laugh. He reached for his purple fan from his bracelet and pulled the same stunt like what she did.

Woah! That was impressive. Even when he dressed as a man.

"Lady Rishe! Look here, look here!"

Lydia squealed and clicked her bracelet several times to take some pictures of him.

[Lady Russell1.jpg]

[Lady Russell2.jpg]

[Lady Russell3.jpg]

"Kathy sure rubbed off on you, Lydia. Hahaha. You always know how to make me laugh."

"But seriously, how were you so good at it?" Lydia sliced her pan-seared salmon and took another bite. "Even your mannerisms were so natural."

"Perhaps I have my mother to thank for that." His smile softened. "She used to dress me up when I was little. Perhaps because she always wanted a daughter. I spent so much time around her and her ladies-in-waiting that I picked up a few things."

The late Queen. Lydia remembered her.

She must be the woman that passed away in Russell’s Spiritual Domain. The one with long pink hair.

"I may have learned how to act like a girl, but that doesn’t mean I want to live as one." He paused, his expression growing more serious. "But the real reason I did it was... because I want to stand by your side as a man, Lydia. Not as Rishe—but as Russell Arestionne."

Lydia nodded, accepting his words without hesitation.

"Of course! Whether you’re a woman or a man, Rishe or Russell, you’re still the same person to me!"

Russell smiled meaningfully and reached over to pat her head.

"Thank you, Lydia. I really mean it. I will work hard to become someone you can be proud of. So I can stand by your side as your equal."

Lydia blinked.

Wait. Why did that sound like a proposal? She quickly shook the thought away.

Nah. I must be imagining things. What was that? No way, right? Was it just me?

After finishing their lunch, Lydia and Russell continued toward their destination.

Since Lydia needed an advanced reevaluation, Dr. Sasha had arranged for her appointment to take place at her private practice instead of the hospital.

The location was quite far away from the restaurant. They had to take public transportation to reach a floating island in Vartas.

Lydia had only visited a handful of floating islands throughout her life. Most of them were located on Vartas.

They were considered high-tier luxury locations, and only a very few people could afford to live on them. Even wealthy nobles rarely had the opportunity to visit one.

Floating islands were expensive for a reason.

Those islands had plenty of mana, which kept them floating. There was no miasma, and the air was clean.

Dimensional Rifts could never appear in such a place. That made the floating islands some of the safest and most luxurious places on the Ceras continent.

Dr. Sasha was one of the best doctors on Ceras. Despite being an Otherworlder, she had earned enough wealth and prestige to afford such a place.

Lydia and Russell arrived by aircab and couldn’t help staring at the scenery.

The entire island was covered in lush greenery. Tall trees surrounded the pathways, while colorful flowers bloomed beside clear streams.

The air felt fresh and refreshing, and the mana in the surroundings was so rich that Lydia could almost feel it brushing against her skin.

After following the path through the garden, they finally reached Dr. Sasha’s private residence.

"Is this even a medical facility? Somehow this felt like heaven."

The building looked nothing like an ordinary medical facility. Its sleek white exterior was made of a strange material that shimmered faintly under the sunlight.

Transparent panels displayed floating holographic interfaces, while automated medical drones moved silently through the entrance.

The entire place felt like a futuristic hospital hidden inside a luxurious private residence.

"Lady Valendorf and Lord Arestionne, I presume?" A tall woman greeted Lydia and Russell with a gentle smile at the far end of the lobby. "Nice to meet you. I’m Dr. Sasha."

Eight pairs of white wings spread behind her back made her look like an ethereal angel.

Her long blonde hair flowed behind her like a waterfall, while her elegant figure seemed almost unreal against the futuristic surroundings.

"Thank you for seeing me, Dr. Sasha." Lydia bowed politely.

The doctor nodded, but her attention soon shifted toward Lydia. She studied her intently, her clear blue eyes seeming to look straight through her.

Lydia felt a little uneasy under that gaze. Then, without warning, six more eyes opened across Dr. Sasha’s face.

All of her eight clear blue eyes stared directly at Lydia.

She really looks like an angel from the Bible with all of her wings and eyes. Is this really heaven? Did we die?

Dr. Sasha continued studying her for a moment.

"Are you sure you’re just a C-Rank Guide, Lady Valendorf?" Dr. Sasha smiled at her.

"Yes... That’s what the Imperial Authority told me."

"Whoever told you so must be a quack." Dr. Sasha spread all of her eight wings and curled them over Lydia as her smile bloomed in a way that was strangely unsettling. "Even without a test, I can already feel it. Your abilities are far beyond your current rank."

Dr. Sasha folded all eight of her wings back and gestured for them to follow her into the examination room.

"Now, shall we begin? Let’s reevaluate your Rank."