Bab 16: Chapter 16: Tsumugi Kujo: Raising a child is hard
"Warning: Please act according to the character's personality in the simulation, or the reward at the end will be greatly reduced."
Just as Tsumugi Kujo was seriously contemplating whether to eliminate Rosalyne in the simulation to satisfy her personal vendetta, the system's warning forced her to abandon the idea.
Tsk, I should have chosen chaos in the code of conduct column earlier.
Kujo Tsumugi cursed inwardly but quickly put on a bright smile.
"Hello, my name is Tsumugi. I am an apprentice knight of the Knights of Favonius, currently undergoing a knight assessment," Tsumugi said cheerfully. "It's very dangerous in the Whispering Forest. Let me escort you out."
"Um..."
Rosalyne nodded timidly, an indication of her future transformation into an arrogant and complacent lady seemed almost unthinkable.
It looks like I'll fail this assessment too...
Tsumugi sighed inwardly. They were only a few hours away from the Hilichurl camp, but encountering Rosalyne mid-attack had thrown off her plans. Protecting Rosalyne while completing the assessment mission seemed almost impossible now.
"Change your shoes; you can't walk in high heels in the wild," Tsumugi said, pointing to Rosalyne's impractical footwear. "The guards who died wore high boots, which would be much more suitable. Although they might not fit perfectly, they're better than those heels."
"Oh..."
Rosalyne complied, removing her high heels and selecting the most suitable pair from the dead guards' footwear. She handed them to Tsumugi.
"Why are you giving these to me? You should change them yourself," Tsumugi said, still vigilant for any nearby danger. Noticing that Rosalyne hadn't put on the shoes yet, she spoke with a hint of frustration.
"I..." Rosalyne blushed and whispered after a moment, "I... can't tie my shoelaces..."
Tsumugi could only hold her forehead in silence.
These young ladies who are so sheltered...
Tsumugi remembered that in the previous simulation, there weren't any shoes with laces. Perhaps this was a Mondstadt tradition? She found an excuse in her mind for Rosalyne's situation and pointed to the carriage.
"Stay in the carriage for now. I'll help you with the laces later."
"Um!"
Rosalyne, embarrassed by her situation, followed Tsumugi's instructions and re-entered the carriage. Tsumugi patrolled the area to ensure there were no remaining Hilichurls before entering the carriage—having been ambushed and nearly killed was enough.
Inside the carriage, Rosalyne had already removed her high heels, revealing delicate, small white feet. Her arch was slightly bent, and her toes were shyly curled together, like five small pearls. Tsumugi quickly dismissed the thought that crossed her mind.
No! What am I thinking!
Tsumugi shook her head, pushing away any inappropriate thoughts.
First of all, I am not a foot fetishist. I don't have any inexplicable urges when seeing a woman's feet. I've never felt such a thing.
The thought of a girl stepping on me with her smooth little feet has never crossed my mind. I am definitely not a foot fetishist.
I've never been disappointed to learn that Inazuma doesn't wear stockings but only tabi. I've never asked Captain Beidou to buy stockings from Liyue for Inazuma. I am not a foot fetishist.
However, Rosalyne's feet are indeed well-shaped and lightly scented with perfume. Combined with her shy demeanor, they might be quite appealing to those with a particular interest in beautiful feet.
Fortunately, I am not one of those people.
Tsumugi Kujo nodded and proceeded to help Rosalyne tie her shoelaces.
"Alright, let's head out."
Tsumugi glanced at the sky. It was already dusk, with only an hour or two of daylight left. They needed to distance themselves from the attacked carriage before the Hilichurls noticed their absence and sent reinforcements.
"Yes," Rosalyne replied.
Because Rosalyne's ill-fitting shoes slowed her down, Tsumugi had to adjust her pace. After an hour, they had covered only five or six kilometers.
"Let's camp here for the night. It's too dangerous to travel after dark," Tsumugi decided, noting Rosalyne's discomfort. Walking on uneven terrain with mismatched shoes was indeed harsh for the noble girl.
"I only brought a tent. You should sleep in it while I keep watch."
Rosalyne looked alarmed. "How can I let you do that? You saved me from the Hilichurls. I..."
"Be quiet and listen to me!"
Tsumugi cut her off firmly. "If the Hilichurls attack at night, you'll have to wake me up. It's better for me to keep watch than for both of us to be half-asleep in battle. You need to rest well; we have a full day of walking tomorrow."
"Alright."
Tsumugi set up the tent while Rosalyne gathered firewood nearby. Tsumugi then lit a fire in front of the tent. By the time everything was ready, the sun had just set.
"Here," Tsumugi said, offering some dry food. Rosalyne ate it reluctantly but finished it without complaint.
After dinner, Rosalyne tried to engage Tsumugi in conversation several times but was met with curt responses. Noticing Tsumugi's reluctance to chat, Rosalyne retired to the tent early, feeling somewhat disheartened.
Tsumugi's irritation wasn't due to any personal dislike for Rosalyne but rather because she was trying to recall the techniques of the West Wind Swordsmanship. She hoped to learn it directly from the simulation memory to save on the final settlement reward.
Rostam was an excellent teacher. Even though he only taught Tsumugi for a year in the simulation, his explanations were clear and covered the essence of the Zephyr Sword Art. With her existing swordsmanship foundation, Tsumugi mastered it within two hours.
I wonder if I can retain the West Wind Swordsmanship skills after leaving immersive mode.
Tsumugi practiced with her one-handed sword, the blade slicing through the air with sharp, cutting sounds.
"It's a pity I need to conserve my energy for potential Hilichurl attacks. Otherwise, I could properly practice the West Wind Sword Technique," she muttered to herself.
"Sir Knight..."
Moments later, Rosalyne peeked out of the tent, looking at Tsumugi with a pitiful expression.
"I... I'm so scared I can't sleep..."
Tsumugi Kujo: ...
Why do I feel like I'm babysitting...
Despite her frustration, Tsumugi smiled gently, thinking about the simulation rewards.
"In that case, come out and talk with me." Tsumugi patted the seat beside her.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone