We were getting ready to change clothes in the shared bathroom.

“You shouldn’t even think about going into the girls' changing room. A girl’s heart is delicate, you know.”

“Yeah, yeah. Coming from a real girl, that’s pretty convincing.”

Ugh. I knew Sharp’s response was just a casual remark, but it felt like a sharp jab, and I shuddered in fear as if I had been hit with a strong dose of sarcasm.

“Ah, geez, my mom packed a deodorant spray in my bag. Like I’d ever use something like this.”

“You have to care about etiquette. But yeah, using spray in a bathroom might be bad manners.”

Why am I, someone who’s supposed to be a guy, lecturing about girls’ etiquette? I might be saying something wrong since I’m not a real girl.

Knock, knock.

“Uh-oh, if someone with a disability needs to use the bathroom, we should move out.”

“Don’t sweat the small stuff.”

We were chatting lightly when a voice called out, “Can I join you guys?” It was Lala. Since none of us had started changing yet, I opened the door.

“It’s not good for a girl to be part of this group. You might get seen in your underwear.”

“Oh? Aren’t you a girl too?”

Ugh. When she puts it like that, I couldn’t really refuse. So, the three of us ended up changing together inside.

“Why did you want to join us?” I asked casually.

“I just can’t stand seeing minorities isolated.”

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

Ah.

I remembered the scene after shopping where Lala had been subjected to heartless words. She continued.

“Nowadays, the liberal side seems to favor some specific minorities, but they’re cold toward those of us from opposing factions, like the demons. It’s the same with their treatment of feminized men.”

I pictured in my head how people from Earth were being treated. The white people teaching classical magic from Vienna, the Black people teaching jazz magic from New Orleans, the Asian people teaching Gagaku from Qingdao, China. They were all welcomed as music teachers and didn’t experience the racial discrimination they likely faced on Earth.

But the demons were a different story. For centuries, humans and demons had been at war, and especially in this conservative region, the discrimination ran deep.

“I don’t think the current liberal mindset is enough. I want to be part of a future liberal movement that eliminates all forms of discrimination in society. When I grow up, I want to become a politician. That’s why I’m running for the student council elections. Even as a first-year, I can be a secretary. So, vote for me, okay? Hehe, that was my campaign plug. I just came here to ask for your vote.”

“Wow,” I muttered honestly. Lala had such a strong sense of purpose. Compared to me, who was only thinking about enjoying youth and music, she was way more mature.

“I’m not amazing at all. In the future, the people who can use instrument magic will be the ones who rise to the top of society. In that sense, I’m way behind compared to someone as skilled as you two.”

Lala said this while rubbing her nose.

“You’re just a hypocrite,” Sharp muttered.

“This ‘future liberal’ talk and eliminating all forms of discrimination—what an idealistic load of crap. From the perspective of women, I’m just a creepy outsider, and humans have lost parents and siblings to demons. The present is built on the past. History is continuous. Humans live based on emotions more than some idealized slogan. I don’t want to be looked down on like that.”

Sharp showed a side I hadn’t expected. I thought he lived impulsively, but it turned out he was more of a realist than I’d thought.

“Anyway, thanks for feeling bad for someone like me and showing me sympathy. I appreciate it.”

“Don’t mention it. You’re not wrong. I’ll have to face reality myself one day too.”

“Good luck.”

It was a moment where Sharp and Lala seemed to bond.

As we left the bathroom and headed toward the gym, we were met with a lot of stares. I was prepared for harsh glares, but surprisingly, there were some kind eyes among them. Maybe Sharp was more accepted than I thought. I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was being looked at too, though. Was it just my imagination?

“Keep it up! I’m cheering for you!”

“Uh, thanks.”

There was even a girl enthusiastically encouraging me, and I felt a surprising warmth. Wait, was she talking to me and not Sharp? That’s strange. Sharp’s the one who’s been found out as a feminized man, right? She must have confused me with him.