Cain was showering in the bathroom, the sound of running water filling the room.
Meanwhile, just outside the bathroom, Ivankov crouched beside one of the pipes and pulled his finger from a small hole he had made in it.
He casually covered the opening with tape, then rose and looked toward Uta, who was sitting on the sofa and leisurely drinking tea.
"Uta-chan—oh, no. I suppose I should call you Uta Boy now."
"Why would you ask for something like this? Didn't you come here to deal with Sanjiko… no, Sanji Boy?"
"You mustn't let yourselves fall into the same abyss!"
"And most importantly, I normally inject the sex-change hormones directly! I've never tried delivering them through shower water before, so even I don't know exactly what will happen!"
"Don't worry, Iva-chan."
Uta set down his teacup, a calm smile resting on his lips.
"Cain and I both have excellent self-control. Neither of us will experience any problems with our sense of identity."
"Besides, this is your country. There's nothing wrong with respecting the local customs."
"As for using the shower… we didn't have much choice. Cain's defenses are simply too strong!"
Uta was currently dressed as a man.
Because this transformation had been specially requested, and Uta did not want his singing voice to change too drastically, Ivankov had prepared a custom hormonal formula.
The transformed Uta looked strikingly handsome and heroic.
His voice possessed a unique androgynous beauty, retaining its feminine softness while gaining a distinctly masculine authority.
Unfortunately, the customized transformation could not shorten his hair.
He had tied it high behind his head instead, and combined with the bangs concealing one eye, the style only made him look even more dashing.
"Is that so? Respecting local customs… respecting local customs…"
Ivankov repeated the phrase several times.
Then his eyes lit up, and he produced a notebook and began scribbling furiously.
"That's right! I need to write that down and add it to the kingdom's regulations!"
He had no idea that this decision would one day bring disaster upon the Revolutionary Army officers who visited the island.
Nearly all of them would be transformed on arrival.
The two had not been waiting long when—
"KYAAAAAA!"
A piercing scream erupted from the bathroom.
A rapid series of bangs and crashes followed, as though something was struggling and falling over inside the cramped space.
The next moment, the bathroom door burst open.
A beautiful woman with long, wavy pink hair and a height of nearly six foot three stumbled out.
She wore only a soaked white shirt stretched tightly across her body, along with fitted jeans.
Her hands were frantically trying to fasten the pink belt around her waist.
The wet shirt clung to her skin, outlining dramatic curves that had not existed before.
Her face was flushed red with humiliation and fury, her eyes wide as she shouted,
"Ivankov! What the hell happened to me?!"
The woman was Cain.
Strangely, becoming female had caused her to grow even taller.
Her long legs were particularly eye-catching beneath the tight jeans.
Uta stared blankly.
His thighs unconsciously pressed together.
He glanced toward Ivankov, and the two exchanged a silent look of understanding.
Ivankov rose first, planted both hands on his hips, and assumed his signature exaggerated pose.
"Cain-chan! Please remain calm!"
"This is one of Momoiro Island's special customs!"
'Excellent improvisation.'
Uta silently nodded in approval.
He then rose gracefully and walked toward Cain.
His steps were calm and unhurried, but there was a subtly predatory look in his eyes.
Only when he stood directly before Cain did he realize that they were now the same height.
Uta remained perfectly composed.
He raised one hand and gently lifted Cain's chin.
Cain froze.
The face before her was both familiar and unfamiliar.
That distinctive hair color, the brightness in those eyes, and the androgynous voice she had heard moments earlier all produced an unmistakable sense of recognition.
"U-Uta?!"
Even Cain's voice rose several notes.
"Why did you change too?!"
"There was nothing I could do."
Uta tilted his head slightly, placing just the right amount of helplessness into his voice.
"It's one of Iva-chan's national regulations. I couldn't exactly refuse, could I?"
The hand beneath Cain's chin slowly moved downward.
His fingertips traced lightly along her collarbone, applying just enough pressure to make their presence impossible to ignore.
"Oh?"
Uta's gaze dropped.
One eyebrow rose when he noticed a particular part of Cain's new figure.
After confirming its size, he reached out without hesitation.
"They're actually bigger than mine?"
Cain's face instantly caught fire, the blush spreading all the way to her ears.
She tried to retreat, only to discover that the wall was directly behind her.
There was nowhere to escape.
Uta's fingers remained just below her collarbone, their warmth seeping through the soaked fabric and nearly causing Cain's thoughts to shut down completely.
"Eek…"
A tiny, humiliating sound escaped her lips.
Cain immediately turned her face away, unable to meet Uta's amused gaze.
"Does… does that rule really exist?"
Her voice was barely audible, carrying both embarrassment and a faint hint of wavering belief.
Ivankov stared from the side in complete astonishment, forgetting to continue writing.
Then he hurriedly thrust the notebook in front of Cain and declared with absolute confidence,
"Of course it exists! Look for yourself!"
"You obviously wrote that five seconds ago!"
…
Cain originally intended to use Haki to negate the transformation.
Fortunately, Uta patiently talked her out of it.
Uta was terrified of injections. If Cain returned to normal, wouldn't Uta have to change back as well?
The very thought of receiving another injection made his face turn pale.
Ivankov also explained that they had used temporary hormones this time.
The effects would disappear naturally within two or three days, so Cain had no reason to worry.
Cain argued that she could also use Haki to help Uta reverse his transformation.
However, Uta insisted that everyone on Momoiro Island had welcomed them so enthusiastically that he could not bear to reject their local traditions.
Faced with Uta's pitiful expression and Ivankov's encouragement, Cain's heart softened.
She reluctantly accepted being a woman for the next few days.
"I accepted it, but could you please stop squeezing me?!"
Uta currently had Cain wrapped in his arms.
One hand wandered along her thigh, while the other gently combed through her long hair.
"Papa became Mama, and Mama became Papa! That's amazing!"
Bella floated happily above them, expressing her innocent wonder.
"Does that mean I'm supposed to call Papa 'Mama' now?"
Cain immediately grew flustered.
She grabbed Bella and hurriedly corrected her.
"You still call me Papa! That cannot change! It's the last shred of dignity I have left as a man—eek! Uta, my ear!"
"Oh?"
Uta gently blew into Cain's ear.
"Didn't you say you had incredible self-control?"
"Th-this isn't my fault! The problem is that you're the one doing it!"
"And this body is just far too…"
Cain's voice grew quieter and quieter, her face turning so red it looked ready to bleed.
Then she abruptly stiffened.
"Wait, Uta…"
"Why does it feel like something is pressing against me…?"