The two servants quickly opened the arabesque metal gate to the courtyard when they saw Margaret.
Inside the courtyard, we found the Prince of Wales, Charles Tudor, drinking tea while sitting in the garden. He was Margaret’s father.
Because of my father’s influence, I usually call him ‘sledgehammer-shu’. (TN: -shu is short form for uncle similar to -jie)
Of course, there’s a history behind the sledgehammer nickname.
The story goes back to when he and his daughter first arrived at Wales. When the prince and Margaret were rescued by my father, they lived temporarily in our territory. Thus, the Duke of York instigated the three lords around Glamorgan to siege our castle, trying to kill the prince and Margaret in the ensuing chaos.
However, in front of the crowd of thousands outside the castle, the old bastard sent all three earls, seven barons, and the dozens of heavy cavalry around them to the afterlife with a single brandish of his crimson sword energy. Then, the remaining thousands of people naturally scattered like birds.
After this battle, no one in Wales dared to challenge the prince again.
The British royal family had a tradition of the King adding “Hammer of XXX” to their titles when they conquer the land. For example, “Hammer of Gaul” or “Hammer of Ireland” were all titles held by former Kings.
As a result, His Highness the prince also honored himself with the title of “Hammer of Wales” in accordance with his ancestry.
Of course, everyone already knew the victory was due to my father, the prince’s nominal subordinate.
The people gave the prince a nickname of “Charles the Exaggerator” or “Charles the Big Boaster” in secret. When my old bastard father heard this nickname, he refined it.
He combined the title of “Charles the Big Boaster” and “Hammer of Wales” and shortened it to “Big Hammer Charles” or “Sledgehammer Charles”, Then, he ran proudly to the prince to flaunt his genius invention:
“Hello everyone, my name is Sledgehammer Charles, the crown prince. In a few years, I’ll become king, marry a beautiful woman, meet monarchs of various countries, and reach the peak of my life. I’m getting excited just thinking about it!”
“Hello everyone, it’s still Sledgehammer Charles. I never would have expected to be the crown prince for the rest of my life!”
I still vividly remember the old bastard’s petty expression along with sledgehammer-shu who didn’t know whether he should laugh or cry…
Soon after, because of the old bastard, I also began calling him “Sledgehammer-shu”.
But I was still slightly more polite than my father and call him “Sledgehammer-shushu”. (TN: -shushu is longer form of uncle, more polite, similar to -jiejie)
“Dad, I’m home.”
“Oh Marge, you’re back.” (Note: Marge is Margaret’s nickname)
An elegant middle-aged gentleman with half a head of white hair, who was wearing oriental attire, put down the teacup in his hand and nodded towards us.
He was Margaret’s father.
Although sledgehammer-shu looks to be about forty years old, he was actually already seventy-eight. Due to the Tudor family’s longevity gene, along with the constant use of certain magic medicines, he was able to maintain a young appearance.
“You came back pretty fast, did you meet Ah Tu?”
Sledgehammer-shu said to Margaret while holding his monocle.
“Of course.”
The young woman replied with a smile and naughtily blinked at me.
“Is Ah Tu doing well?”
“Of course.”
“Okay.” Sledgehammer-shu nodded and then shifted his gaze towards me.
He looked at me in amazement and asked Margaret:
“Marge, who’s your lady friend? You haven’t introduced which family she’s from…”
“Which family she’s from… hahahaha…”
Margaret rocked back and forth and laughed out loud when she heard sledghammer-shu’s question. She repeatedly patted my shoulder and said:
“Hahahaha… Ah Tu, did you hear that? My dad asked which family you’re from? Hahahaha….”
“Sigh…”
I shook my head helplessly.
I’m already used to it… I’ve already been mistaken as a girl many times, I’ll forgive sledgehammer-shu!
“Marge, what are you laughing at? I don’t understand.”
Sledgehammer-shu frowned and looked at his daughter with confusion.
“Hahaha… I can’t… hold it in…”
Margaret finally calmed down after laughing for a while.
She held back her smile while pulling back the bangs in front of my forehead and said:
“Dad, take a closer look. This lady… is Ah Tu! Hahahaha.”
The young woman once again could not suppress her laughter.
“You’re Ah Tu?!”
Sledgehammer-shu stood up in horror, not even noticing that the teacup he knocked over.
“Hello, sledgehammer-shu, it’s… me…”
I answered with embarrassment.
“You’re really Ah Tu?! Lin Deng Wan’s son, Lin Deng Tu?”
Sledgehammer-shu widened his eyes in disbelief.
“I’m really Lin Deng Tu…. Sledgehammer-shu…”
I nodded.
“Sledgehammer-shu? Okay, I believe you.” Sledgehammer-shu shook his head with a bitter laugh, “In the Principality of Wales, you and your father are the only ones with guts to call me sledgehammer.”
Uh… I can’t believe that’s what he used to identify me, doesn’t that mean he still doesn’t recognize me? I feel a bit shocked…
“Okay, okay… let’s not talk anymore, dad. I still have to cut Ah Tu’s hair~”
Margaret finally recovered from her crazed laughter.
She pushed my shoulder:
“Ah Tu, let’s go this way.”
“Um… okay… bye sledgehammer-shu…”
I staggered forward as I was pushed by the young woman.
“Okay, Ah Tu, I’ll see you later…”
Sledgehammer-shu blankly patted the part of his pants which was soaked with tea. He had a dullard expression like he could not connect the black-haired girl in front of him with the Lin Deng Tu from his memories.
Before I entered the room, I could clearly hear him say to himself:
“A girl… I thought Lao Lin was joking around, I never thought he would actually do it!” (TN: Adding Lao in front of surname in Chinese is a nickname)
Damn old bastard… you already tormented me enough, yet you still told everyone about it? We will never be able to reconcile in this lifetime!
I was brought by Margaret into her room.
As I sat in front of a standing mirror, Margaret cut off my long hair that had accumulated for five years.
I looked at “me” in the mirror who looked similar to a girl.
It was unfamiliar and a bit terrifying.
To be honest, in the past five years, I rarely had the chance to observe my own appearance.
According to the old bastard:
“A futa is a beautiful girl that acknowledges her self as a boy. It’s meaningless if they completely acknowledge their female appearance… their inner struggle is what makes one excited… hehehe…”
That’s why the old bastard never kept any mirrors in the basement… or really anything which had a reflective surface.
I guess I was fortunate.. if I had to look at this cute face every day, wouldn’t I have developed gender dysphoria?
“Okay, done!” the young woman was pleased and patted the hair off her hands, “My skills are pretty good, right? How do you feel?”
I woke up from my absent-minded state when I heard the young woman’s voice.
A young man with short black hair and a neutral appearance appeared in front of my eyes.
This was an even more unfamiliar image.
But it was the real me. It was also the image I would live with from now on.
I smiled and said to Margaret:
“Excellent, thank you, Margaret-jiejie.”
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