The Stupid Cannon Fodder is Stunning Today

Chapter 28: Vile Forfeit Of Untimely Death

Nine had seen nothing wrong with a promotion, but he could tell Venus was unhappy despite the good news. 

When he asked his question, the response Venus gave him was a broken-hearted look. 

"Come back safe," he responded instead, before leaving despondently. 

Nine sighed, much to Jovette's confusion. 

"Something the matter?"

He shook his head. "Later." 

The issue would need to be shelved for now. 

---

Geared up with their uniforms and weapons, they arrived at Lord Eartha's office once more for one last meeting. 

"Yadda yadda be safe, yadda yadda remember the rules, yadda yadda come home..." 

They left the city by midnight on horseback. 

Three days later and hours before dawn, they arrived at the third checkpoint and found hidden cases within the trees. 

They opened the cases and found three outfits inside, preserved with charms to keep them from wrinkling. 

Rowan stared at the outfits for a moment. 

"Um, who's wearing the dress?"

"That would be mine." 

Julian took off his hood, revealing his face--oh. 

"Lady Jovette?" Rowan asked in astonishment.

She winked at him. "You were so easy to fool, Rowan. Honestly." 

He flushed in embarrassment at being called out. 

Excuse him, but he didn't think Jovette would go out of her way to crossdress just to test out her disguises. What was the point of it if she was just going to dress as a woman for the mission, anyway?

As if she could read his mind, she said, "I just wanted to know how it would take you to figure it out." 

Well then. 

He pretended as if his pride was still intact and quietly went behind a tree to change. 

Five minutes later, he came back out with a forced smile. 

"Hey, I think we have a problem."

No one said a word. Not Bel, not Mercury, not Tobus. 

They all stared at him with a hint of pity before going back to doing whatever it was the three of them needed to do. 

"Pluto, the outfits are the wrong size." 

"Apologies, Happy Dagger. It seems the Intel Department assumed you and Apothecary would be cross-dressing for this mission. Please put on the suit." 

Jovette took the suit that was supposed to be his and handed him her golden ballgown. 

"..." 

---

"Tie up the laces."

"No! Leave my waist alone! I can't fight in that!"

"He's right. It will be hard for him to run, too."  

Tobus handed Rowan back his shoes--a pair of durable, non-slip, mission boots with hidden knives. The skirt of the gown was long enough to hide them. He could also tear it off the skirt easily in case things got violent. 

The bottles of poison Rowan brought with him were shoved into his shirts. Wrappings used to form false breasts had hidden compartments for storage. 

"He didn't learn the blade?" Tobus asked.