Chapter 60 – Morning Drama

Ｒｅａｄ ​ｏｎ ＫａｔＲｅａｄｉｎｇＣａ​ｆｅ

Editor’s Note

Edited

Blink, blink.

Aikatherin drowsily blinked her eyes with a face still drunk with sleep.

What had awakened her from her seemingly dead sleep was a beam of light coming through the slightly opened curtain.

‘So bright…’

After lying there dazed for a while, she realized that her body, which had been burning hot like a fireball, had calmed down.

Then she remembered the soft touch on her head and the… large breasts she had seen before her eyes completely closed.

Her face flushed slightly at the sudden image of breasts that appeared in her mind.

‘…the one who helped me.’

It couldn’t have been just the breasts.

Upon reflecting on the cool energy that had enveloped her body afterward, it seemed reasonable to assume that those “breasts” had helped her.

She would need to find out for certain… but thinking about it that way did seem a bit ridiculous.

Since she hadn’t seen the face, she would have to identify the person by their breasts.

Ignoring it wasn’t an option. Even for someone like her, owing someone her life wasn’t something she could easily overlook.

That, along with the stabilized energy within her.

As she muttered inwardly, she stretched her hand toward the ceiling.

Feeling the energy gathering naturally, she compared herself to how she had been recently. There was a slight instability, but compared to before, it was as different as heaven and earth—far more stable.

With that, she felt a tingling pleasure and a stinging sensation around her eyes.

…Would Mom, Mother be happy?

Aikatherin took a deep breath to calm her swelling heart.

She wouldn’t have the luxury of returning home right away, so it was a distant thought, but thinking about the shock she had received that day made it difficult to prevent her breath from catching.

Having barely managed to calm her stirring emotions, her eyes took in the ceiling that was both unfamiliar and somehow familiar.

‘…By the way.’

Where is this?

She carefully looked around while still lying down.

It was very dark except for the light crossing her face.

And that seemed to be because of the curtain. The softness felt behind her back suggested she was lying on a bed.

As she organized the information in her now-clear mind, it seemed this place was the infirmary she had only heard rumors about.

‘…First time here.’

It was her first direct visit since she had never been injured.

She had heard that some people visited for other reasons… but since it had never happened to her, it was all just meaningless gossip.

…Though it also played a part that she had no one to discuss such things with, Aikatherin didn’t particularly care about that. Or rather, she pretended not to care.

More important was whether the person who had saved her was the rumored “health teacher.”

That was more important.

Not only were they the one who had saved her life, but they also seemed to be the only person at the moment who could tell her about her condition.

Just then.

She felt an itching sensation behind her back, specifically near the tailbone above her buttocks, and got up.

Placing her feet on the floor, she turned around to find the source of the itching.

Then.

Suddenly, she felt a heavy sensation. Even though she had gotten up from the bed, she could still feel the soft touch of it.

“…Huh?”

After uttering a puzzled voice, she finally plopped back down on the bed.

Something… something was strange.

Startled, she moved awkwardly, pushed aside the curtain, and confirmed what had happened to her body.

“Eh?”

Flap, flap.

“Wh-what is this!?”

A large tail had sprouted from her buttocks. It was covered in scales, making it impossible to argue that it wasn’t a tail.

Aikatherin was confused.

It wouldn’t be wrong to say she was in a panic. Her hands and feet trembled, and her pupils shook violently as if an earthquake had occurred.

The more it happened, the more she felt a sensation similar to when she had burned near her heart.

“Heek… Keck…”

She sat down again, feeling that heat once more.

While she was gasping for breath.

A curtain a short distance away was drawn, and Iris appeared with an equally dazed face.

Aikatherin’s gaze fell upon Iris as she heard that sound clearly resonating.

‘…Breasts.’

So this person is the one who helped me.

It would have been difficult not to recognize.

They were that distinctive of breasts. Realizing this, she spoke with a strained voice.

“P-please help… me…”

Upon hearing her voice that seemed ready to break at any moment, Iris was startled and rushed to her.

“Uh, um… uh? Are you okay?”

“…N-no.”

You don’t look okay…

So what should I do now?

She had rushed over, but being at a loss for what to do, Iris was flustered. Just then, El’s voice resonated in her head.

– Oh my, it seems it didn’t end in one go after all. It looks like my contractor will have to use her power.

At her murmur, Iris whispered in a small voice that Aikatherin couldn’t hear.

“You mean what we did yesterday?”

– That’s right. This time it’s not me but the contractor. You should try it directly. It will be much simpler than yesterday. I’ll tell you how.

…Will it be okay?

Iris looked extremely uneasy.

For her, a modern person, even controlling spirits was already an unfamiliar thing, let alone handling energy.

Honestly, although she had felt its essence, there was also a somewhat uncomfortable feeling.

Moving energy.

That’s completely… like Taoism, isn’t it?

Noticing her anxiety, El chuckled and said.

– I could step in too, but… since this is separate from yesterday, I would have to receive a small but new payment… would that be okay?

At El’s words, Iris’s face hardened, and with a solemn expression, she muttered.

“…I’ll try. It’s safe, right?”

– Of course, I don’t lie. If… it becomes dangerous, I’ll step in.

…I really hope that doesn’t happen.

“Huuhk…”

– Well, if you hesitate, something similar to yesterday might happen.

Iris, with a deep sigh, tried to lay down Aikatherin’s panting body, but unlike yesterday, it wasn’t easy due to the large protruding tail.

It felt like it had a hefty weight, and if it were to swing around, it seemed like it would hurt quite a bit.

– Keep her seated. First, you need to expose her bare skin. That will help you too.

After hesitating for a moment, Iris slowly removed Aikatherin’s clothes as El had instructed.

Not completely, just enough to expose her chest.

Then her plump breasts were revealed.

They seemed to have grown a bit compared to yesterday.

Somehow feeling like she was committing a sin, Iris blushed as she placed her hands on the soft chest according to El’s instructions.

“Heek… Heck.”

As Iris closed her eyes and moved closer to feel the energy, Aikatherin’s hot breaths tickled her body.

Feeling an odd sensation, she shook her head inwardly and concentrated.

Thump… thump, thump.

Immediately, Aikatherin’s irregular heartbeat could be heard.

– Focus more.

With a bit more concentration, she could find a feeling like water leaking from a punctured bottle.

Iris blinked at that strange sensation.

– Now that you’ve found the cause, imagine gently blocking it while following the flowing energy.

El seemed to think that moving energy was something she should naturally know how to do.

As Iris sighed inwardly and was about to ask how to do it.

She could feel the energy within her own body, similar to Aikatherin’s energy.

‘…This works?’

She felt a sensation similar to when Undine extracted energy.

So that’s why El said I could do it.

…Surprised that it wasn’t just baseless confidence, Iris moved the energy with a face that suggested she had seen El in a new light.

– Why such an irreverent face?

The energy that trickled out of Iris’s body caught the heat spread throughout Aikatherin’s body and led it back to her heart.

– It would be boring if it just escaped outward, so concentrate, concentrate again.

After gathering the heat near the heart, Iris carefully patted it and began pushing it back in.

Slowly… slowly.

As the heat moved to its proper place, Aikatherin’s rough breaths gradually became even.

Once the heat that had spread throughout her body was contained, El whispered once more.

– Yes, now with a feeling of filling the hole…

Fill the hole… huh.

Perhaps because of what happened last night.

Then, in Iris’s mind, a pillar blocking a mouth hole appeared.

Her face grew hot, she felt self-loathing, and she became annoyed.

…But the association effect was very good.

She could feel the hole where the heat was leaking being filled.

– Hmm, I’m glad you’re following along so well, befitting my contractor. It’s a pity though, hoho…

What are you saying is a pity, really?

Recalling what had happened last night, Iris shuddered. It was something she didn’t want to experience again.

If there was one consolation, it was that since the value as “payment” had decreased, she probably wouldn’t have to do that act again… This vague thought made her feel a little better.

– Well, it seems to be almost done. You can stop now.

…I know that, you know?

With a grumpy face and pouting lips, Iris gathered the energy.

“Phew…”

As she exhaled.

“Mmmm…”

A somewhat sensual breath was heard right in front of her.

When she gently opened her eyes, Aikatherin was somehow lying on the floor, and naturally, Iris ended up in a position where she was straddling her.

With the heat subsided, Aikatherin, drenched in sweat, exhaled lightly… whoosh… whoosh…

With her red hair clinging here and there, she looked… somewhat erotic.

Iris blankly admired that sight for a moment, and during that time, Aikatherin, now conscious, opened her eyes.

Their gazes met in the close air.

Aikatherin inhaled, and Iris was startled by those jewel-like red pupils.

At that moment.

BANG!

Along with the sound of the door opening.

Aileen entered the infirmary. Leona was behind her. Aileen, who had entered with a worried face, saw the two people sprawled on the floor and.

“Teacher, are you alri— Eh…?”

“Ah.”

A dumb sound escaped.

With a very embarrassed face, she seemed to look at them for a while, then composed her expression, carefully closed the door, and left.

Then.

Knock, knock.

She knocked on the door.

As if saying she hadn’t seen anything.

“…It’s Aileen, Teacher.”

Only then did Iris, realizing what misunderstanding Aileen had made, hurriedly get up, shouted that it was a misunderstanding, and opened the door for her.

Editor’s Note

I just realized the extent of the degradation in Iris’s brain.

She kinda dum.