Loner Loser Alchemist

…Somehow, I got stubborn, and after wrestling back and forth with Veronica, I came to my senses to find both of us collapsed on the bed.

Veronica, who had been wrapped around my thigh, moving her hips, was now sprawled on the bed, letting out painful groans.

How did it end up like this…?

No, the reason is clear.

This is all Veronica’s fault.

Because she kept teasing me, moving just a little bit at the entrance…

I think it’s similar to tying up a starving person and then grilling seasoned meat right in front of their eyes.

If someone who’s been starved suddenly has their body freed to go after the person who kept dangling food in front of their nose and teasing them… wouldn’t the outcome be as clear as day?

So… it’s not my fault.

I covered the squirming Veronica with a blanket, then buttoned up my shirt and hugged a pillow.

To move to put something on… neither of us was in a very good state.

My lower body felt chilly, but the lingering heat made it bearable.

“Ugh…”

As I shifted my body, I saw the verdant… ‘that thing’ that was on Veronica’s rod.

Inside… it was full of something opaque.

…Good thing I made it.

Asking someone who just walked in to quickly make a Contraception Potion… that’s a bit… awkward, isn’t it?

“Veronica.”

“…What.”

“I’m hungry.”

“…Right. You haven’t eaten anything all this time.”

“You knew that, and you did that the moment I woke up?”

Veronica flinched, still lying face down.

Her fists trembled, and then a weak voice emerged.

“…Sorry.”

“As long as you know…”

As I blinked, hugging the pillow, my stomach rumbled. Just as I was about to punish Veronica, who was giggling, having forgotten her wrongdoing, I heard the door open.

With light footsteps, Master came into view.

“Looks like you’re up…”

Master, whose eyes met mine, started to say something, then froze for a moment.

Their stiff expression soon turned into a sigh.

“…I thought you hadn’t come for too long… What in the world is this?”

“Tr-treatment, they said…? I-it actually did get a lot b-better.”

…Master tilted their head as if hearing the word ‘treatment’ for the first time.

Since it actually had an effect, it seemed to pass smoothly.

Vowing revenge on Veronica, I asked Master for a change of clothes.

And then….

“Some food too, please…”

With a rumble from my stomach, Master chuckled.

…My face felt hot.

Not long after, Master brought clothes and a towel.

With Master’s help, I wiped myself down and put on my clothes. Feeling warm, I thought I might just survive.

Then, a strange scent entered my nose.

Perhaps because I was hungry, my nose felt more sensitive than usual.

Sniffing around, I traced the source, and it seemed to be coming from Master.

Normally, they smelled of fresh fruit… but now, it was as if a sticky scent was mixed in.

As I closed my eyes and sniffed, Master’s questioning voice was heard.

“Why are you… doing that?”

…So they still haven’t given up on changing their way of speaking.

I shook my head and finished buttoning my clothes.

I didn’t particularly like the underwear, but there was nothing I could do.

“No, it’s just… I guess it’s my imagination.”

“Is that so? I thought it would be better to eat downstairs, so I brought this instead.”

Master shook a Potion bottle.

Judging by the color, I thought it might be a Recovery Potion.

Unlike me, Master didn’t care much for taste, so it didn’t taste good… but the effect was certain.

After sharing it with Veronica and recovering for a bit, I headed to the Kitchen.

As I crossed the Corridor, it was filled with a savory aroma.

Soon after arriving at the Kitchen, Claudia was cooking.

Cecil seemed to be helping Claudia next to her. She was diligently stirring something in a bowl, wearing a cute apron.

When Claudia, who was tasting the food, met my eyes, she waved cheerfully. The tail attached to her rear also wagged vigorously.

…Isn’t that going to get hair in the food?

“You’re awake?”

“Ah… yes.”

After awkwardly greeting Claudia, it was Cecil’s turn.

“Shaa-nim!”

She came rushing over, her face smeared with something like cream, and hugged me. I naturally tasted what had gotten on my face, and it was sweet.

…Feeling Cecil’s warm body temperature, I recalled what had happened before I blacked out. My face somehow flushed.

…Expecting Cecil to clean that up without anyone knowing… that would be difficult. Besides, my rear was throbbing for no reason.

Actually… even when I was doing *that* with Veronica, my other hole kept clenching tightly, and it felt strange.

Thinking about it… it was a bit funny.

When I was with Cecil, my front hole clenched, and when I was with Veronica, my back hole clenched.

…Isn’t this body too greedy?

It’s my body now, but… isn’t it a bit… much?

As I held Cecil blankly, lost in thought, Claudia approached with a slightly disappointed look and separated Cecil and me.

“Let’s save the touching reunion for a bit later, okay? First, let’s finish what we were doing. Shaa-nim, please sit at the table with the others.”

“Alright.”

Cecil puffed out her cheeks, but for my sake, she returned to the Kitchen.

They moved busily, and the preparations were quickly finished.

We all sat around and ate the meal Claudia and Cecil had prepared.

Something like pancakes with cream. Salad… bacon… it was a normal meal.

A normal meal that I would usually eat without a second thought.

But… for some reason, the rice I ate in the Capital kept coming to mind.

As I idly picked at my food, Master opened their mouth with a worried voice.

“You said you were hungry, but you’re not eating at all?”

“Ah… I was just thinking about something else for a moment.”

Then Claudia spoke with a disappointed voice.

“Does it not suit your taste?”

“Ah, no, it’s not that… I just remembered the food I ate in the Capital…”

No excuse came to mind, so I just told the truth. I thought she might be disappointed, judging by her tone, but Claudia actually laughed.

“Ah, that place was delicious. I tried to replicate it, but it’s hard without the right ingredients.”

“…It’s fine. This is also very delicious.”

“That’s good then.”

Looking at Claudia, who smiled broadly as she said that… my heart felt quite complicated.

My identity, which I had glossed over, thinking my body would return to normal soon. The thought of deceiving Claudia made me feel very uncomfortable.

Now… I wonder if it would be troublesome if the person named Shaa suddenly disappeared… That thought comes to mind.

…Considering I’ve even deceived Her Highness the Princess, it feels a bit late to be worrying about this now.

Anyway… I’ve had various things happen with Claudia… and my first impression of her as Shaa was the worst, but…

It’s a connection that must continue.

Both as Asha and as Shaa.

…I think it would be better in many ways to reveal the truth.

As for when… I’ll have to think about it a bit more… but I felt I should do it before it’s too late.

First… let’s fill my stomach.

Because Cecil was looking at me with a face that seemed to ask if the food she helped with didn’t taste good.

After stuffing food into my hungry stomach and drinking the tea Master had prepared… my body felt weary.

Claudia, who had cleaned up, went out to stretch as a post-meal exercise, leaving only me, Cecil, Master, and Veronica at the table.

…Essentially, everyone except Claudia.

I felt a strange sensation, as if we were excluding Claudia.

As I gulped down the remaining tea and refilled my cup, Master opened their mouth.

“Don’t worry, I only told Miss Claudia that you were… unwell.”

“Ah… yes.”

They wouldn’t be doing this on purpose… would they?

“Are you feeling alright?”

“Yes. I’m perfectly fine now.”

“That’s good then.”

“Because I wasn’t sick.”

The problem was that I felt too good.

Master, who had been burning Spirit Grass instead of tea leaves, pulled a letter from their pocket with a look of realization and began to read it.

Veronica, who was watching from the side, scratched her head with a ‘here it comes’ look on her face.

Curious, I looked at the envelope containing the letter, and it had a crest that looked very familiar.

Where had I seen that before…?

Ah, ah… it’s the seal of the Alchemy Society.

They must have sent a bunch of headache-inducing content to Master again.

Master, who was carefully reading the letter, furrowed their brows.

Then, exhaling Spirit Grass smoke, they asked me.

“My disciple.”

“Yes?”

“How long has it been since you last contacted the Society?”

The Society, huh… I don’t think I’ve ever contacted them since graduating from the Academy and moving down to the Workshop where I live now.

“I haven’t contacted them since graduating from the Academy?”

“What?!”

Veronica’s eyes widened, and she pointed a finger at me.

Master pressed their temples, as if they had expected this.

As I stood there bewildered, not understanding why, Master cleared up the confusion.

“What do you think is the reason I’ve been attending the Society and exchanging letters all this time?”

“Uh… to foster camaraderie with the old geezers from the Society…?”

Thump!

Master slammed the letter onto the table.

But then they looked at Cecil and carefully collected them again.

“…If you’re an alchemist affiliated with the Society, you need to show your face there occasionally, if not every year. It’s for the purpose of confirming your existence and renewing your qualifications.”

“…I’ve never heard of that before?”

Why are you looking at me like that? I’m telling you, no one told me!

“So… what happens if I don’t go?”

“What do you think happens?”

Master said indifferently.

Veronica was looking at me from the side with a pathetic expression.

“You become an unlicensed alchemist, that’s what.”

“Huh?”

“And just so you know, the moment your qualification is revoked, selling potions as you please becomes illegal.”

“Oh…”

“And now I’ve received a message that you’re unreachable and on the verge of losing your qualification.”

“Ah…”

“What ‘Ah’ are you talking about?!”

Master smacked my head with the letter.