Ahhh~

How long had I waited, buried in the cool bed with my eyes closed… A savory smell wafted in, accompanied by the sound of a door opening. I opened my eyes and looked, and Claudia was nowhere to be seen; only Cecil was walking steadily toward me, holding a tray with both hands. When our eyes met, she smiled brightly.

“Asha-nim! Cecil has brought food!”

This time, the food on the tray looked quite presentable.

White soup steaming hot, bite-sized torn bread, salad evenly dressed, and an egg. My stomach, which hadn’t eaten anything since last night, rumbled, crying out that it was hungry.

…They weren’t particularly difficult dishes, but it seemed her promise to teach wasn’t an empty boast. Considering the sandwich from a little while ago, it was no exaggeration to call this a huge improvement.

I smiled at Cecil, whose eyes sparkled brightly, as if asking for my opinion.

“You made it well.”

“Thank you!”

Then Cecil smiled brightly and replied, then helped me sit up. Afterward, she placed the tray on my thighs so I could eat comfortably.

“Ah-heuk….”

…My muscles screamed at the weight. At my voice, Cecil was startled and picked up the tray again.

“Ah, Asha-nim! Are you alright?”

“Yeah… my muscles hurt a bit… By the way, where did Claudia go?”

“The Beastfolk left, saying she would bring potion ingredients.”

So she went to get ingredients.

She might have had some ulterior motives, but her concern for me seemed genuine. Anyway, as the saying goes, ‘Even a dog at a village school recites poetry after three years’… I guess she knows the ingredients even without being told.

…It would be rude to say that to her, wouldn’t it? Maybe adventurers of Claudia’s caliber all know? Even if it’s not their main income, it could be a side income. Actually, ingredients supplied by such adventurers are often damaged, making it difficult to create proper ones-

This isn’t the time to be thinking such things….

“Could you put the tray beside me for now? I don’t think I can eat with it on top.”

“Understood!”

Cecil, who had been waiting for my words with a crestfallen face, moved loyally.

She had made it for me, and it felt awkward not to eat it, using the excuse of being tired. And I was hungry.

I gulped and picked up the spoon. As I scooped up a large spoonful of the pale soup… my hand trembled. The soup Cecil had painstakingly made splattered everywhere, leaving marks on the bed.

I briefly admired how the soup, which had left traces on the bed, was slowly absorbed and cleaned up by the bed, then apologized to Cecil, who was staring blankly at the disappearing soup.

“… I’m sorry, Cecil. After you went to all that trouble to make it.”

Unlike with the sandwich, using a spoon with one hand was somehow… difficult. This had never happened before, no matter how tired I was, so I was a bit flustered. I felt the weakness of my body, and a bitter feeling washed over me. Though I didn’t have a lot of muscle, I missed my former robust body.

Then Cecil shook her head vigorously, gently took my hand, and took the spoon.

“Cecil will feed you!”

“Huh?”

“If it’s difficult for you to hold the spoon, I’ve decided that Cecil should hold it for you instead!”

“Well… that’s true, isn’t it?”

Cecil, having regained her spirits, scooped up the soup with the spoon. She even put the finely torn bread on top.

“Asha-nim! Say ahh~.”

“….”

Somehow, my face felt hot. I couldn’t tell if it was embarrassing for a pretty girl to offer to feed me with a spoon, or embarrassing to have to be fed like a child… but it was definitely embarrassing.

“Ah, no, that…”

“Perhaps… Cecil didn’t make it properly…?”

“That’s not it…”

…Right, I’m a patient right now. No need to be embarrassed. I mumbled for a moment, then opened my mouth wide. Though it was still small.

“Ah…”

Cecil giggled and put the spoon into my mouth. The spoon, warmed by the soup, touched my tongue.

“Haeup….”

I held the spoon in my mouth and licked it with my tongue to eat the soup. I slowly sucked it in, like a leaf floating in a gourd. It would be troublesome if I ate too quickly and choked.

It was delicious. Especially the rich flavor of the milk. To get this much flavor, she must have poured in a lot-

Once I had sucked it clean, Cecil took the spoon away. I smacked my lips regretfully, then continued the thought I’d just had.

“…Cecil, did you perhaps put milk in the soup?”

“Yes! The Beastfolk said it would be good to do that!”

…There’s no need to be overly happy or sad about a bottle or two of milk. Since the Aphrodisiacs sold quite well, I might be able to drink even more than before. Surely… that must be it.

“…I see. It’s delicious.”

“Is that so? That’s a relief!”

Cecil offered the spoon again. I took it like a baby bird and *jjokjjok*-sucked it. The sight of a long silver thread stretching out each time she pulled it away was a bit… embarrassing, but it was delicious. And I didn’t want to waste the milk.

I thought there was nothing I could do.

As I diligently ate, the soup quickly ran out. I shared a bite with Cecil, who hadn’t tasted it because Claudia had, and then diligently ate the salad until I was full. It was a satisfying meal.

Claudia still hadn’t returned by then.

Cecil, who returned after clearing the tray, approached, fidgeting with her fingers. Her face looked like she had something to say.

“Cecil?”

“Asha-nim….”

Cecil, who had been twisting her index fingers together, opened her mouth.

“Cecil… wants to receive compensation from Asha-nim.”

“Huh?”

“The Beastfolk said so. Not for everything, but… she said there’s a price for everything. Cecil didn’t make the food with that intention… but… I want to receive it….”

Cecil’s cautious manner as she spoke, watching my expression… was cute. She was like a child asking if she could get some pocket money for snacks after giving a massage.

I let out a chuckle and replied.

“Alright, what does our Cecil want as compensation?”

At most, she’d want her head stroked, or to drink more milk… wouldn’t she? That guess was about half… correct.

“First… I’d like you to stroke my head. This is… compensation for the cooking!”

“Alright, fine.”

As I said that, Cecil pressed her body against mine. I stroked her warm crown several times. Then Cecil giggled… letting out a sound of laughter. That was so cute that I stroked her a few more times as a bonus.

But… if the compensation for cooking is a head stroke, then is there also compensation for feeding me? Just as Cecil’s scent permeated between my fingers, she opened her mouth once more.

“Next… is the compensation for feeding you.”

“So there was one after all?”

“That’s right… Is it not allowed…?”

“Uh, yeah, it’s fine.”

It seems I’m weak to Cecil’s face. Well, what’s the harm? Stroking her head won’t wear me out. But the next words that came from Cecil’s mouth… were a little beyond my expectations.

“Next, Cecil… wants to drink milk. This is… compensation for feeding you…!”

I thought it was cute. Had she already drunk a day’s worth of milk while I was asleep? I had to work hard to keep the corners of my mouth from rising.

I stroked Cecil’s head and told her to go ahead. I thought it was truly a humble compensation.

…Though I wouldn’t have allowed it if I didn’t have the Aphrodisiacs.

“Alright, go ahead.”

“Really!?”

“Yeah.”

“Thank you!”

As I watched Cecil, who was expressing her joy with her whole body unlike before, with a pleased expression, she pressed her body against mine. It was close enough that Cecil’s strong body scent, not a scent transferred from her hair, rushed *hook!* into my nose.

“Ce-Cecil?”

“Cecil… the milk I drank yesterday was so delicious.”

The milk… I drank yesterday?

“According to Asha-nim’s words, it hasn’t all decreased yet… so this must surely be helpful to Asha-nim too, right?”

Saying that, Cecil buried her face in my breast. Only then did I realize that the milk Cecil wanted to drink was the milk coming from my breast.

The moment I realized that fact, my face grew hot.

“W-wait a minute, Cecil!”

“Yes?”

Cecil looked up at me, her face still buried in my ample breast. Soon, her face turned to one of realization.

“Oh, are you perhaps in pain? Ce-Cecil didn’t think that far…”

No, it’s not that….

Cecil had clung to me so gently that it didn’t hurt.

“It doesn’t hurt… but the milk you want to drink… is that… the one coming from my body?”

My mouth wouldn’t open to directly mention ‘breast’ or ‘breast milk’.

“That’s right. For Cecil, the milk Asha-nim gave was more delicious than the ranch milk!”

Should I… be happy about this? Cecil’s eyes were sparkling with a happy expression, as if recalling the memory of drinking it yesterday.

…Ugh, well, it’s not like it’ll wear out.

Anyway, I was already thinking it would be good if they returned to their original smaller size.

This time… wouldn’t it be fine if I just didn’t touch Cecil? The bed’s absorption power earlier was amazing, so if push comes to shove… I can just let it absorb there.

After doing some calculations in my head, I sighed softly and stroked Cecil’s head.

“For now… you can… drink it.”

“Really!?”

Her overly joyful expression gave me a subtle feeling. Is it really that delicious? I… think ranch milk is better.

When I offered my breast to Cecil… she made a *haeup* sound and took it into her mouth. Since it hadn’t retracted yet, I immediately felt Cecil’s soft tongue.

I stroked Cecil’s head as she made *jjeupjjeup* sounds and continued speaking.

“It’s good to ask for compensation… but I hope you remember that you can’t receive compensation for everything… *eut*, okay? I’m only allowing it specially this time.”

Cecil mumbled and nodded slightly as if to say she understood. I felt a strange… sensation.

…Anyway, once they shrink, you won’t have another chance to drink, so drink a lot this time, Cecil. I brainwashed myself, thinking, ‘It’s business to reverse this…’ and listened to the *jjeupjjeup* sounds.

Just then, a sound that shouldn’t have been heard, was heard.

“…What in the world is going on here?”

It was Claudia’s voice.

My eyes met her golden eyes, which seemed to demand an explanation, filled with bewilderment.

“Ah-heut….”

At the sudden moan that escaped, it felt as if the temperature in the room had dropped. Though my breast was… warm.

Cecil’s *jjeupjjeup* sounds echoed through the room.