Chapter 14 – Mythical Creature Assistant

Яêa&d; ̀o&n; ＫaｔR​êa&d;ｉ&n;ĝ​Сafë

Claudia glanced at me and said. “That’s your assistant?” 

“Yes.”

I peeked my head out from behind the sofa and called Cecile. Her eyes opened wide like a rabbit’s, and she came rushing over to me. “Ah, Shaa!”

Thankfully, she didn’t mix up the name. Cecile, who had been smiling brightly, stiffened her face upon seeing Claudia. The wolf beastfolk who received her gaze didn’t look particularly pleased either. I was caught in the middle, visibly sweating.

“C-Cecile, this is Claudia. She’s the one who came for the potion last time.” 

“Is that so?” 

“Yes, Claudia. This is my assistant Cecile.” 

“I see.”

…Why did it feel so suffocating? Then Cecile grabbed my arm and whispered. “Shaa, that thing smells like the beast scent that troubled you.”

I was concerned that Claudia’s ears were twitching, suggesting she could hear us. So being careful wouldn’t hurt. It would be troublesome if Claudia got angry and left with the materials.

“…R-really? But you shouldn’t call a person ‘that thing.’” 

“Even though it troubled you?”

…To be honest, strictly speaking, what troubled me back then was… Cecile. But Cecile, who still didn’t know this, continued to look displeased.

“Well… right? There’s such a thing as basic courtesy.” 

“Cecile… doesn’t like it.”

As I was about to continue while stroking Cecile’s head, who was still furrowing her brows, Claudia spoke up. “Not an assistant… but a child someone’s relative left in your care, right?”

At that, Cecile reacted sharply. “Cecile is not a child. Beast.”

“Huh, how can she say that when we just met… why is she acting like this?” 

“…Ah, um… m-maybe it’s because she’s seeing a beastfolk for the first time. Cecile, do you want to go back to the workshop?”

I was also bewildered by Cecile’s hostile attitude. Why was she acting this way when she’s usually so well-behaved?

“No. If I do, that beast will surely trouble you again.” 

“…Trouble you?”

Claudia pondered the word “trouble” for a moment, then seemed to realize something and clapped her hands with a sly smile. “Ah, could it be because of the day I took Shaa’s virginity? I did trouble Shaa quite a bit then.”

“Claudia!” 

“Oops.”

When I shouted loudly, Claudia grinned and raised both hands. Contrary to my expectation that she would growl again, Cecile was quiet. No, she was muttering something. Then she looked at me and opened her mouth.

“What does virginity mean? What is Shaa’s virginity?” 

“…” 

“…”

When I glared at Claudia for saying unnecessary things, she also looked a bit embarrassed. She was looking at Cecile with an expression that seemed to say, “How can this even be possible?”

The real problem was Cecile. She kept asking what virginity was while sticking close to me. “Shaa. What does virginity mean? What does it mean to take your virginity? Can Cecile also receive virginity from you?”

Although Cecile’s appearance as she rapidly fired off questions was cute, the words flowing from that small mouth were dizzying. “Can’t you give your virginity to Cecile too?”

“Ah, no, that’s…” My face heated up. Why should I suffer like this when I hadn’t even observed my own virginity in the first place? Instead of me who was flushed, Claudia continued.

“Look, so… Cecile, was it?” 

“…Beast.”

Cecile’s hostile attitude remained, but Claudia now seemed not to mind much. Perhaps due to Cecile’s very… innocent appearance.

“I don’t know why you’re so angry, but you can’t receive Shaa’s virginity.” 

“…Why not?” 

“There could be various reasons, but… first, like me.”

She then pointed to her lower body, which was still somewhat blunt due to incomplete development. “You need to have this.”

“…If it’s that, Cecile has it too.” 

“…What?”

Then Cecile started sniffing at my neck. While I let out a sound from the ticklishness, Cecile’s dress quickly bulged up. “Huh.”

“…Now can I receive Shaa’s virginity?” Claudia’s face, which had been full of composure, stiffened slightly. She looked at me as if asking what on earth was going on. …Like I would know.

As I turned my head slightly to avoid her gaze, I heard a laugh that sounded like a sigh. “Well… I suppose you could have.” 

“…?” 

“But unfortunately, I’ve already received Shaa’s virginity.”

…Should that be called “receiving”? Wouldn’t “stealing” be the correct expression? Thinking I couldn’t listen anymore, I got up from my seat, gathering the pouch containing the materials. The weight felt quite good.

“Both of you, stop saying strange things… Let’s end this now. Dia, you’ve been here too long for just a cup of tea. Cecile, let’s go back to the workshop now.”

“B-but I still haven’t heard about Shaa’s virginity.” 

“…I’ll tell you later, so could you please go back to the workshop?”

Cecile held her bulging dress and fidgeted for a while, then nodded and opened the door to leave. What remained was Claudia… “Dia… please leave now too.”

“You mean you’ve received everything you wanted?” 

“…Haven’t you troubled me enough already?”

As I gripped the pouch tightly, afraid she might take it back, Claudia smiled faintly. “By the way, I thought the house was empty… but there was a beast next door?”

Beast… I wonder if she means Cecile. She gets angry when someone calls her a beast, but isn’t this completely hypocritical? “…Why do you call Cecile that when you get upset if someone calls you that, Dia?”

“I’m not particularly disparaging of her. Literally, that child Cecile is… at least in terms of ‘that,’ it’s appropriate to call her a beast.”

The innocent ones are more frightening in that regard. After saying that, Claudia stretched. Her ears perked up and her tail stood stiffly. “…”

“So what’s the relationship between you two?” 

“…Just an assistant and guardian relationship.”

“Then I don’t need to worry? Oh, by the way, Shaa. Are you pregnant by any chance?” 

“What?”

“That day, while you were asleep, I put a lot of effort into filling you up, so I was just wondering.”

I had taken a potion, and anyway, not enough time had passed to know that, but I was still indignant. “…Were you aware it was dangerous?”

“You think I do these things without thinking? Our clan’s tradition is pregnancy first, marriage later.” Is that really marriage? Isn’t it more like kidnapping?

“…Could you not apply your standards to me?” 

“Really? For something like that… anyway, if you get pregnant, I’ll take responsibility and tell Astarote too.”

I keep telling you, that’s me… and I won’t get pregnant even if the sky falls. Sighing, I waved my hand at Dia.

“That will never happen, so please leave.” 

“Haha.” Claudia didn’t mind and laughed slyly.

“We’ll see about that. I’ll be going now, see you again next time.” 

“It’s truly unfortunate that I have to see you even if I don’t want to.”

“So prickly. But when you use that material, won’t you think of me a little?” 

“…”

I suppose I will. As the sucker who handed over this precious material for free. Claudia, who had arrived suddenly, left after saying those words.

After seeing her off, fatigue suddenly hit me. Today was tiring both physically and mentally. But there’s still a mountain of work to do. …My determination to get back to my original body is growing stronger. My virginity has already been taken, but I had no desire to do anything more than that. This body… doesn’t have any particular advantages.

Well, that’s not entirely true. Thanks to it, I got rare materials from Claudia, and when I go shopping, I get extras or discounts… Huh…?

I slapped my cheeks. I had the absurd thought that there are many advantages…? No matter how good money is, this is beyond the pale. Get a grip, Astarote Asha.

I am a man. Although Shaa is no longer a virgin, Astarote Asha is still a virgin, so there’s no problem. With the hope that my master’s reply would come soon, I started my daily routine.

Cecile still looked restless, but she did her work diligently. After finishing the day’s quota and tasks, eating dinner, and taking a warm shower, I opened the kitchen preservation box. There wasn’t much milk left. Hoping the buyers would come for the aphrodisiacs soon, I closed the preservation box and went up to the bedroom.

Lying in bed, burying my body that had become drowsy from the warm shower, Cecile came in. “Asha.” 

“Yes… ah, you worked hard today.” 

“It’s what you asked me to do.”

Unlike the energetic morning, she still seemed… dispirited. Eventually, Cecile climbed onto the bed and curled up. “Asha.” 

“Yes.”

“So… how can I receive your virginity? What does it mean that I can’t receive it because that beast already took it? What is… virginity?” 

“…”

I’m really going to lose my mind. My drowsy mind suddenly became clear. It seemed like the day would need a bit more time to end.

KatTL