Ch.353Side Story. Possibility

Early morning.

Erika, who had classes in the afternoon, deliberately stayed at our house in her pajamas instead of going back.

The Dark Spiritmaster and Findenai who had vacated the place, as well as Stella who had been dragged away, all returned.

[You could have told me in advance, and I would have left on my own.]

Stella, who realized they had left to give me and Erika some private time, pouted her lips while subtly moving closer to me.

It’s impressive how she constantly wants to maintain physical contact like some puppy.

Also, judging by the warmth I could still feel, her spirit body was still being maintained.

“What is that?”

[Stella is becoming unlikable.]

Findenai rested her chin on her hand at the table while the Dark Spiritmaster crossed her arms and glared at her.

Despite their criticism, Stella lingered nearby, not wanting to leave my side.

“Go sit at the table. I’ll prepare the meal today.”

[What? You?]

Stella, who usually threw food—rather than meals—at Findenai, looked at me in surprise.

Not just Stella beside me, but the other women also had expressions of surprise, though I had been planning to cook for them at some point.

“There are many mouths to feed today.”

Findenai, Erika, and even Stella could eat. It wouldn’t be bad to cook for them on an occasion like this.

However, I encountered an unexpected obstacle right away.

I had planned to use the ingredients I bought last time, but there was no rice.

‘Without rice, everything feels awkward.’

I wanted to make Korean food rather than what they typically eat here, but it was difficult.

I couldn’t make side dishes now, and even if I wanted to make stew, I didn’t have the ingredients.

I couldn’t get kimchi or soybean paste here either.

[The ingredients are a bit limited, aren’t they?]

“That’s true.”

[I only bought enough to feed Findenai.]

I wasn’t sure how to take that comment, but I understood.

While I was contemplating with my back to Findenai and Erika, who were watching me with expectant eyes.

At least there were eggs, so I thought I could make something to go with bread and bacon.

‘This is a bit awkward.’

Fried eggs are actually easy to get here too.

I considered making rolled eggs or steamed eggs, but that would create a strange combination of bread and rolled eggs.

That didn’t seem right, so I was about to turn around and say we should keep it simple today.

“Make it.”

Findenai, with her chin resting on her hand, gave me a strange pressure.

“Just make it. Even without all the ingredients.”

“…Well, if you insist.”

Even if it wasn’t delicious, it would be good to give them something they hadn’t tried here.

I took a few eggs and simply made rolled eggs and steamed eggs.

I also toasted bread and fried bacon to serve alongside.

“It won’t taste extraordinary. This is how we ate eggs where I lived.”

[The food looks pretty.]

Stella, who had been sticking close to me watching me cook, smiled brightly and complimented me.

Certainly, compared to the food of this era, these dishes looked quite appealing.

“Tastes like eggs.”

Findenai mumbled while chewing a bite of rolled eggs. Well, what other taste would it have?

It’s just eggs with salt, only the appearance is different.

But the corners of her mouth turned up slightly despite her grumbling.

“Make it again tomorrow.”

“You said it tastes like eggs.”

“But it was made by you, master.”

Findenai chewed happily with a smile on her face.

Not just her, but Erika was also eating with a satisfied expression.

‘So that’s it.’

They weren’t satisfied simply because of the taste.

I felt proud and grateful that their satisfaction came from the fact that I had prepared the meal for them.

“Um, excuse me.”

Erika, after taking a bite of the steamed eggs, looked at me hesitantly.

I thought there might be a problem, but she blushed and turned her head quickly before speaking.

“The apron… suits you.”

“Ah.”

The apron I bought for cooking.

This was my first time using it, and it seemed to suit me well.

“Mmm, sexy.”

Findenai added a strange comment from the side, while Stella’s lips curled into a smile as she clung to me.

[That’s right, it really suits you.]

I was a bit taken aback by her seductive breathing that made it sound like she wanted to go to the bedroom right away.

Stella seemed to be unable to control herself at times, like a pubescent boy who had just discovered the concept of sexuality.

And then.

The only woman at the table who couldn’t taste the food.

[That’s so unfair!]

The Dark Spiritmaster made a sad face and waved her arms around while grumbling.

* * *

I had obtained enough samples.

I was manipulating mana in the study I had set up at home to research spirit bodies.

The reason I created a study in my not-so-large house was simple. Since I now had plenty of time, farming and reading would be my main hobbies.

So I deliberately made a study, which was now being used as a research lab again.

‘I thought I was done with necromancy and magic.’

In that sense, I had almost no books on magic. Most were novels.

“Hmm.”

Erika was quietly reading a book in the study. I noticed it was a romance novel written by Saintess Lucia, and she would occasionally flinch or cross her legs when there were stimulating descriptions.

Erika probably had no idea it was written by a saintess.

Despite being a candidate for Grand Mage, Erika couldn’t really help me.

This was necromancy, and my magical achievements were higher than hers anyway.

It might sound arrogant, but it was the truth, and since Erika acknowledged that, she was just reading a novel now.

“Master!”

Findenai, who now called me “master” out of habit.

I was used to it too, so I didn’t bother asking her to change it.

“What’s wro… What is it?”

I occasionally slipped into my Deus-era speech patterns, which was a problem. Findenai chuckled at my reaction and asked:

“Is there anything you can make with potatoes and sweet potatoes?”

“Suddenly?”

Potatoes and sweet potatoes are what we grow in our garden. It seems she really liked the breakfast I prepared.

“There are things, but they’re not that different from what you have here.”

I could make potato side dishes, but the most important thing, rice, was missing. To make proper rice, I’d need to buy a pot and rice from the Han Empire.

Both the Republic of Clark and the Griffin Kingdom mainly cultivate wheat rather than rice.

‘Candied sweet potatoes might be possible.’

That should be possible if I could get some honey from around here.

“That’s fine. I just want to eat food prepared by you.”

It was ridiculous that she wanted to eat what I made even if it wasn’t particularly tasty.

“Alright, I understand.”

I nodded in response, and Findenai smiled brightly before heading back outside.

Clunk.

But she opened the door again and strode back in.

“What are you doing anyway?”

She seemed interested in seeing me manipulate mana again.

I figured she might be curious since I hadn’t handled mana much for a while, so I started explaining about spirit bodies.

Midway through, Erika closed her book and came over to join our conversation.

“So you’re saying that changes in mana according to emotions form the basis of spirit bodies?”

In response to Erika’s question, I added:

“I’m saying it’s a possibility. As I mentioned before, sexual stimulation makes it easiest to observe emotional fluctuations, which is why both approached it that way…”

As I mentioned before, it seemed similar to how evil spirits transform with negative emotions.

Sexual excitement states are easier to observe because the range of emotions is wider.

“But not every soul would be capable of this.”

Otherwise, spirit bodies would have been manifested much earlier.

I believed it was possible because the Dark Spiritmaster was chosen as a necessary existence by the continent, and Stella had received divine grace from the goddess.

“I see.”

Erika nodded as if she understood to some extent.

On the contrary, Findenai tilted her head as if something bothered her.

“What’s wrong?”

In terms of magic or research, Findenai was… frankly speaking, not just useless but harmful.

However, her wild intuition was truly remarkable.

Even if she couldn’t understand intellectually, it was worth listening if something bothered her.

“No, I’m just wondering if I understood correctly. You’re saying they became spirit bodies because they were extremely aroused, right?”

“Your choice of words is a bit…”

Erika criticized from the side, but when I confirmed it was essentially correct, Findenai looked at me and asked:

“Then what about you?”

“I didn’t have that tendency.”

To be precise, my artificial body couldn’t withstand the mana flow and broke down.

In any case, I didn’t experience the visible changes that the two of them did.

That was puzzling, but…

‘…Hmm?’

Why was that?

Findenai’s blood-red eyes seemed to know the answer, and only after talking with her did I feel like I had missed something obvious.

“I may not fully understand the theory intellectually yet. But haven’t you already created a result? Stella is currently in a spirit body state.”

“We don’t know how long it will last, and there could be side effects.”

I answered quickly, almost defensively, but Findenai’s eyes changed suggestively.

She took a step forward predatorily, with a lewd look.

I stepped back out of unnecessary anxiety.

“I think I know why you couldn’t become a spirit body.”

“Oh? What is it?”

Erika, who had been thinking about the research aspect, asked with a puzzled expression.

Three souls experienced the same situation, but one remained unchanged, one became a spirit body temporarily, and one still remained a spirit body.

I thought there must be some other reason, but…

This wasn’t about cold numbers or mana; it required an emotional approach like Findenai’s.

“Because you weren’t excited enough.”

The reason Stella, who was particularly sensitive, became a spirit body was because she experienced much more emotional turbulence than the Dark Spiritmaster and me.

Conversely, I, who wasn’t as excited as Stella, only partially became a spirit body.

And the Dark Spiritmaster, whose artificial body broke down before completion, became a spirit body but then returned to normal.

Thud.

As I stepped back, my back hit the bookshelf.

While I was momentarily distracted checking behind me, Findenai pressed her body against mine with a lewd smile.

Findenai tended to calm down only when she had the upper hand.

“I’m different from yesterday. I did a lot of image training last night.”

“A-ahem.”

Erika, who must have done it together with her, cleared her throat awkwardly from the side.

Then she subtly moved to the opposite side of Findenai and clung to me.

Their plump breasts pressed against me from both sides.

Despite her rough words, Findenai’s face was still red with embarrassment, and Erika was openly showing her shyness.

But neither of them backed down.

“What do you think? Doesn’t my answer seem right?”

“If we do this, the artificial body will…”

“Break down. Don’t you need to be excited enough to break it down to become a spirit body?”

Chomp.

Findenai gently bit my neck. My body trembled in surprise at the slight pain.

Lick.

On the opposite side, Erika softly licked my neck.

“Wait a minute…”

I thought she wasn’t wrong, but I found myself trying to stop them.

Because I had faint emotions.

I couldn’t become a spirit body because I was less excited than the other two.

Conversely.

If I were to experience enough emotional turbulence, then I, who was defined as a necessary existence by the continent just like the Dark Spiritmaster…

Could also become one, I thought.

“Is anyone home?!”

Noisy voices of people could be heard from outside the house.