Chapter 40 – Master…

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When I arrived at the workshop with Veronica, Cecile was making potions. With a serious expression that contrasted with her usual bright smile.

When our eyes met, she ran over with a bright expression and hugged me.

“Lady Shaa! Are you back?”

“Ah… yes. Were you making potions?”

“Yes! Veronica told me it would be good to be doing that!”

“I see.”

I glanced at Veronica, who was looking at me with a strange expression. Like she was looking at something unsettling. Not knowing why, I shrugged and stroked Cecile’s head.

After Cecile giggled, I told her there was no need to call me Shaa in front of Veronica and sent her back to the table.

“Is something strange?”

When I asked, Veronica shook her head saying it was nothing.

I guess it was my imagination.

I showed Veronica around the workshop and home. Since she’d be living here for a while, it was the natural thing to do. She commented that I’d spent a lot of money on the place. Even Veronica’s eyes sparkled when she saw the shower facilities.

“If you go further in, there’s also a bathtub. I haven’t used it much so I should check if it works…”

Veronica frowned and asked.

“If you don’t use it, why did you install it?”

“…I wanted to use it but I’ve been so busy I haven’t had time to soak leisurely.”

“…”

Avoiding Veronica’s pitying gaze, I checked the bathtub. Fortunately, it seemed the money spent was worth it, as it was just slightly dusty but otherwise fine. After running some water through it, it seemed ready to use immediately.

But since it wasn’t time for that yet, I put it off and continued the tour. After looking around, Veronica asked me with a disbelieving expression.

“…There’s only one bedroom?”

“As you can see… but there are two beds…”

“Th-then, are you s-saying I have to sleep in the same room as you…?”

Veronica’s face flushed as if it was hard to accept.

“If you’re really uncomfortable, I can sleep in the reception room for now.”

“N-no! It f-feels like a dormitory, which is nice. A-and it’s better to sleep in the same room in case something happens!”

“…Really? If you don’t mind.”

Veronica nodded vigorously. I laughed inwardly at her reaction. I wondered if she might suggest having a pillow fight soon.

…Though I’ve never had one.

After finishing the general tour, I turned to head back to the workshop when Veronica grabbed my tail.

“…I told you not to touch it.”

“Ah sorry, I did it without thinking when I was trying to get your attention.”

After removing my tail from her hand, I asked.

“So, why suddenly?”

“It’s nothing much… What would you like me to help with? From what I saw earlier, Cecile… She seems to be helping you well already. As a fellow alchemist, to add anything… what I know… you probably already know too, right?”

For something that started with playfully grabbing my tail, this seemed quite… heavy. Veronica’s face looked more dejected than I’d seen since she arrived.

What was making Veronica so down? As the second-best graduate from the Academy, she should be able to hold her head high anywhere.

As proof of that, I knew Veronica also had her own workshop. Not being able to easily add to the subject made me a bit awkward.

“You haven’t been idle since graduation, right?”

“That’s… true…?”

“Then someone talented like you will surely be helpful somehow. I’ll vouch for that as someone who took classes with you.”

“…”

Veronica looked at me with a strange expression. She scanned my body with narrowed eyes, then shook her head and sighed.

Somehow, I felt odd this time. My tail swished back and forth at her look that seemed to regard me as a pathetic human. Seeing my tail, Veronica chuckled.

“…You really never change. You.”

“What?”

“Nothing. So what can I help with?”

My ears perked up at that.

“…Nothing special.”

Veronica, who had been listening quietly, gradually turned red. Then she suddenly shouted, covering her modest chest with her arm.

“Th-that’s sexual harassment!!!”

“Wh-what are you suddenly saying! Wh-when did I say I wanted to touch anything? I-I just asked for your impressions and suggestions.”

“Y-you could just try it yourself! Y-you’re a woman now too!”

When she said I should try it myself, memories of past days flashed back. My breasts flattened against the floor… asking Cecile to help in the bathroom… and the next day, with both of them in bed…

My face heated up. Somehow my stomach tightened. Since getting the tail and ears, I often feel this tightening sensation.

“Why are you suddenly acting like that?”

Veronica tilted her head and looked at me with a puzzled expression. I shook my head to clear my thoughts. Then I explained as calmly as possible.

“…I tried it myself, but the effect was too good to make distinctions. I also gave it to Cecil, but there was quite a difference between us, so I think one more person should try it…”

After thinking for a moment, Veronica asked me an unexpected question.

“…So what do you like?”

“What?”

“…Never mind. But you tried it too? You seem small for someone who did.”

Veronica’s crimson eyes scanned my chest area. I smiled awkwardly and replied.

“It’s the shrinking type.”

“That’s truly evil.”

…Of course, my goal was for them to shrink naturally, but there was an unexpected minor side effect that they only get smaller when milk is squeezed out. I tried to improve it as much as possible, but we’ll see the results with this experiment.

“Anything else?”

“…Nothing for now.”

Still looking at me with a red face, Veronica muttered as if giving up.

“…I can’t just eat your food without helping, so I’ll help… but next time, I hope it’s something more normal.”

“What are you saying, this is full of hope and dreams.”

Of course… with a bit of my selfish hopes and dreams mixed in… Veronica reluctantly nodded.

“…I’m sad that I can’t deny it.”

Since she’d be tired today, we decided to experiment tomorrow. Veronica, sweaty from various reasons, headed to the bathroom saying she’d take a bath. After seeing her off, I returned to the workshop to check on progress.

Cecile seemed to have diligently made potions without getting distracted, as she had almost filled the quota. As she filled the last bottle, Cecile stretched and exclaimed.

“All done!”

I chuckled at her cute behavior, and Cecile turned to me. Again, she ran over to report that she had completed the quota.

“Good job.”

“Hehe… Cecile is now used to it and can finish quickly, Asha!”

“That’s good.”

I thought I could entrust her with more difficult tasks now… but I’d think about that later and stroked Cecile’s head.

Cecile, who was smiling broadly, was fidgeting with her fingers. She seemed to want something. After a while, a cautious voice was heard.

“Asha…”

“Yes?”

“Cecile has something she wants.”

“Something you want?”

Did she finish the quota quickly because there was something she wanted?

“Cecile wants to have a tail and ears like Asha.”

“Huh…?”

“Is it not possible? Cecile wants to have the same things as Asha…”

It was quite a cute request. Actually, I thought that if we were going to do something for a change, maybe I should have given it to Cecile instead of drinking it myself.

Since I was curious about reactions to things other than the breast-enlarging medicine anyway, I thought this was perfect timing.

“There’s no reason why not. Could you wait a moment?”

“Yes!”

Leaving behind Cecile who was jumping with joy, I rummaged through the storage. I was sure I had something I made for fun left somewhere, but looking through the messy storage reminded me of the rooms I was using as warehouses since there was no one to organize them.

Many tools, furniture, and… storage containers with unknown contents that I’d forgotten about.

Maybe I should organize with Veronica’s help…

Somehow, it seemed overwhelming.

After searching for a while, I found the potion Cecile wanted. Looking at the label… it was a different type from what I drank. I scratched my cheek in embarrassment.

“Asha! Did you find it?”

“Ah… yes, I found it, but it’s different from what I took.”

“How is it different?”

Cecil tilted her head with a curious expression.

“If what I drank was feline… this would be closer to a dog.”

“A dog?”

“In a way… you could say it’s the opposite.”

It’s not exactly that kind of relationship but… that’s the image, isn’t it? Cecile put a finger to her lips, pondered for a moment, then answered straightforwardly.

“As long as I get a tail and ears, Cecile is fine! It doesn’t have to be the same as Asha’s. Just being similar is good!”

“Really? Then…”

I was about to hand it over but hesitated momentarily. My tail and ears suddenly shrank back.

“Asha?”

I watched Cecile’s modestly outstretched hands… and carefully placed the potion in them. Thinking it would be fine.

Cecile smiled brightly and gulped down the potion. After placing the empty bottle on the table, Cecile fidgeted as if the places where her tail and ears would emerge were itchy.

“S-something is itchy, Asha.”

“That’s normal, so just bear with it a little. But this time the effect comes right away?”

I was intrigued by the immediate reaction, unlike the breast medicine. What was different?

While I was pondering, cute animal ears sprouted on top of Cecile’s silver hair in the blink of an eye. A fluffy-looking tail also popped out, making her dress flutter.

“Woof!”

And Cecile got down on all fours. Like… a dog.

…Huh?

Then she started rubbing her head against my thigh, wagging her fluffy, plush tail like crazy. On all fours, whining. Only moans came out as if she had forgotten human language.

…It seemed the mixture was a bit… wrong… similar to what I had drunk.

When I reached out my hand, Cecile licked it as if leaving a mark. Looking at her, I wondered:

When will she come back to her senses? I hope before tomorrow. Unlike my troubled feelings, Cecile seemed simply happy.

…I guess it’s fine since she’s cute. Veronica’s here too.

I stroked her even fluffier hair.