Chapter 71 – A Sticky Outing

R​ｅa&d; ​o​&n;​& ;ＫаtŔ&e;adin̂ｇCafｅ​

Editor’s Note

Edited

“Are you planning to leave without me?”

At Leona’s quiet question, Aileen nodded mercilessly. Leona’s face remained expressionless, but her thin, long tail swayed back and forth in obvious displeasure.

Finally giving up against Aileen’s stubbornness, Leona approached me and slowly spoke.

“Please make sure to observe lunchtime. If you need to have dinner as well, the same applies. It’s a bit embarrassing and delicate to say this, but—”

“I’d prefer if you stopped there… Leona.”

Aileen, who had been watching to see what she would say, suddenly turned bright red, scurried over, and covered Leona’s mouth.

Watching this from the side, I secretly smiled with contentment.

Since they were the couple whose memory remained most vivid to me, the trajectory of their budding relationship naturally came to mind.

As the parts that had been obscured by poor graphics became clear, I found myself salivating.

“Slurp.”

This has been happening more frequently lately, and I don’t know why.

…Perhaps it’s a rebound from not being able to fully enjoy my hobby in this bewildering situation.

How could I suddenly quit something I’d been doing every day?

A dog can’t quit eating excrement, much less can I quit this. Especially when there’s so much to see around me, though not being able to look comfortably because of growing things probably plays a part too.

This makes it sound like some kind of drug, but it’s a hundred—no, a thousand times better than that.

“…I apologize. I’ve shown unseemly behavior.”

Just then.

Aileen’s gloomy voice reached my ears.

Raising my head, I saw Aileen with a reddened face turning away, and Leona looking at me with a stiff, grim expression.

I wondered what I had done before realizing I had made a sound because of my saliva.

It seems they mistook it for a sound of disapproval.

“Ah, it’s not like that… My, my throat was just dry.”

“Is that so…?”

“Of course.”

If I said otherwise, the person next to you would probably fold my waist in half.

She doesn’t seem to see that.

Anyway.

After such twists and turns, Aileen and I ventured outside the academy.

Walking the outside path alone with her, it felt like I was actually on a date, despite joking about it earlier.

Aileen walked the streets with a pleased expression, seemingly enjoying something tremendously.

“Teacher. Have you tried that? I’ve heard rumors about how delicious it is.”

“…No?”

Looking where she pointed, I saw a familiar-looking skewer.

Experiencing a strange sense of déjà vu, I blinked as I realized it was what’s commonly called tanghulu—or rather, something that looked like tanghulu.

…Does this mean that all human settlements are essentially the same?

Not wanting to spoil her apparently joyful mood, I approached the vendor and bought something that looked like tanghulu.

It wasn’t particularly because I recalled Leona’s glaring eyes.

Just… goodwill.

The handle of the tanghulu I received was sticky. Not enough to be bothersome, but definitely noticeably sticky.

Some unknown fruit was skewered on it… but since it’s coated in sugar, it would be hard for it to taste bad.

When I handed the slightly sticky stick to Aileen, she looked around as if searching for someone, then accepted the skewer with a happy face.

As I looked at her questioningly, she smiled sheepishly and said quietly.

“Leona tells me not to eat things like this.”

“…”

Suddenly, a chill ran down my spine. I worried that a stern maid might be watching Aileen and me from somewhere.

Is, is this okay? Should I take it back now?

Crunch!

But it was already too late.

I could clearly see the sugar coating crumbling under Aileen’s snow-white teeth.

…The water’s already spilled, so there’s no use regretting it now.

Inwardly sighing, I followed her steps and put my portion in my mouth.

Crunch!

Putting food in my mouth that I’ve never even tried in the real world gives me a strange feeling of dissonance.

…When did I start naturally putting such junk food in my mouth?

Normally, just smelling such sweetness would have made me wince.

Come to think of it, the cake Michelle bought for me marked the beginning of this change.

I ate it because it was difficult to refuse her kindness, and that somehow became the catalyst for me to willingly put sweet things in my mouth.

…Or maybe it’s because I don’t fully recognize this as my own body.

Fortunately, this body’s appetite isn’t very strong.

Despite these thoughts, inside my mouth the sweetness and crispness of the sugar, along with the tangy taste of the unfamiliar fruit within, was actually quite good.

Aileen seemed to like it too, her eyes sparkling.

As I felt pleased by her dignified yet innocent smile, I recalled why we came outside and moved closer to Aileen.

As I looked at her while still chewing what was in my mouth, she opened her small, sugar-coated lips before I even spoke, as if she had guessed what I was going to say.

“I used the excuse of going out with you to give Leona some personal time. Ah, but don’t worry, I haven’t forgotten our purpose.”

So that was her deeper intention.

I suppose at the current stage, the two of them are filled with goodwill, devotion, and the bond of growing up together rather than romantic love…

However, knowing this didn’t seem particularly useful.

The special situation unfolding now has bound my relationship with Aileen tightly.

…For my part, I think it’s better for her to be with me right now rather than spending time with Leona.

It might be somewhat selfish, but the two of them aren’t lovers yet.

What I’ve seen is just one of the fragments I glimpsed.

Honestly, even if I treat them as I did in the game, I wasn’t confident that the two of them would end up together here as well.

So far, many things have followed my expectations, but plenty of events have also exceeded them.

From the beginning, it would be arrogant to think I could replicate with my own body what was completed with simple clicks in the game.

It may be too late to realize this, but it’s fortunate that I’ve noticed it now.

While I was thinking this, Aileen, who was clinging to my side, asked.

“Teacher, why do you think ‘that’ grows?”

“That?”

Since I was thinking about something else, I responded half-heartedly to her question, causing her to blush and mutter.

“…You know what I mean. That… a m-man’s… that thing…?”

“Oh.”

“What were you thinking about to respond like that…?”

“…Nothing in particular. Anyway, why it grows… you ask.”

Come to think of it, I don’t think I’ve ever seriously contemplated this.

After hearing Michelle’s words, I thought it was a natural phenomenon in this world.

More precisely…I thought it was a DLC-applied world.

But that didn’t seem to be the case.

In fact, it’s not a world where growing is natural in the first place.

I wondered if I could simply consider this place as a game world anymore.

For a game, it was too… vivid.

Things I didn’t know about were alive, breathing, and moving.

The tanghulu I was munching on was the same. I don’t remember seeing it in the game.

So… it would be best to make a rational inference.

One plausible theory comes to mind.

“…Perhaps it happens when one feels sexual desire? Because that thing itself… is that kind of… entity?”

“S-sexual desire… is it.”

She seemed to have some knowledge of it, as she murmured with reddened cheeks.

Making those noble lips utter “sexual desire” gave me a peculiar feeling.

Aileen, who had been contemplating while nibbling on her tanghulu, seemed to recall something. She told me to follow her and entered a slightly secluded alley.

…Is this really okay?

I had such concerns, but remembering El’s existence made me feel somewhat reassured.

Even if the worst situation arose, with her… we could somehow resolve it.

I’d have to pay a price, but it would be better than dying.

But… what happens to me if I die here?

Would I die permanently?

Or… could that be the trigger to return.

“Teacher?”

“…Let’s go.”

Either way, attempting to find out carried too much risk. Honestly, I might have already leaned toward the “I’d just die” theory.

Anyway.

Shaking my head internally, I followed Aileen.

What was she planning to do in such a deserted place all of a sudden?

As I approached, Aileen confirmed there was no one around, then with a strange expression, she pursed her lips and… blew me a kiss.

Blinking at the absurd situation, I asked.

“…What are you doing?”

“Um, that… don’t you feel ‘sexual desire’? I, I believe I’m… confident in my appearance.”

“…Sigh.”

The sigh I’d been holding back escaped.

Such seduction would probably cool even what people commonly call a “thousand-year love.”

…Right, Aileen was a character who was a bit ‘lacking’ in this aspect… wasn’t she.

Should I be relieved that what I knew remains unchanged?

Or should I call it a disaster…?

Shaking my head, I looked at her and said.

“Rather than that….”

Feeling the coolness on my legs, I stretched out my hand.

Thinking that whether man or woman, no one would dislike these shapely legs in stockings…

This would be more effective than Aileen’s clumsy… no, miserable seduction attempt.

If she learned this, wouldn’t she use it someday?

As I was about to show off my slender legs.

There was one thing I had forgotten.

The fact that my fingers were sticky with sugar.

Rrrip….

The sticky fingers tore the stockings to shreds.

Through the stockings, torn in long strips or circles, my pale thighs were exposed.

“…Oops.”

This defeated the purpose of demonstrating. If Aileen were to copy this, Leona might kill me.

But then.

“Gulp.”

The sound of someone swallowing.

Not someone—it was Aileen.

She was staring at my thighs with a completely flushed face.

Something… was odd.

Her clothes, specifically around the lower half.

I could clearly see it gradually swelling.

…It seemed my guess was correct.

Editor’s Note

If this was set in the Middle Ages, Iris would have probably been branded a succubus and burned. And then we would have had our tragedy tag. Now that I think about it…

…Does anyone have torches and pitchforks? Asking for a friend.