Here We Go

I woke up with an indifferent expression and started the day as if nothing at all had happened yesterday.

In my hand… was a beaker filled with essence. They were the ones that had collected… what had poured out from between my crevices.

Isn’t that obvious?

What I did with Veronica yesterday was, after all, an act of collection. So… it’s not strange to have collected the by-products in a beaker.

…Well, of course it is.

“…”

I felt Veronica glancing at me. When I turned my head, she quickly averted her gaze, lest our eyes meet. Then, when our eyes accidentally met, a potion bottle fell from her fumbling hands. I felt my eyebrow twitching, but… I didn’t say anything.

Between Veronica and me, only Cecil was making potions with a smiling face.

I shook my head vigorously and resumed my research. Like, trying to mix Cecil’s and Veronica’s essence… things like that… Is it a blessing in disguise that I don’t need to taste it?

…No. It’s just a misfortune.

In a way, as expected, the research yielded no results.

Actually, if I had thought about it a little more… something like yesterday might not have happened. It must be a method even Master, who has experience, would have tried, so how… would I be any different?

“Hoo…”

As I let out a deep sigh, I heard the clinking sound of potion bottles. And then… Cecil approached with quick steps and asked.

“Asha-nim? Did something bad happen?”

“Uh-huh… My research just isn’t going well.”

I shook off the lingering images that were swirling around and stroked Cecil’s head.

Her rubbing her head against my palm with a giggle was cute. The warm body heat transferring to me brought a sense of stability to my heart.

Even so, the experimental results wouldn’t change, so the fundamental problem remained….

Stroking Cecil’s soft hair, I estimated the remaining schedule. Since I hadn’t accepted any more requests… the calculation showed that all requests would be finished soon.

“…Veronica.”

“Oh, uh! Yes!”

The clattering sound was loud.

That sight was a little pitiful.

I waited a moment for Veronica to calm down, then continued speaking.

“For the time being… I’m not going to accept any more requests.”

“…What?”

“What?!”

…Why are they so surprised? Did I say something strange? I’m just saying I’m going to take a break.

Veronica, who had been glancing around, now showed her pink tongue.

You’ll drool like that.

“I was thinking of… going to the Capital for a bit.”

“Ah.”

“The Capital?”

While I was explaining what the Capital was to Cecil, Veronica, who had moved closer, asked me.

“Why the Capital…? Are you perhaps… thinking of returning to your Family/House? Indeed… from a different perspective, a solution might emerge-“

“That’s… not it.”

“Really…?”

…Actually, there was no reason not to go back. Just by the fact that I’m using the Astarote surname, it’s as good as saying our relationship is amicable.

The reluctance is just… due to the lingering resentment from my childhood, I suppose. Anyway, with this body, even if I went, they wouldn’t recognize me.

I gave a faint smile to Veronica, who was looking at me with an anxious expression, as if she had made a slip of the tongue.

“Just for a vacation… I was thinking of visiting Master, who only sends things and doesn’t come herself. If I have time, I’ll also look around the Academic Society.”

“I see…”

As I calmed down Cecil, who was excited to hear about going to the Capital, Veronica’s expression seemed somehow dark.

Does she dislike going to the Capital?

“If you don’t want to go, it’s fine to stay here.”

“Wh-what are you talking about! Why would I stay in a house without its owner?!”

“That’s true, isn’t it?”

Then what’s she unhappy about? Veronica is… impossible to figure out.

Anyway, since it was decided, we first produced the potions according to the requests together. With two people working, we could prepare them faster than the deadline.

While waiting for the person to come pick them up, I prepared to go to the Capital.

 Among them, the biggest problem was… what to wear. It didn’t matter much when I was just strolling out in front of the house, but… it would be a burden to walk around the Capital wearing a gown.

…It wasn’t that I had no clothes to wear.

It was as if Master had known something like this would happen, filling an entire room with clothes.

…What’s the point of them being piled up like mountains if I only have a handful of things to wear?

Unlike me, Veronica and Cecil seemed to be having so much fun, holding clothes up to me and squealing.

I wasn’t going to wear them anyway.

When I told them to put them away, Cecil pouted and fidgeted with her fingers. Next to her, Veronica gave me a reproachful look.

I kept my mouth shut to let them know that trying to provoke guilt was useless, but…

“…”

Under the continuous pressure, I eventually had no choice but to pack them.

Anyway, Cecil would carry the luggage… so what if I just packed them and didn’t wear them?

Seeing their faces light up at the word ‘pack’ only brought a bitter smile to my face.

Anyway.

It had been a really long time since I had gone out to another region.

And that day quickly arrived.

Because we decided to depart the very next day after the person who came to pick up the potions left.

It was the perfect day for an outing.

As I stood in front of the entrance, bathed in the sunlight, Cecil walked out with vigorous steps. She was wearing a somewhat luxurious-looking dress that Master had bought for her. It was a cute outfit with a large ribbon attached to the chest.

On Cecil’s back hung a backpack filled with luggage. Inside were changes of clothes and a few materials. Including the breast-enlargement potion that I had measured out whenever I had a moment.

…Though clinical trials hadn’t been conducted yet.

I asked Cecil, who approached, shrugging her shoulders as if it was effortless.

“Are you really okay carrying all of that?”

“Yes! It’s light for Cecil!”

“…”

She’s always beyond standard specifications. It’s convenient for me, but the gazes of those around us might be a bit harsh.

Following Cecil, Veronica came out.

After arriving, she had gathered her long hair, which she usually kept loose, and tied it up. It dangled like a red ponytail, exuding its presence above Veronica’s head.

Veronica was wearing a cool, off-the-shoulder shirt and a skirt. If she raised her arms, her armpits would be clearly visible, yet she was wearing it so well….

Veronica, who had brought out her own luggage, scanned me and said a word.

“…Aren’t you hot?”

“Not really.”

“If you say so…”

I dressed as usual… but today, instead of a gown, I wore a cape. I thought it was the perfect attire for the slightly chilly weather.

As Veronica shook her head, an familiar silhouette appeared behind her.

Fluffy black ears swayed above her head. It was Claudia. Perhaps because she was wearing tight-fitting clothes, her breasts seemed particularly large today. And of course, her firm, flat abs were visible through her clothes.

…Why do her pants look so short again? Is it just my imagination? Her free-spirited tail wagged vigorously back and forth as if happy to meet us.

A dagger hung at her waist.

When our eyes met, she grinned and waved her hand.

“Shaa, you look too hot?”

“…I’m fine?”

“Really? Tell me anytime if you’re hot.”

“…”

That’s right.

Claudia would also be accompanying us on this trip to the Capital. She followed along as an escort, making excuses like it’s dangerous for ordinary women to travel alone…

…Of course, it was unpaid.

Although her intentions were obvious, I also felt a bit uneasy, so I just accepted it.

It wasn’t that I chose her because she wasn’t getting paid. It was because I trusted Claudia’s skills that much…!

Anyway, it wasn’t like we were taking a dangerous mode of transport.

After confirming that everyone had gathered, I activated the security device. I had spent quite a bit of money to install this, but since there hadn’t been any long-term outings… today was the first time I’d activated it.

…There won’t be any problems, right?

I suppressed my uneasy feelings and looked back at my companions, saying.

“Let’s go.”

“Alright.”

“Yes!”

“…Hmm.”

With various responses, we first boarded a carriage. There might be various modes of transport, but… going all the way to the Capital by carriage… would be difficult in many ways. If it were my old body, it might be different… but with this body that tires out with just a little effort, it’s impossible.

And it takes a long time.

So how do we go?

The answer was simple.

“Wow…! It’s incredibly huge! Shaa-nim!”

“Cecil… this must be your first time seeing it. Come to think of it, it’s been a long time since I’ve seen it too.”

“…Have you been cooped up here all this time?”

“Is there a problem? Yo.”

“…Not exactly.”

Claudia, who had followed, let out a chuckle.

“What a surprise, you’re spending all your money? I thought we’d be stuck going to the Capital by carriage.”

“I spend when I need to.”

Claudia, standing next to me with her arms crossed, her breasts swayed.

“Still, paying for mine too was unexpected.”

“Consider it in place of a request fee.”

“That doesn’t balance out, does it?”

“Then go back now if you want.”

“Just kidding.”

Leaving Claudia, who was joking around, I took the sparkling-eyed Cecil and the already tired-looking Veronica and boarded the train.

Yes. The train.

The Magical and Alchemical Eco-Friendly Train.

…For your information, it’s very expensive.