Letter of Recommendation (10)

Clark and Sophia’s ‘shower’ continued for a bit longer. The reason was obvious. They were probably in the middle of some intense coitus. I slowly turned my head, using their moans as background music. To turn the ‘stupid little Devil Sophia’ into an ‘up-and-coming talent,’ several preparations were needed.

―Hyaaang…?!!

Considering those lewd moans, it would probably take at least an hour…

I should go downstairs for a bit. I snapped my fingers and created a portal to the first floor. I had to meet Pekapolis-ssi.

Passing through the blue portal, I saw the familiar scenery of the hall.

I stepped down, landing softly, and turned my head towards Pekapolis-ssi.

“…Huh?”

She was still reading a book, and turned her head at the sudden appearance. Our eyes met. Pekapolis-ssi found me and made a listless expression.

“Appearing and disappearing as you please… You won’t answer even if I ask about what happened at the Count’s estate, will you?”

“I’m sorry.”

“I knew it. So, what is it this time?”

I spoke bluntly.

“I need a recommendation letter. A recommendation letter for Astra Academy.”

“Astra? You mean the academy in the capital?”

I nodded. Pekapolis-ssi tilted her head and asked back.

“But why are you asking? Where’s the person in question?”

“Erm… They’re busy having some raunchy sex right now, so they couldn’t come.”

“Puh-heup, cough. Keuk. W-what―?”

By now, they probably came at least once. Since his stamina has increased, he’ll probably have to cum about three more times before his Semen runs dry.

“Kah…”

I stared blankly at Pekapolis-ssi, who was hiccuping from swallowing her saliva wrong. She cleared her throat and said.

“If you’re so nonchalant, how am I supposed to react?”

“Oh my, sorry.”

“No need to apologize. Anyway, if you’re asking me, it must be for the 67th class of the magic department, right?”

I nodded again.

Astra’s admission season was over, so they could only enter next year, but it didn’t matter since I didn’t really intend to enroll them. The ‘Sophia’ on the documents was scheduled to die in an accident anyway. At least, that’s how it would be recorded on paper.

“Hmm…”

Pekapolis-ssi glared at me sharply, then rested her chin on her hand. I clicked my tongue inwardly. It didn’t seem like a positive answer would come out.

“…I usually grant your requests whenever possible, but recommendation letters are a bit difficult for me. Every year, tens of thousands of people try to enter Astra. The number of people who are rumored to have talent is narrowed down to tens of thousands.

―And only about a thousand are selected from among them.” Pekapolis-ssi closed her mouth after finishing this sentence. I said in a nonchalant tone.

“Are you considering fairness?”

“Well, if I give a recommendation letter, admission is half-guaranteed, so of course I can’t give it out easily.”

“….”

“If you really want to get it, bring the person in question. I’ll judge fairly, based solely on their skills. To see if they deserve to receive my recommendation letter.”

She was the Deputy Head of the Red Magic Tower. Even if she did a lot of clumsy things in front of me, that fact didn’t change. Her influence on the empire was incomparably higher than mine.

Because she had undergone constant verification to become the Deputy Head. Because she had been with the empire throughout its history. The name ‘Pekapolis’ wielded a power stronger than any sword or spear.

So, if you want to receive a recommendation letter, bring the person in question directly.

“But don’t be disappointed. Who knows, if you write ‘Disciple of the Red Witch’ on the admission application, it might have a bigger impact than me.”

Unfortunately, I couldn’t sell my disciple to the Count. Selling a cherished disciple as food? And watching the disciple being dissected alive with the Count? I didn’t have the confidence to explain this crazy situation in a way that made sense. If I could, wouldn’t I have become a great writer?

I closed my eyes and turned my back. Well, it didn’t matter. Sophia’s potential was insanely high anyway. After all, she was a copy of the Arch Mage’s body. If I just opened a few Mana circuits, she would show tremendous talent.

“Okay. Then I’ll see you in a few hours.”

Pekapolis-ssi muttered with a slightly reddened face.

“D-don’t… don’t make a baby, and do it moderately.”

She seemed embarrassed, burying her face in the book and focusing on reading. I chuckled and created a portal. I was sorry to her, but both Sophia and I had been prospective mothers for a long time. If I told her, she would probably grab my collar and collapse, so I decided not to say it.

Her pink hair looked redder than usual today.

* * *

The shower room door finally opened after exactly 1 hour and 20 minutes. Billowing steam and a faint lewd smell. Clark and Sophia awkwardly put on their clothes.

They were both very clean, but there were traces of intense lovemaking all over the place. Judging by the lip marks on their necks, chests, and shoulders, I could roughly guess what happened.

I patted the blanket and called Sophia. The bed had been thoroughly cleaned while the two were busy having sex, so it was very fluffy.

Sophia swallowed hard and gestured to Clark. It seemed like she was asking for some help. However, Clark also couldn’t escape my orders. I opened the door with telekinesis and said.

“I need to talk to Sophia for a bit, so could you go out for a while?”

“How many minutes will it take?”

“A little long. About two hours. If it ends before then, I’ll come find you myself. Or you can go out and play. How much money should I give you?”

“…It’s okay! I’ll be waiting in my lab.”

“Heuheu. Thank you.”

Sophia desperately tried to grab Clark’s sleeve with a look of despair. However, that touch never reached him. The sound of the door closing with a thud was even ruthless. Sophia’s face turned pale. She stood in front of me, trembling.

“Sit down. I have a lot to talk about.”

“Y-yes…”

Her clothes were still just a dress over her naked body. Her private parts were clearly visible through the gaps in the clothes. Even the pink heart-shaped magic circle floating above her uterus. I turned away from that lewd sight and began to tell her the story in earnest.

“Do you know a Clayde viscount family in the southern region?”

“U-uh―”

“Of course you wouldn’t. They were wiped out fifty years ago.”

“W-wiped out?”

It was a family where the entire family had died in a fire. Three sons and two daughters. Both the concubine and the legal wife, as well as the head of the family, died on the spot. Since they hadn’t adopted any sons, the lineage was cut off. It was called the ‘Clayde Family Tragedy.’ It was a brief entry in the history books.

However, I wasn’t bringing up this story to teach history.

“The characteristics of the Clayde family. I heard that all members of the viscount family have white hair like jade. And.”

“A-and?”

“A shield-shaped mark that only appears on those who inherited the blood of Clayde…. It’s usually on the left shoulder.”

I should have noticed by now if I said this much, but she was still just tilting her head. I grabbed Sophia’s shoulder and reconstructed her body.

“Kkeueut―?!”

“Stay still.”

Her left shoulder was disassembled and reassembled. It happened so quickly that she didn’t even have time to feel the pain, but she was wide-eyed and flustered, as if she still felt the sensation of her arm breaking.

“Show me your shoulder.”

Nod nod.

Sophia immediately threw off her dress. She could have just lowered the hem of her clothes, but she was quite proactive. I pulled Sophia’s body closer and caressed her bare skin.

“…It seems like there won’t be any problems with this.”

“W-what is this, eonniya…? S-sister…?”

“The symbol of the Clayde family.”

A shield-shaped scar remained on Sophia’s left shoulder. It was reproduced exactly as it appeared in the book. There would be no signs of manipulation. It was perfect. There were no artificial traces whatsoever. I glared at Sophia and said.

“From now on, you are Sophia Clayde.”

“Hikkeuk….”

“The sole survivor of a family that was wiped out fifty years ago. The last hope to revive the family.”

A plausible story began to be pieced together.

I wrung my head and muttered.

“Sophia Clayde was hiding the fact that she was from the viscount family. She had a plan. To enter Astra, where the stars of the empire gather, and declare that the Clayde lineage has returned.”

“W-who? Are you talking about me?”

“Fifteen years old is the minimum age for admission… and there’s no problem since the setting is that her parents are dead.”

“Eheee…? A-Astra…?”

Even if others didn’t recognize her as a Clayde, if she overwhelmed them with her overwhelming skills, they would have to acknowledge her even if they didn’t want to. A brilliant future awaited her. The empire was a stage to decorate history, and Devils and monsters were just tools to make her achievements shine.

Of course, if I and the Count weren’t there.

Ah, Sophia, Sophia. The last hope of Clayde. You’ve overcome all sorts of hardships and run for fifteen years, but the end is to become a mere ingredient and be placed on the table.

Ah, Sophia, Sophia. Child of a wretched life. Can you accept the fate that you have lived only to be placed on the table?

Ah, Sophia, Sophia. A brilliant star that will illuminate the empire. You are returning to darkness, dyed with a handful of ashes to illuminate the land.

“Sophia, Sophia…”

“Eonni, ya…? S-scary… Please stop…”

“Ah, um. Sorry. I got too immersed.”

I was only able to realize what I was doing after hearing Sophia’s sobbing voice. I was stroking Sophia’s cheeks with empty eyes. Like a crazy woman.

I was temporarily empathizing with the Count, and even I became mentally unstable. Damn it. I vowed not to sympathize with this kind of thing, but I’m already doing this in less than a day. I slapped my cheeks and glared at Sophia.

Sophia. No, Sophia Clayde shrank her shoulders, intimidated by the aura I was emitting.

I cleared my throat.

“This is the most important part…”

“I-important…?”

Yes. A very important part.

I paused for a moment, then said in a firm voice.

“You have to die once.”

Sophia’s body froze. Her face, which had turned pale and then white, began to tremble, and small tears hung in her trembling eyes. Before I could even open my mouth, she knelt down and bowed her head, hitting her forehead on the ground.

“P-please save me. P-please. S-hik. S-save. S-save. P-plea…”

“Stop. I don’t mean to really die. I mean to pretend to die.”

“Heueuk, w-uh…?”

I forcibly lifted Sophia up and said.

“There’s someone who wants you.”

“S-someone who wants me… T-that, h-ho, perhaps.”

“It’s not someone from the Holy Empire.”

She sighed in relief at the words that it wasn’t the Holy Empire. I licked my dry lips and brought up the next story.

“It’s someone who has a taste for torturing young girls like you…”

“H-hiik…”

“I’m thinking of selling you to them.”