Letter of Recommendation (12)

Sophia couldn’t withstand the dissonance between perception and reality and showed symptoms of panic. Her gender changed, her deeply scarred arm returned to normal in the blink of an eye. And to top it off, she had become two people.

Could all of this be a dream? Was she having a nightmare? Sophia closed her eyes, curled up, and shook her head, denying reality.

“Haa…”

Her condition was not good. If she went crazy and became a shut-in, I’d have to go alone.

I grabbed Sophia by the hair and moved her towards the dummy body. Sophia’s body, which would soon become mine. I had to be careful. If the ritual were to be interrupted midway, the ego would split in two or collapse. It wasn’t easy, as it required a high degree of concentration, but as always, the theory was perfect, so there was no need to worry.

Sophia was set up like a sacrificial offering on the magic circle drawn with blood. I nonchalantly threw out a dry remark and closed my eyes.

“…If you go crazy now, it’ll be tough later.”

Should I create a backup ego in case she becomes an idiot? I pondered, but it didn’t seem necessary to use that much power. All preparations for transferring the consciousness were complete.

I closed my eyes and let Mana flow.

* * *

Thirty minutes had passed since Sophia and I switched bodies.

Sophia, who had been gradually going insane, eventually accepted reality and reached the stage of resignation. The overwhelming power that she couldn’t resist even erased the will to deny it.

“This is… me, you say…”

Watching her own appearance in the mirror, she slumped her shoulders with a hollow face, as if her soul had left her body.

Sophia as Yujin, Yujin as Sophia.

Now she had to accept it.

“…Am I supposed to act like Onee-ya?”

There was no tremor in her voice. She was extremely calm. I pushed aside the mirror that Sophia had put down and asked.

“Are you feeling a bit better now?”

Sophia squatted on the bed and grumbled.

“It’s just… I’ve realized that no matter what I do, I can’t escape Onee-ya.”

“Oh my, I really meant it when I said I’d let you go if you kept your promise.”

“…There’s no way I could do that, is there?”

Could this be called overcoming? This wasn’t overcoming, it was giving up. She had given up on everything. She knew that no matter what she did, she was in the palm of my hand. Her lowered self-esteem, coupled with her fear of the outside world, created extreme dependence.

Sophia was afraid. She was still afraid. She was afraid of me, and she was afraid of humans. She hated being hurt, and she hated being proactive. Coward. She didn’t dare to bet her fate on uncertainty.

The end of giving up was obedience.

Sophia fidgeted with her fingers and said.

“T-t-that, and… liv, living like th-this. Isn’t, isn’t so bad…”

Sophia said that life after being kidnapped by me wasn’t so bad. She said she was satisfied because she got food on time and could sleep in a warm place. She also said she was used to being alone. She said that life so far was dozens of times better than when she lived as a Demon.

Did I say it before? Demons don’t hide their desires. They say they like what they like, and they hate what they hate. They are a race with clear emotional expressions.

Well, it’s pleasure amplified five times. There was no way she could feel bad. She clearly felt it through her copulation with Clark. Recalling what happened then, Sophia blushed and wiggled her toes.

“Could you not be embarrassed with my body? It makes me feel bad.”

I looked at Sophia and said curtly.

Seeing my girlish appearance like that made my chest tingle. It felt like looking into a dark history. An indescribable revulsion crept up.

Sophia didn’t understand why I was annoyed, but she soon realized that it wasn’t something to ‘get hit’ for, and she just lowered her head. She had learned that even if I was in a bad mood, I wouldn’t draw my sword as long as she was absolutely obedient.

I wrote a letter to Clark explaining the whole situation and said.

“I’ll tell you your role, so don’t forget it and remember it well.”

―Ttak! I flicked my finger and created a round water droplet. A water droplet the size of a human face. I struck the water droplet in half with the side of my hand, and two familiar faces floated on both sides. Vice Head of the Red Magic Tower Pekapolis and Count Bridonia.

“There are two people you must meet. Pekapolis, the pink-haired receptionist on the first floor, and Count Fahar Bridonia. You can ignore the rest.”

To become a great actor, you had to understand me and understand the other person. Pekapolis would take the bait if you just responded roughly, but the Count was different. Madmen recognize madmen. If she didn’t understand Bridonia’s personality, he would immediately recognize that Sophia and I had switched bodies.

“I’ll tell you what to do.”

Sophia nodded like a puppy and followed my orders.

“Now, repeat after me, ‘I have prepared a special gift for Count-nim. I hope you like it.'”

“For Count-nim, a sp, special gift…”

“Stop.”

“I’m, I’m sorry…”

“Before you stutter, your expression is too stiff. A little more naturally, expressionlessly. With the feeling of giving an ordinary gift.”

She was still clumsy, but there was plenty of time. At least 3 days, 5 days at most. During that time, I had to make Sophia a perfect ‘Yujin’. The Count was patient, but he was the type of person who would get angry if he didn’t get the results he expected after waiting.

Sophia said.

―I have prepared a special gift for Count-nim. I hope you like it.

Her expression management was clumsy, but her voice tone was a passing grade.

Then, now I needed to join in too. It’s hard for each other to just practice looking at the wall. When she recited her lines properly, I also acted ‘Sophia’ with all my heart.

“Haa…”

The ‘girl’ smiled brightly with a slightly flushed face and gave her thanks in a joyful voice.

“The symbol of pioneering and challenge, the father of all adventurers. It is an honor to meet Godfather, the master of Bridonia. I am also happy because you are more than qualified to cook me today.”

The girl put her hand on her chest and shyly bowed her head. There was no fear on her shadowed face. Rather, only persistent desire filled her chest. Feeling it, true heart眞心. It was a genuine joy without lies.

The girl’s gestures were excessively polite and seductive for someone destined to become mere food waste. She even spoke in the northeastern Gadris language that only nobles used―this was evidence that the girl had certainly received higher education, and it also meant that she was an undoubtedly ‘high-class talent’.

The girl lowered her clothes as if seducing the other person. Since she wasn’t wearing underwear, her collarbone and breasts were clearly visible. It was a vulgar act, unlike the etiquette she had just shown, but it was an action she could take because she was aware that she was an ingredient.

“My name is Sophia. Next year, I will enter Astra and declare that the blood of Kleide has returned. Of course, that was only until yesterday. I believe you know what I mean.”

A shield-shaped scar engraved on her left shoulder. The girl gave a meaningful smile and playfully raised her clothes.

“I am scheduled to die in an accident today. I am destined to be cooked by Count-nim and placed on the table. Please cook every part of me, without leaving out my head, chest, arms, and legs.”

……

…

“Haa… How was it? Was it helpful?”

The end of the acting.

I stopped immersing myself and shook my head. I had to draw a line. If I kept immersing myself like this, my desires could become distorted. My masochistic tendencies were already heading towards the abyss, and if I developed a hobby of being cooked… it would be terrible.

More than that, it would have been more perfect if I had Pekapolis’s recommendation letter. There were many regrets, but I figured it was still in the preparation stage, so I let it go.

“Uh-uh…”

Sophia was silent. She had used translation magic, so the meaning itself should have been conveyed, but she only mumbled with a pale face.

I didn’t bother asking for her impressions.

* * *

Our passionate acting came to an end with Clark’s return.

Clark was greatly confused when he saw us with our bodies switched, but he nodded with a familiar face after receiving the letter. Sophia wasn’t the only one who had resigned herself after giving up.

I opened the portal, telling Clark the precautions.

“Clark, don’t be too intense while I’m gone. Sophia needs to take care of her body until she can perfectly play me.”

“I, I’m not that much of a pervert!”

Clark protested with a red face. I chuckled and waved my hand.

“If you really want to do it with Sophia, do it with the dummy body. It’s only in a ‘living’ state without consciousness or soul. When you stick it in, her pussy tightens, and when you pinch her nipples, her back arches, so there’s no problem.”

“Ah, eugh! Really…”

“Ah, keep in mind that you can’t use my main body because of the protection ritual.”

I check my body condition before crossing the portal. I even wore clothes similar to a school uniform so that I could look like an incoming student to anyone.

I had to forget Yujin, who had lived a cold and indifferent life. I am Sophia. A lively fifteen-year-old girl who is trying to enter Astra.

I self-hypnotized myself and smiled brightly. At the same time, I shouted vigorously. I couldn’t see it, but I shouted loudly so that Pekapolis could hear me beyond the portal.

“…Alright! Let’s go!”

It was terrible. My stomach was twisting as I tried to act ‘lively’ on purpose. Clark chuckled behind me. I desperately stopped my lips from falling apart and jumped through the portal.

“―Hello!”

I pressed down on my skirt so that it wouldn’t flutter and landed. I even showed myself staggering because I couldn’t keep my balance. I waved my white hair and smiled awkwardly.

“Euch… I’m sorry. I’m not used to using portals.”

“…Who are you?”

Pekapolis narrowed her eyes and put down her book. Even if we had met, it was only once, and compared to Sophia at that time, everything from her clothes to her personality was different, so it was understandable that she didn’t notice.

I asked back with an innocent face.

“Didn’t Yujin Onee-ya tell you?”

“Yujin?”

Pekapolis stared at me for a while and began to search her past memories. It didn’t last long. She was a magician, so her memory was considerable.

“Ah, that kid who was kidnapped in the Labyrinth and hurt her head?”

“Th, that’s! If I hadn’t been careless…”

“It’s okay. I’m glad you seem to be mentally fine. What’s your name?”

“It’s Sophia…!”

“Okay, okay. More than that, relax. I know everything even if you hide your strength like that.”

“Ye, yes?!”

I shut my mouth with a startled expression.

It was an expression that meant how did you know.

‘…It’s all acting, though.’

The acting was going smoothly.

I clumsily hid my Mana. I hid it just enough for a magician like Pekapolis to easily notice. I acted out the contradiction of ‘natural clumsiness’. The effect was certain. Pekapolis, who was fooled by my perfect acting, covered her mouth and chuckled. I could even see the arrogance of daring to hide her strength in front of anyone.

Yes. Keep believing that. Pekapolis, who didn’t know that all of this was intentional, said with a condescending expression.

“So, why did you come here?”

I swallowed hard and said with a nervous face.

“Pekapolis Onee-ya… you said you were the Vice Head of the Red Magic Tower, right?”

“…Did you hear that from Yujin too?”

I nod my head.

Pekapolis rolled her eyes and scanned me. Clothes reminiscent of the academy. And the excitement in her eyes that she couldn’t hide.

“Ha.”

She chuckled. She seemed to have a rough idea of why I came.

“It’s you.”

She jumped up from her seat and took off her monocle. Her red-blue heterochromatic eyes sparkled in the light. Pekapolis glared at me fiercely and said.

“It was you. The kid who dared to get a recommendation letter from me.”

―Kung! She stomped the floor with her heel. The tower shook. I knew that this was the beginning of the ‘test’. The sound of gears turning. The floor began to rotate.

Pekapolis loosened her hands and feet and opened her mouth.

“Specialty?”

I raised flames in both hands and grinned.

“Fire火.”

And fire話. I will speak with fire. Pekapolis seemed to like my answer, as she raised the corners of her mouth and her eyes sparkled.

“I’m looking forward to it since you’ve been recognized by the Red Witch, kid. But keep in mind. I won’t go easy on you.”

I deliberately created sweat and let it flow. She accepted it as tension and slightly suppressed the heat that had spread everywhere.

“Tell me in advance if you’re scared. I’ll stop even now. If you take even one more step…”

One step.

I take a step forward.

“…I’ll start the test right away.”

Ignoring her, two steps.

I move forward.

“You’re just like Yujin, being so bold. Good. You’ve got guts.”

Like that, three steps.

When I stepped forward.

――Huuuung!!!!!

__

__

“Ugh…!”

A whirlwind of heat that made it difficult to even breathe swept through. It was the wind created by Pekapolis. I put up a moderately strong barrier and moved forward.

Pekapolis crossed her arms and created two magic circles.

Multiple casting.

I take a hot breath and shout.

“Test, start―――!!!”

I kick off the ground, and flames soar.

The beginning of the second test.