I returned to the magic city of Sharia three days later, at midday.
Over those three days, I'd talked with
Most of it was about Rudy's past.
Apparently, Rudy had been emotionally scarred after being abandoned by a lady named
That was how he'd ended up the way he was.
I'd heard a little about Eris Boreas Greyrat at the palace.
Apparently she was an untamable hellion—so violent she didn't seem human.
According to Rudy, she was a little better than I'd imagined, but...
Still, after he protected her all the way from the Demon Continent to the
If I ever met her, I was definitely going to give her a piece of my mind.
But when I told Rudy that, he turned pale and said I'd better not.
Apparently, Eris was truly strong.
That didn't sit well with me.
But...
Because of how things turned out, I was able to reunite with Rudy.
It wasn't all bad, right?
...Wait?
Wasn't Rudy here to investigate the teleportation incident?
...Well, I guess having two goals was fine.
We arrived at the magic university's main gate.
I'd already changed back into my usual outfit.
My "Fitz" disguise.
"So, um, I'm going to go report to Princess Ariel first."
"Right. Um... I'd appreciate it if you could keep looking out for me going forward, too."
Rudy scratched his head awkwardly and bowed.
When he said those words—"keep looking out for me"—and I thought about what they meant...
My ears turned red all the way.
My face was burning.
"O-Oh, yeah. M-Me too. Please continue to take care of me."
So this meant we were officially together.
...That was what this meant, right?
I'm happy.
My heart feels light.
Is this what it feels like to be on cloud nine?
I headed to the student council room to report to Princess Ariel.
It was lunch break, so Ariel should be there.
As I walked, my mind raced with all sorts of things.
There were so many things I wanted to do with Rudy.
Like going into town together and shopping.
Oh, but since I had to be in disguise as a guy, Rudy might get weird looks...
B-But that didn't matter, right?
Yeah, as long as there was love.
But apparently guys wanted physical intimacy to confirm love.
Yeah, that's what Luke said.
Without a physical connection, the heart eventually drifted apart.
But Rudy said my body wasn't enough...
W-What should I do?
--- Ariel sighed when she saw Sylph return looking dejected.
(So it didn't work again...)
Ariel reflected that perhaps she'd pushed too hard after all.
The plan had seemed perfect while she was thinking it up.
But when she really thought about it, it was an unreasonable idea.
Who would try to forcibly strip someone's clothes off when there was a risk of freezing to death?
Now, what to do.
She'd forbidden Sylph from meeting Rudeus, per their agreement.
But that was only meant to motivate her.
Ariel wanted to help, but couldn't think of a way.
"Sylph, just calm down and give your report first."
Luke's interjection saved the floundering Ariel.
They needed to hear the details first.
"Ah, um, actually, the plan you came up with worked really well, Princess Ariel."
That surprised Ariel.
But she didn't let it show.
As royalty, she'd been trained not to let her true feelings show in her voice.
"Is that so? Then why do you look so down?"
"Yeah, that's the thing—"
"Forgive me. The reason can wait. Let's hear the report first."
"Ah, right."
Ariel calmly listened to Sylph's report.
How everything had gone according to plan.
How they'd entered the cave together, and things had proceeded as expected.
How they'd shared their feelings by the campfire.
As Sylph recounted all this, she looked so genuinely happy that Ariel's mind became muddled.
Then what went wrong, exactly?
Ariel's confusion was resolved when Sylph described the final, critical development.
"So, Rudy got, um, really depressed. He said he came to the magic university to find a cure for it."
"What did you say!?"
"Huh? I mean, he came here to get treated for his... condition."
"No, pardon me. I was momentarily flustered."
Ariel was surprised.
She'd heard the rumors.
But she hadn't expected them to be true.
How could someone in that state even manage to enroll?
This was a place for learning magic, not curing diseases.
"I see. Still, for it to fail at the critical moment. It seems I underestimated Rudeus. I knew he was dense, but I never expected him to humiliate a woman who'd worked up the courage to approach him."
Ariel said this to maintain her own composure.
She didn't mean it.
Sylph would be upset.
By provoking and then comforting her, Ariel could protect her own heart.
That was all it was.
But the plan backfired.
"Princess Ariel, that's going too far."
It was Luke, who'd been silent until now, who spoke up in a reproachful tone.
"There are times when a man simply can't help it. Rudeus didn't refuse to be with Sylph because he didn't want to. If anything, I finally understand why he's held back all this time."
Luke was a womanizer, but he rarely offered opinions to Ariel.
He sometimes gave counsel, but never directly contradicted her.
As a ladies' man, he was endlessly soft on women.
To speak this forcefully to Ariel, with such a strong tone—that was unprecedented.
Ariel felt as though she'd been struck.
"L-Luke...?"
"Sylph, wait here for a moment. I need to fetch something. Princess Ariel, if you'll excuse me."
With that, Luke briskly left the student council room.
Ariel watched his retreating back with furrowed brows.
"I apologize. That was a slip of the tongue."
"No, it's fine. But it's rare for Luke to say something like that."
Sylph was also surprised by Luke's behavior.
There really was more to the dynamic between men and women.
"However, this does put us in a difficult spot."
"Yeah. What should we do? Princess Ariel..."
At this point, Ariel had slightly misunderstood the situation.
Sylph was worried about the strain this was putting on their bond—not about the physical act itself.
But Ariel's thoughts had gone in a different direction.
What came to mind was the remedy for impotence she'd learned about in the Asura Kingdom.
As royalty, if she married into another family, producing children would be mandatory.
She recalled the countermeasures for when a partner was impotent.
She'd been young at the time and hadn't paid serious attention, but some things had stuck with her.
"What about... getting him to drink alcohol?"
Liquid courage.
Meanwhile, Sylph had her own memory—of Rudy drinking with
Rudy hadn't been drinking that day, but Bardich had been in high spirits.
"I see. Let's try that."
Two women with no experience.
Poring over a plan to get one man drunk and overwhelm him.
--- Strategy phase three—no, phase four.
The plan was to get Rudeus thoroughly drunk and then seize the moment.
As usual, it was a sloppy plan. After all, it was the brainchild of a teenage SM princess.
"...So, you'd casually let your shoulder slip out when you say you're hot."
"That'll work?"
"It should be fine. You're cute, Sylph. You just need the right opening, and then maybe a catchphrase."
Luke returned after the plan had been somewhat refined.
He spent a few seconds silently listening to the ridiculous meeting between his two companions.
Where in the world was there an idiot who'd bare skin in winter claiming to be hot? He thought this, but didn't comment.
Instead, he pointed out a more fundamental flaw.
"Seduction won't work with Sylph's figure."
"Ugh..."
Sylph was rendered speechless.
Ariel shot Luke a reproachful look.
"What do you mean by that, Luke? She's already struggling."
"...Princess Ariel, the Notos
Notos Greyrats loved big breasts.
This was common knowledge among Asuran nobility.
There were other known traits too, like "Boreas are into beast-kin."
Anyway, it was established fact.
"S-So you're saying seduction is pointless even if I try?"
"Yeah, completely pointless."
Being told it was pointless, even Sylph felt stung.
Normally she wouldn't care at all, but right now her self-confidence was at rock bottom.
"However,"
Luke said, holding out a small vial to Sylph.
It was a tiny bottle, palm-sized.
"If you make him drink this, it'll be fine."
Sylph stared at the vial with a blank expression.
Ariel peered over to look.
"Luke, what is that?"
"An aphrodisiac."
"An aphrodisiac!?"
Luke nodded gravely.
"It was made in the Fittoa Region in the old days. Crafted from Batirus flower petals, and the recipe was monopolized by the town chief of Roa. It's no longer produced, and the manufacturing process is a mystery, making it extremely rare. The retail price exceeds a hundred gold coins."
Incidentally, Luke had purchased his bottles at fifteen Asuran gold coins each.
He'd bought five, and had used two himself when he was feeling off.
The effectiveness was guaranteed.
"I'd been planning to sell it in an emergency for extra funds, but here, Sylph. You take it."
"Luke, this is so expensive... Are you sure?"
"Of course."
Luke nodded and gave Sylph several instructions.
It would lower the man's inhibitions significantly.
If she felt he was going too far, she should take some herself.
It probably meant she wouldn't get the sweet first experience she'd been imagining.
"Luke... thank you."
"Don't mention it. You've saved my life more than once."
Sylph and Luke.
There was a strange kind of friendship between them.
And there was one more person who wanted in on that bond.
"You two are close, aren't you? Then allow me to contribute as well."
Ariel pressed gold coins into Sylph's hand with the gentle smile of a goddess of mercy.
Asuran gold coins.
There were only two, but in this city, they'd buy just about anything.
"T-This is your money, Princess Ariel?"
"It is. It's my allowance for the month."
Ariel and the others had been earning money since coming to the magic university, so they had a reasonable amount.
But that was reserved for future activities.
Personal spending was kept separate.
Ariel was well aware that her own and Luke's sense of money was skewed, and imposed limits accordingly.
"At this point, this is all I can offer."
"No, I'm sorry to trouble you, Princess Ariel."
"Heh, as expected of Princess Ariel."
The three of them were drunk on themselves.
Intoxicated with camaraderie.
That's what youth was like.
And they had only one enemy.
Rudeus Greyrat.
"Well then, I'm off."
Sylph left the student council room with the face of a warrior.
Her destination: the commercial district.
A liquor store.
"Shall we head out too?"
"Yes."
After seeing Sylph off, the two of them also left the student council room.
Lunch break had long since ended.
--- Sylph's Perspective --- Night was falling.
I had obtained two bottles of the finest firewater in the country.
I didn't know much about alcohol.
I'd never had a drink before.
I didn't know what Rudy liked either.
But I was confident that expensive meant good.
I'd also picked up some new lingerie.
Brand new.
I didn't know Rudy's taste in that department, so I chose something that was both expensive and cute.
A bit different from Princess Ariel's taste—something I liked for myself.
The shop clerk had looked surprised.
Not because a man had come to buy women's underwear, but because my taste was different from the usual.
Since Princess Ariel shopped there in her "Fitz" disguise, the staff was used to that.
So the top wasn't the usual "Steel-Silk Camisole" either.
And in the inner pocket of my uniform, I had the aphrodisiac.
"Alright."
Perfect.
"Haa... haa..."
Deep breath.
(Dad, Mom,
I steeled myself and knocked on the door.
At this hour, Rudy might have already gone to Zanoba's place.
No—he'd said he was resting since they'd just gotten back from the journey today.
It's fine. It's fine.
"Come in... Oh, Syl—Fitz-senpai. Please, come in."
Rudy opened the door and looked surprised when he saw me.
I went in as told, stepping into Rudy's room.
I closed the door behind me and locked it.
"What's up?"
Once inside, Rudy asked me in a gentle voice.
We'd agreed he'd rest today since the journey had tired him out.
"Um, I'm here to stay the night."
"...Oh, uh, sure. Have a seat."
Rudy looked like he wanted to say something, but held back and gestured to a chair.
He looked just slightly disappointed.
Did I interrupt something?
It's okay, right?
I sat down and took off my sunglasses.
Then I pulled two bottles of liquor from my bag and placed them on the table.
I'd also brought some snacks—little dishes I'd prepared.
A mix of assorted nuts stir-fried with spicy seasoning.
And in case Rudy didn't like those, I'd bought some smoked meat too.
"What's that?"
"Well, you know, I thought we could celebrate our reunion, sort of."
"...Yeah, you're right. We should do that."
Rudy scratched his cheek awkwardly and sat down in a chair himself.
That's when I realized I didn't have cups.
Oh no.
I couldn't exactly drink straight from the bottle...
What should I do? Go back and get some...?
"I've got cups, don't worry."
It must have shown on my face.
Rudy smiled wryly and fetched cups from a shelf by the wall.
Grey cups, smooth on the surface.
Were they made of stone? A bit heavy.
Apart from the weight, they looked nice enough for an Asuran noble to use.
"Fancy-looking cups."
"They're ones I made. Earth magic. Priceless."
"Oh, really? Wow, impressive."
So they were Rudy's handiwork. That explained it.
Thinking that, I broke the seals on the bottles and poured.
A beautiful amber liquid filled the cups.
Rudy squinted at the sight.
"That looks pretty strong."
"Yeah. I don't know much about alcohol, but I bought the expensive stuff."
"Is that okay?"
"Hmm? Yeah, it's fine. It's a celebration, after all."
Maybe he was worried about the price.
I'd keep quiet about the money I'd gotten from Princess Ariel.
Rudy seemed like the type who'd feel bad about that.
I poured the liquor and set out the snacks.
Alright. Perfect.
Now, the plan was to give him the drug a little later, right?
"So, let's toast. To the reunion of the two of us from
"...And to our future together."
"T-To our future!"
Ugh.
"Our future"...
Rudy really said the most embarrassing things sometimes.
My face felt hot as I tilted the cup and took a big gulp.
"...! Gah! Cough! Cough!"
I choked.
W-What is this?!
It burns! My mouth is on fire!
"Are you sure you're okay? Maybe you should dilute it?"
"Dilute it?"
"Strong liquor like this can be mixed with water or hot water and still taste good."
I didn't know that.
Rudy gave me a resigned look, smiling wryly.
"Don't blame yourself. It's not like you've ever had alcohol before."
"No, I'm not blaming you. Just wait a moment."
Saying that, Rudy transferred the contents of my cup to his, then poured hot water into mine.
With incantationless magic, no less.
Steam started rising from my cup.
"Here you go."
I tentatively took a sip.
The overpowering aroma that had been lingering in my mouth was washed away.
A gentle fragrance drifted up through my nose.
Oh, this is actually tasty.
"Come to think of it, the reason I learned magic from Rudy in the first place was also because of hot water."
"Was it?"
"Come on, you've forgotten already? Rudy, you said something crazy about using compound magic with incantationless casting."
Those were the days.
Rudy used incantationless compound magic like it was nothing.
I still couldn't manage that.
I could use it with a time delay to achieve the same result, though.
Rudy was just that talented.
"Ah, those were the days."
"Yeah."
After that, we chatted about old times.
My memories of Buena Village were getting hazy.
But once I started talking, they came flooding back.
Those days would never come again.
Buena Village was gone.
The hill where we used to play was still there, but that tree was gone.
Things were simpler back then.
We could practice magic while playing, without a care in the world.
I was happy every day getting better at it.
I still felt that way, but now thoughts like "can I use this in actual combat?" had become stronger.
As we talked, my head started to feel a little fuzzy.
So this was what being "tipsy" felt like.
"Oh, wait—I shouldn't forget."
I pulled out the small vial from my pocket and slowly set it on the table.
Rudy tilted his head.
"What's that?"
"Well, it's, um, a medicine that's supposed to help with your... condition."
I'd wrestled with how to get Rudy to take the aphrodisiac.
I could've snuck it into his drink, but I felt bad about deceiving him.
On the other hand, I didn't want to say "I brought an aphrodisiac" and create an awkward misunderstanding.
So I called it "medicine."
An aphrodisiac was still medicine, technically.
"Oh, I see... I feel like I've seen it somewhere before."
"Y-Yeah. I'd like you to try it."
When I said that, Rudy gave a melancholy smile.
The kind of smile that said, "I've tried everything before, and nothing worked."
But he didn't say anything. He just drank it.
What if this pink, viscous liquid was poison?
The fact that he trusted me that much...
Rudy drank about two-thirds of the vial in one gulp.
I'd forgotten to tell him how much to take.
"Is it safe to drink this with alcohol?"
"Yeah, they said it was fine to mix. Oh, and it apparently kicks in pretty fast."
As I said this, I took off my jacket.
Now I was down to just a shirt and lingerie.
It was a little chilly.
Luke had said showing my shoulders was more than enough, but...
W-When it starts working, y-you don't have to hold back, okay?
Rudy's eyebrow twitched.
I could feel his gaze fixated on my neck and collar.
He's looking at me.
This is embarrassing.
Right now, I'm seducing Rudy.
Ugh... he won't think I'm being shameless, right?
It's fine. Right?
Somehow, I was getting more nervous than he was.
Even though I was drinking.
I was supposed to be using the alcohol's momentum.
Was it not enough?
...R-Right.
I steeled myself and reached for the vial.
"Sylph, are you drinking some too?"
Rudy's uncertain voice.
I drained the pink liquid from the vial.
It was thick and a little bitter.
I washed the bitterness down with a big swig of alcohol.
I felt a burning heat deep in my stomach.
To cover it, I reached for the nuts and crunched into one.
I ate three or four of them, then finished the rest of my drink.
My first cup was empty.
"Drinking at that pace might make you feel sick."
"Yeah, but I'm kind of nervous."
"Is that so. Well, it is your first time drinking."
Rudy took small sips from his own cup as he spoke.
Since I hadn't diluted his, he wasn't drinking it all at once.
Rudy picked up the bottle and refilled my cup.
Then he diluted it with hot water.
"..."
"..."
For a while, we ate and drank in silence.
The smoked meat was too salty and not that great, but for some reason I couldn't stop reaching for it.
After a while, my body started getting warm.
My thighs were tingling.
It's working.
How was Rudy doing?
He looked normal.
Normally cool.
Even cooler than usual.
My eyes kept drifting to places I don't usually look.
His neck. His lips.
Kind of lewd.
Wait, was Rudy's face a little red?
Our eyes met.
Rudy had been staring at me for a while now.
"..."
Just staring.
Being watched.
We hadn't broken eye contact for ages.
Was Rudy's breathing getting heavier, or was that just me?
"Haa... haa..."
No, that heavy breathing was from me.
How shameless.
But I'd taken the aphrodisiac, so... I guess it couldn't be helped?
My head had been spinning for a while too.
It couldn't be helped. Right. It couldn't be helped.
My body was hot.
I unbuttoned the top button of my shirt and let it fall open.
Even though it should've been chilly. It was hot.
I could feel Rudy's gaze dropping to my chest.
I wasn't embarrassed anymore.
I tilted my cup.
Hot liquor fell into my stomach, sending warmth radiating through me.
My second cup was empty.
I reached for the bottle.
Rudy grabbed my hand.
"...Oh."
Rudy was holding my hand.
His grip was firm, his intent clear—he wasn't going to let go.
Of course, I had no intention of escaping.
"...Sylph."
Rudy looked at me, his eyes bloodshot.
Rudy stood up.
Still holding my hand, he circled around the table and came right up beside me.
Then, somewhat hesitantly, he pulled my hand.
I understood what he meant and stood up without resistance.
And asked: "Ca-Can you not hold back anymore?"
"..."
Rudy nodded silently.
His hand circled my waist, rubbing the area just above my rear.
He pulled me into an embrace.
Something hard was pressing against me.
Th-The plan worked.
Alright. Now's the time.
I delivered the line we'd come up with in the strategy meeting with Princess Ariel.
"Th-Then, please. Help yourself."
The moment I said it— I was flung onto the bed and pinned down.
And then...
--- Rudeus's Perspective --- I woke up.
The ceiling of the bunk bed was in view.
I remembered last night clearly.
I'd been drinking, and then suddenly I was overcome with an irresistible urge. I'd attacked Sylph on the spot.
That drug she had must have taken effect.
I had no idea there was such a thing...
But I felt like I'd seen it somewhere before.
...Oh, right.
It was the aphrodisiac sold by the traveling merchant in Roa.
Like some miracle drug, my junior had burst out of the room and was bouncing around like crazy.
Toward the end, I'd honestly thought it might melt and evaporate.
Worth every one of the ten gold coins.
But...
I was afraid to look at her.
My rational mind had been blown away, but I remembered every detail of what had happened.
Sylph had tried her best to respond, but she was clearly in pain.
It was her first time.
Yet she'd bravely accepted me, repeatedly saying "It's okay, I love you, it feels good" despite clearly forcing herself.
And I had definitely lost control.
I hadn't had the composure to be gentle with her.
Whispered words from Sylph had only made me more excited, and I'd held nothing back, driving my desires into her.
The second time in my long life.
I had zero confidence it went well.
It was definitely worse than the first time.
Yes, worse than that time.
That time, Eris hadn't been beside me.
"..."
Slowly, I turned my head to the side.
And our eyes met.
"Good morning, Rudy."
Sylph was there, turned toward me with a bashful smile.
I slowly reached out my hand.
As if confirming that she was really there.
I placed it on her head and stroked.
Sylph closed her eyes, looking content as I petted her.
Her hair was short but silky smooth.
I moved my hand down from her head, along her neck to her shoulder.
Fragile shoulders.
They felt like they might break at any moment.
And from there, my hand continued further.
I cupped her breast.
"Eek! R-Rudy..."
Sylph looked at me in surprise, a reproachful look in her eyes.
But she didn't resist. Blushing deeply, she let me.
Sylph's modest chest was the very embodiment of modesty—there honestly wasn't much to grope.
But it still had the unmistakable softness.
"No distinction between high and low, is there?" The old bald geezer who'd crossed my mind for the first time in ages gave a thumbs up from somewhere.
Thanks, Boob Sage. It's been a while.
Sylph was really there.
And the monument to the discovery of her breast's softness was standing tall.
Standing tall.
Heroically standing tall.
I was certain.
"It's cured."
Overcome, I pulled Sylph into a hug.
Tight. So tight.
Tears spilled from my eyes.
"Um, Rudy...? So, how was it? My body wasn't... weird, was it?"
Sylph asked hesitantly.
If she could remember last night, she'd know there was no need for that worry.
"Thank you."
I could only say thank you.
That was all I could manage.
My chest was so full of embarrassment that I might have blurted out something ridiculous.
"Delicious meal," or "Thanks for the treat," or "You're the cutest thing ever."
I didn't want to say any of those flippant things right now.
I just held her in silence and said my thanks.
--- And so, my long battle with my condition came to an end.
And I got myself a cute girlfriend.