Addictive Recovery Potion (1)
Recovery potions are highly addictive drugs. You could even call them narcotics.
Their effects boil down to two main things. First, they heal the user's wounds. Second, they flood the user with intense euphoria and vitality. It's that second effect that's the problem. This is why recovery potions are treated like a type of addictive narcotic. People get hooked on the rush, escaping into that detached sensation, growing more and more dependent on it.
If you only sip them sparingly when truly needed, it's fine. Normally, it wouldn't be a big issue. But the war with the Demon King changed everything. The long conflict produced countless wounded. Naturally, recovery potion usage skyrocketed. Soldiers got injured, healed up with potions, and charged back into battle. Then they'd get hurt again, come back, and down more potions. Rinse and repeat. In that cycle, far too many became overly reliant on them. It was unavoidable. And in the end, it created hordes of recovery potion addicts.
A huge chunk of those who fought in the war got hooked. Even after it ended, the addicts can't crawl out of that pit. They crave potions even without injuries. In bad cases, they self-harm just to have an excuse to drink one. Every so often, those types show up at Yuria's potion shop. Haggard wrecks begging for recovery potions. Yuria just chases them off. Her policy is no sales to people like that.
And the same went for me. I'd started showing signs of addiction myself. I'd had plenty of close calls, chugging potions each time. Truth is, I'm still holding on by a thread. My hands tremble a bit now and then. Yuria couldn't possibly miss it—she brews the stuff, after all. Whenever she caught me gripping my shaky hand, she'd gaze at me with those sad eyes. So I quit. I couldn't bring myself to drink in front of her.
Yuria brushed off her seat and stood. Looked like she'd wrapped up today's work. She stretched languidly, raising both arms high overhead.
"Nngh... haa..."
Her shoulders and back arched straight, her soft skin tracing vulnerable curves. My eyes naturally drifted to her chest. Those twin swells rose and fell with her breaths. I hastily averted my gaze, glancing down at my own body. Much smaller than Yuria's.
...There. Calmed down. The excitement from eyeing her huge frame faded away. Followed by an inexplicable sense of deprivation. I clicked my tongue in frustration.
"Tch..."
"What's up? Outta nowhere?"
"...Nothin'."
Yuria chuckled. Then she plopped a hand on my head.
"So cute."
"Eek...!!"
Rage bubbled up. I could barely contain the surge. Oblivious, Yuria slowly stroked my hair. I surrendered to her touch, my head bobbing along. After a few passes, she spoke.
"All done. That's today's batch."
"Oh? Feels lighter than usual."
"Ran out of ingredients. Gotta restock."
"Gotcha."
"Yeah. So come with me, Noel."
"Huh?"
"Come on, Noel. Watch where I buy stuff."
"Why? Do I need to know?"
"For next time—when I send you on errands."
"What."
"You can at least handle errands instead of just scarfing down food every day, right?"
"Uh... sounds tough."
Yuria snatched my arm and dragged me toward the door.
"No whining. Let's go."
"W-Wait..."
Alarm bells rang in my head. If I went along now, all future ingredient runs would fall on me. Bad omen. I resisted, tensing my arm. No dice. Yuria hauled me right out the shop door.
"Okay. Repeat after me."
"Got it."
"That shop over there sells Red Moonlight Grass Root, lotus, clover leaves, and potatoes."
"Red Moonlight Grass Root... lotus... clover leaves... potatoes..."
...Potatoes? Why potatoes? Do they even go into potions? I've never seen her use them.
"Potatoes? We don't use those for potions."
"Just memorize it. Cheapest potatoes here."
"..."
She's been pointing out not just potion stuff but regular groceries too. At this rate, every household errand's gonna land on me.
"Carrots from that lady over there, blacksmith down that way, bakery next door."
"...Okay. Already forgot half. Dumping too much at once, aren't you?"
"Learn properly. What'll you do if you can't even run errands right?"
"Th-That's..."
"Even the neighbor kid could do it. Gotta be more useful than some kid, right?"
No comeback. Looking at my track record, yeah, I'm probably worse than the neighbor brat. Leeching off Yuria for money and chores. Her burden's too heavy. Kinda felt guilty. Maybe I should actually help out.
"Carrots from that lady, bakery next door... blacksmith was... where?"
"Over there."
"Ah, right, that way."
I ticked them off on my fingers, committing to memory. Once I had the hang of it, Yuria pressed some silver coins into my hand.
"Silver coins? What's this for?"
"Real deal now. Buy a box of lotus."
"Lotus..."
Lotus—from the shop on the left, right? I grabbed Yuria's hand and led the way.
"I remember! That lady's shop over there."
I marched up to the woman at the stall, puffed out my chest, and bellowed.
"Here for lotus!"
But her response shattered my hopes.
"...No lotus here."
"Nope, wrong. Not this place."
First errand, total fail. Can't even do basic chores. The neighbor kid suddenly looks impressive.
"But it's fine. Had business here anyway."
Yuria consoled my moping self with a gentle tone. The lady lit up at Yuria and greeted her warmly.
"Yuria! Long time no see."
"Hi! Yeah, been a while."
"Who's the little one?"
The lady pointed at me.
"Ah, no, I'm—"
Yuria clapped a hand over my mouth and answered for me.
"My little sister!"
She said it so brightly, without a hitch. Why the lie? Come to think of it, her smile's been extra perky since we left the house. Excited? After a quick chat, Yuria bought a bag of some unnamed herb. Once we were well away, I prodded her.
"Lying's bad, sis."
"..."
Yuria dodged my eyes. She really wants a little sister that bad? Now that I think about it, she always perks up when we head out together. Like last time shopping for my clothes—she was buzzing then too. Treating it like picking outfits for her sis? Must be a fantasy of hers, parading around with a little sister. Hmm. Could use this.
"Sis. Wanna go home. Errands aren't for me."
I hit her with my most pitiful, woeful look. Might work. I'm a girl now, and even I think my face is cute enough. No—it has to work. Otherwise, she'll slave me with chores forever.
Yuria bent down to my eye level. Stared hard for a sec, then bonk—smacked my head.
Ow. Throbbing pain. I cradled it, groaning.
"Ugh..."
"Nice try. No dice."
"Don't hit your sister, you meanie."
"Not your sis. Never had a sis like you."
Weird. Then why's she so chipper? She definitely perks up around the village with me. If not the sister thing, what? Should ask.
"Hey, Yuria."
"Yeah?"
"You always seem happier out in the village. Like going out?"
"Ah."
Her cheeks flushed—a rare shy vibe.
"N-No, not that."
"Huh."
Beats me. Yuria's a mystery. She whipped her head away, grabbed my hand wordlessly, and pulled me to the next spot. I trailed along cluelessly. Her palm felt a tad warmer than usual against mine.