Chapter 45
Chapter 45
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 45
Chapter Title: The Price
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The being I knew as Undine was actually something far more incredible?
The Mother of All Waters.
Considering that the woman exuding such refined elegance before me was a spirit, "Mother of All Waters" probably meant she was literally the mother of all water spirits.
So that would make her... the Water Spirit King? No, the Spirit Queen?
It was an impressive title, no doubt.
But it didn't really hit home.
It wasn't that my mind couldn't grasp something so grand. It just didn't feel real.
Even calling her the Spirit Queen—spirits themselves were rare sights in the original game, so I had no sense of what kind of position she held.
That said, if the one who'd been acting a bit oddly up until now was actually her...
It somehow made her seem even less dignified...
"That's the face of someone having irreverent thoughts about me."
"I'm not."
"T-Teacher!?"
Her curt voice drew a response from me, but Irene—still sitting there dazed—went pale as a ghost.
She hurried over in shock, but shrank back the moment she saw 'El' resting a hand on my shoulder.
El gazed at Irene with satisfaction, then praised her in a low voice.
"It seems you have some idea of who I am. As they say... perhaps it's the bloodline you've inherited?"
"...I-I'm just particularly interested in them, that's all."
"I'm pleased to hear it."
Their conversation continued for a bit.
Irene, who had just been aiming a magic tool at me moments ago, now spoke to El with utmost courtesy and barely contained excitement.
...Whatever her true identity was—whether Undine or not—did it really matter?
If she was such a grand existence, she'd only be helpful to me, not a hindrance.
Feeling El's presence, as refreshing as clear spring water, brought back what Philia had said.
Something about me being loved by spirits.
It was a bit vague to call it a cheat, but at this level, it felt like a massive one.
Yeah, shoving me into this place willy-nilly wouldn't be fair without perks like this.
I felt inexplicably cheerful.
Smiling inwardly as I watched the two of them—or rather, the pair—the sight was oddly picturesque. Maybe because one was a princess and the other a queenly figure?
The last thing I'd seen was Irene and Leona together, which had left me feeling a bit down, but since that hadn't happened here yet, there was no need to dwell.
If someone asked how I could be so casual in this situation... I'd have nothing to say.
What can you do? This is just who I am.
...If I weren't this kind of guy, I probably wouldn't have ended up here in the first place. That thought crossed my mind.
Who knows.
No point dwelling on hypotheticals now. It wasn't a future I particularly wanted to imagine anyway.
In any case.
Whatever El was—Mother of Waters or Spirit Queen—the suspicions Irene had about me were cleared up with her appearance.
El let out a satisfied chuckle, then spoke softly.
"Now that your doubts are resolved, would you mind heading back for today?"
I have business with my contractor.
Irene looked terribly reluctant but nodded obediently and approached me.
"I'm sorry for doubting you, Teacher."
"Ah, no... it's fine."
"You could've shown her sooner, though."
"Ahaha..."
How was I supposed to? I only just found out myself.
I scratched my cheek awkwardly, and El addressed Irene.
"I'd appreciate it if you kept my appearance here a secret."
"...Understood."
Licking her lips in disappointment, her eyes sparkled with Let's definitely track down the real culprit together! before she vanished from the infirmary.
Confirming she'd left, I let out a sigh and sank into my seat.
I had no idea what was going on, but it had worked out.
Most shocking of all was that 'it' wasn't supposed to grow on the students in the first place.
No, common sense-wise, that was the norm. The world I knew operated that way originally.
What the hell was happening here?
If pondering could solve it, I'd have returned to the original world by now.
"Sigh..."
There was one suspect, though.
The additional content unlocked right before I came here was too suspicious. Nothing else came to mind as a cause.
But if it was connected... my stomach churned.
That would mean I'd really entered the game.
The thought of some faceless person watching me from beyond the monitor...
Made me feel sick.
"What has my contractor so lost in thought, wearing such a face?"
"Hik!?"
I looked up to find El's face inches from mine.
Her long lashes fluttered visibly at this distance.
Her otherworldly beauty stole my breath, and she giggled merrily, stroking my cheek.
Her touch, which I'd expected to be cool, was strangely warm.
Considering hot water was still water, maybe it made sense.
That warmth eased the nausea a bit.
The sensations and temperature felt so vivid.
Too real for something rendered by graphics cards.
Another sigh escaped my lips—I'd lost count by now.
Nothing was certain yet.
This could be a game world of electrical signals.
Or another world just like the game.
With so much I didn't know, judgment was hard.
Exemplified by the being shoving her face in mine right now.
Unraveling the mystery with Irene might reveal the truth.
No need to rush.
I calmed my mind.
And surprisingly, it settled easily.
...Deep down, maybe because I was starting to enjoy life here.
Aside from the suddenness, honestly... it wasn't bad.
If 'that' sprouting on the students was 'abnormal'...
Solving it might make things even better, to the point I wouldn't want to leave.
What a reed I am, bending with the wind.
Whatever. Must be because I'm in a woman's body.
Then I looked at El, still peering at me.
She wore a smile that felt oddly suggestive.
My face heated up, but a vague hope rose that she might know something.
As I opened my mouth to ask—
The finger caressing my cheek now gently pressed against my lips.
Blinking in confusion, she spoke.
"You haven't even paid the price from earlier... Wouldn't that leave me feeling rather neglected?"
Oh, right. She'd said something like that.
What did she want?
Undine had seemed to take my energy or something.
Seeing my puzzled expression, El pulled me to my feet and led me beyond the screen.
"Even as a temporary contractor, my children under me were satisfied with your energy alone."
Whoosh!
El sat me on the fluffy bed, closed the screen, and continued.
"But if I perform my ritual that way, you'd spend more time with eyes closed than open."
"...Is that so?"
"Indeed. That's why 'our' contracts are a bit special."
I could only nod along to her words.
...I really knew nothing.
Wait, did I even make a contract in the first place?
"Um—"
"Let's settle accounts first, then talk."
"Mmph!?"
My question was silenced by her lips.
Yes, lips—not her hand.
In the darkness, her pale face drew near, sealing my mouth with hers in one swift motion.
The soft sensation met my parted lips, and soon a cool, pliant something slipped into my mouth.
"Mmph?! Hmph?!"
It felt like diving into water.
Startled, I tried to pull back, but she held me firmly.
That cool, soft thing—likely her tongue—explored my mouth freely before entwining with mine. Strangely, a sticky something coated the space between our tongues.
"Mmph, mm...!"
My sharpened senses dulled in the sudden onslaught. My vision blurred—was it lack of air?
Then El's voice echoed in my mind.
Air rushed in, but calm didn't follow. Her sticky kiss threatened to devour me whole.
I squeezed my eyes shut, and her tongue's dance became even more vivid.
Gulp.
I swallowed whatever liquid—her saliva?—had flowed from her mouth, gasping for breath.
El licked, sucked, and savored my tongue like the sweetest candy.
The alien sensation made it hard to think straight.
No girlish thoughts of losing my first kiss crossed my mind, but the embarrassment was overwhelming.
In my haze, stupid ideas filled my head: She's not originally real, so it's fine, right? Do spirits even care about gender?
...Maybe I was desperately filling my mind with nonsense to quell my body's growing heat and twitches.
How much time passed like that?
"Pha..."
"Kehuk..."
El pulled back with satisfaction, a long silver thread connecting us.
Even after she withdrew, I heaved for air a while longer.
El admired her handiwork with a pleased smile, then spoke.
"So, do you have more questions for me?"
"..."
Still catching my breath, I cautiously shook my head.
...Let's take it slow. No rush.
Asking more today might not end with just a kiss.
She chuckled at my reaction, pressed her lips to my forehead, and vanished into my mind like mist.
A refreshing energy lingered on my brow.
And then she'd claim her price?
I couldn't tell if this payment was cheap or fair.
Composing my rattled body and mind, I left the infirmary to head home.
Opening the firmly shut door, I spotted someone hurrying toward the infirmary.
...Who was it?
Looked like Philia.
No one else had those long, pointed ears, so probably her.
For some reason, it didn't bode well.