The Irresistible Scent
Elise let out a soft sigh, the sound barely more than a breath. “...So, this is what you call a magic tool?”
“Yup. That’s right. Back then the guys I was working with were all women, so the size should be just about right for you to use it comfortably.”
Following the professor’s pointing hand, Elise’s gaze shifted to a peculiar object resting on the desk. Not just peculiar—something almost…
“...A muzzle, isn’t it?”
Exactly. The so-called magic tool resembled the one hunters once wore over their faces to protect themselves from the snarling monsters, but the fine details and overall design screamed it had been made for people, not beasts. Elise’s brows furrowed with subtle doubt as she studied it, and the professor scratched the side of his cheek with an awkward grin, offering an excuse. “Well… I admit I forgot after so long, but yeah, it really does look like that. Still, the effect is real! That friend of mine keeps using it while he’s out adventuring.”
The professor continued with a few more explanations, but Elise barely listened. Once again she studied the strange mask, wondering if it suited her face. It did look a little odd, yet right now she had bigger things on her mind. The people she’d met on her way to the infirmary and the lingering street scents still clung to her like unwelcome memories. She decided to pay closer attention to the professor’s words. “It’s called a muzzle, and yeah, it looks that way, but it has solid protection. Not just against bad smells—toxic fumes too. Pretty useful stuff. Buying one would cost a decent sum, though.”
“...Can I really have one?”
“Sure. I don’t need it anymore, and it was just being stored as a spare anyway. No use to me.”
Elise hesitated. Taking it for free felt wrong. She’d owe the professor one someday. Helping her out or finding some strange material? It wouldn’t be a bad idea to repay him with something. The professor took another sip of his coffee and kept talking. “Look here. There are little fans inside these wings—they run on magic. Then there are multiple layers of filters. They regulate the air and purify it. Just don’t expect it to handle really nasty poisons; don’t rely on it too much.”
After the explanation, the professor handed the mask to Elise. She accepted it with a nervous flutter in her stomach and carefully put it on. A soft click echoed as the lock sealed it snugly to her face. The weight was lighter than she expected, and a small sigh of relief escaped her. The professor pointed to a button on the side. “Press that to start the function. Most of it uses your own magic, but it’s efficient enough that daily life shouldn’t get in the way.”
Following her instruction, she pressed the button. A faint hum followed. To test it, Elise took a slow breath. The air flowed in without any resistance. A tiny jolt of surprise rippled through her. “How is it? Seems to work well, right?”
“Well, it’s not bad at all, actually. You can just give it to me, can’t you?”
“Of course. There is one thing to watch out for, though.”
The professor smiled, then scratched his neck as if a memory had just surfaced. “Hmm… The weight is light, it stays put well. But there’s a catch. It cleanses smells and toxins. A pretty strong effect, actually. The problem is… it cleanses everything you usually enjoy smelling too.”
“You mean…?”
“Exactly. That’s right. You’ll be able to breathe fine, but you won’t be able to smell a thing.”
As she said it, the air that entered through the mask felt completely neutral. She was only aware of breathing. But even that was enough to make Elise feel like she’d won the lottery. “That’s fine. I’ll repay this favor one day.”
“No worries. Come back if it stops working or if anything feels off.”
After giving the professor a quick bow, Elise left the infirmary. Walking the corridor, she considered going back to class, but she’d already decided to skip. Her muscles still ached. She headed straight for the dorm. The moment she stepped inside, the lingering scents that had bothered her all day vanished. Her steps lightened. Students she passed offered concerned questions, but she waved it off with a reassuring smile and hurried to her room. “Mommy, Miss Elise. What brings you here at this hour… Eh?”
“It’s just a mild cold. Don’t worry about it.”
The guard’s eyes widened as she saw her. Elise explained casually, and the guard’s expression softened with worry. “Oh dear, that’s good. I think you should visit the chapel as soon as you can.”“I was planning to anyway. It’ll probably heal quickly.”
“Alright. Rest well when you get back.”
After the guard’s farewell, Elise almost ran to her room, slammed the door, and yanked the mask off. The lock clicked open. The familiar scent of the dorm rushed into her nostrils—comfort and something far more intoxicating than anything the street outside could offer. Serina was still at class. Elise glanced around the room, then her eyes fell on the sofa where Serina had played with her last night. She checked the rest of the space before heading to her own room to change. “...?”
Her neatly folded panties sat on her bed. They were unmistakably Serina’s. Elise had never brought them here, and even if she had, she wouldn’t have left them so boldly displayed. They must have been placed by Serina herself. She tried to guess the motive, but nothing came to mind. “No way… is she just teasing me?”
When she and Serina had been tangled together, Elise had unconsciously nuzzled into that familiar scent. Could she have noticed and done this on purpose? Elise couldn’t read her roommate’s thoughts, but the playful intent was obvious. With a tsk of her tongue, she snatched the underwear and headed for Serina’s room. The moment she tossed the panties inside, a vibrating wave of that same scent rolled over her like a tidal wave. “Kuh…!” She coughed and covered her mouth, but it was no use. At first she’d thought it was just a nice smell, yet since they’d been intimate, Serina’s scent had turned into something far more erotic, pulling her in. She hurried to grab the mask and pressed it over her face. Three deep breaths later, she finally regained her composure—only to find her nose still aching for Serina’s perfume. The war between desire and reason began. Reason lost. Elise ripped the mask off and buried her face in the larger pair of panties, breathing in greedily. The filthy, addictive aroma flooded her sinuses and slammed into her brain. Her body shook violently as if fire was coursing through her veins. She collapsed onto Serina’s bed with a broken moan. “Hah… haah… Damn it…!” Cursing her own willpower, Elise began to devour the panties. From every direction in the room the scent swirled around her, and from the bed itself Serina’s natural scent tickled her senses. She writhed, her hands drifting lower… “Oh? Playing with someone else’s underwear in their own room?” A mocking voice whispered right by her ear. Elise froze like a thief caught red-handed, heart pounding as she turned her head. “Using someone else’s panties… even in their room. What are you up to, Miss Elise?”
A lewd smile waited for her on the other side of the doorway.