The Smell of Another Woman
A unfamiliar ceiling.
My whole body ached.
What the hell happened to me...
"You're awake?"
"Where... cough,"
When I opened my eyes, my view was completely blocked by breasts.
I let out a dry cough and looked down, taking in my situation at a glance.
I was lying with my head pillowed on Olivia's thigh.
Someone had dressed me back up—I was properly clothed again.
"You scared me. When I came to, you were passed out..."
"Passed out? Me?"
The memories came flooding back.
I'd definitely pounced on Olivia.
Then suddenly, she flipped the script and...
No matter how much we went at it, I stayed hard, and she kept going until it hurt, until I blacked out.
"By the way, how much time has passed?"
"Two days..."
"Two days?! Ugh!"
I jolted up in shock, but my back hurt so bad I flopped right back down.
Even gently rubbing it with Healing didn't ease the pain.
"You okay?"
"No. Do you remember up to where?"
"I remember you... putting it in and then something squirting out. After that, it's a blur. When I snapped out of it, I was sitting on top of you, and you were passed out."
"..."
So Olivia didn't remember anything after that?
Looked like I'd poked the wrong bear.
I never imagined a person could flip like that.
Well, not a person—a witch.
And even my trusted Touch of Pleasure had been treated like a toy. My mind was a mess.
"So I cleaned you up and laid you back down, but you wouldn't wake... Does it hurt a lot?"
"Yeah. Feels like I'm dying."
"You sure? Wanna touch my boobs?"
"...Who told you that?"
"Told me what? I just said it 'cause you like 'em."
"Let's drop that now."
"Oh...?"
I might actually die.
Olivia sounded disappointed at my response.
Couldn't see her face with my view blocked by her chest, though.
"Guess can't be helped."
"You bummed?"
"Yeah."
"Didn't you say it tickles?"
"Still, I could put up with it for you."
She was so sweet like this—why'd she go feral back then?
The reactions were night and day.
"I'm good just like this."
"Really? If you're happy, I'm happy."
Olivia gently stroked my hair.
Feeling her soft touch, I quietly closed my eyes.
As soon as I did, her fingers started exploring my face.
"Hehe..."
Her hand, stroking my hair, tickled my forehead, caressed my cheek, then brushed my lips.
"Hey... you asleep?"
"..."
"You really asleep?"
Curious what she was up to, I stayed still. Her finger, tapping my lips, slipped inside.
It tapped my teeth, so I parted them slightly, and she started rummaging around my mouth.
What're you trying to do...?
I sucked on her probing finger.
"Eek! You're not asleep?!"
"Whatcha doin'?"
"Don't lick my finger!"
"Nom nom..."
"Kyaa!"
Talking around her finger naturally made me lick it.
Not my fault.
I could spit it out, but...
Where's the fun in that?
"Why'd you stick your finger in my mouth then?"
"You shoved your tongue in mine whenever you felt like it."
"And you hated it?"
"Did you?"
"Hm... tough question."
"What kinda answer is that... Always messing around."
At that, I sat up.
Gripping my throbbing back, I faced her seriously.
"Do I always just mess around?"
"What's with the sudden mood...?"
I grabbed both her shoulders.
She shrank back under my intensity.
Our faces drew closer and closer...
"Ow ow. My back still..."
"Huh?"
I collapsed into her arms.
Back couldn't take more.
"Wh-what're you...?"
"Lemme borrow your boobs. Still hurts."
"See?! Messing around again!"
Ignoring her complaints, I buried my face in her chest.
The springy flesh pushed back.
Savoring the blissful sensation, I really closed my eyes.
"Really... can't stop you..."
Feeling her cradle my head, I drifted off to sleep.
"You really gonna leave? Can't you just stay here forever?"
"Gotta go. You aren't uncomfortable?"
"Not at all?"
"I'm uncomfortable."
"Hing..."
The day we'd agreed to leave, and she was already throwing a fit.
Ideally, I'd slip out quietly at dawn with no one around, but she was dragging her feet.
"Come on! Let's go already! What'd you eat to get this strong?"
"Witches don't need food!"
"Then what do witches live on?"
"Normally, I convert mana to vital energy. And now..."
Vital energy?
Don't tell me...
"You seem even stronger than before, huh?"
"How'd you know? No idea why, but I suddenly got way stronger."
I had a pretty good guess.
Couldn't shake the feeling I'd messed with the wrong thing.
Was she a succubus, not a witch?
"Ehehe..."
But she looked so happy, I couldn't bring myself to say it.
Olivia wandered her flower-filled head for a while, then suddenly pouted.
"What?"
"Once you leave, we can't do this anymore."
Mwah.
"Why not? We can just do it."
"But..."
"Or you could come to me. You set something up here, right?"
"Yeah. How'd you know?"
"Obvious."
The dean said there was no way back here anymore.
Yet Olivia had been here, and I could come too.
Logical to assume there were secrets even the dean didn't know.
Probably something linked to her stigma.
"So don't be too bummed."
"Still bummed..."
"Then summon me with magic like last time. Saw you do it with the magic circle."
"That okay? You didn't seem thrilled last time."
"I'll cancel if I can't make it. The circle breaking won't hurt you or anything, right?"
"Nah."
"Problem solved."
Seemed to satisfy her—she dispelled the red barrier.
The messy secret workshop came into view.
"What about this place?"
"Gonna fix it up. Love it here."
"Alright then... Time to head out."
At my words, Olivia closed her eyes and focused.
A red magic circle appeared under our feet.
"Sigh..."
"No more sighing."
"Don't wanna go..."
She reached out to activate it.
That's when it hit me.
"Wait. Forgot something important."
"What?"
She lowered her hand and looked at me.
"If word hasn't gotten out that we're gone, no biggie. But if it has?"
"What then?"
"News would blow up daily. Might even drag the dean into it."
"No way..."
"Totally. We need our stories straight."
"Just tell the truth?"
"You'd get socially buried."
"Pfft, the old lady's got my back..."
"Her too."
"That bad? What do we do?"
Her face turned serious.
She and the dean really cared for each other.
"Announce research results. You studied Thousand Changes, right? Found something."
"That conceptual world material? Yeah, announcing it'd cause a stir."
"Not directly. Just 'new substance discovered.' Prep that."
"Good idea. Let's compile data. Help me."
It took longer than expected, so dawn broke.
We rushed back to her workshop with the docs.
"Got it? We spent three days researching this."
Specifically: consulting on my abilities for her intro magic report, discovered something big, holed up in the secret workshop for nonstop research.
Her magic passion + my unique powers synergized; lost track of time. Who'd question that with results?
"Got it. I know what happens if I'm caught, so quit nagging."
"For real? You're more at risk than me."
"I said I got it."
"I'll go first, then you follow after a bit."
I reminded her once more and left the workshop.
Crowds swarmed me the second I stepped out.
"Cadet Shin Do-jun?"
"What's with Instructor Olivia?"
"True about the love elopement?"
Word had leaked.
Good thing we prepped a story.
Would've been disaster otherwise.
I shoved mics away and said curtly,
"Details from Instructor Olivia's announcement."
That said, I pushed through the crowd.
Reporters chased me but swarmed Olivia as she emerged.
Perfect.
Hang in there, Olivia.
I dumped the hard part on Olivia and headed to the dorm.
Didn't forget to message Instructor Nephrian the research deets on the way.
But my dorm felt eerily empty.
No Vivian, no Prism-issued clothes.
Spotless, like no cadet assigned.
What happened? As I headed out, someone called.
"Hey! Shin Do-jun!"
"Yeah?"
Turning, I saw Ruphus running over.
"Ruphus? Long time."
"Know how long I looked for you? Where the hell you been, asshole?"
He grabbed my shoulders right in my face.
Didn't notice before, but his grip was soft.
And my shoulders hurt like hell.
"Lemme go. Hurts. Why're you looking for me?"
"Me? Lady Latynia. Come on!"
He tried dragging me off.
Normally I'd ignore, but vibe said he took Vivian. Better follow.
I shook off his hand and kept pace.
"You take Vivian?"
"Dunno if Vivian, but grabbed the girl waiting in your room."
"Thanks. Took longer than expected."
"What kept you gone so long?"
"Long story. Short: century's big discovery."
"Bull. Worried everyone."
"Why you care?"
"Not me—Lady Latynia. Here."
We'd arrived at the mystery mansion.
Game had dummy data inside, right?
"Hurry. They're waiting."
"Kay."
I entered the unimplemented mansion.
Ruphus beelined to a room.
Inside: Latynia, Vivian, Ji-ah—all there.
"You're here. We waited."
"Hey, Latynia. Why the others...?"
"Quiet."
She cut me off.
Bad vibe.
"You vanished searching for Instructor Olivia. Three days. Even external help couldn't find you. Where were you?"
Reporters at her workshop? Her doing, probably.
She meant well; couldn't snap.
I worried 'em too.
"Found her, got deep into research. I gave the lead, helped out—time flew."
"...So the 'love elopement' rumors are wrong?"
"Obviously. Me and a witch? No way."
"I see..."
She relaxed.
Whew.
"Anyway, why're they here?"
"Ruphus found them worried at your dorm."
Ji-ah went to my dorm, huh.
Tough sneaking into guys' dorm, but she timed it.
"Worried, huh?"
"Of course! Over a week no see..."
"Sorry."
"No, you're back—that's enough."
"More importantly! Who's the kid?"
Latynia pointed at Vivian.
Vivian'd stared since I entered.
"The one you have is a girl?"
"Didn't I say?"
"No!"
"Ahaha... Forgot."
"Anyway! Sat in your room all day, staring at door silent. So worrying. Wouldn't eat, wouldn't talk..."
"Sorry. Vivian's like that."
"Luckily Ji-ah coaxed her—ate a bit, talked. Thought something bad at first."
"Worried about Vivian too."
I approached her.
Expressionless as ever, arms out.
I picked her up.
"Sorry. I was late."
"..."
She buried her face in my chest silently.
After a while, she spoke.
"...Smells."
"Huh? What?"
"Smells like another woman."
Room went dead silent.
Latynia and Ji-ah's glares sharpened.
"Vivian. What're you saying?"
"With another woman all day?"
"Just research. Don't make 'em misunderstand."
"Mm..."
Vivian shook her head, dissatisfied.
Olivia cleaned me, but scent lingered.
Figured when she "cleaned" me but splashed what felt like bloody water.
"Anyway, nothing with Olivia. Got it?"
"Do-jun... On first-name basis with Instructor Olivia...?"
Latynia's words stabbed like a dagger.