A Favor from the Gray Tower Lord
To make that happen, I needed someone to help me. There was nothing I could do alone. Terria would never willingly take the potion. So, using the excuse that I had some brief business during the day, I slipped out of the room and went to find the only person I was acquainted with—Dekir.
The Gray Tower Lord welcomed me warmly, saying he'd been looking for me too.
"Ah, thank you so much for your help back then."
"No, no. I just assisted because it was such an impressive lecture after so long. That's all."
Dekir expressed genuine gratitude for saving what had nearly been a disastrous presentation. He mentioned he planned to secure additional funding with the results from that research. Mage towers, especially those specializing in alchemy like his, mostly received research grants from the Imperial Magic Department. The amount varied based on research outcomes. Towers focused on elemental studies or combat magic often took commissions from the Imperial Military Department, but for alchemy—which had no direct ties to warfare—that was a pipe dream.
"Without you, the tower would have faced funding shortages. You saved us. I'd like to repay you—anything you want?"
"Hmm, then... could I ask a personal favor?"
"Of course. Anything within my power."
"It might be a bit tricky. Is that okay?"
"What you did for us was worth it. I want to repay you somehow."
Dekir spoke confidently. I mentally adjusted my assessment of him upward a few notches. Mages often accepted help without a word of thanks. Most didn't know how to show gratitude. I was different—I rarely needed help from mages skilled enough to assist me, so I seldom had to repay anyone. In any case, I hadn't helped Dekir expecting repayment, but unexpectedly, he was one of the rare mages with a shred of humanity. He knew how to return a favor. Maybe he just hated owing debts. Either way, it was good.
I'd genuinely regretted stepping in back then. If I'd known I'd get kidnapped, I wouldn't have. But his attitude now offered some comfort. It meant what I'd done wasn't pointless self-satisfaction or foolish—it had real value.
"This is...?"
I handed Dekir a vial the size of my thumb. The body swap potion. Of course, I'd removed the label so he wouldn't know.
"Tonight, the Blue Tower Lord will be dining at the restaurant in the hotel's new annex."
Dekir looked puzzled.
"Slip this into his wine. It shouldn't be hard for you, right? Oh, and don't worry—it's not some strange drug."
"Can't you tell me what it is? No label makes it seem dangerous..."
Instead of revealing I was the Blue Tower Lord's assistant, I'd introduced myself as a Red Tower mage. He knew Ariel had a pretty slave girl as an assistant, but it clearly hadn't occurred to him that the woman before him was her.
"You know about Lucas... the Red Tower Lord causing trouble, right? The mess in the hotel suite."
"I heard. But I also heard the Blue Tower Lord attacked first. Trouble?"
"That was Lucas's fault... Er, yeah. Right. The Blue Tower Lord did strike first. Anyway, that's not the point!"
I nearly slammed my fist on the desk. Rumors of Ariel and Lucas brawling in the hotel had spread despite the conference organizers' attempts to hush it up. From Dekir's reaction, public opinion seemed to lean toward blaming the Blue Tower Lord. I almost argued back out of frustration but stopped. That wasn't important now.
"Anyway, have you heard the rumor that the Red Tower Lord got injured in that fight?"
"No, first time hearing that. Bad injury?"
"Yeah. They say his dick got torn."
"Pfft!"
Dekir covered his mouth, laughing. That was my doing.
"Too bad, but not enough to castrate him. Still, it's bad enough to hinder activity. That's why I'm asking you, Gray Tower Lord."
"Not 'too bad'—shouldn't it be 'good thing'?"
"So, can you do it? It's easy. Just slip the drug into the wine."
"Well... the Blue Tower Lord might be tricky, no? I can offer material compensation instead..."
Dekir trailed off awkwardly. Fair enough—slipping an unknown drug into wine could look like attempted murder. He didn't ask why, though. He must know Ariel and Lucas weren't on good terms. The justification was solid. The problem was if he got caught with the potion. He'd have to pick a side between Blue and Red Towers. Blue was larger, but Red wasn't far behind. Compared to Gray Tower, both were giants. Still a tough choice.
For now, I had to bank on his sense of debt. We hadn't known each other long, but from observation, he hated owing favors. He'd try to repay somehow.
"Didn't you say you'd do anything within your power?"
"I'm grateful for the research funding you helped secure, but I can't afford to cross the Blue Tower."
"I get your worry, but it's absolutely not harmful. If it were, the Red Tower would take responsibility."
I said firmly.
"If you put it that way... fine. You helped first; I should show my sincerity."
"Thank you."
I flashed a bright smile. Dekir blushed seeing it. He'd agreed. Now, just wait.
I'd realized yesterday that my appearance had strategic value. I had to use whatever I could. This body was all I had to work with.
Honestly, it wasn't so bad. Earning goodwill without effort? No reason to refuse. Smiling didn't cost anything.
Besides, bribing a waiter myself and ordering him to drug the wine was impossible. I needed help.
I was starting to get used to this body. But that ended today. Time to go back.
Tomorrow morning was the conference closing ceremony, so this was our last dinner at the hotel. The four of us were cutting into our steaks. At the round table, Cain and I sat across from Clechia and Terria. The steaks on our plates were so tender they crumbled under a finger press. Juices flowed with every poke of the fork, carrying a savory aroma.
But I tasted nothing. My thoughts fixated on one thing. What if it went wrong? What if the potion was flawed from the start? What if the waiter messed up? What if Terria noticed?
Worrying changed nothing. The dice were cast; I just had to wait for the result.
Still, the tension gripping my body wouldn't fade.
Nothing special happened. Clechia eyed me—the slave eating with them—with displeasure, but that was it. Terria said nothing. Whenever she brought me up, he got stern. It was like silent pressure: Don't mention this slave.
Cain just smiled softly at me. He didn't breathe a word about yesterday. I returned a simple greeting, signaling all was fine.
Then Clechia spoke worriedly.
"Ariel, you feeling better now? You seemed exhausted yesterday."
"I'm good now. Sorry. I said I'd go but couldn't."
"No. Your health comes first. Let's drink in moderation next time?"
Terria looked apologetic. Clechia seemed to have more to say but just muttered, "I was looking forward to it, though..." She was hugely disappointed, no doubt.
I couldn't meet her eyes. While she waited in the room expecting sex, I'd sucked his cock. Willingly. And nearly fucked Cain too.
Put it the other way: Imagine your girlfriend suddenly became a guy and went down on another woman. Gross. She'd be furious. Basically cheating.
I felt truly sorry. If she learned everything, would she forgive me? I didn't know. No certainty.
But from her perspective, wasn't it for her sake? Thinking her sex partner was Ariel, only to find out it was Terria's mind inside—nightmarish. Massive trauma, maybe trust issues with people forever. Hugging her, pounding away, and it's actually someone else? Horrific.
I couldn't judge what was right.
"Anyway, want to take this?"
Clechia handed Terria something like a potion vial.
"What's that?"
"Nothing much. Good for the body. Helps with fatigue."
"Thanks. I'll take it."
"So rest sometimes. Always buried in research—your stamina's weak. When you're sick, it hurts me too."
I'm Ariel. The words rose to my throat, but I couldn't say them. That frustration hurt most.
If—just if—she learned I was Ariel, how would she react? Even in this hated slave form, the one she might despise most—Terria's body—if the soul inside was Ariel, would she accept me?
Suddenly, Cain spoke as if reading my mind.
"Clechia, nothing strike you from Ariel's lecture yesterday?"
"Huh? Well..."
"You love Ariel, right?"
"Y-Yeah... But why...?"
Clechia blushed shyly. To a stranger, she looked like a girl in the flush of first love.
Cain asked playfully.
"Then, hypothetically, if Ariel used that drug and changed into someone else's appearance, what would you think?"