Doubt, Worry, Panic, and Rage
Doubt, worry, confusion, and anger swirled within me, making my entire body tremble. Terria was overwhelming me. It was a feeling I hadn't experienced in three years.
In the mirror, the woman kneeling demurely with her hands neatly folded looked utterly distorted, her expression clashing wildly with her poised posture. And then there were my hands—my own hands—slowly caressing her cheek and jaw. They felt so large and sturdy, the fingers and back of the hand rough in a way that made me wonder if they'd always been like this. A chill ran down my spine.
Terror overshadowed the rage I'd felt until now, anxiety bubbling up from the realization that the situation had slipped beyond my control.
"Still, up until now, it was my body, you know? Instinctively, I couldn't bring myself to hit it or inflict pain. Lucky for you. Considering everything you've done to me so far, I'd love to rip your nails out right now, but... when push comes to shove, I just can't go that far."
"......"
"So, what should we do with you now, Master? What do you want me to do? Hmm? Go on, tell me."
"...Do you really think this is permanent? That you can keep my body forever?"
At that, Terria clapped his hands with a sharp smack.
"Ahaha, perfect. That's the spirit. Holding onto hope is important—very important. Funny thing, I've been thinking the same."
"What...?"
"What if I just quit magic research altogether? Get kicked out as Blue Tower Lord. Cut ties with your parents completely. Live like a total wastrel. Ruin all my relationships with the other mages. Then, if we swapped back in that state... what do you think? Would you still want to come back?"
"You... you think no one else will notice we've swapped bodies?"
Haa, Terria sighed. He made a face like he was looking at someone utterly pathetic.
"Of course I'd take precautions like that. Since we're on the topic, better do it now. From this moment on, Ariel is forbidden from making any expression that reveals we've swapped bodies."
As soon as the words left his mouth, the Slave Brand glowed once more. I felt an invisible thread connecting me to Terria snap into place.
"And besides, unless I reveal my research results, no one in the world will just accept that body swaps are real. Right? It's never happened before—why would they believe it so easily?"
The flood of information hitting my brain the moment I stood up was overwhelming. Everything was a blur. Terria must have anticipated that, because he paused, giving me a moment to think.
I tried to calm my emotions, but it wasn't as easy as I'd hoped. Part of it was surely the body's influence. Even though my soul was mine, the brain was Terria's, so my conscious thoughts didn't flow the way I wanted. Still, piecing it together... everything he said rang true. I had to admit there were no lies in any of this.
It hit me anew: Terria had always been this clever? If all her previous behavior had been an act, she was terrifyingly good.
"Who would believe a fox beastkin slave—humanization magic undone, no less? Hell, rumors of the Demon King from centuries ago resurrecting would sound more credible."
"......Fine. What do you want? An apology for everything I've done? Money? Power?"
"Hmm, nothing in particular. An apology? You don't seriously think a few words would make me forgive you, do you? That'd be heartless. So, why don't you tell me what you want first, Master?"
"Then that vial of reagent..."
"Ugh, at least make sense. If I were you, I'd be racking my brain over how to make me happy first. That's Negotiation 101—figure out what the other side wants. But I'm not gonna spell it out, so puzzle it out yourself."
He flashed a sly, smug grin. I felt like a monkey in a zoo.
I scrambled to think. I had to say something.
"H-how about freeing me from slavery? Or I could get you a noble title. If I play my cards right, even a barony's possible."
"...Here's a hint."
"Huh?"
"What I want is..."
Suddenly, Terria leaned in, bringing his face right up to mine. So close I could see my reflection in those reddish-brown eyes. His expression was deadly serious, but a sinister glint lurked beneath, plain in his gaze.
"...for you to lose everything, too."
Was this what it felt like to be pinned down by a gaze alone? Like a puppy facing a lion... Damn, were all my emotions as a beastkin tied to animals? Or did it just mean Terria's eyes were that terrifying?
So this was the face Terria had been staring at all along. A bead of cold sweat trickled down my back. Before I knew it, I was shivering.
A second passed like a full minute—felt like ten, at least.
"Pfft, relax. Ahh~ so this is what it feels like. I get it now—a little. Why you tormented me so much. Anyone would, seeing that face."
"You're insane... You're not right in the head..."
"Maybe. But Master, you'd better snap out of it quick. Don't we have that alchemy conference?"
"Go like this? How am I supposed to present in this body? If I at least had humanization magic..."
"Huh? Of course I'll do the presentation. I'll impersonate you."
Terria declared it boldly, brimming with confidence. I was stunned. This wasn't something you could pull off with bravado alone. No one had ever grasped the potion from my research notes without my full explanation. The content was that intricate and arcane. And Terria—no formal training—could never mimic it.
"H-how the hell are you gonna present? Do you even know my research? Understand it at all?"
"Thanks to you bragging nonstop about being the greatest mage, I've picked up the basics over the last few months. It was tough, sure. But doesn't that make me a genius?"
"...Then explain it."
Terria began, starting from the principles of activating mental magic, breaking it down step by step—even an academy undergrad could follow. The required materials, how to process each one, the order for mixing the extracted components to achieve the desired effect. He didn't just explain the results; he nailed the background that led to those ideas. Perfectly.
In short, among all the mages I'd met, Terria's theoretical knowledge was top-tier. I was mesmerized, drawn in completely. Had anyone ever traced my footsteps this closely? Once, maybe—but not anymore. And Terria wasn't even a mage. Alchemy often required mana for basic potion-making, making it mages' domain. How had she...
"So? Qualified enough? No one will doubt I'm you."
"You... when did you start studying? Wait, no—Terria, this is perfect. If we researched together..."
"Pfft, research? Sorry, Master. Not interested."
"Terria, we could be the perfect team. We might even pioneer entirely new magic..."
"You just don't get it. I only need enough to impersonate you. Got it? What I'm interested in is..."
He trailed off, circling behind me. I'd been fooling myself. Drunk on that brilliant explanation, I'd forgotten who held the reins—who was truly in control.
Had I let my guard down? Terria vanished from my sight. Twisting my head as far as it would go, I caught only glimpses of my body. No sign of his face, his expression.
What the hell was he planning...?
—Crunch.
"Hng...?!"
Rough yet delicate fingers on my ear. The floppy ear perked up taut with a twitch. Electricity shot up my spine from my back, buzzing through me. A shiver wracked my body at the unfamiliar thrill.
"...Hic, Te...ria. Nng...!"
"Whoa, been years since I felt this softness. How's it feel? Good?"
My ear twitched wildly; the fine fur where his fingers rubbed stood on end. The kneading of that soft flesh intensified bit by bit. My breathing quickened, breaths growing hot.
"Ah, this is weird... Hng, stop...!"
"Ahaha. Your ear's twitching like crazy, Master. Guess watching my body got you curious. Felt nothing when I touched it alone—but someone else...?"
Slowly stroking fingers delved deep into the ear's sensitive hollow. An alien sensation blanked my mind white.
A fox beastkin's body was lewd. Such sensitive spots, nerves packed tight— even the tiniest stimulus echoed hugely, gumming up my thoughts. My lower belly clenched tight.
I wanted to flail and cover my ears, but the prior command locked my hands; they clutched my skirt hem instead.
"Huuung, hiiik...! Whaare yooou... hng! Doiiing...! Hic?!"
"Your tail's wagging like mad. You're really into it, huh? Voice all sweet—pervert much?"
Come to think of it, my tail—that instinctive, fluffy thing—was swishing back and forth.
Terria freed one hand from my ear. Fingertips raked down my lower back. Tingles piled up, floating sensations building.
Then I realized where those fingers were headed. No experience, but in this state, tail-play screamed danger on instinct.
"Ah, thaat's...! Not the taiil, nooow! Hng, nooo?! Huut...!"
But the fingers slid down my spine without pause. Reaching the cleft of my ass, the hand lifted for a moment.
—Squeeze.
"Haaaang...!"
He gripped my tail softly yet firmly, inescapable.