The Alchemy Club
A few days had passed since the day I had sex with Yuli.
My life remained as peaceful as it had been before.
Outside of weekends, I attended classes at the Cradle every single day and shared sweet moments with my girlfriend Nadia, so there was no issue at all.
…At least, that was how it looked from the outside.
It was lunch break at the Cradle.
“I’ll go to the restroom real quick.”
“Mm.”
While I was sitting in the classroom sharing my bento with Nadia, I rose from my seat and headed toward the restroom.
Most of the students had poured into the cafeteria, leaving the quiet hallway.
As I walked past the empty lecture halls toward the restroom,
*drück!*
The door to the lecture hall I had just passed suddenly swung open. A hand shot out, seized my arm, and yanked me inside.
“…?”
I was dragged into the dimly lit classroom in an instant.
No lights were on, and curtains hung over the windows, so even though it was broad daylight the room felt dark.
I looked at the face of the person who had grabbed my arm.
“…Yuli?”
“Ehehe, surprised?”
With her playful voice, she did a little “Ta-da~!”
I answered her in a grumpy tone.
“What the hell are you doing?”
“Well~ I wonder what I’m doing, huh♡”
“…Haah.”
I let out a deep sigh.
I didn’t even know what she was thinking, yet here she was winking at me so cutely.
Even after she had given her first experience to the man she desired, Yuli still kept sneaking mischievous pranks and skinship my way, always careful to avoid Nadia’s gaze.
*When am I supposed to tell Nadia…*
Even her girlfriend’s senior Rouge didn’t seem to mind what she was doing.
Yuli’s way of expressing and acting on her feelings toward me had grown far more bold.
Whether her actions came from genuine affection or a dangerous thrill-seeking desire for cuckoldry, it was obvious she held special feelings for me.
Lately she had been scheming to create these private situations where we were alone, always careful to avoid Nadia and other students’ eyes.
I often felt so uneasy my heart was about to stop.
Of course, part of it was my fault for not pushing her away firmly.
*I should have rejected her outright…*
I knew that, yet I couldn’t.
My feelings for my girlfriend Nadia remained unchanged, but after our last encounter I had started to feel something special for Yuli as well.
Yuli had been my first girlfriend at the Cradle, and now she was also the first experience I had taken as a man. It was strange not to feel any guilt.
“Hehe, Dorn~♡”
In the empty classroom she called my name and hugged me.
I barely managed to resist wrapping my arms around her waist to return the embrace and pull myself together.
“I told you not to do this.”
“…”
When I spoke in a troubled voice, Yuli looked up at me with her large green eyes wide and pitiful, her face full of sorrow.
“Even if you look at me like that, it won’t do any good.”
“Tsk—”
She clicked her tongue at my shamelessness, but there was nothing she could do.
Nadia was still waiting for me in the classroom right now.
“I have to go to the restroom.”
I tried to push her away gently.
Yuli’s expression immediately grew gloomy.
“I don’t want you to?”
“Not that it’s not….”
“Then what?”
“…That’s why I can’t do it.”
Her own words lacked strength.
Yuli narrowed her eyes, stood on tiptoes, and brought her lips to my ear.
Her hot breath tickled my earlobe.
“Really stop?”
Her voice was sweet and bewitching, laced with a breathy sound.
She leaned her upper body forward a little so her full breasts would brush against me.
As a man, I naturally had to be aware of it, and Yuli whispered as if she had been waiting for exactly that moment.
“You really don’t want to touch these tits?”
“……!!”
Her words reminded me of the incident from before, and my body trembled!
Yuli remembered the filthy curse I had inadvertently blurted out during sex.
She looked at my frozen body, subtly lifted the corner of her mouth, and suddenly unbuttoned her own shirt.
A mint-green bra wrapped around her snow-white nipples.
Yuli grabbed my hand and placed it on her lush, swollen breast.
“…”
My hand was now full of the extremely soft flesh I had bitten, sucked, and groped for days.
My fingers grew stronger from the warm, soft touch.
“Nngh…♡”
The soft breast changed shape every time I squeezed it, and Yuli let out a wet, breathy moan.
I realized what I was doing only belatedly.
“Yuli… this is wrong.”
“…Dorn.”
Yuli lowered her gaze slightly.
My hand was still thoroughly kneading her soft breast.
Seeing me playing with both my mouth and my hand completely separately, Yuli giggled.
“I already know this is wrong.”
“If you know…”
“But you want to?”
Damn it.
Looking at Yuli smiling like a lustful vixen sent a chill down my spine.
She had already become addicted to the dangerous thrill of betraying her friend and sleeping with her boyfriend.
“You called me a bad girl, right?”
Yuli pressed her body even closer and stroked my crotch gently while whispering.
“A bad girl doing bad things is only natural…♡”
A completely absurd excuse and rationalization.
Yet when I saw the lust-glinting eyes of this small girl before me, my heart pounded like thunder.
It made me remember that day filled with her naughty remarks.
*Nadia, I’m sorry…*
In the end, I couldn’t resist the momentary pleasure and pulled Yuli’s waist toward me, roughly covering her lips with my own.
I had finally accepted that I was originally an irredeemable trash and decided to be honest with my desires.
“Ngh, shlick… chup… chup…♡”
Kissing her in a lewd, depraved way while Yuli mixed her tongue with mine, I swore inside.
This relationship would never leave me even in the grave.
***
At the Cradle, besides regular classes, club activities were held for students who wanted them.
For reference, when the Cradle talks about ‘club activities,’ it refers to advanced learning and career exploration for outstanding students who stand out in the professor’s regular classes.
The casual social gatherings where students voluntarily bond over common interests are called clubs.
I, an outstanding student already validated by many professors, had submitted a club membership form to the Alchemy Club invited by Professor Velvet and become a member a while ago.
*Even if it was almost forced… it’s not that bad.*
Alchemy was profitable.
I was still earning a lot of money for a student while acting as a horse-betting player sometimes, but I had no intention of continuing as a player in the future.
In that sense, alchemy was the most practical academic field for surviving after graduating from the Cradle.
*As long as I get the alchemy license, I won’t have to worry about finding a job later.*
An alchemist with a license could handle everything from daily necessities to various medicines, so they were highly sought-after talent welcomed everywhere in the Demon Realm.
They could also join another’s workshop, or if necessary, open their own workshop.
That was why I was still participating in club activities about once a week even though I didn’t have to.
Today, as soon as regular classes ended, I headed to the Alchemy Club room.
‘Karib said he couldn’t make it today, right?’
The goblin friend who had joined the club a step ahead of me had other business, so today only I, the first-year, was there.
*drück.*
I opened the door and stepped inside.
Another member was already there.
A beautiful woman with long sky-blue hair, a smaller chest but outstanding looks.
It was senior Morphe from second year.
“Good afternoon, senpai!”
The moment I saw her, I bowed 90 degrees and greeted her respectfully.
Senior Morphe was a member of the witch race known for handling the Demon Realm’s intellect.
Since the witch race’s influence was especially strong in alchemy, I remained as polite as possible in front of her considering my future.
“Yes.”
Even with my overly polite greeting, Morphe answered shortly with a completely emotionless face and a slight nod.
She had always had few facial expressions and a somewhat detached personality, so I was used to it.
After the short greeting, the club activity began immediately.
There was nothing special about it.
We simply performed the new assignments Professor Velvet gave each member every week.
*I have to finish the medicine I was making last time… today.*
I was in the middle of brewing a medicine to prevent pests from attacking crops.
Since I had almost finished it a few days ago, I should be able to complete it today.
Recalling the recipe Professor Velvet had taught me last time, I brewed the medicine exactly as instructed.
“It’s done.”
After about two hours, the finished product appeared.
A yellow liquid with honey-like droplets and color swirled inside the bottle.
At some point, senior Morphe, who had been quietly watching me work, finally spoke.
“…It’s surprisingly good for a first-year.”
“Ah, thank you!”
At her first-ever praise, I immediately bowed my waist.
At the same time, I discreetly let out a long, silent fart.
“But compared to senior Morphe, you’re still far behind!”
It was not an insincere compliment.
Senior Morphe was the second-year’s top alchemist recognized even by Professor Velvet.
With her solid background, she was clearly capable of opening her own workshop and succeeding greatly.
“Hmm.”
The rare, satisfied smile she showed at my mix of sincerity and flattery vanished.
“Wanna do something this weekend?”
“This weekend?”
I was momentarily stunned by the sudden question.
Usually I dated Nadia on weekends, but this week we hadn’t talked about anything yet.
“I don’t have any fixed schedule….”
“Good.”
“What do you mean?”
“We’re going to gather alchemy ingredients this weekend. Come with me.”
It was a sudden invitation to tag along, but I realized it was Morphe’s kind gesture toward her junior.
*I’d better go.*
Honestly I wanted to relax and grope my girlfriend’s butt on the weekend, but I hated missing the chance to get closer to the witch-race senior.
“Thank you, senpai! I’ve been wanting to personally collect ingredients with my own hands anyway!”
“I’m going to gather alchemy ingredients this weekend. Come with me.”