Chapter 87
Chapter 87
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: uly
Chapter: 87
Chapter Title: Lingering Shame
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"Haaah."
Meiko, who had spent the night on the sofa in her research room, lay there without leaving, staring up at the ceiling.
"In the end, I didn't sleep a wink."
The research room was still thick with the lewd scent of a bitch in heat.
Yesterday, she'd masturbated alone to thoughts of the boy Max that had popped into her mind, and ended up pulling an all-nighter with her eyes wide open.
On top of that, she'd pleasured herself with her fingers.
Now somewhat calmed, she recalled her behavior from the sleepless night just moments ago.
Lying on the sofa, calling out to boy Max as she did those things by herself.
['Big sis will teach you everything.']
['Max, you're so cute.']
['Big sis will take the lead. You just enjoy it.']
Her image humping the pillow, pretending it was Max.
The sensation of her clit rubbing against her panties and the pillow fabric every time she shook her hips, getting her all excited.
A sense of emptiness and futility washed over her, and she let out a breath, covering her face.
"I'm crazy. I must be crazy."
Why had she done that?
She should have just slept.
Why couldn't she overcome that momentary impulse?
Masturbating to the image of her disciple as a child from the illusion.
"It's all Max's fault."
Where did he even get the idea to make such a weird magic circle?
Normally, she would have demanded it be scrapped immediately, but Meiko couldn't bring herself to say that.
It wasn't someone else—it was an illusion magic that had deceived her.
Meiko possessed deeper knowledge of illusion magic than anyone.
She had prided herself that no illusion magic could fool her anymore.
The fact that the magic circle Max made was so exquisite that it could deceive even her like that.
Discarding such a magic circle carelessly?
['I can't do that.']
It might even be the key to advancing illusion magic one step further.
That realization softened her thoughts on scrapping it.
It absolutely wasn't because she had a thing for Max turned into a boy.
It was a fearsome magic circle.
To think it could corner her like this just by showing her desires.
The power of materialized desire she'd seen with her own eyes was more terrifying than she'd imagined.
Of course, it was her own rich imagination that had taken her all the way to the lewd valley.
['I can understand it, but if the church folks saw that magic circle, what kind of treatment would it get...?']
What if her disciple was branded a heretic by mistake?
That thought filled her head.
"Is this what they mean by a disciple's growth not always being a joy?"
Because of that growth, she'd spent the night wide awake worrying(?) like this.
Meiko let out a faint sigh.
"It's against Goddess Church doctrine for a magic circle to show desires, but it's not like it's real, and it doesn't show debauched illusions."
If the church raised an issue, she resolved to defend her disciple even staking her position as faction leader.
With her arousal subsided, Meiko caught the pungent scent of bitch wafting through her nose.
"Ah..."
As her sweat-soaked body dried, an unpleasant yet lewd feminine body odor filled the research room.
The smell alone kept reminding her of her all-night masturbation, making her blush as she sprang up from her seat.
"F-First, I need to ventilate."
She opened the door, and cool wind blew in.
Her head felt a bit clearer.
['But how am I supposed to face my disciple now?']
Only then did she realize she'd masturbated thinking of her disciple.
She felt too embarrassed to even look at his face properly.
"I-It's fine. It's just something only I know. What's there to be ashamed of? The fault isn't mine—it's Max's for making that magic circle."
Hypnotizing herself and justifying it, she began cleaning the office.
Cleaning was the best way to clear stray thoughts.
After wiping the sofa and pillow soiled with her fluids using purification magic and finishing ventilation with fresh air...
She spotted the introductory book on the research room bookshelf.
['Meiko, is this the book I should study first to learn illusion magic?']
The book that 18-year-old Max had pointed to on the first day he came to 16-year-old Meiko, who was already a professor and faction leader.
Come to think of it, this book marked the beginning of Max as an illusion mage.
Looking at Max, she'd thought he was quite handsome.
['Don't call me Meiko anymore. Call me Master from now on.']
That had been their first meeting.
And that memory...
['Big sis, I want to learn this.']
Began shifting into the image of an even younger Max.
Slap!
"Stop it."
Meiko slapped her own cheeks three times hard enough to sting and shook her head vigorously to shake off the rising delusion.
"If it comes up one more time, I'll just die."
Regaining her composure, she tidied the room while thinking.
"I need to scrape together money quick and head back to the forest."
She gave up on borrowing from Max.
Even as faction leader, she could earn enough to return by giving lectures to nobles and merchants eager to learn magic.
Though the Illusion Faction was looked down on among mages, teaching basics was no problem.
Nobles and merchants just starting out in magic and unable to join specific factions didn't care about that.
If she stayed like this, she'd really accomplish nothing.
"L-Let's just clean."
But no matter how much she tried to clean, aside from the sofa and pillow she'd dirtied, there wasn't a speck of dust anywhere.
"It's spotless."
It had been months since she'd left this research room empty.
Dust should have accumulated normally.
['No way.']
Had Max been cleaning every day?
It was then.
Knock knock.
"Are you inside?"
Max's voice came.
Startled by her disciple's sudden visit, Meiko still...
"Ah, yeah. Come in."
Managed to compose herself as much as possible and let him in.
Max entered holding a broom and mop.
"Wh-What's up?"
"What do you mean? I'm here to clean Master's research room. But..."
He scanned the room thoroughly.
For some reason, Meiko felt embarrassed, her face burning.
"Looks like no cleaning needed today. You even used purification magic and ventilated. Master's grown up."
"Wh-What are you saying? Don't talk to your master like that."
"You never cleaned, so I always took care of it for you."
"Th-That was then, but..."
"Lately, this place has been empty, so it felt lonely. Having Master here after so long feels warm and nice."
"R-Really?"
Max set down the cleaning tools, reached into his bosom, and pulled out a pouch.
"What's this?"
"You said you needed money. This is for you to go back and use in your research. I scraped together about 20 gold—take it and use it."
"Eh...? I-Is that okay?"
"No, it's not. I'll struggle for a few days after giving this away. But if it's to help Master succeed in the research she wants, I can bear this much loss."
"I-I can earn my own. So..."
"It's fine."
Max firmly refused and handed her the pouch.
"Wh-What? Weren't you planning to teach magic to nobles for money?"
"..."
"No need for the faction leader to teach basic magic just to earn coin and hear pitying words. What would other faction mages think? Walk tall like a leader."
"Max..."
"Master is my master and the leader of our faction. Master's success is the faction's success."
She felt a surge of emotion.
Looking at Max made her want to cry, so Meiko bowed her head.
"Th-Thank you."
"It's nothing. Just pay me back when you return later."
"..."
How grateful she was for Max smiling and joking to lighten her burden.
Meiko calmed her swelling heart and took a deep breath.
"I'll pay you back for sure."
"Heading straight back to the forest?"
"Yeah."
It felt regrettable.
She wanted to talk more with her disciple.
But research was urgent.
She regretted her situation, unable to stay long because she had to find those flowers.
"It's for research, right?"
"What do you mean?"
"I wondered if you're embarrassed because of the illusion you saw that day."
"..."
His words reminded her that Max had entered her illusion too.
No.
She belatedly realized the target of that illusion she'd seen was Max.
The memory and sensation of young Max looking up at her was vivid.
['Big sis, my pee-pee feels weird.']
Max saying that.
"Th-That's not, n-not it!"
"If it's not, then why get so mad?"
"J-Just don't ask!"
This couldn't be found out.
She absolutely couldn't let him know she'd harbored other feelings for her disciple.
Meiko shouted like she was making excuses, and Max grinned seeing it.
"Don't overdo it, and contact me before spending the money. I'll judge if it's overspending or not."
"O-Okay. Don't treat me like a kid."
"You're younger than me."
"Ugh, but I'm still your master?"
"Haha! Got it."
Irked at Max treating her like a kid, Meiko briefly considered viewing the illusion again but soon dropped it.
['I can't delay the research more.']
It'd be fine to finish research, return, and view it once more.
Meiko set aside her desires for now, looking forward to next time.
"...So lonely."
High Elf Reina lay in the lavish room, sighing.
She had chosen to stay in the empire temporarily to observe inferior human civilization.
But this world filled with lesser species felt terribly alien and lonely to her.
The one she could somewhat communicate with, Yuris—whom she admired—was avoiding her, busy with training.
She sensed Yuris was deliberately keeping distance.
Whether because of the memories from Max's Hall of Illusions or simply disliking Reina, she wasn't sure.
['Why did I say I'd stay?']
Reina had thought Yuris would accept her if she approached.
After all, Yuris was as noble as she was, so they'd naturally be drawn to each other—she'd firmly believed that.
['Don't disturb during training. I won't tolerate that.']
['Even honored guests can't enter some places.']
But Yuris didn't respond.
Stiff tone, cold expression.
Thus, Reina was naturally left alone again.
"I want to go back."
Then, Max's face floated into Reina's mind.
The one human who'd fulfilled her desires, even if she hadn't wanted it.
The Yuris in those desires always smiled at Reina.
['Come here, Reina. I'll hold you.']
And there, Yuris and Reina were defiled.
Serving one Master together...
['Master's cock is amazing, right?']
"..."
Reina rose from her seat as if entranced.