Stroked Like a Pet by the Princess
"Wh-why me..."
"I-I'm Sha'a..."
Her brain creaked like it hadn't been oiled in ages as she forced it to turn, ultimately choosing to hide the truth. There was no way they could figure out she was a woman anyway. Even her master had only acknowledged her past after she'd spilled the whole embarrassing story. Veronica was a special case, though.
Now that she thought about it, even if she told Claudia she was Asha, she probably wouldn't believe it. So this should be fine.
"No family name?"
"...Yes."
The princess's blue eyes turned to her with a bright smile. Tension made her swallow hard. For some reason... it felt hot and hazy. She realized it tasted familiar—it was the chocolate from last night, the one laced with alcohol.
Blinking her foggy eyes, she lowered her gaze from the princess's stare and caught sight of those ample breasts. This won't do, she thought, dropping her eyes to the floor entirely—only for warm, soft fingers to lift her chin.
"Why avoid my gaze?"
"...H-how could I dare to look—"
"I told you not to do that, so there's no need."
...As if she could just shout "Yes!" and beam like some novel protagonist. But dodging forever wasn't an option either, so she awkwardly smiled and raised her head. She could feel her lips trembling.
The princess chuckled, watching her, then parted her crimson lips.
"So... what is your connection to the Astalote family?"
If her heart hit the floor, would it feel like this? She sensed it slamming down, pounding wildly and spraying blood everywhere. She wanted to play it cool, but her exhausted body wouldn't obey her brain.
Ignoring her state, the princess continued softly, almost reassuringly.
"To be precise... yes, I'm asking about your ties to the Astalote family's troublemaker—no, heretic. I'm not trying to harm you, so relax."
Her head cooled sharply. The haze lingered, but the princess's tone suggested she didn't know who Asha really was. That snapped her back to reality. She'd already been found out... but she needed to know why. For whatever reason, the princess seemed well-disposed... so maybe it was okay. From afar at the academy, she hadn't seemed like a harsh person.
So, boldly.
"Wh-why do you think there's a connection...? M-may I ask... Ah, of course, if it's inconvenient—"
Bullshit. She hadn't been like this before! Why was she fumbling now? Get some confidence!
Suddenly, she felt a hand stroking her head. It wasn't a feeling—the princess was actually petting her hair, smiling warmly. Her face looked kind, even a bit wistful.
"You... remind me of Melka. The way you flinch like a scared little thing—it's just like her."
"M-Melka...?"
...Why did that sound like a dog's name? Was it her imagination?
The princess just chuckled without explaining, pulling her into her embrace and stroking her more. A sweet, fresh fragrance and warm skin scent rose from those full breasts. So smooth and toasty.
"Stay like this a moment, and I'll tell you what you're curious about."
"...Y-yes, understood."
Delighted by her response, the princess scratched her chin, then laid her across her lap and kept petting.
...It was exactly like a dog. Well... it felt nice, but... Never let her find out, she thought, meekly accepting the touch.
And honestly? It felt good. After indulging in her proxy satisfaction for a bit, the princess spoke.
"I figured since you hang around Lady Kaltz—er, Lady Veronica—and have ties to magic, you must be connected to Astalote's heretic. But who knew she'd have such a cute girl like you?"
...Her worst fear had come true. Just... in a slightly different way.
A slender hand patted her back. She felt utterly tamed.
"So... what's your relationship with Astalote Asha? That's why I called you here. And... I'm personally curious too."
Being treated like a puppy felt weird, but it wasn't the catastrophe she'd imagined, so she relaxed. And for this moment, she had her prepared answer ready.
"Sh-she's... my master."
"Heh, that stiff one has such a cute disciple now?"
...Did the princess know her that well? They'd barely spoken more than a few times.
Looking at her face, the princess smirked.
"As you know, your master is quite capable."
Hmm. The princess's expression as she said it... was hard to pin down. Like a kid denied a toy she wanted, or someone frustrated by a snag in their plans.
Honestly... it left her a bit flustered. They hadn't had much interaction. Just the freshman speech and occasional glimpses.
...Maybe that was a good thing. An ominous premonition stirred anyway.
After that, the conversation didn't yield much substance. Now seeming ready for the main topic, the princess stopped petting, sat her up, opened a box, and pulled out a familiar item.
Cecil's... probably semen-infused potion. She desperately feigned ignorance.
"Miss Sha'a. Do you know what this is?"
"N-not really..."
"Is that so?"
She barely calmed her racing heart. Why was this in the princess's hands?
"It's all the rage among the capital's ladies lately."
...What the hell was the capital coming to? It hadn't been this bad at the academy.
"Supply is nonexistent, so prices are skyrocketing. But no one knows the supplier or how it's made."
The tap-tap of her tapping the box echoed quietly in the room.
"Even the palace alchemists all shook their heads and claimed ignorance."
"I-is that so."
The princess eyed her with an odd look.
"I was returning from a vacation trip to lift my spirits when I met you. At first, I thought you were Astalote Asha herself and wanted to bring her in... but this isn't bad either. So, if you don't know, your master doesn't either?"
She nodded hastily. It wasn't a lie. She hadn't known it was secretly trending in the capital.
"I see... what a shame."
The princess's pale hand stroked her cheek.
"But... where is your master now?"
Those fingers slid slyly down her neck, gripping like a predator seizing prey's nape.
"She wasn't at the workshop, it seems."
...She's on vacation down south, right?
"Hm?"
She took a mental deep breath. No one had seen her change, and few knew her. So... it should be fine.
"Sh-she went to visit her master and hasn't been heard from since."
"...I see?"
Her master was an elf. Affiliated with the guild but unbound by nature.
...Perfect excuse material, in other words.
"Her hideout... ah, that makes sense."
The princess murmured softly, withdrawing her hand from Asha's neck. Then her gaze suddenly dropped lower—and her pupils dilated wildly.
Blinking, Asha looked down too: milk had leaked, soaking her clothes. Drenched, even.
Misunderstanding something, the princess gasped in shock.
"You don't mean..."
"N-no, it's not that!"
To dispel the nightmare assumption that would tank both Sha'a's and Asha's reputations, she had no choice but to explain the breast enlargement potion. If word spread... it would be horrific. Not just pregnancy rumors, but people hunting for Astalote Asha right away. And from the princess herself? She had to correct this now, or her life was over.
The princess's face lit with intrigue as she stared piercingly at Asha's chest.
"Oh ho... I thought they were oddly huge for your frame. So that's it."
Her face burned, but there was no helping it. Meanwhile, milk dripped steadily, thoroughly wetting her clothes.
"Why does it keep leaking?"
"...I don't know exactly. It should decrease with milking, but... it's not fully refined yet, so I can't say for sure."
"Fascinating. The ladies will love it. And not just them..."
Muttering with gleaming eyes, the princess grabbed her hand and pulled her up.
"This is partly my fault, so you should wash up before leaving. I'll prepare some decent clothes too."
"Th-that's not necessary..."
"No need to refuse, old... well, I just want to look after a fellow alumna's disciple. What would people think if you went out like that?"
"...Understood."
No grounds to refuse, she meekly let herself be led to the bathroom. It was so lavish and spacious, she wondered if it was really on a train.
She stripped off her clothes and turned on the water to wash. Still leaking, so... she'd have to squeeze. Tricky alone, but who else could she ask? Gritting her teeth, she pressed her breasts—when the door opened.
Not the princess... probably a maid she'd sent. Logically.
She'd grown used to doing it solo, so it felt awkward, but convenient timing. She'd never see these people again after leaving. As a commoner, no link to Asha. And the princess would cover for her.
The embarrassment now... unavoidable, but she just wanted to finish quick and go.
"Could you help me a bit—"
"Oh ho... I thought you were a commoner, but you seem pretty practiced at this."
The flesh-toned princess laughed heartily, shutting the door behind her.
Flustered and fumbling, Asha watched her approach.
Ah, no, fuck—why, why are you doing this to me?!