A Shady Merchant and Three Potions

"Shall we begin, then?"

Several tiny red arms sprouted from the grimoire Juliana held. They latched onto the Earth Dragon's Gauntlet resting on the workbench. With precise, delicate movements, they began peeling away the gauntlet's outer casing piece by piece. Beneath it, a tawny gem saturated with rich earth mana was revealed.

"The reason even those without personal mana can use it is because the artifact itself stores its own magic. When it's not active, it slowly absorbs and stores the earth's mana."

"Then why aren't magic tools of this kind used in Rustier? It seems incredibly convenient..."

In this kingdom, magic tools that could be used without personal mana generally relied on expensive magic stones. This meant they were entirely consumable. I had never seen an item that could replenish its own mana before.

"An ore that harvests earth mana on its ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠own and preserves it with almost zero loss... I've never seen a material with such properties. If we could mine this in large quantities, it would spark a revolution in magic engineering."

"Hmm, I see..."

I knew its effects were outstanding, but it seemed this item was far rarer than I had initially thought. The tiny arms extending from the grimoire traced the tawny gem and the intricate circuits connected to it. They looked almost like the antennae of an insect.

"But there is definitely room for improvement. The properties of this ore are magnificent, but the way it's ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠handled is quite outdated. I will make the mana transmission more efficient and reconstruct the activation formula using the latest methods. Just doing this will give you the output boost you desire, Princess."

"Oh, really? And how long will that take?"

"I can do it right now. Once you understand the principles and structure, it's simple."

I nodded to Juliana, giving her the go-ahead. I could see mana flowing from the grimoire into the tiny red arms.

Crackle, crackle. Sparks flew across the surface of the gem. Was this safe? Well, since Juliana, the expert, spoke so confidently, it should be fine. I decided to trust her boast.

Juliana continued her work with intense concentration. It didn't take very long—about five minutes in total. However, beads of sweat steadily formed on her forehead as she worked.

"Phew... It's done. I really am a genius, aren't I?"

Juliana let out a sigh of relief, looking as if a great weight had been lifted from her shoulders. The red arms were busy reattaching the outer casing they had peeled away earlier.

"Good work, Juliana. So, how much has it been enhanced?"

"Just with the efficiency improvements I made, the overall output should be up by about 1.5 times. That applies to both its duration and its range of effect. Any further upgrades would require a bit more time, though..."

"This is more than enough for now."

A magic item that allowed at least dozens of people to move stealthily. Its tactical value was immense. I placed the Earth Dragon's Gauntlet back into the case I had brought.

Just as I was about to head up the stairs with Juliana, a rhythmic knock echoed from above.

Knock, knock, knock, knock, knock, knock.

Juliana seemed to recognize the knock instantly.

"Who is it?"

"Well... it's the magic sundries merchant I mentioned before. Shall I just send him away?"

Though she asked, Juliana looked quite disappointed at the prospect of turning him away. If it was the wandering magic merchant, he was the one who had sold her the Tentacle Patch. I, too, was highly interested in his wares.

"Let him in. If he's a merchant who deals in rare items, I'd like to meet him as well."

Juliana went upstairs and opened the door. Standing outside was a man bundled up tightly from head to toe, carrying a massive travel suitcase.

"Ah, it has been too long, great mage, Madam of the Red Fairy! Oh? You have a guest. And is this not Princess Sera Rustier? What an absolute honor and joy it is to meet you in person."

His voice was strangely high-pitched, though he was clearly not a woman. It sounded like a boy going through puberty, but with three generous cups of suspiciousness poured in. His attire was equally shady. He was bundled up in a thick coat, a large hat pulled low over his head, and his face was completely hidden behind a massive mask, leaving only his eyes barely visible. He was the very definition of a shady merchant. In fact, was he even human?

"I've heard a lot about you from the Marchioness. I hear you deal in very rare goods?"

"My, my! To have the great mage advertise my business, I am deeply moved. Indeed, whether they are rare depends on the item, but I certainly possess goods that are not easily found in these lands. Is the Princess also interested in my wares?"

"Novelties always pique my curiosity."

"Fufu, excellent."

The merchant placed his large suitcase on the table and inserted a key into the lock. As he swung it open, the interior revealed a meticulously organized array of items. It was practically a miniature ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠shop. Inside, numerous ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠objects radiated distinct mana, their colorful glows almost dazzling to the eyes.

Juliana asked him, "What have you brought for us today?"

"What I have prepared for the Madam today is none other than this—three special potions for the exploration of beauty, health, and the mysteries of the flesh."

The merchant pulled out three bottles from a case inside the suitcase. A set of red, orange, and white potions. Displaying them on the table, he began his explanation.

"The red potion is the so-called Love Potion. However, it does not make one fall in love with the first person they see, like in common legends. It merely amplifies the affection already held in one's heart several times over. If you wish to spend a passionate night with your husband, I highly recommend it."

A potion to strengthen affection... A certain someone briefly flickered through my mind. But I quickly dismissed the thought. I had no desire to manipulate someone's heart using such a cheap trick. That was the lesson I had learned from Rika's case. It was far more satisfying to conquer them fair and square through blackmail and coercion.

Juliana also looked largely uninterested. The merchant immediately moved on to the next potion, the orange one.

"Perhaps such a thing is meaningless to two ladies already overflowing with feminine charm. Then how about this? This potion maximizes the pleasure of being loved by another. Drinking this increases one's physical sensitivity by two to ten times. If you wish to experience the absolute peak of physical ecstasy, what do you say?"

In short, an aphrodisiac. An aphrodisiac... This one was a bit more tempting than the last. Just watching Carmel writhe, her entire body turned hyper-sensitive by an aphrodisiac, would bring me pure bliss.

But Juliana beat me to the punch. "I'll buy it."

"I knew you would say that. But is the Princess alright with that? You seemed quite interested."

"No, it's fine. I'll let Juliana have it."

Well, it wasn't something I desperately needed. Handing over too much pleasure too easily takes the fun out of it. Slowly, step by step, letting pleasure seep into their consciousness is far more satisfying for a dominant. Besides, for Juliana, who was entirely devoted to her solo play, there could be no better item. She already had a sly, wicked smile spreading across her lips in anticipation.

"Excellent, excellent. Then, the highly anticipated grand finale is this—the Breast Enhancement Potion. In a sense, it is an item that makes a woman's dream come true. Drinking this causes the user's breasts to swell to a grand size. As a minor side effect, they will temporarily lactate for the duration... but depending on the situation, that too can be a source of pleasure."

What... did he say? Breasts enlarge, and lactation?

Instantly, a whole drama's worth of scenarios flashed through my mind. Mostly obscene scenes, closer to pornography than drama.

I questioned the merchant. "I'd like to hear more details about the effects and duration. Exactly how much do they grow, and how long does it last?"

Though my tastes were a bit unique, they still fell within the realm of normal. I liked large breasts, but I detested them growing to a grotesque, unnatural size.

"Oho, now your eyes are truly shining. The growth depends on the amount consumed. One sip increases the size by about ten percent. I do not recommend drinking it all at once. Of course, the effect lasts for only thirty minutes, after which everything returns perfectly to normal."

Ten percent per sip... Actually, what I was interested in was the side effect rather than the breast enlargement. Carmel's breasts were already the perfect size for my taste. They didn't need to be any larger.

"And the side effect? Does it manifest with just one sip? What about a single drop?"

"We have confirmed through clinical trials that it manifests with a single sip. But a single drop... I am not sure. I wonder if such a small amount would trigger any change..."

"Hmm... Very well. I'll buy it. But before I finalize the purchase, I can test the side effect first, right?"

"A test? Here? Do you mean you will try it yourself, Princess Sera Rustier?"

"No. Not me..."

Juliana, who had been staring at the orange potion in a state of pure bliss, suddenly noticed the strange atmosphere settling over the room.

"Uh... Wh-Why are you looking at me...?"