A Shrewd Bargain
A certain level of trust seemed to have been established between Juliana and this suspicious merchant. It was likely a rapport built over multiple transactions. But I was different. While the Tentacle Patch was a decent item, anything that directly entered or touched the body required thorough verification. Of course, I couldn't possibly test it on my own body, which was practically a national treasure. Fortunately, there was a perfectly suitable body right next to me to use as a test subject.
"M-me? You want to test... that Breast Enhancement Potion... on me...?"
"Please, Juliana. Besides, don't you want to verify the effects yourself? Aren't you curious about how it works...?"
Despite her appearance, Juliana possessed quite an inquisitive mind. She genuinely seemed to find the prospect intriguing.
"Well... it's not that I'm entirely uninterested, but..."
Juliana glanced at the merchant, her voice trailing off. Then, she whispered in a quiet tone, "It really ends with just verifying the potion's effects, right?"
"Yes, of course."
Though I did intend to make the verification rather thorough.
"I understand. Then... I will drink it. But how much...?"
Ten percent enlargement per sip. If we were merely testing its efficacy, she didn't need to drink that much. Besides, it would be a waste to use too much of the potion just for a test.
"Just a few drops? That should be enough to test it, wouldn't you say?"
"As you wish. However, if the results are satisfactory, you must purchase it."
Shrewd fellow. The suspicious merchant seemed to have realized that my interest lay more in the lactating side effect than the breast-enlarging effect itself. Or perhaps customers with such tastes were not uncommon.
"Very well. And how much is it?"
"Five gold coins."
"Alright. That is acceptable."
It was an absurd price for a single potion, but to me, it was pocket change. In front of the merchant, I took the white potion out of its case and approached Juliana.
"Now, open wide, Juliana."
"...Ah..."
Juliana tilted her head back, parting her lips with an expression that mixed anxiety and anticipation. It was a rather erotic sight. I let a few drops of the potion fall into her open mouth. Swallowing the liquid, she let out a soft gulp.
"Mmm..."
Everyone in the room—myself, the suspicious merchant, and Juliana herself—focused their attention on her chest. Today, she was once again wearing an outfit utterly unfit for an educator, with her cleavage clearly visible through the collar of her blouse. However, even as time passed, no noticeable change occurred. I turned back to the merchant.
"What is the meaning of this?"
"A-Ah, no, the effects will surely manifest shortly! Look, look there! The signs of change on the Madame!"
I thought he was just trying to talk his way out of it, but he was telling the truth. Looking down at her own chest, Juliana's breathing grew ragged, and her face flushed crimson.
"Is it working?"
"Yes... I think so... Deep inside my breasts... something warm... feels like it's expanding..."
Juliana's breasts were already quite large to begin with. To my eyes, the size didn't seem to have changed. Well, since a single sip yielded a ten percent increase, a few drops would amount to less than a one percent growth rate. Discerning that with the naked eye would be impossible for anyone who wasn't utterly obsessed with breasts. In any case, my interest lay in the other effect.
"Is there any milk coming out?"
At my question, Juliana seemed to focus on her breasts beneath her white blouse. Soon, however, she shook her head.
"It doesn't... seem to be coming out..."
I looked back at the merchant. Though I hadn't said a word, he flinched and began to babble defensively.
"No, no, no! We cannot be sure yet! The amount she consumed was extremely small. The potion has certainly taken effect, but perhaps the volume is simply insufficient to overflow, leaving it pooled inside!"
Picking up on the merchant's words, Juliana spoke up.
"Indeed... that is highly possible... This sensation in my breasts... it feels very similar to when I gave birth... It feels as though my mammary glands are being stimulated..."
To be sure, just because there was milk didn't mean it would naturally leak out under normal circumstances. It might have been different had she drunk the entire bottle, but with only a few drops, it was hard to say. I spoke to Juliana, who was still entirely engrossed in the sensations of her chest.
"Then express it, Juliana."
"Yes, I underst—pardon? Wh-what did you say?"
"Is there any other way to confirm if milk has formed inside? For someone like you, who has experience nursing a child, this shouldn't be difficult."
"B-but still, that is..."
Juliana looked utterly flustered, as if she had just heard something incredibly shocking. Seizing the moment, the merchant swiftly slid over to my side.
"If that is what you require, I happen to have just the thing."
The merchant pulled a new device from his bag. It consisted of two inverted transparent cups connected to long tubes. The tubes led down to a transparent container marked with measuring gradients. A single button to operate the device was positioned in the middle. It wasn't difficult to guess its purpose.
It was a breast pump.
And given its size, it was clearly designed for human women. A device meant to extract breast milk. Considering the nature of the goods this merchant dealt in, it was undoubtedly intended for erotic play.
"For your reference, it is one gold coin."
...This is why I despise merchants. And it was expensive. While it was an amount I could easily afford without a second thought, I loathed being taken for a fool. I leaned in and whispered near the area where I assumed the merchant's ear to be.
"Let's strike a bargain, Mr. Merchant. In exchange for the money, I will give you the breast milk expressed by Marchioness Juliana. Hand over this device and the white potion. Surely, this is an incredibly lucrative deal for you as well?"
The breast milk of an active noblewoman from a marquessate. This would sell. It wasn't just worth five or six gold coins; if he found the right clientele, it was a luxury item that could easily fetch ten gold coins or more.
"You are a formidable negotiator. But are you certain this is wise? Selling such a thing might ruin the Madame's reputation."
I still had need of Juliana's talents. I had no intention of letting her reputation be ruined so easily. I leaned closer to his ear and spoke with emphasis.
"Of course, you cannot sell it under the Sancene name. But as long as you guarantee its authenticity, aren't there plenty of perverted nobles who would jump at the chance to buy it? In fact, keeping the identity anonymous might make it sell even better."
"Hyohyohyo! Excellent. In that case, I shall leave the task of persuading the Madame to Her Highness, Princess Sera Rustier."
Concluding my private negotiation with the merchant, I picked up the breast pump he had laid out. Juliana watched me approach, shaking her head with a look of sheer terror.
"P-Princess...?"
"It's alright. I'll make this quick."
"B-but still, this is... No, I can't...! A Marchioness like me... doing such a thing... It's like... like I'm livestock...!"
It seemed that even with Juliana's perverted tendencies, a milking play was a bit too much for her to handle. Shaking her head violently, she looked genuinely resistant. However, it appeared she was laboring under a massive misunderstanding. She seemed to have forgotten that although I had phrased it as a request, it was never actually optional.
I leaned in and whispered into Juliana's ear in a gentle, soothing voice.
"Are you really in a position to refuse me, Marchioness Juliana?"
"Ugh...!"
Juliana stared at me with wide, startled eyes. Keeping my gentle smile firmly in place, I continued.
"Don't worry, Madame. Compared to having those vulgar recordings of you leaked to the public, or being executed for high treason, this is hardly severe, is it? If you behave, it will be over in no time. Now, would you please bare your breasts for me?"
"...Yes..."
With trembling hands, Juliana began to undo the buttons of her blouse. Her sweat-glistened breasts and her pale beige undergarments slowly came into view. She didn't even seem to care that the merchant was still in the room. In fact, sensing the shift in the atmosphere, the merchant had already spun around to face the door. Perhaps he possessed better manners than I had given him credit for.
As I pulled her bra upward, Juliana's heavy breasts spilled out. Perhaps it was just my imagination, but they felt subtly larger than usual. Her nipples were already erect, twitching with nervous anticipation, though their size didn't seem to differ much from normal. I lifted one of the breast pump's cups and pressed it against one of her breasts. Instantly, the device sucked out the air inside, sealing itself tightly against her skin. The suction pulled her nipple and the surrounding flesh forward into a taut, bulging shape. It was an incredibly erotic sight.
"Haa... ah..."
Watching the milking apparatus attached to her own breast, Juliana's breathing grew heavy. Her face was flushed a deep crimson. It was clear this wasn't merely due to shame and humiliation. She was undeniably aroused. Even as she yielded to my blackmail and was treated like mere livestock, she was getting turned on. A true masochist through and through... The thought that she might masturbate later while recalling this very moment after I left made me feel slightly annoyed.
"Hngh...!"
I gripped Juliana's other breast with a bit of force and attached the second cup of the pump. With the apparatus secured to both of her breasts, she truly looked like a dairy cow.
"Now, I'm turning it on, Juliana."
With a fluttering heart, I pressed the button on the pump. Emitting a low hum like a small vacuum cleaner, the machine began to operate.