Mushoku Tensei (LN) - Volume 9 - Chapter 11

Chapter 11:

The Final Push 

I T TOOK THREE DAYS for me and Rudy to make it back to the city of Sharia. In that time, we talked about all sorts of things. One of the major topics of conversation was what Rudy had gone through in the last few years. He’d apparently been abandoned by a young lady named Eris, which had left him kind of traumatized. Ever since then, he’d been having trouble “performing” with women. 

I’d heard a few rumors about this Eris Boreas Greyrat at the royal court, actually. People said she was uncontrollable and violent, more like a wild beast than a well-bred girl. From what Rudy told me, she probably wasn’t quite as bad as I’d imagined her… but still. He’d escorted her from the Demon Continent all the way to Asura, and then she’d just tossed him aside because he wasn’t good enough? That was just unbelievable. I told Rudy that if I ever met her, I’d give her a piece of my mind. But he went white as a sheet and told me that was a very bad idea. If nothing else, Eris was a highly skilled swordswoman. 

I can’t say hearing all this made me feel very happy. At the end of the day, though, it was only thanks to Eris dumping Rudy that we’d been reunited here. At least some good had come of it. 

…Had Rudy really come here because of his condition, though? Wasn’t he investigating the Displacement Incident? 

Well, maybe he’d just been pursuing two goals at once. 

Finally, we arrived back at the front gates of the University. By this point, I was back in my usual attire—the costume I wore when I was “Fitz.” 

“Okay then,” I said. “I’m going to go report to Princess Ariel, I guess.” 

“Sure,” said Rudy, with a slightly embarrassed smile. “I’ll…see you soon, right?” 

It took a moment for me to figure out exactly what he meant by that. Then I put the pieces together, and my face got very hot. I was blushing all the way out to my ears again. “Yeah… of course!” 

The two of us were officially dating now, weren’t we? 

That made me really happy. My body felt almost weightless. I’d never known what people meant when they talked about “walking on air” before, but now I understood. I headed straight over to the student council room to give Princess Ariel an update on the situation. It was lunchtime now, so she’d almost certainly be there. 

I thought about all sorts of stuff as I walked. There were so many things I’d always wanted to do with Rudy. Like…go shopping in the city together, for example. I’d have to be dressed up as a boy for that, though. People might give Rudy some funny looks. 

S-Still, that didn’t really matter, right? Not as long as we loved each other. 

Then again…boys tended to think about love in a really physical way, didn’t they? Luke always said “If you’re not sleeping together, you’ll eventually drift apart.” 

Rudy didn’t seem too interested in my body, though… 

Wh-What am I supposed to do about that? 

*** 

When I stepped into the student council room, Princess Ariel took one look at my face and sighed. “It didn’t work after all, I see.” 

“Huh? Uhm, Princess Ariel…?” 

“It seemed like a perfect plan at first, but in retrospect…even if there was some risk of you freezing to death, it was silly to expect that he’d tear the clothing off a friend.” 

She seemed to have jumped to the wrong conclusion for some reason. That part had gone just fine, actually… 

“It’s all right, Sylphie,” interjected Luke. “Just tell us exactly what happened as calmly as you can.” 

“Uh, okay. The plan you came up with actually worked really well, Princess Ariel.” 

Princess Ariel twitched an eyebrow upward in surprise, but managed to keep her voice steady. “Is that so? I must say, you don’t look particularly overjoyed.” 

“Uhm, yeah. About that…” 

“I’m sorry. You can explain that later. Start your report, please.” 

“Oh, right.” 

Trying to calm myself down a little, I described the outcome of our operation step by step. Things had gone exactly as planned for the most part, really. We’d taken shelter in the cave and told each other how we felt next to the fire. In hindsight, it almost sounded like something out of a dream. I could tell I was blushing again. 

Princess Ariel looked at me with growing confusion, though. She was obviously wondering what the problem was. 

“So anyway, uh… Rudy got a little depressed after that. He said he came to the University to find a cure for his condition, actually.” 

“Wait, what?” 

“Huh? Uh, you know. He was looking for a way to cure his, uh, impotence.” 

“I see. Pardon me. I was a little startled, that’s all.” 

Princess Ariel had pressed a hand to her mouth, a disbelieving expression on her face. I could tell what she was thinking: I’d heard the rumors, but never thought they might be true. Why would you enroll at the University of Magic for such a reason? This is a place to learn magic, not a medical facility. 

“I must say, I’m a bit disappointed in this Rudeus. A man’s got to perform when it counts, doesn’t he? I thought he was oblivious, but I hadn’t expected him to embarrass a lady in this way. Especially one who was brave enough to make the first move.” 

Princess Ariel’s words were harsh, but she was probably just trying to keep herself cool and in control. She knew I’d get angry; once I did, she could slip into a soothing, apologetic tone, and move the conversation forward without revealing her confusion. It was a trick she used very frequently. 

But to my surprise, Luke stepped in to object before I could say a word. “Princess Ariel, I think you’re being quite unfair. At times, a man simply can’t help these things; Rudeus didn’t make a conscious choice to spurn Sylphie. In fact, I think this explains why he’s been so hesitant up until now.” 

“L-Luke…?” 

“I’d wondered why he always looked so insecure. Poor man. He must have come here out of sheer desperation, with no idea where to turn for help…” 

Luke could be frivolous and even rude sometimes, but he almost never talked back to Princess Ariel. Sometimes he offered her his advice, but he wasn’t the type to flatly dismiss his liege’s opinions in this way. I couldn’t remember him ever speaking to her this firmly before, in fact. 

The princess seemed a little taken aback. “…My apologies. I suppose I went a bit too far.” 

“It’s all right, Princess Ariel. I wouldn’t expect a woman to understand these things.” With a small nod, Luke turned to face me. “Sylphie, do you want to cure Rudeus’ condition?” 

“Huh? Uhm, yeah, of course.” I’d been worrying about myself this whole time. But come to think of it, Rudy had been obviously depressed by the situation. He’d started talking to me really formally, and I’d seen something that looked like fear in his eyes. His hands had been trembling, and not from the cold. “Rudy took what happened really hard. If there’s anything I can do to help, I’ll do it.” 

“Even if it’s difficult?” 

“S-Sure. I’ll do anything it takes.” A long time ago, Rudy had rescued me from a really miserable situation. I wanted to repay that favor in kind, if I possibly could. 

“Very well then. Wait here, will you? There’s something I need to give you. Please excuse me for a moment, Princess Ariel.” Without any further explanations, Luke strode quickly out of the student council room. 

Princess Ariel furrowed her brow slightly as she watched him go. “I am sorry, Sylphie. I shouldn’t have said that about Rudeus.” 

“It’s all right, I’m not upset. I’m a little surprised Luke argued with you like that, though. He doesn’t do that very often.” On top of that, I hadn’t expected Luke to stand up for Rudy. I had the impression that he didn’t like him very much, and he didn’t seem like the type to take the man’s side in a situation like this. 

“In any case, this does sound like a rather serious obstacle.” 

“Yeah. What should I do, Princess Ariel…?” 

“Well, Luke seems to have a plan of some sort in mind… but I do know of a few cures for impotence myself, as it happens.” 

“Really?” 

“Indeed. It’s one of those little things you’re taught as a member of the royal family.” 

That made some sense. When a princess got married off to someone, it was really important for them to have children. Even if their husband had a problem like Rudy’s, they’d still need to find a way to make that happen. 

“I was taught about this when I was rather young, and I’m afraid I didn’t pay that much attention. I do remember a few things, though. In general, you start off by getting them drunk.” 

“Really? Hmm…” I found myself remembering what I’d seen in the dining hall the other day. Rudy, Zanoba, and King Badigadi had been drinking together, and they were all in a really good mood. I didn’t have experience with alcohol myself, but I knew that it made easier for people to behave more boldly than usual. It put you in an altered state of mind, basically… but if Rudy’s condition was already abnormal, maybe that meant it would make him “normal,” instead? 

Princess Ariel went on to list a number of specific methods for seducing men. Rather than physically curing impotence, most of her tips seemed to be about arousing an otherwise disinterested target. Still, I didn’t doubt they’d be effective. The royal family of Asura made sure its members were well-educated in all sorts of things. 

“…after that, you say you’re feeling hot, and slip your dress down your shoulder just a little.” 

“Would that really work?” 

“Oh, I imagine it would. You’re extremely cute, after all. Once the mood’s right, all you really need is a good finishing line…” 

By the time Luke returned, we’d worked out the general outlines of a plan. He listened to us talk for a few seconds in silence, then abruptly interrupted. “What sort of a fool complains about the heat in this frigid weather? Your whole approach is misguided, anyway. Sylphie’s not curvy enough to tempt a man with her body.” 

“Ah…” 

I found myself at a loss for words, and Princess Ariel shot Luke a reproachful look. “Did you have to put it so bluntly, Luke? The poor girl’s worried sick about this.” 

“…Princess Ariel, the men of the Notos Greyrat family are traditionally attracted to women with large breasts. As a case in point, I myself feel no attraction to Sylphie whatsoever.” 

The Notos Greyrats loved busty girls. That was common knowledge among anyone who associated with the Asuran nobility, just like the Boreas family’s unnatural love of beastfolk. “S-So you’re saying I can’t seduce him with my body?” 

“You can try. It just won’t work.” 

I have to admit, hearing that stung a little. Luke’s insults usually didn’t bother me at all, but right now I had no confidence at all in my own attractiveness. 

“However…if you convince him to drink this, you’ve got a chance.” 

Luke handed me a small bottle that fit neatly in the palm of my hand. I looked down at it in confusion. “What is this thing, Luke?” 

“A powerful aphrodisiac that invigorates and arouses anyone who drinks it.” 

“An aphrodisiac?!” 

Luke nodded deeply. “It was made years ago, in the Fittoa Region, from the petals of the Vatirus flower. The method of its manufacture was known only to the mayor of Roa, who monopolized its sale. Following the Fittoa region’s disappearance, all production ceased. I’m afraid no one knows how to make it anymore. This is very rare stuff, in other words. Its current street price exceeds a hundred gold coins per bottle.” 

Back when Luke bought it, it had been worth about fifteen Asuran gold coins. He’d bought five at the time, and had already used two of them himself. The effect was supposedly remarkable. “I’d thought to hold onto this for a rainy day and sell it if I ever found myself in urgent need of money. But I’ll give it to you, Sylphie.” 

“What? You’re just going to give me something this valuable?” 

“That’s right.” 

With a small nod, Luke proceeded to list off several things I needed to be aware of. Once a man took this stuff, his libido essentially went into overdrive. If I couldn’t keep up, it was best for me to take some as well. Also, both of us using it would probably mean our first time wouldn’t be the gentle, romantic occasion I might have pictured. 

“Luke… thank you so much.” 

“Think nothing of it, Sylphie. You’ve saved my life often enough.” 

Luke and I had formed an odd friendship of sorts over the years. I was deeply grateful for that now. 

There was another person in the room, however, and she didn’t like being left out of anything. “You two get along so well, don’t you? I suppose I ought to chip in as well.” 

Smiling like a saint, Princess Ariel handed me two Asuran gold coins. Which might not sound like much, but it was enough to buy almost anything I wanted in this city. 

“But Princess Ariel! This is your personal money, isn’t it?” 

“That’s right. Everything I got for this month.” 

Since arriving at the University of Magic, we’d put a lot of effort into securing financial resources, and we had a good stash of money by now. But those were our war funds, reserved for our future plans. We kept it separate from our day-to-day spending money. Princess Ariel was well aware that both she and Luke tended to get careless with their spending, so she’d agreed to strictly limit their access to our funds. 

“Now that things have reached this point, this is about the most I can do to help you.” 

“You’ve done so much already, Princess Ariel… I’m sorry for all the trouble.” 

“Heh. As benevolent as always, your Highness.” 

The three of us had gotten a little carried away, in retrospect. We were all feeling very proud of ourselves for putting our friendship first. Still, this episode did bring us closer together. That’s got to count for something, right? The three of us had united to stand fast against a common enemy: my new boyfriend’s erectile dysfunction. 

“Good luck out there, Sylphie.” 

“Thank you both so much! I’m going to do this!” 

Energized for the long battle ahead, I walked confidently out of the student council room. I was heading for Sharia’s Commerce district. For a liquor store, to be precise. 

*** 

Night had fallen, and I was standing in a hallway with two bottles of pricey liquor in my bag. To be perfectly honest, I didn’t know much about alcohol. I’d never even drunk the stuff before, for one thing. And I had no idea what Rudy liked. However, I felt confident that stuff this expensive couldn’t be too bad. 

I’d also changed into a new set of underwear before coming over. I was wearing the set that Princess Ariel had picked out for me a little while ago. It felt like a good time to give my Steelsilk Bustier the night off. 

Of course, I also had a certain small bottle in the pocket of my uniform. 

“Okay…” Everything was ready. I was going to be fine. 

Still, I had to give myself a minute to take a few long, deep breaths. Mom and Dad… give me your blessing, please. I’m going to become a woman tonight… 

Once I’d finally steeled my nerves, I reached out and knocked on the door in front of me. Was there any chance that Rudy would be off with Zanoba at this time of night? No, no, this was going to be fine. He’d said he was going to rest up tonight. 

“Yes…? Oh, Syl— Master Fitz. Come on in.” 

When Rudy opened the door, he looked surprised to find me standing there. At his invitation, I stepped into his room. I also took the liberty of closing and locking the door behind me. 

“What’s the matter?” Rudy asked, his voice gentle. 

We’d both agreed it would be best to take a night to recover from our trip, but here I was anyway. “Uhm… I came to spend the night, actually.” 

“…Oh. O-Okay! Well, why don’t you sit down, then?” 

I got the impression Rudy wanted to make a comment about this, but he kept it to himself and just offered me a chair instead. His expression actually looked a little…discouraged. I wasn’t interrupting anything, was I? This was going to work, right? 

I sat down slowly, took off my sunglasses, and took the two bottles of liquor out of my bag. I set them down on the table along with a little snack I’d made—some mixed nuts with spicy flavoring. I’d also picked up some smoked meat in case Rudy didn’t care for them. 

“What’s all this?” 

“Well, I thought we could… celebrate our reunion or something, you know?” 

“…Right, of course. Yeah, we really should commemorate the occasion, huh?” Scratching at his cheek, Rudy sat down as well. 

At this point, I realized we didn’t have any cups. That was kind of a problem, unless we were going to start guzzling it straight out of the bottle. Did I need to go back and get some? 

“Don’t worry, I’ve got cups. I do have some possessions, you know.” Somehow reading my mind, Rudy stood up with a wry smile and took a pair of cups from a shelf at the side of the room. 

They were grey and had a perfectly smooth surface. Were these made of some sort of rock, maybe? They felt a little heavy in your hand. Apart from the weight, though, they looked like something an Asuran noble might have owned. “These look expensive.” 

“I made them myself with Earth magic, actually. Guess that makes them priceless.” 

“No kidding? Wow, that’s incredible.” It made sense, though. He really was good at this sort of thing, wasn’t he? 

I opened the first bottle and poured some of the amber-colored liquid out into our cups. Rudy narrowed his eyes slightly as he watched. “That looks like pretty strong stuff.” 

“Yeah. I don’t know anything about liquor, but I brought some expensive ones.” 

“You sure that’s a good idea?” 

“Hm? Oh, it’s fine. This is a special occasion, after all.” 

Was he worried about how much I’d spent on these? I’d have to keep it to myself that Princess Ariel had given me the money for them. Knowing Rudy, he’d probably feel like he owed her something. 

In any case, I’d poured the drinks and put out our snacks. So far so good. The aphrodisiac… was supposed to come out later in the evening. Right. 

“Well then, let’s have a toast. To the reunion of two old friends from Buena Village!” 

“…And to our future together, Sylphie.” 

“Ch-Cheers!” 

O-Our future together…? Honestly, sometimes Rudy said the most embarrassing things out of nowhere. Feeling myself blushing again, I took a big gulp from my cup— 

And promptly choked on it. 

What was this stuff? My throat was on fire! 

“Are you all right? Maybe we should have watered it down after all.” 

“Watered…it down…?” 

“When you’re drinking something this strong, people usually dilute it a little bit to make it easier to drink.” 

Wait, really? Nobody bothered mentioning that to me. Rudy had a slightly amused smile on his face, which ticked me off a little. “Well, how would I know that? I’ve never even tried this stuff before.” 

“Hey, I’m not laughing at you or anything. Hold on just a second, okay?” Rudy moved the majority of the liquid in my cup over to his, then summoned some steaming hot water into mine using magic. “Go ahead, try that.” 

Slightly reluctant, I took a tentative sip. The painfully strong smell that had lingered in the back of my nose was washed away, replaced by a gentler and more pleasant aroma. This was actually pretty good. 

“That reminds me…that hot water trick was the reason I started learning magic from you, wasn’t it?” 

“Hmm. Was it?” 

“What, did you forget? One of those bullies had thrown mud on me in the street, and you washed it off.” 

That really brought me back. Even as a child, Rudy could silently cast combined magic without even thinking twice about it. I still couldn’t pull that off the way he could; I had to use different spells in quick succession to produce a similar effect. 

“Oh, right. Wow, that brings back some memories…” 

“Yeah.” 

That got us started reminiscing about the good old days. My memories of Buena Village were beginning to grow a little fuzzy, but when we started talking about the subject, lots of things came back to me. 

We could never go back to that period of our lives again. For one thing, Buena Village was gone for good. That hill we’d played on was still there, but the tree had disappeared. They had been good times, though. I spent my days playing and practicing magic without a care in the world, and the progress I made day by day always left me overjoyed. I still got excited when I managed to improve my skills or learned something new, though these days, I was usually thinking about how I could put a spell to use in battle. 

“I really miss those days…” The longer we talked, the more mellow I felt. Was this what it felt like to get drunk? Hmm. “Oh! Wait. Before I forget…” 

Snapping out of my nostalgic haze, I took the little bottle out of my breast pocket and slowly placed it on the table. 

Rudy tilted his head quizzically. “What’s this?” 

“Uhm, well… it’s a special kind of medicine. For your problem.” 

I’d been really unsure about the best way to get Rudy to drink the aphrodisiac. I could have mixed it into his drink without him noticing, but that felt like a pretty nasty trick to play on someone you cared about. Then again, coming out and admitting I’d brought an aphrodisiac might cause him to misunderstand some things. I didn’t like that idea very much either. So I’d decided to call it “medicine.” That wasn’t exactly a lie, either. 

“Really…? Hmm. I feel like I’ve seen this stuff somewhere before.” 

“Yeah, really. Uhm, I was hoping you’d give it a try, Rudy.” 

Rudy smiled a little sadly at this. It was obvious he wasn’t optimistic. He’d probably tried many supposed cures, none of which had ever worked. Still, he took a swig from the bottle without a word, draining two-thirds of its contents at once. I was a little amazed how readily he’d swallowed all that dangerous-looking pink liquid just on my word. What if it had been poison or something? 

Oh. I’d forgotten to tell him how much to take. 

“It’s okay to take this stuff with alcohol, right?” asked Rudy. 

“Uhm, they said it was fine to mix it in a drink, even. A-Also, it uh… takes effect really quickly, from what I hear.” 

I was already taking off my cloak as I spoke these words. That left me wearing nothing but my shirt and bra up top. I felt a little chilly, honestly. According to Luke, I didn’t need to bother showing off my shoulder as long as he could see my neck and my breasts clearly. 

“If it does start working, well… you don’t have to hold back, okay?” 

Rudy’s eyebrows twitched at that. His gaze was fixed on my upper body. It was kind of embarrassing when he stared at me this openly. But I guess I was… seducing him, wasn’t I? Hopefully I wasn’t coming off as totally shameless… It was going to be okay, right? He wouldn’t mind, would he? 

I felt like I was getting more nervous than he was. I’d been hoping that the alcohol would give me a little more courage than this, honestly. 

Maybe I needed to commit myself more fully. 

…O-Okay then. With a small nod, I reached out for the little bottle of aphrodisiac. 

“What? Are you taking some too, Sylphie?” Rudy asked, understandably confused. 

Instead of answering, I drained all the pink liquid that remained inside. It was thick and slightly bitter, but I washed it down with a little alcohol and swallowed hard. 

Almost instantly, I could feel a strange warmth growing down around the pit of my stomach. Trying to distract myself, I reached out for the bowl of nuts. After eating three handfuls, I took another swig of liquor. My first glass was empty now. 

“You shouldn’t drink too quickly, Sylphie. You might make yourself sick.” 

“Yeah, I know. I’m just kind of nervous, that’s all.” 

“Ah, right. I guess it is your first time drinking…” 

Rudy sipped steadily at his own drink as we spoke. He hadn’t watered down his glass, so he wasn’t gulping it down the way I was. After a few moments, he reached for the bottle and poured me a little more, diluting it with hot water just like before. 

For a while after that, the two of us ate and drank in silence. The smoked meat turned out to be too salty and not particularly good, but for some reason I couldn’t stop nibbling at it. After a while, my whole body started to get hot. The area just above my thighs, in particular, was practically throbbing. The stuff sure seemed to be working. 

Was it doing anything for Rudy, though? 

He looked the same as ever. Just as handsome as always. Maybe more handsome than always, in fact. 

My eyes kept finding parts of him I didn’t usually pay much attention to. His neck, his mouth… I was starting to get in a kind of naughty mood. Was it just my imagination, or was Rudy’s face getting redder? 

Our eyes met. Rudy was staring straight at me. It was an intense stare, too. He hadn’t looked away from my eyes for a while now. I could hear him breathing roughly. 

Wait, no. That was me, wasn’t it? How embarrassing. But it wasn’t exactly my fault, was it? I’d taken that aphrodisiac, and my head was spinning from the liquor. That meant it wasn’t my fault. 

Yeah. Not my fault. 

I felt so hot. 

I undid the top button of my shirt, exposing more skin to the air. I’d thought it was kind of chilly in here at first, but now I was burning up. Rudy was staring at my breasts now, but I didn’t feel embarrassed anymore. 

I took another swig from my cup. Hot liquid slid down into my stomach, spreading even more warmth throughout my body. I was all done with my second glass. I reached out for the bottle…only to be intercepted. 

“Oh…” Rudy had reached out and grabbed my hand. His grip was strong enough that I knew he wasn’t planning to let go. Not that I had any intention of running from him, of course. “Sylphie…” 

Staring at me with bloodshot eyes, Rudy rose to his feet. He circled around the table to come beside me, still grasping my hand. And then, a little hesitantly, he tugged me upward. I let him pull me up out of my chair, making no effort to resist. 

“You, uh… can’t contain yourself, huh?” 

Rudy nodded silently. He slipped a hand around my waist and caressed my bottom, then pulled my body tightly to his. Something very hard was pressing up against me. 

It worked. Oh wow. It worked. 

The moment had finally come. It was time to break out the closing line I’d worked out in advance with Princess Ariel. “O-Okay then. Go ahead and eat me up, Rudy…” 

The instant those words left my mouth, he pushed me onto the bed. 

And then— 

Rudeus 

I OPENED MY EYES and stared up at the underside of the top bunk. I was in my room. And I remembered the events of last night clearly. 

Not too long after we started drinking, I’d suddenly gotten so aroused that I couldn’t even control myself. I’d practically thrown myself on Sylphie. That “medicine” she’d brought over was amazingly effective. I’d never known such a thing existed, but I couldn’t shake the feeling I’d seen the stuff somewhere before. 

…Oh, right. It was that aphrodisiac I’d seen a merchant selling in the city of Roa, wasn’t it? 

This was the first time I’d ever tried the stuff, but it was incredibly potent. My little man had popped out of his room in a frenzy to go on a total rampage. By the time the madness finally ended, I was so drained I felt like I might melt into a puddle. Clearly, there was a reason that stuff had been going for ten gold coins back then. 

As impressed as I was, though, I also found myself struggling to hold back a wave of fear and anxiety. I’d acted like a madman last night, yes. But I did remember everything I’d done. To be honest, I’d been really rough with Sylphie. She’d tried very hard to keep up with me, but she’d obviously had a moment or two of discomfort at first. It was her first time, after all. 

She never complained or even asked me to slow down, though. It was obvious she was pushing herself, but she just kept saying I’m fine , I love you , and it feels good on a running loop. The way she’d whispered in my ear just got me more excited. I hadn’t taken it easy on her at all. 

This was only the second time in my long life that I’d slept with someone. I wasn’t at all confident that I’d done a good job. In fact, I was convinced I’d behaved even worse than I did on my first time. Even worse than I’d behaved on that night. 

And the morning after that… Eris wasn’t lying next to me in bed. 

Slowly, I looked over to the side. My eyes met someone else’s. 

“Good morning, Rudy.” 

Sylphie was there. Smiling bashfully at me. 

I reached out slowly and touched her hair to confirm that she wasn’t a hallucination at least. Sylphie closed her eyes and let me stroke her head with a look of pleasure on her face. Her hair was short, but it was also wonderfully silky. 

I let my hand keep moving—first, down her neck and to her slender shoulders. They felt so delicate every time I touched them. 

But I wasn’t finished, of course. I brought my hand down to her breasts and squeezed. 

“Hyaah! Wha… Rudy!” Sylphie flinched in surprise shot me a look of protest. She didn’t move away, though. Her face went red, but she let me continue. 

Sylphie’s chest was truly modest. There wasn’t much to grab hold of. Still, there was definitely a distinctive softness cradled in my palm. For a moment, I saw the ghostly image of an old man giving me the thumbs up and shouting the wise words “All breasts are created equal!” in my direction. 

Thank you, Wise Old Hermit. Long time no see. 

Sylphie was lying there next to me, all right. No doubt about it. And thanks to the softness of her body, my monolith was rising toward the skies once again. Imposing and manly, it towered above its surroundings, as it was always meant to do. 

Gazing down at it in awe, I was convinced of something very important. “I’m cured.” 

I hugged Sylphie. I hugged her very tightly. And I started crying… just a little. 

“Uhm, Rudy…? What do you think? My body’s…okay, right?” 

Perhaps a little confused by my sudden dramatics, Sylphie tentatively asked for an explanation. But if she had any memory of last night, she had to know that question didn’t need to be answered. 

“Thank you.” Instead of telling her something she already knew, I just expressed my gratitude. It was the only thing I could do, in that moment. My mind was full of happiness and embarrassment. I was afraid I might say something extremely idiotic if I tried to talk right now. So instead, I just hugged her tightly to express my gratitude. 

At long last, my struggle had come to an end.