After finishing the morning routine with Cecil and while eating breakfast, a visitor arrived. Peeking out, I saw it was someone delivering a letter. As always, I watched for a moment as they placed the letter at the designated spot and left, then slipped out to retrieve it.
The faint woody scent lingering on the letter let me know it was from the Master without needing to check the sender. After savoring the refreshing scent for a moment, I carefully opened the letter.
To summarize the contents:
While I'm glad to hear from you after several years, have you considered whether this might be too late? I never imagined you'd be so ungrateful. Still, if my one and only disciple is in trouble, it's only right as a Master to help. Fetch the 'Dew of Dawn' and wait there properly.
Here, 'Dew of Dawn' is the name of a liquor. It seemed he still hadn't quit. But what was surprising... was the part about him coming in person.
...I distinctly remember he was always summoned to the academy during this period?
I swallowed dryly. Cecil, who was watching me from the side, tilted her head.
"Asha-nim, what's wrong?"
"...Ah, well. The Master says he's coming in person."
"Your Master, Asha-nim?"
"He's the one who taught me. I received a lot of help from him in many ways..."
...Thinking about it, maybe I was too indifferent?
"He sounds like a good person, Asha-nim!"
"...Right."
Looking into Cecil's bright, sparkling eyes, my conscience pricked me. At the bottom of the letter was written the expected arrival date.
But strangely, the numbers looked familiar. Scratching my head, I checked the date...
It was today.
Thinking I might have misread the numbers, I rubbed my eyes, but the written characters didn't change. Seeing this sudden notice of a home visit felt like being hit on the head with a hammer.
If you're going to write that I should prepare, shouldn't you give me time to do so?
...More importantly, how should I explain the change in my body? Before that, will he even believe I'm 'Asha'? After all, not a single trace of my original appearance remains.
"Asha-nim?"
Cecil's voice brought me back to my senses.
"Cecil, let's start with cleaning first."
"I don't know why, but understood!"
I needed time to figure out how to explain. The passing time felt cruel. But the Master arrived even faster than that.
The question of why he even sent a letter if he was going to do this swirled in my head.
In the end, without having thought of any countermeasures, I had to open the door and greet the Master.
"...Hmm?"
A gentle-looking beauty with flowing water-colored hair was looking at me. Her hair was tied like a single stream, flowing down to her chest, and the slight darkness under her eyes showed she was usually steeped in fatigue.
Above them, emerald eyes similar to mine but deeper held a question. Her long ears twitched, and then her mouth opened.
"Who are you?"
Her pretty forehead furrowed deeply as she began to scrutinize my appearance. Contrary to her gentle impression, her sharp gaze demanded an answer.
"Uh, well... Would you like to come in first?"
"Isn't this Astarote Asha's house?"
"That's right..."
"Then who are you?"
I think I understood why eyes are compared to jewels. The Master's green eyes, which had turned as cold as something inorganic, seemed to devour me as they chased after me.
When I flinched and stepped back, the Master sighed and poked my forehead. The coldness seeped in, clearing my confused mind.
"What are you so scared of? Is it your first time seeing an elf?"
Seeing that, I decided to just charge straight ahead.
"Please come in, Master."
"...I don't remember having a disciple like you?"
"Once, you came in after drinking and broke a potion bottle over my head."
"...That was because you were fooling around... What? Did Asha tell you?"
"Another day, you drank too much, vomited on the floor, and on top of that─"
"...Where is that bastard Astarote Asha right now?"
...Is this right?
Cold sweat trickled down my back.
*
*
*
*
"...So you're saying you're the real Asha?"
"...Yes."
The Master scratched his water-colored hair and buried himself in the sofa. Then he pulled a pipe from his embrace, stuffed some herbs into it, and lit it.
"...I wish you'd go outside to smoke that."
"Seeing you nag makes me think it might really be that kid."
Regardless, the Master took a deep drag from the pipe and blew out smoke that was sweet yet slightly choking toward me.
"Ah, come on, please smoke in moderation."
"I told you, this is all herbs."
After blowing smoke for a while, the Master pulled a pouch from his embrace. Judging by the jingling sound, it seemed to be a money pouch. I found myself following it with my eyes.
The Master shook the pouch this way and that, then snickered.
"Seeing you obsessed with the money pouch, it seems like it's really you."
"...So that's how you usually thought of me."
"You're the one who never really tried to hide it, weren't you?"
"...Ahem. Anyway, isn't this a busy time for you lately?"
"That busyness was because of you. If you hadn't been there, there wouldn't have been such a thing in the first place."
"...Was that so?"
"I didn't mention it because I thought you might feel burdened."
"Then why are you mentioning it now─"
The pipe filled with herbs flew at me. I flinched at the impending pain, but the pain I expected didn't come.
I saw the Master with a slightly troubled expression.
"I reached out out of habit... but your head isn't there."
"...Because I've gotten smaller."
My mouth also felt bitter.
The Master retrieved the pipe, took another drag, and blew out smoke. It was a somewhat decadent sight.
"So, is that behind you the Homunculus you mentioned?"
"Yes. Her name is Cecilia. Shortened to Cecil."
"I'm Cecil!"
"...Right."
After a brief pause, the Master stuffed more herbs into the pipe and spoke.
"So, what's this about transformation? You've changed so much it's obvious at a glance... but the child behind you looks like an ordinary individual."
Somehow, it felt awkward to say. Well, it is awkward, but... Before that, I had something I wanted to ask the Master.
"Before that, I have something I want to ask. Master."
"Hmm?"
I cleared my throat and spoke each word clearly and distinctly. It was an important matter.
"By any chance... do you have one down there?"
The green eyes held a question.
"What nonsense are you talking about?"
"If you don't, then it's fine. Lately, there's been... some awkward stuff, so I wanted to ask."
"...?"
"Anyway, I've turned into a woman like this."
"Is it not just your appearance but everything that changed?"
"...Yes."
Hmm... The Master, who had been groaning, approached, stuck his hand under my armpit, lifted me up, and placed me on the table. Unable to hide my surprise, I flinched, and the Master's voice came.
"Let me check for a moment."
Then, without waiting for my answer, he lifted my shirt. My lower half, wearing nothing, was exposed. Fingers slightly warmed from handling the pipe traced my cleft.
"...It's really true."
"Ah, did you really have to touch it to know?"
"You know this is how I am, don't you? By the way, why aren't you wearing underwear?"
"...It's uncomfortable."
"I thought my disciple had developed an interest in exposure or something."
"I thought you were the Master─"
The Master covered my mouth with his finger and continued to feel my body. The hand that had traced my cleft poked my thigh, then went up and stroked my lower abdomen.
As if checking if there was something there, the hand slowly moved up and touched my chest area.
"This is rare too."
Somehow, my body felt like it was heating up, so I slapped the Master's hand away and pulled my clothes down.
"Haven't you checked enough now?"
"Hmm. Right. Hard to believe, but it's completely a female form. Though the volume is pitiful."
"...What does that matter?"
"Kuk kuk, I suppose. So, is this the end? Didn't you say that child is also strange somehow?"
...Hmm.
"Cecil, could you come here for a moment?"
"Yes, Asha-nim!"
I was wondering how to make Cecil's erection look wholesome, but what do you know. Cecil was already puffing up her dress.
"...Didn't you say it was a female body?"
"I did."
"But... why...?"
"That's why I'm asking for your help, Master."
"Hmm... I see. I understand."
The Master, who had put away his pipe, gestured to Cecil.
"Child, come up here for a moment."
Cecil looked at me and blinked as if asking if it was okay. When I nodded, Cecil climbed onto the table.
"Can I lift your clothes a bit?"
This time too, seeing Cecil looking at me, I replied.
"Please do. But be care─"
Before I could finish, I saw the Master, who had lifted the dress, get hit in the face by Cecil's thing. Seeing the Master with a dumbfounded expression touching his own cheek...
...Honestly, it was hard not to laugh.
Author's Note (Afterword)
The effect was tremendous.