kscans

Chapter 124 - The Next Morning, and a Tale of Switched Bodies

"I didn't think you'd be at it again."

I'm good at taking off bras, but I'm not so sure how to put them on. I got dressed with Famu's help. Mash-kun couldn't use water magic to wash himself completely. Famu and I had wiped his body down carefully, but I still felt a little gross, like I was soaked in semen. According to Shizuka, the switch would last for one day. I would be spending the rest of today in Mizuki's body. I want to stay in this body forever. It was a shame that it had to end.

"What does Mash-kun think?"

I asked Mizuki about the switch.

"I, uh, I mean, if that's what Mizuki-chan wants... but I'm not confident I can suppress the urge to embrace a girl."

Mash-kun answered. A dangerous guy. But for now, it was as if an evil spirit had been exorcised; the violent Mash-kun from last night and this morning was nowhere to be seen. The person inside was still Mizuki, after all.

"If you want to switch again, I'll cast it for you."

Shizuka said with a laugh. Today, we're going to the church to have Myra cure Shizuka's STD. Then, we're going to Marmi's place to have her birthday party. When we stepped outside the inn, the sun looked yellow.

"Ah, that takes me back. The morning after I had sex all night, the sun stung my eyes too."

She said it with a tone and a look as if she were reminiscing about a page from her youth. Just as I could only talk about lewd things, maybe Shizuka could only talk about sex. The inn was in the northern part of Heilon. It was close to the port. The church was near the center of the city. There were street stalls lining the road to the church, but the morning market seemed to be ending, and some shops were already packing up. Mash-kun and I hadn't eaten breakfast, so we bought two sticks of salt-grilled fish from a stall and ate them together.

"It feels like something is still moving inside me."

"Mizuki-chan, you're a girl, so don't say things like that in public. Also, try to eat a little more gracefully."

At Mash-kun's words, I nibbled on the fish with a small mouth.

"My crotch feels breezy."

"It's tough trying to get the attention of someone you like,"

Mash-kun said.

"That's right. After the church, let's buy clothes for everyone. Shizuka's clothes are kind of dirty..."

"Don't call them dirty!"

Shizuka said, but the clothes she was wearing were a sailor uniform, so they were from before her transfer. They were quite worn out. Was she poor, despite selling her body? I was curious about her circumstances.

"Mash-kun can pick out the clothes. We can use Mash-kun's money."

"Why do I have to... oh, right, it's Mash's money, so it's fine."

Mash-kun nodded.

When we met Myra at the church, she looked at Famu, who was next to me, with a puzzled expression. Then, she stood next to Mash-kun and clung to him tightly.

"Myra, why are you fawning over Mash-kun? It's kind of creepy, you know?"

"...Mash-kun? Mizuki, why are you talking like Mash? And Famu, why are you..."

Myra trailed off. It was because she had noticed Shizuka's presence. I had also forgotten that I was Mizuki-chan.

"And who might this be?"

"Ciao! I'm Shizuka. I'm Mash's sex friend! Nice to meet you."

Myra's eyebrow twitched. But she kept a broad smile on her face.

"Mash, what kind of person is she?"

"She's a prostitute in the entertainment district across the river."

Hearing those words, Myra's eyebrow twitched again, just slightly. Her pasted-on smile was terrifying.

"Prostitute... sex friend... Famu, Mizuki, why would you let someone like this get close to Mash..."

"Big sister, I told Master to throw her away, but he wouldn't listen."

Famu was making a rare excuse. Did she also find the emotion behind Myra's smile frightening?

"From the looks of it, you're Mash's sex friend too, right?"

Shizuka said innocently. She must be intentionally provoking her. I hadn't realized it last night, but now it was crystal clear.

"I seem to have misplaced my mace, so I'll just go back and get it."

Myra, still smiling, genuinely tried to go get her mace, so I hurriedly stopped her.

"Wait, Myra, Shizuka is just a little crazy from having too much sex. Also, she has an STD. Mash-kun will pay, so I want you to heal her."

"Why should I, for someone like this... oh, right, it's Mash's money, so it's fine."

Mash-kun said.

"Muuu! In that case, it'll be 1,000 gold coins!"

"W-Wait, Myra, that's way too expensive. Besides, she's an Otherworlder. We don't know where her partner is. It would be a problem if she died from an STD."

Myra's smile vanished. She then stared intently at me.

"Mizuki, why do you keep saying things that take Mash's side? Aren't you upset that he brought someone like this here? Besides, you and Famu have a strange distance from Mash, and you sound like Mash..."

"A-Anyway, I want you to heal her. Let's talk after that."

"...If you say she's an Otherworlder, and Mizuki insists, then I suppose I have no choice. But she is a prostitute. As long as she doesn't stop, she'll just get sick again, you know? There is medicine to prevent it, but it's not one hundred percent effective. There's no point in treating her."

"There's medicine? Why don't you take it?"

Hearing Myra's words, I asked Shizuka.

"The shop owner gave it to me, but I keep forgetting to take it... It makes my head feel fuzzy."

"It's better than dying from a disease..."

"But I don't think I can stop being a prostitute. I like sex more than three meals a day!"

Shizuka said. How could we get her to stop?

"I have no intention of stopping you from doing what you like. I will not heal you, so please die as you wish."

Myra's smile returned. It was incredibly scary.

"Then, from now on, I'll only do it with Mash until I find Ko-kun. Morning, noon, and night. Three times, after every meal."

"""Absolutely not!"""

Mash-kun, Famu, and Myra shouted. Myra looked at Mash-kun in surprise.

"Mash? Isn't that Mizuki's line? Why have you been letting Mizuki speak this whole time?"

"Eh, ah, well... because I'm Mizuki..."

Mash-kun shot me a look, pleading for help.

"Shizuka, I won't do it with you. I swore to Famu."

"That was just because you were forced to say it while sitting seiza! Besides, it's weird to think that the desire to have sex and romantic feelings are connected!"

"Muuu! They are connected. It's because it's with someone I love that I can do it!"

Famu replied.

"That's shallow! My love transcends the physical! That's why it's eternal!"

"..."

Famu fell silent at Shizuka's words.

"Besides, it's way too twisted for Mash to have sex with all these girls as his girlfriends while the girls don't have sex with anyone else. You know that too, don't you?"

"...You say that, but Ko-kun left because he didn't like that way of thinking. First, you need to change your own reality."

When I said that, Shizuka puffed out her cheeks.

"What does it matter who I have sex with? You want to do it with me too, don't you, Mash?"

As I was searching for words, Famu stepped in front of me.

"I know it too. In the journey that Master and I have taken so far, our embracing each other is just a small event. But I want to believe. That Master and I are connected on a deep, very deep level... Even if that is just an illusion. Besides, your feelings are yours alone, and are not connected to anyone else, are they? It may be love, but it cannot be said that you are in love with each other. Please. Do not interfere."

Her words were filled with an indescribable power. Shizuka tried to retort, hesitated, and then closed her mouth.

"Have Mash and Mizuki been broken since earlier? In any case, if Mash wishes for her to be treated, I will speak with the bishop of this church. But please understand that this is a one-time offer. God performs miracles for those who strive to overcome their own mistakes. Also, if Mash would be willing to meet with the bishop, her treatment fee will be waived."

Myra said. She didn't seem enthusiastic about it at all.

"I understand. For now, please heal her. I want to think about the rest after that's done."

"I have to meet the bishop? Y-You've got to be kidding me, right?"

Mash-kun panicked.

"I'm counting on you, Mash-kun."

I made sure to impress it upon Mash-kun.

"Why has Mizuki been answering this whole time?"

"So you've finally noticed. Indeed, I am Mash."

I replied in the tone of a master pleased with his disciple's growth. Myra blinked her eyes in surprise.

"...You're teasing me, aren't you? It's not fair that you two are being all secretive and friendly! I'm going to become Mash now too!"

It seemed she wouldn't believe that we had switched bodies.

Myra took Mash-kun and Shizuka with her. Famu and I were left alone. I sat down in a chair and relaxed. I took out my phone, turned on the camera, and looked at my own face.

"This woman really is a beautiful girl. Flawless from every angle. Famu, I want to take an ugly picture of her, so help me out."

"Master..."

She was exasperated, but she helped me anyway. I had her take a picture of me pushing my nose up with my finger.

"Ah, please wait a moment. I accidentally pressed the wrong button."

Famu seemed to be having trouble with the phone's controls. The controls were a bit different from my phone, which she was used to. I leaned in to help her and glanced at the screen, and saw that the SMS app was open.

`Yuuki-senpai: Today's date was fun`

`──: Thank you. I had fun too.`

`Yuuki-senpai: Let's go again!`

`──: Yes, please ask me anytime!`

"..."

My mind went blank. It was true that when we met, Mizuki had hinted at having a guy she was close to. But what was this Yuuki? He was trying to give off a couple vibe with a name that was only one character different from Mizuki's. I was furious, but I couldn't vent this emotion anywhere. The thing with Yuuki was a story from the original world. Mizuki's boyfriend now was me. No, rather, I was Mizuki. But the more I thought that, the more feelings of jealousy welled up.

"I want to destroy their relationship... Let's schedule this ugly picture to be sent. The moment Mizuki returns to her original world, the network should connect, and it should be sent to the guy's phone."

As I said that, I noticed Famu staring at me. I felt incredibly embarrassed for letting my jealousy show so openly.

"Master... if I said I had someone like that, would you feel the same way..."

"Y-You, is that true?!"

I could hear my own heartbeat, that's how flustered I was. She hurriedly waved her hands.

"No, I don't have anyone. I only have you, Master. And it will always be that way."

She placed a hand on her chest. Her words calmed me down. I shouldn't cling to her feelings. Even if something happened to me, her world had to go on. It was the same for Mizuki. No matter what, I had to protect them.

"Is this person, Yuuki, the same 'Yuuki' who attacks Otherworlders?"

Famu said, as if changing the subject. I decided to go with the flow.

"Maybe, but there are a lot of people named Yuuki in the original world. Besides, if that were the case, wouldn't Mizuki have been transferred with this guy?"

I thought about it, but there wasn't enough information to draw a conclusion. There were no pictures of her with a guy in Mizuki's album, but there was likely a picture of Yuuki somewhere. If I showed it to Hyakka, it would be clear. But I didn't feel like confirming that with Mizuki. Come to think of it, her bag from when she was in the original world was in my storage. Her student ID was in it. This was just to see if there was a picture of Yuuki. It definitely wasn't jealousy. I told myself that as I opened the ID, and on the inside, there was a sticker photo of her with a man.

"This is Mizuki's father, isn't it... The other person isn't Mizuki. Is it her mother? They have a similar atmosphere."

Famu, who was peeking over my shoulder, said. I felt drained. Would a high school student put a picture of her parents in her student ID? Was she really a serious student? Or perhaps, her family situation was special.

"Famu, let's pretend we didn't see the SMS. I'll forget about it."

"Yes."

I gently closed the SMS app.