As I munch on cookies and sip tea, I find myself pondering whether the reason I came here even matters.
Across from me sits the adorable boss, beaming with joy at my compliments and continually pushing high-class cookies my way. Meanwhile, Bear and Tokki, hanging onto my legs from beneath the chair, look up to ensure I’m comfortable.
Indulging in such luxury makes me wonder if I shouldn’t be paying the boss instead of receiving payment.
“Try this one. It’s a new release from the specialty cookie shop that Alicia loved last time.”
She even remembers what I like and suggests cookies tailored to my taste.
As I pop the offered cookie into my mouth, the rich flavor of premium butter spreads across my tongue.
Just as Presia had said, it’s a delightful treat worthy of the store I love.
But which store could it be? Is it the one in the commercial district? Or the cafe right in front of the Academy? Could it be the famous confectionery near the fountain?
While musing over which store’s cookies these could be, I realize something important: I don’t have a store I dislike.
Every cookie that’s reached my hand has been enjoyed without exception.
For me, calling any store “favorite” simply means it’s one among the many I know. They’re all my favorites.
“Since we have plenty, feel free to eat as much as you like. Be sure to take some with you when you leave.”
“But I haven’t finished the ones you gave me last time. I’m really fine, so please have some yourself, boss.”
Presia keeps offering me cookies one by one, so much that she herself hasn’t even had a chance to eat. Her earnestness made me utter something that’d been lingering in my mind.
“Come here. Ah-, open your mouth.”
“Huh…?”
“You haven’t had any since I arrived today. You’ve just kept pushing them to me.”
I picked up the cookie she’d just handed me and extended it toward her.
“Ah, open wide.”
“A-ah….”
Presia, seemingly feeling shy about being treated like a child, tightly shut her eyes and tried her best to widen her small mouth.
Thinking it was normal considering how often Selian, Yuli, and even Anne occasionally tried to feed me something, I hadn’t anticipated how endearing Presia would look, her eyes tightly closed, like a baby bird waiting for food.
Had the cookie been bigger, I could’ve simply let her bite into it, but since it was bite-sized, it was difficult to casually feed it to her.
Carefully holding the cookie between two fingers, I placed it gently on the tip of her tongue, which peeked through her slightly opened mouth.
Before I could withdraw my fingers, Presia closed her mouth around the cookie.
My fingers remained inside, and I could distinctly feel her tongue brushing against them as she tried to taste the cookie.
“Um… boss….”
“Mmm….”
Unaware of the situation due to the expensive cookie, Presia, who was in her prime for sweets, relished the treat without noticing anything unusual.
So consumed was she by the cookie that no matter how many times I called her, she kept her eyes shut, busily rolling her tongue.
With her eyes closed, situation awareness worsened.
Complicating things further, my fingers were slightly gripped by her canines, making it difficult to pull them out without injury.
Of course, my well-trained body didn’t feel pain from a small girl’s bite, but forcibly removing my fingers might have damaged her delicate teeth.
Thus caught between options, I was acutely aware of the sensation of her small yet slightly sharp teeth and her tongue softly grazing my fingertips.
If only Anne had bitten the cookie, I could’ve pulled my fingers out while she chewed with her mouth open.
Instead, Presia was lapping and sucking it like she was melting candy, and commenting on individual eating styles felt absurd.
Unlike Anne, who could eat several cookies in a minute, it took Presia several minutes to enjoy one, given her method of melting it.
After what felt like tens of minutes or even hours, Presia finally let go of my fingers. Despite releasing them, her tongue seemed reluctant to leave, trailing slightly as my fingers retreated.
A strand of saliva stretched between my finger and her tongue before breaking.
…Pure thoughts, pure thoughts.
The unexpected situation had my mind working overtime, reminding me of the actual reason I sought Presia out.
“Boss.”
“Hmm….”
Presia’s eyes looked slightly unfocused, as if the cookie had been some kind of drug.
Then again, given how delicious the cookies were, I silently thanked the boss for sharing them so generously.
“Boss!”
Putting aside that thought, I shook her arm lightly to bring her back to reality.
…Absolutely not because I wanted to wipe my fingers on her clothes. Even if it were, it wouldn’t help much.
“Huh, uh?”
Fortunately, she quickly regained her senses.
This… I haven’t even… Hmm, hmm!
The thought just now was definitely not true. It’s just… because my fingers were wet, they instinctively moved, nothing more.
“Actually, I came here to ask a favor.”
“Uh… Favor…?”
“Yes. Though it feels inappropriate to ask, given how much the boss has already helped me, you’re the only person I thought of.”
Among my limited connections, Presia is undoubtedly one of the talented individuals.
“Only me…?”
“Yes. The only one I thought of.”
“Only me…?”
“Yes. Though it might seem presumptuous, could you please help me?”
Considering Presia’s generous nature, she would likely not refuse, but I still watched her carefully for any signs of discomfort.
Fortunately, not only was Presia not annoyed, but her lips curved upward, much like when she offered me cookies.
“Yeah. Tell me anything. If it’s from Alicia, I’ll help with anything.”
While I had anticipated her willingness from her expression, hearing a direct confirmation reassured me.
I took a deep breath and broached the original purpose of my visit.
“Do you know anything about contract magic?”
“Contract magic… Do you mean the one I helped you with the cat?”
Ah, true. Even the pact magic I created before with the cat was through her help.
Truly, I’ve benefited greatly from Presia’s assistance.
In that sense, I picked up another cookie she’d given me and continued my explanation.
“Hmm… This is slightly different.”
I pulled a piece of paper from my pocket and slid it toward her.
On the paper was a sigil, familiar after decades of seeing it.
A master-slave mark.
To minimize the risk of revealing my identity, instead of showing the heart-shaped sigil on my lower abdomen, I drew the circular sigils I used to have on my chest when I was male.
“That… Someone I know has unfortunately had this mark placed on them. I heard it’s a magic usually used on slaves. Do you know of any way to remove it?”
I didn’t come to Presia lightly.
This particular master-slave mark is cruel, and all my secret investigations suggest there is no way to remove it.
Surely, I wouldn’t expose myself unnecessarily by discussing the mark with her unless there’s a reason.
However, unable to find any way to remove it myself, I thought that perhaps Presia might know a different method.
Given that Presia’s talent was recognized by the sole emperor of the continent, I held a faint hope she might possess a solution.
“Um… I primarily use a different kind of magic from others…”
It seemed even Presia didn’t know how to unseal this cursed master-slave mark.
“Still, with more research, we might find a way… If all else fails, we can create a new magic…”
Despite my effort not to show it, my face must have betrayed my disappointment due to my high expectations.
Presia, seeming apologetic, consoled me, making it unclear who’s the younger sibling here.
“Really, I keep receiving things from you. Still, don’t overexert yourself. If it makes you tired because of me, that would be putting the cart before the horse.”
“Yeah, don’t worry. I’ll handle it within reasonable limits. For Alicia, this is nothing.”
She picked up the paper I’d placed and handed it to Tokki beneath her.
“Then, are we done with your errand?”
“Hmm… Yes?”
“Yeah. I’ll take care of the magic. In return…”
It seemed Presia would request something in return for helping with my request.
Though she usually only gives and rarely asks for anything, she looked awkward and hesitant.
“What is it…”
“Since it’s boss’s request, I’ll do anything. Considering everything you’ve done for me, how can there be something I wouldn’t do?”
“Really…?”
“Yes, really.”
“Then… Ah, ah…”
However, instead of some grand demand, Presia’s request was quite trivial—something I’d done to her just a few minutes ago.
Seeing her childlike, tightly shut eyes again, I couldn’t help but smile.
In the end, we continued trading cookies—one into her mouth, one into mine—until the plate was empty.
And though my fingers were soaked in her saliva multiple times… it’s a minor detail, so let’s just move on.
