Lucky Kiss

On the other side of the window, Akemi’s fans had turned pale and were screaming in a massive chorus.

Everyone was clawing at their faces, like a mass outbreak had just hit.

“N-No… no, no, no—this can’t be real! Nooooooooooooooooo!”

“To think Lady Akemi would give that guy a ‘Lucky Kiss’…!”

“There were rumors before that she kissed that garbage in the forest, but I thought that was a lie!”

“S-S-Stop iiiiiit! Get away from Lady Akemi, noooooooo!”

Akemi was holding me in a death grip, so even if I wanted to pull away, I couldn’t.

No—normally, if I really tried, I should’ve been able to.

But the sensation was so sweet and intoxicating that my strength wouldn’t come.

It felt like my strength was being drained… no, like new strength was being poured into me.

She was licking my cheek, but I couldn’t tell what expression either of us was making.

When I glanced sideways at the mirror mounted on the wall, Akemi was clinging to my cheek with an enraptured look.

Like a queen spider, feverishly sucking at prey wrapped tightly in silk.

I let it happen for a while, but eventually Akemi’s classmates barged into the workshop and managed to peel her off me.

“Mmm… how unlike me. I lost my composure for a moment.”

Akemi smoothed her disheveled hair and uniform, acting as if nothing had happened.

My cheek was covered in kiss marks, and I borrowed a handkerchief and somehow wiped them off.

“O-Okay then, I’m heading out.”

“Mmm, wait—please. I have a favor.”

With a hint of caution, I asked,

“What is it?”

“Mmm-hmm, you don’t need to be so guarded. I want you to gather materials I need for alchemy. Of course, I’ll reward you.”

The Whirlwind-Voice Potion Akemi gave me had really helped.

And I might rely on her again, so I didn’t mind cooperating.

“What do you need?”

“Mmm, let’s see… right now I want black sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, night-claw grass petals, rotten Ochieda leaves, darkness moss, burnweed roots, griffonbird gizzards, goblin claws, and Leopin’s claws.”

“Got it. I’ll pick them up on the side when I’m exploring the forest… wait, what did you say last?”

Without changing expression, Akemi played dumb.

“What was it, I wonder?”

“No, you said Leopin’s claws! You want my nails!?”

“Ahaha… I thought if I slipped it in, you might give them to me…”

“Are my claws on the same level as a goblin’s!? What were you even going to use them for!?”

Akemi put her index finger to her lips and winked at me with a sultry voice. “Se-creeet.”

Dealing with her always threw off my rhythm.

Whatever, I thought, and just said, “See you,” moving to leave the shop.

Without noticing that Akemi stuck out her tongue like a mischievous little devil behind my back…

There didn’t seem to be anything else to do in the residential district, so I decided to head home.

On the way back, my body started sparkling.

“P-Pastry Chef, huh…”

After confirming the new job, I couldn’t help letting out a low groan.

In development work, a pastry chef was a pretty distant kind of job.

During development, securing filling food came before fancy treats.

It was the kind of job whose demand would increase late in development, once people started having breathing room.

“At least if it were a cook, that would’ve been better.”

Grumbling to myself, I returned home.

As if he’d been waiting for me, Mark came to greet me.

“Gwooon! Gwooon! Gwooon!”

Mark held out a jar that probably contained honey.

“What’s this? Did you get a lot again? Are you sharing some with me?”

“Gwooon!”

Inside the jar was a golden liquid, thick and syrupy.

I dipped in a finger and licked it…

A tooth-aching sweetness spread through my mouth.

“A-Amaaazing…! I haven’t had sweets in forever, so this really hits the spot. Thanks, Mark!”

As I stroked Mark’s belly while he lay on his back, Tom—who’d been sulking nearby—stood up.

He turned away with a snort and vanished into the forest, but after a while he returned with a bundle of grasses and flowers in his mouth.

It was a plant with small flowers and pod-like fruit.

He dropped it at my feet with a heavy plop, wearing a smug expression.

“Oh!? Black sesame! Where’d you find this!? Akemi asked me for it at the perfect time!”

Tom immediately flopped down and started purring and wriggling like he was saying, “Pet me.”

I’d been worrying about what to feed them ever since I started keeping pets, but…

“No way—you’re bringing me food…! Good job, you two!”