"Cl-Class... Let's begin the lesson."
A life-or-death lecture had begun.
The thought that a single mistake would land me on the execution block made my voice tremble uncontrollably.
"Hold on a moment."
Just as I was about to bring the chalk to the blackboard, the princess issued a halt.
"Is... is something wrong...?"
A whirlwind of thoughts raced through my mind.
I must have made some blunder right from the start.
"Come over here and teach me."
The princess tapped the auxiliary chair beside her.
"...Pardon?"
I tilted my head in confusion.
"Don't make me say it twice."
"Yes, ma'am!"
I hurriedly gathered my magic tomes with a clatter and moved to the seat next to the princess.
"Begin."
The princess leaned toward me.
All my nerves focused on her left shoulder.
The moment her body made contact, I was ready to beg for my life.
"A-Alright then... Let's start over. We'll begin with manaflow studies, the foundation of magic."
I dove into the lesson proper.
To avoid irking the princess, I kept it concise, hitting only the key points.
"In essence, a magic circle is a vessel that contains mana and a circuit that channels it."
Thankfully, the lesson progressed smoothly, beyond my fears.
The princess was quietly focused, which helped.
I'd been prepared to dance like a clown if she got bored, but luck was on my side.
"I see."
But then.
I glanced sideways with my peripheral vision.
Naturally, the princess was there.
The problem was that her attention wasn't on my explanation—it was fixed on my profile.
She'd been staring at me the entire time since the lesson started.
Like a predator savoring its prey.
All I could do was pretend not to notice and press on with the explanation.
How much time passed like that?
As we painstakingly endured what felt like an hour in a single minute, the princess suddenly stood up.
"Eek! I-I'm sorry!"
I clutched my head and curled into a ball.
"Sorry for what?"
The princess looked down at me with puzzled eyes.
Fortunately, she wasn't holding a sword.
I let out a sigh of relief.
I'd thought the lesson bored her so much she'd swing at me.
"Ah... It's nothing."
The princess's eyes narrowed.
"Are you dodging my question?"
A chill ran down my spine.
"N-No... I just thought you were bored with the lesson... So, yes."
She heard my foolish answer and chuckled amusedly.
"So you thought I'd gobble you up?"
Yes.
"N-No, not that."
I couldn't voice my true thoughts.
"It's not boring. You explain well. Easy to understand, too."
"I'm honored."
"Honored, huh."
The princess replied coolly and headed to the tea corner in one side of the room.
"Come to think of it, I forgot to prepare tea."
With that, she began brewing it herself.
"I-I'll do it!"
I shot up from my seat.
"Sit."
"I brew tea like a master. In the Magic Tower, no mage brews better than—"
"Sit."
"Yes, ma'am!"
I plopped right back down.
My throat was parched.
Every moment felt like blood was draining from me.
Less than an hour had passed, but it felt like half my lifespan was gone.
"It'll suit your taste."
The princess brought the tea.
"Oh? This is Hazel black tea?"
Deep red like red wine.
Rich with the sweetness of ripe grapes coated in honey, laced with a subtle coffee aroma.
"You recognized it right away?"
"It's my favorite black tea."
"What a coincidence. It's my favorite tea leaf too."
The princess took a graceful sip.
"Drink it while it's hot."
"Yes. Thank you."
I lifted the teacup with both hands and drank.
The hot tea enveloped my tongue.
A sweet, sugary scent filled my nostrils.
As it faded, a pleasant coffee aroma subtly spread.
"Hm?"
Behind the coffee scent, another aroma emerged.
Like the fragrance of ripe peaches.
"What's wrong?"
The princess propped her chin and gazed at me.
"Ah... It's just even tastier than what I'm used to. Caught me off guard."
This must be real Hazel black tea.
Royalty would use the finest leaves, so the more complex aroma made sense.
Not strange, just impressive.
"Have more."
The princess fetched the teapot and refilled my cup.
It was still half full.
She filled it to the brim.
"Thank you."
By the time I'd drunk half again.
"Have more."
She refilled it immediately.
"Th-Thank you."
Her kindness was overwhelming.
It bordered on water torture.
When the tea ran low, she'd brew more. Just as I emptied the cup, it'd fill up again, meeting her insistent gaze urging me to drink.
My bladder was about to burst...!
I clenched desperately and continued the lesson.
I couldn't tell if she was focused,
but clearly, she wore a faint smile watching me squirm.
Hold it!
Endure!
If I wet myself here, she might castrate me for not holding it.
"A-And that concludes today's lesson."
The two-hour class that felt like twenty was finally over. I packed up and stood.
"See you tomorrow."
The princess waved with a subtle smile.
"Yes, until tomorrow."
I bowed politely and left her room.
"Ugh, uwaaa...!"
The moment I stepped out, I bolted to the bathroom.
I barely yanked down my pants in time, just short of soiling them, and relieved myself.
An immense sense of liberation washed over me.
"Thought I was gonna die..."
My urine smelled like black tea.
* * *
The next day.
"Ugh, uuuugh..."
I tossed and turned in bed.
I had to go to the princess again today.
Her lessons were five times a week.
Yesterday ended early since it was the first day, but from now on, each session lasted five hours.
"Haaa..."
I sighed deeply and got out of bed.
My body felt heavy.
My shoulders were knotted.
Like something was gripping them, pulling downward.
How tense was I yesterday?
I hadn't exercised, yet my whole body ached like I had.
"Yaaawn..."
I yawned hugely and headed to the bathroom.
First thing upon waking: a shower.
It washed away the sleepiness.
Mornings were my weakness; without this, starting the day was impossible.
Before entering the shower booth, I took off my pajamas.
"Hm...?"
As I undid the top buttons, I felt an odd sensation.
Something soft brushed my forearm.
A pleasant softness.
"What is this... Hm?"
I looked down to check.
"Wh-What the hell...?!"
There was something that shouldn't be there.
Breasts.
Everyone has a chest.
Men have them, women have them.
Just different shapes.
And what was attached to me now were a woman's breasts. Actual boobs.
"Am I dreaming...?"
I cautiously cupped them.
The heavy weight filled both palms vividly.
The realistic sensation told me it wasn't a dream.
"N-No way...!"
I rushed to the mirror.
A woman stood before the full-length mirror, top unbuttoned, face shocked.
Large breasts jiggled.
The areolas puffed plumply at the tips, nipples shyly tucked inside, like my timid personality.
Pink hair, emerald eyes.
Those matched me.
But excluding them, this wasn't me.
I was a man!
Yet the reflection was a woman.
A massive pair of swollen breasts.
A slender waist flaring into wide hips.
I turned around: round, plump buttocks with pajamas precariously hanging on.
"Hallucination magic?"
No.
No traces of any spell.
"No way..."
With trembling hands, I pulled down my pants to check inside.
"No way!"
Gone.
The pillar symbolizing manhood had vanished, replaced by a woman's slit covered in plump flesh.
Top to bottom.
A woman.
"How did this happen?"
I had no clue.
I recalled yesterday.
After returning from the Imperial Palace, I had a slight fever and went straight to bed.
That was it.
No hint of the cause.
Had a succubus visited while I slept?
Impossible—the room had protective barriers.
"Huh? For real? Not a dream?"
I stared blankly at the mirror.
Bam! Crash!
The barriers shattered as the door burst open. Armored knights poured in.
"Aaack!"
I screamed in shock.
"Esther Withbel! You're under emergency arrest!"
The knights swarmed me.
They wrenched my arms behind my back and slapped on restraints.
Manablocking cuffs etched with circuits to prevent spellcasting.
I offered no resistance and was dragged to a carriage.
Turning into a woman overnight was injustice enough; now emergency arrest piled on.
Utterly bewildered, I was hauled to the Imperial Palace.