CHAPTER 10: CARETAKER OF THE ARCHMAGE

[Loading Sequence...]

[Main Objective: Survive Domestic Life with Merlin]

[Bonus Objectives are as follows...]

‣ Handle your daily chores to gain Merlin’s favor

‣ Keep Merlin alive (despite her drinking habits)

‣ Improve Affection by 10%+

‣ Learn Potion Crafting Basics

[Duration: 7+ Days]

[Location: Merlin’s Cottage, Elaris Village]

･･･

The sun leaked through the mossy windowpanes as Nero wrung out a wet towel and sighed.

The cottage smelled faintly of herbs, magic dust, and stale liquor.

"Man, how does someone this powerful and respected live like such a slob...?" (ー_ー゛)

Nero wiped sweat off his brow and went back to mopping the wooden floor.

His reflection blinked back from the polished surface.

"Alright... dishes done, floors done, broom leveled up to mastery rank... probably."

He checked the info board hovering beside him.

[Cleaning Progress: 85%]

[House Condition: Shiny! ★★★★☆]

[Merlin’s Affection +1% — "It’s clean enough that I won’t slip and break my neck. Nice job."]

His face went a little bitter.

『She says that but doesn’t notice I almost broke mine picking up all her empty bottles...』

He sighed and wrung out the mop.

That’s when he spotted something hanging off the drying rack.

A pair of black lace panties.

Elegant. Small. Absolutely lethal.

All of Merlin’s panties were just like that.

Unreasonably small.

She was a thick, super-curvy woman.

Big hips, a very round backside, and a generous chest that spilled everywhere.

But somehow still slender in all the perfect spots.

Yet she always squeezed into panties that were way too small, like two sizes too tight.

For Nero, it was pure torture during their magic lessons.

Because she’d skip putting on proper clothes and just strut around like that. He’d have to stare at her fat butt cheeks all bunched up and overflowing from those skimpy little things that barely contained her, every single time.

『Oh no...』

He froze like a glitching NPC.

『If I touch that, I’m dead. If I don’t, she’ll say I didn’t do laundry properly. This world is a minefield...』

He groaned like a child, grabbed the hem with two fingers like it was radioactive, and tossed it onto her bed with a muttered curse.

･･･

The next morning found Nero in the small marketplace of Elaris Village.

He was holding a basket filled with herbs and bread.

A cheerful merchant waved.

"Ah, the Archmage’s new student! You’re a brave one!"

Nero forced a smile. "I get that a lot..."

"Tell Great Lady Merlin she still owes me for that batch of moonwine!"

"I’ll... remind her."

He instantly felt embarrassed.

『She’s definitely not going to pay.』 (¯ . ¯٥)

[Quest Complete: "Errand Run for Merlin"]

[Rewards: +20 EXP, +3 Silver, +3 Reputation with Villagers, +2% Affection with Merlin ("You actually went outside? Wow. I thought you’d combust under sunlight.")]

He sat under a tree outside the shop to look at his reflection in a puddle.

Same face. Same build. Same eyes.

『It’s me. Still me. But I look like Nero...』

He touched his cheek. The air felt real.

The breeze was cold.

The smell of baked bread was real too.

『This can’t just be VR, right? I always suspected it felt way too real... I might actually be in this world.』

He leaned back with a long sigh.

『If this is real... I’m not sure I even want to leave.』

The image of Merlin popped up in his head.

She was always on his mind.

It was like a parent having a child for the first time.

『I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t attracted to Merlin. She’s the kind of woman any guy would fall for. But if there’s even a small chance that this world is actually real, then going for a romance route with her just feels wrong. It’d be like I’m deciding how her life turns out. That’s not the kind of person I want to be.』

For a moment, he saw Nick Aarden in the puddle.

At his core, that would always be who he was.

･･･

Nero opened Merlin’s bedroom door.

"Hey, teach, about the mana circuits you—"

She was naked. Again.

Standing there, holding a book, as if being fully unclothed was the most natural state of existence.

"Oh, morning~"

She said casually, flipping a page.

"Could you hand me that quill?"

"Can you not do this every morning──!?"

She blinked innocently.

"What? This is my home. You’re the one intruding."

Nero tried his best not to look.

『SHE HAS A POINT BUT STILL—』

But it was hard to ignore the possibility that the naked woman standing in front of him was real.

And so were her perky breasts, barely hidden behind that thick book she was holding.

The thought alone was enough to make his shabby pants feel uncomfortably tight.

『SCREW THIS WOMAN!』 (ﾉಥ益ಥ)ﾉ

He slammed the door shut.

[Merlin’s Affection +0.5% — "Tee-hee! He’s very cute when he panics."]

･･･

Night fell. Rain pattered outside.

Merlin lay slumped over her desk, surrounded by half-empty bottles.

Nero sighed and hoisted her up bridal-style.

"Come on, teach. Bedtime."

"Mmm... Nero~ you’re so warm~"

She murmured while nuzzling his chest.

He could feel her soft breasts pressing against him.

It was quite the sensation.

Nero’s eyes went half-lidded with shame and guilt.

『If this was a dream, I’d be arrested by now.』

He gently laid her down then pulled several blankets over her shoulders.

For a moment, her peaceful face made him smile.

『She’s reckless, lazy, impossible to deal with...』

She interrupted him with a loud snore and a cough.

『But somehow, this all feels... right.』

[Scene Complete: "Carry the Drunk Archmage"]

[Reward: +30 EXP, +3 Affection]

[Merlin’s Affection: 24%]

･･･

On another day—

Nero stirred a bubbling cauldron while reading off a dusty recipe scroll.

"Okay... moonroot, phoenix ash, and... what the hell is orc ear fungus?"

He sniffed the jar and immediately regretted it.

『Smells like socks and swamp.』

He dropped a handful in anyway.

[Crafting Potion of Mana Recovery (Elementary)]

[Progress: 34% → 45% → 12% (Critical Failure!)]

BOOM!

A puff of green smoke filled the room.

Merlin peeked in from the doorway, eyes squinting.

"What are you doing, my shitsack apprentice?"

"Potioneering..." Nero coughed.

"Smells like ass."

"I know!"

[Alchemy Skill +1]

[Created Item: «Suspicious Mana Brew»]

‣ Effect: Drains 60 MP and induces mild hallucinations.

‣ Flavor Text: "Do not consume."

『Yeah, I’m definitely improving... somehow.』

There were apparently worse potions than this.

･･･

Nero was hanging laundry when Merlin’s voice echoed from the yard.

"Nero! I need you to hold still!"

"Wait—what—?!"

Before he could blink, a spell circle appeared under his feet.

A huge gust of wind blasted through the cottage and sent wet clothes flying into the air like butterflies.

"Test #43: Wind Amplification Success!"

Merlin declared proudly.

"My underwear’s in the neighbor’s garden!"

"Magic requires sacrifice!"

Nero narrowed his eyes at her.

『I hate this woman. I really do.』

[Helped Merlin with Experiment #43]

[Reward: +50 EXP, +2% Affection ("He screams in such a funny way.")]

[Merlin’s Affection: 26%]

･･･

The days were pretty normal.

Just the way Nero liked them.

Whenever he cooked, Merlin would lean lazily on the counter as she watched him with sleepy eyes and pretended to learn.

At night, they’d sit together under the soft lamplight to sketch runes with chalk. Their hands would sometimes brush against each other, but while Merlin barely noticed, it meant a lot more to Nero.

Then there were days when she’d teach him spell matrices while wearing nothing but her panties.

And every evening, he’d be mopping the floor for the second time because she’d thrown up all over it again.

『I keep saying I don’t like her antics, but... I kind of do. She’s annoying, exhausting... but her world feels alive. Maybe that’s why I’m scared of leaving. Maybe I don’t want to go back.』

He watched her fall asleep at the desk again.

This time, he just smiled and covered her with a blanket.

[Merlin’s Affection: 27%]

[Title Earned: Caretaker of the Archmage]

[Perk Unlocked: Merlin sees you as her cherished student so she is possessive about you!]

･･･

Nero sat by the window as he jotted potion formulas in a small notebook.

[Skill Log — Potion Crafting Lv. 2]

‣ «Recovery Salve» (C): +20 HP

‣ «Mana Tonic» (D): +30 MP, minor side effects

‣ «White Hangover Cure» (C+): Removes alcohol toxicity in under 10 seconds.

He chuckled lazily at the last one.

『She nearly cried when I made that one... then immediately drank again to test it.』

[Merlin’s Affection +2% — "That potion was a miracle. You’re a keeper."]

[Total: 30%]

He leaned back to gaze at the sunset outside.

『A week’s gone by already. I stopped counting the days in the real world. I don’t even know if my body’s still alive out there. But... right now, this world feels more real than anything I’ve ever known.』

He smiled faintly.

『And maybe... that’s okay. For now.』

･･･

[Weekly Summary]

‣ Relationship Progress: +9%

‣ House Tidiness: S+

‣ Skills Improved: Cleaning Lv. 3, Alchemy Lv. 2, Budgeting Lv. 4, Cooking Lv. 2

‣ Merlin’s Affection: 30%