Chapter 3

A few days later. Erin sat at her lab desk and thought.

‘What is this now?’

She had just woken up from her usual rough sleep in the lab and sat down to improve the drug, but her buttocks felt soft. Startled, she looked down and saw that the shabby, old chair she always used had been replaced with a new one from a famous chair maker. And that wasn’t all.

‘Was my desk this good?’

Even the desk was different. Instead of the worn-out office desk with all sorts of nicks and marks from her rough handling and even eating on it, it had become a luxurious mahogany desk with a beautiful grain. Erin narrowed her eyes and looked around her lab.

“…What on earth is this?”

The dilapidated parts of the lab, which she had rented to save costs, had been replastered as if they had been renovated. The ceiling, which used to be full of cobwebs and mold, had also been completely replaced with a new one. Erin, looking around the lab with narrowed eyes, thought.

‘No wonder those strange articles came out.’

She then glanced at the newspaper she had crumpled and pushed to the corner of her desk. The paper was filled with malicious articles like ‘Anonymous tip! The research of an alchemist who defies God!’, ‘A high-ranking noble sponsors research for lewd fun!’, and even ‘Alchemist, the mistress of a high-ranking noble, is developing a contraceptive?’ There was even a photo of her newly luxurious lab, taken through the window. She suddenly remembered that she had kept the curtains closed since that day.

‘These articles are coming out because the facility is so good.’

There were still reporters who sometimes lurked around Erin’s lab, looking for stories about the contraceptive. Since the shabby lab had been improved to this extent, it was no wonder that such absurd rumors were spreading.

‘Of course, I am being sponsored by a high-ranking noble.’

Was it a good thing that the reporters didn’t know her sponsor was Duke Aston?

‘No. There’s no way they don’t know.’

They probably knew but couldn’t openly publish it in the newspaper. That was entirely possible with Duke Aston’s influence and pressure.

‘Since they can’t publish his name directly, they just generalized it as a high-ranking noble.’

As she was thinking blankly and looking at the newspaper, a large hand nonchalantly approached her and crumpled the newspaper she was looking at, throwing it into the trash can. It was the one who had changed this lab.

“Ash. Did you get some good rest… Hnngh!”

…Of course, it wasn’t just the inside of the lab that had changed.

“Hnn, ngh…”

Ash approached her gently and bit her lips, then licked her teeth, and lightly bit her tongue before letting her go.

“Good morning.”

“…”

‘Seriously.’

He didn’t have to do this much. Ash would act normally and then suddenly kiss her or gently hug her like this.

‘Even though it only happened a few times.’

Every time, Erin’s heart would feel like it was dropping. There was no way her assistant had any other intentions behind his actions. Maybe he was just trying to set a mood.

‘Maybe he needs to feel like we’re a couple so he can… do that weird experimental act of pouring his seeds inside me.’

Of course, if others heard that, they might say it didn’t make sense. But Erin knew how kind and considerate Ash was. Ash was the kind of assistant who would practice cooking to bring her meals after she stayed up all night, cover her with a blanket or coat, and now, not only that, but he was also bringing in good furniture from the lab across the hall that was closing down. After all, didn’t he become a test participant himself to prevent her from having a relationship with that kind of crazy man?

‘So I can’t get swept away by these actions.’

The moment she harbored other thoughts, she would be the strange one. Even as she thought that, whenever Ash kissed her, the firm wall she had built up felt like it was melting away. Erin, who was deliberately forcing her lips to stay firm, opened her eyes wide when she saw the object Ash was bringing in.

“What is this now?”

“Ah. It’s from the lab across the hall.”

“They gave you something like this, too?”

What he revealed was a large bathtub. And not one made of wood, but a smooth, white porcelain one.

“H-how did you carry that all by yourself…”

“The workers helped me up to here.”

“Ash! You’ll break your arm!”

“Don’t worry; I borrowed some magic tools for lifting heavy objects.”

“Even with magic tools, it wouldn’t be that much help if you have to get permission…”

Before Erin could finish her sentence, Ash nonchalantly lifted the bathtub. Even with magic tools, it would be heavy, but Ash’s face was serene, as if he wasn’t putting in any effort.

‘Did he move all the other furniture by himself too?’

As Erin was shocked, he turned and went into the part of the lab that was hidden by a partition. Erin was startled and exclaimed.

“There won’t be any space for that in there!”

That was where the experimental chair she had made was. The chair, originally made for female test subjects, was quite bulky. A bathtub like that…

“It’s fine.”

Thump.

She heard the sound of the bathtub being slowly lowered to the floor. Erin, bewildered, peeked behind the partition.

“Oh…”

And she was surprised in a different way.

The chair she had made was nowhere to be seen. It seemed he had thrown it out. Instead…

“Ash. Did you open a spa here as a side business?”

“I don’t know what you mean.”

Inside, it looked just like a commercial spa. When did he even connect the pipes? Not only was there a shower with a magic tool that spouted hot water, but there were also various essential oils, a shower booth, and a massage bed, all proudly displayed. And now that Ash had brought in a bathtub, the small space looked like a high-end spa for noblewomen.

Ash nonchalantly shrugged.

“I just thought it would be necessary.”

“Huh?”

“Because you had a hard time that day.”

“That day?”

“The day we didn’t have a shower here.”

…Erin’s cheeks flushed slightly as she recalled that time. The first time she had slept with Ash in the lab, she had gone outside to wash up as he had suggested. Erin had been on edge the whole time, worried that Ash’s semen would leak out from between her legs. When Ash, who couldn’t stand to watch her, tried to take her to the public bath first, Erin was mortified.

“I-I don’t want to be seen taking your semen out at a public bath!”

Even as she yelled in a hushed voice so no one would hear, the single word ‘semen’ made her feel a sense of doubt. Her ears turned bright red. Complaining the whole way, Erin finally reached her townhouse with Ash’s help.

It was called a townhouse, but it was the residence of a failed baronial family, with more than half of it rented out to others and the owner living in a tiny room—a bizarre living situation. The room Erin was using was in worse condition than her lab. As she came out of the dusty bathroom attached to her cramped room, Ash, who had followed her in, looked around with narrowed eyes. He seemed displeased with the cobwebbed ceiling and the cracked floor.

His eyes looked as if they were lamenting, “How can you live in such a cramped pigsty?”

‘He must have realized why I sleep at the lab.’

Embarrassed, she hurried Ash out. She felt like she had been overly sensitive afterward, but she couldn’t help it. It felt like she had just revealed a weakness. Still, their days continued without much fuss. At Ash’s suggestion, they went to a famous restaurant, ate dessert, and even saw a popular performance. Ash even begged to buy her new ready-made clothes, saying he had to pay her back for soiling hers. The day passed so quickly that Ash was about to take her back to the townhouse, but he changed his mind and took her to his own residence, saying that staying in a place like hers was bad for her health.

“It just so happens that the floor two levels below my place is empty.”

“Two levels below, not just one?”

“The landlord can’t find a person to rent it to. He’s been lamenting that he’d rather not even get rent, he just wants the room filled.”

“It’s that bad?”

“A house without people quickly deteriorates and is difficult to maintain.”

When she actually went to see it, Ash was right. The landlord said he was so grateful to have someone that he gave Erin the room for free for three months. The rent he planned to charge after that was a negligible amount.

‘Did someone die here or something?’

She thought that, but the room was so spacious and nice that before she knew it, she had been charmed into signing the contract. And that wasn’t the end of it.

“Hmm. It’s good that I found a place, but the room is empty. I’ll have to fill it and then think about it.”

“I know a furniture store that can help with that.”

“What? How do you know a furniture store?”

“I found a supplier while I was looking into replacing the furniture in the lab. I’ve never actually bought anything, though.”

And just like that, the furniture store Ash recommended gave her a special delivery. They even provided the furniture for free, saying it was for a promotional period. Thanks to that, she was able to sleep on a wide, plush bed that night instead of the hard desk or the narrow sofa in her lab. At the end of that eventful day, Ash came to see Erin before going up to his own place.

“Good night, Doctor.”

“You too! Thank you so much for today. I probably won’t be able to come often since I’ll be staying at the lab…”

“But you need a place to go to in an emergency, don’t you?”

“You’re right. I guess I’ll have to turn that tiny room into a rented one.”

“Don’t worry about things like that, Doctor.”

After that, she couldn’t think of anything else. 

Smooch. 

Ash gave her a light kiss on her forehead, like a goodnight kiss, and…

“Then I’ll see you at the lab, Doctor.”

He had left with a smile. His affectionate behavior had started on that very day. Despite a few significant events in between, at least until that afternoon, it had been a truly normal…

‘Date, I guess.’

Erin shook her head wildly at the thought.

‘Oh, my God.’

A date!

How long had it been since she resolved not to get emotionally attached or expect anything from Ash? She was so stunned that she was already talking about dates.

‘Of course, he is giving me some reason to think that…’

After that, he had consistently walked her home after work, given her a light kiss on the cheek when they parted, and occasionally come down to her apartment to make her breakfast. The more she thought about it, the more his actions seemed like those of a lover. It was enough to make her wonder if he had feelings for her.

‘No, that’s not it.’

Still, it wasn’t right to push the responsibility onto Ash like this. While Ash was naturally kind, she was still his superior and responsible for his employment.

‘…When you think about it like that, it’s only natural for him to try and make me comfortable.’

Her racing heart finally calmed down a little after that thought.

‘Should I tell him he doesn’t have to go so far?’

That he didn’t have to do all this, and that she would write him a great recommendation letter anyway. That everyone probably knew what a good assistant he was. Erin was caught up in her thoughts when…

“I’m done.”

Squeak.

 

With the sound of the bathtub settling into place, Ash stood up.

“You won’t have to be as embarrassed anymore.”

“Huh?”

“Because of the cleanup.”

Erin’s face flushed as she realized what he was talking about. She unconsciously twirled a strand of hair at her temple.

“I… I think just a shower booth would have been enough.”

“Since we’re installing it anyway, it’s better to do it properly.”

“That’s true, but…”

“As I said, you don’t have to worry about the budget or anything else. I found it all for free.”

“All of this… was found for free?”

What kind of place was that lab across the hall?

‘It’s called a lab, but isn’t it really just a money-laundering front?’

Why else would they have things like this? Just as a serious question was about to form in her mind, his words cut her off.

“Since it’s already installed, would you like me to give you a hand?”

“Huh?”

“You mentioned a spa. I actually know a little bit about massage.”

Ash gave her a sensual smile. It was a smile that always captivated her, and Erin unconsciously nodded.

***

“Your muscles are really tense here.”

“Hnn…”

A few minutes later, Erin was lying on the massage bed, receiving a massage from Ash.

‘This is a lot more professional than I expected.’

As soon as Erin agreed, Ash lit a scented candle and rolled up his sleeves. His movements seemed to have the air of a skilled masseur. The massage bed she was lying on was warm, as if it had a magic heating stone.

“I told you not to slouch so much all the time.”

The hands that pressed between her shoulder blades were also experienced. It really felt like she had entered a high-end spa.

‘How did I get so swept up in this?’

In fact, she had initially tried to refuse. She had nodded in a moment of surprise, but when he seemed to be genuinely serious, she had shaken her head no. She was even more shocked when he said that to get the full effect, she should be completely naked and only wear a gown for the massage.

However, Ash’s face was so serious as he argued that slouching and staying up all night would ruin her posture. She felt a little guilty.

‘…I did that an awful lot.’

It was a daily routine for her to stay up all night in the lab and fall asleep hunched over her desk. And that wasn’t all. As a researcher who sat at a desk all day, Erin sometimes felt a sense of dread. Every time she saw the researchers from the building across the street walking around with their necks jutting out like turtles, she worried that she would become like them. So she was completely swayed by Ash’s passionate argument that she needed to take care of herself, which made him sound more like a salesman than a research assistant. And it was even more compelling since that salesman was so handsome he could steal a person’s soul.

“I told you so many times not to sit crookedly.”

Still, her tension had mostly disappeared. Ash was diligently giving her a massage and nothing else.

‘Right. When you get down to it, we’ve already seen everything there is to see.’

It wasn’t that big of a deal for her to be lying here practically naked. She felt both a strange sense of loss and relief at the same time. She relaxed her body, and drowsiness overwhelmed her. The pressure he applied to her shoulders and arms was just right, the scent of the oils was soothing, and the massage bed was perfectly warm.

‘I’m sleepy.’

Just as Erin was blinking slowly and about to fall asleep, a trickle.

“Ah!”

She felt something sticky and slippery spill onto her legs. Erin’s eyes shot open, and she let out a small shriek.

“W-what is that…”

“It’s oil, Doctor.”

Ash said, and his hands spread the cold, sticky liquid all over her legs. The viscous fluid was warmed by his large hands as he spread it, and the pressure on her skin was just strong enough.

“A-Ash. This feels weird…”

“It’s an oil that helps relax muscles, so you don’t have to worry.”

“No, that’s not the problem… Ah!”

The part where the oil touched felt strangely hot. The feeling of her now-slippery skin rubbing together also felt strange.

‘I just relaxed a moment ago, thinking the mood wasn’t going to get weird!’

The atmosphere changed in an instant. The air became thick, and all the hair on her body stood on end. Erin unconsciously swallowed and rubbed her forehead against the bed. She felt like she might make a strange noise if she wasn’t careful.

“Hmph.”

“…This side is tense as well.”

The hands that were now moving under her gown were becoming more and more suggestive. 

Flip. 

Erin’s body, which had been face down, was now facing the ceiling. Her cleavage was clearly exposed from the loose gown. Ash’s eyes darkened as he saw how far the gown had opened, almost revealing everything, but Erin was too busy moaning at the sensation on her legs.

“Haa, ngh…”

When she came to her senses, Ash was overtly rubbing her groin where it connected to her private parts. He held her buttocks with one hand, kneading them, while his fingers tracing her hip joints pressed down with force. At this point, she couldn’t ignore his intentions, and her face turned bright red.

“Ash!”

“Your posture is bad, Doctor.”

“Ah, hnnngh!”

“So I have to take care of places like this too.”

His words were about releasing her joints, but she couldn’t ignore the hidden intention and heat that was building up in his large, firm hands. The oil Ash was using not only covered her legs but also began to be applied to her private parts, her lower belly, her stomach, and even her chest.

“Ah!”

Squish.

Erin, whose body was now covered in massage oil, finally let out a moan. The feeling of her skin brushing against itself, which was much more sticky than before, made her heat up. The sensation of the oil stretching like a thread and getting sticky when their bodies touched caused a strange sense of arousal.

“Hnn, hnnngh, Ash…”

“Haa, Doctor.”

The top of Erin’s chest was glistening with oil. As if he couldn’t hold back his excitement, Ash lowered his lips. The hard nipples of her breasts were sucked into his mouth. Even though the oil must have made them taste strange, Ash rolled his tongue on Erin’s nipples as if they were sweet fruits. At the same time, he continued to massage her other breast, kneading it sensually with oil.

“Haa…”

Her soft flesh was kneaded like dough, changing shape. The glistening skin and her nipples, sparkling in the candlelight, looked lewd even to her.

“Ah!”

Thanks to the oil, her nipples kept slipping from Ash’s grip as he twisted them. The sensation of her nipples slipping between his fingers was one thing, but the way he twisted them with more force as he tried not to lose them sent her arousal skyrocketing.

“Haa, hnnngh…”

Erin’s body trembled at the sensations that were much hotter than before.

‘I feel so…’

It was strange, but she couldn’t deny it. Erin was on the verge of losing her reason. She could feel the fluid she had secreted filling her already oiled legs.

Squish.

Her inner walls, which were wet enough not to need lubrication, were twitching as if they were begging for something.

‘Are we really going to do it?’

Even as she was certain, Erin unconsciously looked at the light coming through the closed curtains. Her body was already ready for what was about to happen, but her last bit of conscience held her back.

‘It’s still daytime… no, morning.’

It felt good, but she had just woken up and was about to start her work. Was this really okay when she had so many things to do today? She was in her last moment of conflict, her legs completely drenched.

“This is also work, Doctor.”

His whispering voice was sticky, like the oil spread all over her body. It was as if he knew exactly what she was thinking.

“This trial is an important job.”

“Hnn, ngh…”

“In fact, it’s the most important job.”

By now, the bottle Ash was holding was a blur in front of her eyes. The bottle with the pale pink liquid that had been slightly sweetened a few days ago.

“While you’re relaxing, we can do this as well.”

“…”

“Just think of it as working.”

Saying that, Ash’s fingers burrowed deeper. Erin’s body stiffened. She felt embarrassed, but arousal was rising like a wave.

“You’re beautiful, Doctor.”

Most of all, Ash’s eyes as he looked down at her…

‘They look like rubies.’

His eyes were always breathtaking, but soaked in lust, they looked especially beautiful. Ash had called her beautiful, but Erin wanted to return the compliment.

‘There will never be an assistant as beautiful as Ash.’

Or an assistant who was this kind and capable.

‘Although I probably won’t be able to keep him to myself.’

Ache.

A corner of her heart ached at the thought. After this trial was over and her sponsorship from the Duke ended, she would have to write him a recommendation letter, and she wouldn’t be able to keep him employed. She wouldn’t even have the money to pay him…

‘No, that’s not right.’

…You never know.

If the trial was successful, she would make a lot of money. Her plan to become rich while saving the heroine was still valid. Even if public opinion wasn’t great right now, Erin believed her idea would be a great success. Everyone might complain on the surface, but they would still secretly look for a contraceptive. In a world like this, a contraceptive was an absolute necessity.

‘Later… should I ask him?’

After she resolved the Duke’s pressure and her financial problems. Should she offer to pay him more and ask him to remain her assistant? She was also thinking of developing other medicinal potions in the future.

‘Right. I can just make more experiments.’

There were more undiscovered drugs than known ones in this world. If she succeeded in this experiment and gained Duke Aston’s recognition, she would have a solid foundation. If she became a researcher who could afford to hire more assistants, maybe she and Ash…

‘…Wouldn’t have to part ways?’

As she thought that, she saw his tense forearms, which were massaging her. The thought that he must be tired from massaging her suddenly crossed her mind.

‘Right. I shouldn’t just think about the future…’

If she treated him well now, maybe they could talk later. With only that thought, Erin reached out and kneaded Ash’s oil-slicked forearms.

“…Doctor?”

Ash, who had been tenderly touching her body, froze. Erin clung to his forearms and began to knead them as if she were giving him a massage.

“What are you…”

“I’ll… I’ll do it for you too.”

“What?”

“I can’t be the only one to receive it…”

If she was going to butter him up, she couldn’t be the only one receiving this kind of massage, right?

‘A massage?’

Erin’s mind instantly went hazy when she looked at her own hands, which were on his forearms, and then at her chest, which was being massaged by Ash’s hands.

‘Right. The massage was just an excuse.’

It seemed Ash’s intention was to create a suggestive atmosphere. So, to do the same thing he was doing to her…

“…Doctor.”

As Erin sat up and put her oil-slicked hands on Ash’s pants, she heard a rare note of panic in his voice.

“Wait… let me do it.”

But before Ash could pull away, Erin’s hands unbuckled his belt and opened his pants.

‘Ah.’

And in the next moment, she felt a little relieved.

‘I wasn’t the only one who was aroused.’

She was face to face with his swollen member, which was just as aroused as she was wet. The size was overwhelming, but since she had already made up her mind, she felt she could do it. After all, her first time was with her lying down and Ash doing everything, wasn’t it?

“So this time, I’ll…”

As she thought that and put her oil-slicked hands on his member, his lower abdomen tensed up, and his veins stood out. The tension in his body made her heart race.

“Hnn…”

Erin groaned as if she herself had been touched and began to fondle his member with both hands. She thrust her hands up and down on the object that was tightly held in her small hands, rubbed the indentation on the head, and kneaded the testicles below the shaft.

‘Is… this the right way to do it?’

She had never touched a man’s penis before, so she had her doubts. But…

“…Kuh.”

Even with her clumsy hands, Ash closed his eyes, veins standing out from arousal. Erin’s hands moved on their own. She could feel the monstrous veins through her palms and the thin skin peeling away with her touch.

“Hnnng…”

Erin unconsciously gasped. She enjoyed touching Ash more than being touched herself. The wall of researcher and assistant that stood between them was forgotten for a moment.

‘I want to make him feel good.’

Leaving aside her selfish intention of extending their contract, she genuinely wanted to please him.

Whack, whack. 

She moved her hands a few more times with that thought in mind.

Pfft!

“Ah!”

“…I’m sorry.”

A spurt of white fluid shot from the tip of his penis, landing on her cheek. Ash awkwardly looked for something to wipe it off with, but Erin felt a strange sense of accomplishment and pride.

‘He felt good.’

She was happy that Ash had cum from her touch. Most of all, she was happy to see a man who was usually so calm, and even a little lewd when he was seducing her, so flustered by a little fluid on her face.

‘He’s so cute.’

Erin’s cheeks flushed, feeling a sense of cuteness she had never felt for him before.

“Did it feel good, Ash?”

She was so happy that she grinned, lifted her head, and used her finger to wipe her cheek.

“…Damn it.”

“Hmph!”

A low curse escaped Ash’s lips. And then Ash’s fingers, slicked with oil, pushed into her without hesitation.

“Haa, hnnngh, ngh…”

Her private parts, already wet and slick, had no more need for lubrication. The moment his sticky, slippery fingers rubbed her clitoris, Erin let out an even louder cry.

“You started this, Doctor.”

Ash whispered, his chest heaving.

“If you do this, I…”

Can’t hold back.

His words were followed by his rough hands. Erin willingly got swept up in it and let out a cry of pleasure.

***

“Ah, hnnngh…”

Erin moaned softly. Even in her semiconscious state, she could feel a touch explicitly moving across her body. A familiar name escaped from her slightly parted lips.

‘…Ash?’

Through her half-closed eyes, she could see a blurry silhouette. It was the familiar shade of grey. Erin, happy to see him, hugged him tightly. Her entire body felt hot and flushed. The lingering feeling of the oil massage she had received during the day made the area between her legs sticky. It felt as if she hadn’t recovered from the massage yet.

‘Touch me more…’

At her words, a familiar, large hand rubbed against her private parts. Erin opened her mouth and moaned, holding onto the silhouette. Her pale breasts began to glisten with sweat. Even though they had gone at it so much the oil had melted and become sticky, she couldn’t understand why the heat was returning to her body at night.

‘Did I even put an arousal effect in the drug?’

Even while having such a silly thought, Erin kept stroking the man holding her. Soon, sweat dripped from the man’s forehead.

‘Erin.’

The fact that he called her by her name instead of “Doctor” made her neck feel hot. Erin kissed him, and he returned it.

‘Erin.’

‘Yes, Ash…’

‘I like you.’

A jolt.

Hearing those words, her chest felt hot. 

‘Me too, me too, Ash.’

As she kept replying, the corners of their lips touched and turned up. The moment a drop of sweat from Ash’s sculpted features fell onto Erin’s heated cheek, it was…

“…Yikes! It’s cold!”

Erin was startled awake from her dream.

“Huh?”

When she came to her senses, Ash was nowhere to be seen. Only the space between her legs was a little wet. The wide, empty bed she had seen before falling asleep greeted her. A sense of shock slowly set in.

‘Don’t tell me…’

Did she have that kind of naughty dream, just like a teenage boy would have a wet dream?

“Oh, my God.”

Erin slapped her cheeks with all her might. She had a naughty dream again, and this time about a man she had sex with every day!

‘No, actually.’

‘Erin, I like you.’

That was what she wanted to hear. The words Ash had whispered to her. That must be the reason for her dream.

“I must be crazy.”

Erin flailed her hands, trying to shake off the lingering feeling of the dream. A research professor who wants to hear something like that from her own assistant? She found it a little repulsive.

‘…It was already too late the moment I replied, “Me too” in the dream!’

Erin hit her chest, as if shocked by her own feelings. Just then, something dropped from above and landed on her body again.

“Yikes! …Huh?”

After shrieking at the coldness on her skin, she finally noticed the condition of the ceiling.

“What is this?”

Water droplets were dripping from all over the soaked wooden ceiling. It was like a water bomb had exploded. The floor was flooded, and her bed was soaked. Erin’s eyes widened in shock.

“Wait a minute. This…”

What was happening? What should she do?

While Erin was panicking, getting off the bed in her half-soaked pajamas, she heard a loud thump, thump, thump.

It was the sound of someone knocking on the door. Startled, Erin turned around and heard a familiar voice call out to her.

“Doctor. Are you okay?”

***

“I don’t know what to make of you.”

“Really?”

“Why did someone like you come to a poor lab like this in the first place…”

“Because I was interested.”

Her heart almost stopped at his words. 

Whoosh. 

She lifted her head, and his red eyes were softly curved, looking at her.

‘Interested?’

In me?

Before she could ask, his lips, which were curved into a smile, parted.

“In your research, Doctor.”

“Oh, oh. Right.”

Feeling a little awkward, Erin looked away. 

‘Right. He was interested in my research…’

“But in a contraceptive?”

“Yes.”

The only person who had ever shown interest in her research before Ash was Duke Aston Clebania. Erin was curious and asked, “There must have been many other interesting topics.”

However, the answer that came back was somewhat chilling.

“If a child is born, their life will be full of misery, so it’s better for them to not be born.”

At his strange words, Erin met his eyes again. His soft red eyes had become a little distant, as if they were wandering somewhere far away.

“There are children in this world who don’t need to be born.”

“…”

“There are children who would have been better off never being born.”

His words sounded cruel.

‘It’s true that a contraceptive is needed to reduce suffering, but…’

A child who doesn’t need to be born? That sounded a little strange.

‘It’s as if he’s saying that some children shouldn’t exist…’

As if to confirm Erin’s speculation, Ash let out a long sigh and drove his point home.

“Don’t you think there are some children who would have been better off never being born?”

“…”

“This is a necessary drug for those children.”

His words felt a little cruel. Ash rubbed his forehead against Erin’s and added, as if he was tired, “…If they have to live their whole lives hearing that they should never have been born.”

“…”

“Wouldn’t it be better if they were never conceived in the first place?”

‘Right. He’s not wrong.’

But still… Erin unconsciously reached out and held his cheeks.

“Ash.”

She felt like she had to say this.

“But that’s not the child’s fault.”

Ash’s half-closed eyes opened at Erin’s words. Unreadable emotions were etched in his red eyes.

“It’s not their fault?”

“Isn’t that obvious?”

“But you’re developing a drug to prevent children like that from being born.”

“Uh…”

“To make ‘children who shouldn’t exist’ literally not exist.”

At his words, Erin felt the need to explain further.

“To put it properly, I’m developing a drug to create responsible parents.”

“Responsible parents when children don’t get conceived?”

“Yes. It sounds a little strange, but…”

Erin slowly ran her hand through Ash’s hair. She felt the need to.

“A child’s birth isn’t the child’s fault, and sometimes it’s not even the parents’ fault. Unwanted pregnancies exist. They are literally just born.”

“…”

“It’s just that it happened in a situation where the parents weren’t ready.”

Erin, still lying down, shrugged her shoulders and gently stroked the side of Ash’s face. His skin felt even softer than hers, and just touching it gave her a strange sense of satisfaction.

“I’m just trying to reduce that possibility.”

“…”

“I want people to be able to use this drug when they aren’t ready to have a child.”

“…”

“And when they change their mind and are ready, they can stop taking the drug and welcome a child.”

The heroine was like that. Despite her unwanted pregnancy, she eventually came to see her child as a blessing, but her body was not at all ready to carry a child. She had eventually died from the strain of her pregnancy. And the male lead had cursed the child, only to eventually become a tyrant. What was the child’s fault?

A firm voice came from Erin’s lips.

“And there’s no child in the world who ‘shouldn’t exist,’ Ash.”

“I…”

“I told you. It’s just a situation where they weren’t ready. They are just…”

“Just?”

“They’re just born into a slightly wrong situation, or maybe… they were in the wrong place at the wrong time?”

As she spoke, she began to feel drowsy. It was probably because Ash had also started stroking her.

‘He’s good at putting people to sleep too.’

Every time Ash’s warm hand touched her cheek, she felt a sense of comfort. Erin blinked slowly and continued to stroke Ash’s face.

“That’s not a reason for them to be cursed or abused.”

“…”

“That just makes the adult a coward. Someone like that would have abused the child even without a reason.”

She was sure of this, even in her sleepy state. It was definitely a wicked thing to hit or abuse a child, saying they shouldn’t have been born.

“Besides… it’s not like children born in those environments are fated to be unhappy.”

A child born in a difficult environment can still have a good life with just a little help. In her past life, she had lived in an orphanage, but she had met good teachers and social workers and eventually became a full-time employee at a pharmaceutical company.

“So I’m just trying to reduce those situations…”

Yawn. 

A yawn escaped her mouth. Ash kept stroking her face as if to tell her it was okay to sleep.

“I understand, Doctor.”

“Okay…”

“Since you understand, get some sleep.”

“Ash.”

Before she finally fell asleep, Erin unconsciously blurted it out, without even knowing why.

“By the way, I’m really happy you exist.”

“…”

“I’m really happy… that you’re in this world.”

She would have been so lonely if he wasn’t there. Her past life had been a lonely one, but nothing had changed much even after she was reincarnated. Erin was still a noble lady in debt who couldn’t form proper friendships and had no one she could trust. The only thing she could do was cling to her research, achieve her goals, get her rewards, and feel a sense of accomplishment. Perhaps that was her only solace, which was why she had worked so hard. But now, there was Ash’s touch. A gentle, warm touch she could feel whenever he was near. A touch she didn’t want to lose.

‘I like you, Ash.’

As she begrudgingly admitted her feelings and blinked her eyes, Ash’s mouth opened quietly.

“…en.”

“……”

“…isten.”

Ash’s whispering was too low to hear. Erin sank into Ash’s embrace and fell fast asleep.

***

“…Where should we move this?”

“Put that over there…”

Thump, bang.

Two weeks later.

Erin sat in the middle of her now completely new lab, holding a pen in a daze.

‘I thought a lot had changed, but…’

She never imagined it would change this much.

Creak, crash!

Expansion work was in full swing in the next room, which had now become Erin’s office.

‘I was so lucky to get such cheap rent again.’

Were landlords overflowing with money these days? The landlord, who was famous for being a miser, had suddenly changed his tune and practically given her the room for free, saying it wasn’t going to be rented out anyway. The reason she even needed the space was…

“Shall we try to separate the trial room and the lab?”

…Ash’s suggestion, since the next room had conveniently become vacant. He proposed separating the room where they had their sexual encounters from the lab. At first, Erin had waved him off, but eventually, she had no choice but to agree as she slowly began to realize the disadvantages of having sex in a lab.

For one, the lewd smell just wouldn’t go away. That was because, after the night they first slept together in Ash’s apartment, the two of them had been too busy having sex.

“Come here, Doctor.”

“Hmph, ngh! Ash! Wait!”

“Don’t look away from me. You have to work.”

More than once, Ash had reached for her even while she was buried in reports.

“…Hey, Ash.”

“Yes, Doctor.”

“I think it’s about time… for our trial…”

There were also times when Erin would subtly suggest it first. Or sometimes, the two of them would just be sitting in silence, and then, as if a fire had been lit, they would be drawn to each other, tearing off their clothes and tumbling to the floor. With a place to wash up and a luxurious sofa to lie on right in the lab, their actions became even more unrestrained.

‘They say a thief who learns late is the scariest.’

The past few weeks had been crazy, filled with nothing but memories of intimate caresses, as if that was all that was on her mind. As a result, she couldn’t concentrate in the lab at all. There were several times when she almost knocked over a potion or ruined a report. That’s why she ended up getting the room next door.

‘Seriously… how did things get this way?’

It felt like she had crossed a line. Sometimes she wondered if this was okay, but honestly, she was enjoying it too much to say anything.

‘But lately, we’ve been doing it a bit too often…’

Maybe she should cut back on the frequency?

Knock, knock.

She was deep in thought when she heard a knock on the door, and someone from outside called out.

“It’s the tailor.”

“Ah, yes. You can leave it in front of the door.”

Erin casually replied and shook her head. It seemed the clothes she had picked out with Ash a few days ago had arrived.

‘He paid for all of those with his own money, too.’

Ash had a habit of tearing up her clothes whenever they had sex in the lab. In a way, it seemed like he enjoyed it. He purposely tore her clothes every time just so he could buy her new ones.

‘…Where does he get all that money?’

Erin had offered to pay for the clothes herself, but Ash had never let her. He would always say it was his responsibility since he was the one who tore them, and he would never just order one piece of clothing, but several at once. Even though it should have put a strain on his salary. When she expressed her concern, Ash would always reply nonchalantly.

“I have enough savings, so don’t worry.”

“But still…”

“And don’t make me out to be some kind of shameless man.”

A part of her was embarrassed that she hadn’t asked him if he could just control his strength. Honestly, she enjoyed it when he was so excited that he tore her clothes. She liked the way he would press down on her with all his might, and sometimes hold her so tightly that she couldn’t escape as he ravaged her. It was as if he was developing a new fetish in her that she didn’t even know she had.

Even though it was a bit overwhelming that he was paying for everything, she didn’t mind going to the tailor with him.

‘More accurately, it’s not just the tailor.’

She just liked going out with him. Under the pretense of buying her clothes, Ash would take her out shopping several times.

“Oh, are you picking out clothes for your girlfriend?”

“A-ahem! W-we’re not…”

“Do you like this one?”

“Yes. A pink skirt that would go perfectly with your girlfriend’s hair…”

He was so affectionate that they were often mistaken for a couple, and he would calmly accept it when people said things like that. Sometimes they would end up going back to his place and staying the night. That was because the ceiling of her new apartment, the one he had helped her find, still leaked often.

“Doctor, are you okay?”

“Yes! I’m fine. But the ceiling is leaking again…”

The owner of the apartment upstairs was nowhere to be found, so they couldn’t begin the repairs. Every time, Ash would come down to Erin’s apartment and suggest that she stay at his place.

“That won’t do. You should come over to my place, Doctor.”

“Huh? I should just go to the lab and…”

“So you can sleep hunched over again?”

“I have a sofa now. And a place to wash up…”

“The sofa is too small, and all the chemicals and materials lying around would be distracting.”

“…”

“I won’t do anything to you like last time, so please come and get some sleep. Besides, the contraceptive is at the lab, so without it, we can’t have sex…”

“I-I get it, so please stop talking like that!”

Every time, Erin would pretend to be unable to resist and go to Ash’s place. At some point, since she didn’t know when her ceiling would leak, all of Erin’s belongings and furniture had been moved to Ash’s apartment. To be honest, it felt like they had moved into a honeymoon home.

…And it was nice.

She couldn’t deny it. Erin genuinely enjoyed the time she spent with Ash in that apartment. Unlike the lab, where they were so busy having sex whenever their eyes met, the atmosphere at home was more intimate and relaxed. They would eat the meals Ash cooked for her, read books together… or sometimes, as if they had never gone mad with lust, they would just hold hands and talk all day before falling asleep.

“…It was really nice.”

In truth, after the first night, Erin was the one doing most of the talking.

“So, my next experiment will probably be a hair loss medication or something…”

“That would be very profitable.”

“Yeah. The demand would probably be even higher than for the contraceptive. If it goes well, my financial situation will become more comfortable.”

Perhaps it was because she wanted to spend more time with Ash. Looking back, she was embarrassed to think she had unconsciously said things that sounded like she was trying to appeal to him.

‘Seriously. With a face like that, was all I could say something so uncool?’

She chastised herself, but then she also thought that she couldn’t help it. Ash would just listen to her with a deep, soulful look, even when she was saying such silly things like a hair loss medication. It was as if she were singing him a serenade. Sometimes, just like on their first night, he would rub his forehead against hers and hug her warmly, adding some seductive flattery like, “I feel like I sleep better with you here, Doctor.” She must have kept talking because she liked how he reacted.

‘They say the Chinese emperor tore silk just to see his concubine smile.’

She was just saying whatever came to mind to see Ash’s reaction. Because of that, she felt like she had told him every trivial story imaginable. It felt like she had told him everything except for the fact that she had been reincarnated.

‘Of course, Ash listened to all of those stories as if they were important.’

Was a perfect assistant also perfect at listening? On one hand, the way he treated her and focused on her as if she were a very important person…

‘…Made me feel like we were really a couple.’

“Doctor?”

“Agh!”

Erin, lost in her warm thoughts, let out a small shriek when Ash suddenly appeared. 

Crunch. 

The corner of the paper she was holding was crumpled. Only then did her reason slowly return.

‘…I had a ridiculous thought again.’

It was only natural for an assistant to listen well to their superior. And here she was, thinking they were a couple when she hadn’t even asked him how he felt. She was as embarrassed as a person who ate several bowls of kimchi soup, anticipating a rice cake that was never going to come. She felt a little hollow, wondering if this was what one-sided love felt like.

“Are you done writing the report?”

While Erin was feeling so empty, Ash looked at the paper in her hand and asked.

“Ah, yes. Almost.”

Erin, having regained her reason, looked at the paper she had been writing on. Although she had tried to write it as a bland and objective experiment log… It was a report that contained specific and intimate details about their relationship, such as the number of times they had done it and the method and amount of ejaculation over the past few weeks.

‘It’s called a report, but it’s just a relationship diary.’

She knew it was necessary to prove the contraceptive’s effectiveness, but still. Erin stared intently at the report and let out a small sigh.

…To think she had to show this to Duke Aston. It felt a little embarrassing to show this to a third party who had no connection to them. This was a document that even his aides would see. On top of that, the numbers written in it made her feel even more ashamed.

‘We really did it a lot.’

Since they had been doing it whenever their eyes met in the lab, it was an obvious result. The two of them spent more than half of their day in the lab. Erin’s eyes began to wander. The desk she was sitting at, for example…

“Ah, ngh, A-Ash, there…!”

“Yes. I’ll thrust into you, Doctor.”

“Ah!”

The desk where Ash had laid her down and thrust into her so loudly. And that rug there…

“Ah, ngh, this position is weird, weird!”

“I like it because I can go deeper.”

“Ash, Ash…!”

“At this rate, I could just sow my seeds directly in your womb, Doctor.”

…That was the spot where Ash had almost folded her body in half, lifting her hips into the air and thrusting. And that chair, that sofa, that side table…

‘…I finally understand why we needed to get the room next door.’

Erin tried to calm her flushed cheeks and looked at the report again. Although it was a bit embarrassing, there was one thing she could be sure of from the report. 

Squeeze. 

Erin confidently made a fist.

‘The contraceptive works!’

Even after doing it so much, Erin showed no signs of pregnancy.

‘I don’t crave sour things. My sleep is the same as usual. My stomach doesn’t feel tight or upset, and my mood isn’t all over the place.’

The doctor Ash had recommended and whom she now regularly visited had also calmly confirmed that she was not pregnant. Most of all…

‘My last period was normal, too.’

Just in case, she even calculated her ovulation cycle and took the risk of having sex during her most fertile period. Even after all that, she still hadn’t conceived a child. Wouldn’t that be enough to say the drug was effective?

‘It might be a huge success.’

Aside from the embarrassment of having to publicize her private life, the heart of the researcher who was confident in her success pounded. At this rate, even if she reported it to Duke Aston, he would surely acknowledge her.

‘How much time did I have left?’

Out of the ten months Duke Aston had given her, she had used four months to gather ingredients, mix them, and create the finished product. She had spent another month finding test subjects.

‘After that, with Ash… it’s been three months now.’

She had used eight months out of ten, leaving two months left. By Erin’s standards, this was a huge success.

‘Yes!’

Erin made a fist and smiled proudly. At this year’s report meeting, she wouldn’t have to stand in a corner like a criminal. She could confidently present her achievements to the Duke.

‘There are still a few minor things missing from the report, though.’

Erin glanced down at the one empty section: the ‘diversity of test subjects’ part.

“Hmm.”

There was no way to fill this. She had no other volunteers besides herself and Ash.

‘Unless I meet more men and get their… semen.’

Honestly, she had no desire to do that anymore. Although the Duke would probably point this out.

‘But there’s nothing I can do about it, is there?’

As she thought that and stared intently at the section, Ash, who had been reading the report along with her, gently put his hand on her shoulder. As if to change the subject.

“More importantly, Doctor…”

“Huh?”

“The report is one thing, but I think you should be concerned about something else.”

“What should I be concerned about?”

“Like what you’re going to wear to the meeting.”

“Ah! That’s right.”

Erin turned to Ash and smiled brightly.

“It’s fine. Fortunately, I’ll have something to wear this time.”

At the last meeting, her only suit had been torn, and she had to rush to get it fixed, which made her heart pound. Lately, thanks to Ash, her closet was getting fuller, so she didn’t have to worry about that.

“Speaking of which, have the clothes arrived?”

Ash nodded and brought in a box the tailor had left at the door.

“Oh…”

Erin flinched when she saw the box. Just by its size, she knew there was more than just one or two outfits in it.

‘I definitely only picked out two outfits.’

She knew Ash had picked out a few more outfits for her—ones she hadn’t chosen, but that would look great on her. Erin felt awkward and opened her mouth.

“You don’t have to go overboard every time.”

“I have enough savings.”

“Those are savings for your future.”

“This is also for my future.”

Thump.

Her heart, which had been happily beating, throbbed at his words. Erin unconsciously looked into Ash’s eyes. Ash just smiled, his red eyes crinkling.

‘For his future?’

Why would buying her clothes be for his future?

‘Because it’s good to make a good impression on me?’

But hadn’t she already told him that they would part ways once this trial was over? In that case, he wouldn’t have to make a good impression on her. There was no need for him to say that it was good to make a good impression on her.

‘Ash probably doesn’t know how I feel.’

How she wanted to be with him a little longer.

…Actually, not a little, but as long as possible.

And yet, he was talking about their future like this. Erin’s heart began to swell with a strange sense of anticipation. The growing anticipation became larger and larger.

‘…Is it okay to think positively?’

Just as Erin unconsciously swallowed, Ash looked down at her with a smile.

“Over here! What should we do with this?”

One of the workers from the next room, which was under construction, poked his head in. Ash, who was overseeing the construction, also turned his gaze to the worker.

“What are you referring to?”

“Well, I think we need to tear down the piping…”

“…I’ll be right back, Doctor.”

Ash, who had been smiling like a gentle breeze a moment ago, returned to his businesslike self and disappeared into the next room with the worker. Feeling disappointed, Erin absentmindedly fiddled with the box from the tailor.

“…Huh?”

She felt something in the gap of the closed paper box. It was like a note slipped between the packaging, visible only to the person opening the box. Erin unconsciously pulled it out. The note smelled of cheap ink and cigarettes.

“Did it get mixed up by mistake during the packaging?”

Erin muttered absently, and then froze after unfolding the note.

***

“I told you to use a more appropriate name when we’re in the lab.”

Ash, who had moved to the next room at the worker’s call, spoke in a cold tone, as if he had never been affectionate. Unable to hide the face that he only revealed to Erin, he was even sharper, and he held a hand up to lightly cover his lower face.

“Is it about the furniture payment again? I told you not to worry about the payment and just choose the best ones.”

“I apologize. A somewhat urgent matter came up…”

The worker who had called him was not the face of a simple worker, but a professional-looking retainer who bowed at the waist.

“So, what is it?”

“Count Alto has offered several businesses as a gesture of apology. He came to the mansion practically begging for leniency.”

“Hah.”

Ash ran a hand through his hair as if he was tired. A sneer hung from his lips.

“Tell him to accept it as a consequence of not being able to control his son’s mouth. Tell him his businesses aren’t even that appetizing.”

“…”

“I think that’s a cheap price for daring to speak filth and harassing Doctor… Erin.”

Ash’s face twisted as he recalled the moment when he had gone to the cafe with Erin’s favorite limited-edition bread and saw her frustrated face across from the man who was spouting nonsense about the trial. Just thinking about the things that guy had said, he wasn’t satisfied with just beating him up. If he had his way, a mace, not a menu, would have been more appropriate.

Erin seemed to have forgotten about it, but he hadn’t. He had used his connections to completely ruin the man and his family’s social reputation, dried up his funding, and subtly lured him into a gambling den to accrue a massive debt. He felt it still wasn’t enough, even after selling the man to a mercenary guild under the pretense that he couldn’t pay his debts.

Honestly, wasn’t it a great show of mercy that he didn’t kill him? It was a great leniency, although he had only held back because he didn’t want Erin to find out.

And yet, here he was, still begging.

“You didn’t call me for something this important, did you?”

“Of course not. This is just the first matter. The second is…”

“I hope there isn’t a third and a fourth.”

Even as he said that, Ash glanced toward the lab with a look of regret. He knew his work had piled up from spending time with Erin lately, and he couldn’t postpone it any longer.

“The reporters are still digging around. And Marquis Fringes said he’s interested in the experiment and wants to propose a deal to share information…”

“I’ll take care of that soon. Just keep the reporters in check.”

“Is the trial going well?”

“The results should be out soon.”

“That’s good. You’ve been working on this for a long time.”

“…”

“So much so that you even got involved personally.”

‘Personally.’ 

Was he talking about the trial, or…

“Did it feel good, Ash?”

The image of Erin, with a brilliant smile on her face with his semen still on her cheek, made a vein stand out in Ash’s neck. His Adam’s apple bobbed with thirst.

Was that all?

Perhaps it had started even from the day they first met…

“No, why do you cover it up?”

“…Huh?”

“You’re really beautiful.”

He remembered her sparkling eyes as she said that to a face that he thought was hideous.

“So, this part… Duke?”

“Go on.”

Even as he listened, he felt his nerves pulling him toward the lab where Erin was. Ash tried hard to turn his attention to the matter at hand.

He had to finish this quickly so he could go back.

To the lovely person in that lab.