Chapter 8: Chapter 8

As the first meagre rays of the sun shone through tiny gaps in the wooden shutters of the window, Rika reluctantly stirred from her sleep. Half-awake, she took a moment to remember where she was as she did not find herself in the usual surroundings of her finely-decorated room back at home. Groggily, she rubbed her eyes and let out a cute, if slightly unladylike, yawn.

"*Hhhhhhaaaaahhhnnn* Where...?"

[Good morning, princess. And it's funny to say that because it's true.]

"G-Good morning...?"

Rika was not and had never been a morning person, so she looked around for the source of the strange male voice. Only slowly did it come to her that the voice in question was called Jufu and rang out from inside her own head.

[Did you have a pleasant dream? Though, judging by the state of your most important body part, the answer is pretty clearly yes.]

Confused, Rika thought back to what she had been dreaming about and started blushing so strongly that Jufu could feel the heat all the way to... wherever he resided.

[Oh don't play coy with me now. You have no natural shame nor are you someone to get embarrassed. And also you chose my aspect of Lust last night because you wanted to have fun. Sex is completely natural and very enjoyable, you just have to get it right.]

She wanted to shake her head, to deny the lewdness of her dream and the fact that the region between her legs was hot and wet and sticky, but Jufu was right. She did never have a problem undressing in front of other people and she had a few illicit books in her collection that her parents were better off not knowing about. Although some of the maids almost inevitably did.

[Here's an idea: get out of bed, do some stretches to get warm, and then we open the shutters. Let some fresh air in and embrace the love of the world. Doesn't that sound good?]

"The... the love of the world?"

[It's when you’re nude and let the wind caress you. It feels quite nice in my opinion.]

She decided she had to think about the proposal, but in the end there were no arguments to the contrary forming in her mind.

"Alright then. Please teach me what to do, Jufu."

If he could visibly smile he would, but instead he simply instructed her to do some simple movements. Rika was not sure what point there was to push her body up and down with her arms or pretend to be sitting on a chair and going back upright repeatedly, but she did like the conjured rope to jump in place.

[Good workout, girly. As you probably noticed, you're barely sweaty at all. That's something you can thank me for: your body's a decent bit stronger now. You'll need less food, don't ever have to go to the toilet again, and only the most strenuous activities - like a good intercourse session - can really make you sweaty. Though I can't help you with your need for water. Much like air, the body just needs that stuff, no way around it.]

Rika was slightly out of breath, but nonetheless tried to listen to his explanations. Having a tougher and less needy body would surely be useful in the tasks to come.

[Now onto the loving, eh?]

"*Gulp* Alright..."

[As I said, no need to be coy. Just open the shutters and embrace the breeze. Stand slightly open-legged and enjoy.]

Rika did as told once more. The old, slightly rusted latch was difficult to move, and the wood groaned under the stress after years of staying in that position, but eventually the two wings of the window shutters opened outward and warm ways of the morning sun shone in. A cool but not cold wind entered the room, enveloping Rika and making her skin tingle all over. She could suddenly feel every part of her body, from her swaying hair swishing on her back to her chest and sides being touched to her abdomen filling with a pleasant warmth. She looked down and saw Jufu's tattoo glow faintly.

[Just a little bonus from your good friend. Go ahead; try touching yourself, have some fun. Because if you don't know how to enjoy your body yourself, how would others?]

She hesitated. She could feel that her legs were getting wetter due to thin streams of clear fluid flowing down, but still she hesitated. She was not ready to go this far. Not yet.

"I... I-I can't- I cannot. I am sorry to disappoint you, Jufu, but I really cannot do this."

He was silent for a bit as if contemplating. Rika was getting uneasy, but before she would speak up, he did so first.

"...Not yet, then. No hay problema. Still I'm proud of you that you even got this far, chica."

*Bam!* With a loud sound, the door swung open, causing Rika to turn around.

"Hey you, we're not supposed to open the windo-"

Several orphan boys - each with a different set of fuzzy ears - were beyond the door frame, looking her up and down. Two of them focused on her uncovered crotch but quickly looked further downward.

"Uwah, she's naked! Naked naked naked! A naked girl! Run!!!"

...But them they quickly fled the scene.

"What was that about?"

"Goodness, these kids. Little Rika, I hope they didn't bother you, yes?"

In came the old woman, Catarina, though one look at Rika, and beyond, turned her usual smile into a frown.

"They're right though, please don't open the shutters or all the heat will go out."

Rika was unsure about that, considering how cold it was the day prior.

"I should add that we have a few plants and animals on the bottom floor and in the basement. They create some heat for the sleep chambers up here."

"Oh, I understand... and I apologise. I did not know that, Miss Catarina."

Rika lowered her head slightly as she said it. Miss Catarina gave her a smile, the type a grandmother would give to show her grandchild they are forgiven.

"No no, it's fine, you didn't- say, do my eyes fail me again or did you shrink?"

[Shit!]

"Jufu, language!", Rika muttered under her breath.

[Didn't think the old crone would notice, is all. Okay, time for your first lesson in lust magic: charming. Stare directly into her eyes and let me do the rest.]

Rika was not exactly sure what the problem was, but she still felt a little bad for her failure just before so she wanted to try extra hard this time.

[Charm Focus: Impression!]

You are reading story Heiress of the Empire at novel35.com

A pink light shone from Rika's eyes and hit Miss Catarina square in the face. The old woman went slack-jawed with a dazed expression.

[Okay, good. Now repeat what I say: Catarina, you don't need to worry. I only look different because I'm fully healed now. It's all good.]

"Miss Catarina, there is no need to worry. My appearance may seem different to you, but it is merely because I am fully healed now. Everything is fine."

 

Miss Catarina nodded twice to the words. Jufu concluded the spell and the old woman came back to, none the wiser to the mental manipulation.

"Of course, silly me. A girl doesn't just shrink in one night. I'm glad you managed to recover, those burns did look awful. But perhaps I might still be tired from last night fixing your clothes."

She handed Rika the bundle of cloth she was holding the whole time.

"Here they are. Can you put them on yourself?"

Rika nodded and so, satisfied, Miss Catarina left the girl alone once more.

"Come down for breakfast when you are done, yes?"

Rika examined the clothes. Naturally they were a little too big for her, although the stitching had made them slightly smaller to account for all the damage Catarina had to fix. Had Rika not actually gotten smaller, she would have had trouble putting them on in the first place.

[Hmpf, I really want to dress you in something sexier, but it's not the time or place for that right now.]

Once again, Rika had no retort to Jufu's strange remarks and thus just said nothing. After a little fumbling, she finally got her outfit on - albeit sans hat - and left for downstairs to get her breakfast.

"Jufu, why do I understand the people here? How am I speaking Smirnovi?"

[That's just one of my many talents, girly. I'm pretty much an omniglot, I can understand and speak any spoken language. So since you're my cute lil' host, you get the same benefit.]

"Your abilities really are astonishingly diverse.  I am glad to have met you. And... I am sorry for my failure earlier. I promise I will do better from now on."

[Your 'failure'? What do you- oh yeah. Well it's fine; there's no point in rushing you, that's just boring busywork. I want you to have fun, girly, and there's nothing worse than mandatory fun days.]

Rika nodded along as she descended the stairs and closed in on one of the larger rooms. A strong smell of food and drink wafted through the cracks of the door and upward, inviting her to enter.

"Good morning, little Rika. Please take a seat, breakfast's ready."

"Ah look, it's the dirty girl who was all naked and looked like she'd peed herself!"

"Pee girl! Pee girl!"

She recognised the boys from earlier and gave them a few dark glances, but Miss Catarina's much more disapproving glare shut them up.

"Now now, that's not nice to say to a girl. Please behave, yes?"

"...We're sorry."

Rika, now slightly annoyed, sat down on one of the wooden chairs and was provided with a bowl and utensils. A steaming thick, soup-like dish was served alongside white bread and what appeared to be some kind of red juice.

"It tastes good. What is this dish called?"

"My mother called it borsch."

[Heh, borsch? I haven't had that stuff in ages. Do dig in, Rika.]

Encouraged by Jufu, she started eating the vegetable soup - which surprisingly also had some meat pieces - in earnest. She was not yet sated though, so she asked...

"Miss Catarina, you would not happen to have some cookies, would you?"

"Cookies? Oh, no, we don't have such expensive things here. But hm, maybe you could ask Georgius to buy some for you? He and the others will leave for the city soon."

[That sounds like a perfect opportunity to get out of this place. Ask her if you can go with them.]

"Ah, I see you like to travel, yes? I'll see what I can arrange. Now, does anyone want seconds?"

"Me!" "Me too!" "I'm fine." "I'll have some more!" "Then I wish to have some more as well."

 

After the hearty breakfast, Rika felt oddly full.

[I did say you need less food now. Go and move around for a bit to work it off. Preferably outside. I can't stand this place, it gives me a headache.]

Just as Rika wanted to open the door to step into the yard, another behind her noisily swung open.

"Thank you, Mister Georgius. See you later."

"Hahah, it's fine. Just remember what I taught you and don't tell anyone."

A girl roughly Rika's size with long red hair and notable fox ears, and tail, exited the room and moved by to go outside.

[*Sniff* This girl reeks of- oh hm, I see.]

"What is it, Jufu?"

[Nothing important for now, girly. Just get out of here for now.]

You can find story with these keywords: Heiress of the Empire, Read Heiress of the Empire, Heiress of the Empire novel, Heiress of the Empire book, Heiress of the Empire story, Heiress of the Empire full, Heiress of the Empire Latest Chapter