Master, I Swear I Didn’t Mean To! - Chapter 4

The ultra-strong luck potion was a top-grade potion. As high as its rank was, the making of it demanded blood, sweat, and tears.

‘Do you know how hard I worked to make that…’

Eki wanted to throw her whole body if it meant stopping the potion from spilling. But perhaps her desperation was too much.

Her outstretched hands missed the vial, and instead, her head received it.

“Ow!”

Crash. Splatter!

Eki toppled over. The bright, gleaming green liquid of the luck potion spilled all over her head. Still sprawled on the floor, she blinked, then let out a piercing scream.

“Gaaaahhhh! My potion!”

“It’s not your potion.”

“You— You spilled all my luck potion!”

luck potion, especially the ultra-strong kind, didn’t even need to be drunk for its effect to manifest. Just a drop or two on the back of one’s hand could bring a fortunate day, and yet Eki had been drenched in it from head to toe.

‘Never mind having to make it all over again, what if side effects show up?!’

Before panic could overwhelm her, a towel dropped onto her head.

“Don’t just sit there stupidly. Wipe it off.”

“Ah, yesyes!”

Cassius was already at her side. He snapped his fingers, summoning a circular ring-shaped magical tool, and passed it from her head down to below her chest.

“Stay still. I’ll check your condition.”

Of course, Eki knew exactly what spell this was. After slaving under him like a dog for seven years, how could she not? What Cassius had summoned was a magical malfunction detector.

‘Please, let it be nothing serious…’

She diligently rubbed her potion-soaked, now moss-colored hair with the towel, only to recall that all of this was Cassius’s fault.

‘If only this little s**t would listen to me better, none of this would have happened.’

How many times had she told him to close the lids once potion brewing was done? How many times had she warned him to stop pulling all-nighters because it interfered with his magic?

Eki glared at Cassius as he checked her condition.

The more she thought about it, the more unjust it felt. Two weeks of hard labor had just gone to waste. The potions had to be delivered to the Association soon… What excuse could she possibly give to extend the deadline this time?

Damn Cursius. Annoying Master.

‘So what if you’re handsome?!’

She stared at Cassius’s chiseled face for a moment before snapping her head away. She must not look at him any longer. Otherwise, her anger might dissipate. And Eki still wanted to vent it at him.

“Eki, get up. The floor’s wet too.”

“…Yes.”

She stood with as expressionless a face as possible. But then—slip! She stepped on the glimmering ultra-strong luck potion and toppled backward.

“W-Whoa!”

Cassius’s light-green eyes widened. Instinctively, he reached out his hand. Normally, he would have quickly floated her up with magic, but strangely, today he used his body instead. Not wanting to crash into the floor again, Eki naturally grabbed onto his forearm.

But perhaps she grabbed too hard.

Rrriiiip!

Cassius’s thin garment tore apart.

“Ugh.”

The frail robe couldn’t hold her up. With another thud! Eki crashed to the floor, clutching the torn fabric in her hand.

“……”

“…Hiiek.”

She had slammed her backside hard, but oddly, it didn’t hurt. Eki gaped, staring blankly ahead.

Right before her eyes stood Cassius, his robe ripped from the shoulder all the way down to his waist.

As said before, Cassius often wore long, flowing robes like something out of antiquity because he found layering clothes a bother. Even when tied tightly with a sash, if someone yanked and tore hard enough, the entire garment could be ripped away in an instant.

And now, thanks to Eki, Cassius was half-naked.

“Uh…”

Eki could not tear her eyes from him. One shoulder, his chest, and even part of his legs were revealed. The thick pectorals she had only stolen glances at until now bulged forward as if demanding her attention, and her earlobes steadily flushed red.

His sculpted chest, the ribs swelling and deflating with his breath, his abdomen lean and defined with nothing but muscle. Below that, the stark black of plain underclothes, and his solid thighs bulging with taut veins like steel cords…

“Where exactly… are you looking.”

Cassius trembled with anger. Eki hastily clapped her hands over her eyes and turned her head away.