WildHorizon Guild — Outside the Wall, 2:00 PM
Rose watched Dylan and Connor interact. Connor was offering to choke Dylan unconscious to force his body to release the accumulated energy. Dylan, on the other hand, had no intention of letting any man put him in a sleeper hold—certainly not willingly.
Although only a few days had passed since they first met, Rose could already tell the two had become solid friends.
With a light hop, Rose slid off the table she had been sitting on and stretched her arms.
"I'm going to grab something to eat," Rose announced, expecting them to follow, but the two ignored her entirely.
She didn't blame them; after what had happened at the river, it was a miracle they were even speaking to her at all. Not that she regretted it—in fact, she had caught herself indulging in similar impulses on other occasions as well.
(If anyone's to blame, blame this lustful body that won't let me think straight,) Rose excused herself mentally.
Still, she couldn't lie to herself: she genuinely wished to make a close female friend, especially now that she was trapped in this world.
Dylan and Connor were her companions, sure, but it wasn't quite the same, especially given that their current party arrangement was only temporary.
With that thought in mind, Rose stepped into the grand dining hall, eager to see what was on today's menu.
(Pork... why is it always pork? And where are they even getting it from? I haven't seen a single pig in the entire city,) Rose pondered, eyeing the roasted pork display before her.
*SMACK*
Right then, a hand slapped Rose's rear, taking her completely by surprise.
"Hey there, girl!" Melissa greeted her with a bright smile, popping up beside Rose.
"Oh, Melissa, it's you!" Rose greeted her cheerfully. "On your break?"
"Yup, just clocked out and came to grab a bite..." Melissa said, looking over at the food counter and noting the meat options. "Looks like it's pork again, though..." she added, sounding disappointed.
"Yeah... guess there's not much choice," Rose admitted with a smile.
The two picked up plates loaded with pork along with mugs of peach juice, then headed over to an unoccupied table to chat.
"Yeah, I don't even know where they're sourcing this much meat. Do we have livestock farms nearby?" Rose asked curiously, taking a bite as well.
"We do, but this meat doesn't come from farms. It's all harvested from pig-men," Melissa revealed, leaving Rose stunned.
"Pardon?" Rose asked, frozen mid-chew.
Rose stared down at her plate, her mind instantly flashing back to the pig-men corpses she had seen upon waking up in this world. She desperately wanted to believe it was a joke.
"Don't worry, it's completely safe—no diseases or anything like that," Melissa added casually.
The two continued eating, though Rose ate at a noticeably slower pace. Once they finished their meals, the conversation shifted to other topics.
"Oh, by the way. The other day I did a little digging into your condition and various alchemy formulas, and I think I found something that might interest you," Melissa disclosed, instantly capturing Rose's undivided attention.
Melissa reached into her brown leather satchel and pulled out a thick volume displaying detailed illustrations of almost every known potion variant. She flipped rapidly through the pages, stopping at a section where the parchment was tinted a soft lavender, adorned with orchid patterns. At the top of the page, the header read: Potions of Ludmi.
"Here!" Melissa exclaimed, pointing to a specific entry.
"Complete Transfiguration Potion — Derivative of Ludmi..." Rose read aloud, her eyes wide with curiosity.
"This potion allows the consumer to permanently alter their physical appearance and gender. It derives directly from Ludmi's divine domain, so its efficacy is absolute," Melissa revealed excitedly.
In that instant, the realization hit Rose like a lightning bolt: this potion could make her a biological woman again.
"Really?! Where can I get it? How much does it cost?!" Rose pressed immediately, trying to locate a price tag on the page.
"That's the tricky part..." Melissa admitted, taking the book back and sliding it back into her bag. "It costs 10,000 gold coins—or 100 platinum."
"10,000 gold coins?!... How much is that in copper?" Rose asked, pulling out the 40 copper coins she had saved up across her recent missions.
Melissa offered her a sympathetic, slightly awkward smile.
"One hundred copper coins make one silver, one hundred silver coins make one gold, and one hundred gold coins make one platinum..." Melissa began breaking down the exchange rate, watching Rose's expression visibly crumble with every word. "So... around 100,000,000 copper coins, if my math is correct."
Rose leaned back in her chair, staring blankly into the distance. A definitive path to regaining her true female identity existed, yet it was locked behind an astronomical fortune. So close, yet impossibly far. New chapters come out on novelping(.)com first.
"Hey, don't lose heart!" Melissa encouraged her. "As you climb the adventurer ranks, you'll gain access to high-tier contracts that pay extremely well. Plus, high-tier monsters often hoard valuable treasures that you're legally allowed to keep for yourself."
Rose nodded slowly, a fierce determination igniting in her eyes. She would rank up in the guild and hoard every copper until she could afford that draught.
"It doesn't matter how long it takes—I'm not stopping until I get my hands on that potion!" Rose declared resolutely.
"That's the spirit, Rose!" Melissa cheered with a warm smile. She paused for a moment, looking thoughtful. "Although... while you're currently built like this... do you really have no interest in experimenting with... well, you know?" Melissa added, making a subtle hand gesture describing male self-pleasure.
Rose picked up on the gesture instantly, a deep blush rushing to her face, though a sly smirk tugged at the corners of her lips.
"Well... to be completely honest..." Rose began, opening up about what had happened at the river with Dylan and Connor, before confessing how she had been taking care of her urges in the bathhouse lately.
"Oh, by Ludmi!" Melissa gasped, blushing softly.
It was hardly unusual for adventurers to seek daily release; in fact, it was common knowledge that higher physical capabilities brought stronger physical drives.
"Have you tried exploring other things?" Melissa asked, leaning in closer to keep the conversation private.
Instinctively, Rose leaned in as well, their shoulders brushing.
"Well..." Rose began softly. "I'd be lying if I said the thought hadn't crossed my mind. In fact, just a couple of hours ago, I actually considered offering to help Dylan out with his situation..."
"Oh, my Ludmi!" Melissa gasped again, her blush deepening as she pictured Dylan and Rose together. "Guy on guy? I mean, it's not unheard of around here... but especially you, with your appearance."
Melissa carefully appraised Rose's feminine features: her striking blue eyes, long blonde hair, and soft, full lips. Her gaze drifted down to Rose's smooth, rounded legs, and the subtle contour visible between her thighs.
"However..." Melissa continued, reaching out to trace slow, deliberate circles against Rose's palm with her fingertips, "I think it's best if you leave Dylan to someone with a bit more experience... given that his condition is rather delicate," Melissa excused herself smoothly, though a flash of clear desire glinted in her eyes at the mention of Dylan's name.
"Yeah, that makes sense," Rose agreed. She knew very little about this world's mechanics or Dylan's specific condition, making Melissa's advice seem perfectly sound.
"So... are you strictly receptive?" Melissa asked softly. "Never felt the urge to take the active role?"
Rose brushed a strand of hair behind her ear with a soft chuckle, feeling oddly comfortable discussing such topics with Melissa.
"I've thought about it, but... my size makes me a bit self-conscious. Besides, I'd rather explore being on the receiving end first," Rose admitted candidly.
"Well, I might not be a man... but if you ever want to try something new with someone, I happen to keep a harness with a massive dildo attached in my office," Melissa whispered directly into her ear.