[Epilogue] A Custom Order

“...And with that, Mister Adamson’s order is ready!”

“Thanks for explaining the process, I’ll deliver it right away.”

“Don’t forget the last step. Keep stirring until the mixture is thick enough to form peaks. Too little, and it won’t stay on the skin properly. Too much and it’ll dry out too fast after it’s applied.”

Ernest finished jotting down the instructions for Mr. Adamson’s callus cream. He was a regular customer, and needed this specific product delivered every month. Ernest packed a few jars full of various medicines into his backpack, and prepared to leave the apothecary. Before he left though, he turned back to Alesia who was sitting in front of her workbench. He went over and gave her a quick peck on the lips, then lowered himself to her visibly pregnant belly and placed a quick kiss too.

“I’ll buy ingredients for supper while I’m out. Any requests?”

“Hmm… I don’t know why, but I feel like I’d love some smoked fish and mashed potatoes… could you do that for me?”

“Of course, anything for you two.”

Ernest cracked a grin and left through the front door. Over the past weeks he had been learning to run the store, from taking orders at the front, to making deliveries around Lindow. He didn’t want Alesia doing too much legwork while she was carrying. He even started to learn concoction of simple medicines from Alesia, in hopes of reducing her workload further.

While he was living in Lindow, he had started to familiarize himself with the residents, and in turn they had gotten to know him as Alesia’s loving partner. The two of them could often be seen hugging and kissing in public, imparting a certain reputation onto Ernest as a result. Now that he was making deliveries on her behalf, many of her regulars would ask about Alesia and how her pregnancy was coming along. He would usually take time to chat with them, and after a few weeks he was already seen as part of the Lindow community.

Ernest returned to Alesia’s home as the day started coming to an end, his backpack full of empty return jars and a portion of smoked fish, which the grocer thankfully had in stock. He entered the store and immediately gave Alesia a hug and kiss, before going to the kitchen and preparing supper. Her cravings were often unpredictable, but then again she was also eating for a new life that was learning how to taste for the first time. He wondered if their child would be a picky eater or not.

As he cooked, Ernest idly chatted with Alesia who was seated at the new dining table. They had to turn what was formerly a cluttered store and house for one into a warm and welcoming home for three. As Ernest was telling Alesia about how the customers he visited were doing, he absentmindedly tasted the mashed potatoes to check if he had added enough milk. Unfortunately for him, the only thing he realized was that the lump of mashed potatoes in his mouth was scalding hot, and he reflexively spat it out. An abnormally long tongue dangled from his mouth as Ernest tried to air cool the burnt area, which felt tingly and numb.

Alesia stood up from her chair, but Ernest quickly assured her that he was fine. It was just a small burn, nothing serious. Alesia sat back down in relief, and even cracked a dirty joke to lighten the mood.

“Well, looks like your tongue will need a break today. I still want a good night kiss though… maybe we can kiss with our bottom halves~?”

Ernest smiled and rolled his eyes, knowing that Alesia was only half joking. Alesia had quite the sexual appetite, and they would go at it almost every day. Further into her pregnancy, her needs became more unpredictable, but didn’t lessen. There were times that she seemed insatiable at night, and sometimes even at random times during the day.

At the start, the two of them would go at it like animals in heat, but as Alesia’s belly grew larger, Ernest started to be gentler with her in concern for her passenger. Alesia still had her needs though, so they reached a compromise that involved Ernest’s tongue making up the difference. If Ernest was just any normal person, his tongue would cramp up before Alesia could be satisfied, but luckily for both of them, his tongue was quite remarkable not only in length, but strength, flexibility, and endurance. It was designed that way after all.

Back at Earnest and Rosalind’s wedding, seeing what Coltia did with Elsie gave Alesia quite an idea. When she got the chance to talk to Coltia in private, she asked for a favor. She asked for a copy of Earnest, one to call her own, one that would love her and stay with her, one that could act as a father for her and Earnest’s child. Alesia had tested herself for pregnancy a few days before the wedding, and found that the seed she spilled into herself while she controlled Earnest’s body had taken root in her womb. Coltia seemed intrigued at the proposition, and even impressed at the shamelessness of Alesia’s request. This poor girl wasn’t able to give up on the man of her dreams, so she wanted a copy that would love her back.

Well, it wouldn’t be all that much work for Coltia, and leaving Alesia sad and alone would be quite boring wouldn’t it? Cotlia accepted Alesia’s request, and asked about what modifications she wanted for her custom-built Earnest. Alesia asked that the copy love her utterly and totally, Rosalind could be no more than an acquaintance in its mind. If possible, Alesia wanted all of Earnest’s memories to be kept intact, and for the copy to be aware of the true nature of its own existence, and to accept it like Elsie. Besides that, there weren’t too many other modifications. Being immune to sickness would be nice. Maybe a little boost to strength and stamina? Not too much to be inhuman, but just a little bit so that he could… do certain things for hours if need be… and maybe a longer tongue might not be bad either… and maybe a never-ending supply of cum so that he would never run dry… just little things.

Alesia left Earnest and Rosalind’s wedding and returned to Lindow, patiently waiting in anticipation for Coltia to finish the homunculus. Coltia came knocking much sooner than Alesia expected, and had Ernest in tow. Alesia had been rearranging her household to make more space, and wasn’t quite mentally prepared for him to arrive yet. She didn’t know what to say to Ernest, but luckily for her, Ernest made the first move. As soon as he saw her, Ernest hugged Alesia and spoke his first words to her.

“Thank you so much Alesia. I only exist because of you, thank you. I know that I might not be ‘Earnest’, but I’ll do my best to fulfill your every wish.”

Alesia melted into his embrace, and quickly accepted him into her life. He was everything that she wanted after all. There were a few things to work out though, like how Ernest would be known to the public. The fact that he was a homunculus molded by dark magic obviously couldn’t be known. Impersonating the original Earnest was quite a bad idea as well. In the end, they went with the simple and believable lie that Ernest was the brother of Earnest, the knight that passed through Lindow not long ago. It was a decent enough lie that explained why they looked so similar, and no one would bother checking.

Thus Ernest’s life in Lindow began, as the romantic partner to the town apothecary, and soon father to their child. Alesia was as happy and content as she could be. She was pretty much living out her dream, with just a couple of differences in the details, but it was close enough! Alesia was happy, Ernest was happy, their child was happy, and the town embraced them wholeheartedly. So what if Ernest was a copy? Life was much better with him rather than without. At the end of the day, they were a family, even if they had a few secrets.