Today is supposed to be the morning of their departure.
But what in the world is this mess…?
My futon remains perfectly untouched.
It’s just as it was when I fell asleep, neatly laid out, not even a corner flipped.
And yet, when I turn my head to the left, the futon there is crumpled, with Renge in the spot where Aina should have been. On the right, in Renge’s spot, lies Aina.
Both of their blankets are mysteriously being used as mattresses now, and to make matters worse, they’re both half-undressed.
From what I can see without lifting my head, Renge might not be wearing anything on her lower half…?
Aina’s back is exposed too, so her shirt must have ridden up.
They’ve both turned away from me, but that’s probably the situation.
And the reason I can’t sit up?
It’s the familiar weight resting on my stomach.
There’s a lump beneath the blanket, no head sticking out, and I’m sure it’s Sorte, still on top of me like last night.
But what’s really bothering me is the scrap of fabric sitting on the blanket.
If my memory serves me… that’s underwear, isn’t it?
Judging by the size… it’s either Renge’s or Sorte’s.
Although, I don’t want to rule out the possibility that Aina was wearing something absurdly micro-sized.
Still… yeah.
I think it’s Sorte’s.
I mean, I can’t feel any fabric at all.
She might not be wearing anything.
Also, I think she’s upside-down.
Hmm…
Should I lift the blanket or not…?
I spend 0.5 seconds thinking.
「Hup!」
I grab the blanket with both hands and lift it so I can peek inside.
And what do I see…?
A butt.
A sideways butt.
A fluffy-tailed, sideways butt.
Maybe she’s cold, because her tail is curled up,
Butt.
Unmistakably a butt.
Only a butt.
How did she manage to do a half-turn under the covers without disturbing them?
It’s a mystery.
And why is she not wearing any clothes…?
Also, this situation… isn’t it kinda really bad?
If she wakes up right now, wouldn’t that be ‘really’ bad!?
「Hmm…」
With a swish, her tail moves and brushes against my face.
Ah, that’s not good…
「Ah… ah… ‘achoo’!」
My body jolts as I sneeze, and at the same time, Sorte twitches and starts to squirm.
Crap! Did she wake up!?
Startled by the sneeze, I instinctively let go of the blanket, hands still raised in the air, frozen.
Should I pretend I’m still asleep?
Ah, she’s moving.
She’s turning around.
「Hmm… shoo. Aha, still asleep…」
No, I’m already awake.
I’m watching through slitted eyes.
You still look really sleepy, you know?
I mean, your eyes are only half open.
「Hmm………」
She nuzzles her face against my collarbone, and her hair tickles my face and ears!
Endure it!
I have to endure it this time!
Sneezing now would be catastrophic!
「Hmmmf……… suu…… fuu……」
She’s so close I can feel her breathing.
From where I am, I can only see the top of Sorte’s head.
「Hmm……」
「Nuuu……」
With adorable little murmurs, Aina and Renge both shift in their sleep, pressing in on either side!
My hands are still raised, and now there’s no space left, completely boxed in!
「Tch……」
This is bad. My arms are getting tired…
Look right, Aina’s sleeping face.
Look left, Renge’s sleeping face.
Look down, Sorte’s head.
What am I supposed to do!?
Am I seriously stuck like this until everyone wakes up…?
After breakfast, we begin preparing to head out.
In the end, I had to wedge my hands under my pillow and hold a sort of stretch pose while lying down.
-0-
「That’s quite a lot of luggage…」
「Well, we don’t know how many days it’ll take, after all.」
Watching Aina load the bags, I rub my cheek.
「…Looks painful.」
「Yeah, it is.」
The vivid handprint on my cheek, like something out of a comic, was courtesy of Sorte.
After she groggily woke up, she sat up, only to realize she had been straddling me completely naked.
In her panic, she reflexively smacked me.
Well… it might’ve also been because I gave her a thumbs-up while frozen in place and said「Nice!」
「I don’t think she meant to hurt you…」
「I get it. She was probably just embarrassed.」
She apologized over and over afterward, but half the fault lies with me anyway.
Yeah. Let’s just call it even.
Actually, considering it was just one slap despite me seeing her naked, I should probably consider this a sign of growth for Sorte.
「Besides, Aina was seen too, so…」
「That doesn’t really bother me…」
Oh, no no no. It was truly a blessed sight.
Still half-asleep, Aina hadn’t noticed that her shirt had ridden all the way up, and she turned toward me and bowed her head to greet me.
That moment… the impact was unreal.
‘Boing’.
I swear I heard it.
That was definitely the sound of boobs!
No other boobs could make that sound, I’m telling you!
After that, when Sorte pointed it out, Aina’s face gradually turned bright red.
Ahh, she was so cute.
She hugged her chest with both arms, her eyes teary, her face troubled, and said,
『…Being stared at like that… it’s seriously embarrassing』
Just, ahh, damn, I can’t handle this!
That alone could’ve powered me through three full meals!
「My liege? What’s wrong? You’ve got your face buried in the pillow… Still sleepy?」
「I’m fine!」
Whew, that was close.
It’s just the two of us right now, but I can’t let myself pounce on her or anything…
My self-control has been working overtime since this morning.
「Oh, right. Take this with you.」
I handed her a small magic bag.
「I stuffed it with healing potions and panaceas. Use them however you like.」
Rather than bringing small or medium potions, I figured the large ones would be better, so I packed those in.
I also added some extra panaceas to help with status ailments.
「…Are you sure? The pouch itself is quite valuable, you know.」
「Yeah, but this is more convenient, right?」
「That’s true, but…」
Technically, it’s on loan, but Hayato would understand.
And if it really came down to it, I could just buy another to replace it.
Though I’m giving it to her precisely to avoid reaching that point.
「Then I’ll gratefully accept it this time. I have to make it back, after all.」
「Yeah. No matter what.」
「Heh, you’re that excited about the mixed bath, huh?」
「Of course.」
「It’ll be fine. With all the potions you prepared for us, I’ll definitely come back. And if I do… maybe I’ll even wash your back.」
「Oh? Then I’ll have to return the favor. I’ll wash every inch of you, thoroughly!」
I wiggled my fingers dramatically as I joked.
I thought Aina might look troubled, but instead, she smiled.
「Yeah. Let’s do that, since we’ve got the chance.」
I froze in place.
Wait, really…?
If you say it’s okay, I’m seriously going to do it, you know!?
Oh no, if this is happening, I’ve got to prepare…
I’ll need to make a mat out of slime membrane!
And some extra slippery lotion while I’m at it!
「Heh, I’m looking forward to it.」
「You’re looking forward to getting your body washed?」
「I am. Because you look like you’re really enjoying yourself.」
Well… I ‘am’ incredibly excited.
Or rather, I should be the one getting spoiled here, honestly.
Even as she laughed, Aina didn’t stop packing.
She finished stowing the rest of the supplies into two backpacks.
「Alright, ready to go?」
「Yeah. Let’s head out.」
I stepped through the door first, then turned around to see Aina effortlessly carrying the two massively packed backpacks on her shoulders.
Noticing me watching, she smiled and, just like that…
「Gah」
Just like that… she failed to pass through the doorway and fell flat on her back.
W-Well, yeah, carrying them both like that does make her wider…
「M-my liege… please. Don’t look at me…」
「You look even more embarrassed than when I saw your chest…」
I offered her a hand as she struggled to get up, and we solved the problem by having her take off the backpacks and turn them sideways to get through the doorway.
-0-
「You’re late. Don’t tell me you were doing weird things just because you were alone together?」
We rejoined Sorte, Shiro, and the others in a slightly open space near the gates of Yutopola.
「If we were, we’d be even later. So, did you manage to buy the supplies?」
「We bought everything we needed, of course.」
The torch oil and torches were items they had planned to buy in this town from the beginning.
They should’ve gotten them yesterday, but I ended up taking all their time showing them around the house.
「Aina, I’ll carry one of those bagsssu.」
「No, Renge and Sorte, you two should focus on the enemies we’ll encounter on the way. Besides, they’re pretty heavy.」
「You think so? Ah, that’s master’s magic bag, isn’t it? You borrowed itssu?」
「Yeah, he filled it with healing potions too.」
「Oooh! That’s super reassuringssu! We’ll use it gratefullyssu!」
「…Thank you.」
「No problem. Did you forget anything?」
「No. I just checked earlier, so we should be good.」
Naturally.
Aina had been packing everything while double-checking.
「Everyone… please take care out there.」
「And Wendy, keep an eye on my lord so he doesn’t get duped by some shady woman, alright?」
「Yes… I understand.」
Hey, come on now.
I’m not that easy, okay?
I’ve got a decent eye for women.
「Shiro, you’re not gonna say anything?」
「Hm? Not right now.」
「Right now?」
「Yeah. I’ll say “welcome back” when they come back.」
「Oh! Then I’ll say “we’re back!” when we returnssu!」
「Hmm.」
Shiro and Renge smiled brightly at each other and clapped hands with a loud ‘paan’.
「Well then, my liege.」
「Ah, wait! Before you go…」
I drew everyone’s attention and reached into my magic storage space, pulling out three accessories.
Of course, they were the ones I had poured my heart and soul into crafting, meant for the three of them.
「「「Waaah…!」」」
「Ahh… well, you know. Just, uh… a charm for safety. A little something from me to see you off…」
Hmm… doing it so formally is kind of embarrassing.
I could’ve just slipped them into the magic bag and let them find them there, but… no, this should be done face-to-face.
「This is amazing… it’s so shinyssu…」
「Yeah, it’s beautiful…」
「Well, it’s also pretty practical. It boosts Physical Defense (greater), Magic Defense (greater), Resistance to Status Ailments (greater), and it’s Non-Degrading. Plus, each one also boosts one of your core stats by (greater).」
「Four greater stat boosts in one accessory…」
「And Non-Degrading too? That’s nutsssu…」
「Something this good… doesn’t it have any drawbacks?」
Drawbacks… huh.
If I had to say, maybe that it’s bound to the user?
I don’t think there’s any stat penalties or anything like that.
「Well, technically, they’re treated as exclusive gear. I engraved your names on the back, so the effects won’t activate unless it’s used by the person it was made for.」
「Wha…」
「Exclusive… my lord, you made these just for us…」
「My liege!」
「Uwooooh…」
All three of them lunged at me with a hug.
Even through the armor, it actually kinda hurt more than it felt good.
And hey, I almost dropped them! Watch it!
「Thank you!」
「Yeah, of course. Take good care of them, alright?」
「Obviously! I’ll keep it on me at all times!」
Well… you could take it off when you’re in the bath or something?
No wait, being completely naked is great and all, but maybe one item for flavor… might actually work…
「My lord…」
「Whoa whoa whoa, hold on, what’s wrong!? Why are you crying!?」
「Buhh… I hit you today… and now I’m just so happyyyy…」
Ahh… I mean, I’m honestly really glad she’s that happy, but…
Her clothes! They’re going to be drenched with tears and snot!
「I told you, it was mutual… geez… there, there. You’ll accept it, right?」
「Ye-he-hees! Thank youuuu!!!」
Crying and smiling at the same time.
There, there.
「My liege… I’m truly happy. Thank you.」
「Yeah. I’m just glad it made you happy. Makes all the effort worth it.」
「You even made them while you were so busy. I’ll treasure it.」
Haha… man, this is embarrassing.
Alright, let’s peel them off and hand these over.
「Um… if possible, could you put it on for us?」
「Yeah, sure. Okay then, line up.」
At my words, the three of them lined up side by side.
Let’s start with Renge.
「Renge, this one’s yours. I made it with you in mind, always cheerful, your smile bright and warm like the sun, like a flower in bloom.」
「Ehehe… that’s embarrassing…」
Renge kept squirming, making it hard to fasten the clasp.
Hey, quit moving…
「Master, nn…」
「Alright, it’s done」
「…You’re so mean」
I mean, we can’t really do that kind of thing out in the open, right?
Save it for when you get back.
Next up is Aina.
「Aina, you’re definitely fire. A flame carved into form, steady and unwavering. It never goes out. I thought that suited your earnest, straightforward, passionate nature」
「Fire has always been something I despise, but… hearing that from you, my liege, it makes me feel genuinely happy」
「No matter what fire might mean to you, Aina is Aina to me」
「Fufu… thank you, my liege」
Aina lifted her long hair to make it easier for me to clasp the necklace around her neck.
「…How is it?」
With a soft swish, she let her hair fall and gave a gentle spin to show it off.
「It suits you really well」
「Fufu, even if we’re apart, with this, I’ll still feel close to you」
Aina kept stroking the necklace gently, as if committing the feeling to memory.
「Um… last is Sorte, then…」
「Hmm…」
She puffed out her chest and looked up at me with moist, glistening eyes.
There were no tears now, but her gaze still shimmered.
「Crybaby」
「Shut up… it’s fine, isn’t it? If they’re happy tears」
「Yeah, it’s fine. I’m glad, really」
I gave her a light pat on the head and reached around to fasten the clasp from behind, but for some reason, every time I tried to connect it, Sorte kept moving.
「You know, I’m just… really, really happy that you made something this wonderful for us, with so much care and thought. I can’t even put it into words」
While she spoke, I hadn’t realized how close her face was getting.
「I get it, so stop moving…」
「That’s why…」
「It’s hard to attach, mmph!?」
「「「「Ahh!」」」」
…It lasted maybe a second, if that.
I had been crouching to fasten the necklace, but Sorte had stretched up as much as she could, pressing her lips to mine.
With a gentle pull away, Sorte stepped back.
At the same time, the necklace had been successfully clasped.
「Ehehe」
「You little…」
「It couldn’t be helped. I just really wanted to do it. I didn’t know how else to show how grateful I was!」
Sorte spun around and gave a wide, carefree grin like a child whose prank had just succeeded.
「Geez! That’s not fair! Sorte, you said we’d wait until everything was done firstssu!」
「Exactly, Sorte! We agreed to do things properly!」
「I told you, I just couldn’t help myself」
「Don’t end it with ‘‘couldn’t help myself’!’ Come on! Wendy, you’re the current legal wife candidate, right? Say somethingssu!」
「Eh, eh? Legal wife? Me? Is that really okay?」
No comment.
I’m not one to plant seeds of conflict.
「I meant ‘from my perspective!’ Please don’t latch onto that!」
「Um, but… whether it’s good or bad, it’s up to Master to decide, right…？」
If we’re going by good or bad, then of course it’s good.
Yes, absolutely.
In fact, if it’s anyone in this group, I’d welcome them any time, anywhere.
「What are you saying!? If this keeps up, big-breasted legal wife Wendy is gonna lose her position to little tsundere Sortessu! This is a major crisis where master’s tastes could changessu!」
「Hah! S-Sorte-san! You mustn’t go around kissing men without warning like that!」
「What are you talking about, Wendy? I ‘know’, you know? After my lord falls asleep… after you’ve ‘done it’, every single night…」
「S-Sorte-san!? W-What exactly are you trying to say!?」
Hm?
What’s this now?
This sounds interesting.
Let’s leave ‘that’ aside for now, but every night?
Come on, Sorte! Keep going!
「Hmmh, while lord is asleep, she does it again and again…」
「Shiro, you know too!?」
「Of course」
「How!? I always make sure everyone’s asleep first, wait… have you all been pretending to sleep!?」
「Since I’m on the oppai team, I figured I’d back Wendy. Yeah. If it’s Wendy, I think my liege wouldn’t mind her doing ‘that’ kind of thing」
「Aina-san, too!? This isn’t about permission or not! I don’t want him to think I’m some indecent woman!」
「Hmm… honestly, I was pretending to be asleep and grinding my teeth from jealousy, but if we’re allowed to do ‘that’ when we get back, then I’m inssu」
「That’s right. Compared to ‘that’, what I did was nothing at all」
「Wait a sec. That and this are totally different issues!」
Yeah.
Mushy goodbyes really don’t suit us.
It’s better like this, loud and lively, with everyone talking over each other.
So hurry back.
I’ll be waiting.
「Well then, take care」
「「「We’ll be back soon!」」」
Leave a Reply