「「「「「「「Thank you very much! 」」」」」」」
All of us bowed deeply as we saw off the very last customer.
And the moment they disappeared from sight, everyone just collapsed to the ground.
「Haah… It’s finally over…」
I’m exhausted…
The sky’s completely dark now…
Even Iris-sama and Sicilia-sama had already gone home.
I handed them each some cotton candy as a souvenir, but I wonder if they really just came to relax?
Well, whatever. I’m too tired to think about it anymore.
「Hmm… I’m so tired…」
「Yes… but I’m glad all the customers seemed satisfied…」
In the end, the line never stopped, but it’s a relief that we didn’t have to disappoint anyone.
The materials are completely gone, my energy is nearly empty, yeah, I’m running on fumes.
「Hey, hey! Great work out there!」
Origol came walking over with a cheerful smile and a wave… followed by Meira, staggering like a ghost.
She looks even more exhausted than when I last saw her.
Don’t tell me she kept working after that?
「Meira, are you alright…?」
「Haaah… I’m exhausted… I can’t go on anymore desu wa… I’ll be taking some time off…」
「Y-yeah… that’s a good idea…」
「But, I earned quite a lot these past three days… ufufufu…」
She’s smiling, but there’s no life behind that smile.
So, this is what it really means to earn money, huh… it’s rough.
「Ahahaha… I ‘did’ try to stop her, you know? Told her it wasn’t urgent and she could deal with it later.」
「If I leave something unfinished, I can’t sleep… It’s better to push through and get it done…」
No, seriously, if it ‘can’ wait, then let it wait.
Pushing yourself too hard isn’t good.
Life’s about balance, between work and play.
「You all look pretty wiped out too, huh, onii-chan?」
「Yeah… I’m beat. I have newfound respect for the stall vendors who do this every day…」
From now on, I’ll treat them with more appreciation.
To the old guy who always makes me beef skewers and white bread, thank you.
Next time, I’ll bring you some high-grade healing patches as thanks.
「Well, there’s a lot to talk about regarding sales and such, but you should rest up for today.」
「Yeah… first things first, I need a bath…」
「For me, this truly is the end… Please, take me with you…」
「Of course, Meira. You’ve done well. Let’s go together.」
「Thank you so much…」
「I’d love to go too, but the festival still has its night program. As lord of the territory, I have to see it through to the end, so I’ll have to pass this time…」
Origol let out a long sigh from the depths of her heart.
She didn’t show it on her face, but she was clearly exhausted too.
I’ll have to invite her to the hot springs once everything’s wrapped up.
And so, we decided to leave the cleanup for tomorrow and head straight to the hot springs together…
-0-
「Nnh… haah, aah… ahhh…」
「Don’t make sounds like that…」
「But your hands, your fingers, they feel so good, I can’t help it… nnh… ah…」
As I kneaded upward from her calves to the base of her thighs, Meira let out a sultry moan, clearly overwhelmed by the pleasure.
「Haaah… it feels heavenly desu waaa… I’m sorry, you must be tired too…」
「You helped me a lot, Meira. Think of it as a thank-you. It’s no trouble at all.」
Besides, giving a massage to a beautiful woman like this was enough to recharge my energy on its own.
Even if my body was worn out, a man could still move as long as his spirit was alive!
「If I can get a reward like this, I’ll work as hard as it takes…」
There’s a limit to that, you know.
Still, her shoulders were really stiff…
She’s still in her teens. There’s no reason someone her age should have such bad shoulder tension. Just how much work did she do these past few days?
「Lately, I’ve even been getting headaches… Ahh, but that feels so good around my shoulders desu waaa… ahh, right there, please…」
「Here?」
「Y-yes… right there desu waa…」
Just inside the shoulder blades, huh.
That spot gets stiff easily.
Still, I couldn’t press too hard, so I poured a little slime lotion over her skin to use as oil.
「Hmmm, haaah… this oil feels wonderful desu wa…」
「It’s slime lotion mixed with the hot spring water and some Yggdrasil leaves and nectar. It’s great for relieving fatigue.」
「I see… and the way you stirred it was rather unique too…」
「…」
Yeah, well… there’s a bit of an art to it.
When mixing lotion, you stretch your fingers and swirl them lightly through the liquid, drawing in air while cooling it to body temperature.
It’s actually kind of fun once you get the hang of it.
「Ah, by the way, ahh, what will you do about the cotton candy sales?」
「Hmm… I don’t really feel like handling it myself. Maybe someone else will take over if I release the rights?」
「I… I think so… ahh… Since it became a specialty of the region… nn… there should be many who’d want to take it on. Mmh… and it would be good for the city to have more jobs as well desu wa…」
I guided Meira’s head gently forward and pressed my thumbs into the base of her neck, working slowly along the tense muscles.
She must’ve been doing a lot of desk work lately, her neck and shoulders were badly stiff.
Next would be her lower back, hips, and pelvis area…
「Aah… haah, your pressure is perfect desu wa… mmh! Nnhaa… But are you sure about this? The technique itself was your idea, so you could have kept the rights all to yourself, couldn’t you?」
「I think I’ve had enough of running a shop for now. Working non-stop like that just doesn’t suit me. I’d rather make my living selling, leasing, or repairing magic tools. Feels more my style.」
「What a waste… but then again, if you monopolized it, every day would end up like today for a while, wouldn’t it?」
「Exactly. That would be rough.」
Even today was exhausting enough…
If the first day of the festival had been that busy, I doubt I’d have lasted through to the third.
I’m not about to say it out loud, but maybe I’ll treat that adventurer to a drink sometime…
「Well, that does sound like you. In that case, shall I handle the management for you?」
「You would?」
「Of course. I’m already in charge of the material supply routes, so it makes sense for me to manage the leasing contracts and repair requests too, doesn’t it? Naturally, I’ll take a commission.」
「Naturally. That works for me. I suppose all that’s left is to bring you along to the hot springs, right?」
「Precisely. You do understand me well. Then, I’ll bring a more detailed contract later so we can finalize it.」
「Got it. But don’t rush. Rest a bit more first.」
「No need to worry. Between your massage and the hot spring, I’ve recovered quite a lot already.」
Meira sat up on the portable bed, rolled her shoulders, and twisted her body a bit to loosen herself up.
As she moved, certain important parts came into view, but she didn’t seem to care in the slightest.
「Hmmm….! My body feels so light now desu wa. All that’s left is to get a good night’s sleep.」
She stretched her body out and exhaled softly. When she noticed my gaze, her lips curved, just for a moment, into a mischievous smile.
「Ara… what is it?」
「Ah, nothing…」
Then, still on the bed, Meira got down on all fours and faced me.
For some reason, though I had no problem admiring the view earlier during the massage, now it felt… dangerous, like a trap I was about to step into.
「Fufu. Did you really think I wouldn’t notice? You spent an awful lot of time on my hips and thighs, didn’t you? And your hands were oddly persistent there… I wonder what exactly you were looking at…?」
「Ah, well, that’s…」
「Fufu. It’s fine. I don’t mind… not if it’s you.」
Meira ran her tongue slowly over her lips.
The gesture carried a sultry charm far beyond her age, as though her allure itself had taken visible form in the air around her.
…She really is younger than me, right…?
「…are we going to let them be?」
「It isn’t proper… but we should be thankful of her, after all…」
「Meira-chan, you’re seriously steaming hot right nowssu.」
「Hey, don’t start anything here! Shiro’s right there, you know!」
「Hmm. Shiro doesn’t mind. It’s easier to slip by in the confusion.」
「Yeah, that’s… not sure if my liege will let it…」
……
Right. Of course, everyone’s here.
We all came to the hot spring together, didn’t we?
Not that it’s cold exactly, but the air around me feels different, almost as if Meira’s visible aura of allure had scattered away with the steam.
Well, the others are just soaking quietly, relaxing from the day’s exhaustion.
「Sigh… the mood’s been ruined now…」
「Haha… yeah…」
Part of me felt disappointed, partly relieved.
When Meira tried to step down from the portable bed, I reached out a hand so she wouldn’t slip.
Then she leaned close to my ear and whispered,
「Next time, just the two of us… all right?」
Startled, I looked at her face.
She was smiling with the sly delight of an adult plotting mischief, then turned toward the spring, scooping warm water from a bucket to rinse the oil from her skin.
「Ah, you’ll probably need to wipe the oil off with a cloth first, it won’t come off with water alone.」
「Ara? In that case, would you do it for me? That would complete your… thank-you, wouldn’t it?」
「…All right, fine.」
「Fufu. If your hands happen to wander somewhere they shouldn’t, I’ll close my eyes this time.」
She used to call me a pervert whenever I even looked at her funny, but I guess she really does mean what she said, she’ll do anything if it’s for her goal.
Well, if she’s giving permission, then I won’t hold back.
I flexed each finger, opening and closing them, loosening my hands for precision.
Time to give her a massage unlike any she’s had before, one that’ll feel like paradise.
…Even if it drains whatever energy I have left, at least she’ll get a good night’s sleep out of it.
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