「Ahh, my apologies. It was quite a long journey, you see…」
The old man entered the living room looking completely refreshed.
While he was bathing, I had already finished preparing the grooming tools and trimming equipment, so everything was ready.
By the way, I had been holding Shiro in my arms the entire time I was setting up, and when I finally placed her on the sofa in front of me, she continued sleeping soundly.
「Please, have a seat. I’ve got some cold drinks as well.」
「Ohh, how kind of you.」
On the table were some easy-to-eat fruits and drinks.
Hmm… I must have rested well today, because I feel strangely motivated, almost restless, like I can’t sit still without doing something.
He mentioned a long journey, so he must’ve come from quite far away.
I don’t usually offer my services openly, but since this elderly gentleman went through the trouble to visit, I can’t just turn him away.
「Hmm, your shoulders seem rather stiff. Is that from the long trip?」
「Ahh, no, this is something that troubles me regularly… Wha….!? I couldn’t possibly ask you to massage me!」
「Don’t worry about it. You’re not young anymore, so please, let me. And besides, the best time to loosen up the muscles is right after a bath.」
Still… this one’s a tough case.
These knots must have built up over years.
If I press directly on the sore spots, it’ll only cause inflammation, so I’ll take my time working around them instead.
「Ooohhh… this is… incredible… You’re quite skilled…」
He tried to resist at first, but after the first and second knead, he was done for.
I could feel the tension melting out of his body.
「You must be tired. It’s fine if you fall asleep.」
「Hah! N-no, I couldn’t possibly… Still, ngh… guuuhhh…」
He shook his head in an effort to stay awake, but it was futile.
Fatigue was written all over his face, and my hands, enhanced by high DEX and countless grooming sessions with beastfolk, had long mastered the art of ultimate comfort.
「I’ll wake you once I’m done. I’ll just trim the length a little, would that be alright?」
「Mmm… ahh… forgive me… please… do as you… see… fit……」
Letting out a peaceful sigh, the old man slowly drifted into slumber.
He must’ve been utterly exhausted.
Since he still had a journey ahead of him, it would be best for him to rest here for now.
With that thought, I focused my mind and continued carefully loosening his body.
I can’t afford to mess up the cut, so for now I’ll just even out the length and trim around the eyes, his current bangs are definitely blocking his vision.
I’d already made a pair of scissors and thinning shears while he was in the bath.
I could hear the old man’s steady breathing as he slept.
Alright then, after a few warm-up flicks of my wrists, let’s begin the grooming.
-0-
Two hours later…
「Phew……」
Done at last…
Ahhh, I’m exhausted!
Oh right, Shiro’s still sleeping on the sofa.
I moved her gently to the side and sat down, only for her to immediately shift and rest her head on my lap.
Well, I’ll accept my role as her pillow for now.
Taking a sip of my now lukewarm drink, I admired the old man’s transformation before me.
If I do say so myself, it turned out beautifully.
It’s hard to believe that he was that scruffy just a short while ago.
His tail now had a glossy shine, his hair was neatly trimmed, and his beard radiated quiet dignity.
His ears hung gracefully, giving him both refinement and warmth.
Honestly, he looked ten, no, fifteen years younger.
A job well done.
Yes, I’m satisfied.
Still, the old man’s clothes, though a little worn from travel, seemed quite fine in quality.
Could he have come here through Iris’s connection?
If it were Iris, she would have sent word via the guild card, though…
Well, whoever sent him doesn’t matter.
Once he arrived here looking like that, there was no way I could just leave him as he was.
「Excuse me. Master, what would you like to do about dinner?」
「Ah, I’ll wait until the old man wakes up. We’ll eat together.」
Wendy and Mizera had come by earlier to tell me dinner was ready, but I was in the middle of the cut, so I asked them to go ahead without me.
I’m hungry, but first, I’ll wake the old man.
「We’re back! Everyone’s here?」
「Ah, welcome back, everyone.」
「We’re back. My liege, here’s the material we gathered today.」
「Welcome back, and thanks.」
It looked like Aina and the others had just returned from their quest.
I took the magic bag filled with today’s collected materials.
「I’m backssu! I’m starving! Bath first, then food, oh….. hey, do we have a guest?」
「Yeah. He came for grooming, so I cleaned him up. I haven’t eaten yet either, so I figured we’d share dinner with him.」
「Oh, I see! So master’s skill has finally spread beyond adventurers… spread… wait, huh? Huhhh?」
「What’s wrong?」
Renge peered down at the sleeping old man’s face, tilting her head again and again.
…Could it be that she actually knew him?
「Huh? Gramps…? Nah, Gramps’s way more wrinkly and doesn’t dress this fancy… Must be my imaginationssu!」
「Mm… Mmm… Ahh, seems I dozed off… My apologies… princess!!?」
The old man, half-awake, looked around for me, but when his eyes landed on Renge, he froze mid-sentence, then suddenly shot upright, eyes wide open.
…Princess?
「Oh, so it really ‘is’ Gramps. What’s upssu? You suddenly got into fashion and came all the way here to see master or something?」
「What are you talking about!? This is an emergency! A critical situation! A matter of utmost urgency! And fashion, fashion has nothing to do with me!」
「Hey! You’re spitting everywheressu! And what’s with shouting like that out of nowhere!? Do you even realize where you are!? You can’t just yell like that in someone else’s house, think of the neighbors!」
No, if we’re talking about noise levels, Renge’s voice is definitely the louder one here.
And as for “neighbors”, one side is Iris’s empty house, and the other has the adorable tanuki girls standing guard in shifts.
So yes, ’both’ of you, quiet down!!
「And why are you even here, Gramps!? What about taking care of Koren!? Wait… don’t tell me you got fired? I can’t hire you, you know!?」
「I most certainly was ‘not’ fired! Koren-sama remains in the castle, diligently attending to state affairs! …Granted, I was granted an extended leave of absence, but still…」
「See! You ‘were’ forced to take time offssu! That’s what happens when you keep nagging and scolding everyone nonstop! Even I don’t like that part of youssu!」
「Guh…! B-Being disliked comes with the territory of being a caretaker! And you, how many times have I told you to fix that speech of yours, Princess!? You should behave in a manner befitting the princess of Roukaku….」
「Ah-ah-ah! So now you’re criticizing my individualityssu!? Do you have any idea how hard it is to build up one’s personalityssu!?」
「Nuuuuu! Enough! We’re going back to Roukaku immediately!」
Renge suddenly realized her wrist had been grabbed.
I, too, had been momentarily frozen, watching their shouting match unfold, but seriously, ‘hold on a second here!’
「W-Wait, wait, wait, ‘wait a second’!」
「Ah, Lord Master. You have my deepest thanks for your hospitality. As for your reward, we shall discuss it later by letter! Roukaku is the Land of Jewels, so please do look forward to it! Now then, if you’ll excuse us…」
「Forget the jewels, just ‘let go’ of Renge’s hand first! I don’t understand ‘anything’ that’s going on here, so could you ‘please’ start explaining!?」
「Explaining…? Explaining what, exactly?」
「Everything… all of it…」
Everything from the very beginning, old man!
What’s this about her being a ‘princess’, what’s their relationship, who’s this Koren person, where’s Roukaku, and why the hell are you trying to drag Renge back there!?
「Huh…? I was under the impression that you already knew everything when you invited me in, Lord Master?」
「No, I thought you came to get ‘groomed’! That’s all!」
Looking back now, how did I ‘not’ realize something was off?
Not even adventurers come all the way to my house for a grooming session!
「Grooming…? Hm? Now that you mention it, my head ‘does’ feel lighter. My vision’s clearer than usual… Oh ho! My shoulders move freely again!」
「Gramps, you look so cool right nowssu! Wanna see yourself in a mirrorssu?」
At those words, Wendy gasped and dashed off to her room, quickly bringing back a mirror and holding it up so the old man could see his reflection.
「Who is this distinguished gentleman…? W-Wait a moment! T-This, this is me!?」
「Sure is! Master’s grooming skills are now the pride of Einzheil, no, of the entire kingdomssu! There’s a waiting listssu, so you should really be grateful!」
Hold on, ‘waiting list’? That’s the first I’ve heard of that.
I’ve only ever done it when I happened to be at the Adventurers’ Guild and felt like it!
…Wait. Don’t tell me there really ‘is’ a queue forming somewhere!?
「Hmm. I used to think haircuts were a waste of time… but this feels wonderful! Never imagined I’d look so young again. And to think, even my chronic shoulder pain has vanished, thanks to you!?」
「Fufufu…..master’s hands are divinessu! Fall asleep under those hands and it’s like magic! Fatigue, muscle aches, shoulder stiffness, bruises, chills, even insomnia, ’gone’! Truly the hands of God!」
「Even insomnia!? You must let Koren-sama experience this miracle! She’s been sleepless lately from overthinking…!」
「Okaaaay, ‘stop right there!’ None of my questions are being answered at all! Can we please just sit down and ‘talk calmly’ for a minute!?」
If I don’t interrupt ‘now’, this geezer’s just going to get worked up again, try to drag Renge off, and we’ll be right back where we started!
Forget the mood, forget the clichés, this conversation needs a ‘hard reset’!
Leave a Reply