Going to the Yggdra Great Forest means I need to deliver a large batch of potions to the Adventurers Guild in advance.
That is why we came to the guild, but even though we were only away for a short while, it feels like it has been a long time.
Let me see. I wonder if everyone is doing well?
「Heeey. I’m here to deliver the potions.」
「Ohh! Nii-chan! It’s been a while!」
「Yeah, long time no see. I was away for a bit.」
The one who called out was the usual guy.
Seriously, he is always here whenever I come. Do you actually go on quests?
Well, it is nice to see his energetic face, at least.
Still, there are quite a lot of people in the guild today.
Especially a lot of beastkin.
……And for some reason, I feel like I am being watched. What is that about?
Are the guys from the 『Mizera-chan Protection Squad』 plotting something again?
「I heard from Mizera-chan and Aina-san that you went on a trip. This time it was Amatsukuni, right? You went even further west than the empire?」
「Yeah, that’s right. It was a special place for us drifters. We also got to eat a lot of delicious food.」
「I see. Nii-chan, you seem to like expeditions more than regular adventuring.」
「Well, yeah. Seeing all kinds of things is fun.」
Just the scenery of another world is exciting enough, but when the country changes, the characteristics change even more, so it is definitely enjoyable.
「Expeditions are pretty dangerous, aren’t they? Even though you’re so weak…… Having Aina-san and the others as escorts is such a luxurious sightseeing trip.」
Shut up.
I am trying my best, you know.
Maybe not as much as Shiro, though……
「Ah, by the way, I’m planning to go out again.」
「You’re going somewhere again!? You really love traveling, huh……」
「That’s why I brought a lot more potions today. The place we’re heading to this time is the Yggdra Great Forest.」
「Yggdra…… The elf forest, huh. Nice…… Good for the eyes…… Wait, you don’t need that, nii-chan.」
「What are you even saying? That’s one thing, and this is another——」
「Onii-saaaaaan!!!!」
Cutting off my words, the one who vigorously threw open the door of the Adventurers Guild and came running in was Mii.
She headed straight toward me.
「Ah, hey Mii, wait!」
Following right behind Mii, Sorte and Renge also burst in energetically.
I had heard they would come later, but why are they in such a hurry? I exchanged glances with the guy.
Also, Hayato was supposed to come too. Did they leave him behind?
「It’s useless even if you ask masterssu!」
「We won’t know unless we actually ask nano desu!」
「I already know! In fact, you’re probably the worst one……」
「Why is that!? Mii is good friends with onii-san!」
「That might be true, but that’s not the problem heressu!」
Hmm……? I cannot follow the flow of the conversation, but it seems Mii wants to ask me for something.
And for some reason, the two of them are already saying no in advance……
Hey, you there, guy. Wait a second.
Do not try to slip away with that nice smile!
You were acting like you were giving up your seat, but you’re clearly just running away because you do not want to get involved in trouble!
I want to go that way too…… Stop waving your hand telling me not to come…… I won’t give you any souvenirs! ……Haa.
「……So, what exactly is all this commotion about?」
「It’s about tails!」
「Tails……? !!!」
The moment the word “tails” came out, I felt the gazes around me suddenly grow much stronger, and a chill ran down my back!
What is going on? I looked around, but the beastkin were pretending to be calm…… Yeah, that’s obviously an act.
None of them can hide how strangely their tails are moving.
Everyone’s tails are swishing and flicking. Cute.
「Sorte’s and Renge’s tails are so beautiful nano desu! I suspected something was going on and pressed them about it, and they told me onii-san is the one making them beautiful! And not only that, all the beastkin in this guild have beautiful tails nano desu!?」
She is staring at me as if asking “Don’t tell me you did all of them!?” Well, yeah…… I am the one doing it, more or less……
The beastkin around us also have various expressions. Some look a little proud, while others are trying to hide their faces.
「So it is not just Sorte and Renge!? Then Mii wants you to do hers too no desu!」
「It is true that I tidy up the tails of the beastkin in this guild when I have free time, but…… Mii…… Mii, huh……」
「I-Is it no good!? Is Mii the only one it is no good nano desu!?」
「That’s what I told you, right? Mii is no good.」
「Whyyy nano desu!? If it is only Sorte and the others who are special, I could understand! But if you are doing it for other people too, then you should be able to do Mii’s as well nano desu!」
Yeah, well.
It is not like Sorte and Renge are the only special ones or anything.
「No no, tails are important to beastkin, right? You normally only let someone you really trust or a professional touch them……」
「Mii trusts onii-san!」
「Well, I’m happy to hear that, but…… Hmm…… Then, if Hayato says it’s okay——」
「No way!」「No goodssu!」
「Eh?」
I got an immediate and firm rejection from the side……
I thought if Hayato said it was fine, Mii would probably accept it, but the refusal came from these two instead.
「My lord, have you forgotten? What happens to beastkin after they receive my lord’s grooming……」
「Eh? Ahhh…… Ahhh…… Yeah.」
「Can you really do that to Mii?」
「Yeah. No, that won’t do.」
「Why not nano desu!? Didn’t it seem okay for a second just now!?」
No, yeah. Sorry.
That really is no good.
Yeah. Turning Hayato’s lover into a melted, moaning mess by making her tail feel too good is absolutely not allowed!
It is unfortunate for Mii, but she will just have to accept it here.
「Uuuu! That’s not fair!」
「I wondered why the guild was so noisy…… Mii? What’s wrong? You’re making such a fuss. You mustn’t trouble Itsuki-san, okay?」
Ooh, perfect timing. As expected of the hero.
He really knows when to show up.
And listen to the adventurers murmuring.
『It’s S-rank adventurer Lord Hayato……』
『Hero Hayato…… No way. He’s even more handsome than the rumors……』
『So that’s the Dragon Slayer…… What an aura.』
『So it really was true that he’s friends with nii-chan……』
Fufuun.
I am not exactly borrowing the tiger’s might as a fox, but my friend really is amazing.
And just by acting close to him, my own reputation goes up too.
As expected, Hayato!
「Hayato-samaaaー! Sorte and Renge are being mean to me no desuuu!」
Oops, right.
That was the main topic.
Well, now that Hayato is here, she will probably have no choice but to accept it.
「Eeeh…… I do not think Sorte-san and the others would do something like that…… What happened? Can you tell me?」
「Mii wants onii-san to make Mii’s tail beautiful too no desu! Sorte and Renge and all the beastkin in this guild got theirs done, so it is not fair no desu!」
「Tails? Eh…… Wow, it is true. I knew about Sorte-san and Renge-san’s, but everyone else’s looks beautiful too. Did Itsuki-san groom all of them?」
「Yeah…… Pretty much.」
「As expected of Itsuki-san. You really can do anything! So then…… why is Mii no good? I have heard that tails are very important to beastkin, but if Mii is okay with it, I think it would be fine to leave it to Itsuki-san……」
「No way! Absolutely not!」
「Hayato. I am saying this for your own good, so you should just give up.」
「Why is it no good? Is Mii the only one who cannot have it done?」
「Uuuu……」
Ah, please do not make such a sad face……
Of course I want to make it beautiful for you, but……
「Well, you see…… Umm…… I am happy that you trust me that much, but…… that is……」
How am I supposed to explain this?
If I say that once I groom the tail, she will turn into a melted, moaning mess…… will that get the point across?
Will they not think I am crazy?
「……Excuse me. May I say something?」
Nn? Eh…… You are the kukoro* fox-earkin from that time……
TN: It’s a combination of “Kuh…korose(Ugh…just kill me)”. So, she’s the type that says that.
Sorry, I am a bit occupied right now, but is there some urgent matter?
「I have been listening to the conversation. Would it not be easiest to solve this by showing what happens……? Though I am unworthy, I will receive grooming from this man. If everyone sees the result, I believe it will settle the matter.」
「Eh, I do think that would be the most convincing way, but……」
「Are you sure? Let me warn you, my lord who just came back from Amatsukuni is on a completely different level from before, okay?」
Hey, hey, do not exaggerate so much.
It is true that I groomed all eight magnificent tails of Kukuri-sama, the fox-shrine-maiden, so my skill has improved somewhat, but it is not to the point where Sorte needs to say it with such emphasis.
「I do not mind. If I can be of help to Sorte-san, whom I respect, then by all means!」
Ooh…… So the kukoro fox-ear lady is offering to demonstrate what happens by receiving it herself.
That is very kind of her, but…… is it just my imagination, or did the gazes from behind suddenly grow much stronger?
「Kuh…… She got ahead of me……」
「I-If we are going to prove it, wouldn’t it be better to have two people!?」
「B-But I heard it is on a completely different level from before, right? I drank a lot of alcohol earlier…… I feel like I am going to embarrass myself……!」
「Kuh…… The toilet! Ha! There is already a line!」
「Idiot! You should have made a reservation first! Onii-saaan! Next! Please do me next, uboooaaah!」
「As if I would let you! Me! I will be firs―― zzzZZZZ」
「Fufu. I slipped in a sleeping drug. Now then, I…… will…… i- idiot…… There was no smell at all――」
「Ufufu. Never let your guard down. It is a paralyzing drug. A high-class, odorless one specially made by Reinrich-sama! Ohohohoho!」
……It was not my imagination after all.
Also, slipping someone drugs is a crime, you know. Medicine is bad. Absolutely.
It seems the reason I felt so many beastkin gazes was that the adventurers who saw Sorte and Renge’s even more radiant tails after we returned from Amatsukuni had been waiting for me to arrive.
Wow, this is troubling.
I have somehow become incredibly popular with beastkin.
I could fluff to my heart’s content!
「……Fufu. Well, I may have been beaten to the punch, but I will still confirm it for myself. The technique that was used even on the fox-shrine-maiden-sama, which I learned about through my information network…… Let me experience it.」
It looks like the kukoro fox-ear lady was also one of the people waiting.
She really is quick to seize an opportunity.
Still, it actually helped me out.
In that case, I will give her a proper, thorough grooming as thanks!
-0-
Five minutes later——
「Au au…… Ahie……」
「……Helloー? Can you understand meー?」
「Uaa……? Aue……」
「Ah…… Um, would it be bad if I continued?」
「It would be really bad! Stop for this girl’s sake!」
「Master…… You have no mercy at all…… You went way too serious……」
I see…… It ended up halfway done, but going any further would probably damage kukoro-san’s dignity……
Well, I did make sure no one else could see, though……
「……I see. So this is what it is like……」
「It is a mystery nano desu…… Tails are not supposed to do this nano desu…… How disappointing nano desu……」
W-Well, it looks like they somehow understood.
That’s right. I will lend you the tools later, so you can have Hayato do it for you.
I think affection is more important than technique!
This is different from cooking, you know! Completely different!
Now then, dear beastkin.
After hearing kukoro-san’s impression, if you still want it, I will do it…… but next time we will have to do it at my house or rent a private room……
It is about time we left……
I have only a vague idea of what we are going to do in the elf forest, though……
Leave a Reply