Apocalypse Dark Elf Style -Magical Tribes Reincarnated in the Modern World - 14 - Chapter 2.8 Wanting Her Warmth

TL: Xean || ED: Cubic

TN: Yay Dark Fluff. Enjoy~

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─10 minutes later.

Even after we had arrived at the place, I still couldn’t decide if it was the right choice or not.

This was a really, really difficult question.

This was my first time visiting such a place. I knew for a long time places like these existed. I knew what it was used for. But I had no reason to go here. Or, to be more precise, I had no reason to go there yet. But, I can’t deny that I had thought I might someday need this place. Is that 『someday』 『now』?

It was basically a place where two people would go. A spacious, clean room. There was a TV with a large screen, a karaoke machine, and a wide variety of services to choose from. You can eat here. Sleeping here was also possible. And─

You could also make love here without any worries.

That’s right.

In short, this was a love hotel.

(Woahhhhh!?)

The two words ‘love hotel’ brought shivers down my spine.

Was this a continuation of last night? Was this the next step? Was that what this was about?

My mind was a complete mess. Sitting stiffly on the edge of the bed, I awkwardly turned my neck to observe my surroundings, trying to regain my composure while understanding the place a little better.

The ceiling and walls were decorated in an unusual way. The size of the bed was incomparable to what I have at home. There was also a large, soft leather sofa and on the table in front of it were a few files. They were instructions for using the room and remote control, as well as a list of cosplay costumes that were available for rent…

At the corner of the room, there was a shelf with a fashionable water heater on it. The shelf also doubled as a TV stand. Underneath it, was a cabinet. In it were a mini fridge and a coin operated vending machine—I knew because Sheena had opened the cabinet with great interest. As for the content they contained, I refused to think about it. From the bathroom, I could hear the faint sound of running water and Sheena humming. There was the sound of the bathtub being filled with hot water. I let my consciousness wander there.

No matter how many times I checked, this was unmistakably a love hotel.

I was dressed in casual clothes, but Sheena was wearing her gal uniform. This is a place where high school students were usually not allowed to enter, but for some reason, no one ever questioned us even after we came into this room. It was possible that they did not notice because the reception wasn’t the face to face sort of service, or perhaps they noticed but overlooked it. Or maybe it was because Sheena had used magic or something similar to trick the receptionist.

(How did… this happened…?)

To be honest, I had been thrown out of whack ever since Sheena had brought me here, and told me this place was necessary for me to recover. I asked for a reconsideration or an explanation of the situation in front of the hotel, but she half-heartedly forced me to check in, saying that,  「It can’t be helped since this is necessary」, 「You’re the one who made the decision」, and 「You told me that money is not a problem」.

I took several deep breaths, but still felt restless.

The sound of water coming from the bathtub suddenly stopped, and I had a feeling that something was about to happen. My heart palpitated more and more with each passing second.

“Well, well. It’s all set up. Let’s go.”

Sheena came out, opening the bathroom door. She was still in her school uniform because she had yet to take a bath. However, she had taken off her socks, and I could see drops of water rolling down her legs as well as her arms that had their sleeves rolled up.

I gulped at the sight of her and said.

“You know right? As I mentioned before, you know what this place is, don’t you?”

“It’s like a br*thel without women, right? A room for rent, purely for se*.”

How did she know that? Was that part of her basic knowledge from God? As expected, I still don’t understand the criteria at all.

But cursing God can wait for now.

There were more urgent things to deal with right now. So much for being able to turn a blind eye and avoid thinking about future plans. If the preparations have been completed, then something must have already started.

I steeled myself and looked right into Sheena’s face as I asked. It’s a fastball. There was no other way than being straightforward.

“Um… will we be doing that?”

“─”

Sheena stopped moving for a few moments.

“Pu-… Hahahaha!”

I was laughed at. This was the second time I had given her a good laugh, albeit unintentionally.

“No, yes, probably? What do you think? Sorry, my bad. Umm… To put it simply, the reason I brought you here was to take a bath with you. The treeman needs water, and the more the better. It’s even better if you can absorb it with your entire body instead of just drinking it through your mouth, and if I, the main body, can apply direct force to it, the results will be even more prominent. That’s what the bath is all about.”

“S-Seriously? That’s all?”

“That’s all. But, like I said yesterday, if you want to do it, I can─”

“Umm, that’s, well, why did we even bother coming here then? We could have done it at home!?”

“It’s better to have the biggest bathtub possible. The bathtub at your house is quite small. And then I remembered those guys who I sucked magic power from. They said that love hotels have bigger bathtubs, right? That’s why─”

The guys from the convenience store? Did they say anything about this? I didn’t remember anything at all. Or rather, this dark elf made such a bold move with just that little information?

“In that case, we could have searched for a normal hotel with a large bathroom instead of a love hotel…”

“Is that so? Well, it’s fine. Anyways, it’s all set and ready to go.”

Wait. I was relieved that it was different from what I expected, but on second thought, it wasn’t a situation where I should be relieved yet.

“Are we going to take a bath together… naked?”

“Well, of course. You’ll definitely be better off absorbing the moisture with your entire skin. I plan on joining you in the bathtub and let the magic flow out of me, so why don’t you take off your clothes? After all, I don’t want to get my clothes wet.”

The two of us, naked, in the same bathtub? Was this really a good idea? Not that I’m not happy about it, but was this okay?

My thoughts went in circles again. Various thoughts whirled in my mind.

“Come on, the hot water is already prepared, but if we leave it alone, it will get cold again. Let’s go.”

When I saw Sheena unbutton her uniform without any hesitation, my confusion turned into alarm. I looked around the room to see if there was any solution, and then – at the very last minute – I found it on the table.

“W-wait! At least wear this!”

I didn’t think I’d ever be grateful for cosplays.

I left my trousers on. I would have worn no trousers at home, but I had no choice.

After lightly cleaning myself off, I took a dip in the bathtub. The bathtub was large enough for me to stretch out my legs, and there was even a device in the tub that sprayed bubbles with a switch. It was certainly a lot bigger than the bathtub in my apartment.

The water was just the right temperature, and the heat from it made me sweat all over. I couldn’t say that I’d regained my composure. I had done everything I could, but the situation was still very difficult─

Then I heard the door of the bathroom open.

“Mu—You insisted, so I put it on. But it’s not so different from being naked, is it?”

There was Sheena, in a swimsuit cosplay that I had rented.

It was a white bikini swimsuit with very little fabric on both the top and bottom. It looked great against her healthy brown skin, in fact, it looked even more sensual than being completely naked…No. I tried to convince myself that I made the correct decision. Her chest—which was barely covered—was moored together by mere strings of fabric. It was stretched taut against her skin, leaving nothing for the imagination for what was underneath. It was just her deep cleavage that was revealed by the swimsuit, when I looked down, there was a beautifully shaped navel and below that, was another small, and triangularly shaped cloth. Sheena pulled at it dangerously, like it was digging into her.

“No, this is better than being naked. Maybe. Probably. Absolutely. I’m relieved. I like it better this way.”

“Really? As long as you can concentrate, that’s fine. Your condition is the most important thing after all.”

Sheena walked over to me and sat by the edge of the tub. Her beautiful brown feet dipped into the hot water I was bathing in, and for some reason she looked embarrassed by the contact with the rippling water. In the next instance, I suddenly felt the sensation of something warmer than the water I was submerged in.

“!?”

I thought she was supposed to sit across the bathtub.

Sheena grabbed me by the shoulders and slid her own body into the tub.

Facing the same direction, we are in close contact. Her body, and the soft swells of flesh that were covered by only a small piece of cloth was pressed against my back, making its elasticity known. Her smooth thighs that were hidden in the water rubbed against both sides of my waist and legs, to the point that I could envision them vividly. Why does this feel so good?

“Fwaa~ It feels good, doesn’t it…?”

The elongated voice came from behind. In contrast to me, she seemed to be quite relaxed.

“H-hey, Sheena. Can you go over there? It’s more spacious over there.”

“Hmm? No, I told you before, didn’t I? It’s more effective if we stay as close as possible… Do you not like it by any chance?

“I don’t mind it, but…”

“Then it’s fine. Your recovery is the top priority.  I couldn’t tell with your clothes on, but your shoulder is still pretty beat up. This really needs to be fixed.”

From behind, Sheena’s fingers traced the injury on my shoulder. I jolted but didn’t turn around. I heard the sounds of chuckling.

“Don’t be so nervous. Just relax, okay? The forest, the trees, they all need water to grow. And you are like them.”

She spoke gently, as if casting an incantation.

“I will now slowly release my magical power into the hot water. This will be the water that nourishes you. It’s the water that goes best with you, my partner. So don’t worry about it. Close your eyes, take a deep breath, and absorb it with all of yourself. Simply be aware of it. Then your body will respond to it─”

The water’s hot temperature. The heat. The warmth of her body that I could feel all over my back. It felt as if something was beginning to enter my body. The energy originated from her body, melted into the hot water, and permeated into my body. It was a thin, gentle warmth with a presence like a coating of milk.

What flowed inside of me seemed to radiate joy. Slowly, I felt what I was lacking being gradually replenished and filled by a steady stream. More and more. I close my eyes and tried not to go against the flow of the water of life that was seeping into my body─

I see, this certainly felt like it was speeding up my recovery rate. How much time would I need? I hazily wondered if I should extend our stay from an hourly one to an overnight one— then something happened, blowing away all my reasons.

The warm feeling from her bare body intensified.

“Rensuke”.

A breathy voice entered my ears, making me feel tingly and helpless.

“W-what i-is it, Sheena? A-are you being a little too heated right now?”

“… I thought I’d take it one step further. Right now, it’s important for us to be connected with each other. If you wish to connect with me physically, that’s also fine, but I don’t think it will be that simple considering it’s you. That’s why I wanted to ask you.”

After a short pause she spoke again softly.

“Today, what was the nightmare that woke you up?”

“───”

“Sometimes, no matter what kind of nightmare you’re having, if you tell someone about it, you’ll feel better. I’m just saying. If you aren’t willing, you don’t have to answer, but there’s no harm to me hugging you like this.”

I remembered the memory I had seen prior to waking up. It wouldn’t be strange if I had felt sick since I had unconsciously dragged up something I had forgotten, but that was not the case now.

It was because something contrary to the contents of the nightmare was engulfing me right now.

Warmth.

The temperature of the water, the magic, and her existence enveloped me. It was so comfortable and reassuring that drowsiness washed over as I immersed myself into this feeling.

She was an invincible guardian that overwhelmed the memories of imprisonment without warmth. Because I was protected and wrapped up by her,  I was able to say things that I had never said to anyone else before.

“… It was about my childhood, about my family. It may seem trivial to Sheena, but… My parents—my father—they were very strict. I don’t know if that’s a good thing or not, but I’ve been through a lot. That’s why I kept my hobbies and interests completely hidden even before I entered the knight school.”

“Hobbies, huh? You do seem to worry about it.”

“Being 『different from everyone』 else is a very bad thing. In this world, it’s rather bad to not be like everyone else. I suppressed my thoughts, my desires, my beliefs, everything…otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to continue my hobbies in secret.”

“Did your parents beat you up or something?

I showed a bitter smile and answered.

“No. There was nothing direct like that. They hardly showed that much enthusiasm. I was just… being managed, forced to redo things endlessly until they were satisfied. I was judged like a math question that would be marked with a cross if it was wrong. My parents were that kind of people.”

So I had no choice but to perfect lies. If I could truly become how they wanted me to be, then it would have been easier, but since I couldn’t, I had no choice but to make up a facade for the rest of the world to see.

“And here I am, just like that. I got into a knight school and started living on my own, and things have gotten a little better, but tests, school grades, friends, everything is a lie. My world was in that room, together with my collections. I try to forget about the outside world and the past, but I can’t, which is why I even dreamt about it─”

Surrounded by a rare warmth, my words came out in a hurry.

Was this alright? I guess it’s okay to talk about it. I don’t mind. It all happened a long time ago.

I felt Sheena’s arms tighten around me, just for a little bit.

“I see. You’ve been holding back… for a long time. This is why you looked so distressed when I first saw you.”

I was taken aback by her words.

My throat tightened from the feelings overflowing from my heart. It was something that couldn’t be put into words, something that would lose its preciousness if it were to be spoken aloud.She had given me it for the first time in my life.

Endure. Endure. It was shameful that I cannot endure it.

I struggled to control my trembling voice and managed to continue cheerfully.

“But it’s okay. I don’t really care about it anymore. Because I met Sheena. Sheena accepted me as who I am, as if I was a normal person…. that’s why I’ll be fine. That’s all.”

Because there was warmth now.

This felt a bit embarrassing, but I was reluctant to shy away, because for the first time in my life, I felt warmth right here.

“So I don’t care about the nightmares anymore. It doesn’t matter how many times I’ve had them, as long as Sheena is in front of me, it’ll be all cured. In fact, if my love for dark elves formed because of my family’s upbringing, then I feel like I should be thankful since I met Sheena as a result.”

That’s how it really was. The agony of being forced to compare yourself with others, the feeling of being suffocated without anyone to confide in; because of those days, I was able to have today, so I had not lived through them in vain. It was not pointless suffering but an ordeal for the warmth I feel now.

It was probably fated.

I had been in so much pain. I felt so guilty.

But because Sheena understood, and saw, that lonely path, even if just a little─

I’m proud of myself.

A faint laughter sounded beside my ears.

“That’s right. You really are a weird guy. So, I found out that… you have a lot of problems with your family in the past. Anyways, I’m really glad to learn more about you.”

“Yeah. I’m also glad that I could talk to you about…this.”

Is this what it feels like to have someone there for you?

I felt her heat on my back. That was only natural, since I was being held. But what I felt was more than just that.

The joy of being touched.

The joy of feeling warmth.

Completely different from the nightmare.

For the first time in my life, I felt as if I was truly loved. I gently placed my hands on her arms that were wrapped around my neck.

I wish for it with all my courage, even if I was not allowed.

I wish for that warmth.

She didn’t reject or question my actions. She only smiled at me as if it was natural.

“I really wonder. Why do people in this world have to build covert places like this to do it in secret? I mean, there’s nothing wrong with skinship. And I mean, it feels good.”

“Ye-…s, huh. No, it’s not really, I don’t know.”

Sheena began to move around. She threw her body forward and forcefully got a look at my face from the side. I saw her grinning face for the first time in a while.

“Then, when your shoulder heals, do you want to do it? Since we’re in a place like this…”

Again, various conflicting thoughts ran through my head, but in the end, I replied firmly.

“I… have a principle of saving my favorite dish for last.”

I exposed my lack of preparation.

A few hours later, I paid for the time we stayed and we left the hotel. I had fallen asleep in the tub, so we stayed longer than we originally planned to. But it was worth it, and the injury on my shoulder was essentially healed. The problem remaining was my soaking wet trouser.

“Okay, mission accomplished, I guess. The bath was refreshing.”

“I fell asleep… Did I fall asleep in the middle of speaking? I’m sorry if I did.”

“No. I was thinking about sharing things from my past with you as a return, but I decided not to because you were starting to doze off, and the story wasn’t exactly pleasant.”

“It’s fine. Maybe I would have jumped up to my feet after hearing it.” (TN: teasing Rensuke, I guess)

Sheena scrutinized me with one eye.

“I told you before, right? I like to have fun when it’s enjoyable and I don’t when it’s not. So, we’ll talk about that story at another time.”

Since she said this, there was no need to force her to talk. From past conversations, I could imagine that her life in the other world was very tough.

“Now that we’ve soak in hot water, my body is all warm and fuzzy. I just want to go home and sleep.”

“If you’re feeling sleepy, we could’ve just stayed overnight at the hotel.”

“I don’t want that. I’d rather sleep at your place.”

“Why? The bed was bigger at the hotel.”

She replied, as if the answer was obvious.

“Because your place is comfortable. I liked it there.”

My house, my refuge, the secret base where I hid all my hobbies.

I couldn’t help but feel happy knowing she likes it too.