Volume 2 Chapter 44: Massage

After finishing my bath and meal, I entered Mina’s room—a room much cuter than I had imagined.

The furniture and decor were undeniably girlish and adorable. In other words, this room was profoundly uncomfortable for me. My presence felt completely out of place, like an awkward intruder.

That said, it was a cozy space if you could overlook that detail. Though it was nighttime and hard to confirm, the room seemed spacious, well-lit during the day, and outfitted with a unique floor covered in tatami mats. They looked soft and inviting—perfect for lying down.

It was my first experience with tatami, and I thought, This isn’t bad at all. If I had the chance, I might even lay some tatami in my room at the White Road. Would it be rude to try lying down here for a moment? Probably. Definitely.

No, that would be far too bold. I should at least ask Mina for permission first.

“Alright, then, hand it over.”

“I don’t have any money.”

When I approached Mina to ask about lying on the tatami, she looked at me and said something baffling.

I instinctively bowed my head in apology. I hadn’t expected to be hit with a demand the moment I entered her room, but I wasn’t entirely unprepared. I had mentally braced myself for potential “inconvenience fees” or “room charges.”

“Why would you think I’m asking for money…?”

Mina sighed, placing a hand on her forehead in exasperation. Apparently, that wasn’t her intention. Then what was she asking for? I had no clue. As I hesitated, she folded her arms and let out a breath.

“Your Magis Gear Carriage. Summon it.”

“Why would you even—?”

I accidentally echoed her earlier words. This made no sense. Why would she want me to summon the carriage in her room? The idea was absurd.

Sure, the room was spacious enough to fit the carriage, but who in their right mind would summon a carriage indoors?

“Just do it already.”

“Ah, yes, ma’am.”

Overwhelmed by her stern tone, I reluctantly nodded. Well, it wasn’t that big of a deal. Considering all the trouble I’d caused Mina recently, summoning the carriage was a small price to pay.

“Oh, and leave out the horses.”

“Ah, yes, ma’am.”

What an oddly specific demand. Partially activating the Magis Gear wasn’t easy, but it wasn’t impossible either. Still, would it hurt to let the horses in? Sure, they looked a bit eerie, but they deserved some love. Not from me, though.

Grumbling silently, I complied with her request, summoning a horse-less Magis Gear Carriage into the space Mina had cleared.

The moment it appeared, Mina’s eyes sparkled. She eagerly climbed aboard.

“Ahh… this is heaven…”

Her delighted voice drifted out from the carriage‘s interior.

“What is this softness…? It’s so fluffy…”

Well, of course. Someone insisted on lavish interior design, so it’s incredibly plush. The downside is it consumes way too much mana, but hey, at least it’s worth it.

“Um… do you like it?”

“How could I not…? This is… amazing…”

Mina’s voice was soft and drowsy, as if she were already on the verge of sleep. She seemed thoroughly impressed by the carriage‘s design, originally tailored for the Manager. That was fine, but how long would I have to keep this thing summoned?

Though it wasn’t actively moving and thus wasn’t draining mana too quickly, it was still an ongoing expense. If this continued, I’d have to cut back elsewhere and subsist on “home cooking.” Not ideal.

“Mina, um…”

“What is it…?”

“Never mind.”

Her blissful tone made it impossible for me to voice any complaints.

Oh well. I’d let her enjoy herself for now. This level of indulgence was fine. If burning a bit of my mana could soothe her, I’d gladly accept it. After all, Mina deserved a moment of peace.

With that in mind, I lay down on the tatami.

As I thought, it wasn’t bad at all. Perfect for napping. Not that I could sleep right now.

Even so, sipping on a mana bottle and lying here, I felt something I hadn’t experienced since arriving at this mansion—a rare moment of calm.

Despite everything, I didn’t find Mina exhausting to be around. I liked people like her. Maybe we could become close friends—Mabudachi, as they say.

“So, that’s how you ended up here, huh?”

“Yeah…”

Mina and I had been chatting about what we’d been up to since graduating from the Magical Academy.

Having thoroughly enjoyed the carriage, she was now lying on the tatami a short distance from me, clutching a cushion. Her tail swayed slowly and lazily.

It turned out that Elle had invited Mina to become a Miner, and since she was already interested, they had formed a party called Spirit Wind. Together, they delved into the Excavation Sites, rapidly climbed the ranks, and eventually added members like Rett-kun, Kreis-san, and Sophie. Today, they were one of the top parties in the Capital City of Elist, aiming to reach S-Rank.

A truly admirable path.

As for me…

“Going with the flow, drifting aimlessly… Your life sounds like a slime’s.”

“Ah, yes.”

Reflecting on it again, I realized I agreed. I hadn’t been living a respectable life. I was a bona fide good-for-nothing.

But seeing me like that, Mina chuckled softly.

“Just kidding, dummy. If you really lived like a slime, there’s no way you could’ve beaten me.”

Should I tell her about the slime I recently fought? No, that was practically fighting a Divine Artifact. Besides, just remembering it leaves a bad taste in my mouth, so I’ll pass.

“Hey, what’s with you… Are you mad?”

“Huh? No… well… maybe a little.”

Remembering the slime incident, I must have looked grim and fallen silent, leading Mina to think she had upset me. I was about to deny it, but seeing her looking at me anxiously, a mischievous impulse arose.

I turned away, feigning indifference.

“I’m sorry, okay? I didn’t think you’d get angry—”

Then, as Mina crawled over hesitantly on all fours, I showed her my best funny face. One of my 108 secret techniques: the “Happy Face That Brings Fortune.”

“Just kidding—ow!”

As I was about to say that, Mina pinched my nose hard. Her eyes were fixed intently.

My inner voice screamed that I’d gone too far.

“A-are you mad? Are you mad at me…?”

“Hmm, not really?”

I asked in a nasal voice, seeking forgiveness, and Mina flashed an adorably sweet smile. She looked incredibly cute, but since my nose hurt like crazy, she was probably angry.

Then, releasing my nose, she grabbed both my cheeks firmly and started squishing them.

“I’ll just make your face even funnier.”

“Pwease, I beg you, pwease fowgive me…”

“Eh—nope.”

This exchange felt familiar. As I thought that and resigned myself, closing my eyes—

“Knock knock knock, knock knock knock.”

Instead of an actual knock, a flat voice softly came from beyond the door.

Even my unenhanced hearing could pick it up, so of course Mina noticed.

“She’s here!”

She quickly let go of me, and with an excited demeanor, ran to the door and opened it, inviting in the person who had… knocked?

Rubbing her cheek as she entered, I saw that it was Sophie, still in her maid uniform even at night.

“Sophie’s—Traveling Massage Service.”

Sophie said in her emotionless voice, wiggling her fingers as she spoke.

◇

“Mm… ah…”

From beyond the folding screen set up near the center of the room, I could occasionally hear highly suggestive sounds that were bad for my heart.

This folding screen was something Mina had set up, a necessity given that we were sleeping in the same room.

However, now the screen that was supposed to serve as a boundary was instead contributing to an indecent atmosphere in the room.

“Ahh…! So—Sophie… there… ahh…!”

Massage, it’s just a massage. What’s happening beyond that screen is just a massage, right? Please, my imagination, take a break. Instead, let my steely reason work overtime.

As I spent my time in silent turmoil, a particularly passionate sound echoed in the room, and shortly after, one or two of the screens were moved aside.

Sophie appeared, noticing me holding my head in my hands, and bowed politely.

“Thank you for waiting. It’s your turn next, Master.”

“M-Mina is…?”

“She has retired for the night.”

“Ah, I see.”

Following Sophie’s gesture, I saw Mina sleeping soundly on the bed, drooling with a blissful expression on her face, as if she had reached heaven. I wondered if she could return to reality.

According to Mina, Sophie’s massages were a specialty of Spirit Wind. She would show up almost daily, even unasked, to provide an exquisite massage.

Utilizing her healing attribute, the massage would relieve tension from deep within the body—from the very knots in one’s mana—providing an indescribable pleasure and leaving the body feeling astonishingly light. Once experienced, Mina said, one couldn’t imagine life without Sophie’s massages. Is this some kind of dangerous drug?

“Now, please come this way.”

Having quickly prepared and downed a mana bottle, Sophie wiggled her fingers as she beckoned me. She seemed to drink mana bottles at every opportunity. Demons aren’t supposed to run out of mana that easily, but does massage consume that much mana? It’s a bit unsettling.

“Um, I think I’ll pass…”

Honestly, part of me wanted to experience the massage, but I had a bad feeling about it. I didn’t want to be unable to return to reality.

“It’s alright. Don’t be afraid.”

But Sophie continued to wiggle her fingers, staring at me without blinking. We looked at each other for a while, but seeing no sign of her giving up, I finally relented and, with some trepidation, lay face down on the mat she had prepared.

“Be gentle… okay?”

“Certainly.”

Sophie bowed and then gently stroked from my neck down to my back and waist. At the same time, I felt warmth spreading from within my body. She must have manipulated my mana. That alone felt good.

“Relax, and entrust everything to Sophie.”

Her small hands moved to rub my shoulders, pressing firmly into the base of my neck. Instantly, a tingling pleasure shot through my entire body.

“Ah…”

What is this? This is amazing. Incredible. I’ve never felt anything like this.

I almost let out a voice. It was as if I was being loosened from both inside and out simultaneously. Every time Sophie’s hands touched my neck and shoulders, applying pressure, waves of pleasure that made my consciousness drift assaulted me.

It felt many times better than I had imagined. Or rather, this was practically a weapon.

I didn’t want to return to reality anymore. Heaven was right here.

“Master, what do you think of my Lady?”

As she pressed into the space between my shoulder blades, making me suppress a moan, Sophie asked while continuing the massage.

My mind, which had been floating from the overwhelming pleasure, sharpened slightly.

What do I think of her? Well, how should I put it? I don’t know Elle well enough to have strong feelings one way or another. Admittedly, being so openly showered with affection made it impossible not to be aware of her, but I have a girlfriend—Mar-chan.

“…I’m not really sure, I guess.”

In the end, that’s all I could say.

I didn’t know how I felt about her. I thought she was attractive. A little scary, though.

“I see.”

Sophie replied in her flat tone, skillfully massaging from my neck down to my waist. Every time her hands stimulated a pressure point, my body nearly jumped.

She continued the massage in silence for a while, but then she murmured softly.

“My Lady loves you, Master.”

“…”

I didn’t know how to respond to that.

“Her deepest wish is to be united with you.”

Now moving to my thighs and calves, Sophie continued massaging my legs. Even as she spoke, her hands moved without hesitation, transmitting pure pleasure. At this rate, I might just melt away.

“I wish to grant my Lady’s wish.”

I could understand wanting to fulfill one’s master’s desires… or maybe I couldn’t. When it comes to the Manager‘s wishes, I mostly feel like flicking a booger at them. Well, the Manager isn’t my master to begin with.

“So, Master, could you not love my Lady as well?”

“That’s… impossible.”

It’s not that I dislike Elle. I just don’t think it’s something that can be decided like that.

“To love someone isn’t something you do because someone asks you to… I think. Yes.”

I realized I had just said something incredibly embarrassing. I’ll never say something like that again.

But even if it’s a line so cheesy it made me instinctively switch to polite speech out of embarrassment, I don’t think I’m wrong. Still, I’ll never say it again.

“…I do not understand what love is.”

I don’t really understand it either.

I love Mar-chan, but it’s hard to put into words.

“But watching my Lady with you, I think it must be something wonderful.”

“Sophie, you’ll understand someday too.”

I said without much thought.

I didn’t know Sophie’s circumstances, but well, if she lives, the day will come when she understands. Just like when I met Mar-chan and realized, ah, so this is love.

“Someday…”

“Is something wrong?”

But at my casual remark, Sophie’s hands suddenly stopped. She lowered her gaze for a moment, then resumed the massage.

“No, it’s nothing. My apologies.”

“Ah!”

As she began to thoroughly loosen my entire body once more, a voice finally escaped me. A pleasant tingling spread throughout my body, and my thoughts became scattered. My strength left me, and I surrendered myself to the continuous waves of pleasure.

Floating softly, as if I were in mid-air.

And yet, feeling as though I was enveloped entirely.

Ah, this is impossible. There’s no resisting this. Trying would be foolish.

I was already addicted to Sophie’s massage. No wonder Mina had drooled and fallen asleep. I was probably making the same kind of face right now.

My eyelids naturally grew heavy, and I felt my consciousness gradually fading.

“…For Sophie, there is no ‘someday.'”

At the very end, I thought I heard her say that.