The Healer in a Japanese-Style Game World: Mastering Healing to Save My Favorite Character in a Brutal World, Only to Find Everyone Around Me Becoming Obsessed - Chapter 39: The Cruelest Compliment Torture in This World [Upto Raws]

Chapter 39: The Cruelest Compliment Torture in This World

“First of all, why didn’t you tell us beforehand?”

“…I didn’t want to worry you all.”

“But we’d be more worried if you did something reckless… Do you not trust us that much?”

It was the hour of the tiger, past the dead of night. There I was again, sitting in seiza position in front of Kagura and the others, freezing in an incredibly cold room.

Kagura had every right to be angry. It was about me taking on a trial without consulting them beforehand. I had no argument against that.

“I’ve heard enough, so that’s fine… But now let’s get to the main point. Be prepared.”

“…Huh, the main point?”

“Yes, I predicted this would happen since I heard about Ryusui’s trial, so it’s okay.”

“Then why did I get the lecture?”

“As I said earlier, it’s because you took on the trial without consulting us first. But, that’s not what I’m really angry about.”

Saying this, Kagura smiled. 

Her face was so beautiful, and usually, her smile would make me happy too. But now, I felt a deep, instinctual fear from that smile, not the fear of death, but something more primal.

“We all care about you, Yomi. Even if you’re an idiot sometimes, that won’t change.”

Kagura paused and looked at me directly, her eyes losing their light. The pressure from her was more intense than ever, and I couldn’t look away. Naturally, I gulped.

“Lying was fine. If you hadn’t, Yomi, you might have died. But falling in love with Sanae at first sight… that’s a bit unfair. You haven’t even told us that.”

Oboro-sama nodded repeatedly, and though Makami was expressionless, she nodded once in agreement. Was this… jealousy?

It’s true that I care about Kagura and the others. They’re really important to me. That’s why I usually show my gratitude through actions rather than words.

“So, as your goddess, I command you, Yomi. Compliment us and say everything you’re thinking right now.”

“…Right now?”

“Yes, now… or I won’t allow you to fight.”

On the first floor of the fire-lit Hinomiko-tei, I could clearly see Kagura’s expression. She was blushing slightly and looking away, probably embarrassed.

She usually doesn’t ask for much, so I could tell she was sincere. I knew I had to respond, but just thinking about it made me feel like I was on fire.

“Kagura… um, could I at least do it one by one?”

“No, you have to tell us everything right here and now.”

“…I need to prepare myself.”

“You have one minute.”

“—That’s cruel.”

Isn’t that a bit too harsh? 

I would at least prefer to do this without Sanae-san here, but Kagura, Makami, and Oboro-sama are all looking at me expectantly. There’s no way to escape.

“…Um, Kagura-sama, what should I do?”

“I don’t like it when you’re so formal—but whatever. You can choose who to start with.”

“…Um, Kagura-sama, that’s… Well, okay, I’ll go with that.”

“No, Makami wants to go first…”

“Alright, we’ll start with Makami then. I’ll go last… so next will be Oboro.”

And just like that, the order was decided without my input. I wondered if this was my fault… what kind of torture is this?

Isn’t this something you shouldn’t do in front of others? I wanted to say, but it was too late to escape. So, with Makami in front of me, tail and ears twitching, I opened my mouth to speak.

“…Makami, you’re always with me on our missions. You often play with the town’s children, and your playfulness is adorable. You always give feedback on my cooking, which makes it worth the effort every day. Your fur in your wolf form is shiny and cool. And… um, when you crawl into the bed, you feel… really nice.”

“…Alright, I forgive you. I’ll sneak in every night from now on.”

“That would surprise me, so please don’t.”

“Should I not forgive you then?”

By this point, my face was completely red, and I was so embarrassed that I wanted to scream into my pillow. When I glanced at Sanae-san to see her reaction, she was secretly peeking at me with her face equally red.

“Next is me, I’m ready, so please go ahead, Yomi-sama.”

Oboro-sama, full of anticipation, spoke eagerly, her nine tails and ears swaying. I wished she didn’t expect so much from me, especially since I was already at my limit after the first round. Feeling the lack of words, I lamented my own powerlessness.

But lamenting wouldn’t end this torture. Resigning myself to the situation, I prepared to praise Oboro-sama.

“Oboro-sama, you are really beautiful. I know you take care of your tails and hair every day without fail. Your gestures are so refined… but when you relax or smile while reading a novel, it makes my heart skip a beat. And most of all… your face looks wonderful when you’re happily doing something.”

“…As expected, Yomi-sama, you really do notice. Taking care of my hair and tails is a maiden’s duty—I’m glad my efforts were worth it. And you find my smile wonderful, huh? Fufu… Yomi-sama, you have a charming side as well.”

“Um… are you okay, Yomi-san? You’re already tearing up…”

“It’s fine, it’s his own fault… Anyway, I’m the last one. What do you think of me, Yomi?”

I was already at my breaking point.

…I didn’t care about embarrassment anymore. The humiliation up to this point was too much. My face was burning, my vision was blurring, and I felt dizzy from the heat. Fueled by the late-night mood, I decided to just say everything. This was it—I had to go all out.

Without riding this momentum, I wouldn’t be able to say anything. So, I decided to tell Kagura everything I felt… Goodbye, dignity. Welcome, embarrassment.

“Kagura… you are the most important to me. You were the first to save me, my precious goddess. You’re cute and beautiful, and words aren’t enough to describe you… I still remember the look in your eyes when I first saw you. You’re my precious goddess who always supports me… I want to be with you forever. And, um, is that enough? My heart’s about to stop, and if you’re going to ask, don’t look away, Kagura.”

My heart was pounding loudly.

It felt like my face was as hot as lava, and completely defeated, I raised the white flag and surrendered.

Telling the truth to the goddess who saved me was really tough. It wasn’t just about running out of words or feeling embarrassed; seeing Kagura also at her limit made it even harder. I had never seen Kagura this embarrassed before… seeing her like this brought out feelings even stronger than what I had just expressed, and I couldn’t stop thinking about things I usually tried not to.

“Um… well, as expected of my priest, you did well. But, right now, I don’t want you to look at my face.”

“…Both sides are down, huh? But Yomi-sama, you did well.”

“…Kagura-sama is embarrassed. How rare.”

“It’s not my fault. Yomi has never said anything this straightforward before. Anyway, let’s have our strategy meeting in a bit. I kind of understand Ryusui’s power, and the trial is tomorrow, right?”

“…Yes, please. Let me rest for a bit.”

“Sure, you should head back to your room soon—if we stay together any longer, I might just jump on you.”

“—Eh, Kagura?”

Somehow, Kagura said something I couldn’t imagine her saying normally, but it was probably best to pretend I didn’t hear it. In any case, I managed to survive… though barely, the greatest torture of my life.

Sanae-san, who wasn’t used to this sort of thing, seemed completely short-circuited… and everyone else’s faces were bright red. That night, we all returned to our rooms, bringing an end to the ordeal.

[Afterword]

Thank you for reading!

This chapter was honestly the hardest to write. I’ve tackled battles and serious moments in this novel, but this was the one that nearly killed me. Complimenting the heroines was a real struggle, and it took the longest time to write.

I’ve sworn I won’t write any more love-dovey chapters for a while! Next up is the trial… which means battle scenes, so the next chapter should be easier for me.

If you found this chapter interesting, laughed at Yomi’s antics, or thought Kagura and the others were adorable, please give it a star or follow. I’d also love to hear your thoughts on this chapter, so feel free to leave a comment.

 TLN:
We’re up to date with the raws. The raws were last updated on July 03, 2024.