The Virgin Hero Who Fought in the Dungeon for 20 Years Returned to the Surface Only to Find the Population of the World Has Dropped Drastically, with a Male-to-Female Ratio of 1:1000 - 16

Chapter 16: Secretary Yurina Tsukikage

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“Ryuuto-sama, this is Tsukikage. I’ve brought your drink.”

Yurina Tsukikage knocked softly on the door. There were two receptionists carrying a cart with a drink pot on it behind her.

“Hm?”

There was no response. Yurina’s expression tensed a bit almost immediately. There was a reason why Kazuki Genma, the heroine of the Savior Party and a prominent Diet member of the Modern People’s Holy Party had assigned her third secretary, Yurina, to look after Ryuuto. It was for the purpose of safeguarding Ryuuto Sakazaki. Though this fact would only become public later on, but Ryuuto was the leading figure in the subjugation of the Demon Lord.  He would be hailed as a ‘hero,’ and he might even become a figure of worship for a certain emerging religion. His return was top-secret and his safety was the nation’s top focus right now. For that reason, the entirety of the 20th floor of the hotel where Ryuuto was staying had been commandeered under government authority. Yurina herself had extensive combat training and was once a skilled explorer who had achieved B-rank status.

Though she appeared slender at 163 centimeters tall, she possessed superhuman physical abilities and was capable of immediately subduing up to ten trained military personnel or secret police officers with ease. Her beauty was also exceptional, with a translucent glow to her fair skin that was characteristic of her Tohoku origins.

Could it be.. Something have happened to Ryuuto-sama?

Yurina quickly unlocked the door with a card key and rushed into the room. Ryuuto was nowhere in sight. Her gaze darted around, and she noticed scattered clothing in front of the bathroom. Listening closely, she could hear the sound of the shower running, which made her breathe a sigh of relief.

“Sorry about that! I’m using the bath right now! Just leave the juice anywhere you’d like!”

Ryuuto’s piercingly loud voice rang out from the bathroom. Startled by the sheer volume, Yurina instinctively pressed one hand to her ear. In dungeons, where sound was easily absorbed, explorers often spoke loudly, but Ryuuto’s voice was extraordinarily loud even by those standards. Perhaps this was the difference between men and women. Noticing something, Yurina glanced at the receptionists who had helped deliver the juice. They were standing there with small awkward smiles on their faces.

“U-Umm… Is Ryuuto-sama…”

“Is there anything else we can assist him with?”

“Thank you, but I can handle it from here. Please leave now.”

Their intentions were as clear as day. These receptionists were desperately hoping to catch even a glimpse of Ryuuto’s marvelous face. Yurina told them firmly to leave, but the receptionists hesitated, still attempting to linger. Their persistence was commendable. With a dazzling smile on her face, Yurina gently but firmly ushered the still-muttering receptionists out into the hallway and closed the door.

Good riddance. Just how shameless some people can be?

Yurina had changed out of the pantsuit she was wearing earlier into a skirt. The reason was obvious. It was because Ryuuto had been blatantly ogling the receptionists’ behinds earlier. 

Since his big sister has entrusted me with the task of taking care of him, doesn’t that basically mean his family has approved of me? Right? That means his family has approved of me, right??

And Yurina herself had been overthinking about the implications behind her task in her pure, innocent way. 

“Ah!”

Suddenly, the bathroom door swung open, prompting Yurina to let out a strange squeak and jump slightly in place.

“Oh, my bad. I thought you’d already left.”

Standing there was a muscular young man, clad only in shorts. Steam was still rising from his bare upper body. 

“A-A-A-A-Ahhh…”

That man was none but Ryuuto. Yurina had once come across an illegal photo book featuring nude male models, but this was the first time she had seen a real man’s naked upper body in person. She was at a loss for words, reasonably so. Ryuuto’s body bore countless scars of various sizes, yet his body looked impressively robust. This wasn’t the kind of physique achieved through sports or regular training. There wasn’t a trace of unnecessary fat. His entire frame was wrapped in taut, powerful muscles, akin to bundles of steel wires. His abdominal muscles were impeccably defined, with just a thin layer of soft fat resting lightly on top. The sleek, graceful lines of his legs, hips, and arms evoked the image of a wild tiger or panther.

Yurina had always believed that a well-trained male body was far more beautiful than a woman’s, and the proof of that belief now stood before her. The sheer power emanating from Ryuuto’s presence made her feel like collapsing on the spot. It was the kind of overwhelming brute strength that beckoned her to worship her or… To submit to him. If Ryuuto were to forcibly pin her down right now, Yurina was confident she’d lose her mind in an instant. In fact, why wasn’t he doing so already?

“Wait, are you okay? What’s wrong, Yurina-san?”

It turned out she had been swaying on her feet unconsciously. Yurina suddenly found herself being supported at the waist by Ryuuto. She almost let out an ungraceful sound, but her last shred of self-control managed to hold herself back. 

“I-I’m fine. No need to worry about me. I’m totally fine!”

“Uh, you really don’t look fine at all.”

And it finally hit her. Yurina realized Ryuuto was genuinely concerned about her. Floods of shame hit Yurina like a raging current. Ryuuto was genuinely worried about her even though she was filled with impure thoughts! Thinking back, Kazuki had trusted her enough to assign her the responsibility of caring for her precious younger brother, who had finally returned home after missing for years and yet, here she was, letting her shallow, selfish emotions bubble up in front of Ryuuto. But… Who wouldn’t feel something in front of Ryuuto? Of course she would! How could she not?

Ahhn… Ryuuto-sama…. More… More…

Their eyes met. Ryuuto looked a bit scared as he stared at her and that look startled Yurina back to her senses. Yurina quickly composed herself, forcing her usual calm demeanor to come out as she silently pulled herself away from him, all while mentally wringing her heart dry with regret.

Ah, how frustrating…

Yurina thought to herself as she put out a meticulously crafted smile she had  honed during years of working under Kazuki. 

“Ryuuto-sama, I’ve brought the fresh juice you requested. Please, enjoy it to your heart’s content.”

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