As it turned out, the hospitality (?) of Lime and the others were very amicable.
“Oh…”
My whole body was wrapped in the moderately warm Lime’s body, and every corner of my body was rubbed and relaxed. The massage is like being massaged in a hot spring bath by the hot spring water itself.
“Does it feel good?”
“Very good…”
When I was first stripped naked, I thought I was done for. The first time I was wrapped up in Poizo and my skin started to tingle, I was terrified that I was going to be preyed upon. After all, Poizo could dissolve all the dirt and grime on the surface of my body. Wasn’t it dangerous if she made a mistake? I asked her.
“I practiced a lot to get it just right, you know-nodesu?”
That’s what she said. I was too scared to ask her what she practiced with and how she practiced, and what would happen if she made a mistake, so I didn’t ask her for details. I’ve seen these three girls digest and absorb a chunk of Gizma’s flesh in the blink of an eye many times, after all.
After that, Beth took over and gave me a full-body oil massage, and here I am.
What’s my state of mind right now, you ask? Lime has taken everything from my neck down, yes. And my head is completely enclosed by Lime’s cleavage. It’s very comfortable… Well, since Lime, which is an irregularly shaped slime, basically has no concept of breasts or buttocks, this is a fake breast that’s holding my head.
“Are you okay?”
“Uh… huh? What do you mean by okay?”
“Doing impossible things?”
Lime looked into my face worriedly.
“Kosuke is not from this world, so you don’t have to work so hard, you know?”
“Ah, that kind of… well, I’m not really pushing myself, and I have fun every day. I’ve got a baby with the harpies, and Ellen and Amalie-san will probably deliver in the fall. I need to settle things for the sake of my children.”
I want the children who will be born to live in a peaceful, safe, and convenient world. Working hard for that purpose is not at all hard; in fact, it feels rewarding. I don’t want to work too hard for the grandiose goal of world peace, but I will do what I can for my children to be born in the future.
“Uh…”
“What are you doing?”
Lime’s hand starts kneading my cheek. It seems that something is not to her liking.
“If you’re sick of everything, you can run away here with us. We will protect you from everything in this world. It would be nice to live a carefree life with just us and Kosuke again like we did back then.”
“Nngh.”
Even Beth is pushing up my nose with her fingertips as she says this. Why is she making my nose look like a pig?
“I’m not as sweet as the two of them. Since you have done so many things, Kosuke should be the one to take responsibility for it and take care of it all. But when you are tired, you can come here and take a rest. I can shelter you for a little while-nodesu.”
Poizo slapped my forehead with a hand made of green slime as she said that.
“I’m not sure what to say, but I think Poizo is sweet, too.”
“While saying that you’re not sweet, what you’re saying is almost the same as us, isn’t it?”
“It’s different. It is not the same. You both have to listen to what I have to say-nodesu.”
Lime and Beth are giggling, and Poizo is adamant about denying them. I don’t mind if you deny it, but I’d like you to stop slapping my forehead because it hurts so much.
After that, Poizo explained how she was not as sweet as Lime and Beth and how different what she and Lime and Beth were saying was, but they were not taken seriously by the two of them.
Incidentally, from my point of view, what Lime and Beth, as well as Poizo, are saying is sweet enough for me. It is nice to know that there are people who are willing to give up everything and come here if the need arises.
I spent the day relaxing and being taken care of by the three slime girls.
The next day, when I was woken up by Lime and the others, I realized that I had no memory of what had happened after dinner, but I decided not to think about it too much. It was a common occurrence after spending time with Lime and the others. It happens so often!
I mustn’t think about it because if I think too deeply to remember, I will get a headache. Okay? Yes, yes, yes! Good.
☆★☆
While instinctively refusing to recall last night’s events, I am still at work today.
However, I don’t have a fixed job or a job that is assigned to me at the moment. I am a free man. I am by no means unemployed. It’s called freelancing. Well, it’s almost certain that I will be working like a cart-horse to prepare pioneer villages all over the kingdom of Merinard, so it’s not a bad idea to enjoy my freedom while I still have it.
“So I think I’ll go on a free collecting spree.”
“…..”
Why did you come to tell me that? As if to say that, Aquawill-san’s cold gaze pierced me. The color of her aquamarine eyes is also a factor, but her gaze is so cold that it sends a shiver down my spine.
“Seraphita-san asked me to take Aquawill-san along with me when I go out collecting, you know?”
“I don’t want to.”
“She also said that you might feel depressed if you remain cooped up in the castle.”
“That’s none of your business.”
“I was wondering if you’d like a change of scenery…”
“No, thank you.”
With a cold stare at me, Aquawill-san dismisses all my advances with a single blow. There is no turf to step on at all.
“Even for me personally, I don’t think it would be nice if Sylphy’s older sister didn’t like me at all.”
“…I think you should just leave it alone.”
The reason there was a pause is probably because she swallowed her aggressive words against me.
“I hate you. Not only Sylphy but also my mother, Dri-aneesama, and recently If-aneesama. I hate you for your indiscretion. Mother and the others too. Disregarding our father who protected us at the cost of his life, they quickly fell for a man like you and…”
Aquawill-san said this as if to throw up and turned her gaze away from me.
“…I have said too much. It’s not that I’m not grateful to you. Without you, we would still be frozen in this castle, or the Holy Kingdom would have lifted my father’s magic and made us their comforters. Sylphy would have been killed in battle, and many more of our people would still be suffering. I know that thanks to you, I am able to live with my mother, sister, and Sylphy again without… starving, freezing, or being frightened by the people of the Holy Kingdom. Still, I…”
Aquawill-san turned her head down and fell silent. I have very mixed feelings about what Aquawill-san really said. From her point of view, I am probably nothing more than someone who has torn apart the family ties between her father, Ixwill-shi, the former king, and her family.
She probably would have accepted it if it had been just me and Sylphy, but Driada-san, Iphrita, and even Seraphita-san are showing her affection for me.
I think it was not my intention, but because of my ability, or perhaps because of a strange boost in likability related to my achievements; this is what happened. I am not so self-confident as to believe that I was liked by Driada-san and Seraphita-san because of my charm. No, when I say it like that, all of them are like that.
“Okay, I understand.”
“…Do you understand? So that’s what I’m saying, so please leave me alone. I will live quietly and discreetly so as not to disturb you.”
“No, that’s different from this. I understand why Aquawill-san hates me. But that’s no reason not to go with me today.”
“Why?”
She gives me a look that says, “What the hell is this guy talking about?” but I’m not intimidated. If you know from the start that the likability is negative, that’s the way to go about it.
I mean, if this is just how it is, I’m not sure if she’s being honest or not, but she’s speaking rather brokenly.
“There will be times in the future when I will have to work and live with people I don’t like. I can’t avoid it all, so I’m going to practice patience. Fortunately, I have a close relationship with Sylphy, so I don’t have any ill will toward Aquawill-san.”
“That’s not the point, is it?”
Even if you don’t like someone, isn’t it a necessary behavior for royalty to take advantage of them and work for your own benefit? You should at least feel like you can take advantage of me. Also, Seraphita-san asked me to take you with me, so give it up.”
“…..!”
Perhaps annoyed by the mention of Seraphita-san’s name, Aquawill-san glared at me sharply. Oh, she looks just like Sylphy when she makes that expression.
Well, that’s the point. The method is to proceed with the story, even if a bit forcefully, and force her to go along with it. If it’s negative and won’t go down any further, what does it matter what I do?
“Now, now, get ready to leave. Well, even if you don’t have any particular preparations, everything will be provided for you without any inconvenience.”
My inventory has everything a person needs, from clothes to underwear to anything else. I can prepare anything on the spot if the need arises. I am confident that I can prepare a room suitable for royalty in the middle of the wilderness.
“It’s a very aggressive and barbaric approach, isn’t it?”
“After all, I was brought up by my upbringing. I’m a genuine commoner, so I can’t possibly behave in an elegant manner.”
After saying that and shrugging my shoulders, Aquawill-san let out a sigh as if she had given up. For now, I’m glad to see that the first barrier has been breached.