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Chapter 12
Section 8: Hero
After returning to the castle and sharing a bath together, we all sat back and relaxed in our room with steam still rising off our freshly washed bodies.
[Noelia]: “Thank you for all the work you put in today Calvafon-sama”
[Iris]: “Aah, uuh

uwaah

”
When I opened my mouth to respond, a sloppy kind of noise I wouldn’t want anyone to hear me make in public was all that would come out.
I had already slipped on my pajamas before slouching down on our room’s sofa. As the cushions sucked me in, burying half of me, Noelia walked over and began massaging my feet.
And it feels soooooooooooo good.
She’s pressing her fingers into the soles of my feet, rubbing down my soles, and kneading my swollen calves. My god

.I’m in heaven.
[Carol]: “Should we be worried if Iris is making a noise like that?”
[Toslin]: “A massage won’t kill her, so it’s probably fine.”
I’ve had this and that done to me for almost twenty minutes now while Carol and the others watched from the side while having their fun.
[Iris]: “Auu, ohhooo
..okay, I’m good, that’s enough

.”
[Noelia]: “No, I still have your upper body

”
[Iris]: “Everywhere further up from there is A-OK!”
Her working on my legs already feels good enough. If she keeps making her way upwards, I really might end up getting sent to heaven.
Besides, I’d feel bad having her do all this for me just because she was ordered to take care of us.
[Noelia]: “If that is what you wish. In that case, would you like me to bring you something to drink?”
[Iris]: “N-No, you’ve already taken such good care of us Noelia-san, you should take a break.”
Noelia-san has been tagging along with us all day today. She should be just as tired
..no, she should be even more fatigued than me. I can’t force her to keep going like this.
[Noelia]: “No, that is wholly unnecessary. It is a maid’s duty to tend to their master from the moment their master wakes up to the moment they return to their beds.”
Noelia-san’s response was a stubborn one though. I already knew it, but

she really does have a strong sense of professionalism.
It’s really cool when you’re watching someone say that and it has nothing to do with you, but as the person she’s saying it to, I think it’s more perplexing than anything else.
[Rose]: “Thank you very much Noelia-san. However Iris-san is not used to this kind of treatment, so would you mind pulling back for tonight?”
Having been busy playing cards with Toslin and the others at the table, Rose-san was unable to ignore my plight any longer and sent out a lifeboat.
[Noelia]: “
..as you wish Auroll-sama.”
[Rose]: “Please call me by my name or Cuulbacall.”
[Noelia]: “My deepest apologies, Cuulbacall-sama.”
Having given up on continuing the massage, Noelia-san quickly rose up to her feet and gave all of us a deep bow.
[Noelia]: “Then I shall stop here for tonight. However, should you have any concerns throughout the night, do not hesitate to summon me no matter the time. That is the duty of us maids.”
[Iris]: “Y-Yes. Thank you Noelia-san.”
I felt like a newborn deer trying to get up on my feet, but after forcing myself into a position that some people would describe as standing, I returned the bow.
But after the door quietly closed and Noelia-san was gone, I immediately collapsed back down onto the couch.
[Iris]: “Fua

my legs, they feel so light and fluffy and weird.”
[Saluena]: “She’s a maid enthusiastic about her duties. Yuhanna-san has some good people working under her.”
[Lapris]: “I wanted a massage too.”
[Toslin]: “If you were to get a massage, I can’t see any other future than you getting squished and dying.”
[Carol]: “Hmm, yeah. Yosh, okay. I’ll help you out.”
[Lapris]: “You saying, “Yosh, okay,” after hearing that is way scary.”
Lapris slowly backed away as Carol merrily advanced on her.
[Carol]: “Don’t run!!”
[Lapris]: “Obviously I’m going to run!! Who’s going to let you do what you want after hearing something like that!?”
And so begins the chase. But no matter how big the room is, we’re still inside. And there’s no escaping Carol when you’re locked in an enclosed space with her.
[Lapris]: “Gyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!”
Lapris desperately struggled inside Carol’s grasp after being immediately caught.
[Rose]: “Hm? Did you hear a knock just now Onee-sama?”
[Saluena]: “
..how could I hear anything over this racket?”
After losing multiple games in a row, Saluena was focusing a glare solely on the cards in her hand.
[Lapris]: “Eeeeeeeeeeeek!! Stupid dumbass!! That tickles

Ahahahahahahahahahaha!!”
[Iris]: “Sorry, could you quiet down a bit Lapris?”
[Lapris]: “Me!? What am I doing wrong!? The one at fault here is clearly the tickler themselves, Carol!!”
*Knock Knock*
Through the breaks between Lapris’s laughter I managed to just make out the sound of someone knocking.
[Iris]: “Ah, yes. Come in!!”
But the knob didn’t turn even after a minute had passed since I had called to them.
I could feel a sense of confusion coming from the person on the other side of the door as to whether it would really be fine for them to come inside.
[???]: “My apologies to bother you so late.”
(Huh? Is that Noelia-san’s voice?)
Sure enough, when the door finally opened, it was Noelia-san, the person who had only just left us a few minutes ago that walked in.
[Iris]: “Is something the matter? Did you leave something behind?”
[Noelia]: “No, nothing of the sort. I met someone who wished to speak with you all on my way out, so is it all right for me to let them through?”
[Iris]: “Us

? Um

”
I glanced back at everyone else.
I wondered what they thought since we had just gotten out of the bath and were already dressed for bed, but that apparently didn’t bother Saluena.
[Saluena]: “It would be better to let them in.”
[Rose]: “I agree. Carol-san, Lapris-san, could you please settle down for a moment.”
[Lapris]: “I already said I haven’t done anything wrong

”
[Rose]: “Yes, I know I know. I shall treat you to something delicious next time, so please keep it down just for now.”
[Lapris]: “Is it some kind of big shot coming?”
Carol agreed with a simple, “Okay

” and didn’t bother kicking up a fuss about it.
Somebody who would want to meet us this late at night. Who could get Noelia-san to turn back and knock on our door after just leaving us. It would have to be someone pretty important to convince her that us meeting couldn’t wait until morning.
Mulling it over in my head though, I can’t think of too many people who would meet that criteria.
[Rose]: “Please let them in Noelia-san”
After Rose-san had formally given our permission, Noelia-san slid out from in front of our door, politely bowing to our guest.
[Noelia]: “Certainly. Then please make your way in, Oshunel-sama.”


.as expected.
I understood as soon as I heard that name.
Ashel Lu Aude Oshunel.
The oldest son, er, daughter, of the current king Olivar.
In other words, the hero.