Chapter 62
Chapter 62
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 62
Chapter Title: A Bit of Rest (7)
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"M-Master... I was wrong. P-Please forgive me just this once... ugh..."
"Where do you think you're running off to? We're not done yet."
"M-My legs won't move. I'm not kidding, they really won't."
"It's fine."
"It's not fine!"
"Don't worry. I'll be gentle."
"Ah..."
I was dragged across the training hall floor by my ankle, gripped tight by Edelbert, bitterly regretting my earlier arrogance.
Victory had been sweet, but I never should have rubbed it in her face.
Who could've guessed that the ever-stoic Edelbert would react like this?
I should've kept my mouth shut.
As those regrets swirled in my mind, I made a silent vow.
Someday, I'll make you pay for this humiliation.
"Looks like you're thinking something insolent. Can't have that. I'll etch my master's dignity into your body so deeply you'll never dare act up again."
Oh no.
Edelbert licked her lower lip as she stared down at me. Her black tail whipped back and forth like a lash, betraying her excitement.
One glance at that, and I knew something was terribly wrong.
What followed was a brutal beatdown.
Squish... soft... squish.
A massive shadow rose and fell repeatedly through the slits in my helmet's eyeholes.
It was a sight I'd grown familiar with after countless spars: those breasts wrapped snugly in her leotard.
At the nape of my neck, I felt a firm yet plush sensation.
Edelbert's thigh.
Her body was a weapon that could bend an axe on impact, yet somehow it delivered this impossibly soft, resilient touch. It was a mystery.
"...Ugh..."
My head was foggy. I must have blacked out.
At some point, I'd entered a trance... desperately flailing just to survive. My memories from then were hazy.
"Sleep well?"
"Master, in polite society, we don't say you 'slept.' We say you 'passed out and woke up.'"
"Then polite society can take another beating from me."
It sounded insane at first, but coming from someone as strong as Edelbert, I almost thought, Yeah, maybe.
In this world, power meant influence and authority.
"Did you have some epiphany mid-fight? That shift was impressive."
Edelbert eyed me with curiosity. For now, she seemed pleased with her disciple's growth.
She's probably talking about when Wisdom and Technique went up.
Honestly, even I was shocked by the change.
The nagging, itchy sensation that had plagued my palms suddenly cleared up with a pop. It was like my overall proficiency in wielding weapons and controlling my body—my 'Technique'—had sharpened across the board.
The gap between 0 and 1 really is huge.
Going from 1 to 2 was just +1, same as 0 to 1, but the results couldn't have been more different.
When I'd had even a sliver of Body Control, raising it just meant incremental gains: stamina up a bit, strength up a bit, agility improved slightly.
But realizing Technique from pure 0? That sparked a dramatic transformation.
It was like gaining a whole new sense, if I exaggerated a little.
No way I'd miss with an axe or my fists unless my opponent was insanely fast from now on.
Technique makes sense, but...
...this one baffled me.
I smacked my forehead. No surge of intelligence.
"...Did I hit you too hard?"
Edelbert sighed and stopped me from pounding my head against her thigh—a minor commotion that passed without fanfare.
Wisdom probably wasn't tied to intellect, then.
It might influence it slightly, but I suspected it was more about mastering things like magic.
Makes sense. My Intelligence at 0 would've been ridiculous.
I wasn't book-smart, but I could handle basic math. Four operations? Easy.
9 times 9 is... 81. Yeah. Skills still sharp.
"Not some grand enlightenment, but yeah, something just clicked!"
"Good. I was worried your physical growth outpacing everything else would throw off your balance, but this catches you up nicely."
Technique would help plenty on the sensory side.
Following Edelbert's advice, investing in it a bit—though not as much as Body Control—seemed wise.
I nodded, and Technique rose to 2.
No dramatic leap like from 0 to 1, but it'd help for sure.
Especially with dual-wielding axes.
"Groooan..."
Trying to lift my head from Edelbert's thigh, every muscle in my body screamed in agony.
Nineteen straight spars? No wonder. I couldn't even twitch a finger.
I flopped my head back onto her thigh.
"Master... g-gimme a recovery potion, pleeease..."
"Anyone hearing that would think I'd been holding it for you, you brat."
"C'mon, why so stingy? We're master and disciple, right?"
"Never had a disciple try to beat his master."
"And that's why I lost, huh."
"...Hmph. You're getting cocky. Thought you were a more obedient one."
Edelbert grumbled with her usual icy expression, even colder than normal. That single loss must've stung.
Still, she pulled a recovery potion from her bosom and dangled it teasingly.
"Lie down. I'll apply it."
"Can't I just drink it?"
"...Feels more effective this way for me."
"Really?"
If Edelbert—from newbie explorer to Union Leader—said so, who was I to argue?
"Relax. I'll loosen those knotted muscles too."
"Ugh... th-thank you..."
I sprawled out flat on the training hall floor.
Squish-squish...
Then I felt Edelbert straddle my waist and hips, kneading my limbs with firm presses and rubs. Her hands and body heat enveloped me.
She doesn't usually go this far.
Maybe even she thought she'd gone overboard this time.
Squelch...
She slathered potion thickly onto her palms and laid them on my limbs.
My frayed muscles began mending under the potion, while her fingers tenderly massaged each fiber.
"Uuuugh..."
A blissful groan escaped me. Damn, was massage always this good?
Her martial artist's hands had skills that were no joke.
"Ah... seriously, this feels amazing... You're the best, Master..."
Freeze.
I gave a thumbs-up in awe, and she stopped.
Wondering why, I turned my head. Her face was still blank.
Snap! Crack!
But her black cat tail thrashed wildly, whipping like thunder.
Animal tails sway gently when they're happy, right...?
Hers was vibrating too fast to read.
"...Don't go saying it feels that good so casually. It's dangerous."
"Huh? Why?"
How was complimenting a massage dangerous?
"Just don't."
"Yes, ma'am."
She said it with rare seriousness. I didn't get it, but I nodded.
The massage resumed.
Her hands melted my muscles away. God, it was incredible. I'd take one daily if I could.
I kept that thought internal, but her pace slowed, and a slightly disappointed voice came.
"...You can say it feels good now."
"But you just said not to—"
"Th-there's a time and place."
"Ah, got it..."
Master had a quirky, fourth-dimensional side. No idea what went on in that head.
"Ah... right there... yeah... press a little harder..."
The massage ended safely. My sore, knotted muscles loosened refreshingly.
But too loose.
Since I kept raving, Edelbert had gone all-in mid-session, fingers working to dissolve my muscles entirely. My fragile explorer bod turned to mush under her expert touch.
My exposed limbs were covered in her handprints, skin flushed red where she'd gripped.
"..."
Edelbert stared at the marks for a long moment, silent.
Whip! Thwack!
Her tail still whipped furiously.
"Still not paralyzed, at least."
"...Ahem. Good. Lean on me; I'll support you."
"Thanks."
She hoisted my limp arm and wrapped a hand around my side for support.
Her side boob rubbed against my ribs. The sensation made my eyes cross instinctively.
Looking down, past the black leotard hugging her underboob, pale brown skin gleamed openly. Nowhere safe to look.
But did I have to look away?
This mad world broke everyone's mind, man or woman. Maybe living brain-off was the way.
So I just stared at Edelbert's royal chest as we boarded the Union Leader's private elevator.
"...By the way, what do we tell Diana? She might misunderstand again."
"It'll fade while walking."
I could only pray no more ice picks from her this time.
"Achoo–!"
Serif flushed, rubbing her nose at the sudden frivolous sneeze.
Her cat ears and tail bristled.
An inexplicable unease wrapped around her. She shivered.
"L-Lady Serif...?"
Her guard paladin, Nate Elin, stared wide-eyed at her rare, adorably coughing voice.
"Oh, it's nothing. Anyway, have you memorized everything I told you?"
"Yes, of course. We'll definitely bring back results from this Labyrinth survey."
Serif gave a mechanical smile at Nate Elin's loyal reply, clutching her necklace.
The loathsome evil spirit appeared alongside him. She forcibly erased the spirit, focusing only on him.
"Ahh... we'll meet again soon."
Thinking of him melted her fake smile into a pure one.
I'll be waiting, Lord Balkan.
Serif swished her white cat tail and began praying to the God of Wisdom.