Chapter 22
Chapter 22
The Trial of Long-Term Investment
“J-just… bear with it a little… I’ll be done… soon….”
Though her words stumbled, Camelia’s hand gripping my clothes did not stop for even a moment.
Srrrk—
My sweat-soaked, worn shirt slid down helplessly.
In an instant, the cool air touched my bare skin.
My upper body—lined with lean muscle built from hard labor and marked with countless scars—was completely exposed.
“……”
Camelia froze, staring at my fully revealed chest.
Her gaze slowly slid from my nape to my collarbone, then down to my abs.
Following that blatant path of her eyes, her milky-white cheeks flushed red, as if they might burst at any moment.
At this rate, it felt like steam might shoot out of the top of her head.
I, too, was suddenly overwhelmed with embarrassment and blurted out words as if being chased.
“C-Camelia… your face is really red right now… Are you catching a cold or feeling sick or—”
“I-it’s not red! I-I’m fine!”
Startled, Camelia shook her head frantically.
“T-taking care of a patient is only natural! I’m just fulfilling a completely normal duty!”
Her voice sounded firm, but her hands—holding the warm, damp towel—trembled every time they touched my chest.
The faint warmth of her shaking hands, transmitted through the cloth, only made my nerves more sensitive.
This cramped, shabby house in the slums.
The only possible disturbance—the dragon—had left to earn money for meat, and the front door was firmly shut.
In the quiet space, only the heat rising from the basin and the faint scent of soap from Camelia lingered thickly in the air.
“Hngh…”
She leaned in close to wipe my upper body more carefully.
Her heated breath brushed dangerously close to my neck.
Her touch itself was unbelievably gentle, as if she were handling something precious.
But that wasn’t the real problem.
‘Wait… this is way too close….’
The problem was the distance.
I blinked blankly, staring into empty space, not knowing where to look.
If I lowered my gaze even slightly, I’d see below her collarbone through the opening of her dress.
If I looked forward, our eyes would meet.
My heart began pounding wildly.
At this rate, it felt like the thread of my reason would snap.
On top of that, I couldn’t even move properly because of the cast.
Drawing a firm line as my last defense, I spoke.
“Camelia. Ngh… I’m really fine. Seriously, I’m fine, so you can stop now!”
At that moment—
Camelia’s hand stopped instantly.
“……”
Her head lowered, and a shadow fell over her face.
The redness drained from her cheeks, and the light in her eyes faded, replaced by something cold.
A hollow gaze, as if staring into a pitch-black abyss.
“…Does my touch… disgust you?”
Her voice struck coldly against my ear.
‘Gah!!’
I almost screamed.
Not again! What is that look?!
Why is she suddenly falling into self-loathing again?!
Just because I pulled away a little?!
The ominous signs of that terrifying corrupted archmage ending from before began to creep back in.
I flailed my casted arm and hurriedly explained.
“O-of course not! Why would I be disgusted?! You’re taking care of me like this—I’d never hate that! I just thought… you might be uncomfortable doing all this for me! I meant that you should relax and not worry about me!”
My desperate words cut through the air.
After a suffocating silence—
“…That’s a relief.”
She let out a small sigh and approached me again, her expression noticeably brighter.
No—
she didn’t just approach.
Srrk—
This time, she pressed even closer than before.
As she twisted her body to wipe my side and abdomen, her soft hair brushed against my chin.
“Ugh…”
I couldn’t tell if the heat came from the damp towel or from her bare hands, but it made my entire body burn.
Every touch felt like a chunk of my reason was evaporating.
‘This is driving me insane.’
Fixing my gaze on the ceiling, I clenched my trembling jaw and started reciting the national anthem in my head.
‘I swear allegiance…’
I had to endure.
‘She’s just sincerely taking care of a patient. If I react weirdly here, my long-term investment plan is ruined. I’ll just become a beast!’
But despite my desperate efforts, the situation spiraled out of control.
Her careful hands, having wiped my chest and abdomen, were slowly moving lower—
toward my waistband.
“N-Nasus…”
Her trembling voice was half-breath.
“D-down there too… I-I can help…”
Her face flushed red, her shaking hand reached for the string at my waist.
The thread of my reason began to snap.
“C-Camelia!! N-not there!! I can handle that myself!!”
I shouted in shock—almost a survival instinct.
I tried to twist away, but my casted body only responded with intense pain.
“P-please stay still… Patients shouldn’t strain themselves…”
Despite my desperate resistance,
her trembling hand did not stop.
At that critical moment—
just as the thread of my reason was about to snap—
BOOOOM!!
The front door burst open like a thunderclap.
“Nasus!! Big trouble!!”
“E-Erika?!”
I turned in shock.
The black-haired dragon, who had left to earn money, stood there panting heavily.
Startled by the sudden noise, Camelia’s hand froze just before reaching my waistband.
Seizing the chance, I flailed my arm and asked urgently.
“Why are you back already?! And what do you mean trouble?! Did something happen at the site?!”
“Trouble? No! I’m doing perfectly well!”
Erika stomped inside, frowning.
“I forgot something very important to eat! I must take care of that first!”
“…You mean your lunchbox? You took the biggest one earlier!”
“That was lunch!”
She pounded her chest in frustration.
“I forgot the dessert lunchbox and the snack meat for during work! Do you want me to collapse from hunger?!”
“……”
This insane glutton.
She came running back mid-work because she didn’t bring snacks.
Her stomach had to be a black hole.
While I stood speechless, Erika rummaged through the kitchen, found extra meat and jerky, and smiled in satisfaction.
“Heh, found it. Come to me—hmm?”
She froze mid-step.
Her red eyes shifted between me and Camelia.
A grown man lying half-naked in casts.
And a platinum-haired girl frozen over his lower body.
“…What are you two doing?”
Erika tilted her head.
“Ah…”
Focus returned to Camelia’s eyes.
“E-EEK?! Th-that’s…!”
Her neck and ears flushed red instantly.
“N-no! It’s not what it looks like!!”
She jumped away, waving her hands frantically.
“N-Nasus can’t move properly! I was just helping him clean up with pure intentions! Really!!”
“Hmm…”
Erika stroked her chin.
“I understand.”
She shrugged, hugging the meat.
“Then I’ll go earn more meat money!”
BANG!
Like a storm, she left as abruptly as she came.
“……”
“……”
Silence fell again.
Even more suffocating than before.
Clearing my throat awkwardly, I forced a laugh.
“H-ha… she really came back just for food, huh?”
I leaned back slightly.
“Anyway! Looks like I’m clean enough! Camelia, thanks a lot. I’ll handle the rest… the lower part myself…”
Just as I reached for the towel—
“…No.”
Camelia’s head snapped up.
Her face was red as ever, but her eyes burned with strange determination.
“I was taught… that once you start something… you must finish it.”
“Wait—Camelia? Your face looks like it’s about to explode. You don’t have to force yourself!”
“I-it’s not forcing! I want to… help you!”
“H-hold on! I’m really fine—”
I tried to stop her, but she shook her head firmly.
“Please stay still! Patients shouldn’t strain themselves!”
“No, the one straining is you—ghk!!”
Without warning—
a soft touch pressed against something important.
At the unfamiliar, clumsy sensation, a pathetic scream escaped my mouth.