Chapter 31
Chapter 31
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 31
Chapter Title: Lions Have High Pride #2
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“L-Lady Witch. W-What in the world is this…?”
“My lab table. I do dissections on it. Cook ingredients too.”
I got that it was something like an operating table or lab bench. But why the hell are you sprawled out on top of it?
Of course, I didn’t have the guts to actually ask.
A white-furred cat off in the distance was glaring daggers at me.
“It’s fine. My little Whitey’s sweet. Won’t bite.”
Fuck, that just makes it scarier. Being in the same room as the lion she’d just been in a bloody brawl with didn’t sit right.
*Lick.*
Did that bastard just smack its lips?
“C’mon, friend. Shoulders all knotted up lately? Can’t focus on work, right? Loosen ’em up for me. I’ll pay proper. One silver.”
One silver? You can make that much just rubbing a woman’s shoulders?
A miraculous greed for coin overrode my fear of the lion, rippling through me.
So I reached out hesitantly toward the body of Witch Nemea, sprawled long and limp across whatever you’d call this table.
Right then.
*Grrrrrrowl!*
The massive white cat bared its fangs and snarled.
“Good girl, Whitey.”
“J-Just to be sure, is that thing a boy?”
“Nah, girl. Like my little sister. Anyway, this position’s uncomfortable sprawled out like this. Hurry up and massage me?”
“Y-Yes, ma’am.”
And so my hands finally touched the witch’s shoulders.
“Haaah. Ngh. Heh. Y-You’re too rough.”
“…I haven’t even pressed yet.”
“Kidding. You looked so frozen, friend. Like someone’s gonna eat you? Relax. Not yet, anyway.”
“So you will eat me eventually?”
“…”
Fuck, why no answer to that?
Anyway, sharing space with this giant cat that kept flicking its tongue like it’d claw me any second was pure nightmare fuel.
I decided to finish quick and bolt from this shop. Plus, the witch didn’t seem to mind, but my sewer stench was killing me. I just wanted a shower and bed.
“Uh, mind if I grab your wrist a sec? Gonna check your pulse.”
“Pulse? Sure.”
*Ding.*
『Name: Nemea Lv. ??
Status: Chronic Fatigue | Back Pain | Stiff Shoulders | ???? | ???? | ???? | ???? | ???? | ???? | ????』
What the? More statuses than last time. And didn’t I cure the chronic fatigue before? Why’s it back?
Maybe a glitch? Nah, probably not.
“Hey, Lady Witch. Does your back hurt by any chance?”
“Whoa. Spooky. Just from the wrist, friend? You can tell that?”
“And your body’s fatigued too?”
“Spot on. After you massaged me last time, I felt light for a bit, but it came right back. If it’d always been heavy, fine, but light then heavy again? Torture.”
“Ah.”
That’s how massages and PT work.
Feels amazing and floaty at first, but hours to days later, back to square one.
Fatigue doesn’t just melt away from a few palm rubs.
But folks chase that fresh lightness, shelling out cash again. And the more regular, the better it sticks.
Anyway, chronic stuff doesn’t vanish easy. Lesson learned.
“Alright, let’s start light on the shoulders.”
I pressed both thumbs into the red spots at the base of her neck. Fengchi points. Knew the name, forgot the effects.
“Nghhh—w-wait, shoulders, but why the neck?”
“Body’s all connected. Shoulder pain might not be shoulders. You jut your chin out a lot?”
“My chin?”
“Turtle-neck habit like this? Strains neck muscles, pulls on shoulders, knots ’em up.”
“Shoulders too?”
“Messes balance. Whole body feels wrecked.”
Sounds legit. Total bullshit from my brain, though.
Hell if I know if it’s real. My med knowledge’s third-hand hack stuff. Probably wrong.
But Dad said spa clients eat up plausible-sounding talk.
“Huh. Yeah, I do lean forward. Big chest y’know? Whole body pitches ahead. That it? Ahh, ngh—c-cool… Shivers down my spine.”
She shuddered like some old dude, *errrgh*-ing. Whatever, my touch hit the spot hard.
Wonder how good my massages really are. I prefer getting over giving.
But your own hands vs. someone else’s? Night and day. Self-massage is pointless.
Anyway, I kneaded her thin neck, nape, and shoulders thoroughly.
Even same gender, Elfriede’s skin and muscle were firm, Luna’s doughy-soft.
Nemea’s nape and shoulders weren’t just soft—squishy, like they sank deep under finger pressure. Wild texture.
*Ding.*
『Cured Nemea’s Chronic Fatigue.』
『Cured Nemea’s Stiff Shoulders.』
『Karma Value +20』
Nice. Neck and shoulders fixed two at once. No need to target one by one—handy ability.
Maybe my bullshit was spot on. Body’s interconnected.
“Nguuu… Whoa, so refreshing. This. This. Once you know, no going back. Head’s clear too.”
She melted across the table like microwaved steamed bun. Blissed out. Boosted my confidence.
“Now the back. Mind if I lift your clothes a bit?”
“Oh my. Naughty. Gonna strip me?”
“D-Direct skin contact works best…”
“Hehe, total perv. But I trust you, friend. Can you fix the back pain too? Tweaked it shifting cargo.”
“Gotta try to know.”
“Cool.”
Thought she’d hike her skirt. Nope—she undid her off-shoulder dress from the top, baring shoulders, back, waist.
Pale, glossy skin gleamed in lantern light. Sideboob from the back? What size even?
No wonder she hurts everywhere. I lug big jugs too—body aches daily. Blame the jugs.
“Ready. Don’t show just anyone. Honor, friend.”
“R-Right… Lemme check.”
Anyway, red spots on her lower back, near the glutes. Like neck/shoulders, I placed fingers there.
“Hyaah!?”
Nemea’s shriek made me yank back, spooked.
“S-Sorry!”
Fuck, sexual harassment charges would suck. Isekai punishments for that are nightmare fuel. Too grim to describe.
“N-No. Just startled. Keep going. Joke, joke.”
She caught her breath, voice soft as ever. Really okay? That scream wasn’t joking.
“Hurry. Quick.”
“Y-Yes.”
*Smooth.*
Palm on bare waist again. Just resting it made her tremble like it hurt bad.
“Pressing now.”
*Press.*
“Ooh. Nngh.”
Then the wildest shit. Her pelvis lifted, hoisting that plump ass sky-high.
“L-Lady Witch?”
“Fine. Keep going. H-Hey, spank it? With your palm.”
“L-Like this?”
*Smack, smack.*
“Hnngah. N-No way. No wayyy.”
Spank her back? What massage is this? But Nemea looked like she’d pass out from pleasure. Pervert?
Pondering tastes across races, I kept at it. *Smack, smack-smack.* Her breaths grew ragged.
“Hf, h-harder. Yes, that!”
Wait, seen this somewhere.
*Grrrrrowl.*
Corner cat grooming itself growled soft. Cat and *smack-smack* at waist.
Alternating glances, I flashed to a vid from two years back. Pre-smartphone bliss, YouTube animal clip.
Fuck, cats’ erogenous zone?
Spanks make her buck hips, quiver—just like “ass pats” for happy cats.
“Haa. N-Nooo. How… How’s this possible.”
Rubbing thighs, sticky breaths—she’s touching forbidden zones. I got flustered too.
“Nyaah. Hnnngh.”
Soon weird noises beyond words or reason.
Long red hair whipping, head thrashing—I finally spoke.
“Sh-Should I stop?”
“Naaah—nooo. Keep goinggg.”
*Shiver.*
Time passed. Her ass arched so high, half-joking it scraped the ceiling.
Less massage client, more track star in crouch-start.
*Ding.*
『Cured Nemea’s Back Pain.』
“GRRAAAAAH!”
Status popped, she roared mouth agape.
More roar than scream—I legs buckled, pissed myself a bit.
Good thing I’d gone in the sewer. Nearly soiled pants. Maybe did a drop.
“Ah. A-Ahem. What… What was that? Hnnghm. Weird. Hnn.”
She sat up, pulled dress back over shoulders.
Lantern-shadowed face looked inhuman—red eyes, long fangs glinting surreal through parted lips.
*Whoooosh, clatter.*
Open rattling window, wind gusting—her wild red mane shook like beastly mane.
“Friend. Why so spaced? Up.”
She yanked me upright by shoulder. Grip inhuman for a woman—yanked me like a weed.
Not sat up—ripped out. Cabbage vibes.
“Friend. Neat trick. Special hands?”
She sniffed my palms that spanked her waist.
Primal moves chilled my spine, blood rushing south.
“Dunno. Deepening ties with you sounds fun. Haven’t heated up like this in years. But…”
*Sniff sniff.*
Kept sniffing.
“Stink’s too much. Ack. Can’t take it. Unlike Hamelin, my nose is sensitive.”
“C-Can I go then? Wanna wash and rest.”
“No.”
“Huh?”
Her “no” wasn’t drawly or soft. Deep chest-growl.
“Grrrrr. Can’t hold back.”
Fuck, it really was a growl!