Chapter 64
Chapter 64
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 64
Chapter Title: Quack Masseur Hassan #3
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Nymph? The word made my ears perk up.
"Nymph?"
"That's right, a nymph! Nymphs grow slowly, so they look like kids even when they're over ten. Take a look—she's definitely different from humans or dwarves."
The innkeeper shouted as if he were truly wronged. Just as he said, I turned my gaze back to the little girl sitting blankly on the bed.
Her long blue hair swayed like ocean waves, and her slightly visible pointed ears marked her as clearly inhuman.
But those pointed ears triggered a trauma, sending chills creeping up my back.
Of course, Elfriede's ears had been even longer and sharper. Come to think of it, Daphne's ears had been short and pointed like these too.
"She's really not human?"
"Yep. Though I get why you'd think otherwise. Ever since Ceres's curse thirty years ago, most nymphs were wiped out, so they're super rare now. Plenty of folks have never even heard of them."
I'd vaguely heard there were other fairy-like races besides elves. So that was nymphs. This was the first time I'd seen one in person.
"..."
As I peered at her, the innkeeper's wife—Echo, I think her name was?—blushed deeply in embarrassment and pulled the blanket over her head.
"Your wife doesn't talk?"
"She's shy around strangers. Nymphs are like that by nature. Totally different from those elves from across the sea."
Elves and nymphs—the names were similar, but up close, the differences were stark.
The Elfriede in my memory was all curves, long-limbed and voluptuous. Her development was on another level.
But Echo here looked like a child no matter how I squinted. Her face was fairy-like—pretty and cute—but she didn't give off any adult vibe.
If I had to compare, elves were like massive, rugged bullfrogs, an invasive species. Nymphs were more like the local tree frogs on this continent.
Thinking of them as natives outcompeted by invasives made me feel a bit sorry for her.
"Samaritan sir, I leave her in your hands. I can't stay away from the shop too long, so I'll head out. I'll check in now and then—let me know if you need anything!"
With that, the innkeeper vanished, leaving me alone in this basement with the strange nymph. It felt awkward as hell.
"..."
And true to his word about her shyness, Echo didn't utter a single word to me. I was at a loss.
But I couldn't just stand around dithering. I'd gotten a summons from Hippolyte to meet her at the training grounds tonight.
Ignoring a silver-rank adventurer's call—or showing up late—could lead to who-knows-what trouble.
"Ahem, uh, so I call you Echo? He said your back hurts."
"..."
I mustered my flagging enthusiasm and spoke first. The blue-eyed nymph, blanket pulled up to her knees and chest, shivered.
Damn, anyone could see she was scared. Hell, even I'd be freaked out alone with a dark-skinned guy like me.
"I, uh, heard from your husband. I'm pretty good at massages. Might be able to fix that back injury. Sorry to ask, but could I hold your hand?"
"..."
The nymph said nothing, just peeking out from under the blanket, blinking her eyes.
No yes, no no. That meant she wasn't refusing, right?
I approached the bed as harmlessly as possible and barely managed to perch on the edge near the blanket.
"Then I'll take a look. Could you give me your wrist first...?"
At my cautious question, a slender wrist slid out from under the blanket—like one my hand could easily wrap around with room to spare.
As I placed my fingers on it, text popped up with a ding.
『Name: Echo Lv. 4
Status: Curse of Stunted Growth | Breast Lump | Mild Disc Herniation』
Looks like the immobility was from that mild disc issue. But a curse of stunted growth? What the hell?
"Uh, could you lie face-down flat?"
"..."
No verbal reply again. But instead of speaking, the innkeeper's wife cooperatively wriggled around and slowly lay prone on the bed.
I straightened her delicate frame and checked if her legs aligned properly, scanning her pelvis and shoulders for spinal misalignment.
It wasn't as off-balance as I'd feared. Chiropractic adjustments could probably fix this.
The disc was the real problem.
Disc herniations are tough to fully heal without surgery. Could a massage handle it? I hesitated.
"Uh, I'll start pressing around your lower back. I'll need to lift your clothes a bit—is that okay?"
"Th-that... just a little..."
Oh, she finally spoke. Her voice was tiny, barely audible unless I concentrated, but hearing direct permission made a world of difference.
Swish.
Anyway, I reached to lift her clothes to her waist.
Wait—this was a dress. Lifting to the waist meant inevitably hiking the skirt over her butt.
"Sorry, but could you lift from the top and pull down?"
She flinched.
"Lifting from the bottom might be too much."
"Oh..."
Only then did she seem to understand, fumbling to undress herself.
Swish, shhh.
A slight curve came into view, then she hugged the blanket over her arms and chest, hiding her front, and lay flat again.
First thing that caught my eye was her incredibly slender back—like Luna's—and the red spots on her waist.
What were those? Kidney Shu points?
Kidney Shu are acupoints on the lower back near the kidneys, good for chronic pain or kidney weakness.
Back pain can stem from internal organs and vice versa, so stimulating them relieves pain and boosts health overall.
Even without that, disc issues often involve tense muscles near the erector spinae, so proper massage helps ease it.
"Hoo."
I let out a small breath and reached for her waist. Just a regular massage, but I was tense.
Wrong massage or pressure on a disc could worsen the pain.
Non-experts messing around can do more harm than good. Could I trust my hands and blessing?
Tch, what's the worst that could happen.
"I'll press gently then."
Squeeeze.
"Ngh...!"
Echo groaned deeply, clutching the blanket tight—pain, probably.
Her waist had barely any muscle. All soft and smooth skin.
But those scant muscles were rigidly tense, causing fatigue and extra pain from weak core support.
"Ah... hnn... haa..."
Echo kept exhaling hot breaths, trembling.
I ignored it, focusing solely on her waist and my thumbs.
Squeeze, sqeeeeze. Squeeeze.
Applying just enough—not too hard to damage nerves or muscles, not too soft—was tricky. Sweat beaded on my forehead.
"N-ngh...!"
Squiiiish.
After a silent stretch of pressing her waist,
Rip-rip.
Echo gripped and tore at the bedsheet like she was in agony. I panicked—did I hit the wrong spot?
Ding.
『Cured Echo's Mild Disc Herniation.』
『Karma Value +10』
『Current Karma Value: +87』
The messages let me finally exhale in relief. Damn, I cured a disc herniation!
More real and tangible than vague curses. Confidence surged—this felt legit.
Shit, if I took this skill back home, I'd rake in millions!
Lost in smug satisfaction and regret,
"Haa... hnn... Do-doctor..."
Echo gasped, calling me. I snapped to—what's wrong?
"Something up? Did I mess up? And I'm not a doctor."
"My... my chest feels so tight... Wh-what's happening...?"
Tight chest? What symptom was that? I racked my brain.
Swish.
Echo rolled toward me, grabbed my hand, and pressed it to her chest?
Squish.
It fit perfectly in one hand—soft, pillowy, with a firm something poking my palm. I nearly screamed.
"Haa..."
"Wh-what the hell!?"
She guided my hand to grope her own breast.
Shit, what was this? Stunned, I suddenly remembered: Kidney Shu boosts female hormones, enhancing sexual function.
That explained why this shy woman was doing this—it didn't make sense otherwise.
"Haaah..."
"Uh, this is... kinda..."
Squeeeze.
I tried pulling away, but Echo clung to my hand, like demanding I keep kneading.
I wanted to, but groping a young married woman's breasts as her "masseur"? If caught, I'd be dead—no appeals.
Yet that soft, glue-like sensation kept my hand glued.
Squish, squish.
"Haa... nn..."
But kneading revealed it wasn't all mush. Something lumpy inside the soft flesh, like a small pouch.
The breast lump from earlier?
Squish, squish, squish.
"Ah... ang..."
In this honeymoon-like basement, I kept groping another man's wife like a pervert.
Weirdly, the more I massaged her small, soft breast, the smaller the lump got.
Squish, squish.
Right as it vanished completely,
"Hyaah, a-ahh...!"
Echo arched her hips and thighs like a bridge, trembling wildly, lost.
Ding.
『Cured Echo's Curse of Stunted Growth | Breast Lump.』
『Karma Value +20』
『Current Karma Value: +107』
Both statuses cured—Karma over 100 again. Great news. Really great, but...
"Do-doctor..."
Echo slumped on the blanket, calling me in a sticky, needy voice amid convulsions.
"You have... such blessed hands... Have you received grace...?"
"Uh... sorry about that."
"..."
Echo shut her mouth, draped her fallen dress over her shoulders, and pulled the blanket around herself.
"...I'll be going then. Try not to lift heavy stuff and build up those back muscles."
The awkward silence made me bolt upstairs.
"All done? How'd it go? She okay now?"
The innkeeper grabbed me. I felt like such a scumbag I couldn't meet his eyes.
"Should be fine now!"
"Thank goodness! But why're you so sweaty?"
"Had to put in some real effort..."
"Makes sense—miracle work ain't easy. Here's the pay we agreed on."
Five silver coins in the pouch. Five silvers was 500 coppers—enough for a hundred 5-copper bowls of stew, a full month's meals.
Groping a married woman's tits and getting paid big? I felt like a total gigolo.
"Next time, my body—"
I left the babbling innkeeper and stepped into the street. Cool wind cooled my flushed, excited face.
"Whoa..."
I replayed what I'd groped. The basement felt like a dream.
A nymph—looked skinny, but felt so soft and plush.
How do women carry those around? I'd be obsessed if I had 'em. Maybe women do fondle theirs daily like I imagine.
"You're late. I was waiting. Well, not really."
Late that night, at the guild's empty training grounds, lightly dressed Hippolyte sat on a bench waiting.
A tank top covering her chest, skin-tight shorts like dolphin pants.
Under moonlight, her toned abs, thighs, and smooth, glowing skin looked insanely erotic. The gap from her usual rigid armor was huge.
No makeup, but her natural beauty was pristine—no issues.
Facing a beauty under the moon made me tense.
"Why'd you call me out tonight...?"
"Yeah, I heard you have some amazing hand skills, Hassan?"
[Author's Note]
Elves are invasive species, nymphs are natives... Actually, Hassan is an invasive species too...