Chapter 164
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 164
Chapter Title: Not a Sickbed Visit -3-
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I wasn't just lying in bed until Eclair arrived.
The moment Rike headed back for her academy classes, I stretched with a yawn and got moving.
Crack- crack!
"Ughhh-!!"
Lying down for so long had me bored out of my mind, practically dying of tedium.
Rolling my waist and shoulders sent a cool wave of relief through me, my voice booming naturally and echoing off the walls.
I even tried some solo exercises in this ridiculously spacious room, but no sweat broke, no real satisfaction came— just frustration building up.
People really do need sunlight and fresh air, after all.
With that sticky, sluggish feeling creeping into my mind, I figured I needed to shake it off. So I decided on a stroll through the vast church grounds.
Sure, as an adventurer I'd come here plenty to buy holy water or potions,
but I'd always bolt right after business, never venturing inside.
The instant I stepped out of my private room, priests came swarming from afar to lay out the precautions.
"The Saintess said walks are okay, but... you still can't go too far or do anything strenuous."
They had that strong service industry vibe—like workers from my past life—so treating them casually like fellow adventurers felt off.
Pretending otherwise would've been too much of a hassle anyway.
"I won't cause any trouble for you priests. Just feeling cooped up, that's all."
I ran into some priests who'd assisted at the academy before and exchanged brief small talk.
Boredom had me wandering corners of the church I never bothered with usually, and in this totally unfamiliar spot, I spotted someone I vaguely recognized.
Tanned skin radiating healthy allure.
A prickly expression stuffed with dissatisfaction, legs crossed in a pose like she was waiting reluctantly for something.
Her hair a shade darker than blonde, drawing eyes everywhere— her face was definitely someone from the Adventurer's Guild.
Actually, what really grabbed my attention was the 'something' on top of her head.
To get a proper look, I sidled up and spoke.
"Here for treatment, huh?"
"!!!"
She shot to her feet at the sight of me, scanned the surroundings warily, then replied.
"I-I'm fine... but I'm waiting for my party member to get treated for their injury."
Even as she spoke, her one exposed eye scanned my outfit head to toe.
'Party member— that guy with the same name as me?'
Setting that aside, her face didn't ring any bells.
Injuries are practically family to adventurers, so nothing surprising there.
"Hmm~ Got it."
The 'something' holding my gaze.
As random as it seemed, the lizard-ish thing perched on her head wasn't a hallucination or trick of the eye.
'No... is that even a lizard...?'
Its body sleek like a moist clump of mud, with a fresh green sprout poking up from its head!
Locking eyes with me, its black beady orbs gleaming as it flicked its tongue— cuter the longer I looked.
While I was in a staring contest with the lizard, ignoring her entirely, the creature pecked at her crown with its snout to signal.
She flinched, eyes going wide, and took a step toward me.
"U-Um, can you see Tero by any chance?"
"Tero...? That's its name?"
I pointed at her crown, and she gaped, stunned.
Snapping out of it, she hurriedly covered her exposed mouth.
"I-It surprised me so much! Sorry!"
Her over-the-top reaction finally clued me in.
'That's a spirit, huh.'
A spirit form not shown in the game— total blindside.
Spirits all have their own shapes, so something like this was fair game.
Glancing around the empty hallway, I leaned in and whispered.
"I'll pretend I didn't see. No need to report it, right?"
Just knowing I'd spotted the spirit had already melted away most of her earlier wariness and stiffness.
"Y-Yes...! Thank you!"
As I moved to wrap up the chat and leave, I froze for a second.
'I feel like I heard her name at the guild... or maybe not...?'
Back when I had no one to answer to,
I'd have memorized a standout beauty's name for sure. Guess my head's changed a lot.
Scratching my faulty memory, I spoke up to avoid an awkward cutoff.
"Di-Did you ever tell me your name? Anyway, hang in there. Hope your party member's treatment goes smooth."
"Alice! Thanks to that potion you gave back then, my party member made it here alive... Thank you!!"
Alice.
Subtly common name, but a first among adventurers, somehow.
I clearly remembered gifting her a potion to tie up that unlucky mess with Liliane.
'First sighting since Deganello, and she has a spirit? Who knew.'
Humans—not heteroraces—with spirits are insanely rare, so her shock was understandable on her end too.
"If the potion saved a life, I did some good, huh? That's why we crossed paths at the church."
"You did us a huge favor! It seemed so precious, I tried to save it as best I could, but..."
Unlike her flustered owner, the spirit fixed me with sparkling black eyes, stealing my gaze again.
'That head sprout twitches now and then— emotion? Cute.'
Sparkling eyes and that sprout.
A lifeform shape like no other, brimming with one-of-a-kind charm.
Shockingly captivating, over and over.
What would touching that reptile-shaped spirit feel like?
'No. Can't just touch someone else's spirit.'
I decided to bail before my hand moved on autopilot.
"Gave it as a consumable to use properly, so what's the issue? Name... can't promise, but I'll try remembering. Tough it out."
"Th-Thank you! See you next time! Senior!"
"Senior? What's that about?"
No way adventurers had some bum hierarchy like that.
Adventuring was just desperate near-death folks banding together in money madness.
"Doesn't exist? I've heard it mentioned..."
There were definitely guys who fussed over it.
The talentless stuck below Gold rank, aging in stagnation, probably.
"I don't care about that stuff, so beats me? By veteran scent, maybe I qualify."
"..."
"And seeing spirits doesn't make someone auto-good or nice. Don't buy baseless rumors so quick. Even with me, got it?"
Calling out how she'd dropped her guard too fast just because I saw the spirit, she froze with her golden eyes wide open.
'Too nosy?'
Seemed like adventurer must-have advice, but nosy for a second meet.
Felt like it'd drag if I kept going.
I left for even remoter corners.
Once my lungs felt nicely filled with sunlight and fresh air, I headed back, did some light barehanded workouts, and continued communing with Gleipnir.
After work, Eclair arrived at the church still in uniform, heels clicking as she entered. She hung her coat on the chair, approached the bed, and perched on the edge.
Seeing the untouched church meal on the table, Eclair asked me,
"Roman. You eating properly?"
"Dinner's later, but I polished off that lunch bento! First time in my life for food that fancy."
"Ha! Always the smooth talker..."
It was the exact reaction Rike mentioned— I nearly burst out laughing,
but mustered the iron will of a Platinum adventurer, clenched my teeth, and barely held it in.
"Excuse me~"
I sneaked over and pillowed my head on her thigh— a continental marvel, paradise itself.
'Whoa... this!'
Properly trained muscle wasn't hard; it was soft instead.
Pressing my head right against that thigh and lower belly.
With her ample breasts blocking the view, only her bangs peeked through sporadically— my private vista.
But I preferred seeing her face, so I shifted toward her knee and met her eyes.
"Kitty's cooking really brings out the ingredients' flavors— gets tastier with every bite. Touched by how delicately she cared for my health."
Pleased enough to not hide her smile,
she curved her lips warmly, grabbed my lying cheek, and shook it.
"I get wanting bold flavors, but too much salt's no good. Moderate it going forward."
"If Kitty keeps cooking, I'll think about it."
A man's skin probably didn't feel great, but she kept fondling my cheek, laughing.
"Moments like this, you're no different from a spoiled brat. In the future, I'll fix that palate entirely."
With me bringing up the future over and over, she'd gotten casual about mentioning it now too.
True giant leap.
"Wanna lie back comfy and chat?"
"Hmm... was gonna grab dinner right away, though."
"Rest a bit first."
I wrapped an arm around her waist and tugged; she grumbled half-heartedly but let me draw her in gently.
Lying side-by-side on the same bed, facing those jewel-like red eyes, I started fondling her cheek too.
"Kitty have a rough day? Not too tired?"
Not rejecting my hand, she smiled and laid hers over it, pressing my palm firmer against her cheek.
"So much commotion... bit tired. Hold me."
Eclair couldn't casually whine about fatigue or hardship anywhere due to her position.
But limited to when we were alone,
in front of me, she'd freely vent emotions or throw little tantrums.
No need for idle chit-chat or questions— I just held her.
Demons popping up in the capital, undead swarming— must've been nonstop chaos.
At first, Eclair sighed deeply, exhaling pent-up negativity on hot breaths. As time passed, her breathing evened out.
'...Asleep?'
This room didn't offer total silence.
Faint outside sounds filtered through the door, but the steady murmur of voices kept true quiet at bay— white noise, basically.
The bed's interior was pre-warmed by me, so when 'fatigue' pounced,
staying awake would've been the weird part.
No idea how slammed she'd been, but for one of the Empire's Five Knights to nod off here...
Or did my arms just melt her guard that much?
'Dinner? No real plans.'
Less moving around than usual, stuffed from lunch— not even hungry.
Figured when Eclair showed, we'd grab something to cover her dinner, I'd have drinks, call it good.
A short deep sleep might pack more nutrition than a meal anyway.
She opened her eyes again after dinner hour fully passed, once the Saintess finished her schedule and returned, throwing the church into bustle.