Urusphier (3)
"We'll deliver the subjugation reward to the lodging you've written down here."
"Yes, thank you."
While I was still hiccuping and unable to calm down, Rubia carried on the conversation in my place—still holding me tightly in her arms.
Once my head cleared a little, the whole thing felt unbearably embarrassing. She showed no sign of letting me go. Earlier she'd told me to get off her. Why was she acting like this now?
"What are your plans going forward?"
"For now... we intend to rest for the next three days. We're a bit... worn out."
Revije nodded as she tidied the stack of papers in front of her.
"I see. This city is quite pleasant for resting, so... it shouldn't be bad."
She rose from her seat and was about to leave the office when Rubia's question caught her mid-step.
"Ah... and this is a personal question, but... do you happen to know Lady Yuria?"
"Yuria... are you referring to the adventurer Lady Yuria?"
"Yes."
Revije turned back toward us.
"I know of her, but... for what reason?"
A strange expression. She seemed to know something.
"We came with her disciple. Her name is Hepais."
Revije's face tightened ever so slightly—a change so minute only my Qi Sensing could catch it.
"Lady Yuria left this city ten days ago. She said she was heading for Karahan."
"Could you tell us... what business took her there?"
"Hmm... normally I wouldn't, but I'll make an exception."
Revije chose her words carefully for a long moment before speaking slowly.
"She went to Karahan in pursuit of Master Sirin."
Sirin?
Was there a Master named Sirin among the NPCs...? Even if I hadn't paid much attention to the story, I remembered every Master.
"A Master?"
"Yes. The one who became the tenth Master this time."
An expression that looked like she was hiding something. Another tiny shift, but I felt it. Rubia still hadn't noticed. I'd have to tell her later.
"I see... understood. Thank you."
"Of course. If you ever need assistance, please call for me anytime."
With those final words, Revije left the office. Her footsteps sounded somehow hurried.
"A Master... that Sirin person must be incredibly strong, right?"
I thought back to the Masters I'd seen in the game. The first one I'd ever met... I couldn't remember the name, but it was a character in black armor carrying a single, extremely battered sword. Prideful to the core. Then, for some reason, they fell to corruption and ended up facing the player. And I never once managed to win. They weren't designed to be beaten in the first place. No matter how much I stacked every possible upgrade, I absolutely could not win. I used to think I had pretty good fingers, but... they were just made so you couldn't win.
Anyway... the answer to Rubia's question was:
"Su... super strong."
Those guys were in a completely different genre. The tag "overpowered" was stuck right on them.
"If Noah says so... then they must be incredible."
"Very... very, very strong."
"I see... but did you actually meet them? Or..."
Rubia's expression turned abruptly sharp. The arms holding me tightened.
"Did that 'master' of yours tell you again?"
Master...?
Ah... last time I'd called the game my master. But... why did Rubia look so angry...?
"Uh... a-actually...? No... um... I-I saw them."
"Where?"
"...Uh, umm... where was it... I can't read maps, so... hehe."
Rubia let out a heavy sigh and shook her head.
"Fine. I understand. Shall we head out as well?"
"Mm... yes."
I roughly rubbed at my eyes and slipped free of Rubia's embrace.
"Hehehe... Noah, your face is a mess. Shall we wash up before we go?"
She pointed to the washbasin in the corner of the office.
"I-is it that... bad...?"
"Yes. Tears and snot all over. Hehehe..."
"Ugh... th-then let's just... wash my face and go..."
I was pretty sure I hadn't gotten any snot on me...
I walked slowly to the basin and turned on the faucet. Just as I was about to rinse one hand under the gushing water—
"Here, Noah. Sniff!"
Rubia's hand appeared right in front of my nose.
"Eh...? Sniff...?"
"Yes. You need to blow your nose."
"Into Rubia's hand...?"
She nodded as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
"I-it's dirty..."
"I can just wash it off with water."
"B-but still...!"
"It's fine. Hurry—sniff!"
Judging by her face... she wasn't teasing me.
"R-really...?"
"Yes."
"A-are you really going to make me...?"
Nod—
"N-no... I don't want to after all... I-I'll do it in my own hand... Rubia, go over there. It's too gross to watch..."
Honestly, I'd almost blown on instinct just now. I held it back hard. It was way too humiliating. How could anyone blow their nose into someone else's hand!
I gave Rubia a few light shoves and turned my back. And because I was embarrassed, I tried to keep the sound as quiet as possible—soft little hnnng-hnnngs over and over. After a few times I felt a bit clearer.
"Huuu..."
But still not completely clear... I turned my back fully so Rubia couldn't see and was about to blow again when—
"Gotcha."
"Hnnng—hyaaaang—!"
Rubia's wicked fingers came from behind and started tickling me.
"Hee... hyak! D-don't... don't do thaaat...! Euhyaak!"
"I can't forgive a lying Noah!"
"W-when did I... hyak! L-lie...! Hnnngh..."
The hand that had only been tickling my sides climbed my spine and invaded my armpits and neck. But... but! One of my hands still had... that... snot on it, so I couldn't stop Rubia's evil scheme...
"Hyak! Heuk...! D-don't... don't, stooop! Hyaaang—!"
I twisted and tried to pull away, but the more I struggled the tighter Rubia clung. The moment our bodies pressed completely together—
"Hee... hu... nngh, hek... s-stop... I-I need the bathroom... hyak!"
Click— the door opened.
"Ah, by the way, about dinner—"
Revije stepped in and stared blankly at us.
"Oh my."
Startled, Rubia jerked away from me. Still dangling in midair from her grip, I flopped onto the floor with a soft thud.
"Heuk... hhk... euhhk... I-I almost... wet..."
"Um... ah... dinner... excuse me..."
The door closed. Silence settled over the office, filled only by my ragged breathing.
"No... Noah. I'm sorry."
"It's fine... just go away..."
"Shall we eat some jelly...?"
"I'm not eating."
I fled to the far end of the bed as Rubia edged closer.
"Stay... right there."
"Ugh... okay..."
I deliberately avoided looking at her face so I wouldn't soften, but her voice sounded so weak that I snuck a glance. She wore the expression of an abandoned kitten... I'd planned not to speak for a while, but seeing that face made my resolve crumble. I shouldn't have looked.
"I... I said I needed the bathroom..."
"Yes..."
"And when exactly... did I lie...?"
"...Sorry..."
"What if... huh? What if I'd actually had an accident... what then?"
"I'm sorry..."
"And... Lady Revije... saw us! W-what must she be thinking...!"
The more I spoke the hotter my face got; I pounded the bed with both hands.
"This time Rubia is a hundred percent wrong...! I-I'm not letting this go..."
I whipped around again, back to her. I was so mad...
"U-Unni? So about dinner—"
Hepais, who had been fidgeting helplessly behind us, finally spoke up.
"I-I'm not eating. You go with Rubia."
Rubia quietly sucked in a breath. The shocked look on her face was a bonus. Still not forgiving her. Last time I'd told her over and over not to tickle me. She'd done it all day. And now she wouldn't even stop when I said I needed the bathroom. She made me look completely ridiculous in front of someone else! My... my panties must have been completely visible... Plus she was getting the weirdest wrong idea! I was furious and annoyed.
"Noah... are you really not coming?"
"Yes."
"Unni, we're going to eat a ton of dessert after dinner. You're really not coming?"
"...N-not going..."
I forced down the hunger and waved them off.
"Hah..."
Rubia looked thoroughly stunned by behavior I would never normally show. But... I had no choice. This time I had to be firm.
"Hurry up and go..."
I hugged my greatsword and lay down.
"I'm... going to sleep..."
I pulled the blanket all the way over my head and curled into a tight ball. A moment later their footsteps faded and the door opened. They seemed to whisper something on the way out, but the blanket muffled it. Click— the door shut. I counted to ten inside my head, then carefully expanded my Qi Sensing.
Yep. They'd definitely gone downstairs.
Only then did I throw off the blanket and sit up. I mapped out every corner of the room. The jelly and sugar-dusted raspberries we'd bought earlier had to be here somewhere.
"Ah...!"
I spotted the bag in one corner and dashed over. Rustle-rustle— shaking it produced the soft sound of sugar crystals shifting.
"Hehe..."
Smell: pass. Color... I couldn't see it, but the shape: pass! Texture...
"Oh... so soft and squishy."
Pass!
I popped one straight into my mouth and chewed. First came the sweetness of the sugar, followed by the tart raspberry flavor! Sour and perfect!
"S-so good..."
Incredibly good...! And the texture was amazing—far softer and chewier than the jelly we'd had in Roholan... I could eat only this for the rest of my life...
Before the texture faded I gulped it down, then grabbed a whole handful and stuffed them in.
"Waaah—"
The irritation that had filled me was replaced by jelly. So... so delicious. So happy... The sweetness flooding my body washed the gloom away. I chewed diligently at the too-many jellies that wouldn't even mash properly, and suddenly remembered something I'd meant to tell Rubia.
Revije had looked like she knew something about Yuria... I'd been so angry I'd completely forgotten... Well... we weren't leaving yet, so I could tell her tomorrow...? Today I wasn't speaking to Rubia at all. I'd sleep in the next room with Hepais. Rubia could sleep here alone!