This Is the Kind of Tight Hug I Need
How long had I been asleep?
When I finally lifted my head from the pillow, a delicious aroma drifted up from the first floor.
Had the smell woken me?
Thick darkness had already settled over the scenery outside the window.
I made my way slowly down to the first floor and headed toward the kitchen. Priestess Isabel, sensing my presence, turned and gave me a bright smile.
“Oh my, I was just about to wake you. Rowen, you must have been very tired today. Wait just a little longer—dinner will be ready soon.”
“…………Yes. Thank you, Priestess.”
The moment I heard her unadorned, gentle voice, something inside me twisted.
While waiting for dinner, I set out plates and utensils on the table, then sat down neatly and waited.
Once the stew was finished and we had quietly begun to eat, Priestess Isabel glanced at me and slowly parted her lips.
“Rowen, you seem… a little off compared to usual. Did something happen today?”
“What!? No, nothing at all.”
“I see……”
She didn’t press any further and simply returned her attention to her meal.
A strange silence settled over us.
Hmm…….
Her quietness only made the guilt weigh heavier on me. She had asked out of genuine concern, yet I had dodged the question outright. Was she upset?
My heart felt uneasy, like a child who had done something wrong.
……She had told me I could talk to her anytime if something was troubling me.
She would probably be happier if I were honest.
Yes. It was just talking.
“The truth is……”
I told her about going to see Alex today and being almost forcibly driven away.
I left out the part about him offering me 100 gems and my refusal. It would have made me sound petty.
“I see. I remember him too. He always seemed like such a kind person… so that happened.”
Priestess Isabel listened attentively, offering soft sounds of agreement at every point.
Encouraged, my loosened tongue poured out past memories one after another.
I rambled on about all the difficult things I had gone through—everything except the near-kidnapping.
The meal had long since ended.
When I finally finished speaking, her eyes looked strangely moist.
Her soft face was filled with sadness and sympathy, enough to make my own heart ache.
“Rowen.”
“Yes?”
She rose from her seat, pulled her chair over, and placed it right beside mine.
Close enough that our elbows would brush.
A faint lily scent tickled my nose.
Before I could say a word, she looked at me with damp, glistening eyes and spread her arms wide, gently offering her voluptuous chest.
“Come here. Rowen, let me hold you.”
“U-um, Priestess, this is……”
“It’s all right. I just…… want to hold you tight.”
It seemed something had risen inside her after listening to my story.
Her benevolent, pitying expression seemed to scold me to hurry into her arms.
In the end I didn’t resist. I leaned forward so she could embrace me.
Then—
“Mmph!?”
She placed a hand on the back of my neck and gently but firmly pulled me downward.
In an instant my face was buried deep into her ample chest.
Overwhelming softness and warm heat enveloped me all at once.
Because I was pressed right into the center, I couldn’t even feel the texture of a bra.
Through the thin fabric, her breasts felt far larger, heavier, and more elastic than I had imagined.
…Lately her clothing seemed to be getting lighter. Or was that just my imagination?
Wait, where was the bra strap—
“Rowen. Rowen……”
Each breath I took filled my nose with the faint lily scent and a sweet, milky body fragrance.
Thump…. Thump….
I could hear her heartbeat directly.
With every steady pulse, her body heat seemed to seep into every part of me.
The overwhelming volume and elasticity kept pressing against my face until I finally lifted my head just enough to look up at her.
“Um. Isn’t this kind of behavior rather rude?”
“Not at all. You’re not having any strange thoughts, are you?”
“I-I’m not having any strange thoughts. But……”
“Then it’s fine. Besides, we’ve lived together like family for five years.”
She gazed down at me with a face full of warmth.
“Right now, Rowen needs this kind of tight hug…. So please, let everything go for now. If you want to cry, you can cry as much as you like……”
“Ah, I’m okay. I already cried a lot earlier, so nothing’s coming out right now……”
“………Ugh. Roweeeeen……”
Her slender arms slid around my head and pulled me even tighter.
Her voice remained soft and gentle, yet the strength in her embrace kept growing.
With every slight movement, her heavy, elastic breasts softly pressed against my nose and face, then gently cushioned me again.
The sweet scent and the squishy sensation through the thin cloth made me feel like I might suffocate, yet…
The way my mind was peacefully emptying left me staying still in her arms like an obedient child.
Then her lips drew so close to my ear that I could feel her breath.
She slowly parted them and whispered in a coaxing voice.
“You know, Rowen…? I often work from home instead of going to the church…. But this mansion is larger than I expected, and staying here alone until you return makes me anxious……”
Her voice was slow, kind, and soft.
“So I was thinking it might be nice if you stayed here permanently as the mansion’s caretaker and kept me company…… What do you think?”
I listened quietly, then gave a small shake of my head while still buried against her chest.
It wasn’t intentional, but the motion made her breasts sway heavily once more.
She swallowed several times, cleared her throat, and whispered again into my ear with that same gentle, coaxing tone.
“Or…… Church duties are quite demanding, with so many things to worry about. If you could always accompany me as my attendant, I would feel so reassured. We could start with organizing documents and managing supplies……”
“Priestess Isabel.”
I couldn’t listen any longer. I pulled my face free from that soft paradise.
She let out a tiny “Ah…” and a light sigh.
“I know you’re always trying to accommodate me. But this doesn’t feel right. I will repay the debt I owe you dozens of times over in my lifetime, so……”
I took her two delicate hands in mine and looked at her earnestly.
With a steady, unwavering voice.
Clearly.
“Please give me the chance to stand on my own strength and truly make you happy. All right?”
Did she sense my sincerity?
As I continued to hold her hands and gaze at her seriously, her amber eyes suddenly widened into perfect circles.
“………………”
Priestess Isabel drew in a small breath.
Her voluminous chest rose and fell once, then she simply stared at me, speechless for a long moment.
I suddenly realized I was still holding her hands and quickly let go.
……Being pressed against her chest earlier had made me forget about personal space.
Now that my hands were free, Priestess Isabel slowly raised one to lightly cover her mouth.
She turned her head slightly to the side and spoke in an awkward, faltering voice that was unlike her.
“Um…… ahem! Y-yes……. I’ll…… give you a chance……”
.
.
.
.
.
.
After my conversation with Priestess Isabel, I pulled myself together and began taking on requests again.
I couldn’t afford to sit down now when I had only just started.
I went to the mercenary guild and accepted every request I could get my hands on, taking every single-day job that came my way.
I looked for requests that were relatively safe yet paid decently.
It wasn’t so much fear as a desire to avoid acting recklessly until I had properly learned the ecosystem around Pletur.
So that morning, when I headed to the mercenary guild early—
Huh?
My eyes sparkled.
A familiar figure stood in front of the outdoor party-recruitment bulletin board.
Red ponytail.
Sharp golden eyes.
Leather armor accented with red.
It was the mercenary who had first spoken to me at the guild.
Even if her words had been teasing….
I approached her without hesitation.
Sensing me, she turned her head and looked my way.
Her expression seemed to say she was surprised I was still around.
“What? It’s that rookie from before.”
“Hello! Ah, you remember my name? It’s Rowen……”
“Enough. I remembered. My name’s…… Sera. No point hiding it.”
Sera spoke indifferently, then looked up at me with an annoyed gaze.
I decided to be straightforward.
“As you suggested last time, I’m looking for party members. I’m confident in using a buckler to block, and I’m quite strong. Would you take requests with me? I’m sure you’ll need the help.”
At my calm appeal, Sera gave a slight smile.
“Yeah, I don’t need it.”
“…………………….”
A clean rejection that left no opening.
Normally I would have withdrawn, but things were different now.
Another strategy I had learned at the mercenary guild:
Never miss an opportunity when it appears.
“Sera— I mean, Miss Sera. Please, I’m begging you…. Just trust me this once!”
“What the—? You idiot, can’t you see there are people around!?”
Bowing my head deeply in public definitely drew attention.
Sera’s ears flushed red as she hurriedly lifted my head.
“This guy… has your personality changed since last time? Why? Why are you suddenly clinging to me?”
“Well, it’s because……”
I briefly told her how, right after we parted last time, I had nearly suffered badly on a request.
Sera clicked her tongue. “Tsk.”
“So what? Don’t tell me you’re trying to blame me for that.”
“Huh? That’s not it at all! It’s just… I remembered how you explained everything in detail when I didn’t know anything last time……. I thought you were someone I could trust……”
I added in a small voice.
“So this time I didn’t want to miss the chance……”
“…………………….”
Sera stared at me quietly for a moment.
Then she let out a light sigh and spoke reluctantly.
“……Just this once. If you’re useless, I’ll drop you immediately, so keep that in mind.”