Frontier Saint's Late-Night Massage
The war against the Demon Realm had ended, yet the wounds remained deep.
It had taken far too much time to heal them, and during that process, Orga had endured labor pains that no amount of rest could fully ease.
George. Obrion. Laplore.
These three nations had bordered the Demon Realm closely, forcing them to meet enemy incursions head-on. As a result, they had suffered far heavier losses.
They had become the breakwaters that absorbed the raging waves crashing over their lands.
Orga, as both a person and a priest of the Continental Church, could not simply watch those wounds fester in silence. She had taken the vow of self-torture upon herself.
In the harsh, unforgiving environment, she threw herself into the battle, healing the people who could barely draw breath, and worked tirelessly to improve the land wherever she could.
The time had not been overly long, but that did not make it any less meaningful.
"My introduction has been late. I am Orga. I serve the Continental Church, though my efforts are modest."
*Clink.*
Surrounded by the three of them like people seated around a round table, Orga offered a teacup steaming with hot liquid.
Whether for a good reason or not, she believed that a single cup of tea was the proper courtesy to extend to any guest who had come so far.
Adonis accepted the teacup. With a glance sideways at Semiramis, who was already holding hers, he lowered his head.
"I am pleased to meet you. My name is Kelvin. It is an honor to encounter the Saintess in person. This is my wife, Eris."
"I am likewise pleased to meet you. However, the title of Saintess is far too heavy and precious for me to bear… I am always ashamed. There is only one person in the entire world who can truly bear that title."
It was easy to guess that person was Isabel, casting a shadow over Adonis's expression.
Orga, who believed even the lowest of sinners could be called Saintess, felt a deep sense of pity for the Saintess herself.
"Your humility is excessive. Many people have received your help, which is why they call you Saintess."
"It cannot compare to the Saintess who risked her life to defeat the Demon King herself. What I do is nothing more than the basic duties of a person and a priest. So I would be grateful if you would call me by name."
No matter how firm his faith, even as Adonis spoke with genuine sorrow, his voice held no tremor.
Orga could not easily dismiss his claim, yet the one who had sullied her own achievements with selfish greed was Isabel.
Adonis felt the deepest pity and frustration for Orga, who did not yet know the truth. He let out a shallow, long breath and steadied his heart.
*Clink.* The sound of the teacup being set down caught Semiramis's attention.
There was no longer any need to prolong the conversation.
Semiramis understood the unspoken intention from the way Adonis placed his cup down. She met Orga's eyes at once and spoke.
"Saintess Orga. Would you mind lying face down on the bed? I shall begin the massage shortly."
The moment Semiramis whispered the words in her clear, youthful voice, Orga hesitated, then slowly rose.
At this late hour, summoning someone for a massage was terribly inconvenient for her.
Yet, in this place, hesitation or refusal would be even more improper.
The longer they delayed, the later the guest who had come would have to leave, and refusing would leave a stain on the viscount's honor.
And that anger would belong entirely to these two.
"I am sorry. For someone like me, to be called at such a late hour…."
"Do not worry. As my husband said, we are the ones who are honored. How many people in this continent could possibly lay hands upon Saintess Orga's body?"
The way Semiramis's tongue moved smoothly, like a snake, made Orga smile bitterly and walk toward the bed.
The guilt on her face had faded somewhat thanks to the joke, so her posture on the bed appeared light.
Normally, a proper massage required undressing, but Semiramis simply swept her eyes over Orga's body without a word.
Adonis, who had come closer, did the same.
It was not as uncomfortable as seeing bare skin, so there was no reason he could not perform the massage.
"Perhaps it would be better for me to do it alone? Saintess Orga might feel uncomfortable."
"That is right. After all, it is a woman."
Semiramis asked naturally, and Adonis nodded as if it was nothing special.
If it had been in a store, he would have had no choice but to ignore the gender. But this was not a store.
Moreover, there was no one waiting, so there was no need to rush.
"Ah…! I am fine. It is not out of any lewd or improper intention, but for the good purpose of relieving fatigue. Besides, with my wife moving alone, it would delay her rest even more."
Orga, who had been listening, suddenly sat up, looking extremely flustered.
Although she was grateful for the care, she had nothing to say when it caused discomfort.
She had been forcibly brought here anyway, so it was all the more so.
"Hmm… If that is the case, I will dare to put my hands on you. Eris, please handle the upper part. I will take care of the legs and feet."
"Very well. That is fine."
It was natural that Semiramis would handle the sensitive areas while Adonis would take the less sensitive ones.
After Orga thanked them once more, she lay back down on the bed.
Her muscles were tightly knotted.
While Adonis massaged Orga's legs through her clothes, he realized the flow of ki and mana was far from good.
Especially given the mental and physical exhaustion she must have endured.
"Ugh…! Eeeh…!"
As the knotted areas relaxed and strength returned to the nearly dead muscles, a tingling pain washed over her.
Orga's squinted eyes and pained groans were due to that.
Adonis paid no attention to Orga's expression or the sounds she made, focusing solely on massaging her legs.
Since he had already started, the pain was inevitable. There was no point in holding back.
Without magic or divine medicine to heal it in one go, pain was unavoidable.
Semiramis's fingers worked on the upper body while Adonis's did the legs, and the pain continued without end.
It was no exaggeration to say she was receiving a beating.
At the very least, Orga could firmly say that today had been the most painful time of her life.
Still, they had said that if she endured it, it would be over.
By the time Orga was sweating from the pain, Adonis and Semiramis stopped their hands.
The spots where their fingers had touched still tingled, but strangely, a cool sensation seemed to sweep through her entire body.
Orga tilted her head in confusion at this inexplicable strangeness and sat up.
"It is truly strange. Why does my body feel so light…."
"It is because you received a good massage. It is excellent for relieving fatigue and improving the body's condition."
Adonis answered subtly, proud of his work, and Orga, half in a daze, nodded blankly.
Even though she was still sweaty, she felt extremely refreshed. There was nothing more to say.
She had been wondering whether she should rest for a while before tiring herself out further, but now it seemed unnecessary.
Her body felt as light as if it could fly.
"I understand why the viscount strongly recommended it. It seems nobles and wealthy people often receive massages for this reason."
"I am honored by your praise."
Adonis lowered his head in embarrassment, and Orga did the same.
Although she had not shown it, gratitude and joy filled her heart for the energy he had infused into her tired body.
Of course, Semiramis and Adonis had matched their breathing to heighten the effect, but Orga had no way of knowing.
"Mr. Kelvin and Ms. Eris. I am truly grateful. And to the viscount who arranged this wonderful encounter, I must also express my thanks."
"It makes me happy to hear you consider it a good connection."
Semiramis had been listening quietly. When she drew a curved line on her lips, Orga's eyes sparkled with even greater emotion.
It was a gaze full of unbreakable resolve that felt incredibly burdensome.
"Since I have received such good treatment, I must certainly repay it. Though my means are limited, I will do my best."
Moreover, the words she spoke, combined with that burdensome gaze, made Adonis back away one step in panic.
It was because of the determination filled with the desire to repay the favor.
Repayment. On the surface it sounded good, and there seemed to be room to exploit it, but the frontier saint had no substantial wealth.
Moreover, she traveled wherever she was needed, so she could not even conduct politics from the central headquarters.
Even if she used her good impression to gain support, there was no use for it.
What to do.
Adonis first pretended to think seriously, stroking his chin, while Eris quietly approached from the side and clasped her hands.
"If that is the case, could you come to our store tomorrow? I am very curious to hear what scenes and sounds Saintess Orga has experienced. It is a regrettable thing, but entering the viscount's residence for private matters is difficult and burdensome."
"That is a very simple request… but is that truly all right?"
"Of course it is. I feel my heart racing just thinking we can talk quietly together."
In truth, she was not even excited, but merely bothered. Semiramis played along as if nothing was wrong.
Adonis watched with wide eyes, but Eris showed no sign of wavering.
Thanks to the thread she had woven, there was a good chance it would help a little.
Why did she insist on inviting him to the store?
Adonis tilted his head at Semiramis's incomprehensible action and concluded that she had some reason for behaving this way.
Orga noticed the look and her lips trembled. Then she spoke in a choked voice.
"Being welcomed so warmly by someone like me… I am truly happy."
It was the same emotion she had felt when people shook hands and said they were grateful.
That same level of emotion pierced Orga's heart mercilessly.
The fact that she was about to cry was because of that.
Added to that was the joy from believing she was doing the right thing.
Adonis watched Orga begin to cry and fell silent, lowering his head without a word.
He had no idea what to say.