Chapter 10 — Ruruka and the Inn

Chapter 10: Ruruka and the Inn.

「Hey, wanna go into the labyrinth with me tomorrow?」

We go directly from the weaponsmith to the tavern, and as we’re having a meal, Ruruka comes over to our table and says that. Then she cheekily sits down and starts taking food from our platter and even ordering additional alcohol. Seems like she’s by herself today.

「Wait, didn’t you tell me I couldn’t join you or whatever? Besides, that flat-chest would totally hate it.」

Perhaps, just maybe, this is headhunting? Her objective isn’t me, but Yuel. Did she come to poach my cute, excellent, lovely Yuel-san?

「…You better not say that in front of that girl, okay? She’s really sensitive about that. Err, didn’t I also say that if I didn’t have a party I’d want to enter the labyrinth with you? Fran’s in poor health, so for the next few days, we’re just taking a little break from party exploration.」

Yeah, come to think of it she did say that too, huh. I get it. So it’s okay to go with Ruruka individually on one of her days off? A so-called temporary party. And I do feel a little concerned about our combat potential, so maybe I should go ahead and test how far we can get with three people?

「Ahh, that so? But Fran’s in poor health, no? Can’t you do something for her? If that brat asks me personally, it’s not like I won’t heal her?」

「Ahh, ahaha. Err, it’s not like that, so don’t worry about it. She’ll be fine, alright?」

What’s with that, she’s being evasive.

“Poor health”. “It’s not like that”. “The next few days”. “Taking a little break”. “Don’t worry, she’ll be fine”.

Ahh. The corners of my mouth spontaneously curl up. I see, there are days like that occasionally, aren’t there. It’s a girl thing. That thing where about once a month, their health becomes poor.

I see, so it started today?

I wonder how long a cycle lasts? Usually about a month or so?

Yeah, I’m starting to feel like calling out to her a month from now with “‘That time of the month, huh?”. At first, Fran wouldn’t understand what I meant and stare blankly at me. But seeing my smug grin, she’d realize what I meant, and be so confused over why I know, and ashamed that I found out. I wanna take a look at her expression, soaked with disgust at me for bringing it up.

Right, if I run into Fran today or tomorrow, why don’t I try asking her about her period? Surely, seeing Fran’s infuriated expression with those twin drills raging up to the sky would be well worth it.

「Don’t do anything to make her too angry, okaaay? That girl really hates things like that.」

Ruruka sighs and says that. Did she guess my thoughts just from my expression? She knows me well, doesn’t she.

Well, in the end maybe I won’t actually do it. She’s one of Ruruka’s party members and all. If I end up saying it, Ruruka would understandably hate me. I’d like to think that Ruruka has a relatively tolerant personality, but that doesn’t extend to someone who offends her party members. Wait, since it’s Fran we’re talking about, she’s liable to call the guards or blast me with magic or something. She’s known to be uptight and all. Yeah, that would be unwise.

But if I do happen to run into Fran, I may end up saying something. If she takes a nasty attitude like “I despise you”, I’ll naturally want to dye that expression of hers with shame. It wouldn’t be seen as taking the first swing anymore.

「Hey, Shiki, I wanna stay at the same inn as you. You don’t mind, right?」

On our way out of the tavern, Ruruka brings up an idea like that.

Is it that? That “I’m drunk, could you escort me back?” one. Have I finally reached my popular age? Her face is faintly flushed too. Perhaps she wants me to take her back to my place. Surely, this is what you’d call a come-hither look. To think, suddenly going straight to bed without dating. How assertive. Has she always been this aggressive? No, at most it’s been on the level where she jiggles her clothed breasts, presses them against me, and lets me touch them for just a moment. Plus, that was in exchange for a treatment fee.

I guess my popular time has come after all. Making Ruruka be this proactive, what a… what a sinful man I am. Whoops, I ended up letting a grin show on my face. Gotta be careful.

「Ah, of course I don’t mean it like that, just that it’s bothersome to arrange a meetup, so why not use the same inn? Separate rooms, obviously.」

Ah, it was a misunderstanding? Of course. And her face is reddened because she was drinking alcohol, naturally. I’m a bit annoyed at myself for getting my hopes up. And extremely disappointed. Maybe I should have a drink too and clear my head a little. Well, since Yuel is there, even if we shared the same room and the same bed, nothing would actually happen, though.

「Speaking of that, do you and Yuel-chan sleep in the same room?」

I’m interested in what her intentions are, asking me that question. Is she getting jealous over the intimate relationship between me and Yuel? Or else is she trying to figure out whether I’m a lolicon or something? I’d like to know.

「Yeah, that’s right. Don’t wanna waste money or anything.」

The truth is that Yuel was against being separated, but there’s no need to mention that.

「Master always lets me sleep in the same bed with him.」

Yuel-san, there’s no need to mention that either.

When she hears what Yuel says, Ruruka stares intently at my face. A serious expression, like she’s searching for the truth.

Yeah, I knew it, she suspected me of being a lolicon.

I must not avert my eyes. Surely, if I avert my eyes here, I’ll be treated as a lolicon in Ruruka’s mind. If that happens, Ruruka may draw back and stop giving me negotiation time service. No, far from that, it’s not unthinkable that she could entirely stop looking me in the eyes and never speak to me again. For women, who give birth to children, lolicons would likely be shunned to that degree.

That’s not it. I really haven’t made a move on her.

I stare back at Ruruka with an exceedingly earnest expression.

「…I’m gonna go have them change my room to the one next to Shiki’s after all, kay?」

I wonder if that’s to make sure there are no strange sounds or voices in the middle of the night.

The walls of this cheap inn are thin. If you were to do this or that, the neighbors would notice it instantly.

Looks like she doesn’t trust me. Even though I’m always going out of my way not to lay a hand on Yuel. Somehow this feels just a little bit unreasonable.

How exactly should I vent these feelings?

「Nnh… haaahh… how does it feel, Masteerrr?」

In the mood to try her hardest, Yuel is stimulating a part of me that feels good. The place she’s touching gradually grows hot and stretches out, giving me an intense feeling of pleasure.

「Yeah, so good. Yuel is the best. It feels incredible.」

Yuel seems to be having a tough time. Besides, I won’t say this out loud, but her techniques aren’t that skilled. But it’s her first time, so I suppose that can’t be helped. I’m fine with that, though. I’m sure that the fact that Yuel is doing it for me is why it feels this good.

「Hahh…gh…fuhhh… it’s hurting me, nh, but I’ll do my best!」

As Yuel touches my stiff meat, although she lets out a pained voice, she continues stimulating me with all her might. Is it painful? Perhaps this is too intense for the 12-year-old Yuel after all.

「Does it hurt? Don’t push yourself, we can stop if you want?」

「No, nh, I, nh, I’ll try my hardest for Masterrr.」

So brave. Yuel continues to stimulate me with all her strength, to the point that her sweat drips down onto my body.

Breathing roughly, leaking her voice, dripping sweat.

「Hold on! What are you doing to Yuel-chan!? You’d better not be laying a hand… on…」

And — along with a cry from Ruruka, the door to the room flings open.

Ruruka bursts into the room, observing the scene.

The scene of Yuel massaging my shoulders for me.

Just as planned.

「Hmm? What’s the matter, Ruruka? You’re all flustered. Something bothering you?」

「Err, umm, well.」

It was on purpose, of course. I asked Yuel to massage my shoulders, and massaging shoulders with a child’s strength is difficult. So that our voices would be audible from across the wall, with exaggerated feelings.

Even for Ruruka who initiated all sorts of things at the hospital, as expected, this misunderstanding must have embarrassed her. She’s stammering as her face blushes. If I had to say which, Ruruka is the type who prefers to be on the offensive.

Rather than me sexually harassing her, I get the impression that it’s more appealing the other way around. And when I fall for her tricks, she rips off some money from me.

This isn’t an expression I see very often. She showed me something rare.

Even I’m not going to just let her get away with taking advantage of me all the time.

「What’s wrong, you must have some reason to come bursting into my room all upset? Why don’t you tell me?」

As Ruruka’s face blushes, I glare at her scornfully.

You can’t say it, huh. That’s right, huh. There’s no way you can say that you assumed we were doing indecent things, huh. It’s embarrassing, huh.

Moreover, Yuel is wiggling her thumbs next to me, shaking out the pain in her fingers. All the more reason.

Ruruka is wearing an expression dyed with shame, as well as some thin pajamas. A Henley shirt, and some shorts made of soft-looking material. No, are they culottes? Usually she dons shorts made of some thick denim-like fabric, but just changing the fabric gives it a completely different atmosphere. Enough to make me think that if I look from the back, her underwear lines would probably be visible through it.

I look her up and down, getting a full, thorough view. Pulled by gravity, the thin cloth slightly emphasizes the curves of her flesh. Her typically unseen expression makes a nice accent to it.

And yet Ruruka closes her eyes, takes a single deep sigh, and goes back to an exasperated expression. Ahh, it’s already over, huh?

She must have realized that I prepared an intentional misunderstanding for her. As I thought, Ruruka knows me well. Besides, she switches gears quickly.

I thought she might get angry, but I haven’t actually done anything. I merely had Yuel massage my shoulders, that’s all.

Sure, I’m the one who told Yuel that I wanted her to massage my shoulders, and I did pick words that would be easy for Ruruka to misunderstand, but my voice was merely expressing my satisfied emotions from having my shoulders massaged by Yuel. I did flex my shoulders a little to create a situation where Yuel would have to put more force into massaging them, but Ruruka doesn’t know that. There were no lies. The one who made an embarrassing misunderstanding was Ruruka herself. Precisely because of that, Ruruka is likely making an exasperated expression because there’s nothing for her to get mad about.

I suppose you could call this payback. As for the fact that she suspected me of being a lolicon, with this, I’ll consider us even.

That’s what I’ve decided today after seeing Ruruka’s figure in those thin pajamas, and that blushing face of hers.