Chapter 84: Sandwiched By Two Flowers

"Hnng… I think I want to rest for a while."

After I finished constructing the Ifrit Roar and two more sets of Stormhook, there was no longer any material in our storage that could be used for any complex crafting.

My Sanity has been fluctuating between 70% and 80% for the past hours, so I want to stabilize it to somewhere above 90% before the Ordeal starts if possible.

I already fully built the wooden cabin too, complete with two extra bedrooms for Kuzunoha and Verina respectively. At this point, I don't think that I have anything important left to do.

The day was far from meeting with the dusk, so I felt a little bit at ease at the moment.

"You two can keep admiring me while I'm gone~" I said with a rather wry smile on my face as I left for my own bedroom "Just wake me up if there is anything important~"

Though, I feel like my sensitive hearing wouldn't really allow me to stop listening to the conversation beyond my private haven.

The door to my room clicked softly shut behind me. For a brief moment, I allowed myself to breathe deeply, letting the half-muted silence of my private space wash over me. The air was calm here—still, almost sacred. It was a stark contrast to the chaos I had left behind in the main hall.

I glanced around the room, the soft light of the late afternoon filtering in through the glassless window, casting gentle shadows across the wooden walls. The bed—my bed—looked especially inviting after the long day of crafting, managing resources, and fending off the verbal jabs of my companions. The plush sheets, the fluffy pillows... They were the escape I needed right now.

I crafted and sewn them all together after carving materials from some fabric-related Calamity Object yesterday—outside of the Velvet Abomination, of course. There were also a lot of humanoid-looking entities who came in packages with their own civilized clothing, something that I can turn into bedding objects.

"If we can gather enough calamity material tonight, we might be able to finish the Landship tomorrow and go straight to Torie Citadel~" I uttered to myself, donning a happy smile. "The future's looking bright~"

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Without wasting any more time, I detached my Gloamkeeper's Beacon from my hip and slipped out of my garb, letting the fabric pool at my feet as I exchanged it for something lighter, more comfortable. A simple shirt I crafted, loose and cool against my skin, was all I needed.

With a satisfied sigh, I padded over to the bed and threw myself onto it with all the grace of an afternoon star.

The improvised mattress cushioned me perfectly, molding to my body like it had been waiting for this moment as much as I had. I buried my face in the pillow, letting out a long, muffled groan.

Finally, peace.

I lay there for a few minutes, simply enjoying the sensation of being still, away from the demands of leadership, the teasing of my companions, and the ever-present weight of responsibility. My mind began to drift, thoughts swirling lazily like leaves caught in a gentle breeze. For the first time in what felt like hours, I could think clearly—or rather, not think at all. Searᴄh the Nôvel(F)ire.nёt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

But, of course, I wasn't completely alone.

Because for some reason, the two rascals that were formerly outside managed to slip themselves into my bed.

And both of them were wearing nothing but their underwear.

"... What are you two doing?"

"Kuzunoha hatched a wicked plan to develop some skinship with you, and I'm trying my best to thwart her plan." Verina said with no emotion whatsoever, while also tightly clinging to my right arm as if I was her bolster. I even felt the coldness of her leg prosthetic.

"Daffodil mentioned that she likes a proactive partner, isn't she?" Kuzunoha smirked as she whispered, clinging to my left arm as she was laying on the opposite side from Verina. "I just happen to be that kind of woman, and I want to prove it to her while the opportunity is given to me, darling~"

I stared at the ceiling, trying to process the absurdity of my current situation.

Two of my closest aides were now nestled beside me, each with their own twisted logic for why this was happening.

It was a bizarre scene—one that I hadn't exactly predicted when I excused myself for a moment of peace. Yet, here we were.

"Kuzunoha," I sighed, already knowing that questioning her reasoning was an exercise in futility, "Since when did 'proactive' mean sneaking into my bed while I'm trying to sleep?"

She chuckled softly, her fingers lightly tracing idle patterns on my arm. "Oh, darling, you misunderstand. I'm simply fulfilling the expectations of Daffodil. And, of course, I can't resist when you look so vulnerable. You know how much I love a good opportunity."

Verina, ever the deadpan, tightened her grip on my other arm, as if this was some kind of bizarre contest. "I'm only here to stop her. Someone has to keep her in check."

"Right. So clinging to me like a second skin is your idea of damage control?" I shot her a sidelong glance.

She blinked, the faintest hint of a smirk tugging at her lips, though her face remained emotionless. "If it prevents Kuzunoha from doing anything outrageous, then yes. Consider it… containment."

Kuzunoha's voice was velvet and honey, dripping with amusement. "I suppose this is quite the pleasant little predicament, isn't it? The strong and prepared Narcissus, flustered and pinned between two women. I must say, I like this development."

My heart pounded in my chest, not because I was nervous—well, maybe a little—but mostly out of sheer exasperation.

The teasing, the playful banter, the constant testing of my boundaries—it was as if they'd made it their personal mission to turn every moment of my life into some sort of theatrical comedy. And yet, beneath the jest, there was an unmistakable intimacy brewing...

Also, since when did their words and actions manage to affect me this badly??

Thankfully, Lupina was still in the state where she couldn't join their shenanigans. After all, I don't want to be smothered by three of them at the same time without any kind of experience at all. Of course, I didn't mean that she should stay as a cyropreserved head.

I glanced between them, the coolness of Verina's prosthetic leg contrasting with Kuzunoha's warm, deliberate touch. "You two are incorrigible," I muttered. "You're lucky I need both of you."

"Oh, I'm sure it's more than just 'need'," Kuzunoha cooed, leaning a little closer, further pressing her squishy ample bosoms onto my side. "Daffodil has told me quite a lot about what you really want."

"I—" I spluttered. "Don't even start."

I thought she was only asking about mundane things to Daffodil, since when did she know this much information!?

Unless she was lying and only wanting to see my reaction…

Verina's voice broke through the tension, calm but sharp. "If I have to listen to any more of this, I will drag you out when you're asleep, Kuzunoha."

"Both of you can sleepwalk right out," I grumbled, although my voice lacked conviction.

The truth was, despite the ridiculousness of it all, I didn't entirely mind their presence. It was comfortable, in a strange, chaotic way.

"Well, good rest then, Narcissus," Verina said dryly, settling into her side of the bed, clearly intent on staying put.

"And sweet dreams, darling," Kuzunoha whispered, her grin audible even in the shallow light as she nestled closer.

I groaned internally, accepting my fate for the day. One way or another, peace was never going to be an option with these two.