Chapter 207: (Self Edited) Return to the Royal Capital (2)

After the meeting ended, I headed to the Hou Household’s main residence. Though the main residence had suffered from the looting of the Second Army, it hadn’t been set on fire. While the entrance and windows were broken, and some valuable items were stolen, there was no other damage. Some of the lost furnishings hadn’t been recovered, but the house had already been repaired and now functioned as the lodging for high-ranking officials of the Hou Household army.As I stepped down from the carriage, the knights saluted me.

“Your Excellency Yuri! Welcome back!” (??)

The head of the security team spoke. It wasn’t a mistake, but I’d prefer to hear it from a woman rather than sweaty soldiers…

“Thank you for your service. Are Shamu and Lily-san here?” (Yuri)

‘I came here to meet Shamu and Lily-senpai. Both of them have been busy lately, going to Mital or Karakumo, but I heard they were in the royal capital now.

If they were in the royal capital, this main residence would be the safest place for them to stay. The royal castle’s residential area had become difficult to access due to traps triggered by the Queen’s Sword during the assassination incident. Without fixing that, it would be inconvenient to use. Additionally, the Queen’s Sword, who was familiar with the structure and responsible for security, was now doing another job, leaving the royal castle unattended.’

“Yes, my lord! They are probably at the hospital.” (??)

‘Hospital? I couldn’t help but furrow my brows at the unexpected answer.’

“What? Is something wrong?” (Yuri)

“No, I haven’t heard the details…” (??)

‘It seems he doesn’t know.’

“Where is it?” (Yuri)

“It’s nearby. It’s the large store with the entire second floor turned into a warehouse, two blocks over.” (??)

‘Ah, there. What business could they have there?’

“Thank you.” (Yuri)

I expressed my gratitude and told the coachman…

“You heard him, head there.” (Yuri)

The carriage rattled as it started moving.

‘What could they possibly be doing there? It’s more like a field hospital than a regular one, where wounded soldiers gather. It’s a bit different in quality from hospitals that prescribe medicines. It’s not a place to treat stomach aches, headaches, or pains like appendicitis. It’s a facility for stitching wounds, wrapping bandages, and keeping patients at rest. If I were to describe it, it would be like an orthopedic clinic. Did they get injured?’

As I worried, we arrived in no time. Originally, it was built to accommodate injured members of the Hou Household during the capture of the royal capital, and it’s located near the main residence.

“Your Excellency Yuri!” (??)

As I stepped down from the carriage, a soldier from the Hou Household hastily saluted me.

“I heard Shamu and Lily-san are here.” (Yuri)

“Yes, my lord! They are here.” (??)

“Please guide me.” (Yuri)

“Understood.” (??)

I followed the soldier who started walking briskly, and we arrived at a certain room on the first floor. The soldier knocked.

“Sorry, we’re in the middle of surgery! Come back later!” (Lily)

Lily-senpai’s voice came from inside.

‘Surgery?’

I lightly pushed the soldier’s chest, moved him aside, and slowly opened the door by turning the lever.

Peeking inside through the gap, I saw a soldier lying on a bed woven with thin ropes, with Shamu and Lily-senpai standing beyond. Shamu and Lily-senpai had their hair tied up with white cloth. While Lily-senpai wore glasses, Shamu also had something like goggles on. Their mouths seemed to be covered with thick fabric. They wore clothing resembling aprons.

“Careful, careful…” (Lily)

“You’re quite skilled…” (Shamu)

“Shamu is just too clumsy.” (Lily)

The soldier appeared to have an injury to his upper arm and his arm was strapped to an operating table where it appeared to be being stitched up. This table is like a side table and is used to keep the affected area still while stitching up the wound. The base is weighted and there are bands on the table to tie the arms and legs. Lily-senpai held a tool resembling large forceps and stitched the wound delicately.

“Careful, careful… Alright, done.” (Lily)

As the wound seemed to be closed, Shamu handed an open bottle from the side and poured it over the wound.

“Please wash your hands too. They’re covered in blood.” (Shamu)

Shamu poured alcohol over both hands, and Lily-senpai rubbed them together to wash.

At that moment, I opened the door to the room.

“Don’t come in yet—it’s not finished—wait, what?!” (Lily)

Seeing me, Lily-senpai nearly fell off her chair in surprise.

“…Lily-san, what are you doing?” (Shamu)

“Y-y-y-Yuri-kun!” (Lily)

She seemed extremely flustered.

“W-what a coincidence, huh?” (Shamu)

“Even Shamu is involved…” (Yuri)

I walked into the room and looked at the soldier’s arm, which had just been stitched. The cut seemed quite deep but was neatly closed. Despite her repeated “careful, careful,” he had only used four stitches. She must have stitched deeper inside.

When stitching deep wounds, stitching only the surface in an O shape can cause blood to accumulate under the suture line. Skilled surgeons thread the stitches in an infinity (∞) shape within the wound, ensuring it closes tightly at the deepest points. This requires exceptional dexterity and is not usually a technique demanded on the battlefield. Only dedicated medical professionals at the academy can perform this.

“Show me your hands.” (Yuri)

“Wait, Yuri-kun—” (Lily)

I took Lily-senpai’s hands. The blood had been washed off, leaving no red stains. The room was filled with the smell of distilled alcohol.

“Performing surgery with bare hands… what if you get an infection?” (Yuri)

‘For any reason, it’s best to avoid contact with a stranger’s blood. If the patient has hepatitis or syphilis, you could contract the disease.’

“I can’t stitch well with gloves on… besides, I always check for any cuts on my hands…” (Lily)

I carefully examined Lily-senpai’s hands, and indeed, there were no visible cuts. Not even any hangnails.

“E-excuse me, Your Excellency Yuri…” (??)

The soldier whose arm had been stitched seemed apprehensive. Judging by the nature of the cut, it looked like a defensive wound, likely incurred during an altercation while on duty in the royal capital.

“Oh, it’s not that you did anything wrong. You can go. Thank you for your service.” (Yuri)

When I said that, the soldier bowed his head repeatedly and left the room.

“Just because you washed your hands with alcohol doesn’t mean they’re completely sterilized… If you rub your eyes with your hands, you could still get infected.” (Yuri)

“I know… I plan to wash them again later…” (Lily)

Lily-senpai withdrew her hands.

“Sigh… More importantly, why are you doing this?” (Yuri)

‘I couldn’t understand the necessity. Was she planning to switch careers to become a doctor? That would be troublesome.’

“Well… I have a bit of an interest in the human body…” (Lily)

‘An interest in the human body? Lily-senpai is more of a mechanical person; I’ve never sensed any interest in the human body from her.’

“Really…” (Shamu)

Shamu spoke, and Lily-senpai shot him a sidelong glare.

“If it’s just out of curiosity, I wouldn’t recommend it. There’s a risk of infection… stitching up an arm wound is one thing, but if you try more complex surgeries, you could end up causing someone’s death. It could seriously affect your mental health.” (Yuri)

“Y-yeah… I was thinking the same thing, so I was planning to stop. Yeah.” (Lily)

“Wait.” (Shamu)

Shamu looked at Lily-senpai again.

“Didn’t you say you wanted to be able to stitch up Yuri’s wounds if he got injured?” (Shamu)

“Idiot!” (Lily)

Lily-senpai’s chop landed squarely on Shamu’s head.

“Ouch…” (Shamu)

Shamu rubbed his head in pain. It seemed quite forceful and probably genuinely hurt.

“…I appreciate the sentiment, but I can’t relax knowing you’re doing something like this, Lily-san. If you’re really going to stop, that’s good.” (Yuri)

“I’ll stop, I promise.” (Lily)

Lily-senpai waved her hands dismissively, showing no particular regret.

‘Was she really talking about my injuries? Honestly, this isn’t the time for new experiments or challenges, and I believe Lily-senpai understands that too… It’s like saying, “I’ve recently taken up guitar. I’ve always been curious about it,” just three months before important entrance exams. Playing guitar is one thing, but I can’t see how playing around with bloody wounds could be a way to unwind…’

“Today, I came to check on the progress of the job I asked you to do.” (Yuri)

“That’s all good. We’ll have fifty units ready in a month.” (Lily)

She seemed confident. It looked like everything was on track.

“That’s good to hear… But please make sure to rest when you can.” (Yuri)

“Yeah. Thanks.” (Lily)

“No, no, not ‘thanks.’ It’ll be a problem if you don’t rest properly.” (Shamu)

Shamu chimed in.

“Yuri, praise her properly.” (Shamu)

Huh. Should I really? …Praise? I always express my gratitude, but…’

“As always, I’m impressed with your meticulous and swift work, Lily-san. Thank you.” (Yuri)

“No, no, that’s just my job…” (Lily)

Lily-senpai smiled bashfully.

“That’s not what I mean.” (Shamu)

Apparently, that wasn’t what Shamu was aiming for.

“Give her a reward, like a kiss or… something more. You know, show your appreciation.” (Yuri)

‘What is she talking about? Did the earlier hit make him lose his mind? A reward like touching her breasts? That would be a reward for me, not her. And it would definitely count as cheating.’

“Idiot!” (Lily)

Lily-senpai chopped Shamu on the head again.

“Ouch… The idiot here is you, Lily-senpai… I can’t watch this anymore.” (Shamu)

“Everyone’s doing their best, so don’t worry about it. Shamu, you’re overthinking it.” (Lily)

‘What on earth is going on? Is there a serious deterioration in their working environment?’

“How about a shoulder massage then…” (Yuri)

‘That was a compromise. Relieving fatigue with a shoulder massage is not unusual.’

“Shoulders… well, that’s fine. You always make me give you shoulder massages…” (Lily)

‘So, she always gets them… Well, she does have a sizable frame.’

“No, no, it’s fine… I mean, Yuri-kun, just give me a shoulder massage.” (Lily)

“I don’t mind. As long as Lily-san doesn’t dislike it.” (Yuri)

“…Really? In that case…” (Lily)

Despite her words, Lily-senpai turned her back to me. Her hair was already tied up, so it wasn’t in the way.

‘A shoulder massage, huh…’

Before placing my hands on her shoulders, I pressed against her back through her clothes to check the muscle tension. Though she didn’t seem to work out, her muscles felt firm, with only a thin layer of fat. Touching her shoulders, I found several tight spots. In fact, her entire back seemed tense. I placed my four fingers on her shoulders and pressed my thumbs into the tight spots, pushing hard as if kneading stiff butter.

“Ah—!” (Lily)

Lily-senpai’s back jolted, and she let out a loud sound.

“Sorry, did that hurt?” (Yuri)

“No, no, it didn’t hurt, keep going.” (Lily)

‘Is it really okay to continue? I resumed massaging her shoulders through her clothes.’

“Mmm—mmm~!” (Lily)

Lily-senpai stifled her voice, covering her mouth with her hand.

“Ah—uh, ahh, ohh, ahh~…” (Lily)

She began making strange sounds, so I stopped moving my hands.

“Ahh, ah… hu, ha…” (Lily)

As I removed my hands, Lily-senpai hunched her back like a turtle and started trembling slightly. Her reaction was alarming.

“Hey, Yuri, what exactly are you doing?” (Shamu)

Shamu spoke, trying to suppress a laugh.

“She seems to be reacting quite, uh, intensely.” (Yuri)

‘It was definitely unusual. What kind of shoulder tension did she have?’

“Hah… hah…” (Lily)

Lily-senpai turned to look at me, her glasses askew and tears welling up in her eyes.

“Are you really okay? Should I stop?” (Yuri)

“Hah, hah… it’s fine, keep going.” (Lily)

‘Keep going…? This situation was becoming quite… suggestive.’

“But…” (Yuri)

When I hesitated, Lily-senpai adjusted her glasses.

“You’re just really good at this, and it surprised me. Can you press harder…?” (Lily)

“Uh, sure. If you’re okay with it…” (Yuri)

‘As long as it doesn’t causing her harm…’

I resumed my hand movements.

—

“Ah—! Hah… hah, Yuri-kun, that’s enough, that’s enough…” (Lily)

About five minutes later, I received permission to stop. Lily-senpai’s back was soaked with sweat, and she looked like she’d gone through quite an ordeal.

‘Was it really that pleasurable? I never thought someone could react this way to a simple shoulder massage. Just how tense were her shoulders?’

“Ah—this could get addictive… hah.” (Lily)

Lily-senpai seemed to feel a light stimulus even from a small shoulder movement, possibly because I had massaged her too intensely.

“Yuri, Yuri, me too!” (Shamu)

Shamu said something, already turning her back to me.

“But Shamu, you don’t seem to have any shoulder tension.” (Yuri)

‘At least not visibly.’

“I do! I’ve been under a lot of stress too, you know.” (Shamu) Sᴇaʀᴄh the NƟvelFɪre.ɴet website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.

‘Well, if you insist…’

I began massaging Shamu’s shoulders as well, though her reaction was less intense compared to Lily-senpai’s. After a few minutes, she sighed contentedly.

“Thanks, Yuri. That feels much better.” (Shamu)

I stepped back, feeling somewhat relieved that Shamu’s response was more normal.

“Remember, you both need to take care of yourselves. Overworking is not an option.” (Yuri)

Both nodded, and we shared a moment of silent understanding. Despite the bizarre circumstances, the camaraderie among us remained strong. It seemed Shamu wasn’t feeling the same sensations Lily-senpai did. Her shoulders were softer, lacking the tension that had been present in Lily-senpai’s muscles.

“What’s wrong? Hurry up and massage me.” (Shamu)

Shamu urged with her voice tinged with expectation. With her insistence, it seemed there was no avoiding it. I began massaging Shamu’s shoulders, intending to be gentle.

“Ouch!” (Shamu)

“Ah, sorry.” (Yuri)

Despite my efforts to be gentle, the sensation from massaging Lily-senpai’s shoulders earlier lingered in my hands, causing me to apply too much pressure.

“Be more careful, please.” (Shamu)

“My apologies.” (Yuri)

Continuing the massage, I couldn’t help but notice Shamu’s lack of response.

“Hmm?” (Shamu)

It seemed she wasn’t feeling much at all. Well, that was to be expected. The feeling in my fingers was completely different.

“Are you really trying? Or are you just pretending?” (Shamu)

‘Pretending? What was she implying?’

“I’m not feeling anything… It’s like I’m just being pushed on the back.” (Shamu)

“If you’re not feeling anything, it probably means your shoulders aren’t tense. I’ll stop.” (Yuri)

“No, please continue a bit longer.” (Shamu)

She insisted.

Continuing, I explored various parts of her shoulders with my fingers, but there was no response.

“I’m done. Ah… that feels much better.” (Shamu)

‘That must be a lie.’

“Hmm, no… I feel like I could get addicted to this.” (Shamu)

Well, it seemed Shamu was satisfied with the massage, even if it didn’t quite match Lily-senpai’s reaction. Lily-senpai seemed to be rotating her shoulders, confirming the sensation of the tension releasing. Each movement made her chest sway, which was a bit distracting.

“Does your shoulder feel lighter now?” (Yuri)

“Yeah, it does. Boys really are something.” (Shamu)

‘Well, compared to Shamu, sure… The difference in strength might be about tenfold.’

“If I ask, will you do it again…?” (Lily)

“Um, yeah… If it’s just something like this.” (Yuri)

‘It doesn’t take much time, after all… But I’m scared that something strange might happen…’