Chapter 69

"Shit, shit..."

I was fidgeting.

In the large bath of the lord's mansion.

While soaking in the warm, murky water up to my shoulders, I was fidgeting.

I had been muttering to myself over and over again because I was so fidgety.

...Probably, both Ruruka and Elise said they would take a bath together with me on a whim.

Judging from the fact that they told me to go in first and wait, they seemed to feel a strong sense of embarrassment.

Through the frosted glass, I could vaguely see that they were still standing stiffly in the changing room, even after I washed my hair and body.

"But... they'll probably come in, right?"

Both Elise and Ruruka had said they liked me.

Probably, they were now in a situation where they couldn't back down.

If Elise backed down, Ruruka would come in and seduce me with her charm, and if Ruruka backed down, Elise might do the same.

My heart was racing.

Actually, it had been racing since the beginning.

Would they wash my body?

No... would it end with just washing my body?

Neither of them was the type to jump into a physical relationship just because they liked someone.

Rather, they were the type to take things step by step.

--But that didn't apply now.

Right now, Elise and Ruruka were in a chicken race to see how long they could stay with me.

For example, if Elise and Ruruka were to wash my body.

First, one of them would wash my back.

Given their personalities, Ruruka would probably act first, so let's assume Ruruka washes my back.

In that case, to counter, Elise would have to wash the front.

There was no way I could stay calm and collected with both of them in the bath.

The front would strongly assert its presence.

Elise would probably try hard to avoid looking at it while washing my chest and legs.

But she couldn't avoid it forever.

Both Elise and Ruruka knew that seduction was the quickest way to deal with my feelings.

There was a possibility that things could escalate.

"Calm down... calm down, me..."

My heightened tension came out as a mutter.

Through the frosted glass, I could vaguely see the silhouettes of Elise and Ruruka.

They seemed to be slowly and silently taking off their clothes.

The only sounds I could hear were the rustling of fabric.

"What...! Amazing... E, eh!?"

Suddenly, I heard Ruruka's surprised voice.

"It's, it's not that amazing, I think..."

I also heard Elise's embarrassed voice.

I knew what had happened.

Probably, Elise had taken off her top.

...That impact is surprising.

I was surprised the first time I saw it.

So surprised that I dove into the bath with Elise and was kicked out of the treatment room the next day.

But now, no matter how much I looked, I wouldn't be kicked out.

It was consensual.

I might even be allowed to touch.

Neither Ruruka nor Elise would probably get angry.

"Is this... is this really okay?"

I suddenly felt like thanking something.

But unfortunately, I didn't have a religion to believe in.

For now, I would thank the succubus who had helped the situation progress.

The root cause of this situation was the need to be on guard against the succubus.

Thank you, succubus, servant of the evil god.

Thank you, evil god who created the succubus...

I could even become an evil god worshipper now.

Through the frosted glass, I could see the scene in the changing room.

Ruruka seemed to be taking off her clothes, perhaps because she was anxious about Elise taking hers off.

My tension was rising.

Then, through the frosted glass, I saw Ruruka's red hair.

Below it, the skin color appeared.

I could only see a vague silhouette, but she was definitely taking off her clothes.

Now, all that was left was to open the door connecting the changing room and the bath.

In a little while, I would see both of them.

They stopped moving for a moment, as if frozen.

But they soon started moving slowly.

They didn't seem confused anymore.

There might have been something they should have thought about, but now all they could think about was taking a bath with me.

Come on... come on... come on!!

Then, the door started to open!

--At that moment.

"Succubus! The succubus is here!"

A knight's rough voice echoed throughout the mansion.

"Damn succubus!!!"

I never thought the succubus would come at such a crucial moment.

I was so close to taking a bath with Elise and Ruruka.

I was so close, and I never thought I would be interrupted like this...

"But, wait a minute...?"

...If the succubus was here, Elise and Ruruka needed to be by my side.

That meant they needed to come into the bath.

On the contrary, there was a possibility that they would rush in because of the succubus.

The hope that still lingered in my mind gave me a glimmer of hope.

But from the changing room,

"It's, it's still too early, right?"

I heard Ruruka's voice.

"Y-Yeah. T-Too early... to take a bath together. This bath doesn't even have a window big enough for the succubus to get in, and this is the only entrance... so, it's okay to wait."

Then, I heard Elise's voice, agreeing with Ruruka.

"Y-Yeah! T-Too early! I-I got a bit too excited!"

I could tell what Ruruka was like without seeing her.

She was definitely looking away from Elise's chest, with an uncertain expression.

...Probably, she had been intimidated by Elise's shockingly large breasts.

Even though she had been the one to suggest taking a bath.

"Sh-Should we put our clothes back on?"

"Y-Yeah!"

Elise was probably just embarrassed about being naked.

Maybe she thought it was wrong to skip the proper steps.

I could feel her desire to back down.

But I didn't want them to back down.

--And then, the changing room became quiet.

I was left alone in the bath.

...Where could I direct this frustration?

The higher my expectations had been, the angrier I became when the opportunity slipped away.

"Wait for me, succubus."

I spat out the name of the evil god's servant, whom I had just been thanking.

"I'll definitely catch you. I'll strip you naked and parade you through the town!!"

I renewed my resolve to catch the succubus!!

"The succubus apparently rushed into the dining hall alone! Head to the dining hall!"

"The target is the saint and the holy maiden! Absolutely don't let her get to them!"

"Block the entrances! We must stop her in the dining hall!"

When I got out of the bath, the mansion was in an uproar.

The knights' loud voices could be heard from all over the mansion.

From the content of their voices, it seemed the succubus had come alone, without any monsters.

...Come to think of it, there was a story about her seeking treatment for petrification at a church in another town.

"The petrification must be progressing, making her desperate."

The succubus might be in a very tight spot.

But the mansion was on high alert, almost like a headquarters for the anti-succubus operation.

It would be impossible for a succubus with no combat ability to get past the mansion's security and do anything to me or the holy maiden.

It was a reckless attack.

"We can't let the succubus seduce and take Shiki...? So, for now... h-hands? Should we hold hands?"

As I was thinking about this, I suddenly felt a cool sensation in my right hand.

It was Ruruka.

...She was blushing and looking a bit embarrassed as she held my hand.

I would rather they had taken a bath with me.

"Y-Yeah... h-hands. If we hold hands, it'll be okay, right?"

Following Ruruka's lead, Elise gently touched my left hand.

Elise seemed relieved.

...Maybe she was remembering the words of the holy maiden when I was seduced by the succubus before.

I would rather they had taken a bath with me.

"Ah, ahhh! W-Why! Why are there so many of you!"

"Don't let the succubus escape! Use swords, arrows, anything! Pin her to the wall!"

"Right, the wings! Cut off the wings! If we cut the wings, she won't be able to fly around!"

"N-No! I don't want to be pinned! Don't cut my wings! Don't cut my wings!"

...But the succubus was unlucky to rush into the dining hall.

There must have been many knights eating there.

It was easy to imagine a situation like a moth flying into a fire.

"I just want to be cured of petrification! I just want to be cured of petrification!"

"She broke the window and escaped! Chase her, chase her!"

The sound of a window breaking echoed through the mansion, along with the succubus's anguished cry and the knights' battle cries.

Looking out the window, I could see the succubus flying away.

"The succubus is escaping."

"The tips of her wings are a bit torn. Some of her hair is singed too."

"Her legs are already petrified up to her knees... I know we need to kill her, but... I feel a bit sorry for her..."

The succubus, who had entered the mansion and fled in a state of full injury within a few minutes.

...The mansion's security seemed to be foolproof.

I had wanted to take revenge, but it wasn't even necessary.

The succubus had fled without even noticing me inside the mansion.

At this rate, if the holy maiden and I stayed in the mansion, the succubus would probably turn into a statue in a few days.

If the petrification had reached her knees in one day, it would probably reach her wings in two or three days, making flight impossible.

It seemed there were no other users of Ex Heal in the area.

The succubus was finished.

But she was a real nuisance.

I was so close to taking a bath with Elise and Ruruka.

"W-Well, I was surprised the succubus would come! Since, the stew stains are gone, let's go see Dragon! Dragon! A-And Elise can come too!"

"Y-Yeah. Let's go see the dragon. We can, um, watch it together..."

Now, neither Elise nor Ruruka was in the mood.

They didn't even mention the idea of taking a bath together.

They were trying to act as if it never happened.

If I suggested it now, they probably wouldn't come.

There was no reason to come anymore.

"By the way, Yuel was in the garden, right? I should at least let her know she's safe."

I was worried about her.

Just as I was about to continue,

"Master, I'm here."

"Whoa!"

I was called from behind.

I was really surprised.

I was so surprised that I let go of Elise and Ruruka's hands.

"Y-Yuel, you were here..."

"Aster said that as a ninja, I should always hide my presence. To get used to hiding my presence, I'm practicing by staying close to you without you noticing."

I don't want Yuel to do weird things.

Has she finished studying poisons yet?

...By the way, how long have you been here?

In the dining hall?

In the bath?

Or since the succubus came?

"I've been behind you since you got out of the bath. Didn't you notice?"

Elise pointed out, as if to say, "What are you talking about?"

That's really scary.

"Y-Yuel, you don't need to hide your presence near me. H-Here, you can't even get your head petted."

Scary.

Too scary.

If Yuel really hid from me, I wouldn't be able to notice her.

I would always have to be aware of Yuel's gaze.

I wouldn't even be able to use slime jelly in the toilet carelessly.

"Okay, I understand!"

"Don't hide near me either. Yuel is cute, so I want to see her all the time."

"Okay!"

Yuel nodded enthusiastically.

I'm glad Yuel is so honest.

She's smiling because she was called cute.

...No.

But something feels off.

That's right, her gaze isn't on me.

Yuel's gaze is on Ruruka and Elise.

...Ah, this is probably because she's smiling because she thinks I'm holding hands with Elise and Ruruka.

She probably doesn't want them to fight.

She thinks they've reconciled.

Actually, it's just that the bath and the succubus made everything ambiguous.

But I'll leave this misunderstanding as it is.

I don't want to be exposed again with the harem plan.

Besides, if Yuel knew that most people wouldn't accept a harem, she would probably cry.

The next update will be in about three days.