Ch.47Chapter 6. The Price of a Name (12)

I don’t know how long it’s been since I’ve bathed without worrying about water. It’s been a while since I’ve shaved in front of a proper mirror or used a shower.

I don’t plan on doing laundry either. It’s not like I don’t have spare clothes, and I figure I can probably find some golf clothes or something when I look around tomorrow.

Tomorrow, huh.

My thoughts multiply. At the latest, I need to leave this place by tomorrow evening.

As Camilla said, the commotion that happened here would be visible from far away. If it weren’t for the flock of birds, they might have invaded tonight.

The question is where to go.

The original plan was to gather supplies and relocate to a bunker. Using the bunker as a base, I’d continue to transport supplies and survive alone even after the world ended.

While talking with Camilla, I learned that all the bunkers I know of are within human protection zones.

An even worse possibility comes to mind. What if they haven’t been built yet? What if the locations of the bunkers have changed?

Knock knock.

Someone knocked on the door.

“Are you still not done washing?”

A gruff voice. It’s Camilla. Come to think of it, I have been in here for a while.

I quickly dried myself off, put on just a robe, and went out. The top was like a coat that I draped over myself, and the bottom was a pair of shorts tightened with a string.

“Sorry.”

Maybe it was because of the steam coming from the shower room, but Camilla took a step back. She pouted her lips and went inside with her bath basket. I wonder if I did something wrong. I’m too tired to think about it.

“Hey.”

Camilla pokes her head out and calls to me.

“What?”

“…You’re a bit injured, aren’t you?”

I guess running around all day did leave me with some bruises. There are also quite a few places that sting from rubbing against my clothes.

“So?”

“…Don’t change your clothes and wait until I finish washing. I’ll put some medicine on you too.”

Before I could ask how long she’d be, she closed the door and went in. Whatever, I think. Since it’s come to this, I might as well clean my gun, and I laid out the parts on the desk.

“You’ve been through a lot, buddy. I’ll definitely replace your barrel when I find a good one.”

Gun barrels are actually consumables. It’s still okay for now, but I’m a bit worried about the shot grouping getting subtly wider. Maybe it’s because my shoulder hurts and I’m not holding it firmly against it.

I cleaned my gun and Camilla’s too. She came out just as I was finishing reassembling the pistol.

Her face was flushed, and she had wrapped her twisted-up hair in a towel. When she saw what I was doing, she hesitated again.

“…Why are you cleaning someone else’s gun without asking?”

“The gun said it wanted to be cleaned too.”

“Go wash your hands. With soap, thoroughly.”

Now I’m starting to get annoyed.

Though I’m too tired to get angry. I didn’t think she was the type to take out her frustrations on others after going through hardship.

Well, since she asked, I diligently scrub my hands until they squeak. Where’s the towel, I wonder, looking at the towel rack, but there’s no towel—just underwear.

Black lace panties. Hanging there shamelessly as if they were a towel. Judging by the soap smell, they seem to have been washed carefully. Did she forget? But does Camilla ever forget things?

This won’t do. I’ve already used up all my concentration for today. Let’s just pretend I didn’t see it. That seems easier for both of us.

“Are you done?”

I really need to say something. She’s being too pushy—

“Y-you, what are you doing?”

I don’t usually stutter.

Camilla was sitting on the floor with her back to me, half-naked. Next to her was an opened “Cybele Co. First Aid Kit” and a hunting knife.

Her top was spread out on the floor like a carpet, and she was covering her chest with a towel.

“…I was going to ask you to put medicine on my back, but you kept doing other things! It hurts so much I could die!”

“And what’s the knife for?”

“To kill you if you touch anywhere else. I absolutely, a-absolutely do not intend to share ‘that kind’ of trust with you!”

Well, her back is… pretty serious. It’s covered in bruises. The color is even a dark purple.

The worst part is around her right shoulder blade, which is swollen and yellowish.

It’s amazing how she managed to keep running and shooting with injuries like that.

“No, Camilla. This doesn’t seem like something that can be fixed with just medicine.”

“I’ve been moving around just fine until now.”

Even so, that’s too severe. The area around her right shoulder blade seems to have a hairline fracture.

“Wait a moment.”

I asked for her permission and rummaged through a bag in the corner. I took out a ‘Cybele Co. Medical Comprehensive Kit.’

It contained everything from burn treatment, wound care, hemostasis, and even fracture support kits.

“Hey, that’s super expensive and rare!”

Camilla tried to turn toward me but remembered her situation and faced forward again. It was good that she looked, but it caused the string of her shorts to come undone.

They were apparently too big for her slender waist, as they helplessly spread open. This isn’t my fault; the pants just opened on their own.

So the slight glimpse of her buttock cleft is…

No. Wait, shouldn’t that not be visible? Don’t tell me she’s not wearing underwear?

“What are you doing? Put it back!”

Moving around like that will only make your pants fall more.

“No, um, Camilla. That’s not it. You, uh, have serious injuries. With serious injuries, um…”

“I don’t want to use your things, so put it back.”

“Just listen to me for a second. Using medicine for minor injuries might actually make it worse…”

Camilla turned around angrily.

“I said put it back!”

“Alright, but pull up your pants!”

Ah. I said it.

Like dropping a bowl we were holding, our gazes both went downward.

“Uh, uh.”

Camilla unconsciously dropped the towel she was holding.

“Huh?”

This exposed her chest completely.

“Huh? Huh? Uh-uh, uh-uh? Uh, ah, ahhh!”

As the price for her sudden movement, pain overwhelmed her, and she collapsed forward with a thud. It was like… some kind of yoga pose.

You know, like that cat stretching pose where you lie flat and stick your butt up. Except now with pants half pulled down.

“Uh, uh… uh…”

The poor thing is malfunctioning.

I pretended not to notice and opened the comprehensive kit. I cut the gauze with the included scissors, applied medication, and carefully attached it to her back.

Camilla’s hands were pulling her pants back up, which was good, but now her chest was pressed against the floor. Soft, big, and round…

“Nggaah.”

“Bear with it. You’re moving too much.”

Please stay still. Your chest is getting more pressed.

“Urghk.”

She’s trying hard to endure it, but she’s trembling. It’s even more stimulating. Because of that, the muscles in her back stood out more.

They weren’t bulky muscles like a bodybuilder’s. They were smooth and well-balanced.

The erector spinae muscles, which dipped in an S-shape, were particularly impressive. Every time she tensed her back and waist from pain, I could clearly see her shoulders, back, and buttocks twitching together.

Touch one spot, and the surrounding muscles moved with it. She was like a dancer.

People who don’t exercise move like wooden puppets, but flexible people move like ripples when you tap the water’s surface.

“…Hey.”

Maybe it’s because her voice is mixed with crying or because she just bathed, but she sounds nasally.

“What?”

“Are we really just in a business relationship?”

I wonder if she’s upset about what I said earlier.

“What else would it be?”

“Is that really all it is?”

Feeling like it would lead to another argument if I answered, I gently pressed on a less injured part.

That was a mistake. The cobra lying on her back writhed. Wow. Is this movement even possible from human muscles?

“We’re not exactly strangers either.”

I try to brush it off. Camilla continued.

“…You know what? I almost cried when you fell. I was scared. Terrified. Even if the infection probability is low, nothing good comes from touching that stuff.”

How does she know this?

“Camilla, you asked about it?”

“Yes.”

“Why would you?”

“Seeing how you know right away, I guess you asked about it too, Johan.”

“Just in case. What I mean is, that’s not something you should worry about.”

Camilla turned her head to the opposite side. She was trembling slightly.

“…If I hadn’t been there, you wouldn’t have gone there either. According to your plan, you wouldn’t have gotten hurt. You wouldn’t have pushed yourself. Do you know what I regret?”

“No.”

“I saw you on the 5th floor of the shopping center, dragging your feet and staggering because your stamina was low. That’s why I tried to carry your bag for you.

I backed off because I know how stubborn you are, but I regret it. I should have stabbed your thigh with a knife and carried both you and the bag.”

I’ve finished attaching the gauze. While cutting and attaching the absorption pad, I think about what to say.

“Camilla. That was my choice. You didn’t ask me to come, right? I just went to get my things. It has nothing to do with you.”

“It does.”

“I’m done. You can get up now. Put your clothes on.”

This time she didn’t argue. She got up with some pain and put on her robe.

But she didn’t fasten the front and turned toward me. Between her fairly large breasts (though not as large as Cassandra’s), and below her firm abs, her slightly protruding lower belly looked soft.

That’s how I was caught off guard.

While I was distracted, Camilla stepped closer. She reached both arms behind my neck.

With her calloused hands, she cradled the nape of my neck and placed her thumbs behind my ears.

Then she kissed me.

In my surprise at the sudden action, she parted my lips with hers. When I opened my mouth to ask what she was doing, something moist and salty pushed its way in.

“Mmph. Mmm.”

Clumsy movements, as if she was imitating something she’d seen somewhere.

She just pressed the tip of her tongue against mine. A tongue isn’t a hand. It can’t hold like that.

“Mmph. Mm.”

If only her bare skin wasn’t touching me through the open robe.

“Ah.”

If only she hadn’t carelessly pressed her teeth against my tongue, causing pain.

I instinctively tried to embrace her. Remembering her back injuries, I just lightly held her shoulders instead.

Her posture softened a bit. I gently matched the tip of my tongue with hers. Since neither of us knew what to do anyway, I figured the method didn’t matter.

When our tongues actually touched, she pulled back in surprise. I followed to keep our lips from separating.

Only after what felt like we might suffocate while standing did Camilla finally pull away.

She sucked in her lips, which were glistening with saliva.

“…Why?”

My first thought was disbelief. Not having the courage to look down, I just stared into her eyes.

“If you’re infected, now I’ll be infected too.”

“That doesn’t explain why you’re doing this.”

“You said our relationship is just business, right?”

She tilts her head slightly and looks up at me provocatively.

“Then let’s merge now. Or if a merger is too soon, a partnership is fine too. If you went wrong because of me, I’ll take responsibility with you.”

She gently presses her chest with her arm and touches her lips with her finger. The tip of her tongue lightly licks the tip of her finger. Just like a model in an advertisement.

But she still hasn’t closed her robe. She sways her waist slightly, making her body flutter. If she had a tail, it would probably be wagging quite a bit.

“What? It’s just like signing a contract. You don’t suddenly see me as a woman because of just this, do you? That can’t be. You’re good at drawing lines, right? I can do that much too.”

“…That’s right.”

“You lie so shamelessly?”

Camilla looks down at my lower body and quickly averts her eyes. She’s trying to smile, but she looks quite shocked.

This isn’t something I can hide no matter how hard I try. I can’t avoid saying this, though I didn’t want to.

“What did you hang in the bathroom?”

“Huh?!”

A moment later, Camilla returned with a bright red face. Thankfully, her clothes were properly arranged.

“…Someone’s already taken to the marriage bed because of someone else.”

“I won’t spread rumors.”

“Whatever. Take off your clothes. I need to apply medicine.”

“I can apply it myself.”

“Business. Business. Partner.”

Camilla grabbed the front of my robe and undid it. I froze for a moment, but somehow managed not to look away.

“Ahem. I-I won’t see you as a man either! And I-I’m not interested in men with less stamina than me. Besides, you touched my bare skin too, right? I-I’m going to touch you too! That’s fair value, isn’t it?”

“Well, that’s true.”

Can’t argue with fair value.