Ch.85

Aurora’s room had two single beds, while Abashina’s room had one twin bed. There were two blankets, and the bed was quite wide, so there was plenty of space even with Abashina lying under the covers. The room was filled with the subtle scent of lavender soap.

I set down the basket I’d brought and thanked her for saving my life today. I thought I heard a “hmph,” but there wasn’t much of a reaction. I pulled up a chair and sat beside her. Abashina turned to face the opposite direction.

According to Crayfield, this meant, “I’m extremely angry, and if you don’t acknowledge why I’m angry, I’ll skin you alive.” Whether she listened or not, I told her she’d had a really tough day, and as a token of appreciation, I’d bought something she liked before heading to the shower. After turning on the shower, I peeked through the door slightly. Sure enough, Abashina was rummaging through the basket while still covered with the blanket.

“Bon bons au chocolat are always right.”

It was exactly as Crayfield had said.

“Assistant. You’re fine in many ways, but you’re terribly lacking in tact and quick thinking. Standing stupidly in front of an angry woman is like smoking at a gas station. If you find yourself in such an awkward situation, feed her lots of delicious things first. Preferably sweet, small, and pretty ones. Don’t forget. Rational conversation is only possible when both parties have full stomachs and warm backs. All other conversations are purely emotional and illogical.”

After quite some time, I turned off the shower and dried myself. When I came out wearing a robe, Abashina was still lying down, but chocolate wrappers were scattered on the floor. I could see more than three of them. Pretending not to notice, I turned off the light and lay down beside her.

Click.

Abashina turned on the mood light beside the bed. An orange glow spread softly.

“Let’s talk.”

She turned to face me. There was a distinct chocolate mark at the corner of her mouth, but I decided not to point it out. Her expression looked extremely stern.

“Don’t you have something to apologize for?”

‘Congratulations. You’re doomed,’ I could almost hear Crayfield whispering. ‘If you get it right, she’ll hit you saying, “You knew and still did it?” If you get it wrong, she’ll hit you saying, “You don’t even know that?” Such questions aren’t looking for answers; they’re just saying, “I’m about to tie you up and beat you,” so just accept it.’

I apologized for being careless when the circus lady threw the wire knife. That was clearly my fault, and I survived thanks to Abashina’s help.

“What else?”

There was more than one thing? What else was there? I desperately tried to think. “Um. Uh.” The sounds escaped my lips involuntarily. Abashina’s eyes shot up.

“You smiled at her face to face!”

I swear I never laughed at the chocolate on her mouth.

“With Aurora!”

Saying that Aurora’s fake mustache looked ridiculous would be an excuse. More importantly, I couldn’t understand why that was something to apologize for.

“Did you think I didn’t see? This morning, in the Kingsport Cathedral courtyard, you two looked very cozy? While some of us were sweating, trying to dig up more information and figuring out how to get people to talk. You were giggling and smiling with a woman you spent the night with!”

I felt my toes freeze.

“I wanted to throw you overboard from the ship! The only reason I didn’t was because of the Beast—because of you. I held back for so long. ‘She can help us with our work. We need her.’ Do you have any idea how much I restrained myself?”

A corner of my heart ached. Abashina was jabbing my chest with her finger.

“Yesterday too. I thought you’d at least say, ‘Of course I should sleep with Abashina!’ How could you just keep your mouth shut? Was it like, ‘Abashina’s already fallen for me. Let me try another woman. Abashina will understand anyway.’ Was that it?”

I said absolutely not. Abashina’s eyes glistened slightly with moisture.

“Am I just a given to you?”

How could that be possible, I said. You know better than anyone that I don’t think that way.

“You never smile at me like that.”

I apologized. I’m always amazed by your abilities. I should have paid more attention to you even in urgent situations. I’m truly sorry for failing to do so. My perspective was narrow. Things like that. And I also told her that I’m always deeply concerned about her.

“I hate you. Really.”

Abashina pressed her lips together and lightly pushed my chest.

“Really, I never thought you’d treat me like this. I’m disappointed. I feel hurt.”

Then she turned away again. I gently placed my hand on her shoulder. She flinched slightly, causing me to quickly remove my hand. I said I was truly sorry and asked for just one chance to apologize.

“I don’t know.”

‘Hey, Assistant.’ The Crayfield in my mind offered advice. ‘Your job is to squirm right there. You need to show “I’m truly sorry” through actions, not words. Don’t just shrug it off and fall asleep because there’s no response. Tomorrow your face will be marked with “idiot” in red lipstick.’

I cleared my throat a little. I asked if I could give her a light massage, since she must be very tired from everything that happened. Her shoulders and legs were probably tense, and I wanted to help relieve that. Abashina glanced back at me over her shoulder and said,

“Then massage my legs.”

She turned forward again with a slight smirk. I got up from the bed. I took out the skin essence oil from the shower room shelf. I brought a chair to sit near her feet. I laid a clean towel under her feet and slowly applied the oil.

“It’s cold!”

Despite saying that, Abashina slightly pulled up the blanket. As it rose above her knees, her straight, white bare legs were revealed. I started with her toes. I carefully curled and stretched her small, dainty toes. There was no reaction elsewhere, but when I bent her big toe and pushed it back, Abashina slightly bent her knee.

“Ahem. Hmm.”

Abashina cleared her throat, perhaps feeling embarrassed, but I focused only on the sensation at my fingertips. I pressed the slightly indented middle part of her right foot with both thumbs, then gently loosened the sides as well.

“Ah!”

Abashina’s knees reflexively came together. I gathered my fingertips on the ball of her foot, the inside of the arch, and gently pushed upward and rocked it side to side. I worried that I might have applied too much oil, but it seemed to prevent any ticklishness.

“Ahh!”

Abashina let out a moan between her teeth. I asked if she was in pain, wondering if I had touched something wrong.

“Do you think my feet are toys?”

Yet she raised her voice instead. I asked if there was any particular area she wanted me to focus on. Abashina turned her head to the side and said in a slightly smaller voice:

“Ankle…”

I nodded. Since it was difficult to massage her ankle while sitting in the chair, I moved to the bed. I placed her foot on my crossed legs, applied the same oil, and gently spread it. Just as with curling and spreading her toes, I stretched her foot, waited for a while, then pushed it. After repeating this three times, I rubbed below her ankle bone.

“Ah…ugh…hk…”

Abashina’s toes spread and curled on their own. I could see her head tilting upward repeatedly. I moved my hands to the back of her calf. I kept my thumb straight up while keeping all other fingers together.

“Ah. Ahhng…”

Abashina’s thighs came together, and her knees bumped slightly. Every time I pushed up from her calf toward her knee, she pressed her thighs together. Her pelvis twisted slightly, and I heard a pleasant friction sound.

“Ahng…ah…ah, hah…”

When I looked up, Abashina was covering her mouth. When our eyes met, she frantically waved her hand.

“Wait. Just a moment. I’m, I’m doing this because it’s ticklish. I, I want to lie on my stomach.”

I told her to do whatever was comfortable. Abashina flipped over under the blanket. The blanket rolled up to about half of her thighs, but no clothing was visible. However, this made it easier to work from the back of her knees downward.

There were more areas to loosen at the back of her knees. Again, I applied the slightly cold oil and gently spread it until it warmed up. I could clearly see the muscles on the inside of her thighs tensing and relaxing, even under the mood lighting.

“Ah, ah. There, a little harder…upright…ah. Ahh. Ahugh…it feels…good…”

Abashina buried her face in the bed and let out indecipherable moans. I could see her neck stiffening above the blanket. I removed my hands. Surprised, Abashina flipped over again. Her face was flushed red.

“Why, why did you stop?”

I said it was because she seemed too tense. The purpose of a massage is to relax, but it seemed like the more I continued, the more tension built up in her body. I asked her to relax.

“Idiot. If I could control that, I would have relaxed already.”

I apologized again. Abashina turned away again. When I reached out my hand,

“Ahh…”

She trembled slightly. Worried that I might have touched too sensitive an area, I placed my fingers only around the areas where she had shown a reaction. I gently pressed the sides of the tendons and nerves at the back of her knee with my thumbs. I lightly grabbed her calf muscles and slowly pushed from top to bottom. Abashina clenched her fists and trembled.

“…”

I couldn’t hear well because she had buried her head deep in the bed. I asked what she had said. Abashina raised her upper body slightly.

“I hate you.”

Then she lay flat on her back and sat up on the bed. She was still covering herself with the blanket. Feeling deflated, I asked if she really hated me that much. Abashina nodded.

“I hate you.”

Abashina pulled the blanket halfway down. She wasn’t wearing a bathrobe. Pink straps precariously draped over both shoulders became visible. As Abashina tilted her head, her silver hair cascaded over her shoulders.

“I hate myself for waiting only for tonight.”

Abashina pushed the blanket aside. A pink negligee was revealed. Soft silk that revealed her bare skin underneath reflected the light of the mood lamp. Below her modest chest was a gift ribbon, tied in a bow knot that looked like it would easily come undone with the slightest touch. The ribbon accentuated her already slender waist, and the lower part of the negligee fluttered with the slightest movement. While typical negligees are long nightgowns, Abashina’s barely covered her lower body.

“I hate myself for losing my mind whenever I see you, even though I know how lightly you think of me.”

Clear silver-gray eyes looked at me.

“I hate myself for still wanting you.”

Abashina slightly lifted the end of the knot. A slight pull would undo it. But instead of pulling, she rubbed the fabric between her thumb and index finger.

“But seeing how you act, I’ve changed my mind. I should be more expensive. This is punishment.”

Abashina stood up. The orange mood light clearly illuminated her silhouette. Her right hand reached for the basket. As she unwrapped the packaging, half-melted chocolate flowed from her palm down to her wrist.

“I should clean this up. Right? Otherwise, it will stick and become tacky.”

Abashina brought her wrist to her mouth. She gently licked her wrist with her pointed tongue. Her tongue, like a strawberry covered in dark chocolate, looked sweet. Without taking her eyes off me, Abashina placed her palm on her left shoulder. The sticky chocolate smeared on her shoulder.

“I made another mistake. What should I do? You’ll have to clean it up.”

I approached Abashina and reached out my hand. She shook her head and took my hand in hers.

“With your mouth.”