Chapter 62: Taking a short break (7)

Chapter 62: Taking a short
break (7)

“Sss,
Master. I’ve done wrong. Please, please forgive me just this once,
ugh.”

“Don’t
try to run away, I’m not done yet.”

“Pah,
my limbs won’t move. I’m not kidding, they really don’t move.”

“It’s
okay.”

“I’m
not okay!”

“Don’t
worry. I’ll be gentle.”

“Ugh.”

As
I was dragged by the ankle to the training room by Idelbert, I
bitterly regretted my arrogant behavior earlier.

Victory
was sweet, but I shouldn’t have teabagged.

Who
would have thought the emotionless Idelbert would react like that?

‘I
shouldn’t have.’

I
regretted it, but also vowed.

‘One
day, I will repay this humiliation.’

“You
seem to be thinking of something impolite. I will not allow it. I’ll
imprint my Master’s dignity on your body so thoroughly that you’ll
never offend me again.”

Idelbert
licked her lower lip and looked at me. Her black tail swished like a
whip in excitement.

I
knew from that look that something was wrong.

After
that, I was subjected to a chaotic sparring session.

***
*** *** *** *** *** *** ******

-Kwuuk.
Malang. Kwuuk.

A
great darkness fell and receded through the eyeholes in my helmet.

It
was the udder wrapped in a leotard, familiar from countless battles.

The
nape of her neck felt firm yet soft.

Idelbert’s
thighs.

It
was truly amazing how her body, which could bend an axe if struck
directly, could feel so firm, yet soft and resilient.

“⋯Uhhhhh…”

My
head is dazed. I think I must have fainted.

At
some point, I fell into a trance, so my memory was blurry.

“Good
morning.”

“Master.
Society says I didn’t sleep, I passed out and woke up.”

“Then
I guess I’ll just have to get society right again.”

It
sounds crazy at first, but when you’re as powerful as Idelbert, you
can’t help but wonder, “Is it?”

In
this world, the more powerful you are, the more you have a voice and
influence.

“Did
you have an epiphany in the middle of the battle? The change was
quite remarkable.”

Idelbert
looked at me curiously. She was now in a mood to celebrate the growth
of her pupil.

‘Perhaps
she means when I increased my wisdom and finesse.’

To
be honest, I was surprised by the change myself.

The
tingling sensation of doubt that had been dominating my palms lifted,
and I felt a general improvement in my ‘finesse’ – the ability to
move my body, including the skill of wielding a weapon.

‘There’s
a big difference between 0 and 1, after all.’

Going
from 1 to 2 and 0 to 1 is the same thing, a one-point increase, but
with completely different results.

Even
if I had a little bit of stamina, I felt like my stamina increased,
my strength increased, and my agility increased.

The
moment I realized that my finesse had gone from 0 to 1, the change
was dramatic.

It’s
a bit of an exaggeration, but it feels like I realized a new
sensation.

From
now on, unless my opponent is extremely fast, I won’t be able to miss
with my axe or fist.

‘Finesse
aside, it’s not enough.’

[Wisdom:
(1)]

I’m
not sure about this one.

I
punched myself in the head. I didn’t feel like my intelligence
increased.

“⋯I
hit you too hard.”

There
was a minor commotion as Idelbert sighed and stopped me from pounding
my head while lying on her thighs, but I ignored it.

Apparently,
the Wisdom stat is not tied to intelligence.

I’m
sure it has some effect, but I’m guessing it’s more about being able
to handle magic than intelligence.

‘Well.
It doesn’t make sense that my intelligence was 0.’

I
have a short backpack strap, but I’ve studied a bit. I can do
arithmetic easily.

9
times 9 is⋯⋯⋯⋯
81. Hmm. I’m not dead yet.

“I’m
not going to make any big claims of enlightenment, but something
clicked.”

“Good,
I was worried that your physical growth might have thrown you off
balance, but you’re catching on quickly.”

The
finesse would be more than enough to help with the senses.

I
took Idelbert’s advice and invested as much, if not more, in finesse
as in physical strength.

[Would
you like to allocate one free point to Finesse?]

I
nodded, and Finesse went to 2.

It’s
not as dramatic a change as going from 0 to 1, but it’ll help.

‘It’ll
also help me with the twin axes.’

“Off.”

I
lifted my head off Idelbert’s thigh and tried to sit up, every muscle
in my body screaming in horror.

Nineteen
consecutive bouts of dueling, no wonder. I don’t have the strength to
lift a finger.

I
rested my head on Idelbert’s thigh again.

“Master.
Can I have some recovery potion?”

“If
anyone hears, they’ll think you left it with me, apprentice.”

“Ai,
what’s the matter, we’re master and disciple, aren’t we?”

“I’ve
never had a disciple who tried to beat his master.”

“That’s
why you lost in the end.”

“⋯You’ve
been spoiled. I thought you were a more disciplined fellow.”

Idelbert
grumbled, her expression even more impassive than usual. Apparently
the shock of defeat had taken its toll.

She
sarcastically reached into her bosom for a recovery potion and waved
it.

“Lie
down. I’ll rub it in.”

“Can’t
I just drink it?”

“⋯For
me, this seems to work a little better.”

“Is
that so?”

If
Idelbert, who had started out as an explorer and worked her way up to
the rank of Union Commander, felt that way, then it must be true.

“Lie
back and let me work out those kinks.”

I
lay down on the floor of the training room.

I
felt Idelbert’s touch and body heat as she climbed between my waist
and buttocks, pressing and massaging my limbs.

‘She
doesn’t usually do this to me.’

Maybe
she thought she’d gone too far this time.

-Mmmm.

Idelbert
poured a thick layer of potion onto both palms and rubbed it into my
limbs.

My
muscles, which were on the verge of breaking, were held together by
the potion, her fingers massaging each and every muscle fiber.

“Mmmmmmmm.”

I
groaned in pleasure. It was crazy. Was the massage this cool?

I
gave a thumbs up in admiration, but Idelbert stopped her hand.

I
turned my head to see why, but she was still expressionless.

-Bam!
BANG!

However,
unlike her expressionless face, the black cat’s tail was wagging
frantically, making the sound of a whip cracking.

‘Usually,
when an animal’s tail wags gently, it means it’s in a good mood⋯’

It
was wagging so fast that I couldn’t tell what it was reflecting.

“⋯Don’t
go around saying you’re happy like that. It’s dangerous.”

“What?
Why?”

What
does saying that a massage feels good have to do with danger?

“If
I don’t want you to do it, don’t do it.”

“Yes.”

Idelbert
said it with a rare seriousness. I didn’t understand, but I nodded.

The
massage resumed once more.

Idelbert’s
hands gently melted my muscles. Oh, this is so good. I want this
every day if I can.

Just
as I was thinking that, I heard her voice, sounding a little
frustrated as the massage slowed down.

“⋯⋯You
can say that it feels good now.”

“No,
you just told me not to-“

“There
is a time and a place for everything.”

“Ah,
yes.”

The
teacher was a bit stuck in the fourth dimension, so I couldn’t
understand what she was thinking.

The
massage was over and my sore muscles felt cool and loose but it was
too loose.

As
I continued to say that it felt good, Idelbert, who began to
concentrate intensely in the middle, moved her fingers with such
intensity that my muscles were about to melt away, and my frail body
melted beneath the fingers of the Supreme Being.

My
exposed limbs were covered with Idelbert’s handprints, and my skin
was red with them.

“⋯⋯”

Idelbert
was speechless for a moment as she saw my limbs covered in massage
marks.

Boom!
Boom!

Though
her black tail still wagged with great momentum.

“At
least it’s not so bad that I can’t move.”

“⋯Khhhh.
That’s good. I’ll support you.”

“Thank
you.”

Idelbert
lifted my limp arm and placed her hand on my side, supporting me.

Idelbert’s
side chest rubbed against mine. My eyes snapped open at the shocking
touch.

Looking
down from above, I couldn’t look away from the pale brown flesh of
her breast, which was not covered by the black leotard.

But
should I look away?

It’s
a crazy world out there, man or woman. Maybe it would make sense for
me to live without a brain.

So
I just stuck my eyes on Idelbert’s breasts and got into the elevator
for the Union President.

“⋯But
what do I tell Ms. Diana, she might misunderstand me again?”

“It’ll
clear up as we walk.”

I
just hope Idelbert doesn’t get stuck with an ice pick again.

***

“Etch-!”

Serif
snorted, blushing at the sudden outburst of frivolous coughing.

Her
cat ears and tail perked up.

A
strange feeling of uneasiness enveloped her, a shudder running
through her body.

“Serif?”

Nate
Elin, her escorting Paladin, glared at Serif, who coughed in a rare,
incredibly cute voice.

“Oh,
it’s nothing, more than that, did you familiarize yourself with
everything I told you?”

“Yes.
Of course I have, and I will make sure we get something out of this
Labyrinth investigation.”

At
the loyal Nate Elin’s answer, Serif smiled mechanically and reached
for the necklace.

An
image of him with an unpleasant demon flashed through her mind but
Serif forced herself to erase the demon’s face and recall only his
image.

“Alas⋯
soon, we shall meet again.”

At
the thought of him, the mechanical smile vanished, replaced by a pure
smile.

‘I’ll
be waiting, Mr. Balkan.’

Serif
flicked her white cat tail and began a prayer to Earth Mother.