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Translator: penny
Chapter: 216
Chapter Title: White Silver's Rose
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“Starting the massage. Lie on your stomach, fairy.”
“Hmm—.”
At my command, Elfriede lay face-down on the bed with a deeply suspicious look.
Her round head, silk-smooth flowing hair, and the glimpse of pale nape between them came into view.
My gaze slowly trailed downward, taking in her slender back, narrow waist, and the hips protruding prominently against the tight leather pants.
Wearing skin-tight leather pants every day must be bad for blood circulation—she’d get Raynaud’s or something, with cold hands and feet. I’d told her countless times to break the habit, but she still hadn’t gotten the message.
For some reason, it pissed me off, so I smacked that plump ass with my palm.
*Smack—.*
The sound rang out even more satisfyingly than I’d imagined.
Yeah, “rang out” was the perfect way to put it. Her ass screamed like some incredible instrument under my palm.
The bounce I felt through the leather pants and gloves was top-notch too, making it crystal clear why this was the haughty rear reigning as the Madonna of adventurers.
“Hah? Why’d you hit me?”
Elfriede lodged a complaint at me, looking utterly baffled. I’d expected as much.
“Home remedy. Stimulates the skin. Improves blood flow.”
“What the….”
“Latest physical therapy.”
Of course, I just wanted to smack it. But lightly spanking really might help circulation, so it wasn’t a total lie.
Anyway, it was one hell of an ass to smack. Back when she owned me as a slave, I couldn’t have dreamed of laying a hand on Elfriede’s rear.
Freedom’s fucking great.
I considered one more smack, but figured in this special situation, it might blow my cover, so I shelved the urge.
“Head. Turn the other way.”
I turned Elfriede’s chin toward the back, then gently placed my bare fingers on her wrist as she lay prone.
Ice-cold wrist.
Like she’d just come out of a fridge.
*Ding—.*
『Name: Elfriede Desmond Lv. 35 → 22
Strength: 12 → 7
Agility: 11 → 7
Vitality: 12 → 8
Trait: Sadism》 Separation Anxiety》 Atheist》
Status: Shoulder Stiffness》 Cold Extremities》 Irregular Periods》 World Tree's Stigma》』
Her condition’s serious.
Her level dropped 13 all the way to 22—her body was in rough shape. How long had this been going on? Probably since we reunited.
That explained why she’d held her own against Luna and me at the tavern.
Elfriede was in the worst condition of her life.
Purely in terms of physical stats, she wasn’t a Silver Tier adventurer anymore—she was Bronze Tier, like me.
How the hell did this happen?
The only clues were those four status ailments. Shoulder stiffness, cold extremities, irregular periods.
She’d suffered those since her slave days. The real culprit for this insane level drop was probably that last one.
World Tree's Stigma.
No clue what that meant.
I recalled Baldy Kalidur having something like “World Tree” in his status, but his was an imprint, not a stigma.
Imprint vs. stigma.
Seemingly similar, subtly different.
No idea if I could fix it.
Today, this settles the score between us, Elfriede.
With that resolve, I placed my hand on her waist.
*Crunch—.*
Even over her clothes, her muscles were rock-hard knotted. Not toned from training, but stiff from disuse.
She could use some light stretching.
Elfriede was a total homebody who hated moving around. Great physical potential, but zero interest in exercise.
*Crunch—.*
“Eugh.”
“Tell me if it hurts.”
“…As if this hurts. Hngh—.”
Using my thumbs and the base of my palms, I kneaded from her slim waist up her back.
Modern folks hunch over smartphones and computers, necks jutting like turtles. Elfriede was the same—probably from slouching over books.
No need to check.
I could tell how she’d spent the last two months.
“Bad posture reading books. Not good. Three hours a day?”
“…How’d you know?”
“I’m good. Can tell at a glance.”
“Hoo—?”
Tension eased slightly from Elfriede’s body, which had been stiff with doubt moments ago.
Her wand, gripped tightly in her hand, loosened and rolled on the bed. Relaxing the mind and body is key in a massage.
That’s why people use therapy. When you can’t, chatting to unwind works too.
Gotta loosen her up, then check the shimai.
With that in mind, I rubbed her shoulder blades, shoulders, and nape with my thumbs.
“Hnnghaaa….”
She trembled like a soaked kitten.
I’d seen this reaction daily for two years, so nothing new. But massaging Elfriede while hiding my identity gave off a weird thrill of taboo.
Felt like doing something really naughty.
Plus.
She was someone I hated so much. Yet her alluring vibe kept making my dick twitch, like some oblivious fool might fall for it.
Maybe because I’d been groping women’s bodies lewdly lately—my dick was Pavlov’d, perking up at any massage.
As a masseur, I was fucked.
Down, boy. Stand down.
This is Elfriede.
Just a massage, she’s a client. She’s my enemy. Try as I might to imprint that, once the blood rushed, it wouldn’t stop.
Couldn’t be helped, though.
Hated to admit it, but Elfriede was pretty like a fairy should be. Elves symbolized abundance—big tits too.
Of course, her habit of wearing a size too small hid whether they were big or small.
But I’d glimpsed them once when she changed clothes. I knew what was under there.
Fuck, no. Not the time for this.
I focused hard on the massage like chasing off a lewd demon. Pressing her shoulders firmly.
“Hngh, ah, hng, ah, ahh….”
Ambiguous moans of pain or relief spilled from Elfriede’s lips. Shoulder stiffness faded from view.
“Hnngh…. Hnngh….”
“Shoulders done. Now legs and feet.”
I slid my hands down from her shoulders.
From memory, Elfriede loved foot massages most.
She’d always sighed in relief when I massaged her calves, soles, Achilles.
Even without my blessing back then, she was a regular. Now with Handiwork’s Grace, what would she think?
Pathetic as it was, I felt a spark of anticipation as I reached for her calves and those strapped sandals.
*Snap—!*
My palm stung suddenly.
What the—.
Elfriede glared at me, furious. She’d slapped my palm with hers.
“—Don’t touch me wherever you want!”
“Huh…?”
I couldn’t comprehend.
She loved foot massages. She knew it too. Blocking it now?
“Foot massage. Relieves most fatigue. Feels good.”
“Shut up—that’s not a place for scum like you to touch—!”
“What?”
What the fuck.
I knew Gaia women didn’t show their soles casually.
But Elfriede was from outside the continent, and she’d made slave me massage her feet daily.
This reaction now? Didn’t make sense.
My hunch: foot massage was key to fixing that World Tree’s Stigma. Blocking it pissed me off.
“Foot massage essential. Show your feet.”
“No. Keep it up, and I’ll call for help.”
Elfriede was dead serious. She sat up, wand aimed at me. Flames roared at the tip, growing hotter.
Fireball prep?
Fuck, never thought foot massage would lead here.
If this kept up, I’d fail the request. No Named Monster info from Delphina.
Last shot, then bail.
“World Tree’s Stigma. Press feet to cure.”
“…What?”
Elfriede faltered, mid-chantless fireball. I drove it home.
“World Tree’s Stigma. Foot pressure cures it.”
“World Tree’s Stigma—how do you know…?”
“Told you, I’m good.”
She knew about it? If she wanted it cured, she’d let me touch her soles.
Elfriede’s soles.
“No way. Get out.”
She sighed, utterly refusing.
I had no choice but to leave.
What the fuck.
* * *
“She refused the massage?”
Outside the inn, Delphina paced nearby. I told her exactly what happened. Fuck, failing such an easy job.
“What’d you try to massage? Her tits?”
“Crazy. Just her feet.”
“That’s crazier. Elfie hates feet touched most. Old teammate, and you didn’t know?”
“Really?”
What the shit.
For a second, I wondered if Gaia had flipped.
Had I slipped into a universe where foot-hating Elfriede existed without me knowing?
Was I a dimension hopper?
Total bullshit, of course.
I couldn’t wrap my head around it. One thing clear: no Named Beast info.
Fuck it.
I’d gone out of my way to see Elfriede for training and action. Guess you shouldn’t force unfit actions?
Sulking alone, Delphina glanced at the inn and spoke.
“Too bad. Request failed. No full pay.”
“Yeah, fuck it, whatever.”
“But you fixed my back clean. Half pay’s fair. Half info too.”
“Half info?”
“Location at least.”
“Delphina, you’re nicer than I thought. Figured you were a bitch.”
“Feels like I’ve heard that.”
She furrowed her brow, grumbled “Whatever—,” then added more.
“North gate of Sodoma, huge canyon cliffs. Powerful undead lives somewhere there.”
“Undead?”
“Not just any. Death Knight. Silver Tier monster. Pluto’s handcrafted Death Knights. Ring a bell?”
“Nope.”
“Eh, can’t help it. We’re subjugating in three days. Me, Elfie, the other two—you know.”
I pictured the stoic grappler and dim-looking priestess. They’d hunt it then.
“So I can take it first?”
“If you can. Anyway, nice meeting you, Samaritan. Hurry up to our stage. Real adventure starts at Silver Tier.”
With that, Delphina entered the inn.
My mask and robe were borrowed from her—no ask to return, so I’d keep ’em.
Heh, fuck, mask and robe together cost 1 gold, she said.
Sweet deal.
Delphina was better than expected.
Death Knight, though.
“This just got interesting.”