52 Part 2

And finally, I realized what was happening in the room.

“…Nagi, are you sleeping?”

I gently knocked on the door.

No reply.

It’s almost time to go to Iris’ house. I can’t let him be late.

I knocked once more, a little harder. There was still no answer.

But, the door opened. What? Why? Nagi, you didn’t close the door properly!

A sea breeze flowed out of the room.

The door opened by itself in front of me, who was staring at it, wondering what to do.

I could see inside the room. The curtains were swinging by the window. My Master was on the bed. He was lying down with his arms and legs stretched out – asleep.

“Nagi…, Master, it’s… time for you to wake up.”

I whispered in such a voice that even I couldn’t hear it.

Because Nagi is sleeping so comfortably.

I guess he was in the middle of changing her clothes. He was in his underwear on the top half of his body, and only wore his pants. He was lying on his back, so his right arm was sticking out of the bed. He was sleeping peacefully. I wonder if he’s tired after all.

“…Master, did… you… summon… me as a slave?”

Muttering, I slowly walked into the room.

Because Nagi’s lips seemed to move.

I didn’t want to miss his reply.

With my heart beating faster and my breathing under control, I walked over to the bed and knelt down beside Nagi.

I strain my ears. I can hear Nagi breathing in his sleep.

Breathe. Feel the smell of Nagi.

When I strain my eyes, I see my Master’s sleeping face right there. We are so close that our breaths touch each other.

Patapata

The curtains are swinging.

Patapata

My tail is wagging.

I don’t know what to do. I can’t move.

As I sat next to Nagi, I couldn’t move, as if I was mesmerized.

“That’s not fair, Nagi.”

It doesn’t make any difference whether you use [Slave Summoning LV1] or not. Before I knows it, I am next to you.

The profile of my Master is right beside me.

The warmth of the most precious person of my life being at ease next to me penetrated deep into my heart and made me so happy that I wanted to cry.

What should I do? I don’t know what to do. This feeling.

If I don’t do something, I’m going to explode.

What should I do? …What should I do? …What should I do?

“…Master.”

When I came to, I was holding Nagi’s right hand with both of my hands in an offering.

See, his right arm is sticking out of the bed.

If I leave it like this, and it goes numb, and he can’t hold the sword when he wakes up, how bad would it be?

Besides, Aine told me to keep practicing, so…

─ “Soul Engagement”.

So…

softly

I pressed Nagi’s right hand against my chest.

A thumping sound can be heard deep within me. A gentle heat fills my chest. It’s a little different from when he uses his skill to ‘Reconstruct’. It feels natural. Very natural. I am connected to Nagi as if it were natural, and Nagi is by my side as if it were natural.

Of course it feels good, but that’s it.

“I’m sorry, Master. I’ll accept your punishment later. So, just let me practice for a bit…”

I don’t have to think about the vows.

That stuff should come out of the deepest part of my heart on its own.

“I Rita Melpheus vow to form an everlasting and immortal bond with Souma Nagi. As long as I live, we will live together – forever, even after our lives are over. In the next life, and the life after that.”

“I wonder if he can hear me… he can’t hear me, right?”

Master.

The person who gave me, a half-hearted beastman, an important place to stay.

“I swear to always be there for you and protect you. And if you will allow it, God, let me be next to you as your soul mate… ‘Soul Engagement’…”

Cutting off my words, I looked at my chest.

…Nothing is happening.

Huh.

Good.

Because Nagi is asleep. You can’t do this kind of thing by yourself. I don’t want to be the only one saying, I also want to hear Nagi’s words of commitment. It’s not fair that I’m the only one who’s so excited!”

“……Okay, practice is over.”

Gently, I placed Nagi’s hand back on the bed.

The sun is still hasn’t set yet. There should still be some time left to visit Iris Hoffimier.

In a little while, we’ll all come back to wake up Nagi.

And if possible, I’ll have him use [Slave Summoning LV1]. After all, I want to remember the feeling of being summoned. Maybe I’ll be able to connect with Nagi more deeply.

With that thought, I stood up.

Let’s leave the room and go down the stairs – then I’ll tell Cecil and Rafilia that Master is asleep, and then we can all help Aine with the laundry. It’s a beautiful day today, so the laundry should dry nicely. If possible, we should do it before the sun sets.

One last time, I looked at Nagi’s sleeping face and smiled.

“……Good night, Master.”

Then, as I was leaving the room, I…

With my excellent sense of smell, I noticed Nagi’s underwear (top) on the floor.

“────!”

My body stiffened.

Nagi’s underwear is lying spread out on the floor. The shape of it is the same as the one Nagi took off.

I have kept enough of Nagi’s breastplate and the shape of his arms to be able to imagine them. And what seduces me more than anything is the smell of Nagi that I can definitely feel.

Of course, I’ve felt it before. But this was different.

It’s portable.

I can always be with the smell of my Master. How wonderful…

“What am I even thinking? No, no, no, no, no, no, no. No!”

The moment I spoke, my eyes widened.

I wonder why I’m already hugging Nagi’s underwear (top).

I hadn’t noticed.

When did I pick this up? What am I doing here with my lightning-fast athletic ability?

But no. No, no, no, no.

I have to let this go now. A slave running off with the Master’s underwear… no. I won’t keep it forever. I’ll return it back. No, no, no, no. What if Nagi hates me?”

“…………Yeah, I know.”

It was a close call.

I sighed, “Huh.”

Reason has won. Justice has prevailed.

It’s all right, Master. I, Rita Melpheus is a proper slave. I will return this underwear to you immediately…

…………………….

………….

…… But ………… I wonder if it’s just a little.

One time.

Just a single, accidental breath near Nagi’s shirt.

I haven’t talked to Nagi much today. At least, I want to feel his presence right beside me.

“──── Suu.”

I took a deep breath.

A sad and loving presence enters me.

It was as if… Nagi was hugging me tightly.

…One more time.

One more time. One more time. This is… the last time.   … I’ll be ruined, so.

“…Nagi. Master… Nagii.”

“…Rita?”

Oh, it’s Nagi’s voice.

Reflexively, I turned around. My ears twitched and my tail flapped.

As if sliding, I went to the foot of Nagi, who was sitting on the bed.

I was still holding Nagi’s underwear in my arms.

“…That?

“Why are you in my room … and why are hugging my shirt, Rita?”

Nagi’s face showed that he was emabarassed.

As if seeking help, I looked to my right, then to my left, then down, then took a deep breath, then looked up… and then…

“Listen to me, Master.”

And then, what did you say to him to make him think…

I don’t know how many times I’ve said “I love you” since then…

In the end, I couldn’t fake it, and he scolded me a bit, but in the end, he patted me on the head.

“Oh, by the way, when we were in the hot spring town,I said that  I would do it we got to Irgafa.”

“Whoa!”

When I heard Master telling me the details of the “spanking,” I was swooned. (TL Note: This is related to Japanese language and how ‘I would do it’ and spanking/punishment all sounds same. Here, Rita misinterprets.)

But after all, I’m with Nagi now…

“Oh, by the way, everyone has a request for Nagi.”

“Request?”

“Yes. You know, the effect of [Slave Summoning LV1]…”

In a town by the sea, surrounded by the scent of the ocean…

In the distance, Rita could hear the voices of her fellow slaves…

And while standing beside her favorite Master, Nagi, exchanging casual words…

Rita was strangely satisfied with this ordinary time.