Ludmila requested a mana massage in a space where it was just the two of us.
Suddenly?
You might think that, but this situation was something I had led to after Ludmila joined the special class.
There are several factors.
‘Showing that I gave a mana massage to Esta.’
I performed a mana massage on Instructor Esta. Whether or not she had a dream where she was purring, outwardly, it was just a proper, thorough massage.
Ludmila must have seen how refreshed Esta looked after the massage, but the key point was that the person who received the massage was “S-rank”.
To an A-rank, an S-rank is an object of admiration.
In sports terms—let’s use baseball—A-ranks could be considered major league players, but an S-rank is like a player who will go down in history.
There are many reasons why Ludmila entered the special class, but the fact that Instructor Esta is here probably played a significant role.
Just as many Academy students want to spar with Ludmila, Ludmila herself wants to spar with Esta.
Her desire to improve her combat skills.
Admiration for an S-rank.
When such an S-rank quietly accepted a mana massage and showed more efficient mana usage afterward?
‘She can’t help it.’
It’s not enough that she tries to copy Esta’s training routine or behavior, but now she has directly seen a method to use mana more efficiently.
There’s no reason not to try it.
If she can overcome her embarrassment about being with a man.
‘And you saw Yunia using non-attribute magic, didn’t you?’
Second. She witnessed how I helped Yunia refine mana when she defeated the Angel.
She even saw Yunia later controlling magic on her own and creating non-attribute mana.
The difference between when I helped and when I didn’t.
Considering Yunia is more talented in mana refinement than Ludmila, she couldn’t help but notice the difference when I was involved.
In terms of her competitive nature.
However, until now, she kept her distance from me.
Because of her duty to protect Yunia.
Because of the watchful eyes of Evangeline, Esta, and the others in the old school building.
In other words.
Ludmila had been waiting for the “right opportunity”.
This A-rank hunter known as [Cutting Wind] had been circling around me, waiting for a moment when we could be alone, and the chance finally aligned.
Right now.
“You want me to place my hands over your suit and give you a mana massage?”
“Yes.”
She looked slightly embarrassed when she first spoke, but now that the words were out, it seemed like she was committed.
“Phoenix, I believe that receiving a mana massage from you will improve my efficiency in refining both non-attribute and regular mana.”
Ludmila approached me with her usual cool expression.
But the rabbit ears on top of her head were standing up straight toward the sky, a clear sign that she was nervous.
“When you say to place my hands over your suit… does that mean it doesn’t matter where?”
I stepped right in front of Ludmila and reached out toward her.
Rustle.
I placed my hand on her shoulder and slowly moved my palm downward.
The lower part of my hand touched the top of her mana pocket, but it felt as solid as touching a car’s frame.
“This is armor, right?”
“Yes. It’s a combat mana suit made from the refined shell of an A-rank monster, the [Scorpist].”
Armor made from chitin, the shell of a crustacean.
“Would you like to feel it?”
With a confident expression, Ludmila tugged on the harness strap that passed through her suit.
It was clearly a military harness, but knowing the location it passed through and being aware of Ludmila’s core body made me swallow hard internally.
“Let me check. First.”
I slowly reached down, and Ludmila, rather than showing any concern, actually tilted her head back.
“Hehe. Even if you touch me like that, you won’t actually be able to touch my mana pockets.”
I placed my hand directly over Ludmila’s mana pocket.
Even though I reached out to grasp it from the front, just as she said, all I could feel was the shell of a dead monster.
Can you say that touching the chest area of a marble statue of a woman, like one you might see in an art studio or perhaps somewhere in Europe, is the same as touching a woman’s chest?
Not at all.
If that were the case, all artists would be p*rverts s*xually harassing marble statues every day.
Therefore—
“So, how long are you going to keep your hand there? If someone sees this, they’ll think I’m letting you touch my mana pockets.”
Just as Ludmila said, to an outsider unaware of the context, it might look like I was harassing her.
“Hold on a second. I’m checking something.”
I tried to channel mana.
However, the armor worn by an A-rank hunter was too resistant for “my current self” to channel mana through.
“Hmm… this is tricky.”
I took a step back.
“It seems like my mana is being perceived as an ‘attack’. It’s not flowing into your body.”
I lightly tapped Ludmila’s bodysuit with my index finger.
“!!”
Ludmila’s ears perked up for a moment, but she quickly regained her composure, lowering her ears on purpose and nodding with a calm expression.
“I see. Well… there’s nothing we can do about that.”
Ludmila began gathering the battle coat she’d taken off earlier to tidy up the room.
“I can’t just reveal my bare skin while wearing this bodysuit.”
“What about here?”
“…Wait a moment.”
As I gently extended my hands to either side, Ludmila furrowed her brows deeply.
“What are you doing?”
“Well, there’s an opening here where the mana can flow through, right?”
I turned my head sideways.
Ludmila’s bodysuit was a high-leg type with openings under the arms and slightly exposed sides of her chest.
Not to mention, she wasn’t even wearing stockings like the lower half of an outfit.
It was clearly exposed skin in that area, so I slowly extended all ten fingers toward it.
“Tch…!”
“What’s this? Are you embarrassed?”
“I’m not embarrassed…!”
“Surely the great [Cutting Wind] isn’t shy about something like this? Instructor Esta let me touch her skin even though she was practically wearing nothing but underwear.”
“…”
I scratched lightly.
This was a bit far from the original way to conquer Ludmila, and it might even lower my favorability with her.
“Are you provoking me like this just to touch me?”
Ludmila twisted her lips into a smirk, giving me a cold stare.
“To be honest, Miss Ludmila, you’re a bit of a different case.”
“…What did you say?”
“Honestly, it’s hard to completely exclude my personal feelings.”
I am the Golden Sun.
A Golden Sun being interested in women is acting in accordance with his nature, and Ludmila knows that well.
“Someone as fit as you, Ludmila, especially your legs, is hard to resist.”
“…Then.”
Ludmila briefly glanced around the room, muttering.
“What about Instructor Esta… or Miss Yunia? Did you not have any personal feelings for them?”
“There’s a difference in the level of interest, or perhaps it’s more about the situation.”
“What did you say?”
“I’ve done massages for humans, but I’ve never worked on beastfolk before.”
“…”
“So, what do you think? Will you give me a chance?”
I tapped the marble countertop of the only available counter in the room.
“Would you like to lie down, or maybe sit here? You can choose the position you’re most comfortable with. It might be hard to work on your battle suit, but we can focus on other areas.”
“Other areas, you say….”
“Like your hands or arms, for example.”
In an instant, I stepped forward toward Ludmila and reached my hands behind her waist.
“Miss Ludmila, your lower back is completely exposed.”
“!!”
From the front, it wasn’t obvious, but Ludmila’s back was entirely bare down to her waist.
“You release mana through your shoulder blades, right? That’s how you control [Cutting Wind].”
“It seems you have some information about my combat style.”
“Of course. We’ve been in the same class for a week; you didn’t think I’d gather some information about you in that time?”
Besides, [Cutting Wind] is famous, and as an A-rank, Ludmila has some pride in her reputation.
“How could anyone not know about [Cutting Wind]? I mean, they could, but if anyone’s seen you fight, they’d immediately look up more about you.”
“A-Ahem.”
Ludmila gave a slight cough, grabbing my wrist.
“I know you’re saying all this just to touch me.”
“Oh, was it that obvious?”
“Beastfolk tend to have sharp senses. And…”
Ludmila’s gaze flickered downwards for a moment.
“We’re also quite sensitive to heat.”
“Well, that’s something I can’t help. It’s a natural reaction for a guy.”
“Do you think I would let you touch me like that if you were in this state, while claiming it’s for a mana massage?”
“Regardless of how I might have reacted to being around someone like you, I take mana massages seriously.”
I changed my expression.
“This isn’t a mana massage for a classmate, Ludmila. It’s for [Cutting Wind], an A-rank hunter, a future S-rank hunter, or maybe even someone aiming higher.”
“…”
“You know it too, don’t you? Otherwise, why would you ask for a massage, even if it meant having my hands on your battle suit?”
I gently pushed aside the coat she was gathering to put on.
“You want to become S-rank. Isn’t that right?”
“If getting a mana massage made someone S-rank instantly, Hah, well then…”
Ludmila smirked and shrugged her shoulders.
“Then I wouldn’t just let you massage me while wearing something close to underwear like Esta; I’d let you work on my whole body.”
“You’re promising that now?”
“If it meant becoming S-rank, I’d say… as much as you’d like… but.”
Ludmila raised her hand and firmly pressed her index finger right into the center of my forehead.
“I don’t let just anyone touch me. I’ve seen you take things seriously with Miss Yunia and Miss Esta, and we’re classmates in the special class. And…”
“And?”
“…No, it’s nothing.”
Perhaps the last reason had something to do with the Mercenary King.
He’s someone being closely watched.
Of course, she would be concerned.
“Alright then, I’ll take that as permission… Miss Ludmila?”
I stepped behind Ludmila, slowly removing her battle coat as I wrapped my arms around her in a gentle backhug.
“Don’t worry. Just relax and trust your body to me.”
One of my hands supported her abdomen while the other—
“Slowly.”
“!!”
—I lightly grasped one of Ludmila’s rabbit ears.
Tremble.
“Ah, w-what…?”
“Relax.”
Squeeze, Press, Squeeze.
“Focus on the flow of mana.”
“A-ah… ah…?”
Ludmila wouldn’t know.
Why, with just one ear being held, her carefully composed expression was gradually crumbling.
“Ah, ahh, ah….”
And why.
“Ah….”
She kept wanting to feel that pleasant sensation of mana flowing as something inside her was released.
“Haa…”
“Miss Ludmila.”
I guided the barely responsive Ludmila to the chair behind us, sitting down slowly while settling her on my lap.
“It’s just a mana massage. I’m only helping you loosen up the blocked mana.”
“Is… that… all? Ah…?”
“That’s right.”
That’s all it was.
