Chapter 24 Homesickness
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Ashley approached slowly, her posture unwavering. Her hands were clasped politely in front of her, a gesture so refined it was captivating, befitting a royal attendant. Her bearing was so dignified, it could easily pass for being in a castle hallway. However, the crotch tattoo peeking out from her apron dress revealed her true nature.
Marina, the newly created servant, not wanting to lose her master’s affection, clung to his arm. She tried to intimidate Ashley, the senior servant, by making her own crotch tattoo glow faintly, a gesture that seemed out of place given her earlier eagerness to join Yuuri’s side. It was like a kitten puffing itself up against an older cat.
Ashley paid no mind to her junior’s posturing and gracefully sat down on the opposite side of their master.
”Welcome to Yuuri’s side, Princess. We are delighted to have you, desuwa.”
”Ugh… Couldn’t you let me have a little more time alone with Yuuri?”
Marina complained, half-hiding behind Yuuri’s chest. Ashley, without invitation, took Yuuri’s arm and leaned into him, making sure to press her ample warmth against him in the commotion.
—Yuuri knew this situation. It was exactly like the scene where adventurers with conflicting opinions would start arguing in front of him, seeking his arbitration as the labyrinth guide. They weren’t trying to convince each other. They were merely presenting their opinions, hoping their own idea would be adopted by the third party. In essence, this was a roundabout way for the servant to seek their master’s intentions. If left unchecked, their master’s dignity would not be maintained.
”—Enough. I am no longer going to choose between either of you. And besides, Marina, you were the one who wedged yourself between Ashley and me right after we became lovers, weren’t you?”
”Yuuri…♡”
”That was… bad of me, but…♡”
He offered verbal support to Ashley, who had initially brought order to the situation. In contrast, for Marina, who was like a fledgling, anxious about her status, he wrapped an arm around her waist and grasped her reasonably sized swells, a gesture that seemed to comfort her.
”Ah! ♡ Haa ♡ My swells, you’re holding them so tightly ♡”
”You won’t let go now either. ‘Give and take’ is nonsense. Regardless of that, I’ll cherish you forever. Be prepared.”
His hand didn’t stop embracing her swells even as he spoke, a gesture that seemed to reassure her. As he lectured her, his affection intensified, and Marina could only nod repeatedly, seemingly understanding his words.
”I, I understand ♡ I understand ♡♡”
”Aah, Princess, that’s unfair ♡ My swells are more to Yuuri’s liking, aren’t they? ♡”
”O-Okay! I’ll embrace you too, Ashley…! ♡”
He felt a little intimidated by Ashley’s impressive swells, but he gently cupped them with one hand, while with the other, he continued to cherish Marina. He embraced them as if treasuring and respecting them. However, his servant’s body seemed displeased with such gentle treatment, yearning for more connection from their master.
”That won’t do, Yuuri ♡ You must be firmer, or my body will not feel truly bound. My crotch tattoo will keep tingling if you don’t ♡”
”Yes… ♡ Yuuri, you’ve got tension building, but you’re acting like a gentleman. We servant can tell right away ♡ You’ve been radiating warmth from down here all along ♡”
”Gah…! Wait, Marina, we can’t do that here…!”
The servant, dissatisfied with the mild embraces, reached for the tension evident in Yuuri’s posture. Even if they started now, there would be no one passing by. But this was different from the desperate, wild acts when escape was impossible.
Yet, as he tried to stop them, both his hands were drawn to the two distinctively alluring swells, unable to let go.
”Drat, what a cunning trap…!”
”Hehe ♡ Whatever we do, first we need to soothe this restlessness ♡”
”I know how to ease Yuuri ♡ Time is precious, but first, here—”
The servant leaned forward without hesitation, intending to relieve his tension. All the while, they maintained their posture to allow their master easier access to their swells. Their strategy was based on the assumption that their master wouldn’t be able to let go of the exquisite warmth.
However, they failed to realize a fatal flaw in their plan.
”Drat…! I told you not here!”
”But you say that—, Fuhhiiiiin!? ♡♡”
”Feh? —Hanyaaaaaaahhh!? ♡♡”
He squeezed the swells he had been cherishing gently until now with all his might. Normally, it would have been overwhelming, but their transformed bodies experienced intense connection that sent them into a daze. As expected, the unruly servant, no longer able to focus on relieving their master’s tension, were overwhelmed together.
While the servant were too weak to move, he wrapped his arms around their slender waists, easy to hold.
”Kyaa, like this, like a cat ♡”
”It’s cruel to take away my connection ♡”
He lifted the two unruly ones in his arms to prevent further misbehavior. Both were consumed by the pursuit of closeness and struggled to break free from his arms, but the sweet numbness that dominated their bodies left them only able to protest.
”First, we’re going to the workshop. Ashley, how do we do it?”
”Eeeh ♡ Finally, I’m being taken to Yuuri’s place ♡”
”If Yuuri wishes it, we should be able to move immediately… ♡ Ah, but this… I’m being held like this for the first time… ♡”
He remembered something Ashley had mentioned earlier. Back then, Ashley was taller and stronger than him. She often tried to drag him into her tomboyish games, and when he tried to escape, she would pick him up and abduct him.
Looking back, perhaps that was Ashley’s way of showing her unreserved affection. If so, he should replicate that method as a form of reciprocation now.
He shifted Ashley’s body slightly in his arms and grabbed the waist of her apron dress from behind. With one hand, he hoisted her onto his shoulder. To an outsider, it might have looked like a bandit kidnapping a maid. Due to the way he held her, only Ashley’s ample curves were visible, but a voice filled with emotion came from behind his head.
”Haaa ♡ This is unbearable… ♡ Yuuri is taking me away… ♡”
”Ah—, unfair! Do that to me too!”
He wanted to respond to Marina’s envious voice, but it was impossible. If Marina were of normal weight, she would likely be more delicate. However, even excluding her chest and waist, there was an overwhelming difference in weight due to her equipment. He could barely stand while holding her, let alone lift her to his shoulder. Carrying her required more blessings.
Furthermore, discussing weight was a sensitive topic, even with servant. He used a plausible excuse about losing balance and ignored Marina’s sulking.
”Come on, time is precious. I’ll take you both to the workshop…!”
”Oh, how scary ♡”
”Hmph, one day I’ll definitely make Yuuri play the ‘kidnapper’ game with me!”
If they stayed here any longer, the two would recover and seize control. To avoid that, it was best to quickly escape into the Familial Workshop. As Ashley had told him, he focused his intent on teleporting to that unique domain.
—And then, it began without any prior sign.
He was already an adult in this life, accustomed to magic and many skills.
There were still times when he felt a sense of dissonance when comparing them to his past life memories. But most things had become so routine that he could simply brush them off.
But what was this phenomenon happening before his eyes?
—The patched-together world tore apart and flew off in an unknown direction…!
Magic wasn’t draining from his body, nor was he accumulating power over time. With just a wish, his body was effortlessly separated from the current reality.
”Whoa…! To think I’d have such power…”
—This is… a skill…!
He had lived his life without it, and it was natural.
But for the first time, he understood the feelings of those who craved skills. A convenient power was always better to have. He thought he understood that.
servant were beings whose freedom was restricted, but since Ashley and the others were inherently good-natured, they didn’t feel it strongly.
He had learned about the ability to teleport to the workshop from the illusion shown by the goddess. But even then, it was only by actually using it that he could truly grasp its exceptional performance.
And it seemed that even those from his homeland who had extensively used skills felt the same.
”Wow…! It’s not just a skill that makes girls unable to resist! Ah, I like this. I wish I had a skill like this too.”
”Hehehe, good news, Princess. If Yuuri permits, it seems we can teleport to the workshop on our own, desuwa.”
Unlike ordinary skills, the Familial Workshop had a wide range of functions, many of which were still unknown to Yuuri. In situations like this, Ashley, who had been given knowledge by the goddess, was a great help.
He had already considered the tactic of escaping to the workshop during dungeon exploration. In that context, the ability for servant to retreat on their own judgment would further increase its effectiveness.
He nodded firmly to Marina, who looked at him with expectant eyes, and waited for the teleportation to complete.
As they waited, the patched scenery flew by, and the Familial Workshop revealed its full form.
The first place they were transferred to was the lobby.
—Yes, he realized it was the lobby.
”Yuuri, Yuuri. Please put me down.”
He didn’t know how to put it into words.
While he hesitated to speak first, Ashley, still in her ‘kidnapped maid’ mode, requested to be released. He carefully supported her slender waist and gently set her down, ensuring she wouldn’t fall. He then lowered Marina, who looked around with a puzzled expression.
—Words failed him. Marina was the same.
While the two ladies stood frozen, Ashley, acting as if accustomed to the situation, quietly placed a piece of armor she had been carrying onto a waiting bench. Then, with a dignified posture, she straightened her back and stepped forward before their master.
Ashley’s rhythmic footsteps echoed on the mortar floor. A familiar sound he hadn’t heard in a long time.
Ashley, perhaps misinterpreting his silence, bowed respectfully and greeted her master.
”Welcome home, Master. I am overjoyed to be able to return here with you.”
—She was incredibly convincing.
Being greeted by Ashley in such a formal manner was embarrassing yet pleasant. However, he still couldn’t break his silence.
”—Yuuri, …what’s wrong? Did I do something wrong?”
Despite her impressive demeanor at this crucial moment, her master showed no reaction.
He couldn’t rely on Marina either, as she was equally frozen.
It was natural for them to be perplexed.
”Please say something, both of you…! This was a greeting I secretly looked forward to preparing for Yuuri’s welcome…! It feels like I’m the only one putting in effort…!”.
Ashley, exasperated by their slow response, raised a voice of complaint. But the scene unfolding around them was too unexpected for Yuuri’s mind to process.
Marina, who had recovered first, felt less shock since she had already experienced Yuuri’s teleportation skill.
”Ah, yes. Sorry, Ashley. But I think I understand why Yuuri froze. —Right, Yuuri? Do you perhaps remember this place?”
—Yes.
The goddess had stripped Yuuri’s memory of all proper nouns related to his past life. Yet, this scene remained etched in his mind. The pillars supporting the upper floors, the counter for reception, the walls—all were adorned with matching stone. At the end of the counter, a slightly lower area, now empty, used to house a cash register. The lighting from the ceiling was so bright it hurt to look at directly, illuminating the floor. Behind them were automatic doors. They didn’t open when approached, but through the glass, a desolate space labeled ‘Safety Area’ stretched out. A large LCD television hung on the wall next to the door, displaying two sets of times. The stopped one was incomprehensible, but the moving one indicated less than a minute had passed. It was likely the elapsed time since entering the workshop.
He turned back to Ashley. She was looking at him with a puzzled expression, which was understandable. He nodded to Marina beside him and answered her question about déjà vu.
”This is— the karaoke place where I worked part-time as a student.”
”Ah~ I see. The lobby for check-in, right?”
”??? ‘Part-time’? ‘Karaoke place’? Did Yuuri have schooling experience?”
Yes, it was a sight Yuuri should never have seen in this life. The grand name ‘workshop’ had led him to expect an interior similar to a labyrinth’s ‘Safety Area.’ Using a replica from his past life memories instead—was it laziness, or a preference for familiarity? Regardless, it was impossible to fathom the goddess’s intentions.
Marina also seemed to realize this bizarre scene was the goddess’s doing, and her confusion subsided.
”…So, Yuuri. Does that mean the kitchen and table seats in the back are from your past life too?”
”Yes. That’s the family restaurant where I worked both jobs. Parts of the store are sectioned off and attached…”
”Family…? Again, unfamiliar words.”
Ashley, who had intended to guide them, was now left out of the conversation. Her constant head-tilting was adorable, but it was time to reveal the secret Yuuri shared with Marina.
”Hmph, you two only understand each other…! But what about the core of the workshop I’m about to show you!? The sacred place where I received my skill from Yuuri! Here…!”.
Ashley seemed to be planning a dramatic entrance for Yuuri’s arrival at the workshop, aiming to showcase her competence as a devoted servant. However, due to the goddess’s whim, her plans crumbled easily. She was desperately trying to salvage the situation, but there was no need to prove herself to Yuuri or Marina. Yet, compromising now would affect her pride as someone who had lived as a retainer for so long.
—But, Ashley, I’m sorry, the door she rushed towards was also familiar.
”Ah, wait. That door is—”
”Hm, wait? Why?”
If his guess was correct, the details were too sensitive to discuss. But given what the method of granting skills to servant was, there was only one answer. Marina seemed to realize this and directed an evil smile at him, as if possessed by a goddess.
”Eh, ehh! Yuuri, you worked there too!?”
”N-No, it’s a misunderstanding…!”
He clung to a sliver of hope, but confirming the heavy soundproofing of the opened door dashed his expectations. Marina, who had leaped with joy, rushed into the room.
He hated it, but fleeing at this point was no longer an option. He reluctantly followed, and as expected, the scene that greeted him was precisely what he had anticipated.
”Wow, it’s so beautiful… Hmm, hmm, this is…”
”How is it, Princess? This is where Yuuri will grant you skills.”
Ashley, pressing her flushed cheeks, pointed to the grand resting area dominating the center. Marina was looking with interest, but it was likely a misperception that their conversation was aligned.
”Yeah, I never had any connection to places like this before. I’m glad you brought me here, Yuuri.”
”Of course, of course. That’s why, now, the two of us will… Yuuri?”
The Familial Workshop, as its name suggested, was a place where servant were incorporated and modified within. Therefore, he had feared its core would be equipped with some gruesome machinery. However, contrary to his expectations, his beloved two were not subjected to merciless devices, and he was genuinely relieved about that.
—But, wasn’t this a bit much?
If it was a skill personally overseen by the goddess, she should have constructed the interior from scratch, not repurposed his memories.
”So, Yuuri. Where is this place? I was also a young lady, you see. I never had any dealings with places like this—”
Marina descended the gentle steps beside the resting area and stood before him. She wore a smile of a child delighted by a prank. He prayed she wouldn’t resemble that goddess. Her tone clearly indicated she understood what kind of room this was, but she seemed determined to make their master confess.
”The hourly wage was high. There were late-night fees and such.”
”Yes, yes. And?”
Her lips curved upwards, but her eyes held no smile.
It was clear she wasn’t interested in that.
”No, I was just doing cleaning as a part-time job, I never used it myself…”
”But you’re going to use it now, aren’t you?”
—Of course.
He would admit that for a skill that gained power by bonding with servant, this was a very convenient facility. However, he couldn’t help but utter a single complaint to the goddess, who was likely watching from that mysterious space.
”Drat! It’s a love hotel!”
”Ahahaha! Yes, it’s a love hotel! Pfft, I like it…! It’s luxurious and moody…!”.
Judging by its effect, it was a cheat skill. But in reality, it required bonding in acts within a love hotel. How utterly foolish. He felt nothing but frustration towards the wicked goddess, but since his second servant had taken a strong liking to it, his dignity as master was preserved for the time being.
The problem lay with the first servant. She had likely been eagerly awaiting the workshop experience, expecting guidance. But the knowledge cheat of those with past lives had thwarted her.
Yuuri rushed to Ashley, who was clearly dejected and silent.
”Sorry, Ashley. It was something only Marina and I could understand.”
”…Sometimes, you two are like that. For some reason, no matter how hard I try, I feel like I can never be your number one, Yuuri.”
Yuuri wiped the tears from Ashley’s eyes. He felt this was a good opportunity to talk with his despondent lover. Ashley, who couldn’t complain due to her position and temperament, needed to be reassured about her relationship with Marina. Now that traces of their past lives were visibly present, he thought he could explain them effectively.
Yuuri moved to Ashley’s side, placing his arms under her back and knees. He instructed her to lean into his arms.
”Ah, unfair! Princess carry!”
”I’ll do it for you anytime. There, sit on that sofa.”
It was too serious a conversation to have on the resting area. Honestly, his desires were surging, but he couldn’t neglect Ashley’s feelings.
”Here. Ashley, this way.”
Marina, who was younger in this life, now called out to Ashley like an older sister. Come to think of it, Marina also had past-life memories, making her mentally older than Ashley. Therefore, for discussing their strange memories, it might be fitting for her to act as an older sister for now.
As if to show this, Marina sat on the opposite side, with Ashley in between.
—The conversation that followed was a bit long.
Ashley was surprised by their past lives, mourned their deaths, and rejoiced in being together now. The soulmates who had conversed freely within that space felt a longing for their distant past lives after a long time.
Notes:
• Ashley – Count’s daughter, royal attendant, has a crush on Yuuri.
• Marina – First Princess of Restea—needs labyrinth escort.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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