Chapter 53 Familiarity
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
No matter how servants gain skills later, anyone who lets their guard down can lose their life. That much goes without saying. But keeping information secret is the same as letting your guard down. Between the middle and deep layers, people who met for the first time gained new friends. Their maze attack started by showing each other their full hands.
”Lady Marina… I am sorry for underestimating you,” Suzuri said.
The newest member, Suzuri, had the most to learn. From the start, he listened quietly to the little information shared. But when he saw the great power of Marina’s Holy Sword (holy sword) and watched her swing it, he could only whisper words of praise.
”No, Suzuri, you are strong too. I have to stay in the front line. That means Yuuri and Ashley must keep themselves safe. It slowed our march, and I worried we would lose to numbers one day. But now that you guard the main group, I can focus on the enemies in front,” Marina replied.
The morning after Suzuri’s first full night came quickly. To avoid falling into pleasure and laziness, they took a short rest and then pushed hard into daily skill training. They had saved Suzuri without harm, and basilisks were no longer a threat. Still, after the wild fight last night, they were not at full strength. Stepping into new areas now would lack care.
So, to help the group with Suzuri warm up, they chose to hunt monsters on the fifty-seventh floor.
”Even so, I never thought you would need no help at all. When the black golem was cut like paper, I could not believe my eyes. And you took that strong arm on purpose… I heard about it before, but my heart almost stopped,” Suzuri said.
”Ha ha. If I hit with the Holy Sword, they are no longer enemies. But for the future, I must still grow the Holy Armor (holy armor) that has many weak points,” Marina answered.
Suzuri was a famous adventurer who had helped clear the middle layers as a scout. That made him sure this small group had unusual power. At the same time, he always thought in safe, steady ways. Because of that, when Marina destroyed everything in the Infinite Canopy (infinite canopy), the real limit for humans, he could only stand silent in shock. It made full sense.
”Then, shall we go to the next? Are you ready?” Marina asked.
”Yes. All details are fine,” Suzuri replied.
”I am okay,” Ashley said.
”I can go any time,” Yuuri added.
They left the cut golem where it lay. After Marina checked everyone was safe, the march started again at once. The goal stayed the same since they set maze attack as the plan. When time moved in the outside world, they used as much as possible for training and attack. They could feel surprise at each other’s power many times, but they must not stop now. They would give full effort for just one hour, then find weak points later in the workshop where time stopped.
They followed Marina in front. With agility (binshō), they jumped from rock to rock like stepping stones.
”Also, Lady Ashley’s magic filled me with respect. So few people I know can control such power with fine skill,” Suzuri said.
”Hee hee, I am happy for the praise, but I only have skills to help Yuuri. I did not have strong skills from birth like Yuuri or the princess,” Ashley replied.
Suzuri spoke of how she had crushed a whole mountain of black ligia bugs earlier. But Ashley humbly turned away the praise. Her first skill, magic power increase (maryoku kōjō), was common for noble girls. It only helped as a guard for the princess by chance. For marriage value from her family blood, it was neither good nor bad.
So it made sense that Ashley thought little of herself. But for maze workers, someone who could wipe out wide areas with ease was very rare.
”Even so, Ashley. Skills are part of strength. No matter how good your skills, without effort and training, you can’t beat one monster. If you get results here on the fifty-seventh floor, you can be proud,” Yuuri said.
”Yes ♡,” Ashley answered.
For most noble girls, their skills were not for daily use. They only helped find better marriage. Ashley’s magic power increase would be too much for someone who must not risk her life, like Marina’s Holy Sword. But she used it well with later skills. She trained every day, and the one closest to her knew it best.
Her life was at risk too, but she worked hard with full resolve. Was it loyalty to Marina, or love for the man who had her soul? When she smiled after he stopped her too-humble words, he felt pulled in and almost too proud.
”Ashley! Direction two hundred, short time, another ligia group! When close, use magic please!” Marina called.
”—Understood!” Ashley replied.
While the three talked as they followed, Marina used enemy perception (tekisei kanchi) in front and gave orders. If they looked hard into the dark, a big pile of huge woodlice bugs sat in one spot. In the Infinite Canopy with only glowing moss for light, black monsters were very hard to see. The enemy perception skill given to Marina for the fifty-eighth floor worked well as night vision too.
”—Freeze! Thunder shock!” Ashley shouted.
She closed in without slowing. The moment they were in range, she attacked first before the bugs could move. The poor bugs, with a set way to beat them, took freeze and break attacks in a row. Most died without doing anything.
”Great work!” Yuuri said.
”Don’t let your guard down! Some live and come. Suzuri, handle the ones that leak that way!” Marina ordered.
Even if black bugs liked to group, not all fit in the magic range by chance. Bugs spread thin around the group lived through the first hit and rushed in large numbers. Most came to the light of the Holy Sword and got cut down. But a few rare ones passed Marina’s side.
Was it just a strange one, or did it see Ashley as the killer of its friends? He knew only basic sword work and stood in front of Ashley with her protection. Black mist wrapped one rushing bug, and suddenly all its many legs flew off.
The legless ligia could not move because of its shell. Ashley’s lightning hit fast and burned it from inside. The troublemaker shook a little, then stopped.
”Phew, you saved me, Suzuri. Thank you,” Yuuri said.
”You made it unable to move, so my magic did not miss. Thank you, Suzuri-san,” Ashley added.
”These monsters are still hard. Better than golems, but… the shell on the body makes the blade hard to cut. That is a shame,” Suzuri muttered.
He watched around with care and checked all were dead. Then he looked at his loved sword blade and spoke softly. To guard Ashley when she used magic and had no defense, he had to take the rush with body or sword. His quick work helped, but he seemed unhappy with his showy part.
Suzuri’s loved sword had great sharpness and strong protection. No chips in the blade, so he could swing freely. It was a top-class weapon. But it had no treatment to make it cut better. It stayed as a simple sharp knife.
In upper layers, it would work on most monsters without worry of wear. But if it took time on ligia, common on the fifty-seventh floor, it would not work well on deep layer monsters.
”The best way is still to get a skill from Yuuri,” Ashley said.
”But what skill should I give him?” Yuuri wondered aloud.
As they moved toward the deep layers, Suzuri might need to scout alone. Without a way to kill monsters by himself, they could not let him go with peace of mind.
Yuuri tilted his head in thought. Then Marina finished with the leftover enemies and walked over.
”Come on, think later. Right now, just train. We should not waste time outside the workshop on new plans,” she said.
”Yes. I should not complain about useless things,” Suzuri replied.
”No, it is important,” Yuuri added. “But Marina is right. Now we must hunt as many monsters as we can.”
”True,” Ashley agreed. “Thanks to Yuuri, things are much easier. Still, one mistake can lead to something we cannot fix. Let us add little by little to what we can do, without jumping ahead.”
Training outside did help check how they worked together. But it mostly helped skills grow. They had the fifty-seventh floor to themselves with strong monsters, so they could not miss the chance to build skill strength through many tries.
After that, Marina spotted black moss golems and rushed in like a magnet to cut them down. They cleared whole groups of black ligia but ignored lone ones when possible. In busy upper areas, keeping resources or letting monsters move would bother others. But here at the deepest middle layer, no one else had a base.
In the end, they hunted for exactly one hour. They moved back and forth in a long fan shape from the safety area (sēfuti eria) and kept the hunt smooth and effective.
* * *
Daily skill training ended, and they returned to the workshop. Another welcome daily task waited.
Yesterday, Yuuri had passed out during Suzuri’s rescue and missed bath time. He had shared hearts with Suzuri and let out much desire, but a private meeting in the light was different from serving everyone before sleep.
”Th-this time, let me serve you. I will do my best so you can relax, my lord,” Suzuri said.
Yuuri sat in the wash area and waited. Suzuri entered with careful words.
He turned without thinking. Suzuri stood naked, hair tied up in folds to keep it out of the way. Long hair looped several times, breasts pushed up by arms trying to hide them, eyes turned away in shame, and the spot between legs left open like he had given up hiding for duty—all of it made heat rush to Yuuri’s crotch.
By turn, Marina should handle bath duty today since she missed yesterday. But with a new servant, the two seniors picked the newcomer to start right away.
They went to the bedroom area together. As Suzuri helped remove the protective clothes worn for care work, his hands already shook from nerves.
Until now, gratitude for being saved from death, the wild choice to become a servant, and Marina’s kind guidance had helped. But here, alone with the first man he gave his body to, Suzuri had to serve by his own choice.
For Suzuri, raised with grace, this brought fresh heat to his face.
”Hey, no need to be so nervous. We touched each other a lot yesterday. While you wash me, I will just rub your breasts at most,” Yuuri said.
”Eek! Th-that is… I heard from Lady Marina! When you clean me, you touch all over with care, and I must take your desire!” Suzuri cried.
His neck turned red as he waved his arms and spoke fast.
Yuuri had thought he seemed very tense. The kind sisters had already told him that bath duty was more than simple care. Seeing Suzuri freeze at the truth he never guessed made Yuuri smile despite himself.
He stood slowly and showed his hard length. He backed the stiff Suzuri to the wall. He pressed the tip to the crotch tattoo and whispered honest want into a bright red ear.
”Do you hate it?”
”N-no, I do not hate it… but the bath is for slow soaking… ♡” Suzuri answered.
His body went weak at once. He leaned on the wall, but his words were like a weak excuse.
He did not truly hate it. The idea of doing it in the bath was outside normal rules, so it shocked him. Proof came as he said no more denials and did not try to move from the arms holding him or the hardness at his tattoo. His hot skin and short wet breaths looked only like hope.
”Then change how you think. Bath care is the only time you can have my d*ck all to yourself. Forget the other girls and chase your own pleasure,” Yuuri said.
”Ah ♡ Such bold thoughts… ♡ Even while resting in the tub, I think of you and feel ready… ♡ My lord is… Yuuri is a true wonder ♡♡” she whispered.
Her voice carried a shy mix of old fears and new wishes. Ideas she once pushed away now filled her mind with clear longing. Yuuri held the tired Suzuri in his arms and settled on the low wash stool. He rested a hand on her quiet chest and leaned his face near hers.
”Then what will you do? How will you help with my bath?” he asked.
”Ahn ♡ I will use… ♡ all my body ♡ Chest, arms, legs, everything to make Yuuri feel good ♡ And be loved… to leave my old weak self and gain skills ♡” Suzuri answered.
A strong warmth spread through him at her words.
In today’s training, Suzuri had only faced a few foes at the end. He had worried about her the whole time. To make up for it, she seemed ready to set aside her past shyness. As master, Yuuri had to answer a servant growing into her role with all his care.
He thought about which skill to give her next.
Right after that idea, a sharp ache flashed in his head, like gears turning inside.
”—Ah.”
”Did something happen?” Suzuri asked, worry in her voice.
A short quiet followed, but Yuuri could not reply at once. As the pain faded, a new part of his mind opened smooth and clear.
This was skill growth.
Ashley had explained how the Familial Workshop added functions with each bound companion. He had forgotten until now. If he made an excuse, he had been lost in the moment when Suzuri joined them. The new power only started when he recalled the key.
He read the fresh words in his mind and smiled. It fit perfect to ease Suzuri’s fears.
”Hee hee, thanks to you, the Familial Workshop gained a new function. I will use it on you right away,” Yuuri said.
”Fwa ♡ I am honored ♡ More… if you change me to stand with the big sisters, I will give this body without regret ♡♡” Suzuri replied.
Suzuri must have feared falling behind Ashley and the others. But the honor of being first with the new gift made her eyes shine and her face relax.
”But of course, we do that after we clean each other, when I hold you close. First, wash my body as my care helper,” Yuuri said.
”Yes ♡ I will rub all over and clean you at once ♡” Suzuri answered.
Suzuri slipped from Yuuri’s arms. No sign of fear about sharing the bath remained on her face.
The loyal girl, now colored deeper with wish as a servant, stepped light toward the shower on the wall.
Notes:
• Marina – First Princess of Restea—needs labyrinth escort.
• Suzuri – A scout who braved the labyrinth and lured a petrifying monster to protect her friends, she endured long isolation while frozen in stone and relied on inner magic to preserve her sense of self.
• Ashley – Count’s daughter, royal attendant, has a crush on Yuuri.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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