Frustration

Lorein was fundamentally a diligent person.

Her sense of responsibility towards her family and their domain drove her.

As the eldest daughter, she felt obliged to protect everyone in her father's stead.

She had trained hard with this thought always in her mind.

But lately, she had begun to question her role:

"Am I… really needed here?"

Due to a series of misunderstandings, her younger sister had stopped relying on her.

Instead, she frequently turned to her newly met teacher, Hyun-woo, for advice and consultation.

Lorein considered this a positive development.

"Being a swordsman, I believed Hyun-woo, a magician, could offer more help."

She felt content with the situation.

With her swordsmanship, she would defend the domain and eventually become a pillar of strength for everyone.

That was when she witnessed something that shook her confidence.

A werewolf while she was in a vulnerable state simply because she had been separated from her sword.

On the other hand, Hyun-woo subdued it with ease using just a single kick.

"Ah….."

Perhaps she could have accepted this without distress if she had known nothing of martial arts.

However, she was a woman who had dedicated nearly her entire life to mastering the sword.

At that moment, she came to a stark realization.

She acknowledged the immense gap between her abilities and Hyun-woo's.

"Truly, he is strong."

Even putting aside magic, which was beyond her expertise, his physical prowess was undeniable.

How formidable, then, would Hyun-woo be when employing his magical skills?

She felt like a frog in a well, oblivious to the vastness beyond.

Maybe she had overestimated her swordsmanship within the confines of her domain.

Confronted with this truth, she questioned her worth.

If she was neither a dependable elder sister nor capable of protecting her domain,

What had all her efforts been for?

"If only I had been… just a bit stronger."

Lorein gazed at her empty hands.

A sudden, intense desire to improve her swordsmanship overcame her.

But she knew that alone wouldn't suffice.

Time was not on her side.

At this moment, she felt utterly stagnant.

Desperately, she wanted to ascend to a higher level of mastery and quickly.

But how could she achieve such progress?

To whom could she turn for guidance?

"Someone stronger than me."

Lorein's gaze naturally turned to Hyun-woo.

Then she realized.

Being unable to protect anything, she had no choice but to rely on him.

I spoke honestly to Lorein.

That I had gone easy on her during our swordsmanship sparring.

Lorein wasn't particularly upset about it.

Rather, she was thankful for my consideration.

'She's broad-minded.'

She wasn't the kind of person to get upset easily, and she understood why I had done it.

Of course, she couldn't completely hide the slight disheartenment on her face.

'A bit cute, too.'

An older, beautiful woman, especially a vulnerable version of someone as cold as Lorein, had an odd allure.

After taking the startled child home, we reported the incident to Priscilla.

"A werewolf appeared?"

"Yes, it suddenly emerged from the forest, but Hyun-woo dealt with it."

"Are you hurt? I'll call a doctor right away…!"

"It's okay. Hyun-woo took care of the healing. More importantly, we should inform the domain quickly and dispatch an investigation team. The monster might be part of a group."

"…Right, I'll call the soldiers immediately and organize a search party."

After completing our report, we left the lord's chamber.

Now that we had informed them, the rest was up to the soldiers.

Of course, our strength would be necessary if it came to subduing them.

But first, a thorough assessment was needed.

Well, I had no desire to get involved in subjugation unless necessary.

"Hey, are you okay for a moment?"

As expected, Lorein called out to me.

She still looked slightly drained, but her eyes shone with determination.

Her face showed she knew exactly what she had to do.

"What do you think about this werewolf incident?"

"If it was just an accidental encounter, that's fortunate. But if they're in a group, we need to deal with them quickly before more victims appear."

"Do you think they are forming a group?"

"Probably."

I said 'probably,' but in truth, I was almost certain.

"Werewolves move in groups and are skilled hunters."

"Yes, they are intelligent and avoid people."

"The fact that one came near the village means there must be a significant number nearby."

Lorein nodded, apparently having made a similar guess.

Asking me was her way of confirming her knowledge through my experience.

"Wherever their base is, it must be close."

"…It will be a tough battle."

"It would be good if we could subdue them safely. Depending on their number, we might suffer casualties."

The Armeina family's domain wasn't very wealthy.

The training seemed adequate, but the individual soldiers' skills weren't that high.

Lorein thought for a moment, then spoke.

"Can I ask you one thing?"

"Sure, anything."

"How can I become strong… like you?"

The scene she had witnessed earlier seemed to have left a strong impression on her.

And the current situation demanded strength.

To protect the domain, they urgently needed strong individuals.

She must have judged her current skills insufficient.

I smiled wryly and replied,

"That's a difficult question to answer simply."

"Anything is fine. Even what kind of training you underwent."

"As for training, I think the current regime Lorein is doing is sufficient."

Really, Lorein was already strong enough.

She could easily win against a typical knight.

But her feeling of inferiority stemmed from comparing herself to me.

Compared to me, even strong fighters would feel inadequate.

It was questionable whether there were even combat magicians like me.

"So, if you're really stuck, it might be good to try changing your method slightly."

"Change the method?"

"Either take a complete break from what you've been diligently doing, try using a different weapon for a change of pace, or maybe try the massage I mentioned."

"That massage… will it be effective quickly?"

Lorein showed immediate interest in the massage, seemingly having this in mind.

"Well, if you're looking for immediate effects, that's the only option. It literally relaxes your body and magical energy."

"Um."

Lorein seemed to really be in conflict now.

Reflecting on her cool demeanor the first day, this marked a significant change.

I decided to give her a slight push.

"If you're feeling sorry for me, that's okay. I'm actually welcoming it."

"No, it's not just that…"

"Oh? Is there another reason?"

I inquired knowingly.

Individuals like Lorein, with her personality type, needed clear beginnings and endings to feel comfortable.

Conversely, if they felt indebted to someone, they had an urge to repay it to interact with the other person as equals.

She currently owed me for saving her life from the werewolf.

There was no way she could openly admit, 'I'm wondering if it's okay for you to touch my body.'

'Well, I do have some ulterior motives.'

As I mentioned previously, Lorein doesn't really suspect me.

Her hesitation stemmed solely from her personality.

But such worries could always be overshadowed by stronger motivations.

And I was someone who could easily nurture those motivations.

"If it's not more important than the domain… I'd recommend the massage."

My words were definitive.

Hesitation disappeared from Lorein's expression, replaced by a newfound sense of responsibility.

"If I do that… will I really become stronger?"

"I can't guarantee anything. But relaxing your body is beneficial in itself."

The desire to grow stronger.

The duty to safeguard her domain.

All these emotions were hers alone, not imposed by anyone but conjured by herself.

They all propelled Lorein forward.

"Then, may I request it just once?"

"Of course. But since it's your first time, shall we start with something simple, like your feet?"

"My feet?"

"If we begin with the whole body, you might find it uncomfortable. It's better to start with the feet, which are full of pressure points."

"But, having you touch my feet… that seems too embarrassing."

"It's alright. Think of it as akin to a medical examination at a hospital."

Lorein blushed and nodded.

Still too shy to expose her bare feet, she thoroughly washed them.

I waited quietly, and it took quite some time.

When she returned, a subtle scent of soap lingered in the air.

"…Did you wait long?"

"There was no need to wash so meticulously."

"What if I smelled of sweat?"

"After sweating together during training every day, you're concerned about that now?"

"… It's different."

Lorein blushed and turned her head slightly to the side.

Was it really that embarrassing to have her feet touched?

I chose to see it as her giving me permission to touch her body despite her reserved nature.

"Bold in swordsmanship, yet so sensitive about these matters."

Of course, this juxtaposition only added to her allure.

It was clear she was a maiden who seldom spoke to other men.

"Then please, make yourself comfortable here."

"Okay."

Lorein sat on the bed and cautiously stretched out her foot.

'How can someone's feet be so exquisite?'

It was rare for feet to maintain such a perfect shape after extensive running.

Not only were Lorein's feet elegantly contoured, but they also had silky skin.

It appeared to be a natural endowment.

I almost found myself developing an unexpected admiration for feet.

"Why are you looking at it like that?"

"Oh, nothing. I was merely considering where to begin. Shall we start?"

Lorein nodded, and I began to gently press on her foot.

At that very moment.

"Ah…!"

A surprisingly feminine and suggestive sound slipped from her.