Finding out that Illness-san would be the one looking after me in the Relaxation Room came as a relief, in a sense.
If it had been Luna-san or Alice, for example, I would have been on edge the whole time, bracing myself for some kind of prank. If it had been Eta or Theta, I would have worried about their sheer strength and whether they could control their power. With Illness-san, however, those weren't issues at all. I felt bad for putting her to the trouble, but since she would undoubtedly reply with a gentle "Please do not worry about it," I decided I would just make sure to thank her properly again later.
"I, uh... I don't really know much about the different types of massages..."
"In that case... since you're so tired, how about a massage aimed at fatigue recovery?"
"Fatigue recovery? That sounds good. I didn't realize they had specific types like that."
"Yes. Rather than kneading the muscles deeply, the primary objective of this massage is to promote blood circulation and adjust the lymphatic flow."
"Then I'll go with that, please."
"Understood."
A massage aimed at fatigue recovery was exactly what the current situation called for. At Illness-san’s prompting, I lay face-down on the massage bed.
"Well then, I shall begin."
At the sound of her voice, Illness-san's hands touched my back, moving in gentle, stroking motions. Just as she had described, her movements were meant to stimulate circulation, creating a rhythmic flow across my entire back with an incredibly soft touch.
As she said, she didn't dig into the muscles, but she still applied an exquisite amount of pressure in just the right spots, which felt wonderful.
It wasn't that "painful but good" sensation; it was pure bliss. My body gradually began to feel warm as the tension melted away. The sensation was similar to soaking in a hot bath, and the comfort was so profound that I started to feel quite sleepy.
Part of me wanted to drift off just like this, but at the same time, it felt like a waste to sleep through such a pleasant experience.
"...This is my first time getting a professional massage like this, but it feels great."
"I am glad to hear it is to your liking. Next, please turn over onto your back."
"Ah, okay."
Following her instructions, I flipped over. Illness-san began again, gently stroking downward from my shoulders. This also felt extremely good, but unlike when I was lying face-down, this part made my heart flutter strangely.
Why was that? Maybe it was because I could actually see Illness-san while she worked? It might have been because we were both dressed much more lightly than usual, making the sensation of her hands against my skin much more vivid.
On top of that, seeing Illness-san in such thin clothing made me feel strangely conscious of her once I allowed myself to notice.
For now, I decided to keep my eyes fixed firmly on the ceiling to prevent blood from gathering in any... awkward places. Given the current trajectory, if she moved on to a leg massage, things would become extremely dangerous.
"I do not particularly mind, you know?"
"W-Wha... What are you talking about?"
"Kuhihi... I could more or less tell what you were thinking."
"U-Ugh..."
This was something I had been told repeatedly since arriving in this world, but I was far too easy to read. When my expressive face met someone as perceptive as Illness-san, my thoughts were likely as clear as day to her.
...I felt like I was being subjected to some incredible humiliation play.
Fortunately, Illness-san wasn't the type to tease people about such things. After her brief comment and a small smile, she continued the massage without bringing the subject up again.
"I shall touch your face now."
"Ah, right."
With that gentle warning, Illness-san touched my face and continued. It felt like the kind of facial massage I'd seen in beauty salon advertisements. This, too, was quite pleasant.
Especially the area above the cheeks... just under the eyes. It felt like the tension there was being expertly unraveled.
Eventually, she transitioned into a head massage, applying slightly more pressure than before, before finishing by gently stroking my hair.
"...Hmm? What effect did that last part have?"
"I simply... felt like petting your head. Was it unpleasant?"
"Ah, no, not at all. In fact, it was quite soothing."
"I am happy to hear that. Well then, just a little longer..."
Illness-san’s voice reached my ears as she continued to gently pet my head. She possessed such an incredible sense of inclusiveness—between her voice and the massage, I felt like I could easily become addicted to this.
Serious-senpai: "W-What a terrifying woman Illness is... To create this kind of atmosphere just by giving a massage... W-What’s going to happen next? There’s still a bath waiting, you know!"