With the invitations for the shipboard party finally sent and the request to the World Maid Association submitted through Kuro, preparations were moving along nicely. Even the catering was well on track.
Still, while there were many tasks remaining, I knew I couldn't let myself get too ahead of things.
"Mmhmm. Taking proper breaks is essential. Though, honestly, I always had the impression you were the type to overwork yourself, Miyama-kun."
"...Well, I'm always telling Anima to rest instead of working too hard. It wouldn't do for me to ignore my own advice."
"Ahaha, I see. So it's a 'practice what you preach' situation."
With that in mind, I had stepped away from the party planning for a bit of a breather and come to visit Fia-sensei. Her clinic closed about three days a month; today was one of those days, so I could relax here without worrying about her appointments.
Technically, that meant the clinic was open almost every day, but Fia-sensei mentioned she had a fair amount of free time since some days only had morning or afternoon hours.
She had even managed to adjust her schedule to attend the Six Kings Festival, so her workload probably wasn't soul-crushing. Knowing Fia-sensei's abilities, she’d likely look perfectly fine even if it were...
"But as a doctor, I think you're making the right call. It's best to clear out fatigue before you even start feeling truly 'tired.' Especially in your case, Miyama-kun. You can force your way through almost anything with your youth and the blessing you received from Shallow Vernal-sama. That's exactly why you need to be careful about resting. Those things can't erase mental fatigue, after all."
"That's for sure. Thanks to Shiro-san's blessing, I don't get muscle aches no matter how much I move, and if I really had to, I could just force my HP back up with the Fruit of the World Tree... Actually, I tried that once and Kuro gave me a real earful for it."
"So you overdid it, huh? That sounds just like you, Miyama-kun, but you really shouldn't make everyone worry so much."
"Ugh... I have no excuse."
I gave a wry smile at her cheerful teasing. Kuro really had scolded me back when I was working on the music box, and it was a mistake I needed to learn from.
In a way, maybe it was good that I’d had that experience. I felt bad about worrying Kuro and making her angry, but since Shiro-san’s blessing and the World Tree fruit made it so easy to be reckless, having failed like that served as a necessary reality check.
As I sat there reflecting, Fia-sensei set down her herb tea and stood up from her seat across from me.
"...Well then, since you're here, let me help you with that fatigue. On medical grounds, naturally."
"Oh, that's reassuring. I actually have been feeling a bit of mental fatigue, so I'd appreciate the help."
Fia-sensei was a doctor—a total professional in her field. Since we were talking about mental fatigue, I figured she might have some relaxing herbs or maybe offer a massage.
Instead, Fia-sensei moved over to the sofa and beckoned me over. Thinking it was likely a massage after all, I finished the last of my herb tea and walked over to join her. Once I arrived, she spread her arms wide toward me.
"Alright, come here."
"...Huh? Wait, what? What exactly am I supposed to do?"
"Just dive right into my chest."
"......Huh?"
I stared at her in confusion. She was clearly waiting for a hug, but I didn't quite grasp her intent. She puffed out her chest with an air of complete confidence.
"I'm not just saying this on a whim. There's a scientific basis for it. Research shows that hugging someone you love triggers the release of dopamine for happiness and oxytocin to calm the mind. Plus, oxytocin activates serotonin neurons. Hugging literally restores your mental energy while boosting your mood and motivation."
"I... I see?"
"Which means this is a privilege reserved exclusively for my lover. I'm going to heal all that mental fatigue of yours with a Sticky and Plenty, Lovey-dovey Hug!"
I suppose I should have known. Among all my lovers, Fia-sensei was one of the most proactive, and she was famous for being assertive in moments like this.
It was her day off and we had all the time in the world. She clearly intended to flirt to her heart's content... and honestly, I didn't have any reason to refuse. I wanted to flirt too, so I decided to just relax and let her pamper me.
Serious-senpai: "...Wait, what?! Hold on a second! Sudden Sugar Developments should be against the rules!"
???: "Actually, no such rule exists."