The massage hadn't lasted more than ten or fifteen minutes, but the meticulous care Fia-sensei took in working out his stiffness had a profound effect. When Kaito finally finished and sat up, his shoulders felt remarkably lighter, and he felt revitalized.
"Oh, wow. My shoulders feel so light. I feel completely recharged."
"Your blood circulation has improved thanks to the massage, so you might feel like you can move better than usual. But just because you feel good doesn't mean you should push yourself, okay?"
"I understand."
"Good, good. That’s a proper answer. Now then, that’s the end of your 'physical care'!"
"Thank you very much... Hmm? Physical?"
Kaito felt a slight sense of unease at the way Fia-sensei had phrased that. She had made a point of emphasizing the word 'physical,' making it sound as if there were an entirely different type of care waiting for him.
As if to confirm his suspicion, Fia-sensei slowly spread her arms wide in front of him.
"Yes, next is your mental care... mental relaxation. I've explained this before, so I don't need to go into the details again, right?"
"Ah—um, so you mean... that, right?"
"Yes, a hug. Of course, your wishes are the priority, Miyama-kun. If you aren't in the mood, we can just sit and chat."
Kaito thought her approach was incredibly unfair—or rather, the proposal was simply too enticing. To be blunt, the last time she had hugged him, it had been so comforting that it was almost addictive. Even now, with the suggestion hanging in the air, his heart fluttered as he recalled that sensation.
If he could just push aside his embarrassment, the offer was more attractive than anything else he could imagine. It really was the best way to relax... And besides, it was just the two of them, and they had done this once before.
"...Then, would it be alright if I took you up on that?"
"Yes! Of course. Let's see... even accounting for the time it takes to get back, we still have about fifteen minutes. You can spoil yourself with me as much as you like until then. Oh, and extensions are perfectly fine too! I can use Barrier Magic to slightly shift the flow of time. If you tell me about five minutes before the break is over, I can extend our time together quite a bit. You can just decide based on how you feel in the moment... Now then, come here, Miyama-kun."
Fia-sensei's sense of all-encompassing acceptance—her Motherhood Power—was staggering. When she gently called his name, Kaito found himself drawn to her as if by a physical pull.
She pulled him into a soft, tender embrace and began slowly stroking his hair. It was, as expected, incredibly comfortable. He felt like he might truly become addicted to this—or perhaps he already was.
No words were needed. Surrounded by her pleasant scent and soft, warm comfort, Kaito felt his thoughts gradually beginning to melt away. The back of his head tingled and felt slightly ticklish, but it wasn't unpleasant in the least. A profound sense of security and mental relaxation washed over him.
He was still embarrassed, certainly... but the comfort and happiness he felt far outweighed it. It felt like a waste to let this end in just fifteen minutes. In fact, he was already certain he would ask for an extension.
Perhaps sensing his state of mind, Fia-sensei briefly stopped stroking his hair and flicked her finger. Out of the corner of his eye, Kaito saw a magic circle manifest for a split second.
At the same time, back at the Shipboard Party Venue.
Standing against a wall far from the stage where the music was playing, Machina, the God of an Otherworld, wore an expression of indescribable frustration.
"I missed my chance...!"
"...Huh?"
"Not only is she providing physical care for my beloved child, but she’s even giving him mental care with a hug full of love... Th-that's the sort of thing I, his mother, should be doing! Dammit, I wasn't even watching her... To think it was Fia... She has some impressive Motherhood Power. I'll remember that nam—"
"Stop peeking, ssu."
"—Ow!?"
Alice brought her fist down on Machina's head with a dull thud, sighing in exasperation. Naturally, Alice was aware that Kaito and Fia had slipped away, but she had stationed her Bodyguard Split Bodies at a distance from the Rest Room to ensure the lovers' private time wasn't disturbed.
"Uugh... No, I'm not going to peek anymore... Still, it was so close. If I had gone, I would be the one giving my beloved child mental care like that right now..."
"Why do you think you're even in the same league as Fia-san, ssu? You're not the type to relax Kaito-san's spirit; you're the type that adds a burden to it."
"It's fine, because I'm his mother. Wrapped in a mother's love, my beloved child would relax plenty! There’s no doubt about it!!"
"Cut the crap."
"—Ow-ow-ow-ow!? Hey, Alice! You've been hitting me way too much! You said you wouldn't let me participate unless I lowered my durability, so I lowered the stats on this terminal! It actually hurts, you know!?"
Indeed, Alice had imposed several conditions on Machina for her participation in the party. One was that the terminal she was currently using had to have reduced durability, and she had to leave her pain sensors active. It was a necessary measure so Alice could physically stop Machina if she went on a rampage.
"Well, obviously, ssu. If you had your usual idiotic durability where firepower capable of erasing multiple dimensions wouldn't even leave a scratch, the whole world would be in danger before I could even deal enough damage to stop you..."
"Hmph! Well, I am incredibly strong after all—Ow!?"
Apparently, Machina's Doyaaa Face had grated on Alice's nerves, because a third fist descended upon her head. Machina clutched her skull, writhing in silent agony for a moment.
Serious-senpai: "G-Gwah... D-Damn, that's some serious destructive power... And the Machina-handler is doing her job perfectly..."