(Labyrinth of Mel Hertz)

seventh stratum.

As we approached the middle of the fifth stratum–

「Master!」

On the cry of Yuel, I looked ahead.

The first demon we encountered was a large chicken known as a “Big

Chick”. It’s size was around the chest height of an ordinary adult.

There were four of them. The power of their beaks is no laughing

guild advises you to stay cautious of their charge attack.

That charge is so troublesome. It’s quick on it’s feet, but since it’s

Yuel at the front, more often than not, It comes towards me at the

straight line, Because of this I can choose to be either evasive or

defensive against it. It would be bad otherwise.

By the way, I don’t even consider attacking. Every man has his strong

attacked, Whilst trying to attack. If I avoid them and just endure

grazes.

Even if I successfully parry, I feel like avoiding it early is better.

The reason being is that I’m currently running. My mace is clenched in

very difficult to dodge such linear movement. However, I got a little

scared, since this is my first real demon battle.

I manage to avoid the rush of the big chick again, It’s pretty

imposing. There’s no damage, But I stumble a little.

「Aaaaaa!」

Yuel sees that and screams.

By the time I regain my posture, Yuel has already defeated the other

stagger and begins to rush at it angrily. The neck of the big chick

knives were stabbed in it’s head from the left and right.

Thorough. It’s clearly overkill. The knives are probably ruined.

Yuel’s a little scary.

The big chick turns into particles of light and disappears. However,

「Master, I did it!」 excitedly.

As I walk towards Yuel, she looks downwards and begins to speak.

「I’m sorry master, I said I would protect you with my life. But I

allowed you to get hurt」

I think she said something like that on the first day. I’ll be

troubled if she doesn’t value her life more. I’m not even injured.

「No, Having Yuel protect me is enough. I was only grazed slightly this

time anyway」

「But, but, I decided to protect master」

That big chick has apparently trampled Yuel’s pride. Yuel is only one

of shogi, It’s like 4 lances aiming at a king side by side. Thinking

like that, it’s excellent that Yuel can attract and defeat 3 of them.

It was me who had rushed to the fifth stratum to get the slime jelly.

like that. Listening to the cries of Yuel, My sense of guilt rises

exponentially.

Oh, what should I do? Yuel is crying with both hands covering her

always runs up to me with a smiling face as I stroke her head.

I’d like to continue like that for a while.

However, this is Yuel’s own problem. Yuel always says she’ll protect

it can’t be changed. It’s helpless. When you lose confidence in your

won’t go away even if her head is stroked, Even if words are used.

Well, I would still stroke her head even if I say I wouldn’t.

Good words to console Yuel’s heart don’t come to mind, I can only

I’m not good at comforting.

In regards to comforting, I can probably comfort ones son at best.

「Yuel」

When I call out she s.h.i.+vers.

My injury is a scratch, It won’t even become a scar.

However by stroking her head, Will I be able to comfort her, If even a little?

I place my hand on Yuel’s head.

Because she will be discouraged.

Possibly.

However if when I stroke her head, She smiles, It feels nice.

From the center of the head, Along the hairline gently, I lower my hand gently.

surface of her head gently, To the extent where the heat from my palm

Yuel looked happy then, With her age and slavery circ.u.mstances, Yuel

is starved of the warmth of human touch, It makes me wonder.

Slowly, I move my right hand up and down, While putting my left hand

However, Yuel’s expression is still dark.

Is it still not enough to recover her smiling face?

My right hand continues stroking while I raise my left hand.

down dejectedly.

Observing Yuel’s expression, Waiting for her to tense up and while

(TN: Am I the only one thinking droopy elf ears sound adorable?

Someone wanna draw that?)

「Fu…n…」

She leaked a shallow sigh.

Here it is.

I strengthen stroking the point where she reacted to with my left hand

and match the stroking with my right hand.

「Nnn…」

I continue to stroke Yuel lightly, To the point where she sweats a

hands.

Yuel’s face slightly blushes and The expression of sadness visibly fades.

However, It seems it’s still not enough to recover her bashful smile.

I stop stroking her head and ma.s.sage both ears with both of my hands now.

I insert my finger tightly and tickle the inside with a

wrap it with a *Wa Wa* in the soft tip.

(TN: _(0_0)_/ It’s called pervert healer for a reason…)

「Fua…nn…ya…aaa…」

I continue stroking her ear.

I continue stroking but.

I feel it’s different from Yuel’s usual expression.

How do I say it.

She’s bashful, Or perhaps it would be correct to say she’s melted.

It isn’t this.

This isn’t Yuel’s expression I want to see.

It isn’t the expression full immorality such as this.

used in the restroom yesterday–

Not good.

I didn’t think.

Yes, I feel that this is wrong.

I separate both hands at once to stop.

「Oh…」

The expression of Yuel who raised her voice became dark again.

I understand with a glance.

Certainly, This expression is “Anxiety”.

I didn’t make a move on Yuel’s body on the first day, Because I said I

Therefore, Yuel as my slave thought I would request her value in battle.

And her pride that she was useful in battle was destroyed a short while ago.

Indeed, The expression of Yuel is one of a child that has been

abandoned by her parents.

By releasing her ears from my hand she felt “Anxiety”

Oh, Cute Yuel.

You have such a heart-breaking expression.

Just by looking, I can feel my chest tightening.

(TN: I cry everytime :,( )

I can’t have this.

This is bad.

I don’t stop anymore.

Helplessly, I return my hands to both of Yuel’s ears.

「Oh…」

Oh.

It wasn’t a mistake after all.

In my hand that is stroking her ear, Yuel squirms her finger into

It returned.

I continue.

I crouch down in front of Yuel and Put both hands on her cheeks,

I stroke the moist corner of her eye with my thumb.

I stroke slowly along the line of her cheekbone.

「Ne ne…」

The blush on her face becomes stronger, But Yuel tucks her hands into mine.

In other words, The feeling that she doesn’t have the qualifications

to be stroked have gone away.

I was right.

I wasn’t doing the wrong thing.

I don’t let my other fingers be idle while my thumb strokes her cheekbone.

With my index and my ring finger, I stroke the inside of her ear.

(TN: Long fingers?)

「Hi… oh… nu…」

Yuel s.h.i.+vers with a *Pikuri*.

While I stroke Yuel’s cheek–

Suddenly, A shadow is visible on the other side of Yuel’s back.

A demon came.

Oh, It’s probably natural since we spent so much time in the maze.

「Yuel, Big chick, One.」

Yuel’s expression changes to the face that is tightened suddenly.

Rather than a tightened face would probably be correct.

(TN: oooo don’t interrupt the ear stroking guys!)

Yuel pulls a knife to charge right through the front and dash at the

Just before the collision, The Big Chick avoided lightly like a bullfighter.

the neck.

The Big Chick spouts blood and Tumbles down while running.

Yuel collected the drop and approaches to ask for a continuation of earlier.

in her expression.

I stroke her of course.

Yuel, If stroked is alright.

After all, It probably means she’s still a child.

I should repeat this until all hesitation stops appearing on Yuel’s face.

「We will return home soon, Yuel」

「Yes Master!」

Yuel, With a bashful smile responds lively to my words.

We returned to town to buy equipment.

I’m told Yuel wants a throwing knife.

She said, If she had a throwing knife, Maybe Yuel could protect me this time.

Which reminds me, I think a goblin was defeated by a throwing knife before.

And when it’s possible to protect me from four big chicks again, Yuel

That would lead to Yuel’s smiling face.

If there is a throwing knife, There is no way I wouldn’t buy it.

Fortunately, Thanks to the two sources of income from the healing and

the adventuring, There is a little leeway.

I bought four throwing knives for Yuel, Which are slightly longer than

craftsman’s apprentice made.

enemy comes, Yuel should be alright with this.

The day when Yuel will become a knife artillery might be close.