For Airi's Calves, Kiyoharu Worried Himself Sick

Mission Name: Chihaya Airi's Hidden Danger

Mission Description: Long-term high-intensity work, coupled with some unhealthy lifestyle habits, had caused hidden illness to take root in Airi's body. As the person closest to Airi, it was his bounden duty to eliminate the threat to her health!

Mission Objective: (Repeatable mission, refreshed daily) Perform a complete calf and foot massage to relieve Airi's pain.

Mission Reward: Based on the Pleasure Points Airi gained each time, receive 1–10 Energy Points and reduce disease progression by 1%.

Complete the mission 50 times to receive the skill "Golden Fingers."

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What? The Red-Eyed Devil had a hidden illness?

For a moment, Kiyoharu instinctively felt happy, but that feeling quickly turned to worry.

It was like facing a terrible boss who paid you extremely well. You might hate him, but you still hoped nothing happened to him. Otherwise, who was going to make up for the salary you'd lose?

Kiyoharu tapped into the panel to check the details. A flood of medical terminology hit him in the face. With absolutely no professional knowledge in that field, he forced himself to study it for ages before finally understanding that Airi might have neurogenic weakness in her lower limbs.

In other words, she might end up in a wheelchair at a young age.

Wouldn't that mean Kiyoharu would have to push her wheelchair around and take care of her? Push her to work during the day, push her on walks at night, and even push her to the bathroom in the middle of the night... Gah! He didn't want that!

Unless she paid him more.

But then again, even if she could pay more, Kiyoharu still thought the Young Lady was easier to deal with when she wasn't in a wheelchair. At the very least, he could play games peacefully at night.

With that in mind, Kiyoharu gradually increased the force of his hands, making Airi, who was playing on her phone, frown.

"Why did you suddenly start pressing so hard? Are you trying to get revenge on me this way, Kiyoharu-kun?"

"Of course not." Kiyoharu paused, organizing his words before speaking seriously. "Does the Young Lady sometimes feel soreness, numbness, or weakness in her calves? Even when you haven't been particularly tired, do you still experience similar symptoms?"

"Who told you that?"

"I know a little traditional Chinese medicine. An old master who specialized in Chinese cuisine taught me some things on the side." As for how he knew Chinese cuisine, Kiyoharu had invented an elderly man who had become his unlikely friend during childhood. Whenever there was a skill he couldn't explain, there was no need to ask—the old master had taught him.

Airi fell silent for a moment. She could not find even a trace of falsehood in Kiyoharu's eyes.

About two months ago, Airi had secretly gone to the hospital for an examination because of the symptoms Kiyoharu had described. The doctor was a trusted confidant who had served the Chihaya Conglomerate for years and was reliable.

Theoretically, aside from her father, no one knew about Airi's condition.

Such information was naturally kept under strict confidentiality. As Chihaya Genichiro's daughter, she absolutely could not show weakness to the outside world.

Being ill was also a form of weakness.

Tch, Kiyoharu-kun actually noticed...

"It's none of your concern." Airi said disdainfully, "The doctor has already made a treatment plan for me."

"I imagine it hasn't been very effective."

"..."

A flicker of hesitation crossed Airi's face, and Kiyoharu immediately knew he had guessed correctly.

Since it was a hidden illness worthy of becoming a system mission, it naturally would not be cured so easily. That was not to say the Chihaya Conglomerate's doctors were incompetent. It was simply that something as precise and complex as the human body could still stump even the most advanced technology.

"Let me try. I'll give the Young Lady a massage at a fixed time every day. I'm sure it'll improve."

"No. What if it makes the symptoms worse instead?"

"Didn't I massage you last time? The Young Lady seemed quite comfortable then. You even fell asleep..."

"I said no means no!" Airi suddenly became a little agitated, her face flushing slightly as her tone sharpened. "Who do you think you are, questioning my decision?"

"...Sorry."

Kiyoharu lowered his head obediently and stared at the surface of the water in the footbath, troubled.

Sure enough, the Red-Eyed Devil was not so easy to persuade. More importantly, Kiyoharu's massage techniques were rather amateurish and had no professional credentials to back them up. The reason he had been allowed to massage her feet last time was because Airi wanted to fish for his reaction, so she probably had not cared much about the massage itself. This time involved Airi's health, so she had to be far more cautious.

How was he supposed to break through?

Yet what Airi, high and mighty as ever, was thinking at that moment was nothing like what Kiyoharu had imagined.

What annoyed her was that Kiyoharu had casually brought up how she had fallen asleep last time. She found it embarrassing and could not help snapping at him.

Seeing Kiyoharu's aggrieved expression, that strange feeling came again, accompanied by a stabbing pain in her chest.

I want to step on his face.

A powerful thought sprang into Airi's mind. Suddenly inspired, she let out a pleasant yet sly laugh.

"Oh my... Kiyoharu-kun, I think I understand your motive now."

"Motive?" Kiyoharu half-lidded his eyes and complained, "That makes it sound like you're interrogating a criminal suspect arrested by the Metropolitan Police Department."

"More or less. After all, you're addicted to my feet. You want to touch them often, so that's why... you proposed treating my illness, isn't it?"

As she reached the latter half of her sentence, Airi crossed her legs. Her toes emerged from the water, those pristine, crystal-clear toes lifting Kiyoharu's chin and forcing him to look at her.

What a shrimp-headed take. Seriously, what a shrimp-headed take!

Kiyoharu was mildly stunned by Airi's narcissistic train of thought. Then again, she had always been narcissistic. It was hardly something new.

Regaining his train of thought, Kiyoharu made a swift decision.

Since Airi saw it that way, he might as well go along with it and admit it for now. After all, he had no better way to gain Airi's trust. Sincerity was always the ultimate weapon!

"You're right, Young Lady. I did have that consideration, but please believe me, my intentions are absolutely for the sake of your health... Urgh!"

Chihaya Airi kicked Kiyoharu to the floor, then stood and stepped out of the wooden footbath. Droplets of water slid down her delicate ankles.

Lying flat on the floor, Kiyoharu could only watch as Airi approached him with the gait of a jungle predator. She raised one soft, fair foot and pressed its sole against his face.

The texture was smooth and elastic. Airi's distinct body fragrance, drawn out by the hot water, had become even sweeter, like a freshly baked dessert. Kiyoharu unconsciously sniffed.

"Considering Kiyoharu-kun has been performing well lately, completing the duties outlined in the contract while also helping me take care of my two best friends, I'll indulge Kiyoharu-kun's delusion. I'll reward you by letting you touch my feet every day. After all, Kiyoharu-kun has always been very interested in them..."

"It's not quite that exaggerated..."

"Still trying to talk back!" With that handsome face beneath her foot, Airi grew increasingly excited. The blood-red light in her crimson eyes flared brightly, churning with an unusual, unhealthy emotion. Her voice also became more domineering, as if some hidden form had been released. "However, there's one condition... To prove your desire, lick it clean right now. If you can do that, I'll permit you to massage this Young Lady's feet once a day."

Kiyoharu fell silent.

"What? Now you're the one feeling wronged?"

"I..."

"I'll give you ten seconds to think about it. Miss the deadline, and the offer is gone."

From Airi's perspective, Kiyoharu's inner struggle was obvious. Just as the ten seconds were about to run out, he reluctantly held her foot in his hands, his thoughts racing.

How do I turn this around? Can I ask?