Ambiguous Moment at the Ranger's Cabin

Chapter 40: Ambiguous Moments at the Ranger's Cabin

Kiyoharu knew that in times like these, backing down was not an option.

Otherwise, he would be completely enslaved.

"Am I playing you? Quite the opposite. I'm offering my most sincere advice to improve Young Lady's health, which is also the best way to ensure our cooperation continues optimally, and it happens to be within my capabilities. If Young Lady insists on believing I'm acting out of desire, then I can only express my regret."

"I admit that Young Lady is full of charm as a woman, and she is the most beautiful girl in my heart, but I must maintain professionalism as a contractor and human dignity."

"If you still don't believe me, then so be it."

He spoke righteously and eloquently, even with a hint of indignation towards the end.

Chihaya Airi rarely saw others get angry in front of her; even when she felt anger, she would suppress it.

Kiyoharu was completely different. He had a good temper, but when he got angry, he didn't suppress it with flattery.

For some reason, this act of defiance, in Airi's eyes, was even a little... stirring.

A familiar, sharper, strange emotion pierced her chest.

She looked at Kiyoharu quietly, remaining silent for a long time, then suddenly said coldly, "Help me up."

"And then?"

"Then give me a massage, the kind you mentioned... to relieve the illness." Airi paused. "If this causes any losses, I will punish you doubly, Kiyoharu-kun~"

Kiyoharu met her gaze, took a deep breath, and nodded. "Thank you for your trust, Young Lady."

Soon, Kiyoharu regained his usual leisurely demeanor, but Airi's mood could no longer be calmed.

While enjoying Kiyoharu's technique, Airi suddenly asked, "Do you really care about my health?"

"Of course, otherwise who would I be earning money from?" Actually, dealing with the cleaver is more important than making money, Kiyoharu thought.

"Is that all?"

"Normal people don't want their colleagues to get sick, unless they're completely consumed by workplace competition. Human empathy..."

"You're so annoying, shut up."

Airi rolled her eyes. Clearly, these were not the answers she wanted to hear.

But it was enough.

Come to think of it, no one had ever really gotten angry at her for not taking care of her body.

Kiyoharu was the first, a very special, first.

Late at night in the Chihaya mansion, the chirping of insects played a lullaby.

The greenery around the mansion and the types of insects allowed to exist were meticulously designed by professionals to create a natural atmosphere.

This fully reflected the Young Lady's personal characteristic: an ultimate desire for control.

In any aspect she could influence, she would order the surrounding things to revolve according to her aesthetic.

Amidst this tranquility, a devastatingly handsome man lurked in the dark washroom, scrubbing his hands.

"Host, you've been washing for a full five minutes. Believe me, massaging feet won't get you pregnant!"

Kiyoharu ignored it, focusing on cleaning.

Tragically, no matter how hard Kiyoharu tried, the Young Lady's scent still lingered.

Damn it!

He would probably have to stay up all night.

Airi's scent was too easily evocative of men's desires.

But there was nothing he could do. The treatment he had just given was the best option after careful consideration.

As long as he performed therapeutic massages, his hands would inevitably pick up her scent, and it wouldn't help even through stockings; Airi's fragrance was not something stockings could block.

Look on the bright side, it was better than actually licking her feet. If he had done that, Kiyoharu suspected he would have been unable to resist taking her right there...

Kiyoharu valued his dignity.

Compared to actual punishment, Airi's actions this time were not outrageous. In fact, some men would have gladly accepted it.

But Kiyoharu was clearly not among them. He was an ambitious man, and even if he chose to cling to the coattails of the chaebol and live a life of ease, he still had principles.

Abstinence was the most basic of those principles.

The situation at the time was far more dangerous than it appeared.

Kiyoharu's desires were like a demon that had once destroyed the world and was subsequently imprisoned. It seemed minuscule, even ascetic, but once it crossed the threshold... would that divine being who wanted to surpass everyone reappear?

Am I a divine being? I want to ask.

No.

Even gods have their day of falling, their Achilles' heel severed by a cleaver.

Maintaining mortal humility is the true path to survival!

Even food-grade feet shouldn't be indulged too much.

Washing his hands didn't help much, so Kiyoharu went to sleep with a mint candy in his mouth, covering up Airi's scent.

His consciousness grew hazy, sleepiness washing over him, and joy surged in Kiyoharu's heart as he prepared to drift off into a deep slumber...

It was as if his soul had been projected into another space. After a brief sensation of falling, Kiyoharu opened his eyes to find himself in a desolate, dense forest. The sky was dim, nearing dusk. Shimaura Hitomi, standing beside him, let out a weak sound:

"Senpai, we're not trapped here, are we?"

Hearing this, Kiyoharu looked down at their attire: a classic set of mountain climbing and camping jackets.

Another lucid dream?

And Shimaura Hitomi is still the protagonist... Kiyoharu found it a bit strange, but as the saying goes, "We dream of what we think about during the day." Since he'd been out with Shimaura Hitomi during the day, it wasn't that strange to dream about her at night.

He then observed his surroundings, quickly recalling the origin of the scene.

It was still Shimaura Hitomi's first year on the job. During a holiday, the school organized a camping trip for the teachers, choosing a sparsely developed mountain forest.

The mountain path was treacherous. Kiyoharu, with his excellent athletic ability, teamed up with Shimaura Hitomi. Unfortunately, they had terrible luck and fell into a cave covered by vines.

The vertical drop was too high to climb, so the two had no choice but to proceed deeper into the cave. After navigating through winding, damp passages, they luckily reached another exit of the cave.

The good news was they weren't trapped in the cave. The bad news was they couldn't find their way back to the campsite.

As dusk approached, the light in the forest grew dimmer. Shimaura Hitomi, who had never experienced such a situation, was terrified.

Kiyoharu, on the other hand, walked with a swagger, calm and collected.

This was mainly because in his past life, he had been a scumbag to a wealthy woman. Angered, she had hired someone to dump him in a primitive jungle with basic survival tools to fend for himself, as punishment for Kiyoharu's promiscuity.

The resilient Kiyoharu had survived the deadly rainforest environment, but ultimately couldn't escape the sharpness of the machete, which was truly lamentable.

"Senpai, I can't walk anymore. Why don't you go back first and come back to save me after you find everyone..."

"How can I do that? What if you encounter danger alone?" Kiyoharu rejected Shimaura Hitomi's suggestion without a second thought. He would never do something so reckless, even in a dream.

Shimaura Hitomi sat dejectedly on the ground, blaming herself: "I'm sorry, Senpai. It's all my fault. I'm holding you back."

What happened back then?

It seemed Kiyoharu carried her for a while, helping her regain some strength. Coupled with Kiyoharu's persistent encouragement, they eventually reunited successfully with the search party from the campsite.

Actually, they weren't lost for too long, less than twenty-four hours in total. Shimaura Hitomi was just timid and scared herself.

So, is Kiyoharu going to repeat history now?

That would be too miserable. If even dreaming involves surviving in the wilderness, Kiyoharu would rather wake up immediately.

After a moment of thought, Kiyoharu climbed a tree to observe the surrounding terrain.

When he and Shimaura Hitomi had rejoined the group, everyone, out of curiosity, explored the area near the cave and discovered that the two hadn't gone far, just circling around.

Also, there should be an abandoned ranger's cabin nearby.

"Come on, I'll carry you for a bit. It looks like I've found a place to rest."

"Eh?"

Shimaura Hitomi rested on Kiyoharu's back, completely relaxing.

With the lingering unease of being caught by Ayano, Shimaura Hitomi returned home and decisively chose to feed her old phone case to the "Dream Wanderer."

Since she had taken it, she couldn't waste it.

She couldn't think of what to do about the future for now, so she might as well dream, hide in her dreams, and temporarily forget everything in reality.

Being carried by Kiyoharu made Shimaura Hitomi feel very secure. His large hands cradled her fleshy thighs, warming her body, which had grown cold from fear.

Not long after, the ranger's cabin, hidden by trees, appeared before them.

The dream's plot had deviated from reality, which surprised Shimaura Hitomi a little.

Kiyoharu brought her here... Could it be?

Shimaura Hitomi's heart began to race.

"It looks decent inside. We can rest after a little tidying up." Kiyoharu saw Shimaura Hitomi struggling to help and quickly stopped her. "Don't move. You're already exhausted. Just let me take care of you."

"Mhm, I'll listen to you, Senpai."

Shimaura Hitomi felt a pang of regret. She had wanted to give Senpai the gentle care that she couldn't receive in her marriage, but in the end, Senpai was still the one taking care of her.

Kiyoharu found suitable branches for firewood and lit the stove.

"Take off your jacket and warm yourself by the fire. It'll be much more comfortable... This pot is still usable. Later, I'll break up some compressed biscuits and boil them in it. It'll be very helpful for recovering your strength."

"Senpai knows so much," Shimaura Hitomi exclaimed sincerely.

Usually, when Japanese girls praise a man for knowing a lot, it's sarcastic, implying, "This greasy, attention-seeking guy is just showing off."

Kiyoharu knew Shimaura Hitomi was an exception. She was a pure, well-behaved junior who admired him.

Perhaps it was human nature to be unable to resist the urge to show off. Kiyoharu sometimes enjoyed acting a little superior in front of Shimaura Hitomi. Besides, Airi had asked Kiyoharu to help Hitomi, so it wasn't that strange.

Due to unavoidable circumstances, the setting was slightly altered: Kiyoharu and Airi's marriage three years ago was changed to an engagement, which didn't affect the overall situation.

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