Overloaded With Attributes Chapter 71

Lotion Massages Solve Everything!!! 

Crap... the team disbanding is bad... really bad.

Maybe I got arrogant, thinking "this is a world with few men, they'd never dump me." Yep, this calls for a sincere apology. And reparations. No, before that, I need to show my sincerity.

"The bathroom would've been better... but I guess here works. Cleanup is gonna be a pain... Ah, can you pull on that corner and stretch it out?"

"Eh? Yuu, where did you get this plastic sheet?! And can you please explain why you are spreading a plastic sheet on my bed?"

Even while complaining, Atena still helps. She's such a good, honest kid. ...Hm? Why do I carry a plastic sheet? For eating in the dungeon, obviously. This one is unused, of course. Cleanliness first.

"I really wanted an air mattress, but... I have no idea where they sell those. Online shopping would be easy, but Shouko-san would get the package. She'd definitely narrow her eyes and grill me, '...Yuugiri-san, where, exactly, do you intend to use this?'"

"Um, now that the sheet is down... what's with the bath towels and the mountain of lotion you're lining up by the pillows?"

"Ah, you can get naked if you want... but that might turn into a different kind of massage, so maybe change into a swimsuit? ...Well, I'll probably just take it off you halfway through, but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it."

"Can you please explain what you are planning to do?!"

"What? It's exactly what it looks like. A slimy lotion massage."

"I mean, I assumed that's what you were planning, but you never actually said anything to me, you know!"

"...Huh?"

"...Huh?"

"No, no, I definitely said, 'Find us a place where we can be alone,' didn't I?"

"...Are you an idiot? A normal girl, when told that, does not think, 'Oh... he must mean it's time for a lotion massage!' Do you know what I'm talking about?! If I did that with a boy I'm not even engaged to, I'd get thrown in jail, no trial!"

"No, no, you and I are... you know. We haven't said it, but we've got that 'vibe.' So it's fine."

"...Huh?"

"...Huh?"

"I mean, we hang out like friends, so I haven't said it directly, but... we've gone on 'date-like' things on our days off, right? I just figured we were past the whole 'I'd like to ask for your hand in marriage' formality and just... understood each other."

"...Are you! A complete! And utter! Idiot?! A normal girl, unless she's told directly... ...doesn't just assume, 'Oh, I'm engaged to this person!' ...Well, maybe Akashi-san would, but no one else! And we haven't even known each other long enough to 'understand each other without words'... Wait, why are you suddenly pouting?"

"...No reason. I'm just not thinking, 'Wow, after all that, you're going to say we're not close?'"

"I'm the one who should be saying that!" I haven't done anything to make her think that...

"Anyway, why did you jump straight to 'lotion massage' with zero context?"

"There is context! You were suspicious about the 'zero income' from the dungeon, right? And just so we're clear! It's not like I was skimming off the top! I was planning to split the money with everyone once I cashed it in."

"...What are you talking about? I mean, I did think it was 'a little weird that no items were dropping,' but..."

"But today, you were glaring at me with the face of a 'salaryman who just missed the last train home'!"

"I was not! ...Well, I was looking at you, and maybe I looked a little resentful, but! It wasn't about money! ...And besides, that's resolved now, so it doesn't matter..."

Atena's energy suddenly vanished, and she looked down, glancing at me from the corner of her eye.

"...Fufu, you're right! As I thought, a lotion massage solves every—"

"No, it doesn't!! You are really... Yuu, just like my feelings weren't getting through to you at all..."

"They did get through. That's why I'm here with the lotion."

"Can you just get off the lotion massage for one second?! Besides, I'm not going to do something that embarrassing in a house I share with my family! Look, my little sister has been peeking through the crack in the door this whole time!"

...I don't really get it, but Atena seemed to be in a better mood.

"F-For now! Being with you any longer is... w-well... it's embarrassing!" And with that, I was kicked out of her house.

---

"B-B-B-Big Brother!!"

"I'm your Big Sister, not Brother."

"That's not important! Wait, engaged? Big Brother, you're engaged to that person... to YOU?!"

"My 'Big Brother' getting engaged to a boy would just be confusing. ...But... yeah. Something like that. It seems like in his head, it was already a done deal... fufu, but how am I supposed to know if he doesn't tell me? Gosh... all that time I was worrying by myself... I feel like such an idiot."

"Big Brother is making a 'girl' face... So, does this mean Murasaki is YOU's wife, too?"

"No. It means that, if Yuu accepts you, you might get to be his 'sister-in-law.' That's it."

"Why are you pushing me away now?! Oh... Murasaki is getting married..."

"I just told you, that's not what's happening. Are you even listening?"

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