Elfriede's critical gaze swept over the campsite I had arranged. She ran a finger along the edge of her blanket inside the tent, checking for even a speck of dust. Finally, she gave a slight nod of approval. "Hmm. Good," she said curtly. "The bedding is laid out nicely. You're finally coming back to your senses, aren't you? See what a little whipping can accomplish? Good job."
"Ah… Thank you, Mistress," I replied, bowing my head. Despite her condescending tone, relief washed over me. At least she was satisfied.
This vicious elf was notoriously picky about her sleeping arrangements. On past nights, she'd repeatedly made me spread out her bedroll until it met her exacting standards. By some miracle, I'd gotten it right on the first try tonight.
With a weary sigh, Elfriede lowered herself onto the wool blanket I'd laid out. She stretched her long legs and reclined, clearly intending to rest without offering me so much as a scrap of dinner.
Lazy witch, I thought bitterly as I watched her settle in.
At that very moment, Elfriede's pointed ears twitched. Her eyes snapped open and fixed directly on me. "Why do I feel like you're thinking something rude about me?" she asked, her voice dangerously soft.
I gulped. "Th-there's no way I'd think something like that, Mistress!" I lied, forcing a servile smile.
Elfriede narrowed her eyes to crimson slits. A cold prickle skittered down my spine. Her instincts were frighteningly sharp; she could practically smell insolence. I hurried to put on my most innocent, vacant expression, hoping to appease her.
After a long, tense moment, she snorted and closed her eyes again. I released the breath I'd been holding. That was close.
Stepping away from her tent, I busied myself tending the campfire and making sure the other bedrolls were in place for the rest of the party. By now, the two human mercenaries and the dwarf cleric who accompanied Elfriede had long since plopped down to rest, leaving all the chores to me as usual.
I had just finished arranging the last pack when Elfriede's voice cut through the darkness: "Lucian. Come here and massage my shoulders."
I brushed the dirt from my hands and hastened to her tent. Inside, Elfriede sat on her blanket with her back to me, rolling her stiff neck. She must have been more tired than she let on.
"As you wish, Mistress," I murmured. I positioned myself behind her and placed my hands lightly on her shoulders.
"Put some strength into it," she ordered. "My shoulders ache from all the heavy loads I had to carry today. Even whipping you has made my arms sore."
I swallowed the rising fear and began kneading Elfriede's shoulders firmly. Through the thin fabric of her tunic, I could feel how tightly knotted her muscles were. She hadn't borne any packs, but constant combat readiness (and perpetual tension) took its toll on her body.
Elfriede, a Silver-ranked adventurer, possessed far greater strength and endurance than I did. If my level was barely 2, hers must have been in the thirties at least. She could break me in half without breaking a sweat in a contest of force. And thanks to the cursed slave bond tethering me, I couldn't resist her commands even if I wanted to. All I could do was grit my teeth and continue the massage.
"Mmm, yes… just like that," Elfriede purred after a minute, her head tilting forward as my thumbs found a particularly tight spot near her shoulder blade. "Harder."