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The flabs of my fat body weigh me down, chaining me to the bed.

I can’t turn around, I can’t even prop my body up. I moan in agony, but no one comes to help me. It’s heavy it’s heavy IT’S HEAVY IT’S HEAVY…… the more I try to struggle, the fatter I become, my own weight is trying to crush me, and the fear of it settles in.

“NOOO!! HELP MEE!!”

A scream of despair that came from my own mouth woke me up.

A dim ceiling, lit by moonlight coming in through the small window, came into my wide-opened eyes. Plain and unadorned wallpaper. The mysterious Muscle Slime plushie that Monika, my lady attendant, left behind for its tasteless design, sitting on the chair next to the chest… they were all definitely peculiarities of the room Royce the steward showed to me. They were indicative of the reality that I was in my own bedroom.

Speaking of which, apparently this mansion was only a temporary residence, and the main residence of the Brandmüller household was located separately. However, since her future residence in Consul, which would also be the workplace for her official duties, was nearly completed, that would be her main residence, meaning that her main cargo and servants were moved ahead of time. That left this mansion with barely any staff. In the future, this mansion would be treated as a separate house to be used only when the lady of the house returned to the imperial capital.

“…a dream, huh.”

Breathed out in relief, the first thing I did was be grateful for my current reality before I tried to close my eyes again… only to realize that my body refused to move, as if my nightmare from before continued.

“!!”

My heart raced and a cold sweat broke out all over my body. I took a deep breath, suppressing the urge to scream.

First of all, think calmly. Have a reality check, me.

As my eyes began to get accustomed to the darkness after repeating some deep breaths a few times, I looked to my left where my bed faced a wall. There was a girl wrapped in the same blanket as me, hugging my left arm, refusing to let go.

She was painfully thin. So much so, that even if she squeezed me tightly, there was none of the softness characteristic of a child. There was, however, that good smell girls had. Not to mention, I could see her fox-like ears sprouting from the top of her dark blonde hair as she rubbed her cheeks against my chest.

This girl was Lana, a child slave and a fox beastfolk whom I purchased by happenstance today…or, well, yesterday, I guess. After what happened yesterday, I treated her injuries, bathed her, and fed her, but she was very afraid of people other than me and wouldn’t leave me even for a moment. With no other choice, I somehow half-forced her to sleep with me in the same bed, and before I knew it, she was using me as her hug pillow.

“Okay. Got it. I very much understand now.”

Now then, I understand what is happening to my left side. The problem is the other side that feels quite heavy…my right-hand side, from which I could feel strong nasal breathing.

So I turned my gaze there and saw my familiar, Vier the Sirius, who usually lays on the floor next to my bed, draping her body over half of mine as if she were competing with Lana

“…”

I wouldn’t mind it if she was still a pup, but the Sirius was already a 2 mertes tall giant by now. If she pinned the right half of my body with her giant body like that, there was no wonder I’d have nightmares.

“—Vier, you’re a bit heavy. Could you move out of the way?”

When I warned her in a hushed voice so as not to wake Lana, who must be exhausted and was fast asleep, Vier opened one eye and faked her sleeping, even telling me ‘can’t hear you’ with telepathy. Hey, you’re a canine too, don’t you have pride as a Sirius?! —was what I wanted to say, but I realized something.

“Geez… I’m not going to prioritize Lana and neglect you, Vier. You know she is weakened and injured, right? It’s my responsibility to keep her with me until she is well. Please understand, Vier.”

At my pleading, Vier glanced at Lana’s face with her thinly opened eyes.

“…sis.” For a moment, I thought I had woken up Lana, but it seemed like she was merely talking in her sleep, and continued to sleep peacefully with her face nestled on my left breast.

“…” With half a consent, Vier stepped down from the bed, though she immediately plopped her head on top of the bed —or rather, my right breast, before she closed her eyes as if saying she wouldn’t compromise any further.

“Listen, you…”

I tried to complain, but Vier started to feign sleep again as if saying she wouldn’t back down on this one. Seemed like this was where she would draw the line.

Just, what do they think my breasts are? Now I worry that my chest would become malformed under the weight, then again, I don’t want to make a deal out of it. I just let out a sigh and accepted my fate, as much as I didn’t want to.

(Well, after declaring “I will take care of her!” like that, I guess I’m just reaping what I sow now.)

Lying on my bed in a rather unnatural position, I closed my eyes and recalled the events of the day as I drifted off to sleep

♢♦♢♦♢

The first thing I did when I returned to Brandmüller mansion with Luke and the slave girl in my arms each, was to heal the girl’s injuries and illnesses in a separate room. “I’m going to strip her naked and put on my mentor’s special amrita all over her body,” I said, as I shooed everyone away.

“「I am the aid to your ail」” A pale golden light spread across the girl’s entire body. “「Heal.」” And with that, the wounds and bruises all over her body quickly diminished.

“「Breath of the Great One, blow this illness away.」” Next, a warm breeze enveloped the girl, and she writhed with a puzzled look as she felt an itchy sensation that warmed her from the core. “「Cure.」” The magic that cured diseases and abnormal conditions swept away the rashes and scabs that had clung to the girl’s skin.

The girl looked befuddled at her bare skin, smooth and clean without a scratch much like a newborn baby’s. She looked almost afraid to touch her own meatless arm. She tried to stand up but wobbled in her attempt, so I cast the one Healing Art that I kept as my ace-in-the-hole.

“「The Great Healing Hand shall kindle your flame of life.」” A dazzling mass of light was born between my palms. This was an Art that promoted a powerful restorative capacity and took almost everything of me just to be able to chant once a day, and even then, it had 50% of even succeeding. “「Regenerate.」” As the sensation of having my physical and mental strength drained away washed over me, I also felt a definite response to the activation of the technique.

The girl’s body glowed for a moment before her bloodless and veiny skin began to blush, and her body became less listless and more springy.

“Phew…”

That should at least restore her minimum physical strength. All that is left is to have her eat, sleep, and gradually regain her lost strength. I was relieved that the worst had been averted, but right then, Monika knocked on the door and came in.

“Young lady, I prepared the bath as you instructed.”

“Aah, thank you, Monika. I’m sorry to trouble you, but please give her a bath.” But, before I could tell Monika more detailed instructions, the girl hid behind my back and vigorously shook her head. “…it’s fine. I’ll get in the bath with you.”

“With a slave, young lady?!” The girl shuddered when Monika furrowed her brow.

“Now, now. You’re going to scare her with a face like that.”
“This is just how my face is.”

After pressing the indignant Monika, the three of us headed for the bathroom.

Incidentally, it was common for middle to upper-class households in the imperial capital to have a built-in magic tool-powered water fixture. The relationship between diseases and pathogens had yet to be elucidated, but as a rule of thumb, people knew that having a habit of bathing was good for their health, so the common people also went to public bathhouses in the city quite often.