I hadn’t even responded to Cecilia’s proposal to accept it, yet she casually sauntered over to the massage table and sprawled herself out, face down. At least she wasn’t lying on her back, which offered a little comfort.

“What are you doing? Don’t you want to hear what I have to say?”

Anyway, since my powers were needed for humanity, there was no way she wouldn’t give me information. But the reason I hesitated to accept her proposal was the thought that she might truly withhold what I needed to know.

Thinking back on her previous actions, my initial thought of “Oh, no way” quickly transformed into “Could it be…?”

“But I’ve never done a massage before, so I might not be very good at it. If you’d rather ask for something else…”

“I’m not expecting a professional, so just think of it as giving a simple rubdown. Surely you’ve done that before to relieve sore muscles.”

“…Understood.”

Eventually giving up my resistance, I followed her out of the hot spring and moved closer to her. As I lowered my head, her smooth figure became apparent to my eyes. The clear line of her back descending from her shoulders and neck. The curvature of her back, waist, hips, and legs possessed a beauty that could not be captured in any artwork.

“Ah! There should be a small bottle next to you. It’s oil for the massage, so take note.”

“Ahem! Ah, understood.”

Even knowing I shouldn’t, I couldn’t help but stare blankly at her. Fortunately, since Cecilia was face down, she probably didn’t notice my gaze. With a nonchalant voice, she just reached out her hand to point.

Snapping back to reality, I followed her finger and saw a small brown bottle lying there, just as she said.

“Alright, then I’ll start.”

In the end, the only small act of resistance I could manage was to cover her hips with a small piece of towel that was hanging nearby. I wished I could cover her entire body, but the towel was far too small to hide anything other than the most explicit parts.

First, I opened the lid of the small brown bottle she mentioned and poured a bit of the slippery oil onto her back. It trickled down her spine, slowly flowing down to her waist.

Naturally, I placed my hands on the area where the oil pooled at her lower back. After spreading it wide, I began the actual massage.

I started by placing my hands on her shoulders. After all, I often massaged my friends during training, so I was familiar with how to do it. There wasn’t much difference, so I kneaded her shoulders with practiced movements, making sure not to apply too much pressure.

Next, I placed my palms on her scapula, gently pushing from the inside out with my thumbs and palms in a rough imitation of what I had seen. Fortunately, as she wasn’t a pro, she didn’t complain about any discomfort.

“Alright. Where should I start the story…?”

I thought perhaps she would only reveal her thoughts after enjoying the massage, but thankfully, she seemed to want to chat as I worked.

I was actually quite grateful. While I was kneading her body under the pretense of giving a massage, it would be far better to have a little conversation rather than sinking into awkward silence.

“How did it feel to swing the sword? Did you have any inkling of what powers you wielded?”

“Well… I felt that with that kind of enhancement, I could accomplish anything.”

When I swung the sword, I believed with certainty that I could topple my opponent. Conversely, when dodging an attack, even if it came from an unseen angle, I felt sure I could evade it.

“Hmm, your understanding isn’t completely off. What you felt was right. If you think of it as a power that allows you to accomplish anything… hmm…”

Oops! I had gotten so wrapped up in her story that I lost my focus on the massage. Without realizing it, I had pressed too hard on her lower back, and she let out a small cry of discomfort.

“I-I’m sorry!”

I jerked my hands back in surprise and quickly apologized.

“Don’t worry; it wasn’t because I was in pain or anything, so just ignore it.”

I stood still, sheepishly gauging her reaction. Surprisingly, her voice was gentle.

“Actually, if you go too gently, it just tickles. A little more pressure is perfect. You’re much better than the maid who used to massage me. They always fell into one of two categories: either they had soft hands but no strength, or they had strength but rough hands.”

Fortunately, it seemed she was not uncomfortable but rather satisfied. After all, her words rang true; my hands didn’t show signs of calluses like someone who wielded a sword would.

This wasn’t because I had been neglecting my training or had taken special care but was simply a side effect of TS magic. The wizard who had cast the TS spell told me that one should become a flawless beauty. Because of that, even with rough treatment, my palms were practically devoid of any roughness.

“Now let’s continue with the story. Do you remember what I mentioned today?”

As I asked, I decided it was time to lower my hands a bit further. I passed over the towel covering her hips and went lower.

But just as I reached her thighs, they were as troublesome as always, so I quickly bypassed them and went down to her calves. It seemed, though, that she had no intention of letting me pass easily.

“Ah! Don’t skip my thighs; they’re the most muscular area, so make sure to massage them thoroughly.”

She even seemed to predict that I would try to overlook them and bluntly stated it. Knowing it would be futile to refuse, I chose to accept my fate.

“Looks like the conversation keeps getting interrupted. Anyway, what I’m talking about is fate. Hmm…”

“Fate…?”

“Ah… yes, fate. This world flows according to fate. You eat, interact with people, sleep… Such trivial things are of little concern, but the greater currents can only follow fate.”

“Today’s talk about the death of His Majesty was also due to that fate, wasn’t it?”

Aisys and I had to persuade Cecilia for quite a while due to her stubbornness. Fortunately, it seemed my sincerity had paid off, and I was able to change her mind.

“However, you have changed that fate. With the power of a Hero that you possess.”

To be honest, even hearing it didn’t really make sense to me. I felt like I had just swung a sword a few times, but when did I change her fate? Of course, I was glad she had avoided death, but I still felt utterly baffled.

“You probably already know… yes, that you were initially kidnapped by the Assassin Guild and forced into a life as an assassin, but the Hero Selian regressed and saved you. At that moment, your fate changed.”

Indeed, after being rescued by Selian, my destiny had changed in a way that was significant enough to consider it a grand transformation.

“Yet ironically, because of this, she can no longer exist as a Hero. Conversely, because of her, you have awakened as a Hero.”

Cecilia’s words reminded me of that fateful moment. While escorting the Saint to the capital, we were attacked by a demonic race, and my life was put in jeopardy. The holy sword, which had been chosen by Selian countless times, had instead chosen me.

Why did the holy sword choose me instead of Selian? I still had no idea. Selian was always a flawless being, unlike me, who had once been an assassin.

If one were to ask who was worthy of being a Hero between us, without a doubt, everyone would choose Selian.

“Within her, your existence grew far too significant. She would cast aside the world if it meant saving you, even if it meant its destruction. How can such a person be called a Hero?”

Feeling both sad at Cecilia’s words and yet joyful at realizing how precious my existence was to her, I opined, “But back then, I was merely an assassin from a failed guild. Doesn’t that sound even more nonsensical?”

“Well, that part is part of the Goddess’s choice, so as an ordinary human, I cannot fathom it. Whether she perceived your talents or aimed to ensure she followed you if she brought you along is unknown. But what’s important is that you have truly become a Hero now.”

As I finished massaging her thighs and moved down to her calves and feet, she suddenly flipped over without warning. I quickly grabbed the towel that had slipped to the floor and placed it over her lower abdomen. However, a single small towel was hardly enough to cover her ample chest, and two towering peaks caught my scandalous gaze.

“If it had been Selian who came here instead of you, not a single knight would be left standing. She no longer possesses any sense of duty or responsibility to save everyone.”

Yet she continued her speech, undeterred by my embarrassment.

“Hm? What are you doing? Don’t stop the massage. If your hands stop, then I have no choice but to stop talking, too.”

Regardless of the circumstances, the one feeling regret was clearly me. We had chatted for quite a while, but never had we touched upon the all-important subject of power.

For the moment, I gently massaged her shoulders, collarbone, and around her armpits. Although I had tried to control my strength, it still sometimes slipped a bit, causing her to let out small gasps of discomfort. But since she said she was fine, it seemed she actually wanted a little more pressure, so it should be fine.

“So, what exactly is the power of a Hero you mention?”

“Just a little longer; it will come out soon. Also, since oil is being applied, and given that your tight clothing compresses your chest, those areas need to be thoroughly relaxed.”

As if she worried that I would skip over them like her thighs, she specifically requested not to overlook her chest.

Sure. Since I had already touched that area while soaping her earlier, there was no reason to hold back now. Gradually placing my hands on her chest, she continued her tale.

“Anyway, what’s important is that the power of a Hero can change fate. Because you wished it, the knights knelt easily before your sword; because you wished it, their swords could not reach you. Huh…”

I tried my best to ignore the sensations under my hands and focused entirely on what she was saying. But doing so made her clear voice stand out, blending with the gentle moans escaping as a result of the massage, making me hyper-aware of the situation.

When limiting my sight, the sense of touch became problematic; when disregarding touch, the sense of hearing became an issue… It was maddening that I couldn’t even close my ears.

To be blunt, had it not been a massage, the sounds might have stirred inappropriate fantasies. At least it provided a fine backdrop for some daydreaming.

Speaking of which, if what she said were true, then I was practically invincible, right? If I merely wished for something, it would simply come true.

“However, don’t get too cocky. Outside of being a Hero, changing fate is not easy… hmph!… though not impossible.”

As if she had read my thoughts, she began to provide additional explanations.

“You might have felt it; the power hidden in my voice. Moreover, you witnessed it: Ferrent, who once could not escape domination, regained his sanity. Overwhelming power can suppress fate. Transcendent will can overcome fate. And… ah… fervent desire can create a new fate.”

While she spoke easily, I knew that those adjectives were not something one could generally perceive. If they were, everyone would turn their destinies upside down to achieve their desires.

After all, who wouldn’t wish for their fate to shine brightly? But most simply live in accordance with the reality before them.

Yet there was no guarantee that no one could ever overcome fate. If they were an ally, they would be a solid reassurance; if they were an enemy, they would be a tremendous threat.

“Moreover, the Demon King may be similar. Thus, the Hero and the Demon King are mutual adversaries. So always be on guard… ah.”

“I appreciate your concern, but you need not worry; I have regretted too many things to be prideful. Such a thing will not happen.”

“Then I’m relieved. That sentiment… I truly hope it does not change.”

After finishing that statement, it seemed she had said all she needed, and Cecilia fell silent. She only let out shallow moans when I pressed on her body from time to time.

“Oh, speaking of which, I’ve been sitting a lot lately, so my hip joints have started to feel stiff. Not that it should happen, but I figured I’d mention it in case you overlooked it.”

…I had hoped to sneak that by, but of course, she wouldn’t let that slide.