"Go on in, Nagisabashi-san."

"Um… for someone like me, who belongs in the shadows, to step into a man’s private space… perhaps I should stay under the eaves after all…"

Nagisabashi-san fidgeted in front of my house.

Even though she’s a battle-hardened female mercenary, the fact that she gets timid when coming to a man’s home is kind of cute.

"Come on. You’ve got a job interview coming up so you need to take a proper shower and wash your clothes."

"That’s… in mercenary work, it’s normal to go a month without bathing for reconnaissance purposes—"

The shy female mercenary was, as usual, completely out of sync with normal common sense.

There’s not much time before the interview so we need to hurry.

"Alright alright. Then as your referrer, don’t make me look bad, okay? Let’s get you cleaned up nice and proper."

"A-ah, but…"

Being a bit forceful, I led the hesitant female mercenary into the house and headed straight for the changing area, making her take off her clothes.

It’s only because we’re in a hurry.

It’s not like I just wanted to undress her or anything.

Ah, but it’ll take a bit of time for the bath to fill up.

In that case, I might as well enjoy it.

"Wow! As expected of a soldier. You’re really well-trained."

Nagisabashi-san had been making questionable remarks earlier but as expected of someone who was entrusted as a field leader in a private armed organization, her body was covered in lean, efficient muscle.

The lines of her triceps, rectus abdominis and quadriceps visible beneath her sports bra and shorts were beautiful.

And on that well-built body—

"Ah… I’m sorry for showing you something so unpleasant… I’m covered in scars…"

In a panic, Nagisabashi-san shrank back and tried to cover herself with the blouse that had just been taken off.

Her body was marked all over with cuts, bullet wounds and burn scars.

"No, let me see. As your referrer, I need to properly understand these things too."

"T-that’s…"

"Come on, move your hands."

Of course, the part about being a referrer was a lie.

I just wanted to see.

"Uu…"

Unable to endure my gaze as it traced over her body, Nagisabashi-san shut her eyes tightly and trembled.

There’s something about seeing a strong, composed military woman acting scared like this that really gets to me.

"Where did you get this scar on your shoulder?"

"Ah… that was… during reconnaissance in the Middle East, I was ambushed by a sniper from a guerrilla group…"

"Then what about this scar on your upper arm?"

"Hah… Th-that one was a defensive wound from protecting a man during a guard mission from an attacker swinging a machete—"

"And this burn on your side?"

"Hyah♡ th-that was from torture… hyaah♡ don’t mess with it using your fingers♡"

"Hmm…"

I traced each scar with my fingertips one after another, ignoring the mercenary woman’s reactions.

The changing area echoed with nothing but the sound of the ventilation fan and her voice.

And finally, the scar on her neck received special treatment.

lick

"Wah⁉ That’s dirty!"

"Hm? You said mercenaries are fine going a month without bathing for missions, right?"

"But even so, for a precious man to lick the body of a filthy female mercenary like me…"

"Even though you’re saying no, your resistance is pretty weak. For a mercenary, you’re just like any other fragile girl."

"That’s because… it’s my first time being touched like this by a man… and… even seeing my scars, you don’t find them disgusting…"

Yeah.

She dropped the formal ‘this humble one’ and switched to ‘I’. [TL: Honorific talk, don't worry about it.]

"Because they’re cool. These scars are things you got while protecting someone. They’re like medals."

"Medals…"

"You kept fighting for people who didn’t even understand the meaning behind those scars. That’s what makes you cool, Nagisabashi-san."

"Cool…"

"Well, if you melt just from being messed with by a kid like me, you’ve still got a long way to go as a mercenary. But you’re cute."

"Ah…♡"

Hmm.

Judging by her reaction, it seems she prefers being called cute rather than cool.

Maybe it’s the backlash from always being tense in her mercenary work.

"Alright. Since I licked you all over, go clean yourself up properly."

"Y-yes…♡"

After sending the softened, melted mercenary woman off to the bath that had finally finished filling, I tossed her clothes and underwear into the washing machine and turned it on.

That should do it.

Ping-pong♪

Right as I finished one task, a visitor arrived at perfect timing.

“Haa… haa… I rushed over. Tachibana-sama.”

Rough breathing echoed through the camera speaker in the apartment entrance lobby.

"Good girl. Come on up."

"Snort♡"

The pig let out a delighted sound and as soon as I unlocked the entrance hall, I could hear it running over through the still-active intercom speaker.