Miss Heir wasn't very kind to me.

Chapter 238, Section 13: "The tent is private property; please all leave."

When you talk about camping, you think of curry; when you talk about curry, you think of camping.

For some reason, this dish appears quite frequently at campsites.

But upon closer examination, it's easy to understand: while it may not be able to create a lavish and luxurious meal, it won't fail, and it allows everyone to feel involved.

So, it was only natural that we decided to have curry for dinner tonight.

"Masumi-nii is amazing, the fire really got going!"

As the black charcoal gradually turned red, Qian'ai excitedly shouted.

"Oh, it's just so-so."

Wearing work gloves, Masumi faced the charcoal fire, blowing air around, and said casually.

However, the corners of his lips that he couldn't help but curl up betrayed his current mood.

Qian Ai frowned slightly, her cute brows furrowing slightly, and said nonchalantly:

"Is that so? Then I'll take back what I said."

Sparks danced in the air, and the wind blowing towards the charcoal fire suddenly became a little stronger.

Masumi turned her head and saw a pretty face suppressing a smile.

"Puch-"

Qian Ai couldn't help but smile.

Masumi closed her eyes helplessly: "When did Chiai start liking to tease people too?"

"It's because Masumi-nii always has that smug look on his face, it's so annoying."

Masumi made a defeated expression.

"I understand. I will be more frank with Qian'ai in the future."

"That's pretty much it."

Qian Ai raised her chin, her eyes narrowing into a gentle curve.

"Speaking of which, Masumi-nii..."

"Sorry to keep you waiting, everyone."

A sudden, icy touch came from the back of her neck, making Masumi's heart skip a beat, and Chiai stopped mid-sentence.

"Asami..."

Masumi turned her head, and the part that had been chilled by the can was now being scalded by heat again. Mami's face showed a mischievous smile.

"Those who slack off and obstruct work are guilty of an even greater crime."

"Wait a minute, I'm here to switch hands with Masumi-kun~"

Asami waved one hand in front of her face and the other hand defensively protected her buttocks. Was she really that scared?

"...Then you'll be in charge of fanning."

"Yes, yes, leave it to me without worry."

Mami flashed a bright smile.

Masumi took off her gloves, accepted the juice offered by the woman without hesitation, and then handed her the fan.

"Wow, the fire is really hot."

A wave of heat hit her face, and Mami rolled up her sleeves.

"Be careful to protect the fire and don't let it go out."

"Alright, alright, Masumi-kun is too distrustful of me."

"It's okay, Masumi-nii, I'll watch the fire with Asami-nee."

"Hmm." Masumi nodded, then suddenly remembered something: "By the way, what was Chiai about to say?"

Qian Ai gently shook her head.

"Let's talk about it later."

"Ah."

Masumi stood up and looked at Chiai's hunched back. What was she trying to say?

Although the roles were reversed, he couldn't just stand by and watch; Mio and Rinne were processing the ingredients over there.

It's about time to start cooking.

There was no rice cooker available, so they bought lunchboxes.

Masumi put the measured rice into the lunchbox, then added water and rinsed the rice.

Because the lunchbox is very narrow, and Masumi's hands are wide and large, it's difficult to put them in and wash them.

Just as he was about to close the lid and shake the entire lunchbox to rinse it, Haiyue suddenly walked over.

"Masumi... let me wash her..."

"Oh, please."

Haiyue's little hands are very soft and delicate, and it's easy to put them into the lunchbox, with her fingers inserted between the grains of rice.

"Thank you, Haiyue, you've been a great help."

Haiyue nodded expressionlessly. "It's good that I could help Masumi..."

"Ah."

"It's washed... and then... should I put it on the fire to boil?"

"No, you need to soak it in a little water first, so it won't be undercooked."

"How long should it soak?" Haiyue asked.

"Let me think, about thirty minutes."

"...It's been a long time."

"Didn't Rinne teach you how to cook curry?"

"No, Rinne said... I should focus on learning one type of cooking..."

"Yes, that's not bad either." Masumi nodded with a smile.

Because of the sweat, Haiyue's hair was stuck to her forehead.

Masumi reached out to help her tidy up. The jellyfish-like girl's eyes flickered, then her eyes curved into an arc as she leaned her head closer.

"Recently... opportunities to spend time with Masumi like this... have become less frequent..."

"Huh? Really?"

"Have."

Haiyue's beautiful pupils stared straight at him.

“Recently… Rinne and Mio… have been wary of me…” she said, sounding distressed.

"Oh, oh..."

After all, that kind of thing happened in the karaoke room last time, and Haiyue's two white peaches were really comfortable. If Mio had arrived any later, things would have been hard to predict.

"Masumi...do you like being with me?"

Seeing her tilt her head gently like a little bird and ask him a question that was both direct and innocent, like that of an unconscious child.

Masumi nodded without hesitation.

"Then... tonight... I'll go see Masumi..."

“No, others will find out.” Masumi immediately refused.

"Is it enough to not be discovered...?"

Haiyue persisted in asking questions.

"Of course..."

"Haiyue, come here for a moment."

Rinne called to the jellyfish girl by the stove.

Haiyue quietly stood up, leaving Masumi with a slender and graceful back view, and also choked Masumi back to her half-spoken words.

Oops.

I'll find an opportunity to talk to her about it later.

Masumi thought to herself.

But just as Haiyue had just said, Mio and Rinne kept a close eye on her, and she couldn't find any opportunity for the two of them to whisper to each other.

Why does Masumi keep staring at Umizuki?

Mio squinted suspiciously, her wariness blatantly obvious.

"Hey, is there any?"

Masumi turned her face away, avoiding the main point; her guilty conscience was all too obvious.

Mio's dark pupils stared directly at Masumi.

"If Masumi feels lonely, I can come to Masumi's tent to keep you company tonight."

"Stop using those nomadic-sounding lines."

"I was serious."

Mio smiled as if to reassure him, "I won't let Rinne find out."

"No, this isn't a problem of being discovered..."

"Then it's settled."

Mio smiled and let out a soft giggle from her luscious lips.

Without giving Masumi a chance to refuse, she walked away briskly, leaving Masumi standing there with a heavy sigh.

Honestly, they're all talking to themselves.

The surrounding scenery gradually dimmed.

The flickering firelight stood out starkly against the darkness, and a strong aroma of spices wafted from the stew pot.

The potatoes looked very well stewed and flavorful, and the white rice in the lunchbox was also cooked perfectly, with a slight steam rising from it.

Finally, it's time to have dinner.

Six people sat down around the folding table.

"I'm starting." x6
Mami opened the sparkling wine.

"Ah, food tastes best after a hard day's work."

"Mami-nee didn't really put in much effort, did she?"

"Mmm, food that you get without working for it tastes delicious too."

"That's not the topic we're discussing!"

After dinner, the six of them took a bath in the campsite's communal bath, then sat around the fire chatting and sipping drinks.

We spent a fairly peaceful camping trip, and then it was time to go to bed.

After saying goodnight to each other, Masumi went into her own tent alone.

What a perfect and peaceful day... just kidding!
The thought of Haiyue and Mio's "crime predictions" made it impossible for Masumi to fall asleep peacefully.

Putting aside what the two of them are planning to do, their intentions are so obvious that if they happen to come in at the same time, and a bloody battle breaks out, they probably won't be able to get a good rest tonight.

"...Masumi-kun."

"...Masumi-kun."

It wasn't his imagination; it sounded like someone was calling his name softly outside the tent. Masumi unzipped the tent from the inside and saw Mami standing there with a mournful face.

"Help me, Masumi-kun."

Masumi asked with a strange expression, "What's wrong with you?"

"It's a mosquito."

Asami gritted her teeth, releasing her emotions.

"I didn't expect there to be biting mosquitoes on an autumn night. I've been bitten so many times and my body is so itchy~ Please help me, Masumi-kun."

"I told you not to show so much skin."

"It's too late to say it now. Masumi-kun, do you have any medicine? Please help me apply it."

"Apply it yourself."

"But there are some positions I can't handle myself, please~ Masumi-kun."

Mami pleaded, biting her lip.

Seeing her docile expression and the way she pleaded with a voice so soft it seemed like it was about to drip water, no one could possibly refuse.

So Masumi nodded, half-giving up.

"Yay! Masumi-kun, you're the best!"

Suppressing her cheers, Mami entered Masumi's tent.

Masumi thought for a moment, then took her sneakers into the tent. Then she saw Asami crossing her arms and grabbing the hem of her shirt.

Masumi was very familiar with this action.

"Wait, do you really need to take off your coat too?"

"Because I need to apply ointment, otherwise it wouldn't be convenient."

She spoke as if it were the most natural thing in the world, and kept moving.

Hmm, today it's actually the color of my skin tone. Because of the dim lighting, it almost caused a misunderstanding.

"Okay, so what? Where is it inconvenient to apply it?" Masumi asked.

"I'm a little embarrassed... but it's here."

Mami raised one arm and tucked it behind her neck.

In this position, her snow-white, smooth armpits are fully exposed, laid bare before Masumi, forming a soft yet taut line.

Masumi stared intently; two red, swollen mosquito bites were quite noticeable on her tender skin under the lantern's light.

"So it's here. No wonder you said it was troublesome."

It is indeed difficult to apply the medicine yourself, not to mention that the weight that Asami feels in her shoulder is different from that of ordinary people.

"Right, right?" Mami frowned. "These mosquitoes are specifically targeting my weaknesses... Ugh!"

She suddenly flinched.

"Masumi-kun, what are you doing?"

"Apply the medicine," Masumi said casually.

"Ugh, using cotton swabs to apply medicine is so unfair!"

"Don't you want to listen to what you're saying?" Masumi sighed. "What else can you use to apply medicine if not cotton swabs?"

"But the fluff on the cotton swab is so complicated, it feels so itchy when I rub it." Mami pouted unhappily.

"Can we use other topical medications?"

"Anything else? I have a toothbrush."

"Wouldn't that be even more frustrating! Could it be that Masumi-kun's ancestor was surnamed Yamada?"

(Note: The Yamada family was a well-known executioner family during the Edo period. For generations, its members were responsible for executing criminals in Edo, a tradition that lasted for over two hundred years.)
"What do you want me to do?"

This guy is so hard to please.

"If possible... I would like Masumi-kun to use his finger."

Is it just my imagination? I always feel that Asami's voice is sweeter than usual.

A thin layer of fine sweat glistened on her smooth armpits, making them appear exceptionally white and alluring in the dim light.

"It's really troublesome."

Masumi sighed, rubbing her forehead, and slowly squeezed the ointment onto her hand before extending it toward Mami.

"Ugh."

A sweet voice came from above.

The smooth skin clung to my fingers, and the warmth of my fingertips pressed into my armpit gave me the illusion that they were about to melt.

Will it itch?

Masumi stepped back slightly to look at her.

Mami bit her lip and shook her head, but her face was flushed with an unusual blush.

This is a lie.

Actually, she's incredibly itchy right now.

"Then I'll continue applying the medicine."

"Um--!!!"

Mami's body trembled violently, and she almost jumped off the mat in the tent—that was where her ticklish spot was.

Masumi's fingers meticulously cared for every inch of her reddened skin.

My senses gradually awakened as I licked the ointment-covered fingers. The stinging sensation from the mountain mosquito bites slowly faded, replaced by a strange, tingling numbness.

Whenever Masumi's fingers brushed against Asami's skin under her armpits, Asami would wriggle her body and make a soft sound.

"Don't move. This is all your own fault."

"I already know I was wrong." Mami said, her eyes brimming with tears. "From now on, no matter what Masumi-kun says, I will do it."

"Don't say such strange things."

As if punishing her, Masumi deliberately increased the pressure of her fingertips when tickling her.

"babble--!"

Asami's voice trembled slightly with tears, her fingertips gripping the hem of Masumi's clothes helplessly, wanting to push her away yet also wanting to pull her closer.

"Masumi-kun...this...is...strange..."

"Oh, sorry, I won't do that."

Her earnestness made Masumi feel guilty, and... something else entirely.

The air inside the tent was shrouded in a sticky silence.

"...The mosquito bites over here have all been treated with medicine. Are there any on the other side too?"

"No, no more."

Mami shook her head, her cheeks flushed.

"Yeah."

Masumi wiped her fingers, which were covered in ointment, with a tissue.

"Hmm..." Asami blushed with embarrassment and was about to lower her raised arm.

"Wait a minute," Masumi suddenly called out to her.

"What, what's wrong?"

"If you lower your arm now, the ointment might be squeezed out and spread to other places."

"Huh? Then I'll just stay still and let it dry."

As she spoke, Mami continued to maintain her pose with great effort.

This guy is so well-behaved right now, I wish he could stay this way forever.

But it was just wishful thinking. She would probably forget the pain the next day and continue to do as she pleased.

"Masumi-kun, how long are we going to leave it like this?"

"It should only take a minute or two."

"Ugh, this is so slow. Is there a faster way?"

"Yes, I have."

"Really? What is it?"

"That's it—like this."

Masumi's lips suddenly moved closer, and she breathed a puff of air under Masumi's armpit.

"Waaah!"

Mami's eyes widened suddenly, her chest heaving with rapid breathing, as if the grass blades at night could no longer bear the weight of the dew, and tears welled up in her eyes.

Masumi suddenly felt Mami go limp and slide down, so she quickly hugged Mami and let her go limp in her arms.

Looking at those coffee-colored eyes again, they were already glazed over, their breathing was disordered, and they even had some difficulty breathing.

He held Mami tightly, calling her name softly.

"Hey, Mami, are you alright?"

"No, it's nothing. Is it over already?"

"Well, I'm sorry."

Seeing her like this, Masumi didn't dare to continue her pranks and decided to stop there.

"Well then, I'll head back now! Thank you, Masumi-kun."

"Oh, good night."

Asami stood up, blushing, and just then—

"Masumi."

A figure appeared outside the tent.

!

Oops.

If this scene were discovered by others, a bloody battle would be inevitable.

Masumi lowered her voice, "Mami, quickly hide!"

"Eh?"

Asami was taken aback.

Hide... but how is she supposed to hide in such a cramped tent?
She's not a little girl, so you can't stuff her whole body into a backpack. Even if she's hidden behind Masumi, some of her rounder parts will spill out.

Or should we just sit still? The most dangerous place is the safest place. No, no! That won't work! The other girls aren't stupid.

So, what's left is...

There is no choice.

With lightning speed, Mami slipped into Masumi's sleeping bag. This was the only place she could hide, so there was no other way.

Since it's inside the tent late at night, even if the sleeping bag bulges out slightly, it shouldn't be very noticeable.

Yes, it's flawless.

perhaps.

(End of this chapter)