Master’s Smile
chapter-10

Chapter 10: At the Training Grounds, Part II

Reese disappears right in front of my eyes. Ritter appears in her stead, right in front of me.

"Good morning, Master. Nice weather today."

She greets me, and I wish her a good morning in return. Today's weather is indeed nice.

That's exactly why I'm even up at this time of day; normally the maid, Schwartz, would have woken me up. Alternatively, I would have remained asleep until Laladi crawled into my bed.

Hm…?

Ritter's giving me a long stare. On top of that, she's moving her face closer and closer until my entire field of vision is occupied by her pretty face.

What… What's wrong with her?

"You petted Reese, but you still haven't petted me."

Oh, so that's what this is about. Heh, even though she has this intense rivalry going on with Reese, the two of them really do get along.

Feeling all warm inside, I stretch out my hand to her head. Or tried to, rather…

Ritter firmly catches my hand. Huh? What's going on?

"I do like having my head petted. It makes me happy. Still, I'd like to have something else petted."

Ritter interlaces my fingers with her own as she says this. Something else? What could it be…?

Ritter's hand and mine are now naturally intertwined. The way she softly grabs onto my hand without adding too much force is plain adorable. When I ask her exactly what it is she wants me to pet; I get an outrageous response.

"The place that has your crest, Master."

What… was that…?

Ritter may be puffing out her cheeks in the most adorable fashion, but make no mistake; I'm sweating rivers and going pale as a sheet.

This crest - my crest - had been applied separately to each member, exactly where each had wished it to be. Laladi, for example, has the crest on her right cheek, and Sorglos has it on her right shoulder. Ritter, on the other hand, has the crest on her…

"Please, Master."

Ritter sticks out her rear and pleads. That's right; this girl has her crest on her rear!

It's on her right cheek, while we're on the subject. She… she wants me, the guild master, to pet a female member's rear…?

"Directly, of course."

Di… Di-di-di-di-directly?! Touching it through her skirt is one thing, but directly?!

That… that's just far too extreme, isn't it? As if the shock of having a guild member I'd raised since childhood, someone I'd come to think of as my own daughter asks me something like this isn't big enough already…!

"Hurry up now."

Ritter looks at me, her eyes full of expectation, and repeatedly sticks her bum toward me. W-Why is she so into it?!

You're going to have some guy touch your behind! Not only that, he's going to pet it too! Why are you looking at me so expectantly?!

"Is that a no…?"

Ritter tilts her head to the side and gives me a sad look. Ugh… I know exactly how those fathers that can never refuse their daughter’s anything must feel like.

Is there even a way for a father who has so lovingly raised his children to be able to refuse that look? Nay, none. But still, I doubt that there even are any fathers whose daughters ask them to pet their bums.

Ugh… I really should have talked her out of getting the crest there when I had the chance. Well, it's too late for that now. Slowly, very slowly, I stretch my arm to her behind.

"What a thrill…"

Ritter seems overjoyed. Enough for her voice to express her feelings, at the very least. When my hand finally reaches her rear and touches it…

"Wait!"

"Boo…"

Reese, now revived from being blown away by Ritter, uses both hands to return the favor with a resounding thump. Ritter is sent flying, then meets the ground with terrifying force.

Wait, isn't she buried in there, just a little…? Not to mention that her skirt has flipped open, and her panties are…

Those… those are some extreme panties…

"Master! Just what do you think you're staring at?!"

So… Sorry…

Meekly, I apologize in the face of Reese's wrath.

What can I say, her anger packs too much of a punch. All members of my guild are terrifying when they're angry, but the pure pressure Reese manages to exhume really can't be matched. Even my heartfelt smile can't help but twitch.

"What do you think you're doing? If I get blown away by that monster strength of yours, I could die."

"You're the one getting lively here; you have no room to talk. And of course, I'd stop you! What were you even trying to get Master to do?!"

"What…? Well, pet -"

"Aaaaaagh! Moron! You're going to say something weird, aren't you?!"

Ritter recovers from being glued to the ground, and another spectacle of an argument begins to unfold. Reese goes red in the face and goes on to prevent Ritter's explosive statements.

Well-played, Reese. Honestly, I'm not picturing anything in my head, so please stop looking at me with those tearful eyes. There won't be much for me to do but smile wryly.

"Besides, I only wanted to be petted. You were petted too, Reese."

"Yes, on my head! Remind me; where did you want to be petted?!"

"Where my crest is."

"That's your butt, isn't it?!"

Their quarrel continues. Yep. This will definitely take some time.

Personally, I have no intention of taking either side. The quarrels between the members of this guild are, to put it simply, set up to happen one way or another.

If someone gets injured, then all I have to do is heal them. If the situation goes from bad to worse, then I'm sure that I can handle it somehow. Besides, if I'm going to play the overprotective role for every little thing, it would get in the way of their growth.

"Is it bad for me to want my crest petted?"

"I… I wouldn't say it's bad… It's not unreasonable, at least…"

"Then why don't you get him to pet where your own crest is, Reese?"

"Huh?"

Huh…? Well now, things certainly look like they're taking a turn for the suspicious, aren't they?

Reese, who only moments earlier had been locked in a loud battle of words with Ritter, has gone silent, as if in deep thought. She goes restless, and her face keeps going red then settling back into its regular hue.

I… I can't help but feel like this situation can only end badly…!

After giving it some thought, Reese opens her eyes and gives her response.

"I… I suppose you're right. I should get him to pet me, too."

"Exactly."

That… That's not right, Reese! There's a lethal flaw clouding your judgment!

Ritter, don't nod! Don't agree! T-True, Reese doesn't have her crest in a spot as risqué as Ritter's, if I recall… But…

"We-Well then, P-Phleash go aghead…"

Reese opens her mouth and practically trips over her own words. She sticks out her crimson tongue, and right on top of it, I can see the crest…

Oh, that's right. I really did give her the crest on her tongue…! It really isn't as bad as with Ritter, but there's no question that petting her tongue of all things is going to turn into an utterly abnormal situation!

"Me too."

What?! Ritter's starting to strip her panties off of her, isn't she…?

She rolls up her relatively extreme panties as she slides them down her legs. This is bad… If I don't turn things around, I'll have to pet what are, in essence, two daughters of mine on the rear and tongue! I-If it's come to this…!

"Ah."

"Master?!"

Sorry. I have work to do. I give a brisk smile and start moving away.

I'm sorry…! This is just beyond me, alright…?! I really am sorry, Ritter, Reese. I want to go back to petting you the normal way, on your heads! Burdened by those thoughts, I take my leave.

◆

"He got away… This is your fault, Reese."

"Wha… Why is it my fault?!"

"If you didn't get in my way, Master would have petted my butt ages ago. Then he'd have been entranced by the splendor of my body, and…"

"Hah! Be careful what you say, now. There's no way the Master would touch you before touching me."

"…"

"…"

"Drop dead."

"Try me, why don't you?!"