Catgirls And Dungeons (Yuri, Gender bender)

I can't just sit here and do nothing while waiting for Eris, so I decide to wash my own hair first. The shampoo and conditioner are still the same as yesterday. The scent is calming, relaxing even, and it makes me feel at ease as I massage it into my hair.

But…

There's something missing.

Having someone else wash my hair for me just felt nicer.

Yeah, I guess that's true.

For some reason, I already miss the sensation of Eris' fingers running through my hair. I miss her touch. and the way she forcefully hold down my ears too.

Ticklish, yes, but it was also kind of fun.

Thinking back on yesterday, that… somehow… does bring a smile to my face.

After all, there was a moment this evening when I honestly thought I might never return to this room again—never get to take another bath here, never continue this new isekai adventure. I thought my life might end right there.

Ah… how precious it is, just to be alive.

It's strange, isn't it? How something so simple can feel like a miracle when you come so close to losing it.

So, regardless of the secrets Eris may have, or whatever she plans to tell me next, I think… I need to thank her first.

I want to let her know how grateful I am.

Just as I'm lost in these thoughts, the sound of the bathroom door opening suddenly pulls me out of my reverie.

"Eris!!!" I blurt out, surprised by the sudden outburst. I don't even know why I shout her name like that. And for some reason, my heart skips a beat when I see her entering.

Her talk with Gordon must have gone faster than I expected. I thought it would take longer, but I'm just relieved she's here now.

"Hey, sorry for the wait," Eris says as she steps into the room. "Oh, you already finished washing your hair?" she adds, noticing my wet hair, her gaze soft as she undresses.

Her body, so familiar now after our bath together yesterday, comes into view once more. It doesn't feel as shocking as the first time, but still, my heart races a little faster than usual.

"Y-yeah…" I answer, my voice faltering a bit.

Even though I really wanted Eris to wash my hair again—and I can already feel the urge for her magic fingers massaging my scalp—I've already finished the task myself.

"You sit down. I'll wash your hair and scrub your back too!" I stand up and gesture toward the chair, eager to take care of her just as she did for me.

Eris narrows her eyes slightly, then sighs, looking almost disappointed.

"Aww… that's too bad," she murmurs. "I was looking forward to washing your hair, you know…"

Wait, she loves… washing my hair?

Oi…

Isn't that… perfect?!

"A-actually!!!" I stammer, "I haven't applied the conditioner yet!"

"A-and I think my ears still need a little help!" I add quickly, my voice betraying my flustered state.

"Oh, that's lovely!" Eris beams at me, her smile brightening the room.

She walks toward me, taking my hand and gently guiding me back into the chair.

But as she runs her fingers through my hair….

"Hmmm? It feels like it's already conditioned…" she murmurs.

Oh no!

She caught me!

I freeze, panicked. What do I say now?

"A-aahh… I— I just wanted to see if I could make it even smoother by adding more conditioner!" I blurt out, desperate to explain.

Eris chuckles softly. "That's… a nice idea!" she says with a smile. "Alright, let's give it a try!"

"Nn!"

With that, she begins the process again—her touch gentle and caring as she washes my hair, massaging it thoroughly. The sensation is blissful, and the ticklish feeling in my ears returns as she cleans them. Compared to yesterday, my ears are more accustomed to her touch now, and they manage to stay still for most of it.

Afterward, Eris scrubs my back, soothing and gentle, her hands moving skillfully over my skin.

Once she's finished, we swap places. Now it's my turn to wash her hair and scrub her back, just like she did for me yesterday. It's a strange kind of fun, this shared moment of care.

I almost forget about the earlier events, the things that weighed heavily on my mind.

For now, it's just us….

Taking care of each other.

——————————————

Moments later, as we both sink into the warm, soothing bathwater, I gather the courage to bring up the thing that's been bothering me. The thoughts that have been nagging at me ever since I left the room upstairs.

The bodies.

Yeah…

Eris gives me a small, almost amused smile. Her eyes are unreadable as she answers. "Silly Felicia. Is that really what you're worried about?"

I swallow hard, anxiety knotting my stomach. "Y-yeah! What if they—what if they come looking for us? We can't let anyone find out… what if we get into big trouble?"

Eris shrugs, her indifference only making the pit in my stomach grow deeper. "Trouble for what? We did nothing wrong. It's those bastards who wanted to make us their playthings. They got what was coming to them."

"But…" I stammer, my voice cracking. "They're all dead now, and there's no one left to witness. How can we prove we're telling the truth? How can we—"

Eris lets out a low chuckle, her lips curling into a dark grin. "Well, we could always hire a necromancer, I suppose. Have the dead tell their side of the story. The dead don't lie, you know?"

"Eh?"

Her response catches me completely off guard.

Wait a minute!

Necromancy?

"Ooooooohh!" I gasp, my eyes widening in realization.

I totally forgot!

This is a world of sword and magic!

Raising the dead to help investigate crimes… that's actually possible!

The thought of it sends a chill through my body. The idea of being able to speak to the dead, to question them about what happened—it's not only unnatural, but it's terrifying. I shudder, imagining what it would be like to stand in front of someone who had been brought back from the dead.

However, at the same time, this is so freaking cool!

Necromancy magic? Heck yeah!

It's literally one of my favorite kind of magic in video games, so I'm super curious now about what a necromancer can do.

Anyways, most importantly, if it's true that "the dead don't lie," then maybe it's the best way to investigate a crime!

Eris was right.

There's nothing to worry about!

Alright, maybe I should read more about necromancy later?

I wonder if they have any book about this dark art at the Adventurer's Guild library. Since we have a good relationship with the Guildmaster, maybe he will let me borrow some for research purpose?

"That's why I talked with Gordon," Eris says, snapping me out of my thoughts. "You may not know, but he's a necromancer, on top of being an adventurer."

…

Huh?

"Whatttt?!" The words escape me before I can stop them, my voice rising in shock. "Chef Gordon is a necromancer?!"

"Yeah," Eris confirms with a casual nod. "I needed him to help me investigate those guys. To confirm a few suspicions I've had. But…" She pauses, a brief flicker of hesitation crossing her face before she continues. "If what I think is true, I don't think necromancy will work on them. I'm 90% sure. Ah… damn it… I should have leave at least one alive, so that we can question him."

"Eh?" I blink, confusion clouding my thoughts.

Necromancy… cannot work on those guys?

"W-why is that?"

Honestly, are they blessed by holy magic or something?

And if necromancy won't work, then aren't we completely screwed?

What are we supposed to do?

"The Crimson Order," Eris says, her voice darkening as she says the name.

"The… Crimson Order?" I repeat, confused and curious at the same time.

"Yeah, I had my suspicions at first," Eris says, her eyes narrowing. "But then I saw their symbol, tattooed on one of the guys' necks when he was approaching you. A chalice covered in thorns, blood spilling over, dripping down and forming a sun. That's when I snapped. Tsk!" She clicks her tongue, frustration evident in her voice. "Just thinking about it again is making my fucking blood boil!"

Gulp.

I swallow hard.

The Crimson Order…

I have no idea who they are, but the tone of Eris' voice makes it clear that this is no ordinary organization. It's something darker. Something evil.

Suddenly…

Ba-dump!

Ba-dump!

My heart is now pounding fast!

And a grin almost escape my lips.

Shit!

Am I… excited? Why? I don't get it!!!

My emotions, once again, it's making no sense at all!