Hessa Grey.
A descendant of the Miao clan living in the Great Ocean and the child of their chieftain, she was born with the blessing of the Water Spirit. Born to a strong warrior father and a graceful yet robust mother, Hessa was expected to inherit the role of the clan's strongest warrior and eventually lead her people.
However, the talents Hessa inherited leaned more towards her mother's grace than her father's strength.
Although her black hair, a symbol of her clan's lineage, marked her as a true child of the clan, her physical development fell short of expectations, even as she grew older. She lacked the robust power her clan valued.
Hessa had inherited her mother's traits, but while her grace was noticeable, she failed to acquire the physical strength to match.
Her parents were slightly disappointed by this fact but were not the type to pressure her with their unfulfilled dreams. Instead, they lovingly raised Hessa with the belief that she could carve out her own path in life, even if it meant deviating from the ways of a warrior.
Even though her clan lacked physical strength, they admired Hessa's gentle and determined expression, never belittling her. Instead, they held her in high regard.
Hessa loved her parents as well, but on the night of her 18th birthday, she had a heartfelt conversation with her parents by the campfire.
"Hessa, you're an adult now... but no matter how much you try, you won't be able to serve as the next chieftain, you know that, right?"
"There's nothing I can do about that. Still, it would be great if the clan could be led by a warrior who represents our people."
Hearing those words, Hessa realized that her parents had always been slightly regretful deep down. They harbored the hope that their daughter could have led the clan as chieftain but were willing to place the future of the tribe in the hands of someone else.
Hessa, of course, was aware of her own limitations and thought someone else might do better in her role. Still, she often envisioned her father's proud expression when displaying his skills and imagined herself leading the clan.
This was the reason Hessa, on her 18th birthday, decided to leave for the Labyrinth City.
***
POV Hessa
I had arrived in the city, specifically in the bustling urban area of the Labyrinth City, and I was lucky enough to make a good friend early on.
If it weren't for a certain friend who took me around despite my naive nature around others, I would have probably been captured by now because of my beautiful appearance. Despite my friend's warning, I still had a weak sense of cautiousness around others.
When my friend asked me to visit a place cautiously referred to as a "treatment center," I couldn't refuse, even though it was described as a suspicious spot filled with alcohol and medicinal odors. I figured since it was my friend's recommendation, there would be nothing wrong with this place.
When the man there offered to give me a massage to ease my muscles, I reluctantly accepted for my friend's sake, knowing that this man probably had no bad intentions whatsoever. Surprisingly, the man's massage turned out to be unexpectedly effective. His hands gently but firmly pressed into my calves, alleviating my fatigue with a warmth that felt comforting, almost heavenly.
Even though the man's massage didn't seem to have any specific skill or technique, I experienced a sensation I hadn't felt before. My stiff muscles relaxed, and an indescribable, euphoric sensation spread through her body… something unlike anything I had ever felt.
While I was giving in to the overwhelming sensation from the massage, the area my mother had taught me where babies came from suddenly felt lightly warm, and then a huge wave of pleasure suddenly came all over me.
Rather than a strong sensation, it was a sensation that had came out of absolutely nowhere, as if I had fallen from a high place.
As if I had peed herself at that sensation, my lower body suddenly got wet, and I unconsciously jerked her waist, letting out sounds I had never made before in her life.
"Oh, I'm sorry. Did I apply too much pressure? Your muscles seemed to have relaxed, so I think I applied more pressure without paying attention and my skill loosened at the same time."
I apologized internally when I heard the man's voice as I had thought that my reaction was due to pain linked to his massage.
'Pain? Was that pain just now? Didn't I feel it in my legs? It felt like something ticklish, and dangerous, and as if someone had touched me several times… but I didn't touch myself, and the man, Ian, was massaging me?'
I tried to think how such a thing had happened, but I had no idea whatsoever, leaving myself in a state of pure confusion.
Speechless, Ian's resounded again.
"Alright, then let me apply some oil again."
With those words, there was a sensation of something being applied to my legs. My legs hadn't actually hurt, but rather, it was the fact that my muscles had never been strained before. I patiently waited as oil was applied thoroughly. It smelled faintly pleasant, and although the scent wasn't overwhelming or long-lasting, the faint fragrance felt just right.
As the sensation of light pressure on my leg continued, Ian gently wiped off the oil that had been spread on my face as well.
"The massage is pretty much done now. Would you like to give it a try and see how it feels?"
Suddenly, I blinked a few times in the dim light and followed Ian's words to move my body.
A slightly whitish substance glistened as it was applied to my legs, which were relaxed and loosened. There was a slight sensation of warmth or tingling from a few moments earlier, but thankfully, there was no sticky residue left behind.
"It might sting a little at first… The massage is done, so would you like to try this drink I made just for you?"
Ian had prepared it in advance and handed over a liquid-filled cup while stretching my legs slightly forward. The liquid in the cup had a faintly milky white color, much like the oil that had been applied to her legs. It was also quite thick and somewhat sticky as I tried touching it.
"This… is this the oil you applied to my legs?"
"Ah, no, not at all… It's a similar color and texture, but this is… uh… it's tea with calming effects… more like a medicinal drink than tea."
At Ian's words, she cautiously sniffed the cup, but there wasn't any distinct or noticeable smell. Could something this color really have no scent at all? With that thought, she hesitated before taking a small sip to try it.
-Slurp.
The sensation was slightly sticky, almost as if it were close to an oily texture. Could it be because its composition was similar to oil? It had a faintly salty and sour taste, but it wasn't strong enough to feel overly unpleasant, so it didn't create any major aversion.
After finishing the contents of the cup, Ian made a more formal smile than before and spoke.
"I've prepared some water nearby, so you can wash your legs with it. Would you need anything else, perhaps?"
"Ah, no… That's fine. Thank you very much."
Though the slight awkwardness from earlier lingered, I stood up quickly from my chilly spot.
I accepted the water Ian handed over, rinsed my legs, poured the used water into a basin, and the oil started to wash away from my body, but then a faint scent rose again.
…It was a somewhat diluted yet vaguely distinct smell, similar to what my friend had mentioned I should watch out for, especially around men.