That sound was… way too intoxicating.
It was enough to make Kuroba Akira sit up a little straighter.
It wasn't like the R18 ASMR content he'd heard in his past life, the kind that went straight for the gutter—but somehow, this natural, unfiltered moan from a girl was far more arousing. It hit him somewhere deeper, more dangerous.
Seeing Shiginomiya looking dazed and breathless, her mouth slightly open and a trail of drool threatening to slip from the corner of her lips, Akira couldn't help but warn her.
"If you really can't hold back, it's okay to let it out. There's no one here who'd misunderstand, and it's not like we're doing anything inappropriate."
Frankly, even if they were doing something that crossed the line, neither Kobayashi Mika nor Mr. Hijikata would say a word. They'd just pretend nothing happened.
As for Miss Tashiro, whom Shiginomiya hadn't met yet, she wouldn't be home at this hour anyway.
Still, doing that on the living room couch in someone else's house? That was pushing it. Not to mention, if they got the sofa dirty, Kobayashi Mika would explode.
If it did come to that kind of physical accident, it'd be better to… get a room.
Not that anything like that's actually going to happen.
Akira reasserted his inner principles—etched them in stone: Absolutely no crossing the line. No stealing the golden goose I've been entrusted with.
Once a man decides to stay less than a beast, he won't overstep that boundary.
Besides, he didn't have the money for a hotel room—or condoms.
"If you try too hard to suppress it, it just ends up sounding more like that kind of moaning, you know?"
Instead of a clear "ah!" it turns into a soft, breathy "mm… ah!"—the kind that's tinged with pleasure, like someone's mouth is full but they're still being driven to the edge. That choked, broken cry.
"Ah… okay, I'll try."
So Shiginomiya stopped resisting. She let her body relax, let the sensation take over, and allowed the sound to flow from her belly, up through her throat. The result was a voice that was clear and lilting, long and sweet.
The volume dropped too. It wasn't loud or piercing anymore, but soft and laced with something dreamily intimate.
And neither of them realized it, but Shiginomiya had just, completely by accident, learned to use diaphragmatic breathing for vocal projection.
Still, it was killing Akira.
Though it wasn't seductive in the same way as before, this tone—this gentle, whispered moan—sounded just like a girlfriend murmuring into his ear as she clung to his neck.
And from another angle, that made it even more dangerous. It wasn't provoking lust—it was tugging at his urge to protect.
If she threw in any of those classic lines like "Please", "No more", "Don't stop", "Faster", "I'm gonna—", or "Go slower", Akira would probably have to stop everything, run to the sink, and take a long cold shower.
The fact that even someone as self-restrained as him was affected spoke volumes.
Yeah… Shiginomiya, you're something else.
Even if she went into the less mainstream world of R18 voice acting, she'd probably become a rising star overnight.
Their little white-thigh-high foot massage session was winding down. Akira's hands moved up to her calves, which felt even better—like touching a newborn's cheek, impossibly soft.
For Shiginomiya, the worst of it was over. Her calves weren't nearly as sensitive, and she could finally relax again, letting out a deep breath as her muscles loosened.
Akira massaged upward from her Achilles tendon to the crook behind her knee, and began his lecture.
"You were pushing yourself again, weren't you? You said your feet hurt this morning, so why take on something like weeding?"
"…Mm."
That excuse about sore feet in the morning had just been a pretext. But after a full day of physical labor, her legs really were aching now.
She could take it mentally—but her body, unaccustomed to this kind of manual work, was being honest.
Feeling like she'd caused Akira trouble, Shiginomiya mumbled an apology.
"…Sorry."
"I'm not scolding you. I just mean—effort isn't the same as overexertion. You don't have to do things that make you uncomfortable or upset."
Shiginomiya was a genius. She had what most people could only dream of—freedom of choice.
If she didn't want to do something, she didn't have to. No matter which path she took, she'd shine.
That was her privilege as someone born with extraordinary talent.
"When you enter the professional world, you're going to face a lot of frustrating situations. But when that happens, your job isn't to grin and bear it—it's to learn how to say no."
"…Can I really be that selfish?"
"Of course you can. You're not alone, right? All you have to do is push all those nasty, annoying things onto me. I'll handle them."
Akira spoke as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"I told you before—I'm your partner and your producer. And what's a producer's job? To step in when you need help. Whether it's bringing you tea or massaging your feet, if it's something you need—I'll do anything. You can treat me like your servant if you want. The number one priority is keeping you healthy and in top form."
"…Mm."
She understood it again—clearly, deeply:
Kuroba Akira would do anything for her.
That's why he'd said something that sounded so much like a proposal yesterday.
But it wasn't. It had been a serious professional promise.
"…Akira-kun, why are you so sure I'll make it big?"
What she really wanted to ask was why are you so kind to me? But that question—she already knew the answer to.
He'd told her from the start.
For the money.
She could tell. Akira was a bit of a pervert—he never bothered to hide it. His eyes were always honest.
But Shiginomiya knew she was safe.
Because no matter how pervy he was, he would never ruin her future. That would mean no payday.
But if it was really just about the money—why had he agreed to let her keep hiding her face?
With this appearance, even she knew she could draw attention…
"You've got it backwards. I'm not putting my faith in you—I trust my own eye for talent."
Well, to be precise, he was trusting the data from his cheat ability.
He'd already tested it—everything the system told him had turned out to be accurate.
"Your biggest value isn't your looks. That's my judgment call. So if I say you've got it, then you've got it. Got it?"
"…Mm…"
Shiginomiya still felt a little lost.
She'd always thought the only thing she had going for her was her face.
But it was that very beauty—that overwhelming, attention-grabbing beauty—that had blinded people to her other talents.
Because of that, Akira had managed to scoop her up when no one else saw what was beneath the surface.
Everyone praised her looks. No one praised her.
And so, all those compliments hadn't built confidence at all—they'd chipped away at it, until she believed she was only her face, and nothing more.
What she needed first… was to build faith in her own abilities.
That was Akira's mission today.
"Alright, any higher than this and it'd be inappropriate for someone in my position. You can handle your thighs yourself."
So… if their relationship gets closer, would he be willing to give her an even more intense, even more pleasurable massage?
Shiginomiya tucked that thought away in a corner of her heart.
"…Thank you, Akira-kun. I feel a lot better now."
"Perfect timing. We've gotta start voice training."
"Mm!"
"Great. Then let's watch anime."
"…Eh?"
Want to be a voice actor?
Then start with watching cartoons.
---
T/N:
Hello again. For the final time.
My name is Enkidu. I was born without a soul, crafted only as a weapon. Yet through bonds—through friendships—I learned what it meant to feel alive. Even though my body records my memories rather than my spirit, the warmth of those moments remains.
Thank you, truly, for staying here with us. You've come at a good time—right now, a 25% discount code is available:
12DAYS
This code will last until December 26. I hope you enjoy it.
For those who wish to support the translator (the one who kindly gave me this voice)—you can find optional support at patreon.com/wisetl. Early access to upcoming chapters will be your small reward.
Also, as always:
Every 100 Powerstones = 1 Bonus Chapter
(100ps = 1 chapter, 200ps = 2 chapters, and so forth.)
Bonus chapters will arrive tomorrow, approximately 12+ hours from now.
And lastly, if you prefer company and conversations, the translator has prepared a Discord community: discord.gg/wisetl.
People gathering, talking, sharing—it's a good thing, isn't it?
This is where I say goodbye.
Even as a weapon shaped by the gods, I found meaning in the company of humans.
If these words reach you, then perhaps we've shared something too, if only briefly.
Be well, Master, and readers alike.
May the world remain gentle to you.
Goodbye.
BYE BYE ENKIDYU I LOVE YOU