Chapter 5

Here’s the English translation of the provided text based on the given glossary:

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Episode 5: If You Apply Pressure, They Won’t Be Able to Move

005 – <If You Apply Pressure, They Won’t Be Able to Move>

Before I knew it, darkness had fallen over the world outside the clinic.

“Whew, you’ve worked hard.”

Finley, the blue-haired healer, handed me a leather canteen. Without refusing, I took it and gulped down the contents in one go.

Having sweated so much, the water seemed to melt right into my body.

Meaningful labor.

Water tasted this refreshing only after working up a good sweat.

“You handled things pretty well for your first day. Is it because you’re in good shape?”

Finley patted my shoulders and back firmly with her palm. Though her strength was considerable, to me—hardened by Elpride’s whippings—it was just a ticklish touch.

Honestly, my body was quite sturdy.

My height and build, nurtured by the sweet nectar of capitalism, stood out in this world where food and nutrients were scarce.

Finley spoke again.

“Are all Samaritans like that? A Samaritan adventurer I met before was really big too.”

“Back in my homeland, there were plenty with builds like mine.”

“Ah… Still, you’re quite well-mannered, Hassan. I thought all Samaritans were eccentric and loud.”

Honestly, comparing me to this world’s barbarians felt as rude as lumping Chinese and Koreans together. But to these foreigners, they probably seemed the same anyway.

So, I didn’t bother explaining that I wasn’t a Samaritan but a stranger from another world. It would only complicate things, and the looks I’d get would turn even more judgmental—like I was some kind of lunatic.

Just as we were having this light conversation—

“Come to think of it, Beneris was really happy. Said his back pain completely disappeared. How’d you do it?”

“Beneris?”

“The adventurer who visited earlier. The one with the tanned—”

“Ah.”

I recalled the man who had tossed me a silver coin before leaving. His face was so ordinary he could’ve blended into any crowd, but the glint of that silver coin had left a vivid mark in my memory.

I had treated his back pain.

Probably thanks to the clumsy divine blessing I’d somehow acquired. That was the only explanation my brain could come up with—uh-huh!

“How did you do it? Even healing magic struggles with chronic ailments rooted deep in the body.”

“Really?”

I was surprised to learn that even the seemingly all-powerful healing magic had its limits.

Magic and divine blessings were still unfamiliar concepts to me, an outsider. Even after two years in this world, I hadn’t had many chances to experience them.

I asked, “Healing magic can’t fix everything?”

“Superficial wounds or bruises—things that are recently injured, sure. But Karma embedded deep in the body, or chronic conditions like it, require long-term treatment. Some cases can’t be cured at all.”

I didn’t know what “Karma deep in the body” meant, but Finley’s words made it clear: healing magic wasn’t omnipotent.

Could the divine blessing I’d gained be something special?

Just as that thought crossed my mind—

“Um… Could I… learn that special massage technique from you?”

Finley hesitated before asking with a resolute expression, as if steeling herself. I snapped out of my thoughts and looked directly at her face.

“Learn it?”

“Yes. I want to help those in pain as much as I can…”

Even if healing magic wasn’t all-encompassing, she could use it about five times a day to treat most injuries. Yet she sought another method—

Her selflessness was remarkable. Having grown accustomed to Elpride’s whip, I was genuinely moved by her kindness.

But was this even something one could learn?

As I hesitated—

“If—If it’s some kind of secret technique, I’m willing to pay a proper fee. Medical knowledge is precious, after all…”

“A fee?”

“Yes… 10 silvers.”

“Huh?”

“20 silvers.”

“Wait, hold on.”

My thoughts derailed at the sudden negotiation. Twenty silvers—that was a substantial sum, even for me.

A clash erupted inside me: Take the money now versus Don’t scam her with powers you don’t even understand. Above all, I wondered if it was right to exploit Finley’s kindness.

“Then… 30 silvers. It’s all I have right now. Still impossible?”

“No, no, it’s not impossible. Lie face-down on the bed there.”

Thirty silvers was too much to pass up. With that, I could secure my freedom entirely—no need to hesitate.

“Face-down?”

“Yes. You’ll better understand the technique by experiencing it yourself.”

In massage and acupressure, the first step is understanding the sensation personally. Only by knowing what feels good and where can you replicate it for others.

Finley hesitantly lay on the empty bed.

“Hah… This is kind of embarrassing.”

She buried her face in the pillow, voice uneasy. The sight was adorable, but I suppressed my emotions—distractions could lead to mistakes.

“I’ll just press lightly. Don’t be startled.”

“O-Okay.”

With her permission, I placed my hands on her back. Even through the thin fabric, her delicate frame was evident.

I traced her spine lightly with my fingers.

“Your right side’s a little misaligned.”

“What!? Is that bad!?”

“No, everyone leans slightly one way over time. Yours isn’t severe. Let me adjust it. Breathe.”

Exhale…

Inhale—

With a quick push, a loud CRACK echoed through the room.

“Nnnngghh—!”

What startled me more was Finley’s bizarre scream.

“F-Finley? You okay? The first time hurts a bit.”

“N-No… It just hurt more than I thought…”

“We’re not done. Exhale again.”

Pop. Crack-crack.

“Kyaaa—! Eeek!”

After thoroughly adjusting her lower back and pelvis, I finally removed my hands.

Finley whimpered like a beaten dog before slumping limply onto the bed.

“You okay?”

“J-Just… let me stay like this a moment…”

“The first time’s painful, but it’ll get better. Ideally, two to three sessions a week.”

“R-Really? Actually, it feels kind of nice now…”

Still limp, Finley made no move to get up. I straddled her waist.

“H-Hassan? Wh-What…?”

“You paid 30 silvers—I’ll teach you properly. Pay attention. There are pressure points on the body called hyul.”

I pressed my thumbs at the base of her skull, where the neck met the head.

“Hiiiieee…!”

“Does it hurt?”

“N-No, just… tingly. What does this point do?”

“Helps with insomnia.”

Finley did suffer from insomnia—she volunteered for night shifts often, leaving dark circles under her otherwise pretty eyes.

But unlike Beneris’ back pain, stimulating this spot didn’t seem to ease her sleeplessness.

What gives?

Wrong pressure point?

I repositioned and scanned her body. First, the hands—miniature maps of the body, rich with pressure points.

Next, the feet—the so-called second body—

“W-Wait, what are you doing!?”

Finley shrieked as I removed her sandals, startling me too.

“Checking your feet for the massage.”

“Th-That’s forbidden!”

“Huh? Forbidden?”

“Yes! Touching a woman’s feet is taboo!”

What the— Since when?

I’d never heard of such a rule. Unintentionally, I froze, suddenly feeling like a creep caught in the act.

“I didn’t know. It wasn’t on purpose.”

My mind conjured headlines: Barbarian Slave Sexually Harasses Female Healer—Castration Imminent.

Not that this world had newspapers, but harassing women was a crime regardless of the world.

“I swear I didn’t know!”

Finley, red-faced, adjusted her sandals. “Samaritans might be unfamiliar with Gaia’s customs, but please be careful. Touching a woman’s feet is… extremely shameful.”

Just then, I caught a glimpse of her pale soles—

Hm?

A red mark, like spilled ink, dotted the center of her foot. It resembled the spots I’d pressed to cure my headache and Beneris’ back pain.

Wait—

Seizing her ankle—astonishingly slender in my grip—I acted.

“Hassan!?”

“This is necessary for treatment. Healing makes it acceptable, right?”

“H-Healing…?”

“Yes. You’ve changed patients’ clothes despite their embarrassment, haven’t you?”

Healers here, like nurses back on Earth, did all kinds of messy work.

“Think of this as treating an injured foot.”

“B-But my feet are fine…”

“It’s part of the technique. Please bear with it.”

Finley sat on the bed, taking deep breaths.

Exposing her bare feet seemed to embarrass her more than handling n*ked patients. Her flustered expression made me tense—and weirdly excited.

Just removing her sandals had me swelling visibly. Thankfully, the clinic’s loose uniform hid it.

“Just… just for a little.”

[Author’s Note] Thank you!!!

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(Translation follows the provided glossary while preserving nuances and cultural references.)

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