“Would you like to come to my room in a bit?”

He flinched at the ticklish whisper and pulled his neck back.

“Why are you speaking so quietly…?”

“Oh? It’s nothing, I just want to give you a bath.”

“…What?”

“A bath. I want to give you one.”

Oops. Diana lowered her voice again.

It hadn’t been long since he was rescued, and everyone would think she was crazy if a noble lady said she was bathing a slave.

Diana turned her gaze from the door to look at Raoul, whose face was bright red as if it might burst.

“…What’s wrong?”

“W-why suddenly a bath? I already washed after training today.”

“The water from the training ground faucet is only cold…”

“It’s summer.”

“Still. I want to do it for you.”

“W-what do you want to do?”

Just then, Angela knocked on the door.

“Young lady, I’m coming in.”

“Okay!”

Diana, unaware of Raoul’s feelings, smiled softly and mouthed:

“Come at 8 o’clock after dinner.”

Heat radiated from Raoul’s head as he left Diana’s room.

‘Give me a bath? Diana?’

It was an unimaginable scenario. Raoul barely ate his dinner, lost in thought.

‘Should I really go?’

The short hand was racing towards 8 o’clock, as Diana had said. Raoul pressed his temples firmly.

Unaware of Raoul’s inner turmoil, Diana calmly tested the temperature of the bath water.

Since Raoul’s body temperature was much higher than normal humans, it seemed like it would be just right if he got in now.

As she was gathering herbs, she sensed a presence behind her.

“Is that you, Raoul?”

For some reason, he couldn’t meet Diana’s eyes and just nodded slightly. She smiled brightly and took his hand.

“It’ll be warm. Let’s go in quickly.”

“…Huh?”

“Do you want to undress first? I’ll turn around.”

Raoul was silent. After a moment of quiet, the rustling sound of clothes being removed was heard.

“Um… I think I should do this alone after all.”

“No way. I’ve picked out all the good bath additives.”

With a small sigh of “Ha,” there was a splash as he entered the water.

“Are you in?”

Diana turned her head towards Raoul.

He was submerged deep in the opaque water with only his eyes visible, looking down.

Diana poured in the herbs she had set aside by the tub.

“It’s good for wounds.”

Raoul blinked slowly and blew bubbles with his mouth.

“…Are you perhaps embarrassed?”

Diana carefully asked Raoul, who had been quiet for a while.

He suddenly furrowed his brow and dunked his head completely underwater before resurfacing.

“…Of course I am. I never imagined getting bathed by you.”

“Mothers do it a lot when you’re young.”

“…You’re not my mother.”

Diana chuckled softly and poured water over his head.

“But you don’t have a guardian now. Someone has to fill that role.”

That was her honest feeling. But Raoul didn’t seem entirely pleased with Diana’s kindness.

“What do you mean?”

“Huh?”

“Am I just a child you need to take care of?”

An arm emerged from the water and pulled Diana’s hand.

The soap fell to the floor as Diana’s upper body tilted towards Raoul’s face.

“Tell me I’m not.”

Diana’s eyes widened in surprise at the sudden situation. Raoul’s expression was serious.

“Have I been treating Raoul too much like a baby…?”

“…You’re giving me a bath now because you still think of me as a child.”

Raoul released her arm and sank deeper into the water.

His gaze shifted from Diana’s face to the rich bubbles at the edge of the tub. The tips of his ears were red as he seemed lost in deep thought.

Diana picked up the fallen soap with a bewildered look.

‘I like being taken care of, but does Raoul dislike it?’

She lathered up the soap and gently scrubbed near Raoul’s arm.

There were scratches here and there from sharp rocks.

“That must have hurt.”

“It’ll heal quickly if left alone.”

“But it hurts until then. It should heal faster.”

Diana carefully examined his arm and lathered up more rich soap bubbles.

“Close your eyes. The foam will sting if it gets in.”

Diana moved behind the tub and poured warm water over Raoul’s head.

She massaged his scalp, working between the damp strands of hair, quickly creating a rich lather of white bubbles.

Raoul seemed to find the situation awkward and ticklish, grabbing Diana’s hands several times.

“I can do it myself. You must be tired too.”

“It’s okay. Just relax today.”

Diana tried to relieve his fatigue by firmly pressing the area where the back of his skull met his neck.

“Feels good, right?”

“Just do it quickly…”

He kept pulling his neck tight against the edge of the tub, as if trying to escape.

“You should sit up straight.”

“Diana… It’s fine, I’ll do the rest myself.”

“Alright. Just let me finish your hair.”

As she picked up the water jug to rinse, her gaze lingered on Raoul’s docile face.

‘…He’s cute.’

For a child, Raoul’s face didn’t show much change in expression.

His beautiful eyes, straight and clear, sometimes gave off a cold and detached aura as icy as the color of his irises.

So it was surprising. Seeing him quietly accepting her touch like this was unimaginable in the past.

“Just a moment…”

She focused intently as she shaped the bubbles, then moved to the side of the tub to look up at Raoul’s face.

“…”

“What are you doing?”

Two round mounds of bubbles protruded from his bewildered face like wolf ears.

Diana just smiled silently.

He had insisted he didn’t want to be treated like a child, but honestly, he looked so cute it made her heart ache.

Diana bit her lip hard and gripped the edge of the tub.

“Can’t you just not grow up…? You’re really, really adorable.”

His clear eyebrows furrowed suddenly. As he shook his head, soap bubbles splattered all over Diana’s nose bridge.

“Okay, okay, I’m sorry!”

Diana laughed out loud as she grabbed his cheeks. Though he was huffing, he didn’t resist her touch.

“The water will get cold. Let’s get out and treat your wounds now.”

Diana poured water over his head and gently scrubbed his face with her palms.

His sullen face was unbearably cute.

Ah, if only time could stop now. Diana’s heart soared at this happy moment.

She handed him the robe she had prepared and washed her own hands.

‘I ended up getting soaked too.’

Looking down at her drenched nightgown, Diana smelled the soap on her hands.

‘My favorite scent.’ It was the soft, sweet smell of chocolate cosmos imported from abroad.

‘It suits Raoul well, maybe because he’s young.’

It was a scent that wouldn’t suit the adult Lycan at all, who always carried the bitter scent of the forest.

“I’m dressed.”

“Ah, let’s go out.”

Diana quickly turned around and wrapped a towel around Raoul’s head. The cold man she had just imagined vanished from her memory as she faced his clear face.

Raoul, changed into clean clothes, sat obediently on the carpet as Diana tended to him.

She dried his hair with very careful touches, as if polishing a delicate porcelain doll.

“You can be rougher.”

“You’re so precious, I can’t help but be careful.”

“I’m precious…?”

“Of course. You’re incredibly dear to me.”

Diana answered immediately, as if it was an obvious question. Raoul hesitated for a moment before asking:

“…What do you like about me?”

“Hm?”

“You said before. That you fell for me at first sight. What did you see?”

The nape of his neck peeking out from the towel was hot. Diana carefully dried behind his ears as she pondered for a moment. Why had she?

“I just knew at first glance… That you were an extraordinary person. As you were walking from afar, it was like light was shining down from the sky.”

“That’s ridiculous…”

“It’s true.”

That’s why I still fumble around you like this. Diana sat down beside him with a gentle smile.

“But if I had to give reasons, I’d say… I like how kind Raoul is. I like your bravery in saving an unknown girl, I like that you’re strong but don’t show off your strength, I like that you never make promises you can’t keep…”

“…”

“But you know, as time passed, I realized you don’t need special reasons to like someone. I just like you because you’re you. Because it’s you… I like that you’re kind, I like that you’re earnest, I like that you work hard at everything, I like that you’re sometimes clumsy. I like everything about Raoul. I always have.”

“…”

“But what I like most is a happy Raoul. Be happy, Raoul. Live the happiest life, achieving everything you want.”

She wrapped her arms around her knees and rested her head on them at an angle.

Raoul lowered his eyes to meet hers.

“Yes. Let’s be happy together.”

‘Together…’

Raoul’s face as he said this was clear and unblemished.

Gently downturned eyes, smoothly curved lips rising in an arc. She could feel his pure affection and fondness for her.

‘I hope this feeling lasts for a long, long time. Even if it’s just a fleeting emotion. And, keep liking me. In whatever relationship.’

Their eyes met and curved at the same time. It was a happy and warm night.