It was true. She was the only one who could save herself.

After Namgung Ryeo left and a while later, Sibi came and informed her to take a bath.

Naturally, she thought they were going to the bathhouse, but Sibi led her to none other than a room attached to the annex.

The room had a simple bed and a dresser, and she just stepped on the space, separating it with her feet. Sibi filled a large tub with warm water. Not anticipating that she would sit in the room and take a bath, I blinked my eyes.

“Aren’t we going to the bathhouse?”

“It’s difficult to use the bathhouse now because there are many guests.”

“It must be tough.”
The wooden tub looks expensive too, and to carry that, then fill it with water. Moreover, it seems like a task that shouldn’t be assigned to just one or two people.

‘Just sharing a large bathhouse would be more reasonable.’

However, the absence of facilities like a large bathhouse, considering the large number of guests, was understandable.

‘Next time, I should just take a simple shower.’

Thinking about the effort it took to fill the water like this, the natural inclination to bathe frequently faded away.

“You can leave the food and water in the garden; just leave it as it is.”

With those words, Sibi retreated. I carefully undressed and entered the bathtub. The warm water made me feel tingling from the tips of my toes, and I relaxed like a rice cake melting away.

‘Ah, it’s really nice to immerse in the water after a long time.’

Fully submerged up to my shoulders, bubbling and gurgling, I laughed while leaning my head back against the tub.

‘So refreshing.’

Being stretched out like a jellyfish, I thought of another being who loved bathing as much as I did. I called him softly.

“Baekho.”

Usually, cats hate baths. Baekho is no exception.

But hot water baths were different. Like stretching out with the warmth of sweet rice cakes, Baekho would float and laze around in warm water.

He might grumble with his mouth, but I could understand. He liked it!

‘Where did he go for real? Isn’t he around here somewhere?’

If he were nearby, he wouldn’t have passed by when hot water was available. I pouted my lips like a duck and grumbled.

“You said you’d protect me…”

If he said he would protect me with such loud voices, wasn’t he supposed to be by my side all the time?

‘When he came all the way to the headquarters, I was so happy. Why is he suddenly begging me like this?’

Perhaps it was because he had always guarded me like a shadow. Now that Baekho was gone, the empty space he left felt deep. Feeling gloomy, I submerged my face in the water and then pulled it out again.

‘Ugh, what am I thinking? Let’s shake off these thoughts quickly. Quickly!’

Baekho, when the time comes, you’ll come back. For now, it’s just a temporary sulk because of what happened with Danmokbi.

But it was difficult to be sure. The reason for the sulking was none other than Danmokbi.

‘…Danmokbi.’

Since I confessed my feelings to Danmokbi, there was only a vague confession and no more deep conversations. I should talk about the future with Danmokbi. What to do with Danmoksu and Danmokchang.

‘If he plans to be cruelly retaliatory towards those two, I’ll stop him.’
Danmoksoo being an evildoer was evident, but Danmokbi was still his son, despite this and that. Even if excluding Danmoksoo, she wanted to prevent him from personally getting involved.

‘But it won’t be as easy as saying it.’

While I, from an omniscient reader’s perspective, was watching the story, the emotions Danmokbi experienced when facing him would undoubtedly be much more intense.

‘I miss him.’

Thinking of Danmokbi, I suddenly missed him. Sitting absentmindedly, gazing into the air, a quiet and deep voice called out to me.

“Yeon-ah.”

“…Huh?”

I suddenly lifted my head. However, I was still in the room, and I was in the middle of a bath. I groaned, hitting my head with both hands.

“Ugh, now I’m even hallucinating.”

It was right at that moment. Now that I realized it was a hallucination, the voice that should have stopped kept ringing in my ears.

“Yeon-ah, are you there?”

“Yes? Master?”

Only then did I realize it was reality, and I let out a loud scream.

“Wait a moment!!”

“Huh?”

But it was already too late. Realizing that my voice was heard beyond the blocked feet into the room, Danmokbi, who realized it was my voice, stepped forward and walked into the room.

I stared at Danmokbi, frozen like ice.

“…….”

Danmokbi was the first to move. He quickly bowed his head and stepped back.

“……Sorry.”

Even though Danmokbi’s face disappeared like that, I was still in shock, my mouth hanging open.

‘What is this! What is this!’

I felt like tearing my hair out for no reason.

‘I saw it! I saw it even though I rolled to the side or rolled backward!’

How could I live with this embarrassment?

In my daze, Danmokbi, in a small voice, said, “I’ll leave. I’m really sorry.”