“…She’s. She’s fine.”

“But still, it’s okay.”

This kid, somehow, knows how to comfort.

Maybe she felt sorry for me, thinking that this embrace was the comfort she wanted when she was having a hard time.

I discovered Lydia rolling her feet in confusion at the entrance of the mansion.

Merem, who noticed me looking at Lydia, explained with a smirk.

“She says the water is too hot.”

“Oh, so that’s why you came.”
“I’ll cool it down.”

I gestured with my eyes for Lydia to step back.

Soon, the entrance of the mansion closed quietly.

Outside, footsteps, voices, and laughter were mixed, but inside was quiet.

Enjoying the silence, I reached my hand into the tub, which had become the right temperature.

“Yeah, it’s perfect. Thanks.”

“…….”

“Aren’t you going out?”

Why no response?

I was about to turn away from Merem and take off my gown, but I paused and reconsidered when I saw her glaring at me as if she would devour me at any moment.

Merem, with an interval, opened her mouth without reservation.

“I’ll wash your back.”

“What?”

“To make sure you don’t think of Charlotte anymore. From now on, when you bathe, think only of me.”

Wait a minute.

Although I made a bewildering remark, Merem had already taken off the white shirt she was wearing.

It would have been enough to raise the sleeves…!

‘Oh my god.’

Turning my body slightly, I stopped in my tracks as if struck by lightning when I saw her exposed upper body.

Among the male human bodies I had seen so far, a splendid upper body filled my sight like no other.

I couldn’t help but stare at her abs for a while, then tried to look up with my face. However, my gaze stopped at the chest again.

“How is it? Do you like what you see?”

“Th-that’s what you call words…”

“I’m lucky. This body was trained for you to see.”

Merem’s voice was subtly low and charming.

Momentarily stunned by the attack of the sculpted physique, I couldn’t find the words to reply, and my lips twitched.

‘Unless you have a heart, you’d look through it even if it’s stripped from top to bottom!’

The heart is strange.

I couldn’t bring myself to look at Merem like I would have before.

‘Of course, it doesn’t mean I’m not looking!’

Even if you’re older, it’s not necessary to close your eyes and avoid it.

I hadn’t even immersed myself in warm water yet, but I fanned myself because it was hot for no reason.

“Is that the low stairs you step on to go in?”

“Yeah, that’s right.”

“It looks very… difficult to enter. Excuse me.”

Merem, stooping slightly, suddenly embraced me.

I’m not short, so how could she lift me so easily?

Thanks to her, my body could comfortably enter the bathtub, but my mind was not calm at all.

It kept tingling.

‘Ah, I’m going to die.’

Merem’s presence behind me was intense.

Gradually, I felt her apply oil to her hands and gently massage my shoulders.

I felt restless, so I bit my tongue anxiously.

“How was the battle today?”

“It was easy.”

“Be careful. Bellifor is probably checking how much power you have now.”

I should say something.

I have no idea what I’m talking about.

Right now, all my attention is on the tension in the water. Since she’s still wearing a gown, it prevents us from getting too close, but even so, it’s just a thin piece of cloth.
If either of us loosened the thread of reason, we would forget where we were, who was outside, and start talking without restraint.

“When we enter the swamp, it’ll be the real deal, right?”

“That’s right.”

“Come on, then.”

Merem responded nonchalantly. Meanwhile, she pressed her fingers firmly, massaging the muscles.

Already uncomfortable due to the bed, my muscles were tense, but with Merem’s massage, my whole body relaxed.

“Should I do more in other places, Leo?”