Inside the mist-shrouded bath, a woman with long golden hair was soaking, the warmth of the water caressing her skin. Thin steam rose from the surface, embracing her body. The bathwater was crystal clear, and even shrouded in mist, Kael could faintly discern the graceful curves of her body through the ripples on the water's surface.
Only two people lived in this entire underground palace—him and his new attendant—so Kael didn't need to guess who the person before him was.
It had to be Leinas!
As if sensing movement behind her, Leinas, who was soaking in the bath, turned her head, her golden hair gracefully shifting on the water. Instantly, a surprised expression suddenly appeared on her delicate, porcelain-doll-like face. Her blue eyes widened.
Almost unconsciously, her hand rose—a natural reflex—to block the captivating view. Her body lowered slightly, moving closer to the bath wall, as if wanting to conceal herself in the steam.
However, she remembered something. This is my God. What am I doing? Leinas took a breath, slowly stood upright, letting the water drip from her body, and gracefully bowed to Kael. "Oh God, why are you here?" she asked, her voice calm, though a slight, undeniable hint of embarrassment lingered.
"Uh... I just came here to relax. I didn't expect you to be here," Kael replied, raising his eyes somewhat awkwardly, trying to answer in a calm and nonchalant tone.
But, compared to Leinas, his voice was clearly not stable enough. A small defeat he felt. His heart was beating much faster than usual, pounding erratically in his chest. At the same time, an important question arose in his mind: What should he do now? You'd better get out of the bath immediately, Kael.
However, Leinas behaved with remarkable composure. If he were to do the same—turn and flee—he would feel inferior, as if he were at fault, or even worse, appear immature in front of his new follower.
"I see. In that case, I won't disturb your bath. I'll leave now." Leinas nodded, giving him a polite warning. Her hand reached for the large towel beside the bath, preparing to leave the bathing area.
"No... no need!" Kael exclaimed, his voice slightly louder than he intended, a decision that came from who knew where. After realizing the inappropriateness of his words, he immediately added, trying to sound logical, "Actually, this bath is quite large. Even if there's one more person, it won't affect my experience much."
He then looked at Leinas again, "You probably haven't finished, have you? Just finish your bath, so you don't have to go back and forth again." As he spoke, he pretended to be calm—a less-than-convincing act—while walking towards the bath and submerging himself in the water. His eyes were fixed on the ceiling, avoiding eye contact.
Leinas looked at Kael for a long time, a small, amused smile slowly curving the corners of her mouth. This man before her, the "God" who was so magnificent and terrifying, now looked like an innocent boy who had never experienced such a situation. His awkward demeanor was completely different from his previous arrogant and authoritative bearing, creating a kind of humorous contrast in his appearance.
Since Kael said so, Leinas didn't insist on leaving. She turned, her back now facing Kael, and leaned against the bath wall, resuming her soak in the warm water, a sense of comfort enveloping her.
They both soaked in the bath quietly for a while, the gentle gurgling of the water filling the silence. Kael felt he had recovered from his initial awkwardness. To avoid the situation becoming even more strained, he decided to initiate conversation.
"Leinas," Kael began, his voice more stable now, "tell me about your past experiences. I want to know more about you."
"Me?" Leinas's eyes shifted slightly, looking sideways, and she said, "Actually, there's nothing special about my life. I was originally a noble daughter of the Baharuth Empire, and I've loved Martial Arts since I was a child..."
Leinas's past story was told bit by bit in a simple manner, without dramatic embellishment. Its content wasn't far off from Kael's known background, but there were some of Leinas's personal feelings interspersed, which made the story far more vivid and real. When she spoke of being expelled from her family and abandoned by her fiancé, though her tone remained calm and controlled, one could still hear a faint note of resentment and disappointment hidden in her voice. Clearly, she hadn't fully forgotten that bitter past.
After listening to Leinas's story to its end, Kael asked her about the thing he most wanted to know. "What are your plans for the future?"
"Plans?" Leinas was slightly surprised by the question. She couldn't help but smile and said, "Haven't you already arranged my future? Don't worry, since you helped me remove the curse, I will keep my promise. I don't mind becoming your woman." There was a note of certainty in her voice, as if it were a logical consequence.
Ah? Kael was a little stunned to hear this. His eyes blinked. Unconsciously, he turned to look at Leinas beside him. He didn't remember ever asking Leinas to be his woman. Is this girl crazy? Or did I mishear?
He opened his mouth, wanting to ask why Leinas had misunderstood, wanting to clarify, but his words stopped abruptly as they reached his lips. There was a touching smile on Leinas's face, a pure beauty. Her wet hair flowed from her smooth shoulders into the water, slowly rippling with the touch of the waves. This image, amidst the mist of the bath, utterly surprised him, halting all his thoughts.
Gulp! Kael swallowed unconsciously. Leinas was a very attractive type of woman, both in terms of physical appearance and body shape. In such a situation, in the bath, it would be too hypocritical to say that he wasn't thinking about the beauty before him. That desire, a basic instinct, surged within him.
"Leinas," After a moment, Kael couldn't help but make a decision, an impulsive yet urgent one. He called Leinas's name, his voice slightly hoarse.
"Huh? Do you have a problem?" The latter was somewhat confused, turning her head slightly, not knowing what was wrong with him. Her gaze was innocent, curious.
Swish!
Under Leinas's bewildered gaze, Kael's figure flickered for a moment, then suddenly vanished. The next second, he reappeared, but now directly behind Leinas, their bodies very close.
A warm, burning sensation suddenly spread to Leinas's back, and along with it, a pair of hands wrapped around her waist, pulling her closer. Leinas's body stiffened for a moment in surprise.
Kael's soft voice, now deeper and more captivating, sounded in her ear, his warm breath caressing Leinas's skin. "Leinas, let me confirm once more, what you just said was sincere, right?"
Thump, thump, thump!
Leinas's heartbeat suddenly quickened, pounding in her chest like war drums. She had thought this kind of thing was unimportant before, a promise made without burden. But she had to admit that she couldn't suppress her nervousness now. Kael's slightly heavy breaths brushed against the side of her face, and she felt the man behind her seemed to slowly transform into a beast, ready to devour her alive, yet for some reason, that fear mingled with a strange, thrilling sensation.
Nevertheless, she answered, her voice barely a whisper, "Yes, I don't mind becoming your saint."
Saint? Yes, that's it! Kael's eyes brightened slightly, a small epiphany. He finally understood why Leinas had such a misunderstanding. It seems I need to be more careful with this in the future and not act rashly in bestowing titles, he thought.
"Then, please give me more guidance in the future, my first saint." Kael whispered softly in Leinas's ear, his tone filled with hidden satisfaction.
The scent of "pink"—a sweet and sensual smell of intimacy—immediately permeated the entire bath, mingling with the steam. The sound of flowing water mixed with faint, suppressed moans, and the now louder crashing waves also covered the smaller ripples.
The Awkward Morning After
The next morning.
Enri used her command key to open the portal to the underground palace, a faint blue light emanating for a moment. With regular steps, she walked towards the bedroom in the palace's main hall, a routine morning habit.
Upon reaching the dormitory door, she knocked softly, a polite tap. "God, are you awake?" she asked into the room, her voice gentle.
No response. Silence still enveloped it.
After waiting five or six more seconds, Enri slightly increased her force and knocked on the door again, a little louder.
This time she got a response.
"Is that Enri? Please wait outside." Kael's voice sounded from within, slightly hoarse but still calm.
"Yes." Enri replied respectfully, then obediently followed the instruction and waited at the door, standing straight.
About three minutes later, the dormitory door opened. Enri gasped slightly. She saw Kael and Leinas, now fully dressed, walking out of the room. A different aura enveloped them, a thin yet palpable discomfort.
Enri was momentarily stunned when she saw this. After realizing what might be happening—or more precisely, what had happened—she immediately lowered her head, a faint blush creeping onto her cheeks. With a slightly trembling voice, she saluted them both. "Good morning! God! Lady Leinas!"
A fleeting oddity appeared on Kael's face. A small twitch at the corner of his lips. For he noticed that when Enri looked at him and Leinas, her ears were slightly red, and it was clear that she had guessed something. Ah, this innocent Enri isn't so innocent anymore, Kael thought, a small amusement stirring in his mind.
"Ahem, good morning, Enri." Kael cleared his throat twice, trying to hide his awkwardness. He then pretended nothing had happened and asked Enri, "What do you want to talk to me about?" His tone returned to its usual professionalism.
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