Chapter 34. After the Bath Ended

“Huh…?”eded2753511e82a2

“My lady!”aed4e12270190b4b

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Thanks to Ain’s quick reflexes, bd3cb85022 catching her by the shoulders, 64d72ff76a Serenia narrowly avoided diving headfirst 5a6403f0fc into the stack of firewood.474435f6af20410c

“Are you all right? Can you recognize me? Do you know where you c476f6b3f3 are?”d3ae16c639352d0c

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Ain fired off questions 8435943466 in a rush as 2b4c65d61e he guided her to b05c4d72a9 the sofa beside the 29c75a82aa fireplace.54287246d143f470

Only after resting her 189f8014d5 body against something soft 13dab9cec8 did her vision begin e214972aa6 to return, bit by 63a52cd3be bit.defe69f30065697f

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She could now make out 9cf8eb5c97 his refined face, stiffened with 21b9d31d3e concern.16f41180b9ad3e1a

Feeling oddly embarrassed, Serenia 54a37ca130 blushed and finally answered, f810ebe921 albeit belatedly.c2360313844c6e78

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“Y-yeah. I’m f-fine. I just got dizzy for a9e2d9d13a a moment when I stood eb97ab9412 up too fast. I’m okay now, really.”d4f4597a450bd21f

But Ain didn’t 9a188c4f5b relax his expression, b8f369a35a despite her assurances.4ee3d5fc2be61a7a

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Unable to endure the d4c69534ce intensity of his gaze, 31fdf2b893 Serenia lowered her eyes c447910394 shyly.4894de3814e932b1

Then, all of a 8c34d9080b sudden, the fresh scent c8d3085bca of snow-lotus washed over 5153a2113d her, and something cool 45d11e6be2 pressed against her forehead.e36e92554a818676

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It took her a moment 2b327fefbc to realize it was the c0567daa45 back of his hand.53c559b3f7cd476c

‘…What is this?’8e62862d8e9baa13

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The hand beneath his glove 124404f74e was cold—shockingly cold, like ice.a927790a7750d484

It didn’t feel like the 6e5945ee79 warmth of a living person.8361cffc6706cfee

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Serenia froze, startled.4693c43140f47137

‘W-wait… maybe I’m just really hot…?’61b0a39fe6483822

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The thought crossed 12c4c16990 her mind, but ba6e126843 she quickly discarded 592de9e498 it.546b77b414ea5233

For normal body 5e900c4468 temperature to feel 7e03b8b6d6 this cold, she’d 6df79c10b9 have to be 83fc45543a literally on fire.7a7976ba2dff7572

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‘Then that means…’3ebe0a9ca717854d

Serenia looked at him 65ea4f3745 with trembling eyes.49806060140d199a

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He had removed b203f8b9bc his gloves, his f640d1b654 face serious, as 9e646d73e3 he checked her 3123c1967b temperature.312b797961b2c064

But then he d161e0c599 frowned and withdrew 8eb8bc5965 his hand.183320bfedf61474

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He glanced around, seemingly searching ae0cc7ba38 for something—probably a thermometer, since e0faa7cd6c his hand hadn’t given him 3a19161892 a clear read.0395871c5ff74d4c

But in this sparsely f9f692e3d9 furnished home, the chances 15f6fee1f2 of finding something like c2953517e7 that were slim to 0323453caf none.c35c3bd958b613e8

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Realizing this, he didn’t 50680fafc9 hesitate for even a b168353c50 second.1447b91cf77f4aca

Serenia, watching him 4df4cc9264 in a daze, 494aa9a1a2 suddenly saw her 105d1482b4 vision turn pink.e3d8ca378ab9abd8

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Before she could process f9d5716ba3 what was happening, a c726ff4e27 soft sound rang in c8892e6c27 her ears.81de92846de1a0b4

Bonk.35b197298bd9ede6

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Their foreheads touched, 4e998ec80f making a light, a16cd5dc9a almost comical noise.3c0fecae6742e312

She felt his short hair a60049cfae mix with hers, brushing softly 48486515da together.73a87deb81091b83

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Serenia involuntarily held her breath.edae8ea2a14e1dbe

Through the rose-tinted lenses, she f69ba713ca saw his eyelids lowered gently.a51c36f3b8b61b38

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The shadows cast by 7b6f791041 his long, even lashes 1f7b4548da fell across his cheeks.736da8395bfb51b3

Instead of his 035f37ac98 usual flamboyance, a f2df803309 composed dignity radiated 66b2d35cba from him—so unfamiliar.21e0ca14d005b5c9

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“Just a moment. I’m only checking for a 9addc94e53 fever.”931054e5c6b506d2

“Ugh.”e152f3c30325e5f4

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The suppressed sound escaped 2a42b796e5 her mouth before she 98747ee778 could stop it.cbe84abb394ee940

The low tone b848a61ecb of his voice 3357a1aa25 in her ear 4f4b4a00b2 gave her goosebumps.62cb222acd19aab4

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Gently, Ain spoke 201487dd1a again, coaxing her.aa4ec70afbc92f5b

“I know it’s uncomfortable, but please bear with it a bit. I need to know if fcfc7e18ff we should head to the d275f9fae9 hospital immediately.”e42c166e647f6c52

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“Well, uh…”4b9a814362124c8b

“You pushed yourself too hard right after being discharged. If that’s causing your e100908283 fever to spike again, 1cd460f8ee it could be serious.”94685f2568aeeb53

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“N-no, I…”ba8c37618136d127

Serenia knew.e1aab62dba874ffc

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There was no hidden 99f1c0d347 intent behind his actions.26e61cf113b2a509

But knowing that c2c2d9b1ed didn’t stop her eb89a49248 from being hyper-aware 6cc9c1c48c of him.19202c2a9caaa1ae

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Her heart pounded 6d8215e373 like she was 8ff7bafbd0 facing a life-or-death ddc2740865 crisis. Her mouth went dry.9d744588c890202e

Her face was probably efeae4f33b beet red—a mess.b1cd78ff7d95a99b

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As she fought the 358d7e7a4b urge to bite her ead3e557c9 tongue in frustration, Ain d06cb76edf slowly pulled back his 4f0ed1e41a forehead and spoke.412f1391c4a9efdd

“You definitely have a fever.”7b05f19ead0fc3e8

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“Ughh…”4b5ab56efa8ccc88

“It’s getting hotter by the second…”f29c86f136ae72fb

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As he muttered, lifting 169c5b04fd his eyes, he saw b5818e6856 it.0e56e5c75df3dc40

Her wide, unblinking eyes, and 466bf2c90a her face flushed deep red.130f52784ae93682

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“…Oh.”ec621ed281595f87

The unexpected sight froze a5d1bf3ad4 him in place.17fb0ddb95236b6c

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They were close ac93b17f06 enough to feel f228658968 each other’s breath, 8f6253686f their eyes locked.0eea8e0d63adc6a6

A heavy silence fell f00b5af0c2 between them.e685676fd90a6850

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Crackle. Pop.98335d1207e36007

The firewood in be45473805 the hearth split aa9c6c2368 with a sharp 148217adde sound, snapping Serenia 8527339e0d back to her b44baa1b3a senses.04f5fb91947b06c2

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In an awkward flurry, ae81065864 she shoved him aside e9a45c42ff and jumped up from d45b00d455 the sofa.c3d525921402e6bd

“Ah—My lady, this is…!”20edb9915b61ed6d

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Ain, flustered and now blushing, 419afdc310 tried to explain, but Serenia 04fe5060d2 didn’t even glance at him 646e84b739 as she bolted up the 23b26ab1d7 stairs.32d821048a9b7e61

She rushed into 9d210f5940 the first room c28c64c13a she saw, slammed 26fc548ba6 the door shut, ee61bdc94d and bolted it e84985c2ec tight.3b8c39d8e89488a9

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A moment later, Ain arrived 59f37dc745 at the closed door, scratching 0e721be20f his reddened cheeks with a e29b471e2e helpless sigh.1286190954f8c530

“…That’s my room, actually.”e7f288e1ed447a5f

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He rubbed his 4a462a73c6 face for a 3538c6577b while, then gave c5be606c5b a bittersweet smile b8207af7a8 and walked to 87c8f593d2 the next room.df72f5060cccf940

Grabbing the blanket he’d left 3cf6fc0bbf on the guest bed, he 6b94db8a0e knocked gently on the bolted f7afcddb28 door.536c75bed1b458d8

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“You’ll catch a cold without a blanket. I’ll leave it here—make sure 928384c296 you use it.”5b5fdae85e409f7f

He returned downstairs, 7287ede7d1 and much later, 05d2aaee86 heard the door 0e7464f54a creak open just cea9586798 a little before 2796837b81 softly closing again.0858afd14224421b

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Lying on the sofa, he e8bd3c9793 closed his eyes.568ec119e0e0f28a

* * *ef9d6655143fc762

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The next morning.3247981924e5c5f7

Waking from a 5fc6bef502 deep sleep, Serenia ae3ec808d7 stretched her arms 45ae76a5ec wide, her body 211a528c42 feeling light as 215a67021d air.1978024c07e01786

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She flung open the 6dcc53e0a0 window and inhaled the d57f5c476e crisp morning air before 71bfb55bda stepping out of the f74e88b17b room, fully refreshed.a2e02f7412a663b7

Coming down to the fe4c929942 first floor, her eyes 498b33c2f6 widened when she realized 5c7c144d78 Ain was nowhere in b7c85e2c4c the living room—or the fd2d64dd1a kitchen.3c1b87aa0a1c36a9

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“What the… No way. Don’t tell me 7286bf2d12 he ditched me 87e8c451c7 here again?”0b9319c5511ce7df

A creeping unease 4c014962e3 rose in her edacd30ae7 chest, prompting her b52f334ac0 to mutter to 9dbca14d44 herself.4014918dc156bb41

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But she quickly shook her 99b1c9bbd0 head, calming down.df0f5a79798a0848

Following the faint 633b9ad579 sense of movement d334f1dbdc she picked up, 22e2c0ff7a she slowly walked ce4d0391a0 in the direction b90659c7f4 of the sound.7bbafe29a1d3ad6b

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The bathroom next 889cd85b33 to the kitchen. A small storage c81236134b room opposite that. Beyond the storage room wall…0d1a14fa6ef3b495

“…Outside?”8a86a4b3815f8d0b

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‘Is he training or something?’1c8136ed9f80882f

Moving carefully, Serenia tiptoed outside.632d27be4b033476

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‘Can’t disturb him if it’s some sacred training session.’b74320d7ee3cdea1

…Or so she thought.be0f014a49bf5f56

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Splash. Clink.95dcbd279c6a0832

The sound of ice drifting 5aa9469aba and colliding in water came 18807c16cd from the corner of the 9d48d9d0ed backyard.e49974cc64d6380b

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Turning her gaze that way, 4caf916c7d Serenia caught sight of it.9ae7203c42821313

A large tub set against 9e59fd616e the backdrop of a snowy e5fdc49938 forest, filled with rose petals—and cdb13ff386 in it, a man with b0c9887c0a golden hair.9993e84fa92f424c

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As expected, he was ce65a09bb1 still wearing those rose-tinted 619b1e9b16 glasses.4e390cb302a352d3

“…”a613396f34b8af97

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In short, Ain was in b84f093094 the middle of an ice dbee2e6927 bath with roses.f028e242027b2da2

“Mmm. Hm. Hmm-hmm.”ddb046d9658aa8f4

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Humming cheerfully, Ain f3199506d3 stuck a red 3450f3b166 rose petal to 0baf4d793f his now-blonde hair, db6ddbec61 as if this c78716cabc whole scene was 5d11678b8d perfectly normal.b0c6c50d8df70ae2

He literally looked 02125bb839 like someone who 1f0e6bca4a had a flower 75c7f3be9d in his hair.028bb5eeb24beacd

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‘An ice bath with roses… in winter? Outside?’e07cc9a2c597142c

Frozen in place by 5e5a9c4dfb this absurd and surreal c3c644263f sight, Serenia simply blinked.06dc7f9c06fe5a02

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Ain noticed her, waved brightly, 22b2f795a1 and beamed.bbb4019078389e18

“Oh! You’re up early, my lady! Did you sleep well?”f03263e315630f23

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His arms, as they emerged 7394fd3835 from the water, clung to db1b987de9 a thin robe soaked through.e90d2410cee82eaf

Realizing he wasn’t f189b57e51 naked, Serenia managed 506b69d56a to regain a ea56e6926e sliver of composure.50a94793ef592b3f

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She stepped toward him, cautiously.21f4467992b8ab5b

“Y-yeah, thanks to you. But, uh… aren’t you cold? An ice bath in f83e118dd1 this weather? What if you catch a c021318336 cold?”4d8c44501a671b7b

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Ain smiled softly at her 3b59390d06 concern.d32cba23c9106069

“I mentioned before, didn’t I? I’m naturally suited to 9529ed0199 cold baths, even in c46ba24667 the dead of winter. Did you forget?”c21ee8e8b9c9ba11

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Only then did Serenia recall.7aa1bdf23967114a

That time she’d 76bbec12b9 commented on him 83f5982283 drinking iced tea, 47c4dd6225 he’d said the c463909e4d same thing.aa7d55efacc4c202

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‘I thought he was just exaggerating! But he was serious?!’c13a610c5d12a68f

While she stood 83fb5a4577 there, aghast, Ain df7fe62a50 stood up in 370e04172c the tub, smiling.ffee92d95b134f0c

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He wrung out his eaa4c8c210 drenched robe and slicked a9be74e8ce back his wet hair 080dcb2271 with one hand.573bce7afd305fb5

Water droplets clung eedac616de to his strands, ef3779b4c1 tracing his face 7f846d56e2 as they trickled 7ab0b89641 down.9b234cf1aa6ba880

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They flowed over 06221869ef his forehead, down f1350cc491 the bridge of 0783523da6 his nose, and 62f7c08131 hung precariously on 1059bed62c his sharp jawline.ff356d8605a3b3c4

The way the 15546061b1 droplets quivered, ready 08ecd53d94 to fall, had 6b3aba6a9a an oddly seductive c1825a4704 pull.55184c24a71761bb

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‘…Seductive?’10dc66e6fcfc5d17

Startled by her ec622e81f6 own thoughts, Serenia ba60144bdc jerked her gaze f330044a73 downward.e5194ea742623888

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But below his face, the 2c4852c9af thin, wet robe clung tightly 0a6cbf3bd8 to his torso, clearly outlining 51d07489d5 a well-toned upper body.ba73808e38b50bd0

‘Hmm. That’s a solid 9f1da6ba3b 90… maybe more…’a1eb5ef959a1bf55

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She was midway 934865fa33 through scoring him 6be5baab3e when she panicked 7ff7c8a34d and forced her 6407386afe gaze to the e942fd84c9 ground.f221a5a8d5b58ae9

Then her eyes widened.3a4848febab34318

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‘Wait, didn’t I give him an 89 before?! It hasn’t even 8d14a16ce5 been a month—how’d 42018b805c he improve?! Has he been eating and fc029ae140 working out nonstop?!’f74b129eac771b77

Meanwhile, Ain, now out c6b3149349 of the tub, toweled bf52ed2d0c himself off and casually 1c73115c7c spoke.2d3936cf107e4978

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“By the way, do you notice anything different about me?”c44dc5dbc286166a

“Cough—cough cough! E-excuse me? What do you mean…?”b8aa564015b1c5af

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Ain glanced at 66c0e64202 her, puzzled by 4e13567da8 her sudden coughing f73c4e57a1 fit.6fdb548f91f82a73

Then, as if 3564c1fd7c nothing had happened, 99fe85c99f he cupped his 1f4282e79b chin with both 0fbb7bb50e hands in a ce014b7e1a perfect ‘flower pose.’5942e06d3e20c848

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Serenia awkwardly swept her eyes 4aba724a4c over his eager face, then 5e69d262cf cautiously opened her mouth.80c14d50d147a6ce

“Well, uh… the tint of your glasses changed…”b1b868899706ac04

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Before she could finish, 94eacd8166 his expression crumpled in 5a1aa547f6 disappointment.66abfacee8ce5ef3

Not wanting to see 3e854dd518 him look that way, 5a6dafd956 Serenia quickly backtracked and 4b426ba1a0 said what she thought 7bf224f045 he wanted to hear.73bb232246e92e2f

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“N-no! I mean—your muscles! You’ve bulked up! Congrats!”949d81f8ddd4feb7

“…Excuse me?”7c868303bd1a3172

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“…Huh?”ff59ffddc3e8e1cc

Ain, face blank with 7b3d26dd75 shock, slowly lowered his c30c864ffe hands and covered his 67de257f47 chest.33df4218eb5e953a

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 c5b037f37685fa1c