Hayasaka reheated the late-night snacks.
After finishing his meal, Roy returned to his room, grabbed a change of clothes, and headed to the bathroom.
Inside the bathroom.
Roy took off his clothes and stood in front of the mirror, removing his glasses.
He wasn't nearsighted, so taking them off didn't affect his vision.
The reflection in the mirror showed a young man with delicate, finely sculpted features—handsome, with clear brows and bright eyes—but his body was as thin as a lamppost, alarmingly slender.
Along with his frame, numerous scars covered his body.
A rough count revealed dozens of them, large and small, scattered across his skin.
These weren't haphazard marks like a child's scribbles but deliberate patterns, as if etched with some kind of purpose.
Bang!
Roy suddenly punched the mirror.
The glass shattered with a sharp crack.
In the broken shards, his reflection glared back—eyes filled with a violent aura, crimson pupils so dark they seemed soaked in blood, giving off an impression of savagery.
"Lord Roy, is everything alright?"
Hayasaka's voice came from outside the bathroom.
"Nothing happened."
Hayasaka fell silent, bowed slightly, and retreated.
She was, without a doubt, a professional maid. In all her days at Roy's home, she had never once overstepped. Every word she spoke seemed carefully weighed, and she never pried into unnecessary matters.
Inside the bathroom, Roy crouched down and traced a rune on the shattered glass. The fragments immediately reversed their trajectory, as if time itself had rewound, quickly reforming into an unbroken mirror.
Roy shook his head.
His mind felt heavy, a dull ache pulsing faintly in his forehead.
"Am I just tired? Or is the curse about to flare up again…"
He massaged his temples.
He had used his Mystic Eyes quite a few times tonight. It wouldn't be strange if the curse erupted at any moment.
Better finish washing up quickly and get out.
He'd spend the night in Utaha's room.
Roy sat under the showerhead and began scrubbing himself.
Less than two minutes later—
Swish!
The sound of the sliding door opening softly reached his ears.
After a brief pause, it happened again.
Roy turned his head.
Just in time to see the pink-haired girl slowly closing the bathroom door behind her.
She wore nothing but a towel, barely covering the essentials. Everything above her chest and below her thighs was exposed—pale skin, deep curves, and the soft fullness of her legs all imprinting themselves into Roy's vision.
Ichika?
What was she doing here?
The moment Ichika turned around, she met Roy's gaze.
Without his glasses, Roy's eyes were sharp, almost piercing.
But thanks to the slight weariness in his expression, he looked far less cold than usual when bare-eyed.
Even so, Ichika was startled.
Instinctively, she reached to adjust the towel around her chest—but then her hand froze mid-motion.
Biting her pink lips, she instead tugged the towel downward, revealing even more of herself.
"Lord Roy, your arm must be bothering you… Let me wash your back for you… May I?"
Ichika watched him nervously.
She knew Roy's personality turned colder when he removed his glasses—she'd just never seen it firsthand before.
She had staked her pride and dignity on this, mustering courage she might not have again for years, just to sneak in like this.
Roy glanced down at his right arm.
It had only just been reattached, the joint still wrapped in bandages.
It was inconvenient to use.
But more importantly—
Was Ichika really only here to wash his back?
"Come here."
Roy tilted his chin slightly, signalling her forward.
"Yes."
Ichika exhaled in relief, gathered her courage, and stepped behind him. Taking the offered towel, she began scrubbing his back.
As she worked, she took a deep breath, trying to calm her pounding heart.
Then—
She let the towel drop to the floor.
Pressing her bare body against his, she began using herself as the "towel" instead.
"This… cleans better."
Whether she was trying to convince Roy or herself, Ichika muttered the words under her breath.
Roy didn't respond, but the sensation against his back made his eyes darken, his breathing growing slightly ragged.
"Lord Roy… it's time to wash… the front now…"
Ichika's trembling voice reached him.
Roy turned around.
Ichika straddled his legs, moving in front of him, and pressed herself against his chest.
Roy's gaze fell on her face.
Up close, her cheeks were flushed, her eyes glistening, her lashes fluttering like a nervous fawn's as she looked up at him.
"Where… would you like me to wash, Lord Roy?"
Leaning in, she whispered into his ear, her soft tone inexplicably laced with a hint of seduction.
"Every inch, of course."
Roy grinned.
A different kind of malice—distinct from the kind he wore when killing—flashed across his face.
With his explicit permission, Ichika finally let go of her inhibitions. Her slender, lotus-white arms wrapped around his neck as she began "cleaning" him with every method at her disposal.
Soon, stifled melodies filled the bathroom.
***
Once everything had settled—
The outer bathroom door opened quietly as Ichika peeked her head out, her ears still slightly flushed at the corners. After glancing around to confirm no one was there, she stealthily slipped out.
"What are you doing here?"
Suddenly, a voice came from behind, startling her.
"Miss Hayasaka..."
Ichika turned to find Hayasaka standing precisely in her blind spot and couldn't help but twitch her lips.
"Ah, it's nothing! I just came to take a bath..."
A bright, enthusiastic smile spread across Ichika's face.
Yet her gaze never quite met Hayasaka's.
Those sapphire-blue eyes of Hayasaka's seemed almost capable of seeing through everything.
"Is that so? Lord Roy hasn't come out yet. It'd be best if you didn't go in."
"Ahaha, I just found that out too. I definitely won't next time."
Ichika let out a dry laugh and quickly brushed past Hayasaka to leave.
Thankfully, she had changed her clothes before stepping out.
Internally, Ichika sighed in relief.
Behind her, Hayasaka watched her retreating figure, her gaze lingering on Ichika's slightly unnatural gait. Her eyes lowered slightly, lost in thought.
How proactive.
Well, she does have a sister to protect. It makes sense she'd move this fast.
I wonder how Utaha would react if she found out about this?
I'm a little curious.
Click!
The bathroom door slid open again.
Roy stepped out, his expression as calm as ever, cheeks flushed from the hot bath, steam still rising from his body.
"Hayasaka, what are you doing here?"
"Just passing by."
Hayasaka bowed slightly.
She glanced up as if casually.
Roy wasn't wearing his glasses.
Her heart tensed.
"I really was just passing through. Didn't see anything unusual."
Roy neither confirmed nor denied it, putting his glasses back on.
The sharp, icy aura around him melted away like snow.
"You've been working hard too. This house is quite big—sometimes you don't need to take care of every little detail."
With a smile, he offered Hayasaka a word of consideration before walking away.
***
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