The soft click of the door echoed faintly after May's departure. Silence settled again, leaving Alex standing in the center of the room with his thoughts trailing behind like the morning mist. He exhaled slowly, brushing away the last traces of doubt Aria had planted.
"So she lied…" he whispered, eyes narrowing at the now-closed door. " What a great ally "
But there was no time to dwell.
Just as he took a breath, the door creaked open once more. May stepped in again, quiet as ever, and moved to stand beside him like she'd never left. No words. Just that calm presence.
Alex tilted his head toward the door on the wall opposite the bed. It was medium-sized, wooden, and rather plain compared to the polished walls around it.
"What's behind that one?" he asked, pointing.
May followed his gaze. "The bathroom."
"Huh."
He turned, then walked to another door—this one to the right side of the bed. He tapped it with his knuckles. "And this one?"
"The gallery," she answered again without a hint of hesitation.
"Can you open it?"
May nodded once. She stepped forward, undid the simple latch, and pulled the door open.
The moment the gallery door parted, sunlight flooded in like a tidal wave. Both of them winced, eyes instinctively closing. Alex raised a hand to shield his face.
"Gah—! That's aggressive," he muttered.
The warm light pushed back the lingering chill in the air, washing the room in a golden hue. As their eyes adjusted, Alex stepped out into the small gallery. A gentle breeze met him. The view opened up to a medium-sized, lush green lawn stretching a few dozen meters ahead. Trees framed the edges like guards on watch. The grass was thick, neatly kept, and vibrant—a little piece of paradise tucked into silence.
He breathed in deeply, eyes scanning every inch.
Not bad at all.
He turned back to May, who still stood near the doorway. "Open the bathroom for me, will you?"
Without a word, May complied. Another door unlocked with a smooth click, and Alex stepped inside.
What awaited him made his jaw slacken slightly.
The bathroom was nothing short of excessive. A huge, luxurious chamber blanketed in pristine white marble tiles stretched before him. The ceiling arched high with faint golden lines inlaid above, and a chandelier dangled softly from the center. Dominating the space was a bathtub—no, a miniature lake of polished porcelain that looked capable of seating at least twenty people.
Alex blinked. "Was this built for giants?"
No answer came, of course. Only the faint echo of his footsteps as he walked toward the edge of the tub. Stripping out of his clothes, he stepped in, the marble pleasantly cool under his feet.
There were two knobs shaped like ornate flowers on the wall. One had a red gem embedded in its center, the other a blue one.
"Red probably means hot," he mumbled, reaching for it. "And blue's cold."
["That's my boy."]
Aria's voice sparkled in his head, full of amusement. ["Starting to learn quick. My little caveman's evolving."]
Alex rolled his eyes and ignored her like she didn't exist.
With a turn of the red-knob, warm water rushed in from hidden vents. The tub began filling at an alarming pace, steaming softly as it rose.
When it reached a comfortable level, Alex leaned back, submerged once, then sat with a satisfied sigh.
"…Hey, Aria," he said aloud. "Tell me something about this world. Just one thing. Something useful."
A pause.
Then her voice came, pouting.
["Go ask your May~."]
He blinked. "Why you jealous?"
"I'm not! …Maybe just a little. But still, if you're going to bathe with another woman, don't expect me to do the talking."
He smirked, but said nothing more. Just let the warm water do its job and soaked in silence for a moment longer.
About two minutes passed before the door creaked open again.
May entered, her footsteps as soft as ever. In her arms, she carried a neatly folded set of clothes and a scrubber. Her expression was as neutral as always—calm, composed, professional.
Alex raised an eyebrow as he glanced her way, still sitting naked in the tub.
He didn't flinch. Not a hint of embarrassment.
Because he already knew what would happen.
He'd read enough hentai manga to know how this scene usually played out. And in those, the guy either panicked or got "lucky." Alex? He just sighed inwardly.
He stood up, completely exposed.
May didn't even blink. Just walked over with the scrubber, handed him a stool, and gestured for him to sit. He did, resting on the low stool without a care in the world.
May poured water over him from a wooden bucket, then began scrubbing him from head to toe. Her touch was mechanical—routine. Not a single motion out of place. Her hands moved efficiently, applying soap, massaging gently, then rinsing again.
Nothing happened.
Not even a twitch.
It was… weirdly anticlimactic.
["Hah!" ]Aria snorted. ["Look at you, all calm and composed. That thing hanging out like a sad carrot, and you're just sitting there like a washed-up salaryman."]
Alex let out a breath and tilted his head back.
"Disappointed?"
["A little. I thought you'd be more flustered. Or she would. But nooo~ you're both emotionally extinct."]
He chuckled softly. "Sorry to ruin your soap opera fantasy, but I don't wanna do things which are weird ."
May finished the scrubbing shortly after, handed him a towel, and stepped back respectfully, facing away as he dried off and changed into the fresh set of clothes she'd brought. A loose shirt, some comfortable pants—simple, but clean.
Once dressed, he followed her out of the bathroom, walking silently through the faint trail of steam.
Back in his room, May waited patiently by the window. She didn't speak unless spoken to, didn't question his pace, just watched.
Alex glanced at the floor… then to the hallway beyond his bedroom door.
He exhaled slowly.
"Guess it's time," he murmured.
With a quiet resolve, he took his first step outside the room that had become his entire world until now.
The world was waiting.
And so was everything else.