Chapter 40
40 – Frozen Village, Cold Heart (9)
‘The fact that you are by my lord’s side is something to be thankful for.’
Kayla kept repeating herself whenever an unpleasant feeling came up in her heart.
She is fortunate enough to be by his side.
She is also grateful for being able to help.
But as time passed, her greed grew.
She wanted to have a more intimate relationship with her master.
She wanted to give more help and advice.
And I wanted to receive more praise and affection.
But the moment the necklace was around Erina’s neck, Kayla grabbed her bitter chest.
“I’m… Just a colleague…”
Even though she said it herself, she felt miserable.
At first, I was satisfied with a simple master-servant relationship.
At some point, she wanted to be a colleague who guards the master’s side.
And she was now hoping for a relationship beyond her peers.
But that was only her wish.
“My lord…”
Kayla’s heart skipped a beat as the light from her necklace caught her eye.
She thought it must be a gift for herself.
When will she get the necklace.
If so, what should she say?
However, Kayla’s expectations turned out to be spectacularly wrong.
Seohyun gave her necklace to Erina, not her.
Was even this an overestimated expectation?
‘Why… ‘
I wonder if I didn’t meet my lord earlier.
If I had built a relationship before Erina, my current position would have been reversed.
No. Rather, it could have pushed her away and made her master’s only companion.
The lord must have wished for this as well.
‘I believe in you more than Erina.’
Never forgotten.
The sincerity that only she told her. Seohyun did not trust Erina.
I couldn’t understand it at first. She didn’t know why he kept her by her side.
But she kept watching her and I could see why.
‘My lord is afraid of Erina… ‘
I am very angry, but I have admitted that she is also an opponent that I cannot win.
That’s why my anxiety only grew.
Right now, Seohyun is holding her by the leash, so she is calm.
But as time passed, she didn’t know what to do.
One day I could act wildly and run amok.
And in the end, there was a possibility of harming her lord.
So Kayla swore to herself.
She vowed to make Seohyun stronger than her Erina.
‘Because my lord trusts me.’
I will definitely get rid of that woman.
And I will be with you as the master’s only companion.
Kayla kept a wish she could not tell anyone.
She vowed that she would persevere and persevere for the time when her dream would come true.
But she couldn’t overcome her loneliness today.
So she decided to do something she wouldn’t normally do.
***
Norton Village is a village with a poorer environment than the capital.
Still, there was only one thing that was better.
The point is that there is an open-air bath.
“Whoa…”
After soaking in the hot water, the tension was released and the body stretched out.
Since I fell into this world, I have always been alert and sensitive.
Conversely, there was no way to relieve stress.
I felt as good as when I took a bath.
I felt the energy returning to my tired body from hunting.
I closed my eyes as the warm energy came up.
I felt the urge to take a deep breath.
“No, you can’t fall asleep.”
I calmly enjoyed the hot spring while enduring sleepiness.
The thought of falling asleep in bed with a refreshed body made me feel better.
I was the only one in the open-air bath.
He was using a bathtub the size of a basketball court by himself, so there was no reason to notice.
Suddenly, I checked the inside of my thigh. There was still a black stigma.
“I can’t really erase it…”
I couldn’t show my body recklessly because of the useless stigma.
Even when taking a bath, I was able to enter only after making sure there were no people around.
The goddess also gave her divine protection to help, but now it was no different from a stumbling block.
Still, she covered her lower body with a towel just in case.
If you are caught out, you will be in trouble.
While she was enjoying her bath, she heard someone’s voice coming from the entrance.
“Is it okay if I go in…?”
Her face was not visible because the door was closed.
But when I heard her voice, I immediately knew who it was.
“Kayla. Still inside.”
The only person I’ve decided to know is someone who speaks sweetly and clearly.
It must have come to take a bath.
Of course, the open-air bath was mixed.
Still, it was a little embarrassing for her man and woman to enter the water together.
“Wait a minute. I’ll wash up soon…?”
Suddenly I heard the door open.
I heard footsteps along with the sound of splashing water.
In-young appeared through the thick white steam.
“Wait…?!”
Kayla was covering her body with just a towel.
She was breathtakingly beautiful.
It was so enchanting that I couldn’t bear to look straight at it.
Even when she signed a contract before, she had seen her body once.
Still, she only showed a glimpse through her collar at the time.
She has never shown her body as openly as she does now.
Even compared to other women, Kayla has a beautiful body.
She was unconscious because she always covered herself with a robe, but now she only has one towel.
A white towel wrapped around her flawless skin and body.
Her black hair and her flushed cheeks sway.
It was not an exaggeration to say that the country was in a state of disrepair.
“Sorry, but I have something to say to Seohyun-nim alone…”
The earnest voice was losing its attractiveness.
Of course, it wasn’t intentional, but it was embarrassing from the point of view of accepting it.
“No, can we talk later?!”
It was difficult even if I asked to have a conversation in the current situation.
She had a hunch that she wouldn’t be able to concentrate at all.
She couldn’t look up because she had nowhere to put her eyes.
“It’ll be fine in just a moment. Will you be leaving soon…?!”
In an instant, a column of water gushed out with a roar.
Something fell from the sky and created a huge splash.
Then I heard a familiar voice.
“What are you doing?”
The center of the bathhouse. There was someone who knew very well where the commotion had taken place.
“Erina…?”
I thought he must be resting in his room after taking a bath before me.
But she appeared in front of me in a light dress with a long sword.
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While bewildered by her sudden appearance, she stepped in front of Kayla and aimed her sword at her.
“You…”
“Wow…!?”
There was a life full of cruelty.
The peaceful atmosphere has disappeared and only tension and silence remain in the messy bathroom.
“What are you doing?”
“I didn’t do anything.”
Kayla didn’t take her eyes off her with her eyes that said she wouldn’t lose.
He even held out her neck as if asking her to do it.
Amidst the tension, a confrontation ensued.
Neither of them showed any sign of backing down.
In the end, I had no choice but to step in.
“Stop it.”
“…”
We had to stop the sword fighting in the bathroom.
As soon as the horse ran out, the longsword went down. At the same time, they distanced themselves from each other.
However, the line of sight did not fall. The silent fight continued.
“Stop it.”
“Ah…!”
I went up to Erina and hit her on the head lightly.
Only then did her sharp eyes disappear and her round eyes returned.
“Stop it and insert the sword. What if someone sees it?”
“It’s okay. I’ve been keeping an eye on who isn’t coming all this time.”
In other words, it means that he has been watching everything I am taking a bath.
Somehow no one came in while I was in the bath.
I thought it was just a coincidence, but I had no idea that this whole story was hidden.
It was even disgusting to see him confess without any guilt.
I hit her head one more time. A faint scream echoed along with the sound.
“Aww…”
There will be no pain anyway.
There was no way she could feel the pain of being hit on the head.
Even so, she clutched her head, her tears welling up.
She looked up at me with her twinkling eyes.
A little while ago, it was clear to see her holding her in her arms, shedding tears.
I wish the story ended like that, but Erina proudly admitted that she stalked me.
I was at a loss for words at how proud I was.
As usual, I had to pay a big scolding.
But today I was very tired. I didn’t even have the strength to be angry anymore.
I didn’t want to cause any more friction with Erina.
“Why are you not listening to me?”
“I have to protect you.”
What the hell does protecting myself have to do with spying on the bathroom?
The problem is that Erina’s expression is too serious.
When bath time, the only rest, became a mess, all I could do was laugh.
Even Erina wasn’t the only problem.
“Kayla.”
“Yes, yes…!”
“What did you come all the way here to say?”
Kayla knew I was in the bathroom.
However, he ignored my words and went into the bathroom.
He even barely covered his body with a towel.
I’m sure you didn’t come here just to have a conversation.
But she shut her mouth differently than before.
Since you said you wanted to talk just the two of you, it seemed difficult to talk now.
“Sorry…”
“Haa…”
Even if it wasn’t so, I didn’t even have the energy left to speak to the two of them.
I didn’t want to scold or nag.
Right now, I just want to rest comfortably.
That’s how I said something I would never normally say.
“Let’s take a bath together.”
“Yes…?”
“Come in quickly. The water will cool down.”
Now I’ve decided to just go for it.