Steam curled into the air as Lili gently washed Leo's back, the water warm and quiet except for the soft ripples around them.
Leo sat perfectly still, ears tinted red.
"Relax," Lili said with a smirk. "You're so stiff, it's like scrubbing a log."
Leo grumbled under his breath. "Not my fault someone ambushed me…"
Just then, the bathhouse door creaked open.
"Leo, I brought some fresh cloth—" Lyra's voice rang out, cheerful… until her eyes landed on the scene before her.
She froze.
Leo and Lili. Together. Steam. Bath.
Lyra's expression dimmed, her voice dropping. "Ah… Sorry. Wrong time. I'll just… leave these here."
She quickly placed the clothes on a nearby bench, turning her head away.
Leo bolted upright, panicking. "Wait—Lyra! It's not what you think! I swear!"
Lili, still behind him, burst out laughing. "Oh no, it's exactly what she thinks!"
Leo whipped his head back, panicked. "Lili!"
She grinned. "Turn around, Leo."
He blinked. "Why?"
Her tone dropped. "I'm going outside."
Leo's face turned red again. "O-Okay! I'm not looking!"
He squeezed his eyes shut as Lili stood, water dripping as she stepped out. She wrapped herself in a towel with a playful huff and walked out with a mischievous grin.
Leo sank lower into the water and let out a deep breath. "Great. That's gonna be hard to explain…"
He leaned back.
"I'll fix it later. Somehow. First… just a bit of peace."
The stars were out.
A soft breeze danced through the village as Leo stepped outside.
He wore a simple white shirt and black trousers, his long red hair still slightly damp. A few strands hung in front of his ears, others clung to his forehead.
He glanced up at the moon, silver light glinting in his eyes.
"Alright…"
He exhaled softly.
"Time to go. Lyra's place."
He adjusted his collar and started down the road, the gentle sound of crickets echoing in the night.
The house stood at the edge of the glowing village—a freshly built structure of logs, flat stones, and leafy vines woven across its roof. Warm yellow light spilled from its windows, and the sound of chatter, laughter, and clinking dishes echoed from within.
Leo stood in front of the door, taking a deep breath.
"Alright… let's get this over with."
He raised a hand.
Knock. Knock.
A voice called from inside. "Coming~!"
The door creaked open—and there stood Lyra, her silver hair tied loosely behind her, wearing a light apron.
At first, her face lit up. "Ahh! You're back!"
But then her smile faltered slightly.
"…Oh. You're back."
Her eyes narrowed just a little. That image from the bath flashed through her mind again.
Leo froze, awkwardly scratching the back of his head. "Ahaha… Lyra, listen. It's really not what you think."
From behind her, Lili casually strolled by, munching on some roasted fruit like nothing had happened.
"Oh, it's definitely what she thinks," Lili said with a mouthful.
Leo turned completely red. "Shut up, you damn witch!"
He waved his hands in panic. "Lyra, seriously—it's not like that! I-I just got ambushed in my own bath!"
Lyra crossed her arms and leaned against the doorframe, eyes narrowing even more.
"…That right?" she said calmly.
Leo nodded frantically.
"…Mhm. Okay, sure. I believe you," she said with a wide smile.
Too wide.
Oh no, Leo thought. That's the smile of someone plotting to stab me with a spoon.
"Come on in," Lyra added sweetly.
Leo hesitated at the doorway. "You sure you're not gonna poison my food or something?"
"Nooo~" she said, still smiling.
Behind her, a wooden spoon bent slightly in her grip.
Leo laughed nervously. "Okay… I'm coming in. Alive, I hope."
He stepped inside, still scratching his head, eyes darting around like a man entering enemy territory.
Inside the house, a warm and lively scene unfolded:
Niya and Sheron were preparing dishes by the fire.
Lia was dancing around with Zack, showing him how she diced vegetables.
Sara leaned against the wall, laughing at something Balzock muttered while sipping soup.
Lili flopped onto a cushion with another snack, waving lazily.
And Lyra shut the door behind Leo with a soft click, stepping right behind him.
"Make yourself at home," she whispered sweetly in his ear.
Leo flinched.
I'm definitely dying tonight.
The sound of laughter and clinking plates had slowly faded from the wooden house.
One by one, the guests left:
Sara waved lazily, her bow slung over her shoulder.
Balzock grunted, leaning on his cane as he stepped out.
Zack and Sheron gave warm goodnights, guiding a sleepy Lia along the way—until Lia pulled free and insisted on helping Niya, Lyra's mother, clean the last of the pots.
Only a few lamps still flickered inside the cozy wooden home.
In the quiet, Leo and Lyra remained, picking up the wooden plates and cups—still rough, handmade, signs of a village slowly rising from nothing.
Leo used gentle bursts of water magic to clear the scraps, his fingers guiding droplets like tiny streams. Lyra stood beside him, drying the dishes with a cloth, her silence a little too calm.
Leo glanced at her.
"She's still upset. Damn… I've got to fix this somehow."
He cleared his throat. "Umm, so… how was dinner for you, Lyra?"
Lyra gave a small smile, eyes on the plate in her hands. "It was good. Everyone enjoyed themselves. That makes me happy."
There was something in her voice—distant, quiet.
Then she added, "Leo… you didn't need to come help me. I could've handled the cleanup alone."
Leo smiled softly. "You're my family, Lyra. Even if I can only make things a little easier… I'll still do it. I want to."
She paused.
Then her voice trembled just slightly. "Then why…?"
Leo immediately knew where this was going.
Bathhouse. Of course.
He stepped in before she could finish.
"Wait—Lyra. Let me explain."
She blinked, caught off-guard.
"I wasn't trying anything weird," he said seriously. "I really thought Lili was already gone when I entered the bath. But… she was still there. She joked around, said she'd wash my back, insisted a lot… and yeah, I agreed. That was my mistake."
His eyes didn't waver.
"But I swear—there were no bad intentions. Not from me. Not even from Lili. Still… I get why it upset you. And I'll be more careful. I promise."
Lyra stared at him, her eyes wide.
A wooden dish slipped from her hand and hit the grass with a dull thud.
Leo moved to pick it up—but froze as Lyra suddenly stepped forward and hugged him gently, resting her forehead against his shoulder.
"…It's okay," she whispered.
"I know you and Lili… you're both not like that. And she's… she's special to us. She helped raise us when we were little. I trust her."
She pulled back just enough to look at him.
"But… please don't do things like that with anyone else. If it was Lili, fine. But anyone else…"
Her voice was soft, almost afraid to finish the sentence.
Leo smiled, lifting a hand to gently brush her soft black hair, then—without thinking—ran a thumb gently over her elven ear.
"…Okay," he said. "I won't. I promise."
Lyra's eyes widened as her cheeks flared red. She stepped back quickly, covering one ear.
"H-Hey! Don't touch my ears! It's—it's embarrassing!"
Leo chuckled, not saying a word, his smile quiet and warm.
Lyra looked away, but a small smile crept onto her lips.