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Join the ServerAfter refusing to bathe together, I had nowhere else to go, so I simply sat to the side.
Vilya remained submerged in the water, neither speaking further nor attempting to cover herself.
This was the second time Vilya had been so uninhibited around me; she had never once shown embarrassment.
Perhaps Vilya was truly unaware of her actions, much like Lia.
Sitting there, I watched Vilya as she washed her arms in the bathtub.
Her complete disregard for her own body made it impossible for me to look directly at her.
I glanced at her, my lips twitching slightly, then turned to the nearby flames and whispered, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to call you a monster tonight… I apologize… I truly am sorry.”
“It’s alright.”
Vilya’s response remained unchanged. She looked at me with an utterly calm expression and said, “I don’t mind.”
“You do mind, don’t you? Otherwise, you wouldn’t have said those things afterward. We rarely speak much, but tonight we said quite a lot.”
“I’m sorry, I caused you trouble.”
“Hmm?”
“You don’t like talking to me.”
“No, no, no, I wasn’t saying anything about talking to you… It’s just… I was surprised by how much we spoke tonight.”
At times, I found it truly impossible to communicate with Vilya. No, perhaps it was more accurate to say that one had to clear their mind to converse with her normally.
Vilya looked at me, then continued, “I envy you.”
“What do you envy me for? Is it because of Lia?”
“No. It’s because you can protect one person.”
“As the Hero, didn’t you protect all of humanity? Or rather, an entire continent?”
“I haven’t protected a single person. Although the Demon Lord is dead, this world hasn’t changed.”
Vilya gently poured water over her chest, then wiped it clean.
Her body remained as captivating as ever, yet Vilya herself seemed unaware of its alluring qualities.
Vilya raised her head and looked at me, saying, “I find it strange. Everyone used to say that all these disasters were due to the war with the demon race. But now the Demon Lord is dead, so why is it still the same? How am I supposed to protect everyone after I’m no longer the Hero?”
“I envy you. You can stand up and protect Lia, but I don’t know how to protect others. They say I protected everyone, but I don’t feel anything. I want to see the people I protect truly live normal lives.”
“So you chose to protect Lia?”
“No, Lia was a bonus. I love Lia, so I want to protect her, but who I truly want to protect is you.”
Vilya looked at me earnestly. What sounded like a jest now seemed perfectly natural, or rather, when spoken by Vilya, it was clearly her genuine thought.
I looked up at Vilya, startled, but my gaze didn’t meet her face directly.
Vilya had leaned over the edge of the tub, and I jumped, instinctively reaching out to push away…
‘Where did that instinct come from?! It’s all Lia’s fault! Lia constantly prancing around me has made me accustomed to it, but this time, it wasn’t Lia!’
“…”
Vilya’s expression remained utterly unchanged, though she seemed somewhat puzzled by my actions.
In that absolute awkwardness, I completely lost my ability to think straight.
“Do you like it?”
A moment later, Vilya looked at me, asking in confusion.
“I like… No, no! I didn’t mean to!”
I shrieked as if shocked, snatching my hand back. Vilya tilted her head in confusion, then said, “I don’t like it; it always bounces around when I swing my sword. If you like it, you can touch it longer. I don’t mind.”
“No… that’s not what I meant…”
“Then forget it.”
I suddenly felt like I had missed out on a huge opportunity… However, my purpose this time wasn’t to gain any ‘benefits.’ I was here to apologize to Vilya.
Vilya turned over in the bathtub and handed me a towel, saying, “Wipe my back for me.”
“Huh?”
“Wipe my back.”
Vilya had already settled into position, her back to me.
Holding the towel that had just wiped Lia’s back, I stared blankly at Vilya’s back.
I cautiously extended my hand and placed it on her back. Vilya didn’t seem to mind. My left hand, having nowhere else to go, also rested on her back, feeling her warmth.
‘This… this… this is truly… bad for my health…’
“I don’t want to be a monster.”
Vilya, her back still to me, uttered what was likely her deepest desire.
My hand gently pressed against her back, lightly tracing its curve, and I whispered, “You are not a monster.”
“Then will you always be by my side?”
Vilya twitched her back, dislodging the towel. She turned to look at me, saying earnestly, “I want to be a person, have a family, and protect one person. I also want to go with Lia to see the flowers you promised. I want to see them. Can you show them to me?”
I looked up, staring blankly at Vilya.
I wasn’t sure if it was my imagination, but I felt as if, at that moment, a faint smile played on Vilya’s lips. Yet, when I focused, there was nothing on her face.
But at that moment, I found Vilya so beautiful, and my heart inexplicably quickened.
Even if I was destined for an unknown city tomorrow, I felt a strange sense of confidence.
“Can you show them to me?”
Seeing my prolonged silence, Vilya spoke again, repeating her question.
“I can.”
I nodded.
Vilya didn’t break into a joyful smile. Her reaction was as calm as if I had merely invited her to eat—no, even less concerned than when I called her for a meal.
She lifted her leg and stepped out of the water in front of me. I stared blankly at her thigh, at that fleeting glimpse of breathtaking beauty…
‘Vilya is truly magnificent…’
She picked up a towel from the side to dry herself, while I stood up, feeling a lingering sense of unfulfillment, and walked out.
Just as I rounded the corner, I saw Lia leaning against the wall.
I stiffened. Lia looked at me, licked her lips, and chuckled as she leaned closer, whispering, “Father, since something like this has happened between you, you must understand what comes next, right?”
I surrendered…
You think this chapter was thrilling? Wait until you read Crow's Golden Fragment! Click here to discover the next big twist!
Read : Crow's Golden Fragment
