Chapter 69: The Peculiar Aftermath

“How do you feel?” Eileen asked, observing Setia, whose head was just visible above the bathwater.

“It’s a strange sensation, though I can’t quite pinpoint why. Overall, I feel much stronger than before.”

“Is that so?” Eileen watched Setia carefully for a moment. Once assured there were no abnormalities with her body, she left the bathroom to prepare some food.

After all, Setia had been ill, making it highly probable she hadn’t eaten.

However, a peculiar thing happened: the designated hour passed, yet Setia did not emerge from the bathroom.

“Setia?” Eileen called out, a hint of confusion in her voice, as she stepped back inside. There, she saw Setia leaning over the edge of the bathtub, her hair tied up—a rare sight—revealing her adorable small face.

Her cheeks, however, were flushed a vivid red. “Hehe! Eileen~”

“Setia? What’s wrong?” Eileen rushed over to her.

“Hehe.”

For some inexplicable reason, Setia suddenly leaped out of the tub and pounced onto Eileen.

“Setia?”

Setia wrapped her arms around Eileen’s neck, settling onto her lap. “The scent… I like it.”

“?”

“Hey!”

A chilling touch on Eileen’s neck instantly made her tail stand on end.

‘Why is Setia licking my neck?!’

“Wait! Just a moment!” Eileen tried to push Setia away with both hands, but then she made a startling discovery. “Why are you so strong…?”

Though Eileen hadn’t employed her draconic strength, she believed her years of training weren’t for naught. She considered herself quite powerful, yet… why couldn’t she pry Setia off?

“Hehehe, Eileen…” Setia purred, clinging to Eileen’s body.

“My apologies, it might be a bit impolite to a patient,” Eileen muttered, finally resorting to a slight surge of her dragon power to lift Setia into her arms.

Only then did Eileen realize that Setia wore nothing to cover herself. Her body was completely exposed before Eileen.

Her slightly raised ‘buns’ were adorned with a touch of pink.

Her toned abdomen, sculpted by training, revealed faint ab lines, making one instinctively want to reach out and touch.

And further down…

‘Ahem!’

Eileen quickly grabbed a towel and draped it over Setia.

“What exactly happened?” Eileen asked, now looking at a slightly more settled Setia. She dried her body, dressed her, and then cradled her on the bed.

But just as Eileen was about to leave, Setia suddenly grabbed her hand and pulled her onto the bed. “Eileen…”

“What is it?” Eileen was still unsure of Setia’s condition.

“Kiss!” Setia suddenly leaned forward and playfully bit Eileen’s cheek.

“????”

Eileen was utterly bewildered.

She immediately used magic to restrain Setia. “You wait right there!”

She observed Setia’s current state, noting an uncanny resemblance to herself.

(Referring to the time Faltis tricked her with a common flower, making her believe it was something strange.)

‘Could some of the medication contain ingredients that induce desire?’

Eileen hurried back into the bathroom.

The bathwater was now crystal clear, indicating that all the magical substances had been absorbed by Setia.

“That’s not right…” Eileen meticulously checked the ingredients. None of them included the flower Faltis had used that day.

Moreover, Eileen had reviewed all the records and medical charts, finding no similar symptoms.

Leaving Setia in this state was unacceptable. She approached Setia. “Setia… do you feel uncomfortable anywhere?”

“Mmm… yes!”

“What is it?” Setia seemed to retain her consciousness, so it shouldn’t be too serious, right?

“I want Eileen to hug me!”

“…?”

‘What kind of request is that?’

Nevertheless, Eileen could only comply. After all, she was the one who had put Setia in this situation.

Setia hugged Eileen. “So cool… I like it!”

Eileen was helpless, resigned to being held like a doll. However, she had already checked Setia’s body, and there were no abnormalities. It was probably just… some unlisted side effect.

‘She should be fine once she wakes up, right?’

About an hour passed, and Setia finally calmed down. Only then did Eileen have the opportunity to extricate herself from Setia’s embrace.

“The food has gotten cold…”

Setia groggily opened her eyes.

‘So bright… This isn’t my room…’

She abruptly sat up, casting a wary gaze around her.

“Are you awake? Dinner will be served soon, Setia, my little—” Eileen almost blurted out the last two words but managed to stop herself just in time.

“Eileen?” Setia rubbed her temples, feeling a headache. “What is this…? Why am I in your bed? My head hurts so much…”

‘Amnesia? Perfect!’

Eileen had been unsure how to face Setia, given that her earlier words were likely influenced by the medication’s side effects. If Setia remembered, Eileen couldn’t even imagine her reaction.

“Is your body feeling better?” Eileen asked.

“A little better.” Setia clenched her fists. The previous sense of weakness had slowly dissipated.

“That’s good. Are you hungry? I’ve prepared dinner for you.”

Setia looked at the lavish dinner spread on the table. “I’ve been a constant bother to you.”

“Actually, I’m quite averse to trouble. If I truly found it bothersome, I wouldn’t have done it. Besides, I have a few questions I’d like to ask you.”

‘She couldn’t possibly say she’d gotten used to being a maid!’

“What questions?”

“Setia, do you know anything about Teacher Saiana?” Eileen inquired.

Although she was Saiana’s student, Saiana had never spoken to her about her personal life. Eileen had only learned from Faltis that the previous Golden Dragon Queen had been Saiana’s student.

Setia had spent considerably more time in the Golden Dragon Sanctuary than Eileen, and being a local, she undoubtedly knew far more about Saiana.

“Lady Saiana…?” Setia’s expression was a little blank, perhaps from not recognizing the name or simply from being half-asleep.

“What’s wrong? Eileen, aren’t you Lady Saiana’s student? You should know more about Lady Saiana than I do.” Eileen probed.

‘That’s true. I am Saiana’s student, yet she hasn’t revealed anything to me. It’s even less likely she’d tell anyone else.’

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