Chapter 39: A Long-Lost Feeling.

Lilith glanced at Merorin and Louise and said with a smile, “Since everyone is all dirty right now, let’s go take a bath together.”

When Merorin heard this, her body stiffened slightly, and in her mind immediately surfaced the shameful memory of bathing together with Lilith for the first time—the warm flow of water, the intimate touches, the irresistible tenderness.

She couldn’t help shrinking back a little, her fingers unconsciously twisting the corner of her clothes.

Lilith noticed her reaction but didn’t point it out, her face still carrying a gentle smile.

She bent down, gently helped Louise up from the ground, and said softly, “Your name is Louise, right?”

“From now on, you’ll be Merorin’s personal maid.”

“Eh?” Louise widened her eyes, unable to react for a moment, standing there in a daze.

After a few seconds, she suddenly snapped back to her senses, quickly lowered her head, and said in a voice full of gratitude, “Tha… thank you, Lady Lilith!”

Lilith smiled, reached out and gently patted her head, her fingertips brushing over her pink hair.

“Alright, alright, don’t just stand there thanking me.”

“Now, let’s go clean ourselves up together.”

As she spoke, she took Merorin’s hand with one hand and Louise’s with the other, leading them toward the bathroom.

When Louise stepped into the spacious and luxurious bathroom for the first time, her eyes couldn’t help widening as she exclaimed, “Wow… it’s so beautiful!”

The white marble floor reflected the soft lights, the huge bathtub steamed with a faint mist, sparkling gemstones were inlaid all around, and the air was filled with a fresh floral fragrance.

“Alright,” Lilith said with a smile as she let go of their hands and stood in front of them.

“Quickly take off your clothes, Louise.”

“Ta… take off my clothes?” Louise’s face instantly turned red like a ripe apple, her hands gripping the hem of her skirt tightly as her whole body froze.

“Louise,” Lilith chuckled as she walked closer.

“Don’t you take off your clothes when you bathe?”

“Or do you want to soak in the bath fully dressed?”

Louise was left speechless by the question and turned her head in panic to look at Merorin beside her, only to find that Merorin had already started undoing her clothes, her movements slow but without hesitation.

“What’s wrong?” Merorin noticed her gaze and looked at her with some confusion.

“Hurry up and take off your clothes.”

“Oh… o-okay…” Louise said with a red face, fumbling as she began to undo the buttons.

Seeing Merorin’s obedient 모습, a hint of amusement flashed in Lilith’s eyes as she deliberately teased, “Merorin, you’re really proactive today!”

“That’s not it!” Merorin immediately retorted, her cheeks slightly flushed as she quickly turned her head away, not daring to meet her gaze.

“I just don’t want to be punished…”

“It’s not that I’ve gotten used to this kind of thing!”

Seeing her stubborn denial, Lilith couldn’t help laughing out loud.

Before long, the two of them had completely undressed and stood naked in the bathroom.

Lilith looked at the two girls before her—one with stubbornness and wariness in her eyes, the other so shy she looked ready to curl into a ball—and shook her head with a smile.

“You two really don’t care about cleanliness at all.”

She walked aside to fetch a bucket of water and towels, then beckoned to Louise.

“Louise, come over here.”

“I’ll help rinse the egg residue off your hair and body.”

Louise lowered her head and took small steps to her side.

Lilith gently poured warm water over Louise’s head, then carefully rubbed her hair with her hands, washing away the remaining eggshell fragments and sticky liquid bit by bit.

“How is it?” she asked gently while cleaning.

“Does it hurt?”

“N-no… it doesn’t hurt,” Louise answered timidly, her body still somewhat stiff.

“Alright,” Lilith comforted her softly, her fingertips gently sliding over the back of her neck.

“Don’t be so shy.”

“We’ll be seeing each other often from now on, and you’ll slowly get used to it.”

“Y-yes, Lady Lilith…” Louise responded softly.

But the blush on her face still hadn’t faded, the tips of her ears dyed pink as she remained extremely embarrassed.

Lilith gently patted Louise’s head and said with a smile, “Alright, alright, let me see if there’s anywhere you’re still not clean.”

As she spoke, she pulled Louise closer and carefully checked her arms, shoulders, back, and hair tips with her fingertips.

After confirming that all the egg residue had been completely removed, she nodded in satisfaction.

“Louise, you’re clean now.”

“Next, let me help scrub your body properly, so you’ll feel completely refreshed.”

“Eh?!” Louise was slightly startled, her cheeks instantly turning red again.

Just then, Merorin suddenly stepped forward quickly, pulled Louise behind her, and glared at Lilith, her face showing a fierce expression as she said urgently, “No!”

“I’ll help her!”

“I’ll scrub her!”

Lilith was taken aback by her sudden reaction, then couldn’t help laughing.

“Little Merorin, there’s no need for you to trouble yourself with this kind of thing.”

“Let me do it—I’m more experienced.”

“No need!” Merorin quickly emphasized loudly.

Her voice carried a trace of nervousness she herself didn’t even notice.

“You’ve already been busy all morning, Lilith.”

“I can do it too!”

“Let me help her!”

Seeing her stubborn front, clearly afraid of being refused, the smile in Lilith’s eyes deepened.

She slowly walked closer and said teasingly, “Since Merorin is insisting so much…”

“Then why don’t we let Louise choose for herself, hmm?”

Hearing this, Merorin’s heart suddenly tightened.

She subconsciously bit her lower lip and lowered her head in hesitation.

She wasn’t sure—she really wasn’t sure Louise would choose her.

If she were rejected… wouldn’t this sudden surge of protectiveness become a joke?

Lilith saw through her hesitation at a glance and deliberately leaned closer, laughing softly.

“What’s wrong, little Merorin…”

“Could it be that you’re the type who likes forcing others?”

“No!” Merorin immediately retorted, her voice rising as if defending herself.

“I’m not that kind of person!”

“I just…”

“Just what?” Lilith smiled faintly and gently hooked her finger under Merorin’s chin, forcing her to look straight into her eyes.

Merorin opened her mouth, but no words came out.

She didn’t want to say it out loud—because in Louise, she had for the first time regained something she hadn’t felt in a long while.

A sense of strength, weak yet real, of being able to protect someone else.

These past days, she had always been the one dominated and tormented, a weakling at others’ mercy.

But at this moment, she could finally stand before another person and say, “I’ll protect you.”

But if she said this reason out loud… then what difference was there between her and Morgana?

Wouldn’t she also be seeking comfort and control through the weak?

She clenched her teeth, then finally lowered her head helplessly, her voice low.

“…Alright, let’s do it your way.”

She turned together with Lilith, their gazes falling on the trembling Louise nearby.

Sensing their attention, Louise immediately lowered her head in fright, her fingers tightly gripping her own arm.

Even her breathing became cautious.

Seeing this, Lilith slowly walked up to her, gently patted her shoulder, and said in a soft tone.

“Little Louise, don’t be afraid.”

“Just choose according to what you feel in your heart.”

“There’s no need to be nervous.”

“We’ll be friends from now on, so there’s no need to be so restrained.”

As she spoke, she even bent down and lightly kissed Louise on the cheek.

“Mmm!” Louise shuddered all over, instantly too shy to speak.

Her cheeks were red enough to almost drip blood, even her ears burning hot.

Seeing this scene, an inexplicable emotion surged in Merorin’s chest.

Was it disappointment?

Was it reluctance?

Or… a faint hint of jealousy?

“Little Louise,” Lilith straightened up and asked with a smile.

“Who do you think is better to choose?”

“Me, or Merorin?”

Louise lowered her head, her fingers twisting her wet hair.

After a long while, she finally said in a voice as soft as a mosquito’s buzz.

“I… can I do it myself?”

“Of course you can!” Lilith immediately replied with a smile.

Her eyes were full of gentleness.

“Little Louise, you can do whatever you want.”

Hearing this, Merorin’s heart sank slightly.

An indescribable sense of disappointment quietly arose.