‘With the light coming in, it’s a bit… embarrassing.’

In the end, instead of entering n*ked, she put on the thin robe. Radilt slowly entered the tub, starting with her feet.

“Ah…… this feels good.”

The lukewarm water gently enveloping her body seemed to melt away the midday heat. She also played by slowly cutting through the spacious tub and letting water flow between her fingers with a splashing sound.

She even fully immersed her body up to just below her chin. The extremely thin robe fluttered underwater like fins.

After washing off the sweat, she sat on the edge of the tub with only her feet in the water. She had to leave soon for the lunch appointment, but she felt regretful.

‘I’ll be able to use it again.’

There was still nearly two months of time left.

As Radilt was consoling herself by splashing water, her arm…

“……?!”

A large hand grabbed it. The scream that was about to reflexively escape was also roughly blocked. Her green eyes widened with shock and fear.

‘Who, please…!’

Help me!

Radilt’s desperate cry circled in her mouth. Goosebumps rose all over her body. An intruder in the bathroom! It was so terrible that she even had thoughts denying reality, wondering if this was a dream, if she had fallen asleep briefly on that long chair.

As she tried to twist her body with all her might, again…

“Lady Brill.”

The man who held her immobile whispered quietly from behind her.

“……!”

Lord Duston?

Radilt’s struggling stopped. But her expression remained pale. Why on earth was Pendlore. Why on earth was he in the bathroom restraining her.

“You must absolutely not make a loud noise.”

“Mmph……!”

“A maid is always listening in case of accidents during bathing. She probably won’t hear normal conversation, but if you scream, she’ll rush in immediately.”

“……Mmm!”

As Radilt shook her head, indicating how could she not scream in such a situation, Pendlore whispered again.

“Remember that you and I are known to have shared bodily heat.”

Ah…….

Radilt’s eyes blinked slowly.

That was right. She and Pendlore were in a relationship where they had gone under the covers together to warm the sheets. Despite having seen everything, if she screamed just because he entered the bathroom, she would certainly be suspected.

Noticing her understanding expression, Pendlore quietly released his hand and stepped back. Radilt was about to snap at him, albeit quietly, when she belatedly remembered her state.

“……!”

The translucent robe, soaked and clinging to her skin. Beneath that thin fabric, little different from being n*ked, her figure, white flesh, and even the golden color of her intimate parts were faintly revealed. Radilt let out a silent scream and jumped into the water with a splash.

“Why did you come into the bathroom in the first place……?”

Radilt protested with a face that was not only flushed red but looked like it might burst at any moment. Pendlore raised the corner of his lips at her small voice full of indignation.

“The butler and maids naturally guided me here. They suggested that my lover was bathing during the height of our passion, and I couldn’t refuse with a straight face, could I?”

“……No matter how much we’re lovers, entering like this without any warning is, I think it’s rude.”

“I did give warning. But you were too busy splashing water.”

Radilt’s cheeks, which had cooled a bit, reddened again. It seemed she hadn’t even heard the door opening and closing because of the splashing water sounds.

“……I’m going to dry off and get dressed, so please turn around.”

Pendlore did not retreat at her prickly, coy voice. Instead, he leaned his upper body toward the tub and lightly stirred the water with his hand. As a result, it was Radilt who turned away in surprise.

“Lord Duston!”

“It also doesn’t make sense that nothing happened after seeing the wet nakedness of the woman I love.”

Water droplets splashed onto the back of Radilt’s neck. She briefly shuddered at the water that had cooled in the air.

“Our relationship is already suspiciously bland, so anything more would be dangerous.”

“……Pardon?”

“You have been coming and going to my mansion for a month now, but we haven’t spent the night together except during your monthly period.”

“Then, couldn’t we just sleep in the same room like that time?”

“Traces must remain, so we should take turns m*sturbating in bed.”

Radilt could only open and close her mouth, unable to say anything at such expl*cit words. But Pendlore was right. If they truly mixed bodies, there would certainly be traces. Since employees cleaned the blankets and sheets, something definite had to be left behind.

“It’s difficult to completely trust employees except for a few close ones. The possibility that doubts about our relationship won’t spread outside is very low.”

House Duston had many employees, making thorough secrecy even more difficult. Pendlore continued with a mischievous look in his eyes as Radilt glanced at him occasionally.

“Fortunately, there was that one time in the carriage.”

“……What one time in the carriage?”

“Asking for water to wash with, the shaking carriage, followed by a surprised scream and suppressed moans. The disheveled dress.”

“……!!”

Radilt was shocked. Her cheeks, ears, and nape had no chance to regain their color.

“But, at that time, I was just treating your foot…!”

“The coachman and servant right nearby would have misunderstood sufficiently. The way you were groaning……”

“Lord Duston!”

Radilt couldn’t hold back anymore and let out a loud shout. Immediately after, she became flustered by her own voice echoing in the bathroom and covered her mouth.

“That just now, was it heard……?”

“It’s fine. If it had been when I just entered, perhaps not, but now they’ll just think we’re engaging in some naughty play.”

Or perhaps whispering obscenities.

Radilt nibbled on her lips with an expression that showed this was hard to accept. Pendlore silently laughed at her thoroughly annoyed face.

“So, Lady Brill, the bathroom is quite a good opportunity. They’ll think any traces were washed away by the water.”

“……That’s true.”

There was nothing at all wrong with his words—just as it always was with that man. And that only made it all the more infuriating.

It was because of that irritation rising all the way to her throat.

“You show such an innocent reaction, Lady Brill.”

At the man’s words…

“The word ‘innocent’ suits you better, Lord Duston.”

She snapped back impulsively.

After blurting that out, she immediately regretted it. Wondering what nonsense she had just spoken, a thoroughly flustered Radilt tried to explain.

“I, I mean…… you really haven’t done anything worth taking responsibility for. I, after all, have been married……”

The more she spoke, the more tangled her words became. Wasn’t she now boasting about having experience in front of this man?

“Well, that’s true.”

A voice tinged with laughter reached Radilt’s ears as she was frantically trying to recover from her nonsense. The core of that laughter was frozen cold.

“Lady Brill.”

Splash.

A water sound that wasn’t Radilt’s rose up.

“You shouldn’t be someone who would be embarrassed by such things.”

Radilt’s lowered head snapped up. An unpleasant laugh flowed right behind her back. Pendlore grabbed Radilt’s arm as she instinctively sensed danger and tried to escape.

“Wait, wait! That’s not what I meant……!”

“As I’ve said several times, I still have no intention of touching your deepest parts.”

Pendlore’s hands wrapped around her slender waist. Through the thin fabric that barely functioned as clothing, he could feel the hotly pulsing skin.

“But hearing your words.”

“……!”

Radilt twisted her body. Her efforts to avoid him were in vain, and her wet nape burned hot.

“This much should be nothing to you.”

His voice seemed to travel straight through her skin. Heat surged through her body, freezing her for an instant before she thrashed wildly in the water. Yet every struggle was easily subdued, while fierce bites again and again left vivid red marks.

On her smooth nape, following the curved hollow line, pushing aside the wet robe downward, downward.

Even the single layer that could hardly be called clothing was pushed away by the rough waves. A breath like a scream scattered white. The hand that had been caressing her waist had somehow crawled up and strongly gripped her bare, round br*asts.

“……!”

The wet flesh was pressed, and the red n*pples that had somehow become er*ect were rubbed between thick fingers. Radilt barely managed to put strength into her two legs that were about to collapse. Her waist felt chilled, and she felt as if her stomach was ringing.

The man’s hands, his hot breath, so close like this…….

Dizzy, on the verge of collapse, she could barely hold back a scream. After the futile fluttering of wings between bone and bone, Pendlore let go with both hands.

“Ah……!”

Radilt staggered greatly and fled, almost crawling, to the edge of the bathtub. Even though she wanted to kick the ground with all her might and run far, far away, she couldn’t escape beyond a few steps, just to the corner of the bath.

Clinging to that edge, she panted and curled up. Her slender n*ked body was thoroughly turned away. Pendlore’s lips unconsciously curled up in satisfaction at the red marks faintly visible beneath the clear water.

“My, Lady Brill.”

Pendlore spoke as if regretful.

“I thought that merely my lips touching your fair skin would not even tickle you.”

“……”