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.Chapter 7.
“Eeeeeek!”
Along with a desperate scream in the darkness, the bathwater rippled violently.
Luna thought she had managed to break free from him with a burst of strength, but she was immediately pulled back by a heavy arm wrapping around her waist.
A chill ran through every joint in her spine. Holding back her ragged breathing, she curled herself up and hurriedly grabbed the thick bath towel to cover herself.
With a pale face, Luna tried to pry away the arm wrapped around her waist. However, all she could feel were the raised veins on the client’s forearm, and the water made it keep slipping from her grasp.
“Are you crazy? Why have you been doing this since earlier? The lights are out now, so you can just cover yourself and leave on your own. You told me to leave however I wanted!”
Luna shouted and struggled desperately to get away from him. Her body had already been drained of energy earlier, leaving only her breathing growing harsher.
She was frightened and angry enough that tears gathered in her eyes. Her grandfather came to mind, and her breathing grew painfully tight.
“Did I not ask you to be careful? Right now, you could hurt yourself while walking, so stay still.”
His deep voice echoed calmly, as if he were indifferent.
Then, the strong arm that had felt like a snare loosened slightly, and she felt his hands supporting her back and the underside of her thighs.
Splash—
The sound of water droplets scattered in every direction.
Luna’s eyes widened, and she was left speechless by the sudden change. The client had lifted her up without warning, causing her heart to pound wildly.
So… the reason he pulled her back was because he didn’t want her to fall while walking alone?
Should she consider this fortunate? At least, it wasn’t the worst-case scenario.
Realizing his intentions to some extent, Luna’s anxiety eased a little. But that didn’t mean she felt reassured.
Even if it was dark and confusing, how could she trust herself to him like this?
She hadn’t even managed to wrap herself properly with the towel yet!
Luna’s head snapped around violently. She pressed against his shoulder and pushed at his chest, forcing strength into her trembling arms. Like a fish flopping on land, her arms and legs refused to stay still.
“It’s fine! Thank you for being considerate, but I’ll go by myself. I can manage! So please just put me down!”
“……”
The man didn’t move at all.
The more she struggled, the stronger his grip became, as if he had no intention of letting her go.
He turned toward the edge of the bathtub and spoke in a chilling tone.
“Did I not tell you to stop moving, mage? If I hadn’t realized you were injured, I would have snapped your neck already. Behave quietly before you get hurt.”
“Snapped… my neck?”
For a moment, Luna felt the unmistakable killing intent in his voice.
Thinking she might have heard wrong, she froze and lifted her head. Even though she couldn’t see him, it felt as if the man before her could bite her neck at any moment.
Someone who traded with the captain of the Raven Unit was bound to be dangerous, no matter what his true identity was.
Her instincts screamed that she must not provoke him any further.
“I cannot tell whether you are some shameless fox trying to seduce me or a rabbit blinded by pain and unable to think properly.”
Watching Luna finally become quiet, Khalid murmured in a low voice.
I’m neither of those. It was really just an accident.
What do you even take me for?
His sharp remark struck deep, making her brows furrow.
She wanted to argue back, but her soft lips had long since fallen silent.
Heat spread across Luna’s cheeks. In truth, it wasn’t his arrogant words that bothered her most—it was the sensation of their bodies touching.
Without reason, she pulled the towel tighter around her chest.
Khalid moved skillfully through the pitch-black darkness, relying on his memories. He passed the stone pillars in the middle of the room and the puddles of water scattered across the floor with ease, as if he were walking through the brightly lit bathroom.
Since he had used this space every day while staying at the temporary residence, it wasn’t difficult.
Throughout the entire journey, Luna had to struggle to cool down her burning face.
Every time he walked, her arms, sides, and thighs rubbed countless times against the wet skin of the man carrying her.
The unfamiliar sensation was so strange and embarrassing that she thought she might lose her mind.
This is exactly why I said I didn’t want this!
Embarrassment spread throughout her body, burning even down to her tiny capillaries. She felt as if she had forgotten how to breathe.
The distance he carried her was not long, but during that short moment, it felt as if all four seasons had bloomed and withered away.
Finally, when both of her feet touched the marble floor, she inhaled the breath she had been holding.
“Haah……”
It sounded almost like she was about to cry.
Khalid silently stared at Luna, then stopped and reached around for something.
Perhaps it was a cabinet. Soon, he took out a soft towel and placed it on her head.
Even in the pitch-black darkness, he moved without hesitation and took care of her.
“……?”
“Dry yourself.”
With that brief command, he took out another towel and roughly wiped away the water on himself.
Luna absentmindedly held the soft new towel and tilted her ears.
She heard the sound of him taking something from the clothes hanger, followed by the rustling noise of him searching for something else.
Thinking she might have overreacted, Luna wiped herself while feeling strangely conflicted.
When she thought about it carefully, the client was cold and difficult to deal with, but he had been surprisingly straightforward and considerate.
“Are you planning to leave after drying yourself like that?”
“Huh?”
As if proving her thoughts correct, another towel was soon placed over her hair.
Then a large hand began gently rubbing her wet hair dry with the towel.
Luna opened her lips in disbelief.
But Khalid paid no attention and approached her again with his usual emotionless voice.
“I will put a robe on you, so do not be surprised. I am only helping you.”
“Ah. Yes! Th-thank you.”
The moment she finished speaking, a soft, thick men’s bathrobe landed over Luna’s shoulders.
He even held the robe open by both shoulders, waiting so she could put it on easily.
Luna swallowed, wondering if this was really happening, then quickly turned her head away.
She hurriedly slipped her arms one by one into the oversized robe.
The soft, velvet-like fabric brushed against her shoulders and chest. She wrapped it around herself as tightly as possible and tied the belt around her waist.
The robe carried a pleasant scent like a fresh forest at dawn.
More than anything, she was relieved that she was no longer naked.
At that moment, a calm hand reached toward her again.
The client lifted her up without permission once more.
Unlike before, Luna did not panic as much.
For some reason, she didn’t think he intended to harm her.
Without a word, he left the bathroom and snapped his fingers.
The surroundings brightened again, and he began walking toward the bedroom.
In the restored light, Luna stared at the man’s face. He seemed to have dried himself even less than she had.
Did he notice that I could barely stand?
Or is he just continuing to be kind until the very end?
Whatever the reason, seeing that his cheeks were still slightly flushed made Luna feel a little guilty.
He seems gentle… but he’s also a strange person.
As Luna decided what kind of person he truly was according to her own feelings, she soon felt the soft touch of the bed sheets beneath her.
The pouring rain at dawn, matching-colored bathrobes, a man and woman who had just bathed, and a lamp carelessly illuminating the entire room…
If not for the obvious circumstances, it was the kind of scene that could easily lead to a misunderstanding.
Knock knock.
“Miss, I brought you something to eat!”
Suddenly, the young servant girl’s voice came from the bedroom door.
Recognizing the voice, Luna’s large eyes widened.
Because of that, one of Khalid’s eyebrows lifted slightly.
Khalid left Luna behind and immediately opened the door.
The servant girl was holding a tray with both hands and smiling brightly, but she tilted her head in confusion.
The person wearing a bathrobe was the same, but it wasn’t the young lady who appeared—it was her master.
“Uh…… Master, hello.”
“Give it here. I’ll take it.”
Khalid took the tray directly, making the servant girl flustered.
“Should I bring more right away? Is the young lady inside? I was the one who guided her to the bathroom.”
At her words, Khalid’s eyes sharpened.
He had wondered who had casually put that woman inside, and he had immediately found the culprit.
As he roughly understood what had happened, the crease between his brows slowly relaxed.
“No need for more food. Go and rest.”
There was no reason to tell the servant that the mage was here.
The servant girl was about to bow and finish her greeting.
“Ah-choo!”
A sneeze clearly made by a woman echoed from inside the room.
Khalid and the servant girl’s expressions changed in completely opposite ways.
“……”
“You were with the young lady! I have to tell the aide! Ah! No, never mind, I’ll be going now!”
The servant girl’s cheeks turned red as if she had witnessed something touching.
Worried that her master might give her any further instructions, she hurriedly ran away.
Khalid watched her retreating figure in silence, then frowned again.
With a complicated expression, he looked down at the tray holding warm soup and freshly baked bread.
(Part 2 continues.)
