Seraphina gave a muffled reply in her arms, but deep down she had to admit that being held like this—fully immersed in warm water with Movira’s embrace strong and steady—truly let her exhausted body relax completely and chased away the lingering chill.
The only sounds left in the air were the gentle lapping of water and their intertwined breathing.
After a long while, Seraphina spoke in a low voice. “Next time, don’t suddenly hug me like that.”
“Alright.” Movira agreed to her request, though the sly glint that flashed through her eyes made it unclear whether she would actually keep her word.
“However, if you come over and sit with me on your own, I won’t have to do it that way.”
“You! As if I would! You wish!”
The words made Seraphina feel even more embarrassed. She couldn’t help elbowing backward.
Movira’s chin had been resting on Seraphina’s bare, smooth shoulder for so long that the skin there started to feel hot and numb. Seraphina shifted slightly, her voice turning soft and sweet.
“Sister… could you move your head? My shoulder feels a little sore…”
Movira immediately lifted her head and loosened the arms around her a bit. “Okay.”
Losing that weighted support actually left Seraphina feeling a little empty, as if something was missing from her sense of security.
She hesitated, palms rubbing together under the water, before finally making up her mind. Slowly and carefully, she leaned backward until her entire back was pressed flush against Movira’s chest.
The soft, elastic sensation became instantly clear. Even though it plunged her back into a wave of shame, this time she didn’t pull away. It felt like she had found a comfortable harbor. She let out a breath to steady herself, then closed her eyes.
In this embrace that made her feel safe—even if it still carried a trace of embarrassment—her consciousness gradually blurred.
When she woke again, it seemed quite late. Seraphina had no idea how long she had dozed off, but Movira appeared to have held the same position without moving once.
“Awake?” Movira’s voice came from above her head. “It’s getting late. We should head back.”
“Mm.” Seraphina rubbed her eyes. As her senses returned, she immediately became aware of how closely their bodies were pressed together with no gap at all. The shyness that had just faded came rushing back.
After she spoke, Movira released the arms around her first, then stood up directly from the water!
Splash—
The sound of water and spray made Seraphina instinctively look up. Her eyes widened in shock.
A mature, perfect body glistening with water droplets was revealed before her without the slightest reservation. No matter how thick the steam in the air, it couldn’t hide those breathtaking curves and flawless skin.
“Ah!” She cried out and quickly turned away, covering her eyes with both hands. “W-What are you doing!”
Compared to her panic, Movira remained exceptionally calm. She casually picked up a towel and slowly dried herself while speaking unhurriedly, her gaze fixed on the little ostrich in the pool who looked like she wanted to bury herself underwater.
“Or… do you actually want to look but are too embarrassed to say so? It’s fine. Just say the word and I…”
“Who wants to look!” Seraphina’s voice came from the water, full of ashamed protest. “D-Don’t talk nonsense! And turn around! I’m getting dressed!”
To be honest, Movira found it a little hard to understand. They had seen each other more than once already. In fact, she probably knew Seraphina’s body better than Seraphina herself did.
“Fine, fine. I won’t look. I’m turning around. There’s plenty of time in the future anyway.”
Movira wrapped the towel around herself neatly and turned away, showing no sign of peeking.
After what felt like a long time, the clearly flustered sounds of dressing finally stopped.
Seraphina was truly embarrassed. She found her familiar spot in the embrace, murmured “Good night, Sister,” and fell into a deep sleep.
The next day was the weekend. When Seraphina woke, sunlight had already filled more than half the room.
After she and Movira finished breakfast, a knock came at the door.
Movira got up to open it. Saint Eustacia’s figure appeared in the doorway.
“Movira.” She gave a slight nod in greeting, then turned her gaze to Seraphina inside the room and nodded to her as well.
“Saint Eustacia? Is something the matter?” Seraphina asked, a little puzzled.
Saint Eustacia’s eyes returned to Movira. “About the border trade agreement between the Demon Realm and the human nations that we mentioned over a month ago… it’s time. I’ve already coordinated everything with the relevant kingdoms on my side.”
“Ah… alright.” In truth, Seraphina was a little worried about Movira’s political acumen. From everything she had seen before, the other woman didn’t seem particularly skilled in this area.
Saint Eustacia shook her head. “No need. It’s fine for just Movira and me to discuss it.”
A few minutes after the two of them left, another knock sounded at the door.
Before Seraphina could even stand up to answer or reply, Dekalorin pushed the door open with a grin and poked her head inside.
Dekalorin gave a satisfied little nod to herself, but that was clearly not the main point of her visit.
She quickly moved closer to Seraphina. The smile on her face was completely unmasked and full of gossip. “So… last night? Did anything… *ahem~* interesting happen?”