Meya coughed before speaking up.

“At any rate, it appears that Seamstress—I mean Lady Cai will have your clothes ready by the time you wake up. Do you still wish to sleep here? Your bed is probably more comfortable you know.”

The boy inspected his surroundings. He never intended to sleep on the couch, but its lush material whisked him to the world of dreams before he realized it.

“Also…”

Meya hesitated.

“Perhaps you should take a bath before sleeping. I don’t mean to boast, but our hotel has the most sensual soaps and aromatic material in the entire city. They’re imported directly from the Kingdom of Anthor!”

Her chest puffed up in confidence. She wasn’t boasting as their trade connections was one of the biggest selling points for the Flower Lotus Hotel. Surely everyone has heard of the legendary Anthor Kingdom?

The boy’s eyes shifted cluelessly. The lost look on his face gave away his lack of experience.

“Hmm. Come this way.”

She grabbed his hand to lead him towards the bath.

“It’ll be better if I just show you once, then you’ll understand how great it is!”

Meya rambled with sparkling eyes about the wonders of cleanliness while the boy nodded mechanically.

The pair entered a sparsely furnished chamber, but despite the lack of objects it was perhaps the most expensive room in the unit.

The walls were made of a lacquered material portraying dark tones with ruby swirls. If one looked closely, they would be able to see a formation of flowers created by the swirls.

Methodically placed mirrors reflected the dim lighting that seeped through the ceiling. Shelves and cupboards were ornately lined along one wall, while the back room displayed multiple facets, each pointing into one large bathing area.

This place is incredible…

The youth’s eyes widened, taking in the sight. The difference between this room and the previous ones was so dramatic—it was like entering a hidden dimension.

The walls gave him an enchanted feeling while the atmosphere eased his senses. It was almost reminiscent of the soothing golden flames he could conjure, but it wasn’t quite the same.

Meya wasted no time and opened a few cupboards.

Neatly stacked towels and robes, an assortment of accessories, and a wide selection of candles were all the types of objects within the cupboards.

Meya sorted out a handful of different candles on the nearby countertop and beckoned the boy closer.

“Do you see the candleholders throughout the room?”

She gestured to the small alcoves embedded within the walls. Sleek black candleholders were placed in each one.

“You can light the candles there, and each one has a different effect or smell. It really depends on what you’re in the mood for. See this one here is jasmine, and that one is sandal wood. Oh this is a favorite of mine a combination…”

She explained each one with glittering eyes.

“Oh and this candle…”

She glanced at the dark crimson candle in her hand.

“Actually, just forget about this candle.”

She placed it further away with a nervous laugh.

Simply put, the crimson candle was a type of aphrodisiac for couples, but its effects were amplified for men rather than women—all a part of a successful business.

To further prevent unintended accidents, employee tokens would radiate a pink color should it detect the aphrodisiac in the air. Despite working in the hotel for so long, Meya was still quite innocent and avoided these types of encounters.

“Anyway, decide on a candle that you’d like to use. Oh! While you do that, I’ll get the water drawn.”

She rushed off to the back of the room, leaving the boy with a pile of candles to sift through.

His sense of smell kicked into overdrive as he dissected the key ingredients of each candle mixture. Eventually he settled on the one that smelled the most pleasant, which was the dark crimson candle.

Most people would easily be affected by this candle’s strong effects. However, due to the boy’s unnaturally high resistance to poisons, he wouldn’t come close to being affected by low level herbs such as these.

Unless of course they were in a much higher concentration.

Instead, he was able to appreciate the unique compilation of scents the candle brought forth while maintaining a clear head. He inhaled the candle’s scent deeply with his eyes closed before confirming his choice.

This candle is quite the work of art. I’ve never smelled anything like this before. I wonder who made it?

He collected the rest of the candles when the flow of water caught his attention. Off in the distance, Meya sat gracefully along the side of the bath like a mother swan at twilight. Her hand tested the water’s temperature.

With his curiosity raised, he hurriedly placed the different candles back into the cupboard and retrieved a few more of the crimson candles. Then he walked over to Meya and watched the water levels rise.

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In all of his life, he had never had a proper bath indoors.

When he was young, he cleaned himself at a public pond before showing up to work, and when he trained in the mountains he used the streams like a feral monkey.

The concept of a heated indoor bath was already foreign to him, but to also enhance the experience with low lighting and scented candles was like opening the door to a new way of life.

Meya briefly looked back and noticed him walking towards her with candles in hand. Just as she was about to turn her attention back to the bath, she realized which candle he was holding.

“Ah! Little X you should pick a different candle. I hear that one doesn’t smell the best…”

She awkwardly suggested. She couldn’t muster the courage to mention that it was a frequently used aphrodisiac.

The boy shook his head.

“This one smells the best…”

He brought one of the candles close to his nose and gently inhaled the scent, shocking Meya greatly.

She knew full well that the candle didn’t need to be lit in order to be effective. Witnessing him directly inhale the candle was enough to send her worried heart into a panic.

Meya gazed upon the boy’s calm face, fully perplexed.

Why does he not seem affected?

She heard stories of what this candle could do.

Men would lose all sense of rationality, single mindedly pursuing one thing. Once affected by the candle, they would have to exhaust all of their stamina properly before being able to clear their mind.

Women were also affected by the candle’s effects, but the results were much more subdued. While they wouldn’t lose their rationality, they would become extremely sensitive and bothered. It could be said that they would be in a vulnerable state, but not so vulnerable to be taken advantage of.

Of course, these two different effects were by design.

The hotel only employed female workers, while the majority of its customers happened to be male. If a man overstayed in a room due to his lack of experience in handling the candle, the hotel would happily charge him extra fees for taking the room an additional night.

Meya thought about it some more. Even after a short while, the boy still didn’t seem to be fazed, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t be affected later on. She let out a helpless sigh. Sometimes the greatest teacher was simple experience.

After thinking it through, there was nothing to lose by letting him choose the crimson candle.

“Okay, go ahead and light the candles if you know fire manipulation, otherwise I’ll light them later.”

Meya casually instructed before turning her attention back to the water. She acted nonchalant about the candles, wishing not to make a mountain out of a molehill.

It didn’t take long for the boy to have each candle placed and lit, but there was an odd detail.

Instead of basic plumes of yellow fire, each wick shimmered with a smooth white-gold curtain around it. These were the purifying flames that could heal the soul and mend ancient wounds!

The white-gold flames burned away the candles, which promptly released their supposed lust inducing toxins. It was this moment that Meya miscalculated.

As the candles released their aromatic fragrances, the flames burned and purified the toxicity in the gas, allowing the effects of the candles to rise to a whole new level. The elevated aroma spread throughout the room, causing a light pink mist to appear.

Just as the mist materialized, the bath was ready.

Meya paid no attention to the mist as she already expected it to appear. However, the boy was fascinated by it. He waved his hands through the mist, creating little whirls and tornados.

The woman eyed the boy out of the corner of her eye, just to ensure that he was doing fine. To her surprise, the boy was practically frolicking about in the mist! She wasn’t sure if this behavior was normal since she had never bore witness to a male under its influence. Despite this, she had most assuredly heard wild stories of stormy nights from her coworkers.

“Little X, the bath is ready.”

She stood up and stepped to the side.

“Thank you!”

The boy’s face bubbled with excitement. Everything was a new experience, a wonderful culmination of senses that he couldn’t forget.

“Of course. Oh, before I depart, perhaps I should help you pick out some soap?”

She said this just as the boy’s shirt went flying to the floor, causing her to avert her eyes.

“…Soap?”

His poverty status went on full display. The concept of soap never even occurred to him.

“Yes, yes, come take a look.”

She walked over and opened a cupboard, displaying stacks upon stacks of different soaps. The boy stared at the collection in shock. Some were in liquid form, contained in a jar, while others were a solid bar.

He walked over and promptly picked one of the bars.

“What… what do I do with it?”

Before she could answer, a certain feeling coursed through her body, throwing her into a state of confusion.

The mist? Why is it so effective?

Her eyes widened in alarm, and her heart thumped anxiously.

“Have you never taken a bath?”

“I have… in the pond.”

He scratched his head in embarrassment once he realized the quality difference between their lifestyles. Seeing the boy’s look of shame caused something inside Meya to twinge in sorrow. However, this wasn’t the time to dwell on his past.

All employees were trained to withstand the pink mist for a prolonged period of time. During that time they would have full autonomy of their actions, and it was their responsibility to excuse themselves from the room, unless they were intending to stay with the guest.

However, Meya’s time was running out much quicker than she had anticipated. She could sense it—the purified mist was beginning to affect her in the same way that it affected men.

“It’s simple, merely wet the bar of soap in the water and scrub your whole body clean with it. Don’t’ miss any spots! Then you can appreciate smooth and clear skin, while also appreciating the unique fragrances of the soap.”

She gestured toward the bath before taking a step back.

“Now if you’ll excuse me, young man. Enjoy your bath!”

With her final statement, Meya raced out of the washroom in a hurry. Her heart was like a rollercoaster of emotions as she sought fresh air to help clear her mind.

The boy watched her run away with a bizarre expression. With a simple shrug, he whisked away the rest of his clothes to the floor and hopped in the bath.

“Ahh…”

An unintentional sigh of contentment was released the next moment.

“The water is really nice…”

This was his first time ever taking a heated bath, but now it was a luxury he couldn’t live without. His hands motioned through the water, occasionally cupping it into his palm and letting it filter through his fingers.

“And then there’s this soap.”

He splashed the bar of soap in the water, resulting in immediate suds and bubbles. The next moment he smiled as he popped the bubbles one by one with his finger.

“Hum-hum, scrubby, scrub.”

The boy glided the bar across his skin as he inspected himself. A unique scent wafted through the air and he nodded in satisfaction.

“This is perfect, yes. What an amazing concept, a relaxing hot bath! This must be my new favorite pastime.”

He continued to hum a small tune as he settled into the water and closed his eyes. With everything combined, it was almost sensory overload for the boy who was already quite tired. If he wasn’t chest deep in water then he would have immediately fell asleep.

After some time, the boy shook himself awake. He was much too tired and relaxed to remain in the bath. Hopping out, he quickly realized that he had no idea how to drain the water.

“Ah… well, Meya will deal with tomorrow I guess.”

He shrugged and pilfered through one of the cabinets, securing himself a plush robe. Standing by the doorway, he waved his hand through the air, causing the flickering candles to all extinguish simultaneously.

“Now for some good sleep.”

It didn’t take long to find the master bedroom. Within it, there was a bed so large that it could easily fit twenty people on it.

Who could possible need a bed this massive?

He jumped onto the bed and gazed at the ceiling as his body sunk deeper into the sheets. He mentally reviewed everything that happened over the night and early morning with a dumb smile. Eventually, his eyes slammed shut and he finally enjoyed his much-deserved rest.

Meanwhile, in the spare room, Meya flopped onto the bed as a wave of exhaustion hit her.

“Thank goodness I got out in time. I’m never going near those candles again.”

Her eyelids threatened to close on her, and she didn’t resist whatsoever. Instinctively reaching out, she curled her arms and legs around the giant stuff animal, soon losing herself to the land of dreams.