"Move you two! We want to see"

"Forgot it. As a professional maid, I must uphold my Lady's dignity" Victoria replied firmly, positioning herself between the eager crowd and the bath door.

"And you Mia what are you doing?" Pethra turned facing the Maid. She, like many women in the mansion, didn't like this sudden development between Aron and Thyra, fueling their curiosity about the nature of their relationship. Most of them were standing outside the bath eager to peek at the duo.

"I adhere to the same principle. As Mister Aron's maid, I cannot permit you to pass," Mia echoed Victoria's sentiments.

"UGHH! What's wrong with these two?" Pethra exclaimed, turning to the rest of the women.

Victoria and Mia remained steadfast, standing shoulder to shoulder and blocking the entrance to the bath. Despite the attempts of the others to persuade or push past them, they didn't budge an inch.

"Onee-sama," Kasumi approached, gripping her sister's shoulders with a firmness that belied her usual gentle demeanor—the one that Victoria remembers— She fixed Victoria with her unique violet eyes, which seemed darker and more intense than usual.

"K-Kasumi!" Victoria shuddered slightly, sensing the gravity in her sister's gaze. There was something unsettling about the emptiness in Kasumi's eyes, like a void sucking in all light and warmth.

Drawing closer, Kasumi spoke softly into Victoria's ear, barely above a whisper. "Onee-sama, I can see that you're interested to know, just like the rest of us"

Victoria's eyebrow twitched a little, she grabbed her left index and pressed on it a little.

Kasumi flashed a wicked smile upon seeing this. 'You may alter your name and demeanor, but fundamentally, you remain the same, Onee-sama.'

Pressing further, Kasumi added "Imagine. Onee-sama. If my Master and your Lady develop affection for each other. How would that affect you?"

Victoria remained motionless, her countenance cold and unchanged. Yet Kasumi knew that her words were taking an effect on her, evident by the blue hue of Victoria's finger, impeding blood circulation.

"As far as I'm aware, Lady Thyra has never permitted anyone to touch her. including her maids. Yet now she's taking a bath with a man and she allowed him to wash her back?"

Victoria widened her eyes. Feeling the weight of her sister's words sinking in, she hesitated, her mind racing with conflicting thoughts and emotions. She glanced back at the door.

"Don't you want to find the truth?" Kasumi whispered once again. For the others, she was like a demon tempting an innocent girl to commit a sin.

Victoria took a deep breath, attempting to dispel the myriad questions echoing in her mind. Yes, she couldn't deny the curiosity burning within her. Closing her eyes. She slowly reopened them again, facing Mai.

Mai took a step back closer to the door. She instantly saw the same desire in Victoria's eyes as the other women.

"N-No you can't–"

"FREYA! Seize her!" Pethra interjected, cutting her words. She immensely saw the change in Victoria's demeanor. Urging her to act swiftly.

Without hesitation, Freya leaped at Mia, restraining her. "Sorry, Mai. But we have to know" At least she was polite enough to apologize.

Ignoring Mai's protests, Victoria moved past her and approached the bath door, her heart pounding with anticipation.

"Hurry up!"

"Quiet down, Pethra-dono"

"Tsk"

With a steady hand, Victoria reached out and pushed the door open, revealing the scene inside.

Darkness.

"..."

"What!" Pethra exclaimed, extending a hand toward the darkness, finding it unexpectedly solid.

"Pffftt..HAHAHA," Victoria burst into laughter suddenly, perplexing the others.

"What's so funny?" Pethra demanded, her frustration evident in her voice.

Victoria struggled to compose herself, wiping away tears of mirth as she tried to speak. "I'm sorry... It's just…I should have expected this" she managed between fits of giggles.

"Expected what? Do you know what this is?"

Victoria approached, running her hand in the solid darkness. "This is one of my Lady's spells. I guess she didn't want us to peek at her" she explained, her voice tinged with amusement.

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""NOOO I must see"" Pethra and Freya shouted in unison, banging their fists against the solid wall of darkness.

Victoria couldn't help but chuckle at their futile attempts. "I'm afraid you won't be able to break through Lady Thyra's magic," she said, a hint of amusement in her voice.

Pethra scowled, frustration evident on her face. "This is ridiculous! How are we supposed to know what's going on in there?"

Mia stepped forward, freed from Freya's grasp. "Perhaps it's best if we respect their privacy,"

"NOOO!. ARON!"

…

"Oh! I see they are having fun" As Aron chuckled in amusement, listening to the commotion outside the door.

"Hmm?.."

"HEY! Don't move, I'm almost done" Thyra attempted to turn, but Aron swiftly grabbed the top of her head, preventing her from doing so.

"Almost?" Thyra replied with a playful tone in her voice. "Good, I'm dying to jump in the hot water." Closing her eyes as the water fell gently across her skin and the platinum hair.

After requesting 'Kindly' from Aron to wash her back. She was able to finally relax after a very long time. In fact, Thyra couldn't recall the last instance she had let down her guard and trusted someone.

Throughout their time together, Aron never attempted to do anything inappropriate to her—Not that he actually could— nor even glanced at her lustfully.

It was strange in her eyes, not to have a reaction from him when they were bathing fully naked together.

She asked him about it…I mean C'mon; women have to ask. especially regarding their feminine allure.

The response she got from Aron was both interesting and satisfying to her.

"It's not that you lack beauty. Quite the contrary…it's just…I would fail as a warrior, losing the respect you hold for me."

Content with his explanation, Thyra dropped her guard around him. She trusted Aron to honor her boundaries. And knew that he would not risk the relationship that was built on trust. because of a temporary desire.

"Alright…Done" Finishing washing her back Aron announced, setting aside the bucket. "Satisfied, Mentor?" he teased, hoping for a reaction.

"Hmm?...A little you did a good job" Thyra replied casually; by now she had grown accustomed to Aron's teasing. And his attempts to make her blush. Why was he doing that in the first place?...Because It's FUN.

Thyra attempted to stand from the small wooden bench. But feeling a gentle touch on her back compelled her to remain seated.

Aron traced his hand across her back, a look of remorse etched on his face. "I'm sorry," His gaze fixated on a lengthy claw mark on Thyra's back.

Thyra turned, only to see the guilt in his eyes. She followed his gaze to the claw mark on her back, the wound had healed, but a reminder remained. A scar.

"Stop it, I told you a million times you're not responsible for it. I lowered my guard for a second and this was the result," Thyra's voice was firm. She detested being treated as fragile or weak, something that needs protection. It brings back memories she sought to forget.

"But that doesn't change the fact that I'm the one who injured you."

During the training and from the constant beat-up, Aron lost control, letting the fury of his Dragon instincts take over as an act of self-defense.

Taking the Draconic form, surprising Thyra, and for a split second, he was able to slice her back with his claws before she reacted swiftly to restrain him until his mind returned.

The transformation kept happening regularly after each time Thyra pushed Aron to his limits. But unlike the first time, she was prepared.

Sighing, her demeanor softened, "You should take pride. You've left a mark on Thyra's sapphire skin, a feat few could claim, right?"

Noticing her attempt to lighten the mood and change the subject, Aron cracked a smile teasing again.

"Oh! Really? Not a lot…though judging by the number of scars adorning your body, one might think otherwise."

"..." Thyra's eyebrow twitched, hearing his tone. True, her body bore numerous scars, however, most of them she received when she was young and inexperienced; she even wounded herself many times, especially when learning a new weapon.

However, she would never speak about it to anyone, especially Aron, who seemed to try to catch anything that he could use to tease her. A tactic she couldn't reciprocate, as he had no memory of acquiring his scars.

"Shut up and let me jump in the water,"

Thyra's response was met with a chuckle from Aron, who nodded in amusement. "As you wish, Mentor," he said, stepping back to give her space.

Standing up from the wooden bench, she approached the edge of the bath, her movements fluid and graceful. With a sense of anticipation, Thyra prepared to immerse herself in the warmth of the water, eager to wash away the tension of long training.

But just as she was about to step into the bath...

BOOF!

"WHAT!"

SPLASH!

Thyra was caught off guard as a sudden kick sent her tumbling forward, right into the bath with a loud splash. Water sprayed everywhere as she hit the warm surface with a surprised yelp.

"HAHAHA!" erupted into laughter, approaching the bath. "I did it, finally some revenge."

"HOO!" Suddenly, the temperature in the chapter dropped. The hot steam instantly crystallized, turning into pure ice.

"Aaah! Mentor, please calm down. It was just a joke," Aron said, retreating with quick steps, creating some distance from the bath. He was a little scared, especially after seeing Thyra floating out of a frozen bath.

Her sapphire eyes blazed with fury as she fixed Aron with a chilling glare. The water dripped from her hair and clothes, freezing instantly as it touched the ground, creating a small pool of ice at her feet.

"A joke?" Thyra's voice was like shards of ice, sharp and cutting. "You think it's funny to play tricks on me, Boy?"

"Boy?" Aron raised a finger, correcting. "Technically, I'm older than you—" the words died out as he found himself imprisoned in ice.

"Stay there for a few minutes, perhaps you'll learn some—"

FUSHHH!

Thyra never got the chance to finish her words, as the ice around Aron began to melt.

"Seriously, Mentor? You know ice is ineffective against me."

"Tsk, I forgot," clicking her tongue, she waved at Aron, commanding, "Be a good boy and use your flame to warm the bath, and no more jokes this time, OKAY?"

"Alright, no need to shout," Aron complied, approaching the frozen bath. A dark-red flame emanated from his hand, swiftly melting the ice, and restoring the bath to its original warmth.

"The temperature is great. Alright, ladies first—"

BOOF! SPLASH!

This time Aron received a kick from the back causing another splash and eliciting a surprised yelp from him.

Resurfacing, Aron spluttered, wiping water from his face, an amused expression adorning his features. "You said no jokes?"

Thyra grinned mischievously, her sapphire eyes sparkling with mirth. "For you, not for me," she teased, splashing water at him playfully. "That's what you get for trying to prank me,"

Both erupted into laughter, enjoying the warmth of the water.

After some time, with the water reaching their shoulders, Thyra suddenly posed a question with her eyes closed.

"Are you going to do it?"

Glancing at the ceiling with crimson eyes, Aron responded, "Yes. Tonight, a Faction will die."

"Excellent; be ruthless."