Kaiden couldn’t help but grimace at the familiar sight that greeted him on the other side of the portal and sighed as his stomach growled.

“What? Aren’t you happy to take a rest?” Zinnia asked, raising an eyebrow at his expression.

They were back in a tavern—another recess floor. The setup was the same as before: a bar lined with stools, scattered tables and chairs, and a staircase leading to private rooms.

“I was just hoping for another farm area,” Kaiden admitted. “A hot meal would’ve been nice.” He wasn’t about to reveal the real reason for his disappointment. The hot meal was nice, but he could do without it, but it was a nice cover.

Zinnia chuckled, her lips curling into a teasing smile. “Don’t worry, I’ve got some more rations for you. Wanna join me in the bath first?” She winked, her tone light and playful.

Kaiden felt heat rush to his face at the invitation. He tried to remain composed, knowing full well she was teasing him. As a man, he couldn’t help but notice how attractive Zinnia was, but he also understood her game. She wasn’t serious—this was just her way of having fun at his expense.

Zinnia was a big deal outside the dungeon, someone likely used to getting what she wanted. To her, Kaiden was probably little more than a toy, someone to poke at for entertainment. And he knew he lacked the confidence and clout to be anything more.

But that was just right now. He was still rebuilding himself, still finding his footing after years of avoiding relationships back on Earth. His last girlfriend had been back in high school, a painful memory he tried not to dwell on. Since then, he had kept himself closed off, unwilling to risk the vulnerability that came with putting himself out there as his condition progressed. This was for all relationships, family, friends, and lovers.

Still, Kaiden didn’t want to retreat into his shell again. He wanted to grow—not just as a fighter, but in all aspects of life. He’d made progress at Camp Thorne, even sharing meaningful conversations with Liana Drever. Female companionship was something he craved, something he wanted. But for that, he needed confidence, and Zinnia was leagues above him—for now. But this was an opportunity and he hated being looked down on.

With as much courage as he could muster, he forced himself to respond casually. “Yes, a bath sounds perfect right about now.”

Zinnia blinked, clearly surprised, though the flicker of emotion was so brief Kaiden almost missed it. She quickly recovered, a grin spreading across her face.

“Let’s go,” she said, her voice smooth as ever.

Ashkar was already striding toward the baths as Kaiden and Zinnia followed. “Six hours,” the swordsman called out over his shoulder as he pushed open the door.

Boork, as usual, detached himself from the group. He wordlessly sat at the bar, produced some rations from his inventory, and began to eat in silence, clearly uninterested in whatever antics the rest of the group might get into.

When Kaiden stepped into the changing area, he saw Ashkar already undressing, methodically placing his clothes into one of the cleaning baskets. Without a word, Kaiden walked to an empty basket of his own, his motions stiff and mechanical. He began removing his armor piece by piece, his heart hammering in his chest.

“Shall I help you with that?” Zinnia’s teasing voice broke his focus.

Kaiden turned to look, only to freeze. She was already down to her undergarments, standing there like it was the most natural thing in the world. Holy shit, he screamed internally. How’d she do that so fast? And damn, she’s gorgeous.

He almost stuttered out his reply before managing to blurt, “No, it’s okay. I’m fine.” His voice cracked slightly, and he cursed himself as his face burned a deep shade of red.

Zinnia chuckled, clearly enjoying his reaction. “Fiiine,” she said, dragging out the word in mock disappointment.

Ashkar didn’t so much as glance at the exchange. He simply picked up a towel and walked out of the changing area toward the showers, his stoic demeanor intact.

Kaiden continued undressing, but his hands slowed as he reached his undergarments. He could hear Zinnia behind him, humming softly and occasionally making amused little noises as if savoring his discomfort. He kept his eyes firmly on the wall in front of him, determined not to turn around.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

I can do this, he told himself. She’s just a girl.

Summoning his courage, Kaiden quickly slipped out of his undergarments and wrapped a towel around his waist in one swift motion.

“Oooh,” Zinnia said, the sound playful and exaggerated.

Kaiden finally turned to face her, his face still burning. She stood there grinning, a towel wrapped around her body. Her expression was pure mischief.

“Let’s clean up. And I can help you wash if you want,” she teased with a wink.

“I can handle myself, thank you very much,” Kaiden replied, his tone almost robotic in its stiffness.

Without waiting for her response, he turned on his heel and headed for the door, determined not to look back. No matter how much he wanted to drink in her appearance, he kept his eyes forward and focused.

Kaiden took a seat on the stool next to Ashkar, trying to act casual as he settled in. A soft tsk from Zinnia drew his attention, leaving her to take one of the remaining two stools across from them, so their backs were to each other.

This is still progress, Kaiden thought. He didn’t think his nerves could handle the idea of washing himself next to Zinnia right now, but this was enough of a step forward for the moment. Slowly, he relaxed and turned on the faucet in front of him.

The water rained down, warm and steady, as he began scrubbing away the grime and filth from the long day. Each station was equipped with soap and shampoo, which he used liberally, enjoying the cleansing sensation as he worked the lather through his hair and over his body.

Ashkar finished first and without a word, he left the shower area and lowered himself into the warm bath. The swordsman leaned back, his eyes closed as he submerged up to his neck, exuding a calm murmur

Kaiden was next. He stepped into the bath, letting the hot water envelop him. The heat was soothing, seeping into his muscles and washing away the tension he’d been carrying. He waded to the far side and leaned his back against the wall, letting out a deep sigh of relief.

Then he made the mistake of looking up.

His eyes widened, nearly popping out of his head as he realized the angle gave him a clear view of the entire shower area. More specifically, it gave him a view of Zinnia.

She sat there on the stool, water cascading over her as she lathered up her chestnut hair, her movements unhurried. When she caught him looking, she flashed him a sly grin, her expression equal parts teasing and confident.

Kaiden’s face turned beet red, and he quickly shifted to the opposite wall, doing everything in his power to block the view.

He heard Zinnia giggle, the sound light and musical. Ashkar, unsurprisingly, didn’t react, his expression as neutral and unaffected.

Kaiden sank a little deeper into the water, trying to will his embarrassment away. Why does she enjoy doing this to me? he wondered, half-exasperated, half-delighted.

A few minutes later, Zinnia finally joined the other two in the bath. To Kaiden’s immense relief, she was wearing her towel as she slipped into the warm water. Thankfully, it seemed she was more interested in relaxing than in teasing him further for the time being. She found a spot against the wall, submerged herself up to her neck, and closed her eyes with a contented sigh.

The rest of the time passed without incident, which Kaiden counted as a small victory. He decided not to push his luck and was the first to leave. After drying off and dressing quickly, he headed to the tavern area, hoping to avoid any more awkward moments.

When Zinnia left the bath a little later, she handed Kaiden a travel ration. He devoured it in seconds, tearing into it like he was back in basic training. Meanwhile, Zinnia made her way to the kitchen. Kaiden assumed she was preparing something much fancier—likely some high-class ingredients she had in her inventory or perhaps a pre-made meal that only needed reheating.

Back when he had cooked the bacon, Kaiden was surprised to discover that the kitchen was stocked with a variety of complementary ingredients: spices, bread, grains, vegetables, and other essentials to round out a meal. It made sense—after all, who didn’t enjoy the extras? This also meant that, in a pinch, he could subsist on whatever was available in the kitchen.

Travel rations were convenient, especially because they included meat, but if Zinnia ever ran out, at least he could fall back on bread and vegetables. Not ideal, but certainly better than nothing.

And as tempting as it was to see what Zinnia might be cooking, Kaiden didn’t linger. Just in case, he activated Arcane Vision and looked around. He saw two reapers hovering on opposite ends of the tavern.

“Guess, that’s to be expected,” Kaiden mumbled under his breath at the disappointment of not seeing them grouped. That means no loot. He was slightly relieved because that most likely meant he hadn’t missed out on any other loot from previous recess areas. Of course, it’d be a lot easier if he could always keep Arcane Vision active, but it was a constant draw on his mana and he could only keep it up for minutes at a time before he was tapped out.

He then discreetly poked his head into the kitchen and the bath again. One in the kitchen and one in the bath. He walked back to his seat and sighed in defeat. As soon as he finished his meal, he headed straight to bed, collapsing onto the mattress and falling asleep almost instantly. No reapers guarded anything else.

When he woke, it was time to tackle the next floor. He got dressed and headed downstairs to see everyone else already dressed and ready to go.

“Looks like we didn’t have to wake you this time after all,” Zinnia said with a teasing smile.

“I’m ready,” Kaiden replied, pointedly ignoring her jab.

Ashkar gave a curt nod, and without further delay, the party stepped through the portal.