"Have you always been bathing together?!"
Lucia looked at Veirya with astonishment. Baffled, Veirya tilted her head, "Is there a problem with that, Lucilia? Didn't we use to bath together?"
"No, no, no, no, there's a massive problem, okay?! He's a man. You're a girl. Especially… especially…."
Lucia looked at Veirya's voluptuous breasts and gulped her saliva. I didn't quite understand what that reaction was supposed to mean, as in, was she jealous or was she eager to grope them? Veirya looked down at her own breasts. She jiggled them with her hands. "What's the matter? Is there a problem? He is different to me, though. I think that. He's quite similar to you, however. Especially his chest. I'm so envious of you both. You don't have to deal with it. Getting in the way when you wield a sword."
"Hearing you say that makes me feel that you just insulted me. I'm a girl, as well. You're saying that I resemble a man?! You're mean!!"
Lucia, who never felt discontent about her flat chest, but Veirya's straight cross brought her attention to her chest. Lucia angrily looked at me. I was dumbfounded.
'What does it have to do with me? I've always considered you flat-chested, but I've never explicated it! It's not my fault!! Moreover, the one who should be hurt is me, shouldn't it? I'm a man, not to mention the fact that I've bathed with Veirya, yet she didn't notice our differences… Wait, could she feel that the difference is of no significance?! I view her as a goddess, while she views me as a brother?!'
Lucia grabbed Veirya's arms and shouted, "Did he ever do anything to you?!! Did you ever do anything that crossed the line, such as groping your breasts or somewhere else?!"
The scene gave off the vibe of a strange police officer asking an ignorant young girl if she violated the girl.
'Why do I suddenly feel as though I've become a paedophiliac suspect? The heavens can prove that I never violated Veirya. It's always been her who's done all sorts of things to me! She's the one who's always been initiating! I've never even had a chance.'
"No," answered Veirya, shaking her head. Lucia appeared to be relieved. However, Veirya then added, "I told him. To do so. Is there a problem with that?"
"Erm…"
Veirya left Lucia speechless. Lucia turned to look at me again but with a considerably sympathetic gaze. "I did think that Veirya might not have awareness with regards to this sort of stuff, but I've now realised that she's totally ignorant of it. My mistake. I'm now very worried about whether or not Veirya will cross the line with you."
"I didn't! I didn't cross the line!"
I never expected to hear that from Veirya, not to mention the hint of anger in her tone. Lucia immediately raised her hands; she turned and headed to the door. "As a female elf, I won't bath with a human male before I'm married, so you can take your time with your bath. I'm going to bath in the lake outside!"
I gave Lucia a friendly reminder, "It's very cold. If you don't want to bath with me, I can draw some extra hot water for you. That's fine by me."
"I don't want to let a male see my body before marriage, either. We elves are very sensitive about this sort of stuff!"
It wasn't as though I was interested in her washboard. Veirya didn't stop her, either. We watched Lucia leave the building. Veirya didn't comment. I checked the time. Anna and Leah were currently in the kitchen. Leah stood on a wooden barrel. Her naked feet radiated an alluring aura. Her small figure filled one with anticipation. Her small buttocks looked curvaceous thanks to her one-piece suit. She was just a child, but she already had the genetics to make her a beauty. She lived up to her reputation as a succubus.
'She won't be inferior to Veirya when she grows up.'
Veirya silently sat in front of me. She didn't do anything. I didn't plan to invite her to play cards. We weren't in the Witcher, and I couldn't just invite her to a game of Witcher the Card Game. However, I looked at her with a tinge of anticipation. Honestly speaking, I thought that she'd fly off the handle over the operation I planned just as last time, when she just took me away. I never thought that she'd approve without any qualms. That was completely different to her past self.
I broke the silence, "Veirya, do you really approve of it?"
Veirya looked up at me with her lifeless gaze. "Which 'it'?"
"Everything that I said; you refused Lucia when she suggested having me go over to help her, yet you approved this time."
Veirya tilted her head. She reacted as though I was asking the obvious, "Last time, Lucilia mentioned it. She wanted you to go. This time. You asked to go. I think. You. Can't leave me. So. I agreed."
"You approved solely because I mentioned it?"
"If Lucilia wants you to go, you might not be able to return, because she'll steal you. However, if you want to go, you will return. I, too, won't interrupt your work."
Colour me astonished. Veirya's way of deciding things seemed incredibly simple. Her thought process was that if somebody wanted to borrow me, then she'd never agree, whereas if I took the initiative to suggest it, then she won't interrupt my work. She'd give permission and wouldn't get in my way.
'What the heck? Is she too virtuous or what? She doesn't get in her man's way, but won't allow other women to invite her man. She's also very confident. She did say that I wouldn't betray her if I was the one who said I'd go."
"Is that so…?"
"You want betray me, right?" asked Veirya once again, "Leah. Is also here. So, you wouldn't. Betray us. I believe. That you are going out for us. Therefore. I won't interrupt you. Or get in your way. However. I won't lend you. You're mine. My spoil of war. I. Won't let go. You are my spoil of war that Her Majesty gave me. I won't let anyone snatch you for her sake. You're my spoil of war. And my honour."
After Veirya said that, she stood up. "Now. Let's take a bath. Tidy up a room tonight. For Lucilia."
"Oh, right, Veirya, do you need a room? Your body won't hold up if you don't sleep."
"I. Don't need a room. If I'm not downstairs. And danger comes. I can't. Protect you."
Veirya's answer was simple yet decisive. She set her sword on the table then walked away. She undid her shirt buttons.
What she said wasn't a confession. In fact, it somewhat hurt my feelings. Veirya didn't value me, because I was me, but merely because Her Majesty gave me to her.
'What are the feelings I had for her, then? Can she feel the same way about everyone else as she feels about me?'
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