Chapter 16 - Warmth and Obsession
Leaving the Plains of Twilight behind and returning to the familiar gates of Akron, Hayeon was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief.
The city's bustling noise and energy—even the lecherous glares of the guards—felt like a safe zone compared to before.
At the very least, this place was better than the dungeon, where unpredictable monsters could leap out at any moment.
"Well, I'll be off then. My darling is waiting for me anxiously. Who knows what kind of nagging I'll get if I'm late."
Lilia waved coolly and gave Ksenia a mischievous wink.
Without looking back, she vanished smoothly into the crowd.
Now, only Hayeon and Ksenia remained.
A brief, awkward silence hung between them.
Hayeon lowered her head slightly and bit her lip.
She had absolutely no idea what to say or how to act from here on out.
She was truly alone now. Luo was gone, and so was Kadel, who had treated her like a beast.
With nowhere to turn and no place to go back to, she looked up at Ksenia with anxious eyes.
If even this savior abandoned her, she wouldn't survive a single night in this massive city of Akron.
"...U-Um... Eonni."
Hayeon barely managed to speak, her voice trembling.
"Thank you... so much. You... saved my life. I will never forget your kindness for as long as I live."
She bowed deeply, but she couldn't bring herself to say anything more.
She couldn't even ask where she should go.
She had already received such a massive favor; asking for more help felt utterly shameless.
As if reading Hayeon's mind, Ksenia wrapped an arm around her shoulder with a gentle smile.
"Raise your head, Hayeon. No need to be so stiff. But... where do you plan to go now? Do you have a place to stay?"
At that question, Hayeon's eyes shook violently. She bit her lip and shook her head.
"No... I don't. I... have nowhere left to go."
She fought back the tears that threatened to spill over. She feared that if she showed weakness here, even Ksenia might start to view her as a burden.
Please... please don't abandon me. Anywhere is fine. Even a stable is okay. Just let me stay by your side.
She prayed desperately in her heart.
"Hmm... I figured as much."
Ksenia seemed to ponder for a moment, then smiled brightly as if she had made up her mind.
"Then that works out perfectly. Rather than staying somewhere else, why don't you come with me to where I'm staying? It's much safer, and you need a proper place to rest anyway. You've been through so much these past few days."
Ksenia lightly wrapped her arm around Hayeon's shoulders and guided her toward the quiet, upscale lodging district in the southern part of the city.
The place she was staying at, the Wind's Roost Inn, was an annex-style room with a small garden full of blooming flowers, situated far away from the noisy main building.
Inside, it even featured a private hot spring with warm steam rising from it.
It was a world apart from Kadel's shabby, gloomy hideout. This place was peaceful and cozy, like an entirely different realm.
Hayeon quietly unpacked her things, following Ksenia's lead.
Though her belongings amounted to nothing more than the loose clothes she had received from Luo and the dagger she had gotten from Kadel.
Ksenia spoke as she practicedly unfastened the clasps of her silver armor one by one. With each piece removed, her toned, beautiful physique was revealed.
"I'm going to wash up first. I reek of monster blood. No matter how used to it I get, I absolutely hate this smell."
Hayeon nodded at those words, and soon, the sound of trickling water echoed from the bathroom.
Hayeon sat on the edge of the wide, plush bed, dazed for a moment, before quietly standing up.
Her heart pounded like crazy. She thought this might be absolute madness, but she didn't want to let go of this opportunity—or this person.
Something deep inside her was intensely yearning for Ksenia. Hesitating, she took a deep breath in front of the bathroom door and knocked gently.
"...Um, Eonni?"
"Hmm? What's wrong, Hayeon? Do you need something?"
Ksenia's languid, soft voice drifted through the door.
"...Can I wash up with you? I feel like... the smell of blood is soaked into my skin too... and... I'm a little scared to be alone..."
Hayeon added her honest feelings in a small whisper at the end.
A brief silence fell beyond the door. Hayeon was terrified that her heartbeat was so loud Ksenia might hear it.
Soon, Ksenia's playful laughter rang out.
"Come on in. But don't blame me if you get shocked by what you see. Consider yourself warned."
Hayeon quietly turned the doorknob and stepped into the bath, which was thick with hot steam.
A faint floral scent tickled her nose. Through the steam, she saw Ksenia, looking even more voluptuous drenched in water. A toned, beautiful female body.
But... Hayeon lowered her gaze and gasped.
Along with her female body, Ksenia possessed a male sex organ.
Hayeon hesitated for a moment, unsure of what to do.
To think the woman she fell in love with at first sight was a futanari... But soon, a sense of peace washed over her.
Well... it's not like I'm a man anymore either. I'm completely a girl now... so what's the issue? This person saved me, and she's stronger and more beautiful than anyone else. She's the first person to show me genuine kindness. Isn't that what truly matters?
Yes, let's be confident. She made up her mind. She would accept everything about this person.
Hayeon carefully sat down beside Ksenia and began to gently wash her back, lathering it with soap.
Ksenia chuckled and quietly accepted her clumsy touch, and soon, she too began to delicately wash Hayeon's back.
In the warm water and gentle touch, the awkwardness between them melted away like snow. Every time their bare skin brushed, a thrilling shiver ran down Hayeon's spine, but it wasn't an unpleasant sensation.
After a while, the two returned to the room wearing fluffy bathrobes.
Though her body was languid from the hot spring bath, Hayeon's heart was pounding wildly in the quiet room.
Along with the anxiety that this moment wouldn't last forever, something deep in her heart was fiercely yearning for Ksenia.
After hesitating, Hayeon reached out with a trembling hand and gently wrapped her fingers around Ksenia's.
"...Eonni."
"Hmm?"
Ksenia looked at her with a gentle gaze.
"...Can I ask you one thing?"
Hayeon quietly leaned against her chest. Her own heartbeat sounded so loud it echoed in her ears. She held her breath, terrified Ksenia might hear it too.
"I get... a slightly different feeling from you than from other women, Eonni. I don't really know how to explain it, but... strangely, I keep thinking about you, and I keep... being drawn to you."
Ksenia stared at Hayeon in silence for a while, then slowly pulled back the blanket.
Hayeon's gaze naturally drifted down to her lower body. The sex organ she had already seen during the bath.
The male genitalia situated on a woman's body came into view once more. Though she had expected it, seeing it fully exposed on the bed carried a different weight.
Yet, at the same time, she possessed soft breasts, a slender waist, and was a woman warmer and more beautiful than anyone else.
Ksenia spoke calmly.
"You were shocked, right? I know you saw it in the bath, but I wasn't sure if you could fully accept it, so I couldn't bring myself to tell you beforehand."
"...I-I'm fine. Really."
Hayeon's eyes were still fixed on Ksenia, but the initial bewilderment, fear, and aversion were already gone.
Without realizing it, Hayeon was being drawn into Ksenia's orbit.
Whether that feeling was fascination or desire, she couldn't tell, but one thing was certain: it was growing deeper.
Ksenia Eonni... is stronger and more beautiful than anyone I know. Will my Charm or skills... work on her? ...No, they have to work, no matter what. That's the only way I can hold onto her.
"If it's a part of you, Eonni, I can accept all of it. No matter what you look like... from the moment I first saw you, you've been the most wonderful person in the world to me."
Ksenia stared at Hayeon with surprised eyes for a moment, then took a breath and smiled softly.
"...Hayeon, every time I look at you... strangely, I find myself constantly thinking about you."
She gently kissed Hayeon's forehead.
The lights in the room went out, and darkness quietly enveloped them.
Hayeon untied the knot of her robe herself.
And without hesitation, she burrowed into Ksenia's broad, warm embrace.
This time, it wasn't a choice made for mere survival.
She seduced her, mobilizing all of her senses and charm,
and she was more than willing to give herself up completely just to keep Ksenia by her side.
"...Can I... be your girlfriend, Eonni?"
Hayeon's voice was low and soft, but it carried a clear certainty and longing.
"Pfft. Aren't you already? You cute little lady."
Ksenia chuckled and pulled Hayeon even deeper into her embrace.
That night, the two of them slowly and deeply held each other.
For the first time since coming to this world, Hayeon yearned for someone with everything she had, seeking to win her heart through the warmth of their flesh.
...Yes! To think the 'Charm' stat on my Status Window would be this helpful! She'll definitely fall for me just like those other guys did—no, even more than them. No matter what, Eonni is mine.
Though Hayeon's eyes were moist as she buried herself in Ksenia's chest, a lethal, possessive desire was quietly blooming in their depths.
