Chapter 388: Changed. Unchanged.
Chapter 388: Changed. Unchanged.
It was then. A sudden chill washed over my entire body. I took a deep breath, and the cold air stung its way down to my very bones.
I’m lonely….
The moment I thought to myself that I was lonely, I was so startled my eyes shot open.
Loneliness, solitude, desolation….
In the past, these feelings were my constant companions, and I had grown thoroughly accustomed to them. That was how it was supposed to be.
But the loneliness I had just felt was a completely foreign emotion to me now.
At the same time, the faces of my brother, Han Soyoung, Ko Yeonju, and Jung Hayeon flashed through my mind one by one before fading away.
For the first time in a very long time, I found myself thinking, ‘I wish someone was here with me.’
…….
My body was still exhausted, demanding more sleep. But I had a feeling that if I kept lying here, I would become endlessly sentimental.
“Damn it.”
Finally unable to bear it any longer, I shot up in bed.
Clink!
A faint metallic sound from my waist gently disturbed the heavy silence. I habitually reached for my hip and felt the cold steel of ‘Victoria’s Glory,’ chilled by the night air. At the same time, the moonlight streaming through the window revealed the blood-stained sheets on the bed.
“Ha.”
A dry laugh escaped me as I saw the stained sheets. Sleeping with my sword on was one thing, but I had collapsed into bed without even washing. Looking at it now, it was clear that I, too, had been completely out of it.
I immediately unbuckled ‘Glory of the Sun’ and set the sword aside. My original plan had been to go down to the underground training ground and work up a sweat, but I changed my mind.
First, I would wash off the bloodstains covering my body and soak in some hot water. That should get rid of this grimy feeling. Maybe then I’d be able to sleep.
The public bathhouse… was it in the annex basement?
Without delay, I left the room and headed down the stairs. It was the dead of night, so I figured I could enjoy a leisurely bath without any interruptions.
However.
That thought was shattered the moment I reached the first basement floor of the annex. Despite the stars twinkling in the night sky, the bathhouse was brightly lit.
I stood before the entrance for a moment, scratching my head, before slowly beginning to undress. The bathhouse was built as a public facility, and since the men’s and women’s sections were separate, I figured it wouldn’t be a big deal.
Of course, I felt a slight reluctance to expose the scars that covered my body, but…
They’ve already seen them once.
Back when we were at the ‘The Demure Lady’ inn, I’d been forcibly stripped in front of everyone. The culprit was Ko Yeonju. What was it she said then? “This is how you’re supposed to strip a man,” was it?
A wry smile touched my lips at the memory as I picked up one of the provided towels. Then, I gave the steamy door a gentle push.
As I stepped inside the bathhouse, I was met with a spacious interior filled with hazy, white steam and various bathing facilities. On one side, shower stalls using magic circles were neatly lined up. From the center to the other side, there were baths and saunas.
They said they tried to make the Mercenary House as modern as possible during its construction, and I had to nod in agreement. It really was remarkably similar.
Swoosh! Swoosh!
The sound of water pouring down indicated that someone was already using the showers. I needed to wash up before getting into the bath, so I walked through the warm steam, partly to see who it was.
Splash, splash! Splash, splash!
The floor was soaked, and my feet made soft splashing sounds with every step. Through the shimmering, amber light, a vaguely familiar figure began to come into view.
Huh? Long, straight hair?
At that moment, a strange feeling made me stop in my tracks. It was just a glimpse, but the long, straight hair told me the person before me was a woman. I was also certain of one thing: it was definitely not Ko Yeonju or Jung Hayeon.
For a second, I was confused, wondering if I’d mistaken the bathhouse, but I quickly shook my head. I was sure I had checked that it was the men’s section before entering.
I briefly debated whether I should turn back.
But my eyes, independent of my will, were already focused intently on the figure ahead. The hazy, dreamlike steam was no obstacle at all, because without realizing it, I had even enhanced my vision.
What came into view was a slightly turned figure, a naked form as white as snow, without a single thread of clothing.
The line of her chest below her sleek shoulders was truly voluptuous. Her full breasts, slightly drooping into a teardrop shape due to their size, were magnificent. At their peaks, pink nipples shyly revealed themselves, prominent like strawberries on a cake.
The S-line curve that flowed from her slender waist below revealed her plump, taut buttocks without reservation. The way they occasionally swayed reminded me of a pair of pale moons.
And that wasn't all. Her shapely legs, from her firm thighs that looked as if they were coated in honey down to her smooth calves, boasted a fresh yet sensual beauty that was in full bloom.
It was then that the woman’s movements suddenly froze. A moment later, her wet hair whipped through the air as she moved again, but her subsequent actions felt somewhat unnatural compared to before.
Did she notice me?
“La la la. La la la.”
Just as I thought I’d been caught, the woman began to hum.
…Was I mistaken?
My gaze remained captivated for a while longer, but the sound of the water shutting off finally snapped me back to my senses. As the woman slowly turned, I saw her face and squeezed my eyes shut.
The moment I confirmed it was Lim Hanna, I cursed myself internally.
I still have a long way to go. I’m an undisciplined bastard.
Ko Yeonju, Jung Hayeon. I’m sorry.
“Oh my?”
I heard an exclamation of surprise. I kept my eyes closed and quickly wrapped the towel around my lower body. The one small mercy was that my member hadn’t risen to the occasion.
“Oh my, my. Mercenary Lord.”
“My apologies, User Lim Hanna.”
Lim Hanna’s voice, despite her initial cry of surprise, was quite gentle and calm. I tilted my head in confusion but kept my eyes shut as I continued.
“This is the men’s bath…. I didn’t expect to see you here, User Lim Hanna. I’m truly sorry.”
In truth, I had already seen almost everything, but I felt I had to offer at least a minimal excuse.
I immediately turned to leave. It was a shame I couldn’t use the hot bath and sauna, but I couldn’t exactly have a mixed bath with her.
Just as I took a quick step forward.
“W-wait a moment. Mercenary Lord. You mean you haven’t washed up yet?”
I felt a gentle hand swiftly grab my own. From her words, it seemed she was referring to the numerous bloodstains on my body.
“Weren’t you coming to wash up? No, I think you need to. It’s all dried on so badly.”
“That’s true, but… I have a private bathroom, so.”
“Still, since you’re already here… just wash up here. If you’re leaving because of me, I don’t mind, really.”
“Pardon?”
Rustle, rustle.
“Ah. You can open your eyes now. This should do. Hehe.”
At her words, I quickly opened my eyes. At the same time, I saw Lim Hanna, now wrapped in a towel, smiling gently.
Could it be… she knew I was here from the moment I walked in?
Nah. No way.
Her reaction was a bit hard to understand, but I just chalked it up to her personality and nodded.
“I’m afraid I’d be intruding. I’m really fine.”
“Intruding? If anything, I’m the one intruding. I’m sorry for coming in without permission.”
“Come to think of it, why…”
“Ah. Vivian is using the women’s bath right now.”
I frowned slightly at the unconvincing explanation. Sensing my expression, Lim Hanna glanced to the side and added.
“She said she wanted to be alone.”
And what she said next was nothing short of shocking.
“…What?”
“She seemed to be hinting for me to leave… And honestly, it was a bit much for me, too. She’s just so depressed.”
“No, but still…. Good grief. That girl, honestly.”
“N-no! I completely understand how Vivian feels, and I came here because I prefer to be alone, so please don’t be too angry. To be honest, I’ve secretly used it a few times in the early morning before….”
I felt dumbfounded as I watched Lim Hanna stick her tongue out slightly. “It’s a habit. I like being alone. And the women’s side can get a little competitive, even at dawn. Compared to that, the men’s side is….” she trailed off, smiling bashfully.
I shook my head slowly.
“Goodness me…. In any case, I’ll have a word with Vivian later. However, I would appreciate it if you, User Lim Hanna, would also refrain from doing this in the future. An unexpected situation like this could happen again.”
“Yes. I understand. I won’t do it again. And I’m sorry for startling you.”
I let out a short sigh and thought of Vivian. I decided to let it go with a warning this one time. Come to think of it, she had spent the most time with Shin Sangyong, and as her first official disciple, her attachment must have been immense.
I then glanced at Lim Hanna. I thought she might leave, but seeing her just look apologetic, it seemed she had no intention of vacating the premises.
“Old bloodstains will be hard to just wash off. You should rinse off lightly first, then soak in a hot bath for a bit to loosen them up.”
“That’s true, but… were you in the middle of bathing?”
“Ah. Yes. I was just about to start…”
“…Then I’ll just wash up as quickly as possible and get out of your way.”
“Ah, no.”
I was finally able to walk past Lim Hanna and settle into an empty shower stall. A faint fragrance, likely from her having used it just moments before, tickled my nose. I tightened the towel around my waist and lightly pressed the magic circle. As a torrent of water began to pour down, I started scrubbing my body.
Swoosh! Swoosh!
To get it all off, I should probably use the bath….
I flicked my gaze to the side. Lim Hanna was still staring intently at me.
…….
Her gaze was incredibly distracting, but having committed a sin of my own, I couldn’t find anything to say. What could I possibly say after I’d just used my enhanced vision to stare at her?
So, I decided it would be best to just scrub myself down with water and get out quickly.
“Huuu….”
It was then. Just as I was about to finish, I heard a light sigh from beside me.
“You really are a frustrating person….”
Her subsequent mutter made me feel a pang of guilt for some reason.
Just then.
Splash, splash. Splash, splash.
My heightened senses picked up the sound of footsteps on the wet floor. Wondering if she was leaving, I turned my head, only to see Lim Hanna approaching me. Before I could even open my mouth, she gently extended her arm, and I felt a soft touch on my back.
“There’s still some here.”
The moment I felt the gentle sensation of her hand stroking my back, I belatedly parted my lips.
“User Lim Hanna.”
“Mercenary Lord.”
“What are you doing…”
“Soohyun-ah.”
At that moment, my eyes widened, and I stared at Lim Hanna. Not only had we spoken at the same time, but she had suddenly dropped her formal speech with me.
I was momentarily flustered, but then it hit me. Come to think of it, a long time ago….
‘That’s why I wished I had a friend.’
‘Then how about we become friends? It might be difficult in public, but we could speak informally in private.’
‘N-no! How could I possibly dare… That’s not what I meant at all.’
‘I don’t mind.’
‘Um… then for the time being, I’ll continue to speak formally, so could you perhaps speak informally to me, Clan Lord?’
‘Alright. Then from now on, I’ll try to speak casually in private.’
‘Thank you. I’ll speak casually later, once I get used to it.’
A flood of memories rushed past in an instant.
There certainly had been a time like that.
But Lim Hanna had continued to speak formally to me ever since, and at some point, I had reverted to using formal speech with her as well.
In any case, it was still surprising. I had never expected Lim Hanna to act like this.
But Lim Hanna, unperturbed, continued to speak calmly.
“I have something to tell you.”