Goodnight...
Sudden tangent, but aren't you curious? How did I manage to get water while living alone in the mountains for a whole year after ending up there in this body? There was no way to get water deep in the mountains all by myself, right? Sure, the house had a shower room, but it wasn't hooked up to any plumbing, so when I first got transported there, I racked my brain over what to do.
I didn't even have drinking water, let alone water for washing. At first, I thought I'd have to wander around the mountains and scoop some from a river. But the thing that solved it for me—maybe predictably—was the magical knowledge I had.
I could just make water with magic and use that. And of course, there was magic to remove impurities from my body, so I never actually needed to wash while living alone up there. Why bother showering when magic handled everything? I left the shower room abandoned and untouched for the entire year, getting by solely on spells without ever bathing.
Even without washing, I didn't smell at all—in fact, I was cleaner than ever. So what was the problem?
"Hnnng..."
My whole body felt so languid I couldn't move. Maybe because this body was young and frail, but even a slightly long soak in warm water had left me like this.
I never imagined how amazing it would feel to immerse myself in warm water for so long. Back when I lived alone, I always used cold water made by magic, so the idea that sinking into hot water and just relaxing could feel this good had never crossed my mind.
At first, I'd flat-out refused, of course. Right before changing into pajamas, my sister suddenly insisted we had to shower first and tried dragging me into the bathroom. I resisted hard.
It wasn't just embarrassment at the thought of going in with her. Having originally been a guy, I couldn't shake the feeling that it was fundamentally wrong. She thought I'd always been this little girl, but from my perspective, I was a man—and peeking at the body of the woman who'd taken me in felt like stealing something. Plus, there was this nagging fear that she might somehow figure out I was really a guy. That's why I said no.
But then she threatened to take back the smartphone and computer she'd given me if I didn't shower with her. I had no choice but to give in. Not that I planned to look—I went in with my eyes squeezed shut.
Even when she warned me it was dangerous and I might slip, I kept them closed. No way was I opening them. Especially not on my own body.
Her body made me anxious enough, and as a former guy, seeing a woman's body felt off—but mine? It was so young that even if the cops caught me staring, they wouldn't blink. Man or woman aside, this was straight-up an ethical issue.
In the end, she half-carried me, moving me around to wash. Sure, I looked like a lower elementary schooler, but for a woman—not to mention not even being a guy myself—it should've been heavy. Yet she lifted me like I weighed nothing, like a feather.
Remembering how she'd said she was a pretty famous awakener, it had to be her powers making her so strong. Strong enough that even my original self couldn't have matched her.
So what if she found out? No way she'd ever figure it out, but the anxiety kept bubbling up anyway.
Even as we got into the tub, doubts swirled in my head: Is this really okay?
But the second we slipped into the water, all that worry vanished.
It felt too good. Too blissful. I'd never felt anything so warm and wonderful in my life.
I wanted to hold onto that sensation forever. I ended up stubbornly refusing to get out, and... well, here I was.
The last thing I remembered was being carried out in a daze by my sister. So sleepy. Maybe I should just crash.
Sleep now, think tomorrow. That didn't sound half bad.
......
"You look so happy..."
I lay on the bed, smiling down at Seol-i as she let out a soft snore. Worried she might wake, but unable to resist, I gently reached out and brushed her bangs aside.
She didn't stir, which only fueled my urge. I poked her cheek with a finger.
So soft and squishy. The more I looked, the more she resembled a doll.
"Was bathing with me that embarrassing...?"
At first, she'd refused my suggestion to wash up point-blank. And when we went in, she'd squeezed her eyes shut like it was some huge ordeal. I'd worried she was that shy—what was wrong with her? But once she got into the tub, she melted completely, ending up in a hazy daze on the bed like this.
At least she got clean. That was a relief.
"No injuries... right?"
Was she abused? Or maybe mental abuse? It wasn't impossible yet, so I couldn't let my guard down. For a kid this young, psychological trauma could be devastating.
Still...
"She didn't seem used to it at all..."
It was like she'd never bathed with anyone before. She acted like stepping into the tub was a crime. Definitely pointed to mental abuse.
Luckily, she loved the warm water enough to throw a tantrum about not wanting to leave later on. But look what that stubbornness got her—zonked out like this.
"So cute..."
Adorable. I'd dressed her in pajamas I'd prepared ahead while carrying her out from the tub—half-expecting this outcome—and they suited her perfectly. Her usual look was cute too, but in this state? Even more so.
I'd picked them thinking they'd fit her vibe...
"I nailed it...!"
Cat pajamas for the win!
"Hoo... can't hold back."
Who knew she'd be this cute? She struggled with talking to people, but her curiosity was endless—fascinated by everything. It reminded me of a feral cat wary of humans but dying to explore. That's why I'd chosen these, and now I couldn't stop thinking what a genius move it was.
They suited her perfectly!
"Gotta take a pic~"
Then show off to my friends. They'd love seeing Seol-i in cat pajamas, off dreaming away. I snapped the shot and sent it via KakaoTalk to my guild buddies, who were probably raiding dungeons right now.
Emoticons flooded in nonstop, making me burst out laughing. As expected from friends who melted for anything cute—their reactions were explosive.
"These guys..."
Maybe time to visit. I'd taken a break from hunting for personal reasons to work as a cop, but it was my original dream anyway—no big deal. Guildmates forever; they'd welcome me back.
Hell, they kept asking when I'd drop by. I replied that I'd bring the kid from the photo in a few days, so prep a welcome party—tossing in a touched emoticon.
They griped about not needing a party, but it seemed like they'd do it.
I giggled at my phone, poking Seol-i's cheek with one finger.
"Nng..."
Whoa. A sound from her side—I yanked my hand back in surprise and looked. Her face was scrunched up a bit.
Then she rubbed her cheek with her tiny hand a few times, relaxed, and drifted back to sleep.
I thought she was out cold... guess not entirely. I let out a relieved sigh.
"Oh, right..."
She didn't eat dinner... Just lunch today. Is that okay? Kids sleep a lot, sure, but I never dreamed she'd conk out this early, even all relaxed.
"Gotta make something yummy for breakfast tomorrow."
I stood, searching for kid-friendly foods, then turned off the computer I'd left on and killed the room light. Surveying the now pitch-black room, I nodded.
Yeah, this should do. A little worry she'd wake midway, but she looked exhausted—probably fine.
"Goodnight, Seol-i."
See you tomorrow, my princess.
With that, I closed the door.