29 Bath

As I entered the inn, the receptionist's suspicious gaze followed me, but I paid her no mind, making my way toward our room.

Once inside, I turned the key three times to ensure the door was securely locked, even adding the chain lock for extra measure.

Peering into the room, I was relieved to find both Sianna and Meira still inside, their silence maintaining the illusion of compliance.

"Sianna Elatris. Come," I commanded from the living room.

Sianna rose obediently and exited the room, leaving Meira with a pallid expression behind.

When Sianna stood before me, I lowered my hood...

Her remaining red eye flickered upon seeing my face, but she displayed little reaction beyond that. It was as if she had become numb to the world.

My expression twisted in dismay as I regarded her.

Her features were unrecognizable, and patches of her dark green hair had been forcibly removed. When I reached out to touch her, Sianna flinched despite my command, closing her eyes tightly.

"HMMMM!!!" Meira's muffled voice emanated from the room, her glare piercing through me.

I disregarded both Meira's disapproval and Sianna's reaction as I inspected the swollen, red patches where her hair had been plucked. It was evident that she had endured unimaginable cruelty, possibly even having boiling water thrown onto her face.

Sianna seemed incredibly sensitive in the area where I was touching. Lowering my hand to her face, I gently patted it. "It's fine," I muttered softly.

Though I struggled to convey reassurance through a smile, my neutral expression attempted to reassure her, and I did my best to convey in my words that she was safe now.

Sianna opened her eye slightly at my words, still harboring a sense of distrust.

Drawing mana into my ring, I retrieved a golden vial.

This vial contained an extremely potent healing elixir, one that I had acquired in Alasmiras using my knowledge. They were discovered within a broken carriage from centuries ago, hidden in a location I knew well. It was within this same carriage that I had found the swords.

Such potent healing vials were exceedingly rare and highly valuable, capable of fetching several hundred gold pieces due to their remarkable effectiveness. Unfortunately, I possessed only seven of them, but without hesitation, I uncapped one now.

"Drink," I commanded, but Sianna refused to open her mouth.

Frowning, I grasped the key tightly in my hands, but my efforts were futile. Was the vial losing its efficacy? Or perhaps such specific commands were ineffective?

I also sensed reluctance from Sianna; it seemed she didn't want to comply either.

With no other option, I consumed the contents of the vial myself. Wrapping my arms around her waist, I pressed my lips to hers, forcing the liquid into her mouth. She struggled against me, but I persisted, pushing my tongue inside to ensure the elixir reached her throat.

When it was done, I stepped back and observed.

Sianna's eyes widened as a golden light enveloped her body. She appeared to be in considerable pain, but it was a necessary discomfort.

Gradually, I witnessed her hair regrowing, wounds on her arms disappearing, broken legs mending with audible cracks, and her face regaining its flawless complexion. Finally, her left eye regenerated to its gleaming, bright red color.

As the noble aura of elves emanated from her once more, Sianna's original beauty resurfaced, albeit in a younger form. There was no denying her royal lineage, and her resemblance to Meira was striking. They were equals in every sense.

Sianna's eyes widened in awe as she observed her rejuvenated arm and body. Genuine tears fell from her eyes as she mumbled incomprehensibly, overwhelmed by the miraculous transformation.

A wave of exhaustion overcame Sianna as her body struggled to recover from the intense healing process. She slumped forward, but I quickly caught her shoulders, preventing her from falling completely.

Her ragged breaths tickled my neck as she whispered incomprehensibly once more.

Gently lifting her into my arms, I carried her over to the sofa and laid her down carefully. "Rest here."

Turning back to the room, I found Meira still visibly shaken from the ordeal. Tears streamed down her face as she shook her head in refusal when I approached her.

Kneeling in front of her, I carefully lifted her arms, checking for any injuries. I then proceeded to examine her legs and face.

"Are you injured?" I asked.

Meira shook her head.

"Follow me," I said, leading Meira back to the living room before opening the bathroom door.

"Remove your clothes," I directed, causing Meira's face to pale in apprehension.

"Listen," I reassured her, showing her the golden key. "If I wanted to harm you, I would have done it already. You understand I can, right?" I emphasized. "Just take a bath and put on these clothes." I handed her a modest dress suitable for noblewomen, less conspicuous than her elven attire.

"Don't attempt to run away or do anything foolish, because again, I hold the key. For the bath, you'll find soap, shampoo, and other women's essentials that I purchased. Use them as you wish," I instructed firmly.

Meira stared at me wordlessly, seemingly contemplating my words.

"Go now," I repeated wearily, and Meira finally complied, making her way to the bath.

Clutching the clothes and toiletries to her chest, she turned back to me with an embarrassed blush.

"I won't watch, but don't dare to betray my trust," I said to her coldly before closing the door firmly behind her.

It was unlikely she could escape anyway, given the risks involved. Meira knew this, which explained why she hadn't disclosed her identity to Rogal in order to seek refuge through her father, the King. Her reluctance to burden her kingdom was admirable, to say the least.

"Hahmm…no…"

Hearing the pained groans, I turned to see Sianna curled up on the sofa, tears streaming down her face even in her sleep. Her expression was contorted in fear and agony.

Reaching out, I gently placed my hand on her forehead.

At least she isn't running a fever, I thought, relieved to find no signs of illness.

Sianna's features softened slightly, her troubled expression easing.

The past month must have been a living nightmare for her. I could only imagine the trauma she had endured, facing beatings every day for three years.

And here I was, still bearing my own wounds from battles, refusing to use the potent healing vials for mere cosmetic purposes.

After what felt like a relatively short half hour, Meira emerged from the bath. A pleasant scent lingered in the air, not just from the shampoo but likely her natural fragrance. Her damp emerald-green hair and the simple medieval dress she wore gave her an enchanting allure. I struggled to suppress the surge of hormones that threatened to overwhelm me, much like with Celastrina.

"Wake up," I urged, gently shaking Sianna until her beautiful, bright red eyes slowly fluttered open. What a captivating pair of eyes she had.

"You have to take a bath. Come," I instructed, guiding her to her feet.

Sianna rose slowly, but upon catching sight of Meira, she narrowed her eyes warily.

Meira, visibly taken aback by Sianna's sudden return to her original appearance and apparent healing, turned to me for guidance. However, I brushed her off and proceeded to usher Sianna toward the bath.

"No!" Sianna exclaimed fearfully as she hesitated at the sight of the water.

Could she be afraid of water?

"Help her bathe," I directed Meira firmly.

"But..."

"Just help her," I insisted, prompting Meira to step forward.

However, as Meira extended her hand to assist Sianna, it was met with a swat and a glare from Sianna.

Meira's smile faltered at the rejection, but I had little patience for sentimentality at that moment.

"Fine, I'll help you," I conceded, pulling Sianna into the bath despite her protests.

"No, you can't!" Meira suddenly interjected.

"What?" I turned to her with a frown.

"She's a girl! An elf!" Meira exclaimed, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

Right, elves placed great importance on modesty and purity, but it was hardly as if I were the first man to see her unclothed, given the abuses she had endured at the hands of others.

Then I told her to take off her clothing.

However, I was a bit taken aback when she took off her clothing without hesitation or shame. She showed no concern that I was viewing her naked. For a teenager like me, even seeing her back was somewhat arousing, at least.

"All right..." I gave her back a massage with the sponge and the soap.

"Ahn!" 

"...."