Chapter 232: Inviting to the Bathroom

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Midnight in the Holy City.

Around the time distant screams echoed from somewhere, Riley sat at his desk, rubbing his temples as he exhaled. He was in the middle of revising Sugar’s assignment.

For something hastily written in a short time, it was surprisingly well-done. Apparently, she’d worked on it bit by bit in advance.

“You’ve done more than I expected. What’s gotten into you? We might finish by tomorrow.”

“Of course I worked on it little by little… Our trip together… I was really looking forward to it… So I prepared ahead…”

Her face as she said this looked noticeably disappointed. Just as Riley was about to say something, she smiled and cut in: “It’s fine! We’ll have other chances. As long as we’re together, the place doesn’t matter.”

Now that he thought about it, had they ever properly gone out alone? They’d enjoyed light dates like strolling through the market, but their first train ride together hadn’t been for a trip—she’d been furious back then—and even during holidays, they’d all gathered at Leon’s place. Even summer breaks were spent with the whole group.

Given how little time they’d had just for themselves, it wouldn’t have been strange if she’d thrown a tantrum. Yet here she was, composed and mature. Admirable, really.

Finishing the bulk of the revisions, Riley glanced behind him. There, sprawled on the bed, snoring away, was his childhood friend. She clung to Riley’s pillow as if it were hers, dead to the world. He’d told her to rest since only the edits remained, and she’d immediately burrowed under the covers.

“Mmm… Riley’s smell…”

He stifled a laugh. What am I supposed to do with this fetishist?

Not that he had room to talk. Given the chance, he’d bury his nose in Sugar’s skin just as eagerly.

Quietly rising, Riley approached the bed without a sound. A faint sweetness lingered in the air.

A soft, milky dessert-like fragrance. He didn’t care for sweets, but exceptions existed. The addictive sugariness of her marshmallow-like skin was one.

He gathered a handful of her hair, splayed gloriously across the bed. During their travels to the Holy City, its pale white had warmed back into its usual pink-tinged hue. Her true color—the one Riley had adored since childhood.

Lost in the sight and scent, he studied her sleeping face. The way she breathed so innocently, like an angel. Yet the longer he looked, the more his mind replayed how beautifully that face melted in pleasure.

Her unfocused eyes, the drool she’d sometimes let slip—how she’d instinctively suck on anything pressed to her lips.

Those plump, glossy lips, perfectly suited for kissing…

Now slightly parted in sleep, they drew his gaze. The flash of red tongue between them. Riley knew exactly how hot and sticky it was.

Brushing her cheek, he traced her lower lip with his thumb. Pressed, pinched, teased.

“Mmm… nn…?”

Did she feel it? In her sleep, she pursed her lips. What’s this? She rubbed against his thumb before sucking it into her mouth.

“Nn… chuu… heh…”

“Tch.”

This brat.

Her tongue coiled around him instantly. When he wiggled his finger and tried to pull back, it clung stubbornly.

“Huh…? W-wait…”

“Why the disappointment?”

He stared down, exasperated.

Her lips glistened, squirming as if searching. A past conversation resurfaced.

“Next time… use your mouth… I want you to… really do it…”

She’d said that after he kissed her hairband. And how what else had she said?

“…I don’t want to stay ‘just friends.’”

“…”

Riley stroked her cheek again, staring at those honest lips. Heat prickled his face.

He’d thought he’d built immunity to Sugar. Teasing her when she was flustered was easy, but this raw sincerity left him paralyzed. Like a direct hit, freezing his thoughts.

Just like when they were kids. Back when Riley, too, had been a defenseless boy.

Leaning closer, he hovered over her face.

Physical contact was fine, so why did this make him burn?

Hadn’t he wanted her to be honest?

Puzzled, he kept his eyes on her.

“Riley…”

She murmured his name in her sleep.

Her twitching lips looked unbearably sweet.

“…Sugar.”

***************

Falling asleep with intent allowed entry into the tranquil forest.

‘If I want to reach my inner world, I just have to focus before sleeping!’

Lately, Sugar did this daily. There was someone she wanted to meet. Not that there was anyone else it could be. Still, she’d visit each time, wondering, Will she be here today?

Today… Ah!

She was here!

Finally. Against a stone wall plastered with grimoire pages, a white-clad woman stood alone. Sugar sprinted to her.

“Why’ve you been gone? I looked everywhere!”

No response. The woman just stared at the wall—or maybe into space, her face obscured.

“I wanted to thank you! For everything last time. The advice you gave me… and how you helped Riley with the glass bottle, right? I heard about it. Also… did you see the meeting today? Went perfectly, huh?”

Bouncing eagerly, Sugar rambled on. Look at me. Talk to me. The help she’d received had bred familiarity.

Yet the traveler stayed silent.

“…Hey. Are you mad? Did I break the rules? When I flooded this place, did it sweep you away somewhere?”

After a long pause, the woman finally spoke.

She seemed… upset.

“You… are nothing like me.”

A reply that didn’t match anything Sugar had said.

She flinched—then nodded slowly.

“Yes. We’re different.”

“…No, we’re the same. At our core, there’s no difference.”

“…”

“You live and die for love. So do I.”

Sugar quietly pressed her lips together.

She pondered, then spoke her thoughts aloud.

“You’re not wrong… but at the very least, I won’t end up like the ‘Sugar’ from that dream. I’ll keep moving forward.”

“Are you saying that ‘Sugar’ didn’t act? That she was lazy?”

The response was uncharacteristically sharp—a far cry from the calm demeanor she’d shown when helping Sugar in the distorted space. Something had triggered her, as if a nerve had been struck.

‘Just as I thought…’

Sugar had suspected today might be the day they’d meet.

The day the Holy City’s people united. The day she would inevitably show herself.

For someone who distrusted the Holy City, it must have been unbearable to watch.

“I didn’t say she was lazy. Just that… perhaps a tiny misstep changed everything.”

Staying composed, Sugar recalled the nightmare from before—a memory that likely belonged to someone else.

The difference between her real self and the ‘Sugar’ from the dream was stark. In today’s meeting, everyone had shielded her. But in the nightmare, no one lifted a finger to help the ‘Sugar’ who was turned away.

That led her to a realization.

Even if she and Ianne were friends, could the Holy City really reject her so harshly? If she’d done something terrible, wouldn’t Ianne, given her personality, have defended her at least once?

The answer was simple.

In that dream, Ianne had never appeared.

“The ‘Sugar’ in that dream… probably never became friends with Ianne as a child. That’s where the divergence began.”

“…”

“It might’ve been something trivial. Maybe she didn’t feel like talking when they met by chance as kids. Or even if she did, she never thought to reconcile the sisters.”

And so, Ianne would have followed the original trajectory—yearning for freedom but growing up confined to a tower until adulthood.

“You’re saying… a minor oversight like not befriending that woman caused the divergence? That the reason you live comfortably here while that ‘Sugar’ was cast out boils down to that?”

The traveler’s voice was biting. Sugar shook her head.

“It wasn’t minor. Meeting Ianne changed her life—and mine. That ripple effect reached Riley, Ione, the Holy City, even Leon… Friendship isn’t just about two people. It’s a force that reshapes everything around them. That’s why people say ‘choose your friends wisely.’”

“…”

“And… you know of the butterfly effect, right? A single small action can spiral into unforeseen consequences. Praising a child’s drawing might birth the world’s greatest artist. Criticizing it could twist them into its worst criminal.”

“…”

The traveler’s lips parted, then sealed shut. She slumped into a wooden chair, exhaling as her shoulders sagged.

“Do you understand now? Have you cooled down?”

“What good would anger do me here?”

“You were angry just now.”

“That wasn’t anger. Just… a tantrum.”

“Pfft—”

If this was a tantrum, it was a terrifying one—reminiscent of someone.

Sugar stepped closer to the traveler, who had withdrawn into herself.

“Anyway… I wanted to see you. To thank you for your help. Truly, thank you.”

“Save the gratitude. Those are my words to you.”

“…”

Sugar still didn’t grasp the traveler’s goal. She could only guess.

The nightmare’s end.

The traveler’s lifespan.

Yet one thing was certain.

“Traveler. I will seize happiness.”

“…”

“I’ll overcome every hardship, and in the end, I’ll be happy—with Riley, with everyone. I swear it.”

“Fine… Struggle all you like.”

The traveler’s lips curled faintly. Not a blessing, not a smile.

Just as the tension seemed to peak—

“…I hope you find happiness too.”

“…What?”

Sugar softened her expression, standing before the traveler with a gentle look—the kind reserved for comforting a child or a cherished friend.

“Is there anything I can do to help you? Like you helped me. If there’s anything… if you’re willing, share your goal with me. Maybe talking it through—”

“—Enough.”

“…”

“Stop. Just stop.”

A frigid, unyielding rejection.

“I told you. I have no goal. I’m just… tired. I wanted to rest here during my long journey.”

The words sounded like an excuse. Sugar turned away.

“…I’ll go now.”

Like a passing breeze, she vanished.

And woke up.

…

Alone, the traveler buried her face in her hands, head bowed.

How could she approach me so warmly… knowing full well my kindness wasn’t pure?

‘…We’re too different.’

“Up until the orphanage days, we were similar. But after that… we became too different.”

Why? Was it because her nature, though no different at its core, had grown kinder toward those around her? Had that small divergence reshaped their entire lives?

‘I’m jealous…’

Terribly so.

Enough to irritate.

Enough to sunder.

***************

The floating sensation of waking—pleasant, tingling.

In that hazy return to consciousness, a vivid sensation pressed against her lips: something warm, soft, and smooth.

“Mmm…”

Sugar cracked her eyes open.

Her childhood friend hastily recoiled.

“…Riley?”

No answer. He turned his head sharply as he stepped away from the bed.

“Did you… do something while I was asleep?”

“No.”

“My lips feel warm…”

“…”

“Did you… kiss me?”

Even as she asked, her heart raced. The shy question was met with a flat reply:

“Why would I?”

Then, an added jab:

“I’m not you.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?!”

“I don’t grope sleeping people.”

“When have I ever—?!”

Sleepiness evaporated. Grumbling, Sugar watched Riley settle at the desk to review their assignments.

“…Sure looks like you did it…”

She rubbed her lips, smug. If he kissed me in my sleep, he must really like me. Not that she needed confirmation—they’d already rubbed lips (and tongues, and more) countless times.

“…”

Flushing, she buried her face in the blanket.

Other worries resurfaced. The meeting was over, the assignments mostly done. Yet one issue remained: her friends, still locked in a cold war. Setting aside cults and shadowy figures, her thoughts turned to the violet-eyed childhood friend who’d shielded her earlier. I’ll cheer her up tomorrow.

‘What about her love life, though…?’

Now that Sugar had found love, she wanted everyone else to, too.

‘Success’ meant ‘dating.’

Would that friend and Leon date?

The idea rankled, but if they were happy, she’d accept it.

‘Though… those two would take ages. A year just to kiss, probably.’

One was secretly bold yet conservative; the other no leader. A long road ahead.

Compared to them, she and Riley—who’d gone all the way without even dating—were outliers.

Half a year. That’s how long it took after reuniting. Unthinkable before. Even now, it felt surreal.

“…”

She hid deeper under the covers, recalling that night—caught pleasuring herself, then ravaged until dawn. And the carriage, the spatial distortions, yesterday’s near-penetration…

When’s next?

She was curious. Nervous, too. Being with Riley was euphoric, but terrifying in how it unmade her—reducing her to a gasping, mindless creature. Worse, she kept passing out, leaving him to clean up.

‘At least let’s bathe together next time. Be a proper, dependable partner.’

‘…Wash me.’

Hmm.

Peeking out, she saw Riley yawning over papers.

“Riley. Let’s rest soon.”

“After this.”

“I wanna sleep…”

“You were sleeping.”

“…We should wash up first.”

“Right. Go ahead.”

Seizing the opening, Sugar sat up, twisting her hair.

“Actually… let’s… go to the bathroom together.”