Chapter 184: When did your sense came back?

After countless struggles, we were finally able to remove the goddess’s pillar.

[…I hope I can hear your voice tomorrow.]

With the goddess’s final words, spoken in a low tone, her physical form slowly faded until it disappeared completely.

Color began to seep back into the world that had been shrouded in gray, and the once-stilled shadows started to move again.

“…Tina?”

Mardian’s voice called out. She approached me with a curious look.

“You’ve got something on your lips.”

Her fingertips gently brushed against my lips. A pale, translucent fluid lingered on the tip of her finger.

Caught off guard, I looked away and mumbled,

“Ah, th-thank you, Lady Mardian.”

“It’s nothing.”

She looked at me with an innocent expression, a pure smile resting on her lips, completely free of doubt.

I quietly watched her.

[Letting yourself be fooled… isn’t doing her any favors.]

The goddess’s final advice before disappearing wouldn’t leave my mind. I had expected as much—but that one sentence gave me clarity.

“Would you like to pray?”

Mardian asked gently.

“No, I think I’ll be alright.”

She blinked.

“Huh? I thought you wanted to pray.”

Of course, Mardian wouldn’t know. That I had just been face-to-face with the goddess, having a conversation.

I quietly looked at the statue of the goddess. Bringing my hands together, I closed my eyes and offered a short but sincere prayer.

[I’ll pray every day from now on. Thank you, Goddess.]

There was no reply, but I believed my heart had reached her.

“Let’s go now.”

With a faint smile, I held out my hand to Mardian. She tilted her head slightly, but took my hand without hesitation.

[Letting yourself be fooled… isn’t doing her any favors.]

The goddess’s final words echoed again.

Hand in hand with Mardian, I fell into deep thought for a while.

***

By the time we arrived at Mardian’s mansion, evening had already fallen.

Time had flown by as we wandered through the city hand-in-hand. But seeing her enjoy herself so freely was more than enough for me.

“Let’s have dinner together, Tina.”

Mardian said lightly, pulling my hand.

“Of course. I’ll cook.”

“No, let my chefs handle it today. You should rest.”

“Hm… should I?”

Cooking was a joy for me, so I had no reason to refuse. Still, once in a while, having a meal prepared by someone else didn’t sound so bad.

“Alright.”

A pure smile spread across Mardian’s face—an expression anyone would find charming, her gentle features radiating innocence without a trace of suspicion.

If you didn’t look too closely, that is.

…Let me see it for myself.

I wanted to be certain with my own eyes. I had already decided how I would go about it on the way back.

Smiling softly, I casually slipped my arm through hers. As I leaned my head lightly against her, I felt her warmth.

“Then… shall we bathe before dinner is ready?”

“Sure. Tina, you go first.”

Mardian awkwardly averted her gaze, as if feeling uncomfortable somewhere. I quietly lifted my head and looked at her.

​”Would you like to… wash together?”

Mardian’s crimson eyes wavered. As if unable to fully process the situation before her, bewilderment gradually spread across her pale face.

“T-together?”

A tremor flickered in her voice.

“Yes. It’s just us girls, after all.”

With a soft whisper, I lightly nuzzled my head against the nape of Mardian’s neck. At such close proximity, my hushed voice drew her gaze.

“If it’s alright with you, Mardian… I’d like to wash you.”

“O-oh, uh, yeah…”

Her lips twitched faintly. She hesitated for a long moment, seemingly conflicted, before finally nodding cautiously.

“Then… let’s wash together.”

“Great!”

Unable to hide my delight, I pressed a light kiss to the back of her neck.

Instantly, her body shuddered. But she didn’t push me away.

***

After leaving dinner preparations to the chef, Mardian and I stepped into the bathroom.

Quietly, I reached out and undressed her, piece by piece.

Every time the soft fabric slid off her shoulders, the elegant curves of her slightly fuller figure became even more pronounced than before.

While the hot water filled the tub, I carefully washed Mardian’s body.

Yet, somehow, a series of little accidents kept happening.

For instance, I lost my footing and ended up tumbling into her arms—while neither of us was wearing a thing.

“Ah—!”

An accidental brush of our chests drew a high-pitched sound from my lips.

Another time, the water was so hot that, without thinking, I clung tightly to Mardian.

Of course, we were still naked then, too.

“I-I’m sorry, Mardian… I’m being so clumsy today.”

I apologized in a small voice, but she didn’t respond.

Even when we sank into the tub, the situation wasn’t much different.

“Haaah… Mmm… Mardian…”

The water was hotter than expected, forcing me to gasp and look at her helplessly.

After a string of similar incidents, we finally finished bathing and stepped out of the bathroom.

Unlike my refreshed state, Mardian’s expression had changed noticeably.

A faint shadow lingered beneath her eyes, and her crimson pupils held an unreadable tension—calm yet carrying a hint of something unsettling.

Holding her hand carefully, I apologized again in a tender voice.

“Mardian… I’m sorry. I was so careless…”

“N-no, it’s fine. It’s okay, Tina.”

Mardian shook her head with a bright smile.

But then, purely by chance, the towel covering her body slipped to one side.

Mardian’s eyes locked onto my bare form in full view.

“……”

Her smile faded as her gaze slowly trailed downward.

I quietly observed the emotions flickering in her crimson eyes.

‘…Just as I thought.’

It was the moment my suspicion turned to certainty.

Hurriedly wrapping the towel back around myself, I gave an awkward smile.

“Sorry about that, Mardian.”

“……”

Mardian looked at me with an uneasy smile of her own.

“But, Mardian, there’s something I’m curious about… Can I ask?”

“What is it?”

Like me, Mardian was only draped in a towel over her bare skin.

I cautiously stepped closer to her and knelt down.

Then, ever so lightly, I traced my fingertips along her thigh, tickling her softly.

Mardian’s body trembled violently.

The awkward smile on her lips gradually faded, replaced by growing confusion.

“Mardian, do you work out separately?”

“N-no…”

Her voice shook.

Feigning innocence, I slowly dragged my fingertips feather-light along her bare legs.

“Wow… How do you manage to keep your body so perfectly balanced?”

A finger lightly traced up and down her leg.

Every time my fingertips reached a spot a bit too high, Mardian’s breathing gradually grew heavier, and her face flushed red.

“I want to have a body as nice as yours, Mardian.”

The inner thigh.

Just before it reached a dangerously high point, I gently tickled the bare skin.

“…You’re already attractive enough, Tina.”

“Really…? I always thought I was too skinny.”

“Ah… no, that’s not true.”

Mardian’s body flinched.

I looked up at her with narrowed eyes and a subtle curl of my lips.

“If I… exercised with you all night, do you think I could look like you too?”

I wondered—did Mardian realize what kind of expression she was wearing right now?

With that certainty in mind, I sat up lightly before she could answer and gave her a bright, innocent smile.

“Hehe, let’s work out together next time.”

“……”

Mardian looked at me with smoldering eyes.

Click—

The sound that reached my ear couldn’t have been a mistake.

“Shall we go eat?”

Mardian silently gave a small nod.

We quietly changed into comfortable pajamas and headed off for dinner.

As we walked down the long hallway, Mardian didn’t say a single word.

She must have realized it too—that my behavior was suspiciously off.

When we entered the dining room, the table was neatly set with delicious-looking food.

And yet, neither of us—Mardian nor I—paid the food any attention.

What filled the space between us was nothing but a long, heavy silence.

Eventually, I was the first to pick up a fork and take a small bite.

“When was it?”

With a faint smile, I quietly spoke to Mardian.

“What do you mean?”

“I want to know when did your sense came back?”

“……”

Silence returned. But this time, it was Mardian who broke it.

“…Tch.”

A small click of the tongue.

With a weary expression, Mardian picked up her utensils and quietly took a bite.

It was a simple motion—just cutting meat—but even in that, the elegance of a noblewoman was clear.

Sharp eyes. Arrogant gaze, as if looking down on the entire world.

Yes.

That was the villainess I remembered.