Bath

When I returned to the village, the sun was fully up.

Although it was still early morning, many people were gathered at the village entrance.

The sight of Rodrick and the other humans all gathered together caught my eye.

“Huh? You guys didn’t sleep?”

“Lycoris… what happened last night? We knew the red moon and the flower scent were yours, but the villagers were about to go outside. I barely convinced them to stay inside.”

Kal replied with a tense expression.

Then Torben interjected.

“And the horrifying screams of monsters could be heard from the mountains all night… Sounds I’ve never heard before.”

‘Oh no! The villagers almost got tempted!’

I only meant to lure the monsters with the flower scent!

That was close!

“Did that scent reach the village? My mistake.”

When I smiled and replied, the humans’ expressions grew even more tense.

“Just how many monsters did you… kill?”

Elina asked in a trembling voice.

“Hmm… I didn’t count, but…”

The humans looked even more confused.

“At least a thousand. Just the Guardians of the Frozen Ridge were over a hundred…”

Then Evan spoke up.

“What did you say?!”

Rodrick, Kal, Terry, Torben, and Elina all gasped at once.

Their faces turned as white as paper.

“A thousand…? And the Guardians of the Frozen Ridge…?”

Everyone stared at me, unable to close their mouths.

It was just an easy hunt for me, but it seemed unimaginable for humans.

“Hehe! That’s how many you killed! Michel will be so happy!”

I exclaimed cheerfully.

The humans’ expressions became even more complex.

The thought of that thrilling night made my body feel warm.

Terry suddenly examined my appearance and asked.

“But… how are you so clean? You fought thousands of monsters…”

Ryandel and Levi were covered in torn clothes and dirt, but I was spotless.

“Well, it’s thanks to Nis’s special ability. It’s called ‘Perfect and Flawless,’ so I always stay clean.”

“This is also… Nis’s doing?”

Torben asked in a small voice, but I didn’t reply and just walked proudly into the village.

There were more villagers outside than usual.

The entire village seemed to be buzzing.

When I arrived at the village square, even more people gathered.

There were various reactions.

The elderly looked at me with eyes full of awe, children shouted “Flower Lady!” with excitement and pointed at me.

A young man even knelt down and bowed, calling me “Michel’s Apostle.”

Feeling so many eyes on me lifted my spirits.

I activated my Radiance skill, letting light emanate from my body, and declared confidently.

“I performed a sacred ritual for Michel! I killed all the monsters around here and offered their blood to Michel, so the village should be safe now!”

The village fell silent for a moment, then erupted in cheers.

“Long live Lycoris!” “Glory to Michel!” “We’re saved!”

The cheers echoed throughout the village.

Hehe.

It’s a bit embarrassing.

As the cheers subsided, I asked Evan.

“How long will it take to get the adventurer’s certificate and process the monsters?”

“An S-rank certificate can be ready by tonight. But regarding the ‘National Power Level’… and SSS-rank… it’s not possible right now… I’ll consult with the central guild as soon as possible. If everything goes smoothly, you can be promoted in any adventurer’s guild.”

Evan nodded, scratching his head.

Then he added in a trembling voice.

“And processing the monsters… with so many, it will take quite some time. If it’s okay with you, we’ll pay you first and finish the work after you leave.”

“Fine, make the certificate S-rank. I’ll go to the adventurer’s guild in the evening then.”

“Of course. I’ll register it for you.”

There was still plenty of time until evening.

‘What to do…’

As I pondered, Levi’s face came into view.

Her dim eyes and pale complexion… she looked like she could barely stand.

“Levi, are you tired?”

Levi forced a smile and shook her head.

“I’m fine… Following Lycoris is an honor…”

But her body swayed slightly.

Ryandel wasn’t much better.

His face showed clear signs of fatigue, with deep dark circles under his eyes.

‘Oh, right. They stayed up all night.’

Only then did I properly notice the humans’ condition.

Evan seemed the most okay…

“Lycoris, do… you not sleep because you’re a flower?”

Ryandel asked curiously.

“Hmm? No, plants do rest. Not like humans, but we have a sleep-like state.”

The humans exchanged curious glances.

“Then why not rest until evening?”

Everyone let out a sigh of relief.

Ryandel quickly said.

“Let’s go to the Moonlight Rest Inn. Everyone should rest.”

We all headed to the inn together.

Ryandel approached Helga and said.

“Prepare the best room for Lycoris. And food as well.”

Helga bowed politely and immediately got to work.

“Yes, of course. We’ll prepare our finest room for you.”

Helga busily instructed the staff, and soon a hearty breakfast was ready.

Various meat dishes were laid out on the table.

This time, there were no vegetable dishes at all.

“Enjoy your meal!”

I began eating the food enthusiastically.

Glacia also sat at the table and enjoyed the meal.

Miel and Cecilia were at a side table with the humans.

As I enjoyed my meal, Helga informed me that the best room was ready.

After finishing breakfast, I followed Helga’s guidance to the finest room.

Located at the end of the second floor, the room welcomed me with its spacious and cozy interior.

“Wow! This is the best room in the village!”

Considering it was a small village, it wasn’t as luxurious as I imagined, but it was quite upscale.

A large bed, elegant furniture, and warm sunlight streaming through the big window brightened the room.

As I explored the room, a door caught my eye.

Curious, I opened it and found a bathroom.

A large wooden bathtub was already filled with warm water, steam rising gently.

“Wow! A bath!”

This was the first time since coming to this world that I had a chance to bathe.

Actually, I was always clean, and with Nis’s ‘Perfect and Flawless’ trait, I was even cleaner, but still… the feeling of soaking in warm water was irresistible!

“Hehe, bath time!”

The Ace Quartet followed me into the bathroom.

I tried to undress, but it was harder than expected.

The dress, which looked simple, was surprisingly difficult to take off.

“Ugh, how do I take this off?”

Miel and Cecilia came behind me and started untying the laces.

With their help, I finally undressed, revealing a black lace negligee and panties.

They were sheer, lacy undergarments.

“Eh… I… wore this…?”

I was momentarily taken aback.

It felt too sexy.

“Hmm, is this also Nis’s taste?”

I quickly took off the undergarments and threw them aside.

‘It seems being naked is more decent…’

My female body felt strange again.

Short stature, slender figure, and soft, muscle-free skin.

“Hmm… Should I exercise?”

But would muscles even form if I exercised in this polymorphed state?

Just then, Miel and Glacia charged toward me.

“Ahh! What are you doing?”

They seemed to be after nectar, heading straight for my private parts.

I lightly slapped them and scolded them.

“Okay… let’s take the bath.”

I carefully stepped into the bathtub, letting my feet get used to the warm water first.

The feeling of the warmth spreading from my feet to my entire body was incredibly pleasant.

“Ah… this is heaven.”

Soaking in the warm water brought a natural smile to my face.

As a flower, I couldn’t experience this, but now, as a human…

“Hehe, it’s really great.”

Miel, Cecilia, Rote, and Glacia also got into the bathtub.

It was spacious enough for Glacia as well.

Miel and Cecilia perched on my shoulders, enjoying the warmth.

Rote floated like a rubber ducky.

Glacia, like me, was fully submerged.

‘Looks like everyone’s having fun.’

I closed my eyes and leisurely enjoyed the water’s texture.

Every slight movement caused ripples, which felt wonderful.

Ahh… this is happiness.

But something felt odd.

My highly sensitive skin detected the water level slowly lowering.

‘Hmm…?’

When I opened my eyes, the water had indeed decreased.

“Ehng? What’s going on!”

The Quartet stared at me.

“Eh.”

‘Could it be… I’m absorbing the water? Even in human form, like photosynthesis…?’

Looking at my palms, everything seemed normal.

But the water was clearly decreasing.

Maybe my body was automatically absorbing the water.

Moving caused the water to be sucked into my skin.

As a plant, absorbing water is natural, but…

The strange part was that my body felt no different.

No thirst quenched, no skin more moisturized.

But their reactions suggested I was indeed absorbing the water.

“Gulp… I should get out of the bathtub.”

Reluctantly, I left the bathtub, which now had less than half its water.

Then I quickly washed myself.

Thanks to ‘Perfect and Flawless,’ I didn’t need to, but I did it out of habit.

After the warm bath, my body felt relaxed.

A strange fatigue washed over me.

‘Maybe a nap?’

But sleeping in the dress seemed uncomfortable.

Just then, the dress in my hand began to transform.

It turned into a black silk negligee set.

The negligee, part of the set, revealed the body’s curves.

“Wow… crazy!”

It even transforms into pajamas!

The new pajamas were extremely sexy but very comfortable.

I put on the negligee and panties and looked in the mirror.

Except for being short, I looked like a very charming woman.

“Hehe, perfect for tempting Master…”

The thought of Master made my face flush.

Seeing myself like this, I felt like Master wouldn’t hold back.

“Hehehe… I miss Master.”

Looking at the bed, I suddenly felt like playing.

I dove onto the bed.

The soft, fluffy texture enveloped my body.

“Wow, the best!”

The Quartet also climbed onto the bed.

Miel and Cecilia perched near my head, Glacia lay heavily at the foot, and Rote continued to float.

“Rote, wake me up by evening.”

Rote tilted her body slightly to signal understanding.

As I closed my eyes, last night’s battle replayed in my mind.

‘The blood offering to Michel… it was a magnificent ritual.’

With a happy heart, I slowly fell asleep.