I finished wiping myself off with a rag from the bedside table and slumped on the bed.
The beast girl sat on the edge, just beside me, looking small and uncertain. Her tail hung limp behind her, no longer twitching with that earlier excitement.
She glanced at me, then away, fiddling with the hem of her tunic.
"Should I... go? Or..."
I sighed, tossing the rag aside and running a hand through my hair. The frustration was still there.
"You can go if you want," I said, keeping my voice even.
I couldn't care less at this point.
She watched me for a while. Then she slid off the bed, standing on shaky legs, and padded toward the door. She stopped just before it, hand on the latch, and turned back.
"Goodnight," she said softly, but hesitated. "I... I don't even know your name."
"Ren," I replied, adjusting my position on the bed. "Ren Kyouka."
She nodded, smiling faintly. "Luno. That's me." She paused again, the silence stretching. "Goodnight, Ren." With that, she turned the latch and pulled the door open—
—and nearly collided with her father. The old man's fist was raised to the door, like he was just about to knock.
His eyes narrowed when he saw Luno. "What are you doing here, girl? At this hour?"
Luno stiffened, but she kept her voice steady. "I just finished cleaning up the room, like you asked."
He peered past her into the room, spotting me, lying lazily on the bed. Then he turned back to her, his expression hard. "Go on, then. Leave us."
She nodded and slipped away down the narrow hall.
The old man stepped inside, closing the door behind him. A light frown creased his face as he faced me. "I trust you've been able to settle down?"
I looked up at him. I'd just been shut down by his daughter, and now this geezer was over here, asking the dumbest of questions. The last thing I needed was his prying.
"What do you want?" I asked, sharper than I intended.
His frown deepened. "You should learn some gratitude, boy. And manners while you're at it."
I wasn't in the mood for his lectures. I got off the bed and stood straight, crossing my arms. "Cut the crap. What the hell do you want from me?"
His eyes narrowed, and he scoffed.
"I came to check on you. Get some sleep. Tomorrow, I'm taking you somewhere. We need to look into your bond with the princesses."
He turned toward the door, dismissing me without another word.
I had barely listened to whatever it was that he was talking about
All I could think about was that damn beast girl—Luno. My urges were still unresolved. I needed to clear my head.
"Hey, old man," I called as he reached the threshold. "Is there a place around here I can take a bath?"
He didn't even look back, already striding away down the hall. "There's a spring behind the house. Use it if you must." he muttered dismissively, voice fading.
I sighed, glancing around the sparse room.
Not a single damn towel in sight.
My only option was to inprovise with my cloak. I took it off, folding it once and wrapping it around my waist, tying it loose.
It'd have to do.
I slipped out the door and into the hallway.
It didn't take long to find the back door. I opened it and stepped outside. There it was—a small spring, tucked against the rear wall of the house.
This should help clear my thoughts,
I figured, letting the door click shut behind me. I untied the cloak, letting it drop to the ground beside the spring, assuming I'd have the place to myself—until I saw her.
Diane was already there, half-submerged, her hair damp and clinging to her shoulders. She turned at the sound of my footsteps, surprise flickering across her face before softening into a faint smile.
"Oh," she said, voice low. "I didn't think anyone else came out here."
I paused at the edge, surprised to see her. "Neither did I."
Her eyes lingered on me, for a moment. Then she tilted her head, the same way she had earlier, and gestured lightly toward the water.
"Would you like to join me?"