Adam remained reclined in the chair, eyes closed, his body finally relaxing after everything that had happened. The silence of the room was almost comforting, something he wasn't used to.
That was when he felt a weight on his chest.
He opened his eyes abruptly, lowering his gaze, and found Nox staring straight at him with those bright, curious eyes. The small dragon was sprawled on top of him, swishing its tail from side to side as if completely satisfied with itself.
"How the hell did you get here?" Adam muttered, frowning. He had left Nox in the forest, or so he thought. 'Did it follow me all the way without me noticing?'
Nox tilted its head, letting out a small growl that sounded almost like a laugh. Adam stretched out a hand to push it off, but before he could do so, he heard footsteps approaching.
And the door opened without warning.
Ravenna entered with a clean towel in her hands. Adam turned his head toward her, and at that precise moment he felt something strange. The weight on his chest had disappeared.
He looked down quickly, but Nox was already gone.
'What…?' he thought. Then he felt a warm, almost comforting sensation inside him.
[Tamer System]
[Notice: When a soul contract is established, the bonded beast may hide within the host. In this way, it will remain safe and concealed from prying eyes. It may exit and enter at the will of the host or the beast]
Adam read the message with a mix of surprise and relief. 'So that's why it disappeared… what a hell of an ability.'
Ravenna, unaware of all this, approached with her usual serene expression. "Your Excellency, the bath is ready. Please, accompany me."
Adam nodded, rising from the chair. He followed her through the corridors to a side door that led to a private bathroom. Steam already filled the air, and the marble bathtub was brimming with hot water.
"I will go prepare your meal. They are already inside and will take care of assisting you," Ravenna said with a bow before leaving.
Adam frowned. 'They?'
When Ravenna closed the door behind her, Adam looked into the bathroom and froze completely.
Three women were waiting for him near the bathtub.
Two were elves, with long hair—one blonde and the other a silvery shade. The third was a beastwoman, with feline ears that twitched slightly and a tail swaying behind her. All three wore maid uniforms, but they were… considerably lighter than normal, made of thin fabrics that left little to the imagination, though they still covered what was necessary.
All three bowed in unison. "Your Excellency."
Adam stood there with his mouth slightly open, staring at them without quite knowing what to do or say. 'What the fuck is this?'
He wasn't a virgin. He knew how all that worked. But in his previous life, this was something only the upper ranks of the mafia did. The bosses, the ones already at the top. He had never been interested in that kind of luxury. He preferred things direct, without so many formalities.
And now here he was, being treated like a damn prince.
"Your Excellency, please allow us to undress you," said the blonde elf with a gentle smile as she stepped closer.
Adam clenched his teeth. 'What a fucking embarrassment…' he thought, but he didn't have many options. If he refused, he would probably draw more attention, and the system's mission was clear: keep a low profile.
With a resigned sigh, he let them remove the clothes stained with blood and dirt. The maids immediately moved in, helping him with each garment until he was completely naked.
'This is ridiculous,' he thought as he stepped into the bathtub. The hot water hit his skin instantly, and an involuntary sigh escaped his lips. He had to admit it: it felt damn good.
The silver-haired elf knelt behind him, beginning to wash his hair with gentle, precise movements. Her fingers sank into his scalp, massaging with a delicacy Adam hadn't expected.
The beastwoman, meanwhile, took care of his right arm, passing a damp sponge over his skin while cleaning him carefully. Her tail swayed from side to side, and Adam could occasionally feel the softness of her fur brushing against his shoulder.
The third, the blonde elf, stood near the tub, preparing clean towels and scented oils.
Adam closed his eyes, trying to ignore the situation. 'Just… go with it. It's just a bath.'
But it was hard. Very hard.
The silver-haired elf's hands now moved along his back, washing every inch with care. The beastwoman did the same with his chest, running the sponge over his abdomen with slow, meticulous motions.
Steam continued to fill the room, and the scent of lavender and herbs mixed with the heat of the water. Adam could feel the tension in his muscles beginning to fade, replaced by a forced relaxation.
'This is… strange,' he thought, not quite sure whether he should feel comfortable or uncomfortable.
The maids didn't speak much, only exchanging occasional words among themselves as they continued their work. Adam watched them from the corner of his eye, noticing how they moved with almost perfect synchronization. They had clearly done this before.
After what felt like an eternity—though it was probably only fifteen minutes—they finally finished. The blonde elf approached with a large towel, and Adam stepped out of the tub, letting them wrap it around him.
"Would you like us to help you get dressed, Your Excellency?" the beastwoman asked with a slight tilt of her head.
Adam quickly shook his head. "No. I can do it myself."
All three nodded and left the bathroom, leaving him alone. Adam stood there, looking at his reflection in the fogged mirror. His black hair was wet, falling over his forehead, and his skin looked cleaner than it had in a long time.
'What a life…,' he thought, drying himself before putting on the clean clothes they had left on a nearby chair.
***
When Adam returned to his room, a table had already been set with food. Dishes he didn't recognize, but that smelled incredibly good. He sat down in the chair in front of the table, and Ravenna immediately took her place beside him, standing with her hands clasped in front of her.
Adam picked up a fork and began to eat in silence. The food was good, better than he had expected. Roasted meat with spices, cooked vegetables, freshly baked bread. Everything tasted different from his previous world, but not in a bad way.
As he chewed, his mind returned to the girl in the hallway. That look she had given him. He decided to ask casually, without raising suspicion.
"Just from crossing paths with her today, I could tell that… she seemed overly happy," he commented, taking a sip of water.
Ravenna blinked, surprised by the question, but answered at once. "Are you referring to Miss Seraphina, Your Excellency?"
'Seraphina,' Adam repeated in his mind. The name sounded vaguely familiar, though he couldn't place it exactly.
"Yes, today your younger sister did seem happier than usual, Your Excellency," Ravenna continued in her usual tone. "She turned eighteen just two months ago."
Adam nodded slowly, processing the information. 'So that's my sister.'
At that moment, the system screen briefly appeared in front of him.
[Tamer System]
[Notice: When you interact directly with Seraphina Shadowend and maintain a conversation with her, you will be able to access her basic data]
Adam read the message with interest. 'So I'll have to talk to her eventually.'
He finished eating in silence, and Ravenna cleared the dishes before withdrawing with another bow. "If you need anything else, Your Excellency, I will be outside."
Adam nodded, remaining alone in the room.
***
Night had fallen completely. Adam had spent almost the entire day in that room, without going out, without doing anything that would draw attention. Just as the system had ordered.
Now that he was completely alone, he felt Nox's presence inside him. 'You can come out,' he thought.
Instantly, the small dragon appeared in front of him, materializing as if it had never been hidden. Nox shook its wings and then began to explore the room with curiosity.
It jumped onto the desk, sniffing the books. Then it climbed the shelves, examining every object it found. Adam watched from where he stood, arms crossed and a faint smile on his face.
'It's curious,' he thought, watching as Nox accidentally knocked over an inkwell—though it caught it before it hit the floor.
While Nox explored, Adam approached the shelf and took one of the books. It was a thick tome about the history of the Shadowend duchy. He decided to read it; any information could be useful.
He sat on the bed, resting his back against the headboard, and began flipping through the pages. The book spoke of the battles the family had fought, the territories they controlled, the alliances they had formed. It was interesting, though somewhat dense.
As he read, Nox finally finished its exploration and jumped onto the bed, settling near Adam's feet. The small dragon yawned, showing its sharp fangs, before closing its eyes and falling asleep.
Adam blinked slightly at the sight.
He continued reading for a couple more hours, until he felt his eyes beginning to close. He set the book aside and stretched out on the bed, staring at the ceiling.
'Two days of keeping a low profile… and then I'll see how important those memories are,' he thought, closing his eyes.
But just as he was about to fall asleep, he felt something heavy climb on top of him.
He opened one eye and saw Nox settling onto his chest, curling up like a cat. The small dragon let out a satisfied sigh and closed its eyes again.
Adam looked at it with a mix of resignation and annoyance. "Seriously?"
Nox didn't respond. It just kept sleeping peacefully. Adam sighed, letting his head fall back onto the pillow. 'Whatever…' And with Nox on top of him, he finally fell asleep.