A few hours had passed.
By the edge of the pool, a thin veil of warm steam still lingered in the air, while Chiyome stood in front of Kuro, who had just finished bathing, helping him put on his clothes.
In truth, Kuro did not need that assistance.
He could dress himself, or even manifest his clothing instantly. Yet when he was about to do so, Chiyome had already asked permission first—wanting to serve.
And Kuro, who understood the shape of that loyalty, chose to allow it.
Now, Chiyome's slender fingers moved with precision. The buttons of his shirt were fastened one by one with almost flawless accuracy.
Her movements were steady, calm, and far too practiced to be dismissed as mere "help."
"Chii-chan," Kuro said suddenly. "How is the Orochi curse in your body?"
Chiyome paused for a moment, then answered without lifting her gaze.
"…There is almost no significant change," she said softly. "However…"
She hesitated for a split second.
"…for some reason, my body feels warm."
Kuro let out a light chuckle.
"Fair enough," he said casually. "I did release quite a lot earlier."
He tilted his head slightly, then added in a relaxed tone,
"And you looked like you were enjoying it too."
Silence.
Chiyome's fingers, which had been adjusting his clothes, stopped.
Slowly, a faint red crept onto her cheeks.
"…That is not something you need to state so directly," she said at last, her voice quieter than usual.
Yet she did not deny it.
Did not fully object.
Because… it was true.
The lingering warmth in her body was not something she could explain with logic.
It wasn't just energy flowing through her—more like something filling an empty space she hadn't even realized existed.
She took a small breath, then continued more softly.
"…However, if that is indeed the effect of your ability," she said, "then I will accept it as part of my duty as a Servant."
She straightened Kuro's shirt one final time, then lowered her head slightly.
"As long as it is beneficial to the Lord Master… I do not mind."
Seeing Chiyome's reaction, for some reason Kuro found it… a little adorable.
However, before his mischievous thoughts could develop any further, something crossed his mind.
"Oh, right…" he said suddenly. "Do you want to come with me? To another reality?"
Chiyome fell silent for a moment.
Then she slowly closed her eyes, as if recalling something very distant.
"…Much time has passed since I closed my eyes and vowed not to serve another Master," she said softly, then opened them again.
"Lord Master… I will forever accompany you."
Her tone grew firmer.
"My loyalty is yours for all eternity. It is my duty to remain by your side—to be your eyes, your ears, and your blade."
She lowered her head slightly.
"And… the debt I owe you can never be repaid."
Kuro smiled faintly at that.
Without saying much, he raised his hand and gently touched Chiyome's hair.
"You really are a loyal Servant," he said warmly. "I'm glad to have you."
Chiyome nodded slowly.
"Of course," she replied. Then, with a slight shift in tone—more formal yet steady—she added, "I am a kunoichi. Although our specialization is equivalent to Assassins, we have always had a master to serve."
She looked at Kuro more seriously.
"So, Lord Master should not hesitate to use me… until I am no longer able to move."
A brief silence followed.
Then Kuro let out a small laugh.
"In that case…" he said, holding back a smile, "does what we did a few hours ago also count as 'using you'?"
Instantly.
Chiyome froze completely.
"…Eh."
Her face flushed bright red, unmistakably this time.
She quickly averted her gaze slightly, while her hands—previously so neatly adjusting Kuro's clothes—became stiff and motionless in place.
"…T-That… is a different context…" she said quietly, her usual firmness wavering for the first time.
She took a small breath, trying to reorganize her thoughts like a kunoichi recalculating her strategy in the middle of an unexpected disturbance.
"What I meant by 'used until broken' was in the context of missions or combat…" she continued quickly, a little too quickly.
"Like using all of my abilities without holding back, or long-term instructions that drain stamina."
She paused for a moment.
"…Not in the way Lord Master implied earlier."
But after saying that, she fell silent again.
Because explaining it that way didn't make the situation any better.
Chiyome slowly lowered her head.
"…Earlier, I only meant to express the level of my loyalty," she added more quietly, almost as if correcting herself.
Her fingers returned to the buttons of Kuro's shirt, but her movements were no longer as steady as before—there was a subtle stiffness she couldn't quite hide.
Kuro furrowed his brows, as if finding a flaw in Chiyome's words.
"'Long-term instructions that drain stamina'…" he said quietly. "That's still connected to what we were talking about earlier."
Chiyome immediately opened her mouth to respond—
"…That is not—"
"Because of that," Kuro interrupted more quickly, his tone still calm but firm, "as your Lord Master, I am issuing another order."
Chiyome froze instantly.
Kuro looked straight at her.
"Let me kiss you again."
Chiyome fell silent.
Her hands, which had still been holding the front of Kuro's shirt, slowly stopped—hesitating at the boundary between oath and emotion.
After a moment, with a flushed face and slightly restrained breath, she moved again—not with full confidence anymore, but with obedience mixed with something softer, more personal.
She lifted her face, following Kuro's instructions without resistance.
Something soft slipped between the delicate, thin layers.
Kuro smiled faintly.
His face moved closer calmly, reaching for something soft and delicate.
The distance between them narrowed, until all that remained was warmth exchanged in the small space between their breaths.
Kuro's movements were simple—drawing in, circling, and intertwining, almost repetitive—leaving Chiyome's breathing unsteady and disordered.
Chiyome stiffened for a moment.
"Ah…"
The sound slipped out unintentionally—cut off almost immediately, like a reflex she didn't even have time to allow herself.
Her chest rose slightly faster, then stalled halfway, as if her breathing rhythm itself had lost balance.
"Ha… ngh…"
Her breaths began to break apart, uneven fragments slipping through her attempt to stay composed.
She tried to pull back slightly, but the motion never fully completed—left hanging between intention and hesitation, as though even her body wasn't entirely aligned with her will.
"Ah… hngh…"
Again. Softer this time. More fragile.
As if something within her was slowly forgetting how to maintain calm.
The warm air between them felt heavier, or perhaps it was only her perception that made the space feel narrower than it should have been.
Chiyome's breathing grew shallow and uneven, no longer forming any stable rhythm. Only small pauses, delicate breaks falling into the silence that wrapped tightly around them.
"Haaah…"
The exhale lingered longer, yet still remained incomplete—like her body hadn't decided whether to stay or retreat.
And through it all, Kuro remained unchanged, calm. His presence felt like something that didn't need movement to occupy the space around them.
While Chiyome… could only endure the moment a little longer than she fully understood, with her breath slowly losing form, yet never quite stopping altogether.
Slowly, the distance between them formed again.
It was as if something invisible that had been connecting the two of them just moments ago had snapped away, leaving behind a quiet space that felt slightly different from before.
Chiyome took a slow breath.
Her gaze wavered for a moment, then she lowered her head, trying to calm herself—she somehow felt… too aware of every second that had just passed.
Kuro looked at her calmly, as if there was nothing further that needed to be explained.
"Somehow… you have a taste like fruit," he said flatly.
That line made Chiyome fall silent longer than she should have.
"…Fruit?" she repeated softly, almost as if confirming she hadn't misheard.
Her ears grew slightly warm, not out of anger—more from confusion about where to place that word in her mind.
She slowly lifted her face, looking at Kuro with an expression mixed with doubt, embarrassment, and not fully understanding the direction of the conversation.
"Lord Master…" her voice weakened slightly at the end, "you really… never choose normal ways of speaking."
She paused, then lowered her head again, her hands drawing closer in front of her body.
"…But if that was a compliment," she continued softly, "I will accept it."
_______
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