The next morning.
The first ray of dawn filtered through the window lattice, gently spilling across the bed.
The air still carried the lingering, mixed scent of last night, damp with the salt of the sea, its warmth intoxicating.
Otohi's eyes were half-closed, her damp hair spread loosely over the pillow. Her cheeks still held a faint blush that had not yet faded, and her breathing was light and long.
The golden light traced the outline of her flushed face, like the most vivid morning glow.
That proud fishtail of hers now hung limply over the edge of the bed. Its scales reflected a faint shimr under the sunlight, yet it looked weary and dim, as if all supporting strength had been drained away, lying there soft and spread out over the sheets.
Her gaze, hazy with the drowsiness of waking, slowly turned toward Rosse, who was dressing by the bedside. In the morning light, his broad back looked especially sturdy, the lines of his muscles smooth and powerful.
Looking at Rosse's tall figure, the depths of Otohi's eyes held a satisfaction and affection beyond words.
She had always believed that her fishtail would be an enormous obstacle, perhaps even an impossible challenge to overco.
Even though Nia had once told her about similar matters, she had always kept a skeptical mind.
Yet last night's experience had overturned her understanding completely. A brand-new, revolutionary sensory experience had shaken her like nothing before.
A faint, irrepressible pleasure surfaced; the corners of her lips curved ever so slightly, a trace of deep comfort and the languor of complete fulfillnt.
Yesterday's "battle" had happened more than once.
In the first bout, she hadn't even lasted a full minute. The kind of unaccustod pain was truly unbearable for her.
But in the later rounds, as she grew more familiar, it beca pure enjoynt.
Even she, soone who had never "fought" before, had co to utterly love the feeling of battle under Rosse's lead.
And… Otohi's hand drifted unconsciously to her lower abdon. It seed as though sothing was taking shape inside.
She knew exactly what it was, and it had been her own insistent request.
Perhaps only this way could she feel she had repaid Rosse's kindness.
"Just rest well today. Is there anything you'd like to eat? I'll go prepare it for you," Rosse glanced back at Otohi, who was staring blankly at him, and asked.
For those he truly considered his own, he was always willing to give the greatest patience and indulgence.
The rmaid's body structure was fascinating, he had already experienced it yesterday.
Even with a tail, her anatomy was nearly identical to a human's.
So much so that yesterday, he had almost chosen the wrong battlefield. [T/N: Oh, my bad, wrong hole.]
Fortunately, he had stopped himself from acting on that dangerous thought in ti.
At least when Otohi wasn't the one taking the initiative, he would be especially careful, especially respectful toward her.
"No need, I just want to lie here like this all day. I'll have Nia take you all around instead," Otohi shook her head lightly. She wasn't so fragile that she needed Rosse to serve her, and besides, Iya and the others could help.
Rosse didn't co often, and she didn't want him revolving entirely around her.
"That won't do. The weather's not great today, and I don't really feel like going out anyway," Rosse smiled. Ti was the one thing he had in abundance now; there was no need to rush to do anything.
These quiet monts after a first "battle" were always sothing he treasured.
After so ti, he wouldn't get to see such a fresh, innocent Otohi anymore.
Otohi parted her lips slightly and glanced at the blazing sun outside the window. How could she not realize this was just an excuse from Rosse?
But in the end, she couldn't bring herself to refuse. After all, Rosse was doing it for her.
———
Two hours later, the sun was high, its rays blazing even stronger, gilding the lawn before the villa in a dazzling gold.
Inside the villa, Olvia held a heavy hardcover book, but her mind had long drifted away from the words on the page.
Her gaze passed through the bright floor-to-ceiling windows, landing on the sunlit leisure area outside.
"He can be this gentle?", She murmured to herself, her voice carrying a faint, barely noticeable astonishnt, and a touch of disbelief.
The scene outside was like a carefully painted oil painting, yet so real it struck her vision head-on.
Rosse was lying lazily in a wide lounge chair, holding Otohi in his arms.
The sunlight fell softly over them, as if cloaking them in a halo of holy light.
Rosse's posture was more relaxed than she had ever seen. His large hand, as if afraid to disturb sothing, gently stroked Otohi's long, damp but half-dry hair, his fingers threading through the strands with utmost patience and tenderness.
His other hand would, from ti to ti, pick up fruit or delicate pastries and bring them gently to Otohi's lips. His movents as natural as breathing, filled with endless care.
Otohi leaned against him in quiet repose, occasionally parting her red lips to accept his offerings, the scene so warm it almost didn't seem real.
This Rosse, Olvia had never seen before.
Usually, all she could sense from him was domineering force, so much so that she had thought his nature was nothing but dominance and roughness.
But seeing him now, it seed that was not the case.
"People always have many sides. If he only ever shows you one, maybe you should think about why that is," A cool, clear voice ca from beside her. It was Gion, gently wiping down Konpira, her attention not even turning toward Rosse's direction, as if her eyes held only the way of the sword.
Rosse's treatnt of different people had always been entirely different, that much she had long understood.
"So what was his attitude when he first t you?", Olvia could still clearly rember that when she had first t Rosse, he had forced her to kill her closest friends and loved ones.
In the end, to survive and to pass on history, she had done exactly that.
It seed that from the very start, Rosse had never been gentle with her.
"He's always liked to give people choices. My first eting with him was… a pretty good experience," Gion smiled slightly, sheathing Konpira as her gaze turned to Olvia.
Although Rosse had also been domineering and half-forcing when they first t, she could now more or less understand his way of doing things.
And once she made her choice, the trust Rosse placed in her was almost unbelievable.
Back then, Rosse wasn't nearly as strong as he was now, and he had no sense of security at all.
So much so that the first ti, he needed Zannie present before he dared to do anything improper.
Looking back now, that Rosse was almost amusingly adorable.
'Unfortunately, I can not go back to that ti,' Gion thought with a hint of regret.
If she could return, she would definitely tease that version of Rosse well.
Back then, because of Rosse's sudden bluntness, she herself had been far too green.
If it were her now, she would definitely invite Zannie to join in.
From what she could tell, Zannie had still not been "eaten" by Rosse.
Having been by Rosse's side almost constantly, Gion was sure of that.
'That won't do.'
'When the ti cos, I would have to be there too!'
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