Reincarnated As The Villainess's Son Chapter 345 [Hot Springs] [3]

"Urgh! Are we really going to get naked?"

"Yes. It's to make sure that the water remains clean."

"But I'm not interested in looking at n's peanuts."

"We cover up with towels. What the hell are you even whining about?"

I sighed, letting the cold shower water wash over .

Even with the sound of rushing water, I could still hear Amaury and Elijah bickering.

Ever since I ranked up, my senses had sharpened.

Unfortunately, that ant I couldn't just tune them out.

"Are you guys ready now?" Elijah asked.

I turned, glancing toward the open shower area.

It was designed so that we could see into the adjacent stalls, and Elijah was already stepping out, a towel wrapped around his waist.

I shut off my shower, preparing to step out when—

Are you enjoying the view? []

Watching bathe? []

And just like that, she vanished.

Stretching, I peeled off my remaining clothes, wrapping a towel around my waist before stepping out.

"All set."

The bathhouse was simple—wooden walls, steamy air, and a spacious hot spring just ahead.

I turned toward Elijah, who leaned against the wall.

"Nice abs." He whistled. "Makes want to touch you."

I blinked. "What?"

"What?" He tilted his head, then imdiately changed the subject. "Nice weather, huh?"

"..."

Should I cover my chest?

Suddenly, I didn't feel safe around him.

I leaned against the opposite wall, maintaining a safe distance.

Aimar, Carson, and Amaury were still showering, while the girls had their own separate section.

'Didn't Zenith say they'd bathe later?' I checked the ti on my phone, pulling it from my storage bracelet.

9:45 PM.

'She called at 10.' I sighed.

"What did you two talk about?"

Elijah's voice pulled from my thoughts.

"You were with her, right?"

I nodded. "Yeah. She told about her past."

"I see," he murmured quietly.

A brief silence stretched between us before I hesitated—

"Do you.....hate them?"

I asked, looking at him.

"Just so you know, I hate them. All of them."

He let out a soft chuckle. "I don't hate them—"

"Don't lie to , Elijah."

His smile faded.

Without a word, he looked up at the ceiling, lost in thought.

I stopped talking as well.

Then, after a few monts, he finally whispered—

"Would you hate soone who made you eat broken glass while you were dying of starvation?"

"....Yeah," I muttered.

He turned to with a small, bitter smile. "Guess I do hate them."

I placed a hand on his shoulder, squeezing slightly.

I didn't know everything about what he went through as a child. And I wouldn't pretend to.

All I could do was remind him—he wasn't alone.

'...Well, the Aljanah family did plenty to earn their destruction.' "Argh, I hate this!"

My head turned as Amaury stord out of the shower.

Aimar and Carson followed shortly after.

"You look great." Elijah quipped with a smirk.

"Urgh, stop that," Amaury shot him a glare. "I don't want to be complinted by another dude."

"What's there to complain about?" I asked, walking up to him.

Amaury shot an annoyed look before turning away. "Let's just go."

"Hm?"

But as he turned, sothing caught my eye.

"Wait… You have a tail?"

I grabbed his shoulder, making him stop.

Amaury turned, smacking my hand away. "Yeah? You got a problem with that?"

"How have I never noticed this?" I mumbled, circling him.

And there it was—just above his tailbone, a small furry orange tail, the sa shade as his hair.

"Was it always there?" Carson asked, staring at it.

"Was it invisible or sothing before?"

"I can retract it," Amaury replied, still glaring at .

I frowned. "So… like, there's another hole for it?"

"Yes."

Damn.

I wasn't sure what to say.

'Doesn't that an there's… like… an extra hole to…fuck?' "Do females have them too?" Elijah asked, his curiosity bordering on unnatural.

Amaury narrowed his eyes. "They do."

Without waiting for a response, he turned and walked off. "Now, let's just get this over with."

I grabbed his tail and tugged.

"URGH, WHAT THE FUCK?!"

Amaury let out a very unmanly scream before whipping around to glare daggers at .

"Just making sure it's not a butt plug—"

"SHUT UP!"

He stord off, face red with rage.

I shrugged, following after him.

The others fell into step beside .

"Why are you staring at ?" I asked, catching Carson's lingering gaze.

He quickly shook his head. "No.Nothing."

I tilted my head.

Did Siersha say sothing to him?

Shrugging it off, I turned forward as we entered the hot spring.

A misty haze blanketed the entire area, making it hard to see clearly.

I glanced at Aimar. "What happened to your hand?"

He flinched, quickly trying to hide a cut. "Training."

I narrowed my eyes.

Before I could say anything—

"GOTCHA!"

A mocking voice rang out, followed by a sharp yank—

My towel was gone.

I stood there, completely naked, staring at Amaury.

His smug grin slowly vanished as his gaze dropped lower.

I stepped forward, taking my towel back. "Shouldn't have done that, buddy."

Ignoring the stunned silence, I walked straight into the hot spring.

---------

"Hic! Urgh! Hic!"

A soft whimpering sound echoed through the bathhouse as I leaned back against the stone wall, my body subrged in the steaming water.

The heat seeped into my muscles, easing the tension and washing away the fatigue.

I wondered how much life energy I'd absorb from this.

Probably a few hours' worth.

Ranking up had given so, but it wasn't much—barely two years.

Forcing my way to Overlord wasn't exactly ideal.

I exhaled, sinking deeper into the water.

Well, at least I had more ti to figure out different ways to—

"Can you stop crying?!"

I finally snapped, unable to take any more of the pathetic whimpering.

"Shut up!"

Amaury shot back, his almost bloodshot blue eyes glaring at .

"I hate guys with perfect genetics like you!"

"It's not his fault he's packing an… Impaler," Elijah said, lazily defending .

Then he grimaced. "Though I'd be happy never seeing that again."

Aimar, half-subrged beside him, patted his shoulder sympathetically.

"Welco to the club."

Elijah blinked. "Wait—when did you see it?"

"We used to bathe together as kids." Aimar leaned back with a sigh. "So, forever, I guess."

"You are one inch shorter than Oliver," I said, looking at him. "Still bigger than shrimp over here."

"Who the hell are you calling a shrimp?!"

Amaury's cat-like blue eyes burned with fury as he glared at .

Elijah, as always, was far too entertained.

"Look on the bright side," he said, grinning. "At least you still have your wolf transformation."

"Oh, right!" I clapped my hands together, turning to him. "Does that an you guys only do it in doggy style, or—"

"Can you stop being so racist?" Amaury growled.

I shrugged. "Nope. Never."

Elijah chuckled before shifting his attention to soone else. "Why is Carson so quiet?"

The vampire, who had been sitting silently in the corner, glanced up at him.

"What am I supposed to do?" Carson asked flatly.

"I don't know—talk?"

Carson sighed, standing up and making his way toward .

Without a word, he sat down beside .

I tilted my head, confused. "What's up?"

He leaned in slightly. "Did sothing happen between you and Siersha?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Why do you ask?"

"Grandfather is planning sothing," he inford , his voice grim. "At the Asura wedding next month."

"...I see."

What the hell was Edwin up to now?

Letting out a slow breath, I stood up.

"Where are you going?" Elijah asked as I walked toward the exit.

"Forgot sothing." I glanced back at him. "I'll be back in a few minutes."

"Uh, okay?"

Sliding the door open, I stepped out of the hot spring.

I tossed my towel aside and changed into my clothes.

-------

"Is this the place?"

I muttered, looking at the Ladies' Hot Spring sign draped on a crimson banner.

After confirming I was in the right place, I glanced around—

And found no one.

"The hell is she?" I grumbled, sighing in frustration.

Siersha had told to et her outside the hot spring, yet she was nowhere in sight.

Was she late?

No—that was definitely .

With no other choice, I stood there, waiting.

But—

The soft sound of approaching footsteps sent a jolt of panic through .

n weren't allowed here.

If I got caught—

Without thinking, I shoved the banner aside and slipped inside.

Warm air, thick with the scent of steam and faint traces of floral oils, wrapped around .

The locker room stretched before —baskets neatly stacked, filled with folded yukatas.

Are these used?

Curious, I stepped toward one of the baskets, noticing a small, well-worn leather diary resting on top.

I picked it up.

I knew I shouldn't.

But still—

I flipped it open.

The first line made my blood freeze.

Today, Avilea had breakfast with a blonde woman.

"Huh?"

Confusion coiled in my chest as I reread the words, my mind struggling to process.

Avilea…? My daughter?

Quickly, I turned the page.

Today, she played with a boy with white hair. She called him big brother.

"What the hell…" I muttered, my grip tightening.

Whose diary was this?

I searched the basket for clues and found—

A pair of panties.

Pure white, with a tiny teddy bear printed on the front.

I blinked.

Tilted my head.

'This looks like sothing Zenith would wear.'

"What are you doing?"

A sharp voice cut through the air.

I flinched.

Turning my head, I found Siersha walking toward , her long, damp hair clinging to her shoulders.

A bathrobe hung loosely around her curves, barely tied, exposing the soft dip of her collarbone and her smooth, toned thighs.

Her scent—sothing faintly sweet, like roses—filled the air between us.

Her crimson eyes flickered from my face—down to the panties in my hand.

I froze.

"Wait, it's not what you—"

"Pervert." Her voice dripped with disgust. "I told you to wait outside."

"I was waiting! You didn't show up."

"So you decided to sneak in and steal—"

"Shut up," I grumbled, quickly setting the diary and underwear back. "Don't accuse without proof."

"You being inside the won's bath is proof enough," she shot back, eyes locked onto mine.

"Is soone there, Siersha?"

A new voice echoed through the room before I could reply.

Both of us stiffened.

The soft sound of approaching footsteps made my stomach twist.

"Co with ," Siersha whispered.

Grabbing my wrist, she yanked forward.

A door creaked open, and before I could resist, she dragged into the shower area.

The mont we stepped inside, she shoved into one of the small, mist-filled stalls and slamd the door shut behind us.

Thud. I grunted as my back hit the cold tile, her warm body pressing against mine.

This place was too damn tight.

"Siersha?" Zenith's voice rang out.

I held my breath.

"Y-Yeah," Siersha stamred. "I'm taking a bath."

"Oh! I wanted to take one too."

The adjacent stall door creaked open.

Panic flared in Siersha's eyes.

Before I could react, she grabbed my head—

And shoved down.

I crouched, barely biting back a groan.

My face was way too close to the curve of her thigh.

Heat radiated from her skin, the scent of fresh water and lingering sweat flooding my senses.

Shit.

"Hm? What was that?" Zenith's voice was suspicious, her stall door rattling slightly.

"Nothing."

Siersha's lips curled into an easy smile.

"I thought I saw soone…" Zenith mumbled as the sound of rushing water filled the space.

"You're imagining things," Siersha replied casually.

I glanced up at her, scowling.

The fuck are you staring at for? "Are you not going to bathe?" Zenith asked, confusion creeping into her voice.

"Y-Yeah…"

Then—

Siersha untied her robe.

And let it slide down.