Over an hour prior.
****
Within a guest room on the second floor of the courtyard.
Silvia knelt on the bed, meticulously smoothing out the last lace pillowcase.
The duvet, sheets, and other bedding had also been neatly arranged.
From the wardrobe, a faint rose scent wafted—an incense she had specifically lit to dispel a hint of stale mustiness.
****
In the bathroom, the gushing sound of water came to a sudden halt.
Silvia lay down on the bed, and her phone screen lit up.
She noticed several notifications.
Most were news about the mimetic beast attack on Ephemeral City that morning.
Of course, there were also reports of magical girls conducting rescues and media interviews.
****
When Lina emerged, wrapped in a snowy white bath towel.
The sweet, cloying scent of rose essential oil still lingered in the steamy air.
Her damp golden hair cascaded to her collarbones, and droplets of water glided down her graceful neck, disappearing into the depths of the towel.
“What do you think? You can live here from now on, rent-free, no less~”
Silvia lay on her side, patting the soft bed, the blue light from her screen illuminating her features, making them appear lively.
Lina casually dried her hair with a towel, her eyes sweeping across the room.
“Hmm, it’s acceptable.”
Her voice was as cool and pristine as an icy spring.
“What do you mean~”
Silvia flipped over and sat up.
“I put so much effort into tidying this place…”
“Mm-hmm, I know, so… thank you for your hard work?”
Lina offered a serene, faint smile.
Silvia, however, let out a soft huff, muttering to herself, ‘How perfunctory,’ ‘She didn’t even praise me,’ ‘No blood for you then…’
Lina draped the towel over the chair back and picked up her already dried dress.
She walked to the bedside and sat down, observing Silvia, who was still secretly peeking at her.
“Actually… in the ancient castle I used to live in, even the candlesticks were carved from human bones.”
Continuing, Lina then looked out the window, a soft laugh escaping her lips.
“The sunlight here is quite dazzling, though…”
She mused, ‘Perhaps, being settled in this sun-drenched room by this human girl, it might even be an intriguing new chapter.’
However, she was in the process of recovering, be it her physical form, emotional intelligence, or intellect.
After a few more blood feedings, she would likely regain at least about ten percent of her former strength.
Just then, Silvia propped herself up, stretching languidly.
“I’m heading back to my room now. Want to come with me to check out the school later?”
As she spoke, her fingertip hooked a strand of Lina’s cascading golden hair, finding its texture exquisitely fine.
As Lina tilted her head to avoid the touch, Silvia chuckled and got out of bed, not waiting for Lina’s answer.
She couldn’t possibly leave Lina alone at home; what if she got too hungry and went out to harm someone?
It was best to keep her close.
****
Her room was right next door.
The instant she pushed open the door, Silvia’s smile faltered, freezing at the corners of her mouth.
She had been so preoccupied with preparing Lina’s room that she had completely forgotten about the mess on her own floor.
At that moment, she recalled the scene from that morning when Lina had stealthily entered her room.
It was utterly mortifying!
Thankfully, Lina hadn’t been very clever back then, quite naive, in fact.
However, after drinking blood and regaining some strength, she apparently didn’t remember the ‘amusing incident’ from before.
‘If anyone found out, my social life would be over…’
With a flick of her wrist, Silvia’s magic threads guided the items, making them all fall into a wicker basket.
She counted them, finding nothing missing.
Only, she felt a subtle warmth spread across the nape of her neck.
After a while, Silvia’s fingertips hooked the ribbon at the back of her dress, pulling it loose, and the garment slid down her slender waist and fell to the floor.
She stretched her waist.
Nude, she turned in a circle before the full-length mirror.
The morning light sculpted the firm lines of her abdomen; there was no superfluous flesh at her sides.
Her breasts were firm and full.
Immediately after, carrying the half-filled wicker basket, she walked towards the bathroom, her bare feet pressing against the cool marble floor.
The bathroom mirror was covered in a thin mist.
Hot water spilled over the edge of the bathtub. Silvia lowered herself into the tub, settling into a straddled position as the water enveloped her waist.
She placed the wicker basket on the edge, then… one by one, she retrieved the pleasure devices and rinsed them thoroughly with the showerhead.
After all, they had fallen to the floor and were sure to be dusty.
‘Should I use them?’
Silvia pondered, ‘What if I get carried away?’
Her time-reversal magic, however, couldn’t affect the wider world.
‘Never mind, I’ll use them anyway ♥’
****
Steam continued to billow.
Silvia leaned back against the rim of the tub, droplets from her hair collecting into streams that trickled over her collarbones.
Just then, a persistent, low hum mingled with the sounds of flowing water.
Her hips began to rise and fall uncontrollably beneath the warm surface of the water.
When the trembling finally subsided, Silvia let out a long breath.
The mirror reflected her glistening, heavy-lidded eyes.
“Oh no, how much time has passed?!”
She stood up, water cascading down her body, and snatched a bath towel to wrap around herself.
In the mirror, she glimpsed winding watermarks on her legs—she wasn’t sure if they were from the bathwater or something more intimate.
The wicker basket was still dripping water; she hastily tidied up and then exited the bathroom.
Silvia carefully placed the pleasure devices… in a cool, shaded spot by the windowsill, where they would be safe from direct light.
Next, opening her wardrobe, a myriad of dresses and skirts came into view.
She picked up a grey pleated skirt, shaking it open. Next, a white shirt clung to her body as she donned it.
As she fastened the last button, Silvia adjusted her tie in the mirror.
Her black leather shoes clicked crisply against the floor.
She intentionally pulled her white socks up to her mid-thigh, allowing them to peek tantalizingly from beneath the pleated skirt, revealing a sliver of her upper thigh.
****