Chapter 19: Merry Time
*Knock**Knock*
"Lily, it's me. Open the door," Leo called from the outside.
"Coming!" her sweet voice answered from inside.
A moment later, the door was opened, and Lily opened the door.
"Leo! You're back. Come inside," she said, stepping aside to let him enter before quietly shutting the door behind him.
The previous Leo had strictly told her to always lock the door from inside whenever she was alone. Even though they were in a comparatively safer area, with many families residing nearby, it would never hurt to remain cautious, especially when Zolton was actively searching for her.
Lily's eyes drifted to the many bags he was carrying in his hand, and she shot him a curious glance.
"What's all that you are carrying?" she asked.
"Just some things for the house," Leo replied, clearly holding back, as if he were creating suspense for a big reveal.
"Anyway, I am going to take a bath now; you should also get ready by the time I bath," she added, narrowing her eyes at him. "You look like you rolled in dirt…"
Then, she gave his body a quick glance. Thankfully, there were no visible bloodstains on him, so she didn't suspect that he had engaged in a fight.
"Oh… then take this. There's soap in there along with some clothes that I bought for you," Leo said, handing her one of the bags.
She didn't bother asking why he had bought all this. She simply took the bag without looking inside and walked toward the bathroom.
Maybe he doesn't want me to worry over his failed trial… Hmph! Idiot, regardless of what happens, I will take care of him.
Leo noticed how she was avoiding bringing up the topic of the awakening trail. He knew she was being considerate, trying not to hurt his feelings if he had failed.
He remembered when Lily had failed her own awakening and how she had intentionally avoided talking with him. It was only after the body's previous owner talked with her and reassured her that he didn't care if she awakened or not, that nothing had changed and she was still the same to him, that she slowly returned to normal. Still, he had noticed something different in her afterwards; she had developed a quiet, newfound resolve.
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Lily was about to reach for the new soap Leo had bought… but paused.
Her brows furrowed… the soap seemed softer than the usual coarse one.
Frowning, she brought the soap out—and her eyes widened.
It was a luxury soap. The kind that cost a whole bronze coin!
Compared to their regular, rough, cheap soap, which she usually bought and was barely worth five copper coins and provided only basic cleanliness, this was on a completely different level.
While her heart raced in her chest, she quickly scrambled and rummaged through the rest of the things Leo had bought for them.
A dress!
Not just any dress, but one made with fine stitching and soft fabric. Not to mention, it was a pink gown with an elegant look that would perfectly match her hair.
"This—this would have definitely cost a fortune!! Leoooo!!!" she shouted, rushing out of the washroom.
That was when she found Leo arranging things he had bought with him.
Candles, meat, spices and whatnot!
"Wha… what is all this?!" she exclaimed, completely flabbergasted.
Leo, who was already expecting such a reaction, turned to face her with a wide grin, but that grin faltered the moment he saw her.
The girl was wrapped in nothing but a towel, barely covering herself. A tone of skin was being exposed, especially those huge mounds that seemed hell bent on breaking free from the layer that bound them… it was all just too distracting.
"Leo! Explain," Lily demanded, not caring about anything else.
Leo, who was still trying his best to compose himself, felt like his mouth was loose and about to slip.
"I… awakened as a Beast Master," he admitted, turning his head to look elsewhere… but failed miserably.
The suspense he had planned had completely been thrown out of his mind.
"R-really?" she asked, almost thinking as if she had heard him wrong.
"Yes. I really did. Now you don't need to worry about anything anymore," he said, finally managing to look away as he gave the confirmation with a confident voice.
But the next moment, he felt something soft wrapping around him.
Then, that soft turned hard real quick, to the extent that had this been his old, weaker body, he might have actually been crushed.
Then a faint warmth and dampness spread across his chest.
Lily was crying.
"I am so happy… SOB … so, so happy for you," she said between broken sobs, her voice cracking between her tears, which were happy tears.
Leo gently placed one hand on her back and the other on her head, holding her close.
"Not just for me… but for us. We can finally live properly after so long…"
He didn't complete his sentence, but she understood what he meant. After Lily's parents, i.e., Leo's uncle and aunt, were killed, their lives had become miserable. If it weren't for the restaurant owner's kindness, even being alive would have been uncertain, let alone dealing with Zolton's greedy eyes on Lily.
After a brief moment of warmth, Leo awkwardly broke the silence.
"Uhh, Lily… I know you're happy, but now that you know everything, could you maybe finish what you were about to do…? I am… having a hard time deciding where to look."
Leo said and raised his hands in surrender.
Lily, now calmer, glanced down and immediately understood what he meant. A mischievous glint sparked in her eyes.
"Ahh!" she exclaimed dramatically, as if deeply hurt.
"Did I raise such an ill-mannered man? Throwing aside a distressed damsel just for his own comfort? Looks like I need to teach you some manners."
With that, she pressed herself even closer, tightening her arms around his chest and nuzzling him affectionately.
Leo squirmed under her, trying to free himself, but found himself trapped—both physically and mentally. Then suddenly, he felt something was trying to awaken under his crotch.
This! Control! Control yourself, Leo… Leonel Draven, fucking control yourself!
Lily was clearly enjoying every bit of his reaction, barely holding back her laughter, until finally, she let go of him and dashed toward the bathroom, her hair swaying in a wavy motion behind her. But just before closing the door, she dropped a bombshell.
"Just so you know, Leo… I want to be more than your big sister!"
Her face was flushed crimson; the last words had barely come out as a whisper before she slammed the door shut.
Leo, who was under immense pressure to control himself, heard her sentence as she closed the door and froze.
"W-what?! Did I hear it correctly?"
He stared at the door in disbelief as the sound of water splashing followed. His already fragile control finally snapped in full glory.