Cassian woke up slowly in a sort of comfortable and numb haze that enveloped her mind like a protective cocoon, and the first thing she noticed even before opening her eyes was this strange and unusual sensation of complete well-being that violently contrasted with all the other times she had emerged from sleep.

  Usually when she woke up she felt systematically tired, but now for the first time in an eternity she felt absolutely no residual fatigue as if someone had miraculously drained all the exhaustion that had ingrained itself in her bones over days of constant stress.

  It's weird. Too weird. Something's wrong.

  She kept her eyes closed for a few more seconds trying to enjoy this pleasant sensation while mentally analyzing what had changed compared to usual, then something started to bother her progressively like a little annoying voice that insisted there was a problem she needed to identify immediately.

  The bed.

  The bed was strange.

  Not uncomfortable exactly but different from what she remembered, with a sheet texture that was not quite the one she had felt when falling asleep the night before after Lucia had taken care of her.

  And there was something warm against her.

  Several warm things in fact.

  What the...

  Cassian finally opened her eyes with a cautious slowness that reflected her growing confusion and her urgent need to understand the situation before reacting excessively, and what she discovered froze her completely for several seconds where her brain stubbornly refused to process the visual information reaching her because it was simply too absurd to be real.

  Lucia was sleeping peacefully on her right with her angelic face framed by her hair spreading on the pillow like liquid silk, her slow and regular breathing creating a slight movement of her chest rising and falling with hypnotic regularity.

  Lena was on her left in an almost identical position, one of her hands placed casually on something that was between them all.

  And that something was Hiro.

  More precisely Cassian realized with growing horror that she was literally on top of him, her own head resting comfortably against Hiro's chest as if it was the most natural pillow in the world and she had every right to be there, her arm draped over his stomach in an almost possessive gesture that suggested she had held him like that for a significant duration.

  What the... WHAT?!

  Lucia and Lena were also pressed against Hiro in an almost indecent way with their bodies pressed against him as if he was an irresistible source of heat in a freezing night, creating this surreal scene where Hiro apparently served as a giant human pillow for three women who were using him without any apparent embarrassment.

  Cassian panicked internally by immediately imagining the worst possible scenario that would explain why they were all piled up in the same bed like sardines in a ridiculously small box while there were literally two other perfectly free and available bedrooms in this spacious lodging.

  We didn't... we didn't... fuck tell me we didn't...

  She frantically examined her own body without moving so as not to wake the others who were still sleeping deeply, looking for evidence of what might have happened while she was unconscious and vulnerable.

  They weren't naked.

  Her black outfit was still on her.

  Thank you. Thank you thank you thank you.

  She mentally breathed a sigh of relief realizing that apparently nothing compromising had happened during the night despite this absolutely inappropriate physical proximity that could have suggested all sorts of scandalous things if someone had seen them in that position.

  But the question persisted like an irritating itch she couldn't scratch without embarrassing social consequences.

  What happened last night after I fell asleep?

  She looked at Hiro who was still sleeping peacefully with a neutral expression on his face that revealed absolutely nothing of his thoughts or intentions, and something venomous rose in her.

  Lucky bastard.

  He was there lying surrounded by his personal harem with three women pressed against him from all sides, probably having pleasant dreams involving exactly this situation or maybe even something more explicit.

  This completely ordinary guy who has nothing special physically.

  How did he end up in this situation exactly?

  Cassian began to slip out of the bed with extreme caution, moving her weight millimeter by millimeter to avoid creating the slightest sudden movement that would wake the other sleepers and create an embarrassing situation where she would have to explain why she was fleeing like a thief in the early morning.

  She miraculously managed to free herself from the tangle of limbs without waking anyone thanks to a combination of infinite patience and precise body control, then she immediately headed to the bathroom closing the door carefully behind her without making the slightest noise.

  Finally. A moment to myself. Away from this weird situation.

  Even if she could technically wash herself efficiently with her water magic that created this practical liquid second skin that removed all dirt in a few seconds, nothing really beat a real bathtub filled with hot water where you could immerse yourself completely and let your muscles relax for an indeterminate duration.

  She reached out to the white porcelain bathtub that shone under the morning light filtering through the small window, then she created a constant jet of perfectly hot water that began to gradually fill the basin with a soothing sound of miniature waterfall.

  I'm probably the first in the group to use this bathtub.

  The others were too busy sleeping piled up like idiots in the same bed.

  Cassian methodically prepared for what was going to be an exceptional quality bath because she really deserved it after absolutely everything she had been through these last days with the mosquito trying to drain her blood night after night and the constant stress of never knowing if she was going to survive until the next morning.

  Then she noticed something that made her stop dead in her preparations.

  Wait.

  She looked at her black outfit which was the only garment she was wearing on her entire body.

  I just have one thing to take off.

  One single thing.

  Cassian almost never took off her outfit in normal circumstances, so it had never really occurred to her before this precise moment that she had a fairly fundamental clothing problem.

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  I don't have underwear.

  No bra. No panties. Nothing.

  Just this outfit and my skin underneath.

  She had had so many other more urgent concerns since her arrival in this weird world.

  I really must not forget to get some at some point.

  But I already know it's going to be difficult given how the world actively conspires against me every time I try to get clothes.

  She sighed deeply remembering the catastrophic incident at the shop, then she glanced at her own body in the mirror that covered part of the bathroom wall.

  A delight even for the most refined eyes.

  She turned slightly from one side to the other examining different angles as if she was evaluating a precious object she was considering buying.

  Be my girlfriend.

  She laughed bitterly at her own ridiculous thought.

  But it's impossible. I'm the premium girlfriend. A walking trophy.

  The kind of girl that people would want to show off as proof of their own social value.

  The problem was that she couldn't even enjoy her own magnificent body because she was stuck in it like a prisoner in a luxurious cell, but it was someone else who could technically enjoy it if the circumstances lent themselves to it.

  Anyway. Enough narcissism for this morning.

  She took off her black outfit by sliding it over her shoulders then down her body until it fell in a heap on the tiled floor, then she entered the bathtub now filled with perfectly hot water that welcomed her like a soothing liquid embrace.

  Once she was well settled in the water with her head resting against the curved edge of the bathtub and her blond hair floating around her like golden seaweed, she closed her eyes savoring this sensation of absolute relaxation that gradually dissolved all the tensions accumulated in her muscles.

  The bathroom door suddenly opened.

  WHAT?!

  Cassian panicked completely by abruptly opening her eyes and sitting up in the bathtub with a movement that created waves that splashed the floor around her.

  Impossible. I had however specifically blocked this fucking door to avoid exactly this kind of embarrassing intrusion.

  She reacted instinctively by creating a dense and opaque mist that instantly invaded the entire bathroom in a few seconds, transforming the space into an impenetrable white cloud that completely hid her form in the bathtub.

  She shouted in a voice that trembled slightly despite her efforts to appear authoritative and controlled: "It's occupied damn it, can't you see that someone is using this bathroom right now or are you completely blind in addition to being rude?!"

  Hiro entered despite her clear and unambiguous warning, his vague silhouette visible through the thick mist that obscured everything.

  "I didn't know there was someone here."

  Cassian gritted her teeth trying to control the rage rising in her like an uncontrollable tide: "When a door is closed in a bathroom, it generally means there is someone inside who wants privacy and does not wish to be disturbed by idiots who do not understand basic social conventions, don't you think that's a pretty simple concept to grasp?!"

  Her brain was running at full speed desperately trying to find a solution to what was objectively one of the worst embarrassing situations she could have found herself in.

  She immersed herself even deeper into the bathtub water until only her head protruded from the surface, her hands nervously gripping the edge as if it was a lifebuoy in a storm.

  Hiro took a step forward into the dense mist that now completely enveloped him.

  "I had heard the sound of water running from the hallway and I honestly thought someone might have forgotten to turn off the faucet after using the bathroom earlier in the morning, so I just wanted to come check quickly that everything was in order before it accidentally flooded the floor."

  Cassian tightened her grip on the edge of the bathtub feeling the panic rise even higher: "Now that you have widely confirmed that there is absolutely no open faucet problem and that someone is indeed using this bathroom in a perfectly legitimate way, you can leave immediately and leave me alone so I can finish my bath in peace!"

  Hiro continued to advance in the thick mist that made navigation difficult and potentially dangerous since he probably couldn't see much in front of him.

  "Your voice sounds really tense Cassian and I'm a little worried about you after everything you've been through these last days with the mosquito and the exhaustion and all the rest, so I just wanted to make sure you're okay and that you're not having a malaise in the bathtub or something like that because it happens sometimes when people are too tired and take baths that are too hot."

  What the fuck is he doing?!

  Why does he keep approaching after I explicitly told him to leave?!

  Hiro vaguely remembered fragments of the previous night that were coming back to him now with more clarity, Cassian asleep who was hugging him close with surprising strength as if she was desperately seeking comfort in his physical presence, her face gradually becoming more peaceful and relaxed when she held him against her.

  That was exactly why he had ended up staying to sleep with her in the same bed instead of leaving her alone as he would normally have done.

  It was the first time he had seen Cassian with such agitated and troubled sleep where she kept turning over constantly and murmuring incomprehensible things in her sleep, and it had sincerely worried him to the point that he had decided to stay with her all night to make sure she wouldn't have too violent nightmares.

  He approached even more dangerously close to the bathtub saying in a soft and concerned voice: "If you feel bad or if you need help with anything you can really tell me without hesitation because I'm here for you and I want to make sure you're okay after everything that's happened recently."

  Hiro continued to advance in the blinding mist without really paying attention to where he was putting his feet.

  Then he slipped on the wet floor that had become treacherously slippery because of all the water that Cassian had splashed when panicking earlier.

  He toppled forward with a cry of surprise.

  He was about to fall directly into the bathtub with Cassian in what would have been an absolute catastrophe from which Cassian would never have recovered.

  For a fraction of a second just before he plunged into the water, the mist dissipated slightly and Hiro saw very clearly Cassian in the bathtub with her arms extended towards him in an automatic defensive gesture, her naked body partially visible under the surface of the water that slightly distorted the contours but which really didn't hide much.

  A massive and incredibly powerful jet of water suddenly burst from the bathtub like a furious geyser and struck Hiro directly in the chest with enough force to violently expel him from the bathroom by propelling him through the air for several meters.

  CRASH.

  Hiro hit the hallway wall with a painful impact, his body sliding slowly to the floor while he tried to understand what had just happened.

  He remained there slumped against the wall completely soaked and disoriented with the look of a cat that had just been thrown into a river, his clothes dripping water on the parquet floor that would probably be damaged by all this humidity.

  Then the realization began to slowly seep into his foggy brain.

  I might have gotten a little too close there.

  It was definitely a mistake.

  A big mistake.

  He painfully got back up leaning against the wall to regain his balance, then he began to stammer incoherent apologies towards the closed bathroom door in a voice that rose an octave because of the panic.

  "I'm really sorry Cassian I absolutely didn't want to bother you or make you uncomfortable I just wanted to make sure you were okay because I was worried about you after last night where you seemed so troubled in your sleep and I thought maybe you would need help or moral support but I really should have knocked on the door or checked more carefully before entering like a complete idiot!"

  He softly hit his head against the wall several times in a self-punishment gesture that really served no other purpose than to express his frustration towards himself.

  Why did I enter like that without thinking?

  What's wrong with me?

  She's going to start imagining all sorts of things now and find me weird or perverted or both.

  She must hate me now.

  She's already so reserved and distant with me in normal circumstances, and now after this...

  He shook his head violently trying to chase away these negative thoughts that only worsened his guilt.

  I'm the worst.

  Why do these kinds of embarrassing situations always happen specifically to me?

  I must be cursed.

  Then despite all his efforts not to think about it, the image of Cassian in the bathtub with her arms extended towards him came back brutally in his mind with photographic clarity that made him blush slightly.

  No no no stop thinking about it.

  It was an accident.

  A terrible and embarrassing accident but an accident nonetheless.

  Suddenly while he was still there soaked mentally flagellating himself against the wall, someone knocked on the entrance door of the lodging.

  Hiro approached the door trying to look at least presentable despite the fact that he looked like a wet rat that had just been expelled from a sewer, then he opened it to discover a member of the guild staff in impeccable uniform who looked at him with a neutral professional expression that betrayed absolutely nothing of what she thought of his deplorable appearance.

  It could have been incredibly impressive and elegant if he had been one of those beautiful people who manage to be sexy even when wet with their hair artistically plastered on their forehead and their clothes sticking to their body in a flattering way, but he was just a completely normal and grossly wet person who looked like he had lost a fight against a public fountain.

  The woman handed him a bag without commenting on his lamentable state.

  "Someone came late last night to drop off something that apparently belongs to a certain Cassian who would be staying here, so I'm coming to deliver the package to you."

  She paused mentally consulting something.

  "Is this Cassian actually here currently?"

  Hiro took the bag with one hand.

  "Yes she is here, currently she is washing in the bathroom so she is not available to receive the package personally but I can give it to her when she has finished."

  The woman did not address him any direct look but remained perfectly polite in her distant and professional body language, then she quickly walked away in the hallway without adding anything else.

  Hiro closed the door holding the mysterious bag in his hand, his mind still foggy with the confusion and embarrassment of what had just happened.

  It's strange.

  Who would come to drop off something for Cassian?

  He cautiously looked inside the bag without really knowing what to expect.

  His eyes widened enormously when he saw the content.

  A maid dress.

  An ultra-short maid dress with white lace everywhere.

  With a matching bonnet. Long gloves. An apron.

  He took out the apron to examine it better and his gaze remained fixed for a long time on the embroidered words that decorated the front.

  Yes, Master ?

  With a heart.

  His brain desperately tried to understand what he was seeing and especially why Cassian would have ordered or bought or received such an explicitly suggestive maid outfit.

  There is only one logical reason why she would have this outfit.

  For me.

  She prepared it for me.

  His heart began to beat much faster in his chest realizing the implications of this discovery.

  Cassian really loves me much more than I thought.

  Enough to prepare this kind of... surprise.

  He briefly imagined Cassian wearing this outfit with the apron that said Yes, Master ? and the bonnet with lace, and his face became even redder than before.

  No stop imagining that.

  Even if it's apparently what she wants you to imagine.

  The bathroom door opened abruptly and Cassian came out now completely dressed, her blond hair still slightly damp falling in a cascade along her back.

  Hiro immediately hid the maid outfit behind his back in a panicked and clumsy gesture.

  "I heard someone knock on the entrance door a few seconds ago."

  Hiro replied perhaps a little too quickly trying to appear natural and casual despite the fact that he was awkwardly hiding a bag behind him.

  "It was just someone who got the wrong door, nothing important at all."

  Cassian looked at him with suspicion for a second that seemed to stretch for an eternity, then she shrugged.

  "I'm going down to the main guild office to have my rank officially re-evaluated because I sincerely think I'm strong enough now."

  Hiro nodded vigorously while carefully keeping the bag hidden behind his back.

  "That's an excellent idea."

  He turned slightly to let Cassian pass towards the entrance door without her being able to see what he was hiding.

  Once Cassian had left and the door had closed behind her, Hiro breathed out at length releasing all the tension he had accumulated.

  It would have been an absolute catastrophe if Cassian had seen the surprise she had prepared for me in my hands like that.

  She would probably have been mortified that I discovered her gift before she was ready to present it to me officially in the appropriate context that she had probably planned in her head.

  He looked again at the apron with its suggestive inscription.

  Yes, Master ?

  His heart was still beating abnormally fast.

  I must hide this somewhere where she won't find it accidentally before she is ready.

  And try not to think about it too much.

  Even if it's probably impossible now that I know it exists.

  He quickly stuffed the bag into a closet hoping that no one would find it before Cassian decided to make her big romantic revelation or whatever she had planned.

  In the hallway outside the lodging, Cassian was walking towards the stairs leading to the ground floor of the guild.

  Something's wrong.

  Hiro was acting weirdly.

  Weirder than usual I mean.

  He was hiding something behind his back.

  She shook her head deciding that it was probably nothing important and that she had more urgent things to manage.