Chapter 47: Why Does This Feel Like Being Caught Cheating?

The water’s surface rippled as Carola suddenly barged in, sending warm droplets splashing onto Phyllis’s face.

“Want to bathe together? What if the priestesses find out?”

Phyllis didn’t mind bathing with Carola.

Back at the castle, Carola would drag her to the open-air terrace to soak almost every day.

However, this was the Catkin’s Sacred Ground after all.

Sneaking in was already risky enough.

If they were to bathe together openly in this little hut…

Wouldn’t that be a huge insult to the dignity of the Catkin’s Sacred Ground?

“Relax, I’ve already deployed a small barrier.”

Carola lazily leaned against the edge of the bathtub, her silver-white hair spreading out in the water like blooming water lilies.

Her red eyes gleamed in the steamy mist as she reached out a finger and gently traced Phyllis’s cheek.

Phyllis felt her cheek grow hot, unsure if it was from the warm water or Carola’s touch.

“Th-then you still shouldn’t just appear out of nowhere! You scared me!”

Phyllis protested to Carola, but her voice lacked conviction.

“What? Shy now? Weren’t you quite bold last night?”

Carola chuckled softly, moving closer to Phyllis.

“Th-that’s a different matter!”

Phyllis waved her hands nervously in the water.

“And last night, you forced me…”

“But didn’t you enjoy it later too?”

Carola’s hand wrapped around Phyllis’s waist, pulling her closer.

“I could feel it~”

“…”

Phyllis couldn’t find words to refute, because what Carola said was true.

Carola buried her face in the crook of Phyllis’s neck, taking a deep breath.

“The purifying aura of the Sacred Ground mixed with your scent… it’s quite special.”

“Mmm~”

Phyllis felt Carola’s sharp fangs gently press against her neck and couldn’t help but tremble slightly.

“W-wait a second… Are you sure we won’t be discovered like this?”

Phyllis whispered, her hands unconsciously gripping the edge of the bathtub.

“Relax, this barrier can block not only sound and sight but also conceal magical fluctuations…”

Carola’s fangs lifted slightly from Phyllis’s skin.

“As long as no Catkin priestess comes knocking on the door to check personally, we won’t be discov—”

Knock knock knock!

Before Carola could finish her sentence, a knocking sound came from the door.

“Tch.”

Carola stood up with annoyance, and under Phyllis’s gaze, she transformed once more, reverting to the bat decoration on the mirror Magic Tool.

“Who is it?”

Phyllis called out.

“Phyllis, it’s Iona. Are you asleep? May I come in?”

Iona’s voice came from outside the door.

“I’m taking a bath! Please wait a moment!”

Phyllis quickly got out of the bathtub, grabbed a towel from the nearby rack to dry off, then wrapped a bath towel around herself and hurried to open the door for High Priestess Iona.

Before opening the door, Phyllis carefully tucked the mirror Magic Tool into her clothes as well.

“Sorry to disturb you so late.”

Iona stood outside the door, holding a lamp that emitted a soft glow.

Her gaze lingered on Phyllis for a moment.

Phyllis’s wet black hair clung to her neck.

The bath towel wrapped around her body was clearly done in haste, revealing a large portion of her collarbone where droplets of water seemed to still glisten.

Iona subtly swallowed.

“N-no, it’s fine!”

Phyllis stepped aside.

“High Priestess Iona, please come in.”

Iona entered the hut, her eyes sweeping across the room:

The steaming bathtub, clothes casually draped over a chair, and… a faint, elusive trace of unusual magical residue in the air.

“Just now, as I was passing by, I sensed a faint magical fluctuation here,” Iona turned, her gaze sharp as she looked at Phyllis.

“Were you practicing magic?”

“Y-yes! I was trying to see if the wind magic I learned today could be used to dry my hair…”

Phyllis explained.

The moment this excuse left her mouth, even Phyllis herself thought it sounded a bit far-fetched.

“…”

Iona remained silent for a few seconds, then slowly walked to the bathtub and reached her hand into the water.

There was no one else hiding inside.

“That’s a novel idea! Could you show me?”

Iona said as if it were a casual remark.

“R-right now?”

Phyllis’s voice unconsciously rose half an octave.

“Is it inconvenient?”

Iona’s gaze fell on Phyllis’s hands, which were tightly clutching the edge of the bath towel.

“No! It’s just…”

Phyllis’s mind raced.

“I was just experimenting randomly earlier and haven’t succeeded yet…”

Iona nodded, her expression unreadable as to whether she accepted this explanation.

She walked to the table and set down the lamp she was holding.

“Actually, I came to tell you something.”

“What is it?”

Phyllis relaxed slightly.

‘Did I manage to fool her?’

“Starting tomorrow, you’ll be moving to the room next to my residence,” Iona’s tone was calm.

“It’s safer there, and I can instruct you more conveniently.”

“Huh?! Why suddenly…”

Phyllis’s eyes widened.

“That feeling of being watched is becoming more and more pronounced!”

Iona looked directly into Phyllis’s eyes.

“Especially around you. I suspect that Blood Princess might be monitoring you in some way we don’t know about.”

“B-but this is the Sacred Ground… It should be safe…”

Phyllis struggled to control the expression on her face.

“I used to think so too,” Iona’s voice grew lower.

“But didn’t that Blood Princess capture you right here in the Sacred Ground last time?”

These words left Phyllis speechless.

“Are you scared? Can you sleep? Do you want me to stay with you tonight?”

Iona’s words made Phyllis freeze completely.

Huh?

‘High Priestess, if you really do that, I’m afraid neither of us might live to see tomorrow’s sun!’

Phyllis was familiar with Carola’s yandere personality.

She didn’t believe for a second that Carola would just sit quietly and watch Iona watch her sleep.

She’d absolutely erupt and kill Iona!

Phyllis herself might fare slightly better due to her status as Carola’s lover.

But then, Phyllis thought of the castle’s basement.

The very body of the Scarlet Dungeon.

And it just so happened that the prisoners there had been released.

She’d probably spend her future days there.

“No need! High Priestess, you’ve been busy all day, you must be tired! There’s no need to stay with me. I can sleep just fine by myself.”

Thinking of a certain if-scenario, Phyllis quickly began a triple rejection towards Iona.

“Alright, then get some rest early.”

Iona picked up the lamp and stood up.

Just as she was about to step out the door, she turned to look at Phyllis once more.

“Tomorrow, I’ll send someone to help you move your things. Remember… if you notice anything unusual at all, tell me immediately!”

“I understand! Thank you, High Priestess!”

Phyllis nodded.

The door closed gently.

Phyllis leaned against the door and sat on a chair, not daring to make a sound.

After a good while, confirming that Iona had walked far away, Phyllis finally let out a long sigh of relief.

“Th-that scared me to death…”

“It was indeed close!”

Carola’s voice came from within the clothes, carrying a hint of teasing.

“But also exciting, wasn’t it?”

‘Since you’re seeking excitement, why not take it all the way?’

Phyllis really wanted to retort with a line from a previous life’s meme about a certain wardrobe, but she didn’t dare say it out loud.

In the end, she just slowly uttered one sentence.

“Why do I feel like I was caught cheating?”