Chapter 125: A Bath for Two [M]

Maeve watched Elthira leave with a puzzled look on her face. She still couldn’t believe that forming a connection with the Mother Tree had made her feel so... horny.

But why?

Was it because it was called the Mother Tree, so it wanted its Heart to become a mother as soon as possible too?!

The more she thought about it, the less it made sense. Yet somehow, it also did.

Maeve then asked Pinky in her mind, ’Has my stamina really increased?’

[Yes, Host!] Pinky answered excitedly. [Your stamina is now completely on par with the Azuryn people, and your body can heal much faster than before. Of course, serious injuries will still need proper treatment.]

[In other words, you don’t need Energy Potions anymore just to have sex! Congratulations!]

Maeve didn’t know whether to laugh or cry because it was such a strange thing to be congratulated for.

Still... it was actually a huge achievement. At least now she could stop spending coins on Energy Potions and save them for something more important.

"Maeve..." Ikarus suddenly called her name, making her turn toward him and Axan. "What do you think?"

Maeve frowned. "About what?"

Ikarus didn’t say anything else, but his eyes drifted toward the powdered bark of the Redwood Tree, which was known to prevent pregnancy.

Her husbands had told her about the Redwood Tree before. They had to drink an infused water made from its bark every day.

"If I drink it now, will it take effect immediately?" Maeve asked as she lowered her head slightly.

Axan answered, "We’re not entirely sure, but... I think the Sylvara Tribe knows much more than we do when it comes to remedies like this."

It was said that Maeve could become pregnant again only one month after giving birth. Right now, it hadn’t even been a full month since Lior was born. Still, with how fertile she was, she couldn’t be certain she wouldn’t get pregnant.

"I still have to breastfeed Lior, and he needs so much of my attention," Maeve said after thinking for a moment. "So... maybe we should prevent another pregnancy for now."

She looked at both of her husbands. "You’re alright with that, aren’t you?"

Axan was the first to answer. "It’s not a problem. We can wait before having more children."

Ikarus didn’t object either, especially since Lior was his biological son.

"Then I’ll brew the bark into tea," Ikarus said before looking at the two of them. "You and Axan should take a bath first."

Maeve nodded and did as he suggested. There was a small bathing area beside one corner of the hut. It had no roof, but the wooden walls were high enough to keep anyone from seeing inside.

The space was surprisingly roomy, so Maeve didn’t mind bathing together with Axan. It would save time, and more importantly, her body wasn’t reacting to anything at the moment.

"Oh?" Maeve blinked when she noticed several berry-like fruits hanging inside the bathing area. "What are these?"

"They work like the white powder we use back in our tribe," Axan explained as he carried several large wooden buckets from the hut and set them down beside the bathing area. "My mother said they’re called soapberries. They produce a natural lather and smell sweet, just like berries."

He smiled faintly. "Unfortunately, they only grow in the mountains, so they’re almost impossible to find in the Lumivale Forest."

"That sounds interesting." Maeve leaned closer to look at the bright red berries. "I can’t wait to try them."

Without wasting any more time, Maeve took off her clothes, and Axan did the same. But the moment she looked down, her eyes widened because his pillar had already awakened.

Axan’s ears immediately turned red. He cleared his throat and looked away awkwardly. "It’s... it’s just a normal reaction," he mumbled in embarrassment. "Please don’t pay any attention to it."

To be honest, it was impossible not to notice something that big. Even so, Maeve quickly reminded herself that they were only here to take a bath, and nothing more.

At least... that was what she had firmly decided.

Maeve forced her gaze away from the thick length standing hard between Axan’s legs and reached for one of the bright red soapberries hanging nearby.

She crushed it between her fingers. A sweet, fruity scent rose at once, and soft white lather formed against her pale skin.

Axan did the same, his tall frame moving carefully so he wouldn’t brush against her. The difference of their heights even more obvious now that they stood naked only a step apart. Water from the wooden buckets splashed over blue skin and pale skin alike as they began to wash in silence.

After a while Maeve turned her back to him, gathering her wet red hair over one shoulder. "Would you help me with my back?" she asked quietly.

Axan stepped closer. His large hands took another soapberry, crushed it, and began to glide over her shoulders.

His cool palms contrasted with the warmth that was already spreading across her skin. He slowly rubbed the sweet-smelling soapberries over her back, gently massaging them in small circles across her shoulders before moving lower along the curve of her spine.

Maeve closed her eyes, letting herself enjoy the simple comfort of being bathed, especially since his hands were so gentle with her.

But after a while, those hands began to wander.

The circles became slower and wider. One of his hands slid along her side, then gradually moved forward until the tips of his fingers brushed the soft underside of her breast. Maeve held her breath, and Axan immediately froze, as if waiting for her to pull away.

However, she neither said anything nor pulled away.

It felt as though the effect Elthira had mentioned earlier had finally taken over her.

The heat inside her body grew stronger with every passing second. Her nipples had already hardened even though they hadn’t been touched, and her honeypot throbbed gently while a tingling sensation spread through her clitoris.

Axan felt the change in her breathing. His large blue hands stayed where they were for a long moment, only the very tips of his fingers tracing the soft underside of each breast in the lightest possible touch.