Chapter 160: Properly Relax

Then another sound reached us. More footsteps. This time they were armored.

A pair of mansion guards rounded the corner.

I quickly straightened my posture while the old man lowered his sword beneath his cloak. Ravelle discreetly wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth before folding her arms as if she had simply been standing there the whole time.

The guards slowed their pace, looking between the three of us.

Nobody spoke.

I met their eyes without flinching.

After a few seconds, they continued walking past us, apparently deciding nothing looked suspicious enough to question.

The old man watched them disappear before letting out a quiet breath.

"Let’s just go, Rav."

Ravelle clenched her jaw. "But..."

"Let’s. Just. Go."

She bit her lip in frustration before finally nodding. "Fine."

The two of them turned their backs and headed toward the staircase, disappearing down the hall without another glance.

I watched them leave before finally letting out a long breath and rubbing the bridge of my nose.

"Well... I guess I’ll come back for my dagger after they’re gone," I muttered, glancing toward the room across the corridor.

Ravelle, huh?

What a fucking joke.

She hadn’t shown the slightest reaction after hearing what Cadence had done to Jelda. She didn’t care that he had murdered her or her mother. The only thing that mattered to her was the reward waiting for whoever brought back my head.

Spineless cunt.

I rolled my sore shoulder with a grimace and started walking back toward my room. "Ah... my shoulder is killing me," I muttered. "I need some sleep."

ꨄ︎ꨄ︎ꨄ︎

The next morning came far earlier than I would have liked.

I groaned, stretched my aching arms above my head, and slowly sat up in bed. Judging by the light filtering through the curtains, it had to be around five or six in the morning.

My shoulders still hurt from last night’s fight.

I rubbed the stiffness from my neck before looking around the room. On the small table beside the bed sat the brass bell the butler had mentioned.

I reached over and rang it. The soft chime echoed through the room but nothing more happened.

I waited for several seconds before getting out of bed and walking over to the window. Pulling the curtains aside, I looked down into the back courtyard.

The celebration had clearly lasted well into the night.

Several drunken guests were still asleep where they had collapsed, sprawled across benches, chairs, and even patches of grass. Empty wine bottles lay scattered across the courtyard, while a handful of servants quietly cleaned the worst of the mess. Maids carried trays stacked with dirty dishes between the tables, replacing them with fresh breakfast platters for the guests who had managed to wake up early.

Despite the exhaustion hanging over the estate, the musicians had already returned, playing gentle melodies that suited the calm morning far better than last night’s lively celebration.

A few nobles sat beneath the trees with steaming cups in hand, chatting quietly over breakfast as if nothing unusual had happened.

A knock came from the door.

"Come in," I called.

The door opened, and a young maid stepped inside before giving a respectful bow.

"You rang the bell, Mr. Walker?"

"I did. I’d like to take a bath."

"Of course, sir. We’ll prepare one immediately. If you don’t mind waiting here, everything will be ready shortly."

"Thanks."

She bowed once more before quietly leaving the room and closing the door behind her.

The moment the latch clicked shut, I walked over and opened the door. The corridor was empty. I crossed to the room opposite mine and knocked twice.

No answer. I carefully turned the handle and eased the door open.

Empty... phew.

Without wasting another second, I stepped inside and headed straight for the bed. Kneeling down, I reached underneath until my fingers brushed against familiar leather.

"There you are."

I pulled my dagger free and immediately stored it inside my system inventory, where a faint golden light swallowed the weapon.

Satisfied, I left the room exactly as I had found it, quietly shut the door behind me, and returned to my own room.

Ravelle and that old man had made sure I barely got any sleep. At this point, all I wanted was a long, hot bath before the day found another way to make my life miserable.

A few minutes later, another knock came from the door.

"Come in," I called.

The door opened, and three maids stepped inside. The oldest among them gave me a respectful bow before gesturing toward the curtained section at the far end of the room.

"Please, Mr. Walker. Your bath is ready."

I nodded and followed them.

Behind the curtains was a much smaller chamber, furnished with little more than a large wooden bathtub resting in the center of the room. Several copper buckets stood beside it, along with a wooden stool, bars of scented soap, neatly folded towels, and small glass bottles filled with fragrant oils.

One maid poured steaming water into the tub from a large copper kettle while another carried in fresh buckets heated somewhere below the mansion. The third tested the temperature by dipping two fingers into the water before adding a splash of cool water from a clay jug.

They worked together, adjusting the water until faint steam drifted gently through the room. One of them sprinkled dried flower petals and fragrant herbs into the bath, letting them float across the surface.

When they finished, all three stepped back.

One of the younger maids looked me up and down, her gaze lingering a little longer than necessary. A faint blush spread across her cheeks before she bit her lip.

After all, I was the man blessed by the Goddess of Lust, I guess.

I cleared my throat. "Thank you. I’ll... take it from here."

"Oh, no, Master!" the younger maid said with surprising enthusiasm. "We couldn’t possibly allow such an esteemed guest to bathe by himself. Please, let us assist you."

I smiled awkwardly and shook my head. "I appreciate it, really, but I’d rather handle it myself."

The oldest maid sighed and lightly tapped the younger one on the shoulder. "If the gentleman declines, then he declines, you little animal. Leave Mr. Walker be."

The younger maid pouted. "Aww..."

The older woman bowed politely. "We shall leave you in peace, sir. If you require anything else, simply ring the bell."

"Thank you."

The three maids excused themselves and quietly closed the door behind them.

Once I was alone, I let out a long breath. "That would’ve been awkward."

I removed my clothes, folded them onto the nearby stool, and carefully stepped into the bath.

Warm water wrapped around my body almost instantly.

"Oh... that’s nice."

I lowered myself until the water reached my shoulders and leaned back against the smooth wood. The warmth eased the soreness from my muscles, especially around my shoulder and neck where last night’s fight had left its mark.

After soaking for a while, I picked up the bar of soap and scrubbed away the sweat, dust, and dried blood clinging to my skin. I washed my hair next, pouring warm water over my head with a small wooden ladle until the last traces of grime disappeared into the bathwater.

For the first time since arriving at the ceremony, I felt myself properly relax.

The quiet didn’t last long, but even a few peaceful minutes felt worth it.

Eventually, I climbed out of the tub, dried myself thoroughly with one of the thick linen towels, and got dressed again. By the time I finished fastening my boots, I felt far more awake than I had when I first rolled out of bed.

I let out a quiet breath and straightened my shirt in front of the mirror. After making sure everything looked presentable, I adjusted my collar one last time before leaving the room.

The corridor outside was already alive.

Maids hurried from room to room carrying trays of fresh towels, breakfast, and clean linens, while guards stood at every intersection with disciplined posture. The mansion no longer carried the festive chaos of the previous night. Instead, everything moved with orderly purpose as servants prepared for another day of celebration.

I followed the hallway to the grand staircase and descended to the ground floor.

The entrance hall was just as magnificent in the morning light. Sunlight streamed through tall stained-glass windows, painting colorful reflections across the polished marble floor. Servants crossed paths without ever getting in one another’s way, and the quiet murmur of conversation echoed beneath the high ceilings.

I made my way toward the double doors leading to the back courtyard.

Outside, breakfast had already been prepared.

Long tables overflowed with fresh bread, roasted meats, cheeses, fruit, honey, and steaming cups of tea. Since it was still early, only a handful of guests had come outside, most of them looking considerably less energetic than they had the night before.

I picked an empty table and sat down with a quiet sigh.

Almost immediately, a nearby maid approached carrying polished silverware. She placed a fresh fork, knife, and spoon neatly beside my plate before giving a respectful bow.

"I hope you enjoy your breakfast, Mr. Walker."

"Thank you."

She smiled politely and continued on to the next table.