Reborn As Noble

Chapter 566: Baths, Bed, and Banter ( 566 )

“Master Marcellus…” Lithia called softly, approaching with a folded towel in her hands. “Towel… here.”

She led him to the small but cozy bathroom nestled under a curve of the tree’s interior, gently carved with natural shapes and faint glowing runes.

Marcellus blinked.

“…This is the shower?”

Lithia nodded.

The moment felt oddly domestic. Her soft steps, her quiet demeanor—it all reminded him of their time back in Armand estate, except now… this was her home.

“Err… Lithia?” he asked, scratching his cheek while looking at the leafy contraption, wooden levers, and glowing stones. “How do I… um… use this?”

“Oh!” she blinked, as if realizing something obvious. “Sorry, I forgot this is… different.”

She stepped forward and pointed. “You just channel mana here—” her finger touched a crystal embedded into the wall “—and then turn this wooden branch here. The water will come out from the leaf-shaped spout.”

“Like this?” Marcellus reached his hand out, mimicking her gestures.

“No, no—like this—” she corrected gently and placed her hand over his. Her mana flowed into the dark blue crystal.

FWOOOSH!

A sudden burst of icy water exploded from above.

“GYAAARRGH!! COLD!!” Marcellus jumped back like he’d been slapped by winter itself, flailing as water sprayed over him in all the wrong places.

Lithia gasped. “Ah! I forgot to adjust the temperature—sorry!!”

“Y-you trying to assassinate me with ice water?!”

Lithia covered her mouth with her hand, trying not to laugh. “I-I’m sorry! I really forgot to channel the warming rune first!”

Marcellus narrowed his eyes. “…So this is how the dark elves train their warriors.”

Lithia giggled behind her fingers. “You survived. That means you’re qualified to marry into the family.”

He smirked, grabbing the towel and rubbing his hair. “Barely. If I catch a cold tonight, you’re responsible.”

“I’ll warm you up then,” she said, cheeks instantly turning red as she realized what she’d just said.

An awkward pause.

“…I mean with a blanket! A thick one!” she added quickly, flustered.

From the kitchen, Harny’s voice floated in with a knowing sing-song tone.

“Don’t worry, dear~ If she can’t warm you up, I can~!”

“MOM!!”

Harny peeked into the room, holding a thick towel over her arm.

“Oh dear~ you’re all soaked!” she gasped theatrically, then walked over with graceful steps. “Now let me take off your clothes, darling. It’s cold and wet—you’re going to get sick if you keep wearing that.”

Marcellus blinked. “Eh…uh…I can—”

But she was already beside him, her fingers lightly tugging at the hem of his damp shirt.

“M-Mom!!” Lithia’s voice pitched in protest as she stepped into the room with wide eyes and puffed cheeks.

“Hm?” Harny looked over her shoulder innocently, still holding the edge of his shirt. “What? I’m just helping him… look at him…drenched! We can’t let him shiver here like a wet pup.”

Then her eyes landed on his chest as she lifted the shirt.

“Oh my~” Harny’s eyes sparkled in delight.

Marcellus stood awkwardly as the shirt slid off, revealing toned muscles, a solid chest.

He scratched the back of his head, half-embarrassed, half-proud. “Uh… I train. A bit.”

“A bit?” Harny said with a sly smile, trailing her gaze along his abs. “You look like you could carry Lithia and me together with one arm.”

“M-Mother!!” Lithia stomped in, face burning. She quickly snatched the towel from Harny’s hands and shoved it into Marcellus’s arms. “I’ll do it! Go back to the kitchen!”

Harny giggled softly, clearly enjoying herself. “Ara~ so possessive. It’s fine, I’ll go prepare the bedding~”

As she strolled away humming, Lithia turned to Marcellus and grumbled, “…Don’t smile like that.”

“I’m not smiling,” he said while clearly grinning like a man who just got praised by two women with identical faces.

She pressed the towel against his chest harder.

“Ow! Okay okay! I surrender!”

Lithia muttered, “Pervert…”

“Lithia?”

“Hmm?” she turned while folding his damp shirt.

“Let’s bathe together. Like always.” Marcellus said with a casual grin, stretching his arms like it was the most natural thing.

Lithia’s hand froze mid-fold.

“…Right now?” she whispered, darting a glance toward the hallway. “Are you crazy?” she hissed. “My mom is here.”

Marcellus blinked innocently. “So?”

Lithia’s eyebrow twitched. “So?!”

“But we always bathe together… It’s tradition now…” he sulked, lips forming a subtle pout. “We’ve been too focused on missions lately… and now we don’t even have time for…”

His voice trailed off as he looked away, obviously trying to be subtle, though his eyes kept shifting back to her with hopeful glints.

Lithia rolled her eyes and placed the folded shirt neatly on the chair.

“We’re guests in my mother’s house. Can you behave just for one night?”

“…But we already—” he started, only for her hand to press against his mouth with a firm shh!

“Not. One. Word.”

Marcellus nodded slowly under her hand.

She sighed. “Tomorrow. If she leaves to the market. Maybe.”

“…Really?”

“I said maybe.”

Marcellus lit up like a kid promised candy. “I’ll hold you to it.”

“You better not.”

Lithia turned to leave, but paused in the doorway. With a quiet voice and slightly red ears, she added, “I… kinda miss it too.”

Then she walked off.

Marcellus stood frozen, then clenched a fist in triumph.

“Yes! Hope is alive!”

That night, under the warm glow of the moonlight filtering through the leaves above the treehouse, the single bed creaked as Lithia stood at its foot with her arms firmly crossed.

“Master Marcellus sleeps on the left,” she declared, firm and absolute. “I’ll be in the middle. Mother, you sleep on the right.”

Harny, already dressed in a silky nightgown, raised a playful brow. “Hmm? Why is he on the left? Men should sleep in the middle, shouldn’t they?” she teased, lips curling into a sly grin.

“That’s because you might try something,” Lithia muttered, puffing her cheeks. “And if he’s in the middle, I won’t be able to keep watch!”

“Ufufu~ How cruel, Lithia. I’m your mother, not some wild woman.”

“You literally offered to marry him.”

“That was tradition, dear~”

Marcellus, already sitting awkwardly at the side of the bed, slowly raised a finger. “Umm… maybe I can sleep on the floor—?”

“No,” both mother and daughter said at once.

Marcellus sighed, quietly accepting his fate as he slid into the left side of the bed, trying not to look flustered as Lithia joined in the middle and Harny followed on the right. The bed creaked under the weight of three people.

“Don’t turn this way while sleeping,” Lithia warned.

“I won’t,” Marcellus muttered, facing the wall.

“And you, Mother, keep your hands to yourself!”

Harny laughed softly, tucking herself in with a grin. “I make no promises~” she whispered just loud enough for Lithia to hear, making her daughter twitch.

It was going to be a long night.

( End Of Chapter )

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