Chapter 237: A Place Without War (R-18)

“You need a bath. We both do.”

With a playful smile, she turned and opened the door, taking his hand and tugging him inside without giving him the chance to protest. Bruce let himself be pulled along, a quiet smile settling on his face as the door closed behind them, warmth, peace, and familiarity replacing the chaos he had just left behind.

Sophie led him down the hallway toward the bathroom, her fingers still interlaced with his. Halfway there, she glanced back at him with a soft smile, then lifted her wrist and tapped lightly on her smart bracelet.

“Send a clean set of clothes for Bruce,” she said casually. “Room delivery.”

A short confirmation blinked across the bracelet before fading.

She slowed near the bathroom door, as if savoring the moment, then pushed it open.

A gentle fragrance drifted out immediately, clean, soothing, faintly floral with a hint of wood. Bruce paused without meaning to, drawing in the scent. It was calming in a way words couldn’t quite describe, like the space itself was inviting him to finally rest.

Inside, the bathroom was spacious and quiet. At its center sat an enormous bathtub carved from polished cedar, its surface smooth and warm-toned, steam rising lazily from the hot water within. The tub was already filled, faint ripples moving across its surface, the heat filling the room with a soft haze.

It was unmistakable.

She had prepared this while waiting for him.

Bruce’s gaze lingered for a moment longer than he intended.

Sophie noticed.

She shook her head teasingly, a playful smile tugging at her lips. “Don’t get any ideas,” she said lightly. “We soak only after the bath.”

Bruce laughed, the sound low and genuine, some of the last remnants of tension finally leaving him.

Sophie stepped inside and closed the door behind them, locking it with a quiet click. Then she turned back to him, slipped her fingers into his again, and gently pulled him closer. She rested her head against his shoulder, her body relaxing into him as if that was where she belonged.

Bruce lifted a hand almost instinctively, his fingers threading through her silky black hair. It was soft beneath his touch, warm and familiar, grounding him completely in the moment.

“It’s only been three days,” she said softly, her voice barely above a whisper, “but I’ve missed you so much…”

Bruce’s hand stilled slightly, then resumed its gentle motion.

“I tried calling whenever I had free time,” she continued quietly. “But I couldn’t reach you. I thought about contacting your family, but I don’t have their bracelet UID.”

She shifted slightly, still leaning against him. “When I came back and realized you hadn’t contacted Lily or Lucy either, that’s when I knew something was wrong. I came immediately. I never expected multiple Labyrinths to appear in Reignland of all places.”

She lifted her head and looked at him, searching his face.

“But now… everything’s handled, right? Things are going to be okay?”

Bruce nodded, his expression calm, reassuring.

“They will be,” he said gently. “I promise.”

She hesitated for a moment, then asked quietly, “So… how was my dad? You met him inside the Labyrinth, didn’t you?”

Bruce smiled faintly.

“He was already there when I arrived,” he replied. “By the time I entered, he’d dealt with the fodder beasts. The Bone Kings you fought before, there were thousands of them. All destroyed. Completely lifeless. It seems your father has a method that directly counters the undying curse.”

Sophie’s eyes softened with understanding, pride flickering within them.

“As expected of my father,” she said with a small nod. “He really is strong.”

Bruce continued, his tone steady as he explained. He told her about the Labyrinth’s sudden appearance, about how the invaders where the one pulling the strings behind it all. About arriving in time to help her father, only to realize he had already been possessed by one of them.

“…Together,” Bruce finished quietly, “we managed to destroy the invader possessing him.”

Sophie’s heart clenched.

For a brief moment, she said nothing. The thought of something that dangerous happening so close to him, of him facing it while she could do nothing, made her chest tighten painfully. Her fingers curled slightly into his shirt.

’I’m still too weak,’ she thought.

The realization settled deep within her, fueling a quiet resolve. She wanted to grow stronger. Strong enough to stand beside him. Strong enough to help, not just wait helplessly while he faced monsters like that alone.

She made a silent decision then, to remind him about her core creation to advance to S once they’re done. She didn’t know that Bruce had never once forgotten. That he already had a plan. One meant for her.

Sophie let out a soft sigh and lifted her gaze to his face, letting herself forget her worries for just a moment. She smiled gently, her hand still resting in his.

’For now, this was enough.’

Leaning close, she smiled softly, their noses brushing as their breaths mingled in the warm, fragrant air. Her voice was barely a whisper, intimate and sincere.

“Let’s forget about all that for now,” she murmured. “I’ll make sure you enjoy this bath…”

Before Bruce could reply, her lips met his.

It was gentle at first, warm, unhurried, filled with quiet affection. The softness of her kiss carried reassurance, a wordless promise that he was safe here, that the chaos outside these walls no longer mattered. Bruce responded instinctively, his hand settling at her waist, drawing her closer as the moment deepened.

She tilted her head slightly, the kiss lingering, growing fuller. Their movements became more natural, more in sync, as familiarity and longing intertwined. The world narrowed to the warmth between them, to the steady rhythm of shared breaths and the subtle press of bodies closing the distance.

Her arms slid up to his shoulders, fingers resting there as if anchoring herself to him. The kiss slowly intensified, not rushed, not desperate, but filled with restrained emotion that had nowhere else to go. It was the kind of closeness born from worry and relief, from having almost lost something precious.

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