33 - Bathe

After Van had finished the additional servings, Amoria led him to the bathroom.

"Take as much time as you need. Let's just say you're not exactly the picture of cleanliness right now," she teased playfully.

"Right..." Van muttered, scratching his head awkwardly after catching a whiff of himself.

"...I can help you bathe, if you want," Amoria offered casually, her smile unwavering.

"...Sorry, what!?" Van exclaimed, his voice rising in surprise as his face flushed with embarrassment.

Amoria gasped as she saw his embarrassed expression, couldn't help but laugh at it.

"S-so cute...! You're just too adorable when you're embarrassed, like a little boy... and with that face!" she giggled, reaching out to pinch his cheeks gently.

"Wait..!! S-stop it...!" Van protested, lowering his gaze, his cheeks burning even redder.

'His skin... It's so tough...!' Amoria noted silently, surprised by the firmness of his cheeks.

He quickly moved to brush her hands away.

"Stop teasing me... I might look young, but YOU KNOW I'm older than you!" he said, his voice shaking slightly, his cheeks still beet red.

Amoria's laughter filled the room as her smile broadened, finding his flustered state even more endearing. "Saying that with such a youthful face!" she continued to tease, pinching his cheeks again.

"You're like a kid trying to act grown-up!" she chuckled, squeezing his cheeks a bit more firmly.

"I said stop!" Van's protest was soft and shy.

"Oh, you poor, adorable thing, are you sure you don't want this sweet older lady to help you bathe..!?"

Amoria cooed, increasing the intensity of her rubs and squeezes.

"I-I'll do it myself!! No need to tease me like that!" Van exclaimed, his face burning red as he quickly escaped her grasp. He hurried into the bathroom and shut the door behind him.

'Damn it... I thought my heart was gonna burst...! Who does she think she is, teasing me like that? I'm NOT a kid...' Van thought, his heart still pounding as he leaned against the bathroom door, trying to catch his breath.

Outside, Amoria let out a soft sigh, her cheeks tinged with a blush.

"I was serious about helping you out, though..." she murmured to herself as she bit her lip with a pout, her voice barely audible as she glanced back at the bathroom door one last time before walking away.

A few minutes later, Van sat on the stool in the bath, beginning to soap himself.

'Damn it... I still can't stop thinking about it... She was never this forward before...!' he pondered, struggling to reach a spot on his back, his breathing still uneven from the earlier encounter.

'...Should I have accepted her offer just now...?' He mused, his body relaxing as he stared up at the bathroom ceiling through the rising steam.

'...Am I being indecisive? If I had been firm about me and Amoria continuing the journey without Magus and the rest back then, could things have been different between us? Did I... make a mistake by listening to my best friend when he begged me to stay?'

Van gazed down, a shadow of defeat clouding his features.

'Maybe it's just a matter of time before someone like Magus comes along,' he thought bitterly. 'Someone will surely sweep Amoria... Or, even Alicia off their feet with their decisiveness and confidence, unlike me. Even without mind-warping passives,' his mind churned with dark thoughts, his body curling protectively as he envisioned losing Amoria and Alicia to another, leaving him abandoned once more.

He exhaled deeply, a moment of clarity piercing through his brooding. Recalling Arlyn's words about the possibilities in this world.

'Wait a second. Why am I so worked up? I'm going to live far beyond the burning out of the last star in this universe. Am I really crying about not being loved when I'm in my 40s? What am I, a lovesick teenager?' He scolded himself, his mood lightening as he stood up and stepped into the bath, stretching out and trying to relax as the cleansed the lingering soap from his body.

'Really, I'm worried about her being taken from me? That's just stupid,' he rebuked himself again.

'Magic is advancing, new dungeons are appearing with stronger monsters every week or so, and the complexity of spells is increasing. My current stats already place me on par with this world's mightiest for the next couple of centuries, and I can still level up my stats by dying in creative ways. Why am I wasting time bitching over something as trivial as unrequited love?' he pondered, his rationality taking over.

'Besides, it's not like I was actively trying to win Amoria's heart, especially after I agreed to stay in the party. I knew deep down that agreeing to stay was like conceding defeat in love just to keep my friend happy. In the demon realm with Alicia, I actually tried because I thought I had a chance—or maybe I was just desperate since every race turned me down one after another. I also know that...'

In a moment, all of Van's two years with Alicia flashed before his eyes.

'...She didn't really mean anything when kissing that demon before my eyes. I know and knew full-well it was just a part of her game, but I went ahead and left because of how fragile my ego was... Well, still is, from when Amoria inevitably cheated on me.'

'To hell with all of it,' Van decided with newfound resolve. 'If I'm destined to be alone, then I'm going to make the most of it. I'm going to enjoy life, have fun, and right now, I'm going to relish this warm bath prepared by a beautiful woman...' He let out a contented sigh, feeling the tension melt away from his body, embracing the momentary peace.

'...And maybe later, I could return to the demonic realm to Alicia.' he pondered, a faint smile playing at the corners of his lips as he relaxed further into the warmth of the bath.

'Even if she's with someone else now, there are plenty of others at the demonic castle I could connect with... But honestly...' his thoughts trailed off as he recalled Alicia's vibrant smile.

'...I'd much prefer to be with her if I do go back,' he concluded, the image of her smile warming him almost as much as the bath itself.

As he wiped himself off, he noticed fresh new clothes laid next to the exit from the bathroom.

'I just can't say it enough to that girl...' He thought to himself with a chuckle as he dressed in the casual clothes, leaving the bathroom.

'Thanks... Amoria,'