CHAPTER 31: CHAPTER 31 – THE BATHHOUSE AMBUSH

Recap

Last time, Jemil barely escaped the wrath of his overprotective phoenix beast, Lyra, after accidentally walking into her "molting" ritual—which, according to her, was deeply private. Unfortunately for Jemil, the rest of the harem didn’t buy his "I didn’t know" excuse. Now, after winning a tense team battle against a pack of rival beast tamers, the group has stopped to recover in the healing springs of the Sky Lotus Bathhouse. But not everything in the steam is as relaxing as it seems...

Main Story

The Sky Lotus Bathhouse was the kind of place you could get addicted to without realizing it.

The moment Jemil stepped inside, a wave of perfumed steam rolled over him, carrying the faint fragrance of sakura blossoms and something... sweeter. The tiled floors shimmered with condensation, while golden lanterns lit the air in a warm glow. The whole place looked like it was designed specifically to make you drop your guard.

Which, given his track record with his beasts, was probably a bad idea.

"Jemil."

A silky voice floated toward him, and before he could react, a warm, smooth tail wrapped lazily around his waist.

Nyssa, his lamia beast, slid up beside him, her long, glistening coils leaving wet trails on the polished floor. She wasn’t wearing much—just a thin wrap that clung dangerously close to slipping.

"You’ve worked hard. Let me... help you unwind."

"Nyssa—" Jemil began, but stopped when his gaze accidentally dipped to where the steam swirled low around her chest. He immediately looked away, which only made her smirk grow.

From the other side, a pair of strong hands grabbed his shoulders and spun him around.

Lyra, the phoenix, stood there with a towel draped loosely around her flaming hair. Her crimson eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"Don’t let that snake tempt you," she said flatly. "He’s here to heal, not... whatever you’re thinking."

"Oh please," Nyssa purred, "I’m thinking of loosening his muscles. You’re the one always making it about that."

"I make it about that because you make it look like that!" Lyra snapped back, feathers puffing in agitation.

Before Jemil could even step into the healing pool, the two were nose to nose—well, nose to upper chest, in Nyssa’s case—arguing over who should "supervise" him in the bath.

Meanwhile, in the far corner of the bathhouse, something stirred in the steam. Jemil noticed it—a ripple, a movement that didn’t match the sway of water—but before he could focus, a soft hand took his own.

"Come with me," said Kaelina, his kelpie beast. Water dripped from her long, ocean-green hair as she tugged him toward the far pool. Her voice had the hypnotic lilt of waves lapping against a shore. "The water is hotter here. It will melt away all your tension."

Jemil blinked. "Kaelina, is this—"

She cut him off with a smile that was far too innocent to be innocent.

The pool she led him to was quieter, tucked into a shadowy alcove lined with glowing lotus petals. Steam rose thickly around them, muffling the sounds of Lyra and Nyssa still bickering. The water’s heat sank into Jemil’s bones, coaxing every muscle to loosen.

For a moment, he let himself enjoy it. The warmth. The glow. The soft scent of salt and flowers.

And then he noticed the shadows moving again.

This time, they weren’t subtle. A dark, humanoid shape rose from the water behind Kaelina, long claws glinting in the lantern light.

"Down!" Jemil shouted, grabbing Kaelina and pulling her under just as the claws swiped through where her neck had been.

The attacker hissed—a guttural, inhuman sound. The steam swirled violently as more shapes appeared, slinking along the edges of the pool.

Nyssa’s tail lashed out from across the room, snagging one of the shadowy figures and slamming it into a pillar. Lyra burst through the steam, fire blooming across her arms despite the wet air.

"What the hell is that?!" Jemil coughed as Kaelina surfaced, her eyes flashing with anger.

"Steam Shades," she said grimly. "They feed on life force... and they love heated water."

The next few minutes were a blur of steam, water, and fire. Nyssa coiled around two shades at once, squeezing until they dissolved into nothing but mist. Lyra unleashed a spinning arc of molten feathers, igniting the steam in a burst of golden light. Kaelina called up a vortex that dragged three shades under, crushing them against the pool floor.

But for every one they took down, another slithered out of the mist. Jemil’s system pinged in his head.

[System Alert]

New Beast Evolution Condition Met: Emergency Bond Trial Initiated

Intimacy Surge Required.

Jemil’s stomach sank. "Oh no. Not now."

[System Tip]

Emergency Bond Trials must be completed on the spot. Failure will result in Beast Degradation.

Lyra caught his glance mid-battle. "Don’t you dare say it—"

"I have to," Jemil said, gripping her arm. "If we don’t hit the surge now, you’ll lose power. The system’s forcing it."

Nyssa’s eyes gleamed despite the chaos. "Then what are you waiting for, Master?"

Even Kaelina—usually the calm one—flushed under the steam, her lips curving. "We are in a bath..."

To Be Continued...

Next Chapter Preview – Chapter 32: The Steamy Surge

The Steam Shades aren’t the only danger—Jemil now has to trigger a full Intimacy Surge mid-battle to save his beasts’ power. With enemies closing in and the water swirling around them, the heat is about to go way beyond the bathhouse temperature. But can Jemil handle it without getting himself drowned... or worse, married?

CTA:

If you’re enjoying the chaos, comedy, and questionable timing of Jemil’s system demands, don’t forget to add this book to your library, leave a power stone, and drop a comment about which beast you think will accidentally win the bathhouse bonding contest!