Chapter 20: A Bath, A Choice, A Summon

    Arkanos settled into the warm, bubbling bath, letting the heat of the water work its magic on his sore muscles.

    The scent of lavender and other herbs filled the air, mixing with the soft sound of water dripping from the polished stone surfaces of the tub. The grand marble chamber was dimly lit by flickering candles, casting a soft, golden hue across the room.

    ''Ah... This hits the spot. Don''t remember the last time I had a hot bath like this—countless nights of overtime, and the days I did go home, I only ever had cold baths when I rushed to work the next morning.''

    ''I nearly forgot it felt this nice...''

    Just then, his eyes drifted beside him.

    He noticed Lirael, the head maid, stepping forward, and the other maids followed. They were all now dressed in minimal clothing that barely covered their bodies—silk and sheer fabrics clung to their figures, the material light and almost transparent in the flickering candlelight.

    The garments left their arms, shoulders, and midriffs exposed, and the soft fabric barely hid the contours of their bodies. Their movements were smooth, almost mesmerizing, as they approached with graceful steps.@@@@

    Arkanos'' eyes lingered on them for a moment too long, the curves of their bodies and the way their minimal clothing clung to their skin stirring something deep within him.

    Arkanos'' thoughts raced, ''Wait, don''t tell me...''

    ''Do they intend to wash me?''

    ''Seems they do...''

    Lirael, with her rich brown hair and dusky skin, was particularly captivating. As she moved, the delicate fabric swayed around her, revealing glimpses of her toned legs and the gentle curve of her bust.

    She bowed her head slightly as she spoke in a calm tone, "We will now attend to your body, Your Majesty."

    Arkanos smiled slightly. "Go on," he said confidently.

    "Understood."

    She moved towards him, the others followed suit—each maid''s figure was enticing as they bent forward to tend to their emperor.

    One of the maids, her blonde hair flowing down her back, leaned over to pour warm water over his shoulders, the sight of her bust swaying with the movement making Arkanos'' breath hitch, though he kept his composed expression.

    Another maid, with dark curls framing her face, gently wiped his back, her fingers brushing over his skin softly.

    Lirael, moving to his side, met his gaze with a knowing look, her blue eyes steady and calm as ever.

    Arkanos'' mind clouded with thoughts he couldn''t suppress. His eyes flickered from one maid to another, noticing how the fabric clung to their bodies, the way their busts swayed as they moved, whenever they adjusted themselves. The sight, combined with the nature of their work, began to cloud his thoughts.

    But just as his mind began to wander, the system flashed a warning before his eyes:

    ? ? Warning: Actions that cross the boundaries of decency may lead to punishment from the Goddess of Purity and Justice. ? ?

    ''Oh... This must be one of the restrictions of being affiliated with a god...''

    ''I believe it''s trying to prevent me from committing debauchery.''

    He sighed softly. ''Well, it''s unfortunate, but I have an image to keep up, after all. Affiliation with her will be necessary to justify some of my future actions.''

    ''Besides, I don''t think Illian would be happy if she found out about such a thing, though I doubt it would drop her loyalty.''

    The last thing he wanted was to anger the goddess whose power he relied on. He couldn''t afford to risk that, not now.

    ? ? Gacha Pool: Opening... ? ?

    ? ? Gacha Pool: Opened! ? ?

    ? ? Pull Types ? ?

    『1. Monsters』

    『2. Heroes』

    『3. Ego Items』

    『4. Manpower』

    『5. Skilled personnel』

    The options blinked, each category glowing faintly.

    Arkanos, without hesitation, tapped on the Heroes option. The system responded almost immediately.

    ? ? Hero Summon: Please select summon type. ? ?

    ? ? Hero Summon Types ? ?

    『1. Assassin』

    『2. Warrior』

    『3. Mage』

    『4. Tank』

    『5. Support』

    Arkanos didn''t hesitate. "Assassin," he said with confidence.

    The system''s interface shifted again, and a new prompt appeared.

    ? ? Hero Summon: Choose your summon type. ? ?

    1. Random Pull (Upgrade Points Required)

    2. Custom Pull (Select Rank from F to SSS)

    Arkanos raised an eyebrow at the choices, contemplating for a brief moment. "I''ll go with the custom pull. Select rank... SSS."

    ? ? Custom Pull: Rank SSS ? ?

    『Cost: 5000 Upgrade Points』

    Arkanos briefly glanced at the number of upgrade points and smiled, then said.

    "Summon."