CHAPTER 63: LOVE, SHOWER

"But I will give my all to help you." As Lady Catherine spoke, her tone, gaze, and gestures all radiated sincerity, as if she saw Julian as the most precious thing in the world, wishing she could offer everything she had to him.

Julian had to admit—he too had a sense of vanity, and at this moment, it was satisfied like never before.

Lady Catherine had a curvaceous figure and an enchanting face. There was no doubt she was a mature and graceful beauty. On the path of the transcendent, she stood as a formidable figure just at the threshold of the Holy Realm. Across the entire continent, few could rival her strength. She was also several times older than Julian, with a few more years added on top.

And yet now, she instinctively lowered herself, almost in a prostrate position before him, her trembling hands pressed against the cold floor.

The look in her eyes held nothing but pure infatuation—or perhaps reverent longing for something sacred before her, as if he were a deity deserving of worship.

Her breath caught in her throat, heart pounding with a mixture of fear and desperate admiration, unable to tear her gaze away.

To have such a woman reach this state for his sake—someone who, in a way, was even his ’mother’...

Swallowing nervously, Julian moved forward as if possessed and gently kissed Lady Catherine on the forehead.

"I will not betray your expectations," he said softly after pulling back.

Over the next hour or two, Lady Catherine taught Julian a great deal of knowledge he had never heard before—such as how to activate mana circuits from the most efficient origin point, how the body of a transcendent stores purest mana, and the various ways to use "Life" to manipulate external elements.

Before long, the bright moon was high in the night sky. Its soft light cascaded down, and Julian couldn’t help but stretch out his hand and yawn.

Seeing Julian’s sleepy and adorable look, Lady Catherine quietly tidied the disheveled items on the table one by one.

"That’s enough for today," she said gently.

"Alright." Julian stood up, feeling the tightness in his head. After thinking hard for so long and carrying so much mental load, even as a transcendent, he was exhausted after memorizing so much.

He lightly stretched his body. Originally, he had intended to flop onto the bed and fall asleep immediately, but Lady Catherine suddenly reached out and picked him up in her arms.

"This kind of habit isn’t good," she said with a hint of disapproval in her voice, speaking beside his ear.

Then he heard, "At the very least, you need to take a proper bath before sleeping. Otherwise, sleep won’t be truly restful."

Being carried in Lady Catherine’s arms, Julian could only sigh helplessly and let her fuss over him. He muttered under his breath, "I don’t want to bathe..."

"It’s fine. All you need to do is rest well." Lady Catherine gently touched Julian’s face, her breath soft and fragrant as she spoke before him.

His consciousness slowly dimmed, and Julian lost control of his body, falling entirely into Lady Catherine’s embrace.

Julian’s body was light and soft, almost boneless. He carried a faint, natural fragrance that was carefree and detached from worldly matters. With one arm supporting his shoulders and the other under his knees, Lady Catherine lifted him into the air. His slim calves were cradled upward, and his small, boot-clad feet occasionally bobbed slightly in the air with her footsteps.

Silently entering the bathroom, she looked at the steaming circular pool and nodded in satisfaction. She then gently placed Julian on the bed nearby.

Amid the swirling mist, piece by piece, Lady Catherine’s clothes fell to the ground.

In the damp mist, droplets clung to her pale skin, faintly revealing a voluptuous figure that curved like a winding mountain range, peaks and valleys forming a natural masterpiece.

By the time Julian awoke again, he was surrounded by mist. Droplets on his forehead—he couldn’t tell whether they were sweat or condensation.

Looking to his left, for a moment he thought he had arrived at the great public baths of Rome. Ornate golden pillars and shimmering, colorful tiles surrounded him.

Then he realized—he was lying in water. Or perhaps, in a hot spring. His entire body felt utterly relaxed, the weariness in his limbs from long hours of sitting now replaced with soothing comfort.

His long, normally obedient hair was now wet and clung to his forehead, shoulders, and bare skin.

The scent of shampoo wafted from his hair. As Julian’s blurry awareness gradually returned, a sudden realization struck him—was he soaking in a bath?

Who had brought him here... and washed his hair?

Reaching to touch the hair bun behind his ear, Julian was deep in thought when a few bubbles suddenly landed on his head.

"Ah..."

"Good child, you’re awake?"

A familiar voice came from behind. Julian parted his lips slightly, unable to speak right away.

"You are...?"

Lady Catherine’s voice at that moment reminded Julian of the sirens of myth—just hearing it stirred a dangerous softness in his heart, weakening his will.

"Close your eyes first. I haven’t finished washing your hair yet."

Feeling the sponge falling again onto his head, Julian obediently shut his eyes.

"Tch..."

But his right eye, the one now fused with the white flower, was linked to his entire being and couldn’t simply be hidden away...

"Use your mana to protect it," Lady Catherine gently reminded him from behind.

Julian immediately recalled a technique she had taught him earlier that evening. A deep blue mana began to surround the white flower, isolating it from everything around it.

"This skill really is useful," Lady Catherine said as she gently ran her fingers through his hair from behind.

"When I was out in the field, I always kept a similar mana barrier on myself. It’s a good precaution for sudden danger. You should practice maintaining it often."

"Okay," Julian replied obediently.

Soaking in the hot spring, he didn’t dare move, fearing he might accidentally see something he shouldn’t.

Could it be that the Lady... is now...

Luckily, he didn’t have time to overthink it. Lady Catherine suddenly leaned in close, and Julian immediately felt two soft, yielding things press against his back—like inflated balloons, or the spongy texture of a cake.

Julian sighed in relief.

At the same time, he clearly felt the texture of a towel, confirming that she wasn’t completely unclothed. At the very least, she wasn’t bathing with him entirely bare.

So, he relaxed completely, letting her hands run through his hair, the sponge’s fragrant foam spreading over his body.

As her fingers moved gently through his strands, Julian couldn’t help but softly say:

"Can you press your fingers through my hair instead...?"

He still couldn’t break the habit of speaking his mind.

"Like this?" Lady Catherine immediately adjusted, her fingers gliding through his hair more smoothly than before.

"Mmm... Thank you," Julian replied, leaning his body back—and ended up resting directly on Lady Catherine’s snowy peaks.

"Haha..." Rather than being shy, she simply let out a satisfied laugh.

"I was a little disappointed I couldn’t breastfeed a child here, but now it seems, at least my little treasure can be my pillow."