“This is — “
Siloque’s expression shifted.
It wasn’t like last time, when her pale body was exposed. The bad news was that Inafa was wearing clothes. The good news was that Inafa was wearing a black, racerback, one-piece swimsuit.
It was the very common, ordinary kind of swimsuit girls wore during school swimming lessons.
It was too adorable.
“Kaka! I heard from Hill that humans have a habit of soaking in the bath while wearing something called a ‘swimsuit.’ This way, there is no risk of me being seen naked.”
She looked quite smug, crossing her arms over her chest. This action allowed Siloque to see the nameplate on the left side of the swimsuit more clearly; it had Hill’s full name written on it.
‘I see. So it’s a swimsuit she borrowed from Hill, or maybe it was a gift.’
“Um, yeah. Why didn’t I think of that…”
“Kaka! Stupid human, this was your miscalculation.”
Seemingly delighted by Siloque’s dejected appearance as he bent over and clutched his chest, Inafa set her washbasin afloat in the pool. She didn’t enter the warm water immediately, instead sitting on the small wooden stool in the shower area.
“You’re right, you’re right. Such a miscalculation. How could I be so stupid?”
Siloque placed his hand over his face as if in regret, observing Inafa through the gaps in his fingers.
‘Thank you, Hill. This is the best piece of clothing you have ever given!’
The soft, smooth, milk-colored skin paired with the black one-piece swimsuit was a perfect combination, almost dazzling to the eyes. Additionally, the surrounding mist created a sense of hazy beauty.
‘A school swimsuit is a perfect match for a blonde loli. Why didn’t I think of making her wear one before!’
This was the legendary phenomenon — where being dressed was actually more alluring than being naked. Especially in the bathroom, a place where being undressed was the norm; being dressed here felt even more special… It was truly magical.
To ensure Inafa would continue to wear this outfit, Siloque endured the urge to praise her and swallowed his words.
“My hair.”
Hearing her voice, Siloque finally shifted his focus from Inafa’s snow-white shoulders to her words.
He realized that although Inafa was sitting on the wooden stool, she hadn’t made a move to start.
“Wash my hair for me, stupid human. Since we’re just playing around, I want to try that stuff you call shampoo. Watching you and my sister comb your hair earlier made me a bit curious.”
Speaking of which, although the bathhouse provided soap and shampoo-like hair care products, they didn’t have convenient, modern shampoo. They had tried the castle’s bathing products on the first day, but he and Hill were most accustomed to the products they had brought themselves.
“Can I… touch it?”
Inafa straightened her back, brushing her blonde hair behind her head, and smiled provocatively. “How else are you going to wash it if you don’t touch it?”
‘Oh man, she actually agreed.’
At this moment, Siloque felt a tremendous sense of trust.
‘Then I won’t hold back.’
“Alright, I’ll even do a hair conditioning treatment for you as well.”
Siloque wrapped a towel around himself and stepped onto the tiled floor with the hair care products from his basin.
He picked up the showerhead and used warm water to thoroughly soak Inafa’s long blonde hair. He squeezed some shampoo into his palm, rubbed it into a lather, and applied it evenly to her hair from top to bottom.
Whenever his slender fingers swirled through the blonde strands, coiling and gently massaging them, the blonde girl closed her eyes and couldn’t help but let out a satisfied “Uyi” sound.
“Kaka! Stupid human, your hair-washing technique is quite good.”
“Thanks. I didn’t expect to receive a good review the first time I washed someone’s hair.”
“Wh-What? The first time?”
Inafa seemed a bit flustered, her thin shoulders trembling slightly.
“It… It’s not uncomfortable. In fact, it’s a bit too comfortable…”
Siloque was careful not to let his fingernails scratch her scalp, using only his fingertips to massage her to avoid damaging the delicate skin. However, he probably didn’t need to worry about such things with a vampire; his concern was somewhat redundant.
“Inafa, your hair quality is already very good. I feel like there’s no need to wash it.”
The texture was so good that Siloque wanted to lean in and smell it.
“Kaka! Vampires automatically adjust their bodies to the optimal state; so didn’t I say it? I’m letting you wash it for fun.”
Inafa continued, “Being able to touch my hair is your honor, stupid human. I’ll allow you to write the story of washing my hair into your family tree when you’re about to die of old age. Tell three generations of your descendants, so they can pass down the prestige of my name, Ineffa Einscelion.”
“What kind of prestige can washing hair pass down? At most, I’ll just post about it on my Moments.”
“Oh, that thing. I heard Hill mention it. It’s a way for you humans to spread information.”
After applying the final bit of hair cream, Siloque filled a basin with hot water from the pool and splashed it over Inafa’s head with a loud *whoosh*.
“Uwah! Hahahaha! Again, again!”
Inafa curled up comfortably and laughed out loud with joy.
“You let your guard down! Take this!”
While Siloque was turning around, Inafa also filled a basin and splashed it back at him. Drenched in water, Siloque’s hair clung to his face, making him look exactly like a ghost from a horror movie.
“You actually launched a sneak attack!”
Water splashed everywhere as the battle began. The two used wooden basins to splash water at each other by the edge of the warm pool until Inafa stepped on some soap, slipped toward the pool, and fell. Siloque rushed over to help her up.
“Are you okay?”
“Kaka, kakahahahaha — !”
Inafa was a bit unusual tonight.
She was quite relaxed. Was it because it was night? Or was this her original personality?
She didn’t put on her usual arrogant air, but instead laughed heartily. The blonde vampire’s crisp laughter echoed through the empty bathhouse.
‘Could it be that, similar to the Pure Black Annihilation Ray, my hair-washing technique unlocked a New Skill that opens people’s hearts…’
*Splat* — she splashed him with another basin of water.
“I’m going to tie your hair into twin-tails!”
“Please don’t.”
Looking at Inafa’s smug yet innocent smile, that so-called ‘skill’ was likely just his imagination.
After a while, the two of them, having played enough, lay back in the hot pool.
“Good job, stupid human. It’s been a long time since I’ve laughed this freely. The last time I played in a bath like this was when Mom was still around.”
Inafa, wearing her school swimsuit, spoke softly beside Siloque while playing with the water’s surface. The distance between them was only 60 centimeters.
“Fine… It’s been a long time since I played splashing games too. The bathroom at home in the City of Grana isn’t this big, and it certainly doesn’t have a hot pool the size of a swimming pool.”
“Stupid human, I’ve been meaning to ask. I understand that writing a name on there makes it easier to recognize the clothes, but what do these numbers mean? 3… and 6.”
“It means the date,” Siloque lied calmly.
“Oh… A good habit. Commemorating your clothes makes it easier to reminisce when you pick them up later.” Inafa nodded in approval.
What Inafa was pointing at was the “Sixth Grade, Class Three” on the school swimsuit’s nameplate.
He couldn’t let her know that her figure was as petite as a primary school student. For the sake of her dignity, and for the sake of Hill’s life.
“By the way, human.”
Inafa stopped her movements.
“About what happened last night…”
“Last night?”
Siloque waited for her to continue.
Inafa blushed and lowered her eyelashes, water droplets rolling down her snow-white neck which was tinged with pink. Beneath the surface of the hot water, her slender calves lightly crossed each other.
“I let you know about my weakness, my fear of heights. In exchange… stupid human, you must tell me one of your weaknesses too!”