Thump-thump.
My heart was beating like crazy.
I guess that's because I got caught unintentionally peeking at Perez's bath scene.
Or-
Thump-.
Once again, my heart skipped a beat.
It was the moment I met Perez's eyes that shone brightly.
It's beautiful.
That's all I could think of.
With wet hair swept back, deep eyes and nose blades shaded by moonlight.
Perez's hot body temperature, which is delivered from the wet, pale, muscular body and nevertheless from the point of contact with my body.
The long lashes over the pupils looking down at me.
And the worries about me contained in the dark brows that were frowned as if he was worried.
Holding on to Perez's sturdy arms, I still couldn't move, hoping that the tumultuous heartbeat would go away.
"...Tia?"
It was Perez who raised me.
His big wet hands grabbed my shoulders and straightened them up.
"Oh?..."
At that moment, a sense of loss that I had never felt before flooded in.
What the hell is this feeling?
And even before I could find the reason, Perez approached, bending over to me.
His calloused hand wrapped around my cheek.
"I think you still have a fever."
Yeah, I have a fever!
It may not be a fever caused by a cold, but my cheeks are a little hot.
Only then did I come to my senses and stepped back half a step.
"I'm sorry, Perez, I heard the sound of water, so I followed you, unintentionally. I apologize properly."
I said, hiding my trembling voice as much as I could.
"...That's fine."
"No, of course, this is a public place, but I should have gone right back when I realized you were naked..."
When I looked at Perez's body, I saw things that had not been seen before.
"What's this all about? What about these wounds?"
Perez's wide chest and back were full of small traces.
"Not a wound, a scar."
"Yes, I mean, scars! Why so many?"
Most of them were small scars, but the ones on the left arm or the right side were quite big and deep.
It was like Perez's body is a dark and terrible snake.
"How big of a wound was it if the scar remained like this?"
"It happens often in training."
Perez said nonchalantly.
"Training? What kind of training are you doing so hard? Was there anyone bothering you at the academy? No, more than anything, isn't training using a wooden sword or something?"
Perez smiled at me and replied.
"Dealing with a sword is a battle between the mind to kill and the instinct to live. You can't develop without using a real sword, Tia."
