After enjoying a delightful fondue meal, everyone had worked up quite a sweat.
They did not even feel like going inside to look for warmth. Instead, they simply sat outside in the courtyard, watching the sky darken little by little.
Around eight o'clock,
Luke could no longer wait and began preparing the hot spring.
As a hot spring enthusiast, going so long without soaking in one had simply been torture.
Lux had the same thought as him. While Luke was making preparations, she watched eagerly from the side.
Once steam rose from the clear hot spring pool, Luke poured medicinal herbs into it. Before long, the pool changed color.
By this time, the other girls were more or less ready as well.
Even Katarina was waiting in the back courtyard with them.
At this moment, Katarina had already recovered from the spice and was examining Luke's back courtyard. She had not expected this place to even have a hot spring pool.
Very quickly, she thought of something else. Was she supposed to soak in the hot spring with that guy later?
She looked at the girls beside her, and all of them had completely normal expressions.
"Almost ready."
Soon, after hearing Luke's voice, all the girls walked inside. Katarina thought for a moment, then followed them.
Only when she saw the white curtain drawn up in the middle did she understand a little.
So it was separated.
She could not exactly say she loved soaking in hot springs, after all, it was not as if she had never done it before. But thinking that it had been a long time since she last soaked in one, she felt it would be pretty nice.
So she walked toward the right side and saw that the other girls had already begun undressing. One beautiful figure after another was exposed before her eyes, a dazzling white sight.
"Hot spring time!"
Lux moved the fastest. This girl excitedly ran barefoot, then jumped into the hot spring pool with a splash.
Immediately afterward, she popped out of the water with a swish. Her blonde hair had also become wet, and her little face was filled with a look of bliss.
"It's so comfortable. Hurry up and come in."
Her face bloomed with a smile as she waved.
Very quickly, the other girls entered the pool one after another. As their bodies sank into the warm water, their complexions immediately turned rosy.
At this time, Katarina had also stripped down to only two pieces of underclothing. Her figure was also extremely good, with slender shoulders, a narrow waist, and a tall, graceful build. Her long legs were so fair they seemed to reflect light, without the slightest flaw, looking incredibly beautiful.
Her willow-like slim waist, together with the just-right fullness of her chest, and her curvy figure, could truly be called a golden ratio.
Arriving beside the hot spring pool, Katarina first stretched out one pale foot and placed it into the water to test the temperature.
After finding that it was just right, she confidently sat down in one breath.
Very quickly, the pool water, giving off a heart-soothing warmth, rose past her collarbone, nearly wrapping her entire body.
"Whew…"
She could not help letting out a breath. A rosy tint appeared on her face, adding a few traces of allure to that slightly cold and beautiful face.
At this moment, she felt as though her mood were slowly sinking into the hot spring pool, steady and carrying a few traces of comfort.
Her body could not help relaxing. Closing her eyes, Katarina could not even remember how long it had been since she had felt this relaxed.
Soon, she felt a slight coolness begin from inside her body. In the warm pool water, she actually sensed threads of chill.
Katarina opened her eyes and realized that it might be the medicine in the pool taking effect.
Earlier, she had seen Luke add many medicinal herbs into the pool. At this moment, her body was probably slowly absorbing the medicinal properties.
Katarina could not help sighing inwardly. She had to admit, this guy really did know how to enjoy life.
So she closed her eyes again and slowly continued soaking.
At this moment, Luke was also leaning against the edge of the hot spring pool, his whole body warm and comfortable enough that he did not want to say a single word.
He raised his head and looked at tonight's night sky. Stars already filled the heavens, and the dotted starlight looked like a silver river. It seemed as if he would never grow tired of looking at this night sky, no matter how many times he saw it.
Half an hour later,
Luke stood up first.
Although soaking in a hot spring was comfortable, it had to be done in moderation. After all, its function was to speed up blood circulation and promote blood flow.
But if that speed kept going nonstop, then at best one would grow dizzy, and at worst one would faint directly.
Moreover, Luke had added medicine into it, making the effect even stronger.
Hearing him stand up, the girls next door knew that today's hot spring session had reached its end.
After Luke put on his clothes, Lux and the others on the right side also stood up and began going to the changing room to get dressed.
Before long, they walked out together. After soaking in the hot spring, every one of them had a rosy complexion, and their skin gave off an alluring luster.
"Hiss, so cold, so cold."
As soon as the cold wind blew against Lux, she drew in a sharp breath and immediately jogged back to the main house.
After soaking in a hot spring during winter, it was indeed a little cold, so everyone also quickened their pace and returned to the living room. With the fireplace giving off a suitable warmth, the comfort from after the hot spring continued.
After this soak, Katarina truly felt that it was different from usual.
She felt that her body was much stronger than normal. Many slightly stiff areas seemed to have been soaked loose, and even her skin looked quite good.
Although she did not care about such things, when she had looked in the mirror inside the changing room and seen herself and the other girls all glowing with rosy, fair, flawless skin, her mood still became extremely pleasant.
It was almost past ten at night.
Lux and the others began going home one after another. In the end, only Sona was left.
At this moment, Sona was standing in the front courtyard, glancing toward the second floor with a hesitant expression, as if struggling over something.
Until Fiora walked out and delivered the final blow.
After seeing Sona, Miss Duelist showed a smile. Her red lips parted lightly. "Want to join?"
As soon as those words fell, Sona's pretty face instantly turned bright red. She shook her head like a rattle drum, then fled in panic.
She directly handed the field over to Fiora.
Watching Sona leave, the smile on Fiora's face did not fade. With that smile, she returned to the main house.
At this time, in the living room, Katarina walked out of her room and narrowed her eyes at Luke, who was sitting over there.
She remembered this bastard deliberately targeting her with ill intent during the fondue meal this afternoon.
After hearing a burst of footsteps, she walked forward and said softly, "Your Highness, I'm going to warm your bed now."
Luke froze after hearing that, thinking to himself, when did this red-haired girl become so sensible?
Immediately afterward, he felt as if needles were pricking his back, and a strange chill surged from behind him.
His face stiffened at once. Forcing himself to remain calm, he coughed dryly. "No need today. Go rest."
Katarina said, "Then whenever Your Highness needs me to warm your bed, just call me. I'll be ready anytime."
At this point, if Luke still could not tell that this red-haired girl was doing it on purpose, then he would truly be an idiot.
He worked hard to speak calmly. "For the next while, there probably won't be any need either."
Katarina nodded and withdrew, going straight back to her own room.
At this moment, Luke looked toward the living room entrance and saw Fiora leaning there, her face as cold as frost.
Seeing him look over, Fiora's mouth curled into a cold smile. Her cool eyes were like sharp blades. "I don't seem to have heard about this. Looks like someone had quite a good time at the border, even getting himself a bed-warming maid."
Naturally, she could tell that this guy had probably already had a round of deep communication with Sona as well.
She just had not expected that there was also a bed-warming maid waiting here.
At this moment, Luke tried to explain. "I just felt that winter was cold, so I specially found someone responsible for warming the bed. You don't know how cold the border is. Every day, people were frozen so badly they couldn't sleep."
He also remembered now that he had forgotten to notify Katarina in advance that the bed-warming matter was temporarily canceled.
Listening to his pale and powerless explanation, Fiora kept that cold smile on her face the entire time, with an expression that clearly said, "Do I look like I'll believe that?"
She walked toward the sofa with her long legs, sat down without ceremony, took the cup of hot tea Luke had just poured, and ordered, "Now, go warm my bed."
Luke fell silent for a moment, then quietly stood up and walked toward the second floor.
He had a premonition that tonight might be a very difficult night.
The next day.
Early in the morning, Luke got up to prepare breakfast while looking extremely tired.
Katarina also had the habit of waking early. After getting up and seeing that Luke was awake as well, she could not help feeling somewhat surprised.
This guy waking up so early was not exactly a common occurrence.
Immediately afterward, her gaze swept over Luke's exhausted face, and she saw that he looked weak and listless, without even the slightest trace of energy. Even his steps seemed a little unsteady.
Thinking of Fiora staying over last night, the way she looked at Luke changed slightly.
Naturally, she was not a girl as pure as a blank sheet of paper like that little blonde.
The first time they met, she had already seen that Miss Duelist and Luke had an extraordinary relationship. Thinking that this guy had seemingly not slept all night, she could not help clicking her tongue inwardly.
She had not expected his stamina to be quite strong.
Very soon, she saw Fiora also walk down from upstairs. Compared to him, her mental state looked much better.
She looked radiant, with a faint smile on her delicate, jade-like face. Her eyes were filled with spring water, their clear waves shifting gently. The usual coolness in her gaze now carried a few traces of allure, and her expression seemed to contain a small bit of satisfaction as well.
Her whole person looked like a flower after being nourished, even more charming and a little more beautiful.
Seeing her current state, Katarina could not help becoming a little curious about that kind of thing.
It seemed rather comfortable.
She hurriedly shook her head, finding it hard to believe that she had actually had such a thought. Then she withdrew her gaze and went outside to the courtyard with Yurna, focusing on sweeping the yard.
Only, very soon, her thoughts still uncontrollably went off course.
By the time Luke finished making breakfast, Lux and the others had also arrived.
Sitting at the dining table and looking at the rather rich breakfast, Katarina's understanding of Luke's cooking skills was refreshed once again.
After tasting it personally, even she felt a sense of amazement.
Since yesterday's fondue had been simple in method, there had been no way to know Luke's specific culinary skill.
But today, breakfast for so many people naturally had a rich variety, with both soup and rice.
She had not expected that even in that state, this guy could make such delicious dishes.
Delicious.
So delicious that even if Katarina went against her conscience, she still could not say anything slanderous about it.
She had to admit, this guy was indeed skilled at cooking.
That was also one of his few advantages!
Thinking this in her heart, Katarina's eating speed was not slow in the slightest.
Clearly, Luke's food had conquered another girl's stomach.
They ate happily, but Luke had little appetite. After eating until he was half full, he wanted to go back and take another nap.
By the time he woke up again, it was almost noon.
Yawning as he went downstairs, he saw Lux, Kahina, Sona, and Poppy playing mahjong in the living room.
Katarina, meanwhile, watched curiously from the side. After watching the whole morning, she had gradually figured out the rules.
She felt that this tabletop entertainment was rather novel. At the very least, there was no such thing as mahjong over in Noxus.
She heard that this thing had also been thought up by that guy. Looking at Luke as he came down from the stairs, she realized that there seemed to be many things about him that she did not know.
"What are you looking at? Go pour me some water."
Seeing the red-haired girl look over, Luke ordered her around in annoyance.
If she had not deliberately stirred up trouble last night, how would he have ended up so exhausted?
Fortunately, he had never stopped practicing Vitality Arts for all this time. Otherwise, he felt like he might have died here today.
After being ordered around, Katarina did not lose her temper and obediently went to pour Luke some water.
Before long, she walked over with a cup of warm water.
Luke was currently sitting where she had been sitting earlier, watching the four girls play mahjong.
He took the cup, drank it all in one gulp, and handed it back.
At this moment, he saw Lux stretch out her little hand and draw a one bamboo tile, preparing to discard it.
He immediately could not help saying, "Don't discard the little bird. The moment you do, they'll keep coming."
When Lux heard this, she paused, took the one bamboo back, and chose to break up an incomplete six-character and eight-character wait instead.
"Eight characters."
After discarding it, a round passed.
Lux stretched out her hand again. When she drew a tile and saw that it was a seven characters, she immediately turned her head and glared at Luke.
Luke thought for a moment and said, "You've already broken it up. There aren't many character tiles out there. Keep discarding."
"Seven characters."
Lux thought about it, then directly discarded the seven characters.
Another round passed. Lux stretched out her hand and drew an eight characters.
She turned her head and looked at Luke.
Luke fell silent for a moment. "It's not like another seven characters can come. There are already three on the table. It's very hard to draw the last one."
"Eight characters."
Lux felt that made sense, so she discarded the eight characters again.
One round later, looking at the newly drawn seven characters in her hand, Lux instantly felt that her whole person was not okay. She turned her head again, her little face glaring at him unpleasantly.
Luke opened his mouth. "You can't…"
"Shut up!"
Lux directly interrupted him, picked up the one bamboo tile she had kept for many turns, and discarded it directly. "One bamboo! I'm discarding it today no matter what!"
"Win. Thirteen Orphans, single wait on one bamboo."
Kahina pushed her tiles forward from across the table.
Lux instantly froze.
Kahina sighed with emotion at this moment. "I had just reached ready hand, and you discarded it right away. You're so good to me, Lux."
Lux: "…"
She looked at Luke through gritted teeth. Her beautiful eyes were filled with killing intent, as if she wanted nothing more than to tear this bastard apart.
Thirteen Orphans. It was all this guy's fault. She had dealt into Thirteen Orphans!
Miss Crownguard was so furious that her delicate body trembled.
"It's just mahjong. The tiles going against you is pretty common."
Luke coughed dryly with a guilty conscience, picked up his stool, and silently sat on the other side.
When playing mahjong, occasionally being unlucky and having the tiles go in the opposite direction was very normal. For example, whatever you discarded, you would draw next, and if you broke up an incomplete wait, the missing tile would immediately appear.
You just had to get used to this sort of thing.
However, what Luke had not expected was that ever since this round, Lux seemed to have started a losing streak.
Before he came, Miss Crownguard had still been winning a little.
Now, after several consecutive rounds, she had directly lost quite a bit instead.
And throughout the entire process, Luke remained silent under Miss Crownguard's resentful gaze, not even daring to meet her eyes.
He truly had not done that one on purpose.
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