"Mother, what are you saying?!" Aislyra shouted, visibly displeased by the suggestion.
"I think it's a wonderful idea, Lady Sequoria," Katerina said, smiling as if this were the most natural thing in the world. "Both Lady Aislyra and His Majesty have worked up quite a sweat during training, and they both need to wash up.
"Besides, Mr. Lucas must become accustomed to his body as soon as possible."
Aislyra's eye twitched. "Katerina, are you seriously telling me to let a boy see my sister's naked body?!"
"Lady Aislyra, please stop acting so childish. You're ignoring the fact that Mr. Lucas is now also a girl.
"First of all, he's going to see it no matter what—because that is his body now.
"And if he doesn't get used to it, it'll be much harder for him to convincingly act as Lady Alberia."
Aislyra opened her mouth to argue—
But no words came out.
Every single thing Katerina had just said made perfect sense.
Still, part of her resisted. "But… but—"
"Aislyra."
Sequoria's voice cut through the air—firm, yet elegant.
"Katerina is right. Stop complaining and let's go take that bath."
Meanwhile, the one person at the center of this conversation still hadn't fully recovered from the mental shock.
Lucas's brain had completely short-circuited.
Taking a bath with three stunningly beautiful women—four, if he counted his own reflection—was the kind of scenario that seemed straight out of a fantasy dream.
After all, not even a day ago, he had been a perfectly normal, healthy young man.
But that was precisely why a gnawing sense of guilt remained.
He was still mentally a guy.
And now he was supposed to bathe naked with a group of women?
It just felt wrong.
But at the same time… he was technically a girl now.
And Katerina was right.
The logical part of his brain knew this was just another step in adjusting to his new life.
The emotional part, however, was still on fire.
As the battle between reason and impulse raged in his mind, Katerina suddenly turned to him.
"Your Majesty, let's go to the bath."
Lucas, caught completely off guard, blurted out—
"YES!!"
'Wait—NO! I DIDN'T MEAN TO SAY THAT OUT LOUD!'
But it was too late.
"Perfect," Katerina said with a satisfied nod, before promptly grabbing Aislyra and dragging her along.
Aislyra let out a defeated groan but offered no further resistance.
Following close behind was a smiling Sequoria and a still very conflicted Lucas.
In what felt like mere moments, the four of them arrived in front of the large double doors leading to the royal bath.
At this point, both the unwilling Aislyra and the hesitant Lucas had fully surrendered to their fate.
Without further delay, they stepped inside.
The royal bathhouse was exactly what one would expect from a palace of this grandeur.
The room was massive, its white porcelain tiles glistening under the soft glow of enchanted lights.
Unlike the previous rooms Lucas had seen—where polished wood and natural elements dominated the architecture—this space had a sleek, luxurious aesthetic, reminiscent of an indoor spa.
And at the center of it all—
A gigantic steaming bath, large enough to fit at least a dozen people, with gently rippling water inviting them in.
Lucas barely had time to admire the breathtaking scenery before his attention was forcibly redirected.
Because Sequoria was already undressing.
In one smooth motion, she slipped the top of her white dress down, her voluptuous breasts spilling free.
Lucas's entire body locked up.
His head snapped away so fast he almost hurt his neck.
But unfortunately—his gaze landed directly on Aislyra instead.
And for reasons beyond his comprehension—
Aislyra was already completely naked.
Lucas's brain stopped functioning altogether.
'How?! When?! She was just complaining about this!!!'
Unlike the fair, porcelain-like skin of Sequoria and Alberia, Aislyra's complexion was slightly more tanned.
Her body was toned yet curvy, with defined abs that perfectly complemented her strong yet feminine figure.
And while her breasts were not as insanely oversized as Alberia's or Sequoria's, they were still more than enough to command attention.
Aislyra quickly noticed Lucas's stunned stare.
Instead of reacting with anger or embarrassment, a smug smirk appeared on her face.
She stepped forward.
"What's the matter, Your Majesty? Do you like what you see?"
Lucas immediately looked away again, panic setting in.
"W-What happened to all that complaining earlier?!"
Aislyra chuckled.
"Well, if showing you my body keeps you from ogling my sister's naked body, I consider that a victory."
Lucas felt like his soul was leaving his body.
This was not the Aislyra he had come to know so far.
But then, something even more concerning crossed his mind.
'Wait… she said my sister's naked body—'
As far as Lucas remembered—he still hadn't undressed yet.
So why did Aislyra phrase it as if he already had?!
A chilling realization hit him.
Slowly—hesitantly—he looked down.
His clothes were gone.
'Wait—WAIT—WHAT?!'
His head whipped toward Katerina, and sure enough—
She was gathering everyone's clothes, sorting them into separate laundry baskets.
And among the pile—were the very garments he had been wearing just moments ago.
Lucas's mouth opened and closed wordlessly before he finally managed to stammer out—
"K-Katerina… did you take off my clothes?"
Katerina tilted her head slightly, as if the question was strange.
"Yes, Mr. Lucas. You seemed tired, so I decided to handle it for you."
Lucas swallowed hard.
"…How did you do it so fast? And without me noticing? Did you use some kind of magic?"
Katerina's expression remained perfectly neutral.
"No. I just took them off."
"…Just… like that?"
"Yes."
Lucas opened his mouth again—
Then froze.
Because Aislyra had just placed a firm hand on his shoulder.
Her face was a mix of exhaustion and resignation.
"Lucas, let it go."
Lucas blinked. "Huh?"
Aislyra shook her head.
"No one knows how she does it. If you ask, she'll always give the same answer.
Trust me… it's better not to question it."
Lucas stared at her.
Then at Katerina.
Then back at Aislyra.
"…Noted."
Unsure of what else to do, Lucas decided to head toward the large bath and slip into the water.
However, just as he was about to step in—
"Wait, Mr. Lucas. Let me wash your body first."
Lucas froze mid-step as Katerina's calm voice reached his ears.
"It's not fair, Katerina! I wanted to do it myself!" Sequoria protested loudly.
Her complaint, however, was completely ignored by everyone present.
Lucas's entire face turned red.
The very thought of Katerina washing him sent his brain into a spiral—but before he could fully process his embarrassment, something else demanded his attention.
For the first time since arriving, Katerina had also undressed.
And with that—a few details became glaringly obvious.
Unlike the others in the room, Katerina had virtually no breasts to speak of—especially in comparison to the three women beside her.
Her slender frame was delicate but still undeniably attractive, her elegance and grace making up for what she lacked in curves.
But the thing that truly caught Lucas's attention—
Was the short, fluffy tail just above her firm backside.
Covered mostly in soft green fur, with a black-tipped end, it was small—probably no more than twenty centimeters long.
Lucas stared.
Ever since he first met Katerina, he had been uncertain about what kind of animal she resembled.
Her feline-like ears had made him wonder if she was some kind of cat beastkin, but nothing came to mind.
But now—it finally clicked.
'A lynx. Katerina's ears and tail look almost exactly like a lynx's.'
He felt oddly proud for figuring it out.
Unfortunately—
Katerina noticed his intense gaze.
Her ears twitched slightly, and she cleared her throat.
"…Mr. Lucas, could you please stop staring at my tail?"
Lucas flinched at the unexpected request. "Huh? Oh, s-sorry!"
"Our people are… quite self-conscious about our tails," Katerina admitted, her usual composure wavering slightly.
Lucas quickly shifted his gaze to her face—and to his surprise, Katerina looked genuinely embarrassed.
It was the first time today he had seen such an expression from her.
Once Lucas got over the surprise of Katerina's tail, his mind returned to a far more pressing concern.
She was about to wash him.
If he were still in his original body, his pride (probably) wouldn't have allowed this.
But—
He had no idea how to properly wash a woman's body.
And something deep inside him whispered that if he tried to do it himself, it might turn into something wildly inappropriate.
The thought alone made him break out in cold sweat.
With great reluctance, Lucas sighed in defeat and stepped toward Katerina, signaling his reluctant acceptance.
Katerina, picking up on his decision, regained her usual composure.
She gestured for him to sit on a small wooden stool, picked up a bar of soap, and began to wash his body—starting with his back.
And to Lucas's immense surprise…
It was incredibly relaxing.
Katerina's hands moved with practiced precision, her gentle yet firm touch working away any lingering fatigue from his earlier training.
She knew exactly where to apply pressure, kneading tension from his muscles like a professional masseuse.
Lucas let out a sigh of relief without even realizing it.
But the real game-changer came when Katerina set the bar of soap aside and switched to using only her hands.
Her fingers glided smoothly across his soapy skin, working through his now long, damp hair with delicate movements.
Lucas had to admit—
This was the first time today he actually appreciated having long hair.
It had been a minor annoyance for most of the day, but right now?
It felt amazing.
She continued down his arms, then moved to his lower back and bottom.
Lucas was almost fully at ease.
Until she spoke.
"Excuse me, Mr. Lucas, but it's time to wash the front. I advise you to prepare yourself."
Lucas's entire body stiffened.
"…Prepare myself?"
Before he could fully process what that meant—
Katerina had already shifted positions—moving in front of him.
And without hesitation—
She began thoroughly lathering his chest.
Lucas's soul left his body.
The sensation was different.
It was pleasant—but not the same kind of pleasant as before.
This time, his entire body felt unnaturally warm.
He did everything in his power to suppress the reaction building inside him.
'Stay calm. Stay calm. STAY CALM.'
He gritted his teeth, desperately holding back any sound.
But then—
Katerina moved lower.
After finishing his stomach, her hands glided down to the one area he had yet to acknowledge all day.
Lucas's entire existence shattered.
A small, strangled sound escaped from his lips before he could stop it.
Katerina, as professional as ever, simply finished her task without comment and moved on to his legs.
By the time she was done, Lucas was left staring at the floor, his face completely flushed.
"Mr. Lucas, I'm finished. You may now enter the bath. Lady Aislyra and Lady Sequoria are waiting for you."
Lucas swallowed hard.
"…Y-Yeah."
He stood slowly, as if needing time to process everything that just happened.
And without another word—he walked toward the steaming bath, Katerina following close behind.
The moment Lucas submerged himself in the steaming bath, he could feel the exhaustion melting away.
The water was perfect—neither too hot nor too cold—soothing his muscles and easing the tension from hours of training.
He also noticed something unexpected.
A lightness in his chest.
He glanced down.
"…They're floating…" he muttered under his breath.
Almost instantly, Lucas felt a heavy stare boring into him.
He didn't need to look to know who it belonged to.
Turning his head just slightly, he met Aislyra's disapproving glare.
She was already in the water, arms crossed, her usual dirty look firmly in place.
But before the stare-down could last long—
Sequoria suddenly appeared behind her.
And without warning—
She grabbed Aislyra's breasta and started massaging it.
"Dear daughter, stop being so grumpy," Sequoria chided playfully, "You know there's no changing things now. That's Lucas's body."
"But—ah—Mother—ah—s-stop it—ah!!"
Aislyra struggled between protests and startled moans, her face flushing deep red.
With a burst of superior strength, she broke free, quickly covering herself with her arms while retreating a safe distance away.
Still flustered, she glared at her mother. "What is wrong with you?!"
Sequoria simply tilted her head innocently. "What? You're growing beautifully."
Then, with a fond smile, she added, "Your chest may be smaller than mine and Alberia's, but they're still wonderful to the touch."
Aislyra looked ready to explode.
"Stop judging my growth using my breasts, you perverted mother!!!"
She splashed water at Sequoria in retaliation, but her mother dodged effortlessly, laughing.
Unfortunately for Lucas—he was the next target.
Before he could react—
Sequoria disappeared underwater.
A moment of eerie silence passed.
Then—
She resurfaced behind him.
And before he could escape—
She wrapped her arms around his chest in the exact same way she had done to Aislyra.
Lucas froze.
"But Alberia's breasts has always been the best," Sequoria said cheerfully, "Even if it's only slightly bigger than mine, it's still so soft."
The shock of her hands sent a jolt through Lucas's entire body.
He barely managed to suppress a noise—but a small, involuntary moan still slipped out.
The moment the sound left his lips—
A calm voice interrupted the scene.
"Binding Root."
Katerina's signature spell activated instantly.
A thick vine shot up from the water, wrapped around Sequoria's waist, and pulled her away from Lucas before disappearing again.
Lucas exhaled in pure relief.
"T-Thank you, Katerina."
Sequoria, now floating idly, simply blew a few bubbles into the water in mock defeat.
Then, after a moment, she smiled warmly and turned back to Lucas.
"So?" she asked. "How was your first day as Alberia?"
Lucas paused, thinking back on everything that had happened.
Then, after a moment of reflection, he let out a small laugh.
"Well… it definitely wasn't easy to accept everything that happened today.
"And getting used to this body is still really difficult…
"But—" he looked at the three women around him, his expression softening.
"Thanks to all of you… it was strange, but also fun."
Aislyra, Katerina, and Sequoria smiled in return.
The bath lasted another hour, during which all four of them fully relaxed, basking in the warm water and letting go of the day's burdens.
Eventually, they stepped out, drying themselves off before getting dressed.
As they left the bath, Sequoria parted ways, heading back to her room.
Meanwhile, Lucas, Katerina, and Aislyra returned to Alberia's bedroom—now Lucas's.
Since the door had been completely destroyed earlier, Katerina created a new one using magic before excusing herself to fetch dinner.
She returned shortly after, carrying a warm meal for the three of them.
The group ate together in Lucas's room.
Once dinner was finished, Aislyra stood up and stretched.
Her expression turned serious as she looked at Lucas.
"Your Majesty, just like this morning, I'll be standing guard outside your room all night.
"If anything happens, call me, and I'll be there in an instant."
Lucas frowned slightly. "But how will you sleep?"
Aislyra waved off his concern. "Don't worry. I'm trained to go multiple nights without sleep.
"But if I do feel like I'm reaching my limit, Katerina will take over."
Lucas still wasn't completely comfortable with the idea, but considering what had happened that morning, having someone on guard was the safest option.
With that, Aislyra stepped out of the room, her protective instincts fully engaged.
Katerina, meanwhile, bowed gracefully and said
"Good night, Mr. Lucas."
Then she, too, left for her own room.
Now alone, Lucas changed into a nightshirt similar to the one he had worn that morning, pulled from Alberia's wardrobe.
Too exhausted to think about anything else, he collapsed onto the soft bed, sinking into its warmth.
As his eyes closed, a small smile formed on his lips.
Sleep took him almost instantly.
But a few hours later—
Lucas suddenly woke up.
His body still wasn't used to sleeping like this, so he assumed that was the cause.
But then—
From outside the door, he heard it.
A soft, muffled sound.
A woman's voice.
Crying.