Chapter 1001: Gluttony Bath
Chapter 1001 – Gluttony Bath
Ely moved closer, worry in every line of her body. She lifted her hand and sent another gentle wave of healing into him. Lux did not wake, but his breathing steadied slightly.
"His core is still strained," Ely said.
Lyra stepped forward. "I will prepare the healing crystals."
Sira shook her head.
"My room first. Bath. Then healing bed."
Lyra bowed. "Understood."
Aela watched Sira hold Lux.
The demon looked different asleep.
Less sharp.
Still dangerous, perhaps, but no longer performing. No smile, no clever words, no greedy eyes watching every angle. Just a young demon whose body had finally surrendered after doing something far older and larger than himself.
For some reason, that made him look younger.
Not weak.
Even unconscious, there was something about Lux that felt like trouble pretending to be harmless. But the terrifying edge had softened, and what remained was a wounded man leaning against Sira’s shoulder, breath shallow, lashes lowered, one hand hanging loosely at his side.
Aela touched the sleeve of the robe Ely had given her.
Her fingers curled into the soft fabric.
"Can I..."
Sira stopped walking and looked back.
Aela hesitated.
The words felt strange in her mouth. Asking. Wanting. Choosing.
"Can I come with you?"
Sira’s eyes narrowed slightly.
Aela looked at Lux again.
"To help him." Her voice softened. "He is like that because of me."
The hallway went quiet.
Gula’s expression shifted first. Not joking now. Lullaby blinked sleepily but warmly. Yue watched Aela in silence, ancient gaze weighing the words. Ely’s face softened with immediate understanding.
Sira frowned.
For one second, Pride looked ready to say no.
Not because she hated Aela.
Because Lux was unconscious. Wounded. Vulnerable. And Sira guarded vulnerable Lux with the kind of possessiveness that made normal jealousy look like a polite suggestion.
Then Sira smiled.
Not sweetly.
Dangerously.
"Fine."
Aela blinked.
Sira adjusted Lux’s weight against her body and started walking again. "Follow me."
Aela took one step.
Sira glanced back, smile sharper. "But if you join, there’s no turning back."
Aela nodded innocently. "I understand."
Gula covered her mouth.
Lullaby whispered, "She doesn’t."
Yue murmured, "No, she does not."
Ely sighed softly. "Sira..."
Sira’s smile only widened.
Maybe Aela had forgotten.
Or perhaps she had not yet fully understood.
Gula, Lullaby, and Sira were demons. Devils, depending on the specific infernal politics Lux had once corrected with the energy of a man personally offended by taxonomy. Their kindness was real, yes. Their concern for Lux was real.
Their ability to turn care into chaos? Also real.
They brought Lux to the bath chamber.
Aela stopped at the entrance.
The room was enormous.
Warm mist floated beneath a ceiling painted with night-sky patterns. A wide stone bath filled the center, sunken into the floor, large enough for several people, lined with dark marble veined in gold. Shelves of oils, towels, herbs, and bottles covered one side. A low table stood nearby with folded cloth, bandages, and medical tools already prepared. Lyra’s doing, obviously.
The air smelled of soap, herbs, and faint demonic incense.
"This is a bath?" Aela asked.
Gula looked proud for no reason. "A fancy one."
Lullaby moved first.
Despite her sleepy manner, she knew exactly what to do. She set her pillow-hammer aside, rolled up her sleeves, and touched the water. Gray Sloth magic flowed gently from her fingertips, not heavy enough to knock anyone out, but soft enough to make the bath steam relax into a slow, warm rhythm.
Gula was already rummaging inside her dress.
Aela watched in confusion as Gula pulled out one bottle, then another, then a tiny jar, then a wrapped bundle of dried black leaves, then a crystal vial filled with something pink and glowing, then a spoon.
Aela stared harder. "How many things are in your dress?"
Gula paused. "Enough."
"That is not an answer."
Gula uncorked one vial with her teeth and poured a thick amber liquid into the bath. Then she added the pink glowing potion, crushed the black leaves between her fingers, sprinkled powder from the jar, and stirred the water with the spoon.
The bath changed color.
First gold.
Then violet.
Then a strange deep green with little red sparks floating near the surface.
Aela took one careful step back. "What is that?"
Gula beamed. "Demon bath healing water."
Aela stared at the suspiciously sparkling liquid. "That sounds dangerous."
"This one is Gluttony specialty. It helps restore stamina, soothe torn flesh, reduce curse residue, and feed damaged energy pathways." Gula looked at the water fondly. "Also smells like berry cake if you’re injured enough."
Aela slowly turned toward Yue.
Yue said, "It is probably useful."
"Probably?"
Yue’s mouth curved faintly. "Welcome to Lux’s household."
While Gula mixed the bath and Lullaby softened the water, Sira had already laid Lux carefully on a padded bench beside the bath.
Her expression changed when she looked at him.
The teasing remained at the edge of her face, but her eyes were serious. Lux’s ruined clothes stuck to his body in several places, torn and darkened with dried blood, sap, ash, and corrupted spring water. The wound in his abdomen had closed enough not to bleed heavily, but the area around it was still angry and raw beneath the fabric.
Sira clicked her tongue. "Idiot."
Lux, unconscious, gave no defense.
Which was probably the only reason Sira survived saying it without a comeback.
She reached for his shirt.
Aela stiffened.
Sira glanced at her. "If you want to help, stand there. Hand me towels."
Aela nodded quickly. "Yes."
Sira cut through the ruined shirt rather than pull it over his head. The fabric came away in pieces, revealing bruises, scratches, half-healed cuts, dark-gold clause marks still fading across his skin, and the ugly line of the abdominal wound.
Aela’s breath caught.
Not from attraction first.
From guilt.
"He really took it..."
Sira’s hand paused.
Then she continued, voice quieter. "He does that."
Aela looked at her.
Sira didn’t look up. "He acts like everything is a joke because if he stops joking, someone might notice how much he keeps throwing himself in front of things."