Chapter 358: Seo-ah’s fun night (01)
"That’s... nice." Seo-ah closed her eyes for a moment, the steady, solid warmth of Ethan’s chest seeping into the cheek she’d rested against him.
That wasn’t the kind of comfort she’d expected to feel there, dancing with an NPC from a game.
’Hm... why on earth did they have to make this so real?’ she thought to herself, her pulse racing a little faster than she’d care to admit.
She had already tried other fully immersive games. Some were remarkably realistic, but even so, the gap between Tales of Estria and whatever ranked in second place was simply enormous.
Certain games could simulate, quite perfectly, the taste of food or the warmth of wine sliding down one’s throat... but none of that came close to Estria.
With a sweet sigh escaping her lips, Seo-ah simply let herself melt into Ethan’s arms, dancing the night away as the grand celebration raged all around them.
It wasn’t until well past midnight that the meat and wine finally ran out.
The musicians grew tired and, little by little, the people began to return to their homes, staggering along the basalt streets toward the warm beds that awaited them.
Seo-ah, still entwined with Ethan, walked beside him through the silent corridors of the palace.
She could feel his touch on her waist—firm and protective—his large fingers molding to the fabric of her dress with an almost unsettling naturalness.
Slowly, her own fingers—pale and delicate—slid downward, resting on his... She hesitated for a second before timidly intertwining them.
"Don’t you want Alice to cast a spell of clarity on you?" Ethan asked, his eyes admiring the delicate profile of the Korean beauty at his side.
"No... I’m not that weak when it comes to alcohol..." Seo-ah shook her head, her full, soft pale pink lips curving into a little smile.
"Are you taking me to a bedroom? To sleep?" she asked, curiosity tinging her voice.
Why would a Lord do such a thing?
He had guards and maids in abundance, not to mention Seo-ah’s own friends—any one of whom would be perfectly capable of escorting her back home.
So why would he personally show her a room in his own palace?
"Yes, there are plenty of empty rooms here." Ethan nodded, his voice casual.
Seo-ah suddenly stopped walking.
Her gaze fell to the floor and her breathing began to quicken, her erratic pulse pounding loudly in her ears.
"Could yours be one of those?" she asked, a split second before her face filled with sheer panic.
What on earth had she just said? Offering to go to a man’s room, just like that, out of the blue.
Before she could even process her own slip-up, Ethan had already moved, changing direction with a satisfied smile on his lips, more than eager to guide her to his own chambers.
The door was wide, made of black wood adorned with gold, and it swung open without so much as the slightest creak, as if it had been waiting for her.
Seo-ah took a step forward, gently slipping out of his grip around her waist.
Her eyes swept across the room as she walked to the center of it, taking in every detail: the rich fabrics, the heavy, luxurious furniture.
"Why is it so big?" she asked, approaching the bed and sitting down on the edge.
"So that none of my wives will lack love... want to test it?" Ethan replied with a mischievous smile, watching a soft shiver run through her from head to toe.
He simply laughed at her exaggerated reaction.
"Hm... that’s not funny..." She puffed out her cheeks adorably, letting herself fall back and feeling the softness of the mattress cradle her body like a cloud.
She could smell something—a pleasant scent permeating the sheets.
It was his scent.
Her eyes moved lazily to the side, and then she saw him... Ethan, slowly unbuttoning his shirt, revealing every inch of his powerful torso.
Her eyes narrowed slightly, her heart racing uncontrollably inside her chest.
"What are you doing?" she asked timidly...
"I’m going to take a shower. Do you want to come too?"
"T-together?" Seo-ah’s eyes widened, her voice faltering on the syllable.
Before she could even finish the word, Ethan had already disappeared through the bathroom door, leaving her alone with her own panic.
She shuddered, biting her lower lip hard.
After long seconds of hesitation, she forced herself to turn, pressing her hands against the soft sheets and slowly raising her upper body.
She already knew she was interested in him, and that he was interested in her. Hell, she was already lying in his bed.
What was the point of continuing to act so embarrassed?
He was just an NPC in a game... what was the big deal, anyway?
Plenty of women were crazy about romance games and even carried on relationships with NPCs.
One as realistic as Ethan would only make everything more fun and less awkward... right?
Seo-ah’s delicate feet touched the cold floor, and she grabbed the hem of her dress, pulling the fabric up with slightly trembling fingers.
The light fabric slipped from her shoulders, gliding over every sensual curve as if it were warm water... tracing the gentle swell of her breasts, whispering across the dip of her slender waist, sliding down the smooth roundness of her hips, until it finally pooled in a silk puddle at her feet.
A soft shiver ran through her as the cool air kissed her newly bared skin.
Wearing only a bra and a pair of white high-waisted lace panties, she walked toward the bathroom, her heart pounding against her ribs as her fingers pushed open the half-open door.
The first thing she saw was Ethan, standing beneath the shower, water cascading over his body and running down every sculpted line of his powerful muscles. Wisps of steam curled in the air around him.
His eyes were closed, and hers slowly drifted downward—an abdomen so well-defined it looked as if it belonged to a god—following the V-shaped line that descended, until her gaze finally landed between his legs.
Her breath caught in her throat.
"S-so big?" Seo-ah brought her hand to her mouth, her eyes widening almost comically as her face flushed bright red.
Even as the Kim family’s untouched jewel, known for her absolute disinterest in men, Seo-ah wasn’t an idiot.
She had studied human anatomy before, and, well...
She quickly looked away, but soon realized that Ethan’s eyes were open, fixed on her.
"Come on, I’ll wash your back." Ethan called out to her, and before she even realized it, Seo-ah was already responding, her feet carrying her forward as if they had a will of their own.