Chapter 14
But anything was better than dying. She just needed to get through tonight. Tomorrow, she’d find an opportunity to escape this house, and once she’s out, she would never set foot in this northern forest again.
Forget magic or anything else—I’ll just go back. Even if it means living a boring, uneventful life in some remote countryside until I die as an old woman, so be it. Meanwhile, that idiot Gretel will probably thrive, basking in glory as the sole heir of the Arsinoe family…
“Don’t remember how to take off your clothes?”
Hansel snapped back to attention, her focus returning.
He looked ready to stand up and undress her himself.
Panicking, Hansel quickly tugged at the worn, torn fabric of her outer dress, pulling it off her shoulders.
“Y-Yes, I’ll do it myself.”
The way he stared at her, as if watching something fascinating, made her feel self-conscious.
Turning her back to him, Hansel began to undress.
The sound of her sweat-soaked clothes peeling off, sliding down her body, and landing softly on the floor echoed faintly in the quiet bathroom.
When her naked body was fully exposed, she felt even more embarrassed.
She couldn’t help but worry that if she wasn’t careful, he might notice the dampness between her legs from earlier.
Hansel hesitated as she approached the bathtub.
He had placed the chair so strategically that no matter how she entered or sat, her body would be fully visible to him.
Finally, Hansel sighed in resignation and stepped into the tub, sinking into the water.
The temperature was pleasantly warm, and the fragrant bath bubbles carried a subtle floral scent.
The fatigue and tension that had clung to her body after everything she had been through seemed to dissolve into the warm water.
“Ahh…”
Hansel exhaled a long, relieved sigh and closed her eyes.
But then, she felt a faint prickle on the side of her face.
Opening her eyes slightly, she found herself meeting his unblinking crimson gaze.
Hansel froze, holding her breath.
Though there wasn’t a hint of lust in his expression, his unwavering stare made her feel intensely self-conscious.
She slid further down into the water until only her face and the top of her head were visible.
He continued observing her as if she were an unfamiliar creature.
Finally, after a long silence, he spoke.
“You don’t have a c**k.”
“Cough— W-What?!”
Startled, Hansel inhaled bathwater and began coughing violently.
Her sputtering echoed loudly throughout the bathroom.
By the time she managed to calm her breathing, her nose stung, and she felt a bit irritated.
From her brief time observing him, Hansel had noticed that he didn’t seem to take offense at being corrected or criticized.
If anything, he seemed more intrigued by responses that piqued his curiosity.
Additionally, he didn’t care about her tone, whether it was casual, annoyed, or formal.
Deciding that a bit of sass wouldn’t provoke a dangerous reaction, Hansel snapped,
“You really don’t know something that obvious? I’m a woman, so of course, I don’t have one. Sure, there are intersex people, but that’s pretty rare.”
As expected, he responded matter-of-factly, unfazed.
“It’s the first time I’ve seen a woman undress.”
“So, you’ve seen women before?”
“Ordinary women who came into my forest to pick fruit. And one mage—her head exploded, so I didn’t see her face.”
“Ah… right. Well, I guess it makes sense you wouldn’t know. Not that it’s a big deal or anything.”
Hansel straightened her back, adjusting her posture in the tub to face him.
As she rose slightly out of the water, her ample chest became visible, glistening with soap bubbles.
His gaze settled on her b*****s, unblinking.
“Do all women’s chests look like yours?”
Hansel glanced down at her own body.
Her round, firm b*****s, pale skin, and faintly swaying thighs were reflected in the water.
Oddly, she didn’t feel objectified.
His tone was so straightforward and devoid of ulterior motives that it felt more like a clinical observation than anything else.
It reminded her of presenting anatomical drawings during her academy classes.
Hansel responded calmly,
“Most are similar, but the size and shape vary from person to person.”
“Do b*****s produce liquid when you suck them, like a c**k does?”
“Not exactly. They produce milk, but only when someone has a baby. They’re mammary glands, after all.”
“Ah, I see.”
He let out a small exclamation of understanding and leaned back against the chair, his expression one of clarity and satisfaction.
“So, you’re a female.”
“…What?”
Hansel frowned instinctively.
Her initial reaction was irritation, but she stopped herself from snapping.
She realized his comment wasn’t meant in a derogatory way.
Sure enough, he continued,
“I’m a male.”
He pointed to his face with a long index finger.
(T/N: Hansel thought that he meant it derogatorily because the words he used for female and male are what you’d use for animals, not humans)
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