บท 39: Heroine's Doubt
Living with the three female adventurers, including Julia, had begun. Despite their presence, no special events seemed to occur at first. The women would leave town during the day and head to the nearby forest. Apparently, their claim that they were there for work wasn't entirely false.
"We've been tasked with capturing a rare monster called a Golden Mouse. About ten years ago, someone saw one near this town, so we're here to find it," Julia explained one evening, her arms crossed as if daring him to question her.
A Golden Mouse is a creature known as a symbol of good luck, rarely seen by people. It isn't to be harmed, as hurting it is said to bring misfortune. On the contrary, it's rumored that keeping it well brings prosperity to merchants, fertility to women, and success to men.
"It's not a creature that can be caught easily. Isn't it a wasted effort?" Lucan asked calmly.
Julia huffed, her cheeks flushing slightly. "Maybe, but we received a good advance payment, so even if we fail, it's fine."
With that, Julia went to the forest every day.
They would return in the evening and stay in the temple's living quarters. Despite their presence, Lucan tried to maintain a sense of normalcy. However, life with the three adventurers soon proved to be anything but normal.
The first incident occurred in the bath. Lucan, thinking the bath was empty, slid open the door, only to find Julia standing there, a towel wrapped around her body. She froze, her eyes widening in shock before her expression turned into one of irritation.
"Lucan! What do you think you're doing?!" she snapped, her voice sharp as she tried to cover herself more securely.
Without a hint of embarrassment, Lucan met her gaze, his calm demeanor unshaken. "I apologize. I thought it was unoccupied," he said evenly, stepping back and closing the door with a soft click.
On the other side of the door, Julia stood there for a moment, her heart racing. She found herself annoyed, not just by the situation but by his unruffled composure. "That idiot," she muttered under her breath, her cheeks burning.
The next incident involved Hima. Lucan was in his room, quietly reading, when the door burst open, and Hima strolled in with a grin.
"Lucan! There you are! I've been looking everywhere for you," she said, her voice carrying a teasing lilt.
Lucan looked up from his book, his calm eyes meeting her mischievous ones. "Did you need something?"
Hima walked over to him, leaning in a bit too close for comfort. "I just thought we could spend some time together. You know, get to know each other better," she purred, her fingers lightly brushing his arm.
Lucan remained unflappable, though he gently removed her hand from his arm. "We're already living together. I'd say we know each other well enough."
Hima pouted playfully, but before she could respond, she "accidentally" tripped on the edge of the rug, falling into Lucan's lap. She let out a soft giggle, looking up at him with sparkling eyes.
"Oops... seems I'm a bit clumsy today," she said, not making any move to get up.
Lucan, still calm, gently lifted her and set her down beside him, standing up himself. "Perhaps you should be more careful," he advised, his tone polite but firm.
Hima smirked, unbothered by his rejection. "You're no fun, Lucan. You know, Julia might be upset if she knew how you treat a lady," she teased.
"I'll take my chances," Lucan replied, his voice steady as ever, as he returned to his book, leaving Hima to exit the room with a mischievous smile playing on her lips.
The third incident involved Olive, the silent adventurer who rarely spoke but whose presence was always felt. One evening, after dinner, Lucan noticed Olive lingering in the chapel long after the others had gone to bed. He approached her, his steps quiet on the stone floor.
"Olive," he called softly.
She turned to him, her dark eyes meeting his. She didn't say anything, but there was something in her gaze that made Lucan pause.
"Is something on your mind?" he asked.
Olive remained silent, but she reached out, her fingers brushing against his sleeve. It was the most direct contact she had ever made. Lucan didn't understand for a moment, but when he did, he nodded.
"You're welcome to stay as long as you like."
Olive gave a small nod, her expression softening slightly before she turned and quietly left the chapel. Lucan watched her go. Olive was the most unique person he had ever met.
There was a White Fox observing Lucan these days, with its eyes glowing red.
Far away, in the capital, Maris had her eyes closed and could see Lucan through the White Fox's eyes. Maris could use the White Fox to block every woman around Lucan, but she didn't.
When she lived with Lucan, Maris noticed that he never seemed to get excited or blush around her.
Maris wasn't narcissistic, but she knew she was the most beautiful woman with a great body. Still, Lucan never got flustered or excited when he saw her naked.
So, Maris had some doubts about Lucan's sexual preference. That's why she let these three women get close to him, to see if he showed any reaction to them.
There was a possibility that Lucan saw her as a family member, which might explain why he never got flustered or excited to see her naked.
"He is same as me when I was there, does he like girls?" Maris wondered. She decided to observe more.
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