"Hmm, alright, but living with a guy…" Melina trailed off, her arms crossed as she studied him carefully.
"I promise I wouldn't do anything to harm you!" Rulan blurted, his voice trembling but sincere.
Melina tilted her head, watching him for another moment before nodding. "Alright, then. Come inside." She gestured for him to follow her as she closed the door behind him.
Rulan stepped inside, his eyes widening in awe as he took in the pristine, transformed interior. The space had a warmth and charm that seemed almost magical.
'She managed to turn this place around in just a few days,' Rulan thought, impressed and slightly intimidated.
"Can I ask how old you are?" Melina's voice broke his train of thought as she led him deeper into the shop.
"I'm 23 years old," Rulan replied nervously, his gaze darting around the room.
"Oh, quite young," Melina said with a soft chuckle.
'She looks my age, though,' Rulan thought, unable to suppress his curiosity.
"Are you a demi-human?" he asked abruptly, then winced, realizing how forward the question sounded.
Melina glanced back at him, her expression unreadable. "I guess you could say that. Does that bother you?"
"Not really," Rulan said quickly, shaking his head. He followed her up the stairs.
"Good," Melina replied smoothly, stopping in front of a door. "Follow me to your new room. You're filthy, and you need a bath." She opened the door to reveal a cozy, meticulously decorated room. The soft glow of sunlight streamed in through the windows, illuminating the carefully chosen furnishings.
Rulan's mouth fell open as he took in the sight. "This… is mine?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
"For now," Melina said nonchalantly. "I don't keep freeloaders, so you'll have to work for it." She gestured for him to follow her again.
She led him to a smaller adjoining room, where a gleaming bathtub and other unfamiliar things to him were. Rulan stared at the setup in utter confusion.
"What is this?" he managed to ask, his voice tinged with awe.
"A bath," Melina said proudly, her hands on her hips. "I made it myself!"
"I thought only rich people could afford baths like this," Rulan said hesitantly, still trying to make sense of the luxurious arrangement.
"Says who?!" Melina exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with determination. "Once I'm done with my inventions, things like this will be accessible to everyone!"
She walked over to the shower, demonstrating how to use them. "Here's the soap, and this switch controls the water. You can choose between a shower or filling the tub."
Rulan watched her intently, nodding as he tried to absorb the information. "This is amazing," he said softly, his voice filled with genuine admiration.
Melina turned to him with a smirk. "Don't just stand there gawking. Get cleaned up. We'll talk more once you're presentable."
"Yes, ma'am!" Rulan replied, a small smile tugging at his lips as Melina left the room.
Once Melina left, Rulan turned to the bath and turned on the shower. Warm water cascaded over his skin, as he scrubbed with the sponge, soothing his sore muscles and washing away weeks of grime and dirt. Tears mixed with the water as he wept silently, his shoulders shaking.
'Finally,' he thought, his chest heaving. 'Finally, I can make my life better.'
Rulan had been wandering the streets for weeks, desperately searching for work. But his haggard appearance and skinny body made him undesirable to employers. He had survived on scraps, begging for help from people who only turned their faces away. Yet one moment had stayed with him—a glimmer of hope.
Melina had appeared one day, her face unreadable, and tossed a bag of food toward a small group of starving vagrants. Her cold gaze had swept over them, offering no words before she walked off. The gesture seemed indifferent, yet it had saved their lives. They had scrambled to share the contents, eating as though it were a feast. Rulan had never forgotten her.
When he saw her again, working on a shop, he recognized her immediately. There was something magnetic about her, something that pulled at him despite her stern demeanor. Gathering his courage, he had approached her, hoping that she would give him a chance to work. To his amazement, she had.
As he stepped out of the bathroom, steam billowed around him, and the warmth lingered on his freshly cleaned skin. His tanned complexion was now visible, though his body was still painfully thin. He clutched the towel around his waist.
"Oh, you look fresh," Melina said with a smirk, her tone teasing as she nodded. She sat on the edge of the bed, her arms crossed, her sharp eyes scanning him.
Rulan flushed under her gaze. "Thank you, ma'am," he mumbled, his voice barely above a whisper.
Melina pointed to a neatly folded set of clothes on the bed. "Wrap yourself in these," she instructed.
Rulan picked up the garments carefully, his hands trembling slightly as he examined the fine fabric. "Are you sure I can wear this? It looks so luxurious, ma'am," he said, his voice tinged with disbelief.
"I can't have someone working for me looking shabby," Melina replied, rising from the bed. "Now put it on!" she yelled.
"Yes, ma'am!" Rulan said, startled.
Melina walked out, closing the door behind her. Left alone, Rulan exhaled deeply and let his fingers run over the soft material of the clothes. He had never worn anything this fine in his life.
As he dressed, he couldn't help but smile—a small but genuine one. For the first time in what felt like forever, he felt like a person again.