Arkanos settled into the warm, bubbling bath, letting the heat of the water work its magic on his sore muscles.
The scent of lavender and other herbs filled the air, mixing with the soft sound of water dripping from the polished stone surfaces of the tub. The grand marble chamber was dimly lit by flickering candles, casting a soft, golden hue across the room.
'Ah... This hits the spot. Don't remember the last time I had a hot bath like this—countless nights of overtime, and the days I did go home, I only ever had cold baths when I rushed to work the next morning.'
'I nearly forgot it felt this nice...'
Just then, his eyes drifted beside him.
He noticed Lirael, the head maid, stepping forward, and the other maids followed. They were all now dressed in minimal clothing that barely covered their bodies—silk and sheer fabrics clung to their figures, the material light and almost transparent in the flickering candlelight.
The garments left their arms, shoulders, and midriffs exposed, and the soft fabric barely hid the contours of their bodies. Their movements were smooth, almost mesmerizing, as they approached with graceful steps.
Arkanos' eyes lingered on them for a moment too long, the curves of their bodies and the way their minimal clothing clung to their skin stirring something deep within him.
Arkanos' thoughts raced, 'Wait, don't tell me...'
'Do they intend to wash me?'
'Seems they do...'
Lirael, with her rich brown hair and dusky skin, was particularly captivating. As she moved, the delicate fabric swayed around her, revealing glimpses of her toned legs and the gentle curve of her bust.
She bowed her head slightly as she spoke in a calm tone, "We will now attend to your body, Your Majesty."
Arkanos smiled slightly. "Go on," he said confidently.
"Understood."
She moved towards him, the others followed suit—each maid's figure was enticing as they bent forward to tend to their emperor.
One of the maids, her blonde hair flowing down her back, leaned over to pour warm water over his shoulders, the sight of her bust swaying with the movement making Arkanos' breath hitch, though he kept his composed expression.
Another maid, with dark curls framing her face, gently wiped his back, her fingers brushing over his skin softly.
Lirael, moving to his side, met his gaze with a knowing look, her blue eyes steady and calm as ever.
Arkanos' mind clouded with thoughts he couldn't suppress. His eyes flickered from one maid to another, noticing how the fabric clung to their bodies, the way their busts swayed as they moved, whenever they adjusted themselves. The sight, combined with the nature of their work, began to cloud his thoughts.
But just as his mind began to wander, the system flashed a warning before his eyes:
〘 ⋄ Warning: Actions that cross the boundaries of decency may lead to punishment from the Goddess of Purity and Justice. ⋄ 〙
'Oh... This must be one of the restrictions of being affiliated with a god...'
'I believe it's trying to prevent me from committing debauchery.'
He sighed softly. 'Well, it's unfortunate, but I have an image to keep up, after all. Affiliation with her will be necessary to justify some of my future actions.'
'Besides, I don't think Illian would be happy if she found out about such a thing, though I doubt it would drop her loyalty.'
The last thing he wanted was to anger the goddess whose power he relied on. He couldn't afford to risk that, not now.
Lirael spoke softly as she asked, "Is the water to your liking, Your Majesty?"
"Yes," Arkanos replied, his voice steady despite the internal storm brewing within him. "It's perfect. You may continue."
The maids went back to their task, their soft hands sliding over his skin, washing away the grime. Lirael gently massaged his shoulders, her hands firm yet gentle, while the others worked on his arms and legs, their touches lingering just long enough to send sparks through his body.
As one maid leaned over to pour more water, her breast brushed against his arm, and the sensation sent a shiver down his spine.
'Although I may have to rely on myself more in the future... to prevent any... accidents.'
'I am a man, after all.'
Arkanos suddenly cleared his throat, forcing his focus to remain on the present. "Thank you," he said, his voice calm but firm. "That will be enough."
Lirael stepped back as she gave a small nod. "As you wish, Your Majesty." The others followed suit, each maid retreating with a soft bow, leaving Arkanos to gather his thoughts.
As the maids stepped back, Arkanos spoke, his tone calm and direct. "Lirael, where are my robes?"
Lirael bowed slightly. "Your Majesty, your robes have been folded and placed on the dressing table, just to the left of the bath."
"Good," Arkanos replied. He rose from the water, droplets slipping off his skin as he stepped out.
Crossing the chamber, he found the robes neatly folded where Lirael had indicated. He picked them up and dressed swiftly, the fabric settling snugly over his frame.
Once ready, he turned back to the maids. "You are dismissed."
Lirael and the others bowed. "As you command, Your Majesty."
They exited silently, leaving Arkanos in the stillness of the chamber.
---
Arkanos pushed open the massive doors to his personal chambers, the carved gold and black panels creaking slightly as they swung inward. He stepped inside and paused, his gaze sweeping over the massive space.
The chamber was expansive, with high vaulted ceilings that had beautiful designs of constellations and dragons. Grand tapestries lined the walls, their rich colors vivid even in the soft glow of the chandelier that hung from above. The floors were polished marble, cool beneath his feet.
Arkanos strode further inside, his eyes catching the bed at the center of the chamber. It was enormous, coverd in silken sheets and surrounded by carved pillars that supported a canopy of fine fabric. He walked over, running a hand along the smooth surface of the bedframe.
"Truly, everything is the best of the best," he muttered, a small smirk forming as he marveled at the craftsmanship.
Turning, he surveyed the rest of the chamber. It was clear who ever was responsible didn't hold back in designing the space.
'Impressive.' He thought.
By the large window, he noticed a small table set with a chair, positioned to overlook the sprawling gardens outside. The moon light streamed in, casting a soft glow on the setup. Arkanos walked over and took a seat, resting one arm on the table and leaning back slightly.
Arkanos sat back in the chair, the soft letting out a calm breath, his mind briefly settling.
He then called out.
"System..."
"Open the gacha pool."
The system window appeared briefly, then expanded.
〘 ⋄ Gacha Pool: Opening... ⋄ 〙
〘 ⋄ Gacha Pool: Opened! ⋄ 〙
〘 ⋄ Pull Types ⋄ 〙
『1. Monsters』
『2. Heroes』
『3. Ego Items』
『4. Manpower』
『5. Skilled personnel』
The options blinked, each category glowing faintly.
Arkanos, without hesitation, tapped on the Heroes option. The system responded almost immediately.
〘 ⋄ Hero Summon: Please select summon type. ⋄ 〙
〘 ⋄ Hero Summon Types ⋄ 〙
『1. Assassin』
『2. Warrior』
『3. Mage』
『4. Tank』
『5. Support』
Arkanos didn't hesitate. "Assassin," he said with confidence.
The system's interface shifted again, and a new prompt appeared.
〘 ⋄ Hero Summon: Choose your summon type. ⋄ 〙
1. Random Pull (Upgrade Points Required)
2. Custom Pull (Select Rank from F to SSS)
Arkanos raised an eyebrow at the choices, contemplating for a brief moment. "I'll go with the custom pull. Select rank... SSS."
〘 ⋄ Custom Pull: Rank SSS ⋄ 〙
『Cost: 5000 Upgrade Points』
Arkanos briefly glanced at the number of upgrade points and smiled, then said.
"Summon."