What kind of person was Sophia?

Her Royal Highness always got what she wanted.

Moreover, those lips were already within reach.

Lowering her head, Sophia didn't hesitate and deeply kissed those two soft lips.

Even in this steamy bathroom, those lips remained cool, reminding Sophia of summer ice cream.

Soft, sweet, with a faint delicate fragrance that made her greedily savor the sweetness within.

She wanted... to devour it all...

Her teeth pressed down hard, and the soft lower lip was immediately bitten by Sophia, a trace of metallic taste spreading.

"Mm...!"

Celitia winced in pain, couldn't help but let out a muffled groan.

Her lips involuntarily parted, and the next instant, they were completely invaded.

Intense alcohol breath sprayed on her face, perspiration mixed with the scent of hormones, carrying a trace of extremely faint lavender fragrance, invaded all her senses.

Her brain went completely blank, breathing space further compressed, all conscious thought gradually fading away.

She should have struggled to push her away, but at this moment, Celitia couldn't remember any reaction.

Celitia thought dazedly, God, what kind of development was this.

She... was being... pressed against... the pool and kissed by Sophia...?

And in this kind of... almost completely exposed situation...?

Sophia cupped her head, naturally gifted, kissing ever more deeply, so much so that Celitia could barely breathe.

Two hearts pressed together, beating rapidly, breathing sounds chaotically intertwined, lips and tongues tightly entangled, the sound of flowing water mixed with dripping in the bathroom, both quiet and intense.

Before they both suffocated, Sophia finally released Celitia.

She brushed away the long hair dampened by water, looking at Celitia with eyes that seemed to contain countless hazy stars.

"Lily... my... Lily..."

Murmuring these words, Sophia finally tilted her head and collapsed onto Celitia's chest, completely falling into deep sleep.

Her breathing gradually became calm, steady and long.

Celitia held Sophia but couldn't calm down at all.

The feeling of absurdity lingered, and Celitia simply didn't know how to describe her mood.

She raised her hand, slowly wiping away the blood trace from her lips with her thumb.

Her heart was still beating rapidly, and she still remembered that moment's violent wavering within herself, so much so that it was hard to let go.

Like spring thunder stirring, all things beginning to grow.

But...

Gazing at the girl's sleeping face, Celitia was silent for a very long time.

Finally, she gradually calmed all her breathing, letting everything return to normal.

"Do you understand what you're doing?"

Perhaps... Sophia was just acting on impulse under the influence of alcohol, thinking it was fun.

Celitia pressed her hand to her chest, slightly closing her eyes, letting out an extremely light sigh from her throat.

"Don't let there be a next time... for your sake, and for mine."

With tremendous effort, Celitia carried Sophia out of the bathtub and placed her on the lounge chair by the pool.

Letting her sleep on the lounge chair like this all night definitely wouldn't work.

Celitia took a deep breath and finally forced herself to look at the girl's body.

Although she had basically gotten used to her own changes, this was still the first time she had looked at someone else's body so carefully.

Perhaps because she had never relaxed her training, the girl's limbs and back had distinct, flowing lines, slender where they should be slender, full and rounded where they should be full, looking quite perfect.

Last time when she had confronted Sophia, saying she had an "immature girl's body," Celitia now took back those words.

Getting up to fetch a bath towel from the wall, casually wrapping it around herself, Celitia took another towel and walked back.

Sitting down beside the lounge chair, Celitia lowered her head and slowly wiped the water from Sophia's body.

The hot spring water in the bathtub was still circulating, with more and more steam rising, covering Celitia's completely red face.

Florence was right—she had lived all these years and was still a virgin.

But now, both she and Sophia were girls, so there was nothing to be embarrassed about...

Constantly convincing herself with this reasoning, Celitia wiped from top to bottom bit by bit.

Her hand gathered the seaweed-like long hair, brushed over towering peaks, passed through dense valleys.

Listening to her own heartbeat, Celitia slowly closed her eyes.

"Do you know how dangerous it is to lie here so defenseless?"

She couldn't help but mutter.

"Prepare yourself mentally—when you wake up, I'll definitely scold you for the rest of your life..."

After much effort, Celitia finally dried all the water from Sophia's body, wrapped her hair in a towel, helped her dress, then carried her to the bedroom.

After doing all this, Celitia felt she was about to collapse from exhaustion.

She went back to take a shower, changed into fresh clothes, and lay down on her own bed.

Staring blankly at her bedroom ceiling, Celitia couldn't help but recall that deep kiss in the rising steam that had nearly suffocated her.

She suddenly hugged her head and curled her body into a ball.

No, don't think about it anymore.

And don't give yourself any more hope.

As long as you never possess it, you won't lose it.

That kind of bone-deep, bloody pain—she never wanted to experience it a second time.

After waking up, Sophia probably wouldn't remember either.

This way... would be good...

○

Considering that students might be quite exhausted from the competition, the entire academy thoughtfully gave everyone a day off the next day.

Sophia slept until the sun was high in the sky.

It wasn't until close to noon that she came out of her bedroom, holding her head and sighing.

"My head hurts so much... God, I'll never dare drink so much again..."

While rubbing her head, Sophia looked down through the railing.

The traces left from last night's victory celebration had been cleaned up spotlessly, meticulously tidy.

Celitia sat alone on the sofa, hugging her knees, silently gazing at the now-empty coffee table.

For some reason, in this moment, Sophia suddenly felt an indescribable loneliness and desolation.

Prosperity would eventually fade, leaving only her alone, watching people leave one by one.

"Lily!"

Sophia hurriedly called out to her, showing Celitia a bright smile. "Good morning! What time did you get up?"

"It's not morning anymore."

Celitia looked up, and as she spoke lightly, that sense of desolation vanished like an illusion.

In its place was an aura that suddenly emanated from her entire being, full of oppressive force, particularly aggressive.

Alarm bells immediately rang in Sophia's mind—oh no, Lily was in a very bad mood!

Sure enough, she heard Celitia say:

"It seems you slept quite sweetly. Do you remember what happened before you fell asleep, Sophia?"

What happened?

Sophia was stunned.