Kana let out a soft, almost involuntary moan as the gentle hands traveled along her back, kneading away the knots in her stiff muscles.
The warm oil, the faint aroma of herbs, and the expert touch all blended together to lt her tension bit by bit.
Her eyelids grew heavier with each passing minute, her body sinking deeper into the soft, cushioned bed beneath her.
Still, a faint guilt lingered at the edge of her mind.
These were V.I.P. treatnts—lavish, expensive, and exclusive. Under normal circumstances, she would never dream of indulging in them.
But after everything she had gone through at the temple... after enduring the ritual, the strange energies, and the confusion that followed... she couldn’t deny that she deserved at least this much comfort.
She was still lost in thought when a familiar, soft voice pulled her back.
"Kana?"
Opening one eye lazily, Kana spotted Emma standing at the foot of the bed, her delicate hands clasped together as if hesitating to disturb her.
The resort owner’s cheeks carried the faintest pink tint, though she was trying her best to hide it.
"Mm...I’m fine, Emma. Really. Much better now, actually."
Kana humd, stretching slightly as the massage continued. She gave a tired but sincere smile.
"Thank you for arranging all this."
Emma shook her head imdiately, waving her hands.
"Don’t thank . After what happened... this is the least I could do for you."
Her tone was soft, almost carrying an unspoken weight behind it.
Kana tilted her head to look at her, a faint smile tugging at her lips.
"You’re too nice, you know?"
Emma hesitated, brushing a lock of hair behind her ear.
"I... just wanted you to be comfortable."
For a mont, their gazes t—and held. Emma’s shyness hadn’t completely disappeared, but Kana had noticed a change in her.
She was less timid now, more willing to hold eye contact, even if just for a heartbeat longer than before.
Kana was the one to look away first, her breath hitching slightly when the massage therapist found another tight knot in her back and pressed into it with perfect precision.
She closed her eyes, letting out a quiet sigh as the tension lted under skilled fingers.
Emma’s lips curved into a small smile, watching her for a mont before speaking softly.
"I’ll let you enjoy yourself, then. There are more guests arriving, so I need to greet them."
Kana raised her hand lazily in farewell.
"Go, go. Don’t let keep you. I’ll just... lt into this bed."
Emma giggled softly at that, nodding once before quietly leaving the room. The door clicked shut behind her, leaving Kana alone with the masseuse.
The woman working on her was elegant and graceful, her movents precise yet gentle. She looked to be in her late thirties or early forties, her beauty mature and refined rather than delicate.
For a while, neither of them spoke, and Kana simply allowed herself to drift in a haze of warmth and comfort.
But then the woman’s voice broke the silence, calm and smooth.
"You seem rather close with Miss Emma," she said casually, her hands never pausing in their work.
Kana blinked at the unexpected question, her lips parting slightly.
"...Sowhat. We... went through a lot together, so I guess we’ve gotten closer."
She replied vaguely, avoiding a direct answer.
The woman humd softly, as though acknowledging the answer.
Kana didn’t think much of it, her focus drawn instead to the soothing rhythm of the massage.
She failed to notice the subtle, fleeting glance the woman cast her way—sharp and assessing, almost as if weighing sothing in silence.
Gradually, Kana’s mind began to drift again. Her breathing slowed, her limbs relaxed, and the exhaustion she hadn’t fully realized she carried crept up on her.
Before long, her thoughts blurred and she nearly fell asleep right there on the massage bed.
When she opened her eyes again, the room was quiet. The masseuse was gone, leaving her with a folded towel draped over her back and a faint trace of herbal fragrance lingering in the air.
"...Guess I dozed off."
Kana muttered softly, rubbing her eyes.
By the ti she freshened up and left the spa room, the sun had already dipped lower, painting the horizon in soft gold.
Her stomach growled faintly, reminding her that she hadn’t eaten properly all day.
"The buffet..."
She murmured to herself, recalling what Emma had told her earlier. Deciding to indulge a little more, Kana followed the signs toward the main dining hall.
The mont she arrived, her eyes widened slightly. The resort was far livelier than she expected, especially considering this was only the reopening day.
People filled the wide, open space—chatting, laughing, clinking glasses, and piling their plates high with an impressive spread of food.
Kana smiled faintly to herself, weaving through the crowd until she reached the buffet table.
She picked at a few light dishes, nibbling here and there, but her attention kept drifting to the bustling energy around her.
Even though she didn’t know anyone here, there was sothing strangely comforting about it—the warmth, the liveliness, the faint sense of celebration in the air.
For a mont, it felt like the strangeness of the temple and Lumine’s mysterious motives were far away.
Finally, after she’d eaten her fill and lingered for a while longer, Kana decided to return to her room.
The corridors leading to the guest suites were quiet, the distant chatter from the dining hall fading behind her. She walked leisurely, one hand brushing along the polished railing as her thoughts wandered aimlessly.
But just as she rounded the last corner leading to her room... she froze.
There—a faint rustling sound.
Kana’s brows furrowed as she slowed her steps, ears straining to catch it again. It ca from sowhere near her door.
Before she could call out, a sudden movent caught her eye—a shadow darting across the corridor.
Her heartbeat spiked as her gaze followed the fleeting figure, but it was already vanishing down the hall.
Kana’s breath hitched, unease prickling at the back of her neck.
"Who...?"
She whispered under her breath, her pace quickening instinctively.
The closer she got to her room, the stronger the sense of tension coiled in her chest.
Her hand hovered near the doorknob, her mind running through possibilities—was it just another guest? A staff mber? Or sothing else entirely?
But the corridor had fallen silent again. The figure was gone.
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