Just before Lilith entered the bathroom for her bath:

“Well, I’ll return after I’m done bathing.”

“Yes, Lilith.”

Click.

“……”

Thump.

“…Whew.”

As he sent her off into the bathroom, Ethan finally let go of the tension he had been holding, collapsing onto the bed with a slightly fatigued expression.

When he suggested using the items in his bag as part of her punishment, Lilith had made a strange, complicated expression.

Ethan wondered if he had misspoken again, worried that Lilith might actually start resenting him this time.

After all, given the nature of the "toys" he had brought in …