Warm water cascaded down from above, trickling down my cheeks and pooling on the floor.

The sensation of water breaking into tiny droplets and gently drumming against my skin was something telekinesis could never replicate. It felt like warm water drops were wrapping my whole body in a comforting embrace.

How long had it been since I’d felt a hot shower like this? Was this heaven?
Standing directly under the showerhead, a smile naturally crept across my lips.

"This is amazing… I could stay like this forever…"

Hail civilization! Praise the inventor of the showerhead!
I silently shouted my gratitude, enjoying the water as if I were playing in it. Only after I was fully satisfied did I finally turn off the water and rub my face with both hands.

Staying here and relaxing longer might be tempting, but this was Alice’s home. It wouldn’t be right to overindulge.

Besides, what if I got lightheaded and collapsed?
After Alice had asked if I wanted to bathe together earlier, the embarrassment would haunt me forever.

"Anyway… there’s a mirror here."

Peeling the wet hair off my face, I had been reaching for the shampoo when I noticed the mirror on the wall.
Its surface was fogged up from the steam, making it impossible to see anything beyond.

After a moment’s thought, I extended a hand and wiped the condensation away.
What appeared in the mirror was now a familiar sight—fair, flawless skin and the face of a beautiful girl.

"Hmm… I’ve seen myself in a mirror before, and I’ve been naked before. But seeing myself naked in the mirror? This is new."

It was an undeniably beautiful face, so stunning that it made me feel guilty for being the one inside it.

But perhaps because of my petite frame and youthful features, even standing completely unclothed didn’t feel provocative.

Well, anyone who found this immature body attractive would have something seriously wrong with them.
People like that are perverts who deserve a good knock to the head.

Chuckling at my own thoughts, I stepped back from the mirror to get a full view of myself. That’s when I noticed something peculiar.

"How… is my body this clean? It’s like I’m a newborn baby."

Turning and moving around to check from different angles, I scrutinized every part of my reflection.
Not a single scar, blemish, or mole could be found anywhere.

How could this be? It was like my body was made of porcelain.

Lifting one arm high, I even checked my armpits, marveling at their smoothness before my gaze caught on a small silver object swaying at my chest.

A perfectly-sized cube that fit neatly in the palm of my hand—the Tesseract. It was something I hadn’t let out of my sight since that fateful day.

"Could it be… when it heals injuries, does it completely renew the body like it’s brand new? That’s possible, right?"

The Tesseract was powerful enough to restore that old Drakel to his prime in an instant.

It wouldn’t be unthinkable for it to erase scars and imperfections while healing injuries.

I bet even if I had lost a finger to that Drakel, the Tesseract could have regrown it. Realizing just how incredible the artifact’s powers were, I felt a surge of appreciation.

"But when is this thing going to wake up…?"

How much longer would it keep me waiting? I just wanted to say thank you, so it should hurry up and wake already.

Holding the Tesseract at eye level, I poked it gently with my finger, hoping for some reaction.
But it remained still, as if in a deep sleep.

I guess there’s no helping it. I’ll just have to keep it close until it wakes.
After carefully placing it back around my neck, I squeezed some shampoo into my hands and started lathering my hair.

"Telekinesis really is handy for things like this. No need to move my arms around."

With a little help from telekinesis, my hair was soon covered in bubbly foam.
Rinsing off under the warm stream, I repeated the process with body wash, feeling utterly refreshed.

Finally, in what was probably the cleanest state I’d been in since reincarnating into this world, I began meticulously drying my soft, hydrated skin with a fluffy towel.

Just then, as if sensing I had finished, Alice’s voice called out from beyond the door.

"Yuria! I left some clothes by the door! You can wear those!"

Clothes? I cautiously peeked outside the door, and there they were—a neatly folded pile of clothes sitting just outside.

What could they be?
Carrying the bundle back into the bathroom, I unfolded it, and the sight left me completely speechless.

"A… cat onesie?"

Indeed, the white pile was a fluffy cat onesie.

Complete with soft fur to keep warm even in the coldest winters, it even had oversized paw-shaped mittens attached to the sleeves. The sheer cuteness of it was almost unbearable.

"She said not to worry about clothes, but did she seriously go out and buy this while I was showering?"

Stunned by the unexpectedly elaborate choice, I blinked in disbelief when something small slipped out from between the folds and fell to the floor with a soft plop.

What now?
I bent down and picked up the cloth, only to freeze in place for a second time.

It was something soft, reminiscent of a microfiber handkerchief—an item I had only recently become accustomed to wearing.
I had hoped I was wrong, but no… it was, in fact, a pair of panties.

"Ugh… I mean, I needed them, but… why is there a bear on them?!"

I usually preferred plain, practical designs for underwear.
After all, who would even see them? Why bother with cute or fancy ones?

But this pair defied my preferences entirely. Soft as silk, with an oversized cartoon bear printed boldly in the center.

"Really, Yuria? Is this your life now?"
Feeling my cheeks flush with embarrassment, I shut my eyes tightly.

But I didn’t have a choice. Wear them or not—that was the only question, and of course, I had to wear them.
The maid uniform I wore to work had a skirt. Going commando wasn’t an option.

"I won’t forget this humiliation…"
Clenching the bear panties in one hand, I vowed to someday repay this indignity.

How dare someone embarrass me like this? The spark of a petty vendetta began to take root in my heart.

*

“Oh my, how adorable! It suits you perfectly, Yuria. I knew the cat onesie was the right choice!”
“...”

As I stepped out of the bathroom wearing the cat onesie and my fox mask, Alice emerged from her room, her eyes sparkling with delight.

Hmph. She couldn’t even see my face—what exactly was she calling cute?
Crossing my arms, I gave her a sullen look, unimpressed by her excitement.

She had turned me into some ridiculous fool in a cat onesie and bear-print panties. Compliments now weren’t going to undo the damage. I’d make her regret this insult someday!

“I’ll go take a quick shower. There are snacks here—feel free to eat as much as you want!”
“...!”

Hmm, maybe I could let this slide just this once.
Not wanting to ignore her kind gesture, I scurried over to the box of snacks she had pointed at and grabbed the first thing my hands touched.

A butter cookie.
A classic, reliable treat that never let anyone down. I could eat these all day without getting tired of them in this body.

And that wasn’t all.
Beneath the butter cookies was an assortment of other treats, each perfectly tailored to my tastes.

Such blatant pandering!
My rebellious side flared up at the sight of this overly strategic snack selection, but… how could I resist?
Still feeling warm and drowsy from the shower, I hugged the snack box and began munching away happily.

“Yuria, I’m back.”
“...!”

Who knows how much time had passed? By the time I noticed, Alice had returned, now dressed in her own pajamas. She walked over, and as soon as I saw her, I had to whip my head away to stifle a laugh.

She was wearing a pink pig onesie, complete with an adorable curly tail poking out at the back.
Every time the tail swayed, the small bit of annoyance I had left melted away like snow in the sun.

“Alright, that’s enough snacks. It’s late, so let’s brush our teeth and head to bed.”
“...”
“Don’t have a toothbrush? Don’t worry, I bought one while I was out getting clothes earlier!”

How thoroughly prepared she was.
Accepting the toothbrush she handed me, I obediently went to brush my teeth. By the time I was done, it was already past midnight.

No wonder it was so late.
I had arrived at my ruined base well into the night, close to 8 p.m., and after meeting Alice, wandering the streets, showering, and snacking, it only made sense that the hours had flown by.

“Yuria, you sleep in my bed. I’ll take the couch.”
“...”
“You want to sleep on the couch? No way. You’re the guest. How could I let you sleep on the couch?”
“...”

Despite how late it was, we launched into a heated debate.
With only one bed in the house, the question of who would sleep there quickly became a point of contention.

To me, it wasn’t even up for debate.
Obviously, the host should sleep in their own bed. What was she even talking about?

But Alice, on the other hand, found the idea of her sleeping in the bed while I took the couch utterly unacceptable.
We wrestled with the issue for a long time until…

“Fine, I’ll sleep in the bed. Happy now?”
“...!”

In the end, she couldn’t out-stubborn me and reluctantly agreed to take the bed.

Heh, victory is mine!
That’s right—this is her home, so it only made sense for her to sleep in the bed.
How could the guest possibly…

Wait, what?
Before I could bask in the sweet glow of victory, Alice suddenly pulled me into a hug, leaving me completely baffled.

“...?!”
“Hehe. But Yuria, you’re sleeping in the bed with me. This way, no one has to sleep on the couch!”
“...”

How did it end up like this?
My eyes darted around in confusion at the unexpected turn of events, but eventually, I gave up and let her lead me to the bed.

I had felt bad about taking the bed alone, as it would have forced her onto the couch.
But sharing the bed? It was hard to say who was gaining or losing in this arrangement. Maybe… both of us were winning?

Oh, right. If we were going to sleep, I should take care of something first.
As she guided me to the bed, I lightly tapped her shoulder to get her attention.

Alice looked at me with a pitiful gaze, as if asking, Do you not want to share the bed?
But I shook my head gently, signaling for her to wait as I made my way to the floor.

Once there, I carefully removed my mask.

Sleeping with it on would be uncomfortable, and there was no real reason to keep my face hidden from Alice anymore.

Huh? Then why had I been hiding it in the first place?
Well… I hadn’t really needed to show it before, that’s all.

“...Oh.”

The moment Alice saw my face, she froze in place, blinking in stunned silence.
It was the kind of reaction you’d expect from someone facing something completely beyond their imagination.

Tick, tock.
In the quiet, the ticking of the clock seemed unusually loud.