Sylvia walked into the bathroom with Firefly in tow.
Just as she was still a little worried whether Firefly might feel shy or awkward, she saw the other girl raise her hand and untie the hair ribbon from her head, placing it gently in her palm.
Sylvia couldn't help but glance at it a few more times.
While characters in games each had their own unique designs, with many accessories becoming iconic markers of their identity, in real life people obviously didn't stick to the same outfit or accessory all the time.
Even Kafka had switched out that little round pair of sunglasses she wore on her head several times.
But as for the hair ribbon on Firefly's head, ever since the first time they met, Sylvia had never seen her change it.
And though this ribbon was well cared for, you could still tell it had been used for a very long time.
"What's wrong?"
With all her hair accessories removed, Firefly looked even more approachable, more girl-next-door. She tilted her head slightly, the ribbon still pinched between her fingers, and looked at Sylvia curiously.
Realizing that Sylvia seemed to be staring at the ribbon in her hand, Firefly asked, "Curious about this?"
"Mm, since I've always seen you wearing it, I was a little curious."
As she spoke, Sylvia also undid the ribbon tying up her own hair, gathering the long locks with a slightly annoyed expression.
"The story behind this ribbon goes way back… it was from a long, long time ago, back when I was still part of the Glamoth Iron Cavalry…"
Firefly mentioned the name that represented the first half of her life with a smile, showing no sign of discomfort at all.
While unbuttoning her dress, she asked cheerfully, "Oh, right—have you heard of the Glamoth Iron Cavalry?"
"I've heard a little, yes. And about the Glamoth Empire and the Republic too. I know a bit about them."
"That makes things easier to explain! This ribbon…"
Firefly set her dress aside, and her figure, now clad only in undergarments, came into Sylvia's view.
Although Firefly was well-developed in certain areas, if Sylvia had to describe her, it was hard to call her voluptuous. Instead, she gave off a more slender impression.
Her legs, arms, and waist all looked soft and supple, without clearly defined muscle curves.
In comparison, Sylvia's own limbs were noticeably more toned, their lines more pronounced.
Sylvia also removed her clothes and handed a bath towel to Firefly.
She listened as Firefly recounted how she'd gotten the ribbon and why she kept wearing it.
From the way Firefly told it, that brief period of time seemed quite peaceful and lovely.
In those short moments after battle, when communications were temporarily cut off, she would boldly climb out of Sam and share a few words with fellow clones who were also her comrades.
The Iron Cavalry wasn't cold or impersonal—each comrade had their own quirks and personality.
If you ignored the fact that Firefly was the last remaining member of the Glamoth Iron Cavalry, it almost sounded like a warm, nostalgic memory.
But the moment Sylvia remembered that Firefly was the only one left, it became hard to keep that warmth alive in her mind.
"Later on, actually, Kafka helped me make a few spare ribbons. But this one's really sturdy—even if it gets worn out, it's easy to repair. So I still prefer this one the most."
Carefully, Firefly folded the ribbon and placed it beside the sink.
Then, with a soft smile at Sylvia, she pressed the bath towel against her chest and stepped into the inner partition.
The automated appliances had already filled the bathtub with hot water, and the room temperature felt just right.
Sylvia turned on the showerhead and watched as Firefly stood under the stream, curiously eyeing the various bottles and containers lined up nearby.
She even leaned in, sniffing each one to distinguish their scents.
Sylvia looked at Firefly's long hair, now soaked and clinging to her back.
She couldn't help but chuckle softly and reached over to gather the wet locks in her hand.
Feeling the movement behind her, Firefly turned her head. Seeing Sylvia holding her hair, she grinned and said, "Thanks. Which one of these is for washing hair?"
"This one."
Sylvia took a step forward, closing the distance between them, which inevitably led to a bit more physical contact.
To say she felt nothing would've been a lie, but her concern for Firefly outweighed any wandering thoughts.
After turning off the shower, Sylvia began applying shampoo little by little to Firefly's hair.
"Just rub it in like this, add a bit of water, massage the scalp… it's pretty simple."
"Oh… I'll try."
Firefly's long hair, streaked with subtle highlights, soon became covered in white lather. She squinted her eyes, following Sylvia's instructions as she lifted her hands and began gently massaging from the roots.
"It smells nice… just like the scent on you, Sylvia."
Firefly kept her eyes closed, a smile still playing on her lips, as if still immersed in these novel experiences.
Her words were just so endearing—Sylvia couldn't help but find it amusing.
"Well, it's what I usually use, so of course it smells the same as me."
"Hehe."
Firefly's hair was clean to begin with, so a single wash was enough.
Soon, Sylvia wrapped her damp locks in a towel, and the two of them sat side by side in the spacious bathtub.
"Mmm… so this is what a bath feels like?"
Firefly relaxed completely in the tub, her shoulder lightly resting against Sylvia's arm, her mind pleasantly blank.
Sylvia smiled without answering, glancing at the buoyant curves floating gently on the water's surface.
She sighed inwardly—yep, still bigger than mine.
Right then, Firefly, with her eyes half-closed, called out lazily, "Sylvia~"
Her voice was soft and husky, like a kitten gently scratching at one's heart, carrying a unique charm.
"Hmm?"
Sylvia was feeling rather languid herself now, stretching her limbs and letting her mind drift.
"I've already picked out our next date spot. There's a planet famous for its island resorts—they say the sunrise there is breathtaking, and the underwater world is really fascinating too. Are you interested?"
They'd spent the whole day together, and Sylvia hadn't brought up anything about their next date at all.
She had thought the surprise would be revealed just before they set off.
She hadn't expected Firefly to bring it up now.
Sylvia tilted her head slightly, looking at Firefly's lovely profile, and asked curiously, "Of course I'd love to go. But why reveal the surprise now?"
"Hehe… Well, at first I wanted it to be a surprise, but then I started thinking—what if we travel all that way and you end up not liking it? So after turning it over in my mind, I figured it'd be better to just tell you."
A little sheepishly, Firefly lifted a finger and scratched her smooth cheek, wearing a shy smile.
"Even though I've told you the plan, the scenery at our destination is still a mystery! So don't go secretly looking it up online, okay?"
At the end, Firefly raised a finger, emphasizing her point.
Whether it was intentional or not, Sylvia hadn't really considered searching before—but now that it had been mentioned, wasn't she almost tempted to do just that?
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.