I Got a Job as the Demon King's Plaything - Chapter 56
Knock, knock. Just then, a knock sounded at the door.
“Come in.”
Teshiel released her. As Bonita hurriedly pulled down her disheveled undergarments and skirt, the servants entered with the bathwater and tea. They quickly filled the bathtub and placed the tea set on the table before quietly disappearing.
As soon as the door closed, before Teshiel could do anything further, Bonita shouted,
“Tea! Let me serve you tea first.”
Teshiel chuckled and sat down at the table.
As she filled the teacup, he raised it to his lips, all the while eyeing her up and down. His brow furrowed.
“You’re wearing too much, as I thought.”
Instead of protesting, as she might have before about wearing too little, Bonita glanced sorrowfully at his blood-soaked shoulder. How could she convince him to get treated first?
“The most useless garment in the human world is the corset. Why do you wear such a thing? It hides all your body’s assets, and it’s clearly uncomfortable.”
Teshiel set the teacup down, crossing his legs and tilting his chin slightly as he spoke in a commanding tone.
“Take it off. All of it.”
She couldn’t. She knew exactly what would happen if she did. Instead, Bonita spoke softly,
“You… take yours off first.”
“…What?”
This time, she raised her head, speaking a little louder, trying to sound firm.
“Take off your shirt first. Show me the wound. I’m not going to listen to anything else until you get treated.”
Her voice trailed off towards the end, growing small again. She knew this threat wouldn’t work. With one move, he could tear her clothes apart anyway. But since she had said it, Bonita stood a little straighter, pretending to be confident.
“Haha.”
Teshiel laughed aloud. Her defiance was amusing, even a bit endearing. She always seemed to be on the verge of tears, but apparently, she had some backbone.
“Fine. Do as you wish. I won’t move.”
He spread his arms wide. Bonita’s face brightened a little.
“Just know, once you’re done, it’ll be my turn.”
The smile faded slightly from her face at his words, but she quickly rushed to the bathroom, filling a basin with warm water from the tub and gathering several clean towels. Returning, she carefully began to unbutton his shirt, gently pulling it off. As she revealed his chest, tears welled up in her eyes. There were more dried bloodstains than she had realized, not only on his shoulder but scattered across his body.
“You’re hurt more than I thought.”
“It’s nothing.”
Bonita soaked a towel in the warm water, wrung it out, and began to carefully wipe away the dried blood near his wounds.
“Huh…?”
She tilted her head in confusion. The amount of blood didn’t match the size of the wounds. As she wiped other bloodstains, she discovered unbroken skin beneath them. Teshiel noticed her puzzled expression and explained,
“Demons don’t take as long to heal as humans do.”
“…So you were injured here too, then.”
“But it’s already healed.”
Bonita pressed her lips together in silence. She continued wiping the blood carefully, and Teshiel quietly watched as her eyes grew misty with tears. Although the wounds were insignificant to him, her fussing over them oddly warmed him inside. It wasn’t unpleasant at all. Somewhere deep in his chest, he felt a slight tickling sensation.
At the same time, he felt a heavy stirring in his g***n, but seeing her expression, he decided to hold back. Instead, he focused on the sensation of the warm towel moving across his skin. The gentle massage-like strokes began to ease his fatigue.
“Mm…”
Teshiel let out a low sigh, closing his eyes. Bonita set aside the now-dirty towel and soaked a fresh one. What had started as an attempt to clean and treat his wounds had shifted, and now she found herself unable to stop glancing at his body. She had seen him before, of course, but she had never touched him like this. Normally, she wouldn’t have dared to think about laying her hands on him, except in moments of desperation when she clung to him out of worry.
