Kaiden leaned back into the edge of the bath, letting his head rest as the heat soaked deeper into muscle and bone. He exhaled slowly, a long breath that carried the weight of the day with it, and let himself sink just a fraction lower. The girls followed instinctively, clinging tighter rather than drifting away, warm bodies pressing in from every side as if they sensed that this moment was something worth anchoring.
Kaiden sighed. "That's all very nice, I suppose, but you still haven't explained why you did it."
[The Successor is advised to practice patience.]
[The Heavenly Demon operated in silence for several millennia, yet the Successor is unable to wait five seconds for procedural explanation.]
A beat of silence passed.
