The next morning, William took a long bath after returning to his dormitory room.
The warm water washed away the fatigue from last night's chaos, though his mind was still restless. He hadn't wanted to come back here at all, but Emma had insisted. According to her, he would get proper rest on a bed instead of the hard forest floor. He didn't argue much—mostly because he knew she was right.
While he soaked in the water, Emma had gone to fetch his clothes from the forest. They were supposed to leave for the contest venue in an hour, and she wanted everything to be ready before then.
After finishing his bath, William stared at his reflection in the mirror. Water droplets slid down his face and neck, disappearing into the faint muscle lines that marked his body. He looked exhausted, but a bit more alive than before.
He sighed deeply. "So much ego," he muttered with a half-smile, "only for my girlfriend to crush it with a few sweet words."
