With a gentle motion, Hikari stretched out his arms and effortlessly scooped up Natsuha in a princess carry.
"Ah!"
Caught off guard, Natsuha let out a surprised squeal, but soon settled comfortably against his chest, her face glowing with happiness.
After carrying her into the bathroom, Hikari filled the tub with warm water. He then lifted her again, gently placing her into the bath before stepping in himself.
Fortunately, this suite was a luxurious one, complete with a large tub that easily accommodated both of them. And judging by how spotless it was, it seemed rarely used but frequently cleaned and disinfected.
With a bit of body wash lathered in his hands, Hikari began washing away the sweat from Natsuha's skin, moving with a careful thoroughness.
Natsuha, in turn, helped him wash as well, her eyes occasionally drifting upward to steal glances at him, cheeks flushed in a mix of excitement and shyness.
Noticing her expression, Hikari chuckled. "What's with that look? Regretting what happened yesterday?"
Natsuha quickly shook her head. "No, not at all. In fact, I'm really happy."
Hikari grinned, teasing her. "So, what did you think of yesterday?"
He was just making light conversation, but Natsuha seemed to give it serious thought, responding, "Well, I think… you're even more amazing than I imagined. I mean, not just when you defeated Oga Masaru so easily, even though he had a weapon, but also…"
Recalling the events of last night, she couldn't help but feel a lingering nervousness. She glanced down, then continued, "I'd already decided I wouldn't regret it. And now, I'm even more sure. I experienced a happiness I'd never known before. It was like my first time eating cake, or the thrill of going to an amusement park for the first time—just so much joy."
"I can say for sure," she went on, "last night was the happiest night of my life, the most peaceful sleep I've ever had. And, I'm convinced this is the best decision I've ever made."
With that, Natsuha, ignoring the slight soreness in between her legs, leaned closer and wrapped her arms around Hikari, burying her head against his chest.
Hikari gently tapped her on the nose, laughing, "You sure know how to flatter. Weren't you the one who said last night that your throat hurt and you couldn't talk? Now you're chattering away like this."
At his words, Natsuha's smile grew even brighter before she flushed with embarrassment, giving him a playful slap on the chest. "You're terrible. So shameless."
Hikari just chuckled, pulling her into a warm embrace. They stayed close for a while, sharing the quiet intimacy.
Afterward, Hikari drained the tub and refilled it with fresh water, preparing for another rinse.
Just as they were washing up again, Natsuha suddenly cried out in surprise.
"Wha—?"
"What… what is this?"
Startled by her sudden outburst, Hikari looked down, initially thinking she might have spotted a bug or something equally trivial. But upon seeing what she was staring at, he, too, was taken aback.
"Hikari-kun! This… this… what is this?"
Natsuha rubbed her belly vigorously, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't scrub off the strange pattern that had suddenly appeared.
"Let me see." Hikari gently moved her hands aside and examined her abdomen closely.
There, a peculiar pink pattern had formed, a symmetrical, heart-shaped mark across her lower stomach. Hikari stared at it for a while, a realization dawning on him as he blinked in surprise.
"No way… This pattern looks way too familiar."
If he hadn't been absolutely sure he hadn't seen it last night, he might have thought Natsuha had gone and gotten a secret tattoo. Yet, he remembered clearly that there had been no sign of this heart-shaped mark before.
Because last night, he'd taken the time to pamper her skin, giving her a milk bath to keep it soft and supple, he was confident he would have noticed any marks.
And since they had been together all night, there was no chance she could have snuck off to get a tattoo in her sleep.
So, where did this mysterious heart-shaped mark come from?
Just as he was racking his brain, a sudden thought struck Hikari. He opened his Pure Love System panel, scanning through the details of his Pure Love Aura. Sure enough, there was a new addition.
A new feature called [Pure Love Seal] had been added.
After reading through the description, Hikari took a deep breath and looked down at the still-distraught Natsuha, who was gazing up at him with wide, nervous eyes. Gently patting her on the back, he reassured her before reaching out to touch the pink heart-shaped mark.
"Don't worry," he said soothingly, "Just tell me, when I touch this, does it hurt? Or do you feel anything strange?"
Calmed by his voice, Natsuha took a moment to focus. "No, it doesn't hurt… But it does feel… warm."
"This area with the mark feels almost comforting, like a warm compress. But when you touch it, it gets hotter, kind of like a feverish warmth. I'm also feeling… thirsty, like really thirsty… and my mouth's a bit dry," she admitted, her face reddening.
Listening to her, Hikari continued to observe her condition closely. The warmth in her stomach, her dry throat, and the slight blush that colored her cheeks—all of it became more pronounced the longer he touched the mark.
At that moment, he noticed that her usually clear eyes were beginning to take on a heart-shaped shimmer.
From this, Hikari had all the confirmation he needed.
Pure Love Seal
The Pure Love Seal was a new hidden feature of the Pure Love Aura. The pink mark on Natsuha's stomach was exactly what the system referred to as a Pure Love Seal.
Two conditions were required to create it. First, the person must hold deep affection for Hikari, and second, they needed to share an intimate connection.
Whenever Hikari and someone with high affection shared that closeness, a Pure Love Seal could be engraved on them.
The seal's effects were relatively straightforward. The main function was to stabilize the recipient's affection. Although it didn't mean they would blindly obey him, they would remain unwaveringly devoted, though still prone to feeling a little jealousy if he got too close to other women.
In essence, the seal ensured a deeply rooted affection but left room for natural feelings like jealousy or longing, ensuring they'd never truly resent him.
Beyond that, the seal carried some minor side effects. For instance, it would gradually improve the recipient's physical resilience, making their body surpass that of an average person over time.
Additionally, when Hikari touched the seal, it would heat up, causing them to feel flushed, parched, and slightly euphoric.
These were just minor additions, side effects of the Pure Love Seal.
Seeing Hikari in deep thought, Natsuha waited quietly without disturbing him, her arms around his waist as his hand rested on her stomach.
Though the heat in her belly was intensifying, and her thirst was growing, Natsuha stayed still, showing no sign of resistance.
Hikari finally looked up, a gentle smile playing on his lips as he explained, "There's no need to worry. I think I understand what this mark on your stomach is."
"This mark won't harm your body at all, so there's nothing to be afraid of," he assured her. "This heart-shaped design is called a 'Pure Love Seal.' It's a mark of love."
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