As this was happening...

"This place isn’t safe... Even more reasons to not stay here."

Standing by the window, Marionette looked far out into the distance, having just witnessed a destructive battle that happened afar. Her face became wrinkled as she stepped away, letting down the curtain she was holding up.

Afterwards, she began to pace around the room, biting down on the side of her finger as she could be seen visibly stressed.

Such an emotion would normally never appear on the Assassin’s face, but considering that it was only her and Lillian in the room, there wasn’t much point in hiding it.

Stopping in front of the bed, she turned to look at Lillian.

A while ago, the girl had long stopped thrashing and writhing in pain. Marionette had yet to discover the reason for Lillian’s sudden condition, but for now, she was glad her girlfriend was no longer suffering.

She wasn’t sure if it was time that cured Lillian or if it was because...

"Can you unwrap me now?"

Of the bandages she had applied on Lillian...

Sat upright on the bed with her arms raised like a zombie, Lillian was wrapped in a thick layer of white bandages; an excessive amount of bandages. If Marionette hadn’t been kind enough to leave her face exposed, she would’ve looked like a bonafied mummy!

Lillian’s face twitched at her current situation. Because of how tightly Marionette had wrapped her and how much she used, she could barely move!

Although Lillian wasn’t mad or particularly annoyed, she didn’t want to look like some big mascot made out of bandages.

Marionette lowered her finger from her mouth before tilting her head, unintentionally doing it in a cute manner. Then, she thought for a moment with a hand under her chin.

The Assassin soon shook her head in refusal as she walked over to a table in the corner.

"Sorry, Lillian, but I can’t. Although, I’m not sure what’s wrong with you, I do know that you stopped thrashing around when I applied the bandages."

She then picked up the packaging the bandages came in and read the label and brand, making sure to remember this particular type for next time.

Lillian’s eye twitched at what she heard, "Well, maybe because I can’t move." Then, she sighed, growing more and more annoyed by a sensation in her lower back.

’Itchy.’

"Look, I’m better now, alright? Just unwrap me from these bandages."

Marionette raised her right eyebrow at Lillian’s words, giving the girl a sceptical look as she asked:

"Are you certain you’re fine? Or are you now numb to the pain?"

"Aren’t those two meant to be good things?"

"... Perhaps."

Marionette walked over and crawled back into bed with Lillian; her eyes still filled with worry for the girl’s condition.

Lillian had long noticed this look in Marionette’s eyes and couldn’t hold back another sigh from escaping her lips; she then closed her eyes for a bit.

After she had realised that Marionette had brought her back up to the bedroom, she watched as the Assassin went back and forth to try to numb her pain.

If she had to be honest, this was the third time she had seen Marionette so stressed or worried.

The first time was when Kuro had sent her into the infirmary, and the second time was when Marionette had thought she was killed in the invasion.

Lillian could never truly be mad or annoyed at Marionette, not when her girlfriend displayed such strong feelings for her safety.

The Rabbit could feel her heart palpitate, her love for Marionette causing her heart to quicken its beating.

Letting out a soft exhale, Lillian decided to shift her attention to something else. Specifically, the return of her [Abyssal Crown], [Mask of Deceit], the [Soul Sovereign’s Robe], and most importantly, her soul.

The summoning and desummoning of a Shard from their Mana Realm should be something every mage should know how to do; it was also a relatively simple process.

Just imagine yourself pulling the item into your Mana Realm, then pulling it out when needed.

In most normal cases, to summon your Shards, you would require your physical body to make contact. However, that was also the same for your soul.

So, if her soul was only able to leave because of her crown, what would happen if she returned the [Abyssal Crown] to her Mana Realm? Would her soul remain outside her body without it, or would her soul return with the crown?

Luckily, it seems the latter was what had happened.

’In tandem with my Parasitic Element, I could essentially have two bodies working on something at once as far apart as I need them to be!’

Not only had she accomplished her goal tonight, but she had also gained information that would, without a doubt, benefit her in the future.

With a grin, Lillian slowly opened her eyes. And when she did, she flinched back when she saw a pair of red eyes hovering just an inch from her face.

Marionette, discovering that Lillian hadn’t actually fallen asleep, leaned her face back. Currently, she was sitting on the girl’s bandaged lap.

The Assassin tilted her head with an inquisitive look in her eyes.

"You’re grinning, Lillian. Were you imagining something amusing?"

"H-huh? oh uhm... Ahem."

Lillian, who had just realised that Marionette was sitting on her lap, blushed a little before faking a cough to hide the shyness in her voice.

Now needing to come up with a reply, Lillian quickly came up with one to give. And after thinking of one, Lillian smirked.

With a flirtatious glint in her eyes, Lillian responded with:

"Not amusing, per se, but something I desire~..." Lillian smiled seductively as she added, "I imagined you unwrapping me from these bandages like a present and tangling your limbs with mine~..."

"..."

Marionette blinked at Lillian’s words, speechless at what she had just heard.

Then...

Gulp.

She gulped. 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

The corners of Marionette’s lips then curled upwards as a mischievous glint flashed through her eyes. While scooting forward, she learned closer into Lillian’s immobilised body and pressed her two mounds against Lillian’s chest.

Then, she rested her forehead against Lillian’s, staring into the girl’s sparkly blue eyes with a passionate and fiery gaze.

Seeing this, Lillian gulped as well before blinking and reciprocating the same lustful look she was receiving - her heart quickening from Marionette’s gaze.

If their current situation were part of a romance show, viewers would be able to see their pupils gradually transforming into hearts.

Lillian, feeling Marionette’s hot breath brushing against the surface of her face, snickered seductively.

"Well~...? What will it be, darling~?" Lillian inquired in a slow, breathy, and stimulatingly deep voice. "Don’t you want to tear off this wrapping and indulge of your beloved girlfriend~?"

"Hmph." Marionette snorted, her smile cracking to become even wider as she caressed the edges of the bandages.

While rubbing Lillian’s bandaged body, she slowly leaned her face in closer; her lips just a centimetre away from making contact with Lillian’s.

Then, in a deep voice of her own, she replied with...