14 Medicinal Bath
(Ella's Pov)
After entering the bathroom, looking at Finn's expression, this guy seemed to be starting to regret it.
The wooden barrel steamed. The smell of herbs filled the entire room.
And Finn stood beside the barrel with a completely red face.
"Um..."
Kyle carried my medicine box, coldly looking at Finn, seeming to very much despise his hesitant posture.
Finn closed his mouth and yanked off his shirt, tensing his muscles.
The motion wasn't elegant, but when Finn did it, it was unexpectedly handsome, full of wildness.
I test Finn every year, but Finn has never undressed in front of me before. Previously, Finn would sit in the bath barrel before I entered the bathroom.
I looked through the steam at Finn's young, powerful body and suddenly felt the bathroom temperature had risen a few degrees.
The young man's broad shoulders had smooth lines. The muscles below his collarbone were solid and proportionate. His pectoral muscles had clear contours—not the kind of exaggerated angles from deliberate training, but a natural sense of power accumulated from years of running, climbing, and fighting. Going down, his abs tightened block by block, with clear lines but not overly thin, perfectly covered with a thin layer of sweat.
Finn seemed a bit uncomfortable and turned to face away from me.
His latissimus dorsi spread like wings. His spine groove deeply concaved. The muscles on both sides bulged into two sharp ridge lines. His waist was very narrow, forming a perfect inverted triangle with his broad shoulders. His Adonis belt cut diagonally from his waist into his waistband, making one can't help but imagine where it extended to.
I suddenly felt a bit thirsty. It seemed too hot here.
Veins slightly surfaced on Finn's arms, obviously using all his strength to restrain some embarrassment. On his wheat-colored skin, there were a few faint old scars extending from his shoulder blades to his waist, like some kind of badge of courage.
The man before me was mature and unfamiliar. I seemed to not recognize Finn anymore.
Suddenly a slender hand appeared before me, completely blocking the scene before my eyes.
"Seen enough?" Kyle said coldly.
"W-Who wants to stare anyway!" I grew flustered and quickly turned to leave. "Just call me when you’re ready!"
Hurriedly closing the door, that hand appeared again.
Kyle blocked the door and walked out of the bathroom.
I felt my cheeks burning and fanned myself with my hand.
"It's been a bit hot recently, right?"
Kyle spoke eerily behind me: "Is his physique that good?"
I immediately turned back: "What did you say? I don't know. I didn't see clearly."
Kyle pressed forward a step: "He's just a boy." Saying this, he blew air toward my ear. "A man's body is what looks good."
Good lord, does he know what he's saying!
I gasped and stepped back two steps in shock.
Finn's voice rang out: "I'm ready! Ella, you can come in!"
Like finding a savior, I immediately pretended not to hear Kyle's words and pushed past him to open the bathroom door.
"Finn, you're so slow. Hurry up. I'm in a rush."
Finn sat obediently in the bath barrel: "...You didn't tell me you were in a rush..."
Kyle leaned against the wall with his arms crossed, looking very leisurely.
I poured the first vial of potion in. The liquid quickly merged with the hot water.
"How do you feel?"
Finn said sullenly: "No feeling."
I crouched by the wooden barrel and reached out to press his shoulder and arm muscles.
Before a werewolf transforms, muscle condition changes obviously. This is the most direct method to judge potion strength.
"Relax a bit." I patted him. "Don't stay so tense."
Finn muttered quietly: "With a strange guy standing beside me, who can relax..."
Kyle sneered: "Average physique, lots of problems."
Finn instantly got angry and was about to jump out of the bath barrel.
I quickly pressed down on his shoulder: "Finn, stop messing around!"
Finn quieted down and sat properly, the corners of his mouth turned down, looking a bit aggrieved: "Ella is biased..."
"What did you say? I didn't hear clearly." I leaned closer. "What's wrong? Not feeling well?"
Finn looked at me. His big eyes looked especially cute in the steam: "Kyle started it first. Why don't you say anything to him and instead scold me?"
I quickly glanced at Kyle. This guy seemed to be in a very good mood bullying Finn.
No choice—I know Finn will listen to me, but Kyle might not.
I could only soothe Finn and pat his head: "Kyle just came to Thorn Town. We need to take care of him. Alright, don't fight with him anymore, okay?"
At my request, Finn and Kyle finally restrained themselves quite a bit.
"Brace yourself. I’m increasing the dosage," I reminded him.
Finn gritted his teeth. "I can still endure this."
Kyle scoffed, "It’s barely even much of an increase."
Finn shot back, "You try it then!"
I sighed helplessly, "Gentlemen, enough already."
...
What should have been a two-hour test dragged on for four hours.
Well, it wasn't entirely without gains. After all, Kyle and Finn's relationship seemed much closer.
After the test ended, Finn was almost exhausted.
Kyle: "You can't handle just this?"
Finn: "...Wait till I recover my strength. I'm definitely going to beat you up."
Kyle picked up the medicine box to leave. I stopped Kyle: "Wait, Kyle. Help carry Finn out. He doesn't have the strength to stand up now."
Finn immediately yelled: "I don't want that!"
Kyle frowned: "No."
I looked at these two tall gentlemen before me and held my forehead: "Kyle, Finn's current condition will last about 30 minutes. I can't possibly let him just sit in the bath barrel. You couldn't possibly want me to carry him out, right?"
Finn looked eager to try: "Why don't you try, Ella?"
Kyle opened my medicine box, took out a pair of gloves and put them on. Very disdainfully he said: "I'll do it."
"Thank you." I immediately made way.
Kyle walked to the bath barrel and looked down at Finn, who was half-submerged in water with a face red to his neck. His gaze was full of "you owe me one."
"...Not you. Ella, Ella!" Finn shrank back. His spine hit the barrel wall, splashing a bit of water.
Kyle didn't waste more words. He bent down, threw the bath towel to Finn, then gripped Finn's wrist with one hand while the other directly reached into the water to wrap around his waist.
"Shit—" Finn cursed halfway before biting his lip.
His whole body was lifted from the water. Water droplets ran down his body, seeping dark water stains on Kyle's dark outer garment.
Kyle took a deep breath, his face full of disgust.
Finn was soaking wet. His muscles trembled slightly from weakness and shame. His arm was forced over Kyle's shoulder. His whole body was like a large dog being held by the scruff, very stiff.
Kyle walked up to me and asked: "Where should I throw him?"
I immediately opened the door for him and pointed to the stairs: "Upstairs, turn left. First room is Finn's room."
Kyle: "You know it very well."
I suddenly felt a bit guilty and touched my nose: "I come every year..."