Julia worked out for the first time in a long time and felt sweaty and uncomfortable. Also, she was used to wearing wide-legged dresses, so she wore tight-fitting hunting clothes for agile movements and it felt stuffy.
Julia went into the bathroom, thinking she should soak her sore muscles in hot water.
Since the advance inspection of the hunting grounds would be troublesome if there were too many people, they did not bring servants. However, they sent the servants out a few days in advance and made perfect arrangements for their lodging.
In addition, as it was exclusively for the King, precious magical tools were installed everywhere, so there was no inconvenience in staying overnight. Even among the Kings of the past, there were often cases where they left their servants behind to enjoy the special experience provided by the magical tools.
Julia used the magic stone device with ease to heat the water and washed herself clean with the items that had been prepared in advance. All the items that the head maid had thoughtfully prepared gave off a faint floral scent.
"Ah, good."
Julia soaked in the hot water while smelling her favorite scent that filled the bathroom. The water heated by the magic stone was just the right temperature to relieve fatigue, and she dozed off slightly as her tired muscles relaxed.
Finally, Julia got out of the bathtub and took a cool shower, looking clean and shiny from head to toe.
"...Uh?"
Julia, who was washing her body first and then drying her wet hair with a towel, stopped.
She was able to find and wear new underwear easily, but she couldn't find a change of indoor dress in her bag. Julia couldn't find a negligee either.
'Oh, no!'
She said that since she was wearing hunting clothes inside, there was no need for an inner dress to wear, but it seemed that there was a mistake there. It seemed that the maids, who were busy preparing for the royal hunting competition, had made a mistake.
'Oh, what should I do? The dress I wore to the palace is hanging inside the carriage!'
The Queen's reputation is ridiculous. No, even if it's not for reputation, you can't just go around wearing underwear!
Julia, who had turned pale, knelt on the floor, roughly covering herself with a towel, and searched frantically through her square bag.
"Please, please!"
New stockings, new underwear, new handkerchief...
As she threw away the things that were open and grabbed them, she saw a white cloth under the bag that had exposed the floor. It was definitely wider than the previous one, so Julia quickly took it out.
"...Shirt?"
It was a long, large, white men's shirt. It was made of soft fabric, so It was comfortable to wear while sleeping.
"It's lukewarm."
The absent-minded maids seemed to have mixed up the King's clothes in the Queen's bag. Julia absent-mindedly held the shirt against her body.
To Endymion, it was just a comfortable shirt, but to her, it was long enough to reach her lower body. Of course, it didn't reach all the way to her calves like her negligee.
I can't help it, I have to wear this.
'When did you get so big?'
Julia, who hurriedly put on her shirt, was dumbfounded.
As she turned around, the white shirt that went down to her thighs above her knees was fluttering.
Julia first saw him when he was 7 years old, and she always thought he was just a little boy of the same age, but there was already this much of a difference in size between them.
Julia was lost in thought as she put the things she had thrown back into her bag.
The King's clothes, which were washed cleanly and dried in the sun, did not have any body odor. However, the soft feeling they had on her bare skin made her feel strangely refreshed.
The ill-fitting shirt that covered her entire body seemed to emphasize the difference between her and him even more.
'...Adult.'
The meaning of coming of age ceremony began to take on a slightly different meaning.
Endymion was a head taller than her, broad-shouldered, and naturally large-boned. His face was as beautiful and handsome as a flower, but his body was that of a natural warrior. His swordsmanship teachers when he was the Crown Prince praised him so much that they said he had the best body for holding a sword.
Julia peeked at her own white, soft skin and slender body beneath her shirt. Her curves were the complete opposite of his lukewarm, straight body.
Julia blinked for a moment, got up, hung up the wet towel, and went out into the hallway, quickly walking back to the bedroom.
As she walked through the windowless hallway, Julia suddenly remembered what Mion had said in passing earlier.
"I think it's time for a change."
Julia knew it in her head, but it felt like she was just waking up from a dazed sleep and only now realizing the reality. She never dreamed that she would feel this strange, awkward, and unfamiliar feeling from her husband of 12 years.
It was a very strange feeling that Julia couldn't explain.
'Is it because of the shirt...?'
Due to the influence of the education she received as a Queen since childhood. Julia was surprisingly conservative. Especially when it came to clothing. The negligee she often wore as sleepwear was long enough to cover her calves.
Was it because she was wearing only a shirt that didn't even fit her instead of pajamas? The feeling of the soft fabric tickling her thighs every time she walked gave her goosebumps.
Julia felt awkward and ticklish and wanted to take them off, but she couldn't because she would only be left with her underwear. It was a good thing there was no one in the dorm right now.
'I need to quickly find some other clothes.'
Julia reached the bedroom door with a light sigh. Then, trying to shake off the strange feeling, she turned the doorknob and opened the door with a snap.
"...!"
"Julia."
As soon as she opened the door, what she saw was Endymion standing right in front of her. The beautiful wall-eye stared at her as she slowly withdrew her outstretched hand as if trying to open the door.
"I didn't have a shirt, so I was going to ask if you had seen it."
The bedroom door slammed shut.
The sound somehow took her breath away. Julia unconsciously stepped back, only stopping when her back was blocked by the door. She felt like a rabbit that had been cornered.
Endymion blinked his long eyelashes and looked at her, then slowly and leisurely approached her.
"Now, just a moment..."
The feeling of embarrassment really came to her.
Well-shaped, thick arms. A smooth waist without flab. A toned abs like a carnivore.
Now, in front of Julia, her husband's half-naked body, wearing nothing above his hips, was standing there.
"It wasn't there because you were wearing it."
Endymion approached, tilting his head slightly and brushing back his wet hair.
The slow, predator-like gait was so suffocating that it sent shivers down her spine. Julia was so embarrassed for a moment that she tried to step back further. She turned her head belatedly, but her back was already blocked by a door, and she had nowhere to go.
"Ah... Sorry. I don't have any pajamas, so I'll borrow some for a bit..."
Julia opened her mouth hurriedly, not knowing what to say. In the meantime, Endymion stopped walking. He left a safe distance, exactly three steps away.
It smelled like the cool, refreshing, yet soft scent of perfume that Endymion loved to use. As the scent penetrated her sense of smell, her body stiffened even more. Her mouth closed on its own.
Julia began to raise her stiff head with a look of bewilderment.
'Why am I like this?'
She raised her gaze to match eye level. Then, quite by chance, really by chance.
Julia's purple eyes were captivated by Endymion's tight abs. Slim, smooth, and elastic, the cracks of his stomach were filled with water droplets that he had not yet been able to wipe away.
"..."
As Julia stared blankly, the water droplets fell down as if they had been waiting.
Tap.
The wooden floor was stained darkly.
"The clothes suit you well."
The low voice that penetrated her ear gave her the illusion that it was licking her entire body.
It was so unfamiliar that it made her head spin. The lukewarm, calm voice, the raw body that seemed as hard as stone.
In fact, it was not the first time Julia had seen Endymion's body. Every summer when he went on a boat ride, he would wear only a white shirt because it was too much trouble, so Julia had seen his upper body reflected in the water since he was a child. There were also countless times when the robe he wore when he went to sleep opened and showed his underwear.
'But why today...'
Julla looked around in confusion.
For some reason, she hesitated to even meet his eyes. At that moment, his tightly clenched abs moved and a soft voice flowed from above her head.
"Julia."
Endymion took a step closer. It felt so strange like she could almost touch his gracefully swaying muscles.
"Oh my."
Julia said urgently, holding her breath.
"Wait, wait!"
She quickly left the place as if she was running away. Then she ran to the suitcase next to the bed that happened to be there.
"I'll give you back your clothes!"
Thankfully, the suffocating feeling disappeared once Endymion disappeared from sight.
Julia let out a sigh of relief and rummaged through her suitcase as if she was going to tear it apart, sticking out her tongue. It seemed like something had remained from the surprise she had in the bathroom earlier.
Well, how could I be flustered when I see Mion? Of all people, it's Mion!
A shadow fell behind Julia's back and she felt relieved.
"What are you looking for?"
"Oh, my pajamas. Have you seen them?"
Julia asked, rummaging through her bag busily.
Her thighs, barely covered by her shirt, felt ticklish and empty. She had never worn short clothes that went up to her knees in her entire life. So if she put on proper clothes quickly, she would never feel this strange feeling again
"No."
"...Yes?"
Julia turned her head at the decisive and perfect answer. A beautiful wall like a lake was looking down at her.
"I was looking for a shirt earlier, but your clothes weren't there."
"What? That can't be!"
Julia, who was convinced that Endymion's clothes had been mixed up with her own, hurriedly turned the bag upside down and emptied it.
But really, there was nothing in the suitcase other than Endymion's belongings.
Julia, feeling empty, slumped down on the carpet.
"The maids made this mistake? Even head maid Mary Ann?"
"I decided to bring a change of clothes tomorrow morning anyway, so I'll just sleep in today."
Endymion nodded slightly as if to offer to give up his shirt. Julia nodded, getting up awkwardly as the soft but short fur of the carpet tickled her thighs.
"That's strange. I've never had anything like this before."
"I guess they forgot because they had so much to prepare."
Endymion walked over to the bed, speaking in an unusually generous tone. In a way, he even seemed to be in a good mood.
Julia followed with a curious expression.
'Hmm, if it were normal, I would have just said it was a pay cut. Now that I'm an adult. I guess I've decided to be lenient?'
Although he was not a tyrant, Endymion was a King who was far from merciful. When his subordinates made mistakes, he did not turn a blind eye and punished them with a sword. Julia was usually the one who moderated this and showed leniency.
'You're all grown up.'
While Julia was following Endymion with her eyes, thinking of him as a new and admirable figure, he lay down on the bed. With his long body stretched out across the blanket, he looked as relaxed as a well-fed lion.
Without thinking, Julia took in the sight of his well-built, muscular body and broad shoulders as if he were of a different race than her.
It was such an unfamiliar body that she wanted to reach out and touch it at least once.
'You've really grown up...'
"What are you doing? Come here."
"Huh? Oh, yeah."
Julia, who suddenly woke up from her reverie, climbed into bed a beat late. She felt that she was not herself today.
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