He scanned the group, and everyone’s gaze seemed to gravitate toward Viola.

“Nothing,” Viola said. “Although, I do have an issue with your outfit. How are you going to seduce anything with that . . . disgusting . . . filthy, gore-soaked outfit you have on? Are you trying to cast off your noble pomp and pick up some barbarian bravado with that attire?”

“I mean, I thought he looked extra sexy, but . . .” Bonnie pinched her nose. “He does smell a little.”

“Real men shouldn’t hide their combat badges,” Nick said.

“But a real man should consider a shower,” Viola countered.

“Boss, you want me to help you with that shower? An extra gold coin, and I won’t leave a single bit of dirt on any part of you.” Bonnie winked at him while dandling her tail in her right hand. She had a naughty look in her eye as if she intended to scrub him with the fluffy appendage.

Lucas’s eyes perked up a bit at the thought, but then he shook his head. “I’m fine.” He craved comfort just as much as the next guy might, and the simple pleasures of someone taking care of him physically were enticing, but every time Bonnie flirted with him, a part of him hurt for even thinking about enjoying himself. The guilt and temptation of even considering it cut into his chest in equal parts.

“Aww . . . Well, at least let me play makeover and dress you up nice and neat, boss. That chainmail you’ve been wandering around in is probably a bigger hit to your Charisma score than a face full of acne on prom night.”

Bonnie had a fair point, and Lucas had to trust her since her class did, after all, specialize in wardrobes, even if it was mostly for disguises. “Fine, leave everything at the door to my chamber’s bathroom,” he said, finally relenting. Then, as requested, he went to wash clean.

One of the things he loved the most about the manor was that the bathroom had clearly been designed by a woman who liked to be spoiled. It had a massive tub that seamlessly sprouted from the marble floor, and there were two sets of copper tubing that climbed along the sides of the tub and back to the fireplace on an adjacent wall, designed to transfer heat from one to the other. The fireplace was already loaded with, extra logs stacked neatly to the side.

Lucas pulled a lever, and the tub began to rapidly fill itself. So, Kegan didn’t just note down the inventions in his little book; he actually made them a reality in his own manor. It was by far the most convenient bath he had encountered in the entire fantasy world so far. He lit the fire next to the bath and disrobed, placing his clothes by the door. He then stepped into the four-person tub and waited as the fire heated the copper wires and then, in turn, the water in the bath. To his surprise, it went much faster than he would have suspected possible.