"We initially thought that the eldest sister wasn't interested in men."

"It turns out that the aloof attitude was just a facade, and you are actually having a late-night rendezvous with the opposite sex!"

"Will a bath for two be too stimulating for the eldest sister at her age?"

The surrounding female knights gathered around, showing a nonchalant attitude towards the scene unfolding before them;

And, as a side note, they also teased their leader.

As the instigator of this commotion, Flora raised her hands to shield her eyes, but couldn't resist stealing a few glances;

That occasional peek through the gaps between her fingers might actually be the correct way to shield her eyes.

When the disastrous outcome that should have been avoided became a reality, the gears in Yexue's brain seemed to "overheat" for a moment.

Fortunately, her quick thinking speed rectified the situation promptly, including the "repairing process" in her mind.

With jokes flying around, she quickly reacted, immediately releasing the restraint on Wang Xiaole's arms and hiding behind him instead.

From behind Wang Xiaole, a chilling voice filled with frosty disdain slipped into her ears like a gust of icy wind:

(whispering) "Don't say unnecessary things. You must cooperate with my responses next. Otherwise, the fact that you are a peeping tom will be known to more people."

Wang Xiaole did value his reputation, after all; as a prince consort of a nation, he had a sense of responsibility.

Therefore, he reluctantly complied with Yexue's request, lest his reputation would be tarnished in an instant.

With the arrival of the intruders and the immediate consensus reached by the two, they were about to embark on their first cooperation.

Yexue, with her colorful fingertip gently tapping on the shoulder of the person next to her, gestured in a manner as if she were knocking on a table.

Using this gesture as a signal, she raised her head and, with a tone that seemed almost boastful, asked her subordinates in front of her:

"How do you, from your perspective, find the man that your sister is interested in?"

Upon hearing this brief question, Wang Xiaole's eyes were instantly filled with bloodshot veins, as if they were on the verge of bursting at any moment.

This was Yexue's coping method in a nutshell - simply put, it was a strategy that was not really a strategy.

To be fair, she didn't have many options before.

Either muster up the courage to admit she was seen by an intruding man, or go along with the subordinates' assumption of her having a tryst with a man.

Although the two options weren't drastically different, from Yexue's perspective, the latter seemed somewhat easier to accept in the end.

Thus, the farce that was easy to slip into role-playing began, with a drama queen and an actor starting their own performance.

"Sisters over there, what do you think of me in various aspects? Do you think I qualify to be His Highness' male friend?"

Despite his eyes seemingly about to pop out, Wang Xiaole's speed in adapting to the role was truly astonishing! He even decided on his designated role before Yexue could, claiming the identity of a "male friend."

This role fit just right: it wasn't as definitive as "lover" or "concubine," and it didn't contradict the term "man" mentioned earlier either.

Moreover, a word like this could have many meanings.

It could be taken literally as a "boyfriend," or simply as a close "male friend."

Wang Xiaole hoped to mislead the group of female knights into believing that he was merely the "male friend" of their princess in later interactions;

Coincidentally, the young lady shared the same thought!

Unfortunately, the present state of the pair did not help to convince anyone.

"Male friend? We experienced and mature women don't see you two as ordinary friends."

Of course not! What normal friend would enter the same pool in the wee hours of the morning, with one of them only wrapped in a towel?

Without needing others to refute, even Wang Xiaole himself had a hard time believing the lie he had just told.

Yet he had no choice; he couldn't possibly say he was her boyfriend in another sense, right?

He couldn't say it, but Flora could.

The ghostly lady, always considering her friends, later understood:

"Friend, have you used your superb strategies to become Snow's lover? Was that just because you were embarrassed a moment ago?"

"Snow? Lover?"

Though the number of words uttered by both was the same, the focus of their attention was clearly different.

Watching Flora now in good terms with the knights, her intimacy with them made Wang Xiaole raise a question and voice it:

"Flora, weren't you kidnapped and brought here?"

"No, I'm actually quite happy here. Besides, I used to be from the Inran Empire when I was alive."

"What about the letter sent to Dibiles..."

"If the letter hadn't been written that way, your friend probably wouldn't have come here; I'm sorry, please forgive me!"

Flora clapped her hands together and bowed her head, seeking her friend's forgiveness.

"Lover!?"

Perhaps from being overly startled, Snow repeated the term again.

Flora's speculation left them with no other choice and made the knights let out an understanding "ah":

"Oh, so that man is the leader's lover, no wonder they're playing such a shameful game in the middle of the night."

"From a woman's perspective, he's quite handsome."

"If we couldn't see the visible Adams apple moving up and down, we might have thought the leader had awakened a special interest."

In contrast to when he first arrived in the other world, Wang Xiaole might have briefly regained his masculinity, but compared to his previous androgynous face, his beauty was undoubtedly enhanced now.

One could perceive it as his gender change not changing the fact that he was at the peak of his physical attractiveness!

Regardless, that was irrelevant to Wang Xiaole at the moment; what he longed for was for someone to clear up the misunderstanding.

Unfortunately, there was no one present with the capability to satisfy his wishes.

After some whispering, the knights concluded:

He was indeed the leader's lover; however, how far their relationship had progressed was still uncertain.

With the situation as it was, Wang Xiaole could only make slight amends, introducing himself in a new light:

"I apologize for lying to you ladies earlier. I am indeed the leader's lover! I have never engaged in such thrilling activities before, so I got nervous and lied."

The first half was not the focus; the latter part was.

With his main emphasis on proclaiming that he had never crossed a certain line with Yexue before.

The dissatisfaction among the knights buzzed:

"We thought the leader was having a breakthrough, but it turns out she's just having some naїve interaction with a man, behaving like a little girl!"

"We can't say that. If we hadn't shown up, the leader might have gone along with the mood."

"Hey hey hey, was it because of our influence that the leader couldn't become a woman tonight?"

As the discussions continued, the female knights seemed to harbor a strange thought, feeling a tinge of guilt as a result.

After a brief huddle, they suddenly all smiled at Yexue at the same moment.

"We are truly sorry for disturbing the leader and her future husband. We're at fault, and we'll take our leave so you two can continue what you weren't able to finish earlier."

Their words held true. Just like their pledge, the female knights promptly turned on their heels in unison, marching away in a military fashion, leaving the two alone in the pool to continue their "private time."

Also leaving with the knights was Flora.

The onlookers, who had hastily arrived and departed, closed the door behind them, leaving the two submerged in the hot spring to have their own candid moment.

"No need for sweet talk; it's all the little thief's fault!"

"You've caused me so much trouble!"

With neither of them resorting to swearing, their mutual restraint prevented any untoward outbursts.

Since one was still draped in a towel, they had to negotiate while facing away from each other.

Despite simmering frustrations within each of them, both understood their current priority and quickly regained composure, starting to plan for what was to come.

"Now that we're in this situation, it wouldn't be proper for me to bring you in again. But until the time is right, the little thief must cooperate with me."

"Wait! Are you saying I have to stay here for an extended period?"

"Not permanently. The knight brigade will depart tomorrow, and you'll leave with us then."

"No way! I'm not some wanderer who roams aimlessly all over. I don't have that much time to spend here, let alone settling within the knight brigade."

"If the little thief leaves, what about the leader's reputation?"

"You care about your reputation, but what about me? Who'll pay the price for my freedom?"

"Anyway, the little thief is not allowed to leave!"

"What, did I sell myself to you? When did I sign a contract?"

At first, the conversation between the two might have seemed never-ending, especially if one judged it only by its surface.

But, in the next moment, the previously closed door suddenly swung open, and heads started popping in.

"What's going on? We pretended to leave, only to sneak back halfway, not to listen to this bickering couple in a rut."

"Leader and future husband, could you consider the feelings of us eavesdroppers?"

"Friend, your performance just now deserves minus points. How can you two be alone and not exchange a few sweet words?"

Crack! Crack!

These two voices revealed the visible veins of anger throbbing on Wang Xiaole and Yexue's foreheads; their patience had worn thin.

"Little thief, let's call a truce for now, go deal with our mutual 'enemy.'"

"Agreed. Instead of continuing with our ongoing conversation, the priority now should be shutting up certain people."

Without even exchanging glances, the pair promptly left the pool, commencing a chase in a burst of speed.

"Flora and the people on the left are mine."

"The inadequate subordinates on the right are your responsibility, and don't even think about sneaking a peek!"

After the division of labor, the hot spring area, shrouded in the darkness of night, resonated with bursts of female screams.

This night seemed destined to be long; it wouldn't be over anytime soon.