Fio climbed out of the water, grabbed a bathrobe and threw it on, her hands pressed tightly against her chest as she glared ferociously at Leon.

"Leon, I'm going to expose your true colors for everyone to see! To think you'd actually peep!"

However, Leon didn't show the fear she had expected. He stood motionless in the water, his overly long bangs covering his eyes, showing not the slightest sign of agitation.

"Fio, are you sure you want to do that? You'd better calm down."

There was a faint tremor in Leon's voice, but to Fio's ears, it sounded like excitement—as if he were the one who had been caught red-handed.

"Y-you're not afraid?"

"Of course I'm afraid. If word of this got out, I'd probably be ruined."

"Then why aren't you showing any fear at all? Don't think I wouldn't dare go through with it!"

"Once I'm ruined, everyone will surely hate me, and no one would dare come near me anymore. But Fio, you wouldn't do something like that, would you?" Leon seemed to be deliberately emphasizing something. "You, who are a slave."

"...!!"

Fio drew in a sharp breath. She instantly understood the implication behind Leon's words, and in that moment, their positions completely reversed.

If everyone found out what Leon had done, his popularity would naturally plummet, and no woman would ever approach him again.

Then this man, whose mind was filled with nothing but desire, would have no outlet once the women around him left. He would inevitably vent everything on her, and she would be the one left to bear the consequences.

After all, as a slave, she couldn't just run away.

W-what kind of joke is this?! With my childlike body, how could I possibly endure torment from such a monster?! His face is flushed red with anger! It's terrifying!

Fio's calves began to tremble, and she no longer dared to look Leon in the eye.

"Fio, help me out, before Vivian gets back."

Leon's mention of Vivian made Fio realize something.

If Vivian were to find this guy here, she would definitely hate Leon too, and that would cause their plan to fail—wait, wasn't there something off about Leon's tone?

"Could it be... that you already know about what happened between me and Vivian?" Fio asked tentatively.

"Mm, I've known for a while. The things that happened... between you and Vivian on the night you first came to my house."

"Ah, no wonder... I thought as much."

So everything had been part of this man's plan all along. No wonder her and Vivian's schemes hadn't fazed him in the slightest.

Leon had been angry all day today—it turned out he knew she had been secretly betraying him behind his back, which was why he had acted so composed.

Fio felt as though heavy chains had bound her hands and feet; she didn't even have the strength to run anymore. She was firmly under Leon's control.

"I understand. I'll help you," Fio said in a low voice.

W-what is this? She was clearly the victim here, so why did she have to help this detestable man? Outmaneuvered, Fio hung her head in dejection.

Leon climbed out of the hot spring. Fio casually glanced at his body, and her face immediately turned crimson.

Why is it so big?! If something like that were put inside a body, it could be fatal!

Terrified, Fio hurriedly ran behind the wall. She couldn't understand it at all—she had been male in her previous life, so why did she need to feel shy now?!

"Let's go. Sorry for the trouble, Fio," Leon said as he put on his bathrobe.

"O-okay, let's go..."

...

Leon told Fio that he had entered using an invisibility potion, but because Fio had sensed his presence, the potion's effect had worn off, and he could no longer move freely past the other guests.

So the plan was for Fio to scout ahead and signal Leon to advance only when the path was clear, until they found a partition separating the two sections and could climb over into the men's area.

"He's such a scumbag. Damn it, this man is easily the most loathsome person I've encountered in either of my two lives," Fio muttered as she poked her head out to check the corridor. "I'll kill him. I definitely have to find a chance to kill him later."

"Fio? Is anyone there?"

Leon called out somewhat nervously from not far behind her. Fio turned back and made a few hand gestures, signaling that the coast was clear and telling him to follow.

And so, Fio carefully acted as Leon's lookout, advancing bit by bit while avoiding people. Leon tiptoed closely behind her, and they were almost at their destination.

"Oh no... there's someone up ahead!"

Hearing footsteps approaching from the front, Fio took several steps back, only to bump right into Leon and fall to the ground.

Just as Fio was about to get angry, she turned her head and saw several girls chatting and laughing as they approached from behind. Now the two of them had nowhere to retreat, trapped in a pincer.

Fio was dumbfounded. She was now Leon's accomplice; if they were discovered, her fate would undoubtedly be miserable as well.

"Come here, Fio!"

Leon reacted quickly, pulling open a nearby cabinet and squeezing inside, beckoning for Fio to join him.

Without thinking, Fio rushed over. Leon grabbed her shoulder, pulled her in, and shut the cabinet door.

"Phew, that was close." ×2

Both of them breathed a sigh of relief at the same time. At least they wouldn't be discovered now.

Because the cabinet was so cramped, the two were pressed tightly together. Fio tried to push Leon away with her hands, but she still couldn't stop his scent from drifting over.

Being pressed against Leon made her head spin, and only then did she realize something: she hadn't needed to hide in here at all!

"Fio, back in the hot spring... the name you called out, was it mine?" Leon asked.

"Huh, I...?" Fio froze.

That's right—why had she called out this man's name when she was in danger?

He had been toying with her all along. He was supposed to be the person she hated most; there was no way she should have been seeking his help.

"I'm sorry."

It was the first time Fio had heard Leon's voice sound so dejected and low.

She raised her eyes to look at him. His gaze wasn't cold and distant as usual; instead, he looked like a child who had made a mistake, his guilt plain to see.

She had been filled with rage over Leon's excessive behavior, but his apology poured cold water on that anger, leaving her unable to muster any indignation at all.

Perhaps that was exactly why she was such a pushover, always getting bullied.

"...Don't let it happen again," Fio said.