"I was waiting for you," Milo said shyly, his cheeks flushing as he peered up at her through his long eyelashes.
Ruby felt her heart swell at the sight of his cuteness. Unable to resist, she raised her hands and gently pulled at his soft cheeks.
His skin felt like clouds beneath her fingers—soft and delicate. She took a moment to admire his features: the way his innocent brown eyes sparkled and the pure sweetness radiating from his face.
"Wife," he muttered under his breath.
"Yes?" she responded, still holding his gaze. But as her eyes locked onto his, Milo quickly averted his, too shy to hold her strong gaze.
"Wife... y-your hands... they smell... you-you should take a bath," he stammered, his voice small and hesitant.
Ruby blinked in surprise, her grip on his cheeks loosening as she processed his words. Shocked and caught off guard, she could only stare at him for a moment before bursting into laughter at his unexpected remark.
"Are you disliking me, little Milo?" she asked with a smirk.
"N-no, I've prepared a bath for you," Milo said, his shyness evident.
"Cringe," Adrian commented from where he was lounging, rolling his eyes at the exchange. He then turned and settled next to Karl, clearly uninterested in the scene.
Milo shot him an angry glare, though his expression didn't look dangerous. Instead, he resembled an angry cat with its fur puffed up.
"Wife, don't pay any attention to Adi. You can go take a bath," Milo said dismissively, his tone a bit softer when addressing her.
Ruby's lips curved into a small smile as she noticed the dark expression on Adrian's face. His scowl deepened, and in return, she winked at him, only making him more frustrated.
Adrian clenched his fists tightly. 'I hate this witch!' he fumed internally. 'She's definitely using Milo!'
The slum house wasn't big, but it wasn't small either. It had a cramped room for sleeping with no furniture, and a small space for bathing. The worst part was the lack of a proper bathroom; everyone had to walk to a nearby abandoned public washroom.
Ruby's expression soured further. How could they live ? she thought. This situation was unacceptable. She needed to find a better place by tomorrow, no doubt about that. And more than that, she had to deal with her aunt—the one who had taken control of her family's property. That house rightfully belonged to her parents, and Ruby wasn't about to let some greedy witch benefit from all their hard work.
But it had already been two years, and her aunt had grown more powerful during that time. If Ruby wanted to take her down, she needed more than just determination—she needed power. An impulsive fight would only lead to failure. If she was going to take back what was hers, she had to be smart about it.
The washroom was a cramped, dingy space, barely enough room to move around. A small, old greyish stool sat in the corner, its surface worn from years of use. Across the room, a makeshift hanger made of rope stretched between two points, sagging under the weight of the clothes draped over it, The rope itself was tied with a plastic-like material on both sides and cracked mirror hanging on the plastic like wall.
Ruby's eyes fell on the bucket of water before her, the liquid a translucent red, gleaming softly under the dim light. The water looked clean enough, despite its odd hue. She knew it wasn't the water itself that was red—it was the planet's soil. Tiny ectoplasmin particles were suspended in the water, giving it its strange color. Luckily, the particles didn't change the water's chemical properties; it still behaved just like normal water.
She began to undress, peeling her sticky robe from her skin, still damp from the heat of the day. Her body felt gross, clammy, and gritty after everything she'd been through. When the cool air touched her bare skin, she shivered slightly, but it was a welcome sensation. The day had been long, and she needed this moment of cleanliness, no matter how basic the surroundings were.
Sitting on the old stool, Ruby grabbed an urn-like container, filled it with the red-tinted water, and began pouring it over her hair. Her eyes wandered to the light peach-colored soap sitting on the holder and the unmarked shampoo bottle beside it. It all looked as worn out, but for now, it would do.
As the cold water cascaded down her skin, she sighed with relief. She scrubbed the soap across her body, feeling the grime and sweat wash away. The coolness of the water was refreshing, especially after the day's heat. It helped rinse off the disgust she had felt all over herself.
Finally, she could feel clean again.
Ruby reached for the towel hanging on the makeshift rope hanger. As she wiped her body dry, her eyes caught her reflection in a small, cracked mirror hanging on the plastic like wall. The sight made her pause—her body was different, almost unrecognizable.
Her chest felt heavier, fuller, which felt odd compared to the mid-size frame she was used to in her original body. The fair and pale skin now covering her body was a stark contrast to the warm, tan complexion she had before.
And then, there was her hair—long, white, and silky, cascading all the way down to her tailbone. It was nothing like her old shoulder-length strands. Everything felt strange.
Ruby ran her fingers through her long hair, trying to adjust to this new version of herself. This wasn't the body she had known for years. But now, it was hers.
Ruby stared at the robe in her hands, trying to remember the steps she'd seen in her memories. It seemed simple enough, but as soon as she tried to put it on, everything went wrong.
She awkwardly slipped her arms through the sleeves, only to find that she had them reversed—one sleeve inside out, and the other bunched up so tightly she could barely move her arm. Huffing in frustration, she yanked it off and tried again, this time managing to get both arms through correctly, but now the robe was backwards.
The tie was supposed to go in front, but instead, it was hanging awkwardly behind her, twisting the fabric in strange directions. She fumbled with the sash, twisting it around her waist, but somehow, she managed to knot it so tightly that she couldn't undo it. The robe sagged around her shoulders and bunched around her hips in an uneven mess.
Ruby let out a small groan of annoyance. The fabric kept slipping down one side, exposing her shoulder while the other side was practically choking her neck. It took her several more tries, each one more clumsy than the last, before she finally got the robe on—though it still wasn't perfect. One side was shorter than the other, and the sash looked like a twisted mess, but at least it was on.
She sighed, tugging the fabric one last time to make it feel somewhat comfortable. She'd figure it out eventually, but for now, this would have to do.
—To be continued...🪄