However, after asking the locals, Ruby found out that the Dreadmire village was still much farther than she expected.
She walked back to their car, where Julian was waiting, and opened the door. "The village is still far away," she said, sliding into the driver’s seat with a small sigh. "I think we should visit the Ghost God Temple first."
Julian nodded in agreement. "Yeah, that’s better. After coming back from the village, we’ll probably be too tired to go anywhere else."
"Do you have the address?" Ruby asked, glancing over at him.
"Yeah, I wrote it down," Julian replied. He leaned over his seat and reached into the backseat where he’d kept his small bag. After digging inside for a moment, he pulled out a slightly crumpled page.
"Here," he said, handing it to her.
Ruby took the paper, unfolding it carefully. Her eyes scanned the rough handwriting—an address and a few landmarks were noted down in Julian’s neat but slightly shaky style.
Her lips curved into a smile. "Great! This will help."
Julian sat back with a satisfied look on his face. The wind picked up gently as the car began lifting off again, the two of them heading toward the mysterious temple in the distant hills.
On the way, Ruby occasionally stopped to ask the locals for directions, following the old route Julian had noted. By the time the sun began dipping low behind the hills, casting red hues over the horizon, they finally reached Thornwick Town around 5 PM.
Ruby found a small but clean hotel near the edge of the market and checked them in. The room had a large window with a view of the misty treetops, and the scent of herbs from nearby stalls floated in through the cracks.
After settling in, Ruby looked at the time and sighed. "The temple closes in about three hours, and we’re both too tired."
She read a poster in the area that had the temple’s opening and closing times written on it.
Julian agreed, stretching his back with a groan. "Yeah... and according to what I heard, there’s a really long line before you can even step inside. Some people wait for hours just to see the Ghost God."
"Then we’ll go early in the morning," Ruby decided, placing their bags to the side. "We’ll get some rest and wake up before sunrise. If we’re lucky, we’ll be first in line."
Julian nodded and smiled. "Sounds good, wife. You always plan better."
With that, they ordered something light to eat and spent the evening quietly, letting their bodies rest before tomorrow’s spiritual visit. The town was silent by nightfall, only the occasional chime of bells and low temple songs hummed in the distance, giving the air a strange, sacred stillness.
Julian, who had just finished setting their clothes aside, turned at the sound of Ruby’s voice—only to freeze completely.
"Jules... my back is itching again," she said casually, stepping out of the bathroom with her hair damp and skin glowing from the warm steam. A white towel was wrapped snugly around her chest, but it barely reached mid-thigh. Drops of water still clung to her collarbone and trailed slowly down her toned stomach.
Julian’s mouth went dry.
Her long, fair legs were fully exposed. Her bare shoulders looked impossibly soft. And that slight curve of her waist where the towel hugged her hips—
His face turned red instantly.
"G-Goodness..." he mumbled under his breath, eyes darting away before he completely lost control.
Ruby tilted her head and looked at him innocently, "What’s wrong?"
Julian cleared his throat and grabbed the nearest bottle of lotion like it was a lifeline. "N-Nothing! Just—uh—I’ll help with the itch! Turn around, wife!"
She turned her back to him without hesitation, the towel dipping slightly. Julian closed his eyes for a second to compose himself before gently placing his hand on her back.
But even that soft contact was enough to make his heart beat like a drum in his chest.
Julian swallowed hard.
When Ruby lowered the towel a little more, his breath caught. Her smooth, bare back shimmered faintly under the soft yellow light, still damp from her shower. The towel now hung dangerously low, revealing the curve of her spine and the soft dimple just above the small of her back—utterly innocent, yet dangerously tempting.
"There’s... there’s nothing here, wife," he managed, voice tighter than he intended.
Ruby looked over her shoulder, a little pout on her lips. "C-Can you help me a bit?" she asked, her voice quieter, tinged with genuine embarrassment. "It’s still itching... but I can’t reach that spot."
Julian blinked, his fingers hovering just above her skin. His hands were trembling slightly, unsure whether to place them or flee the room altogether.
"Here?" he asked, his voice cracking a little as he touched her gently between the shoulder blades.
"No—lower..." she whispered, pointing softly.
He moved his hand down an inch.
His fingers now brushed the softest part of her lower back, the skin warm and smooth. Her breath hitched just slightly when he scratched gently.
Julian wasn’t sure if her sigh was relief... or something else. But his heart was absolutely racing.
"Yeah... there..." Ruby said softly, her voice barely above a breath. Her lashes fluttered, and she tilted her head down slightly as Julian gently used his nail to scratch the exact spot.
He moved with care, not wanting to hurt her, but when he saw a faint red mark bloom on her pale skin, guilt immediately stabbed at his chest.
"I’m sorry... I didn’t mean to scratch too hard," he said, worried, his fingers hovering just above her back now.
But Ruby only smiled, her eyes still half-lidded with relief. "It’s good... Jules," she murmured, her voice warm and unguarded. "That helped a lot."
Julian’s chest tightened at the sound of her contentment. Her back was still turned, bare and vulnerable, and that simple trust she gave him in that moment standing before him without hesitation was more intimate than anything physical.
He looked away quickly, cheeks warm. "O-Okay, I’ll, um, I’ll apply you lotion," he stammered, suddenly needing to do something before his heart burst.
—To be continued...🪄