Mr. Rat of the Steam World

Chapter 58 Such a hasty way of meeting

"There shouldn't be any absolute magic immunity. Perhaps it's just that my mental attribute is too low, or my deception magic rank is not high enough. But I can't solve either of these problems for the time being."

Inside the carriage, Lu Ran rested his chin on his hand in thought, while secretly glancing at Afra beside him.

"Then we can only try to find a solution from her own perspective. We need to figure out whether she has a natural talent that makes her immune to magic, or whether she is carrying some kind of magic-suppressing item... or more accurately, a relic?"

"If it's certain accessories... then when I'm not wearing anything before Afra goes to sleep, or right after taking a shower, does that mean I temporarily lose my magic resistance, and would I then have a chance to use deception magic?"

Lu Ran blinked and began to think seriously.

If this method doesn't work, then he's truly out of options.

……

The detective would suddenly appear in the forest, walking alongside me on the golden fallen leaves.

He was still leaning against a tree branch watching me turn the pages of a book, his hat brim hanging down in the shadows.

It would be like the wind carrying a sketch paper into my arms, and when I looked up, I would bump into someone who looked exactly like the person in the drawing.

Afra sat in the carriage, holding the information she had painstakingly compiled all morning, unable to suppress the urge to smile.

"I really look forward to meeting you."

Turning my head, I saw a gray mouse with the same thoughtful expression, and I found it even more interesting.

This little guy... if gray rats could think, they must be thinking about something very interesting right now.

……

"drive--"

The carriage slowed slightly at the manor gate, and the change in sound as it rolled over the cobblestone road startled Afra and Lu Ran, who were lost in their own thoughts.

"Finally we're here."

Afra breathed a sigh of relief, and as soon as the carriage came to a stop, she eagerly pushed open the door.

The afternoon sun shone in the courtyard. She glanced down at her dress and noticed that the once bright fabric was now covered with a layer of grayish coal dust particles, especially noticeable at the cuffs and hem.

After persisting all the way, Afra finally couldn't hold back anymore.

"Hela! Quick! I need to take a bath right now!"

"And also! Get my new set of rose bath salts ready!"

Afra lifted her skirt and almost ran towards the main gate of the house.

Lu Ran, who was left at the carriage door, jumped down. He had originally planned to go to the stone house first, but when he saw Afra rushing towards the bathroom, his eyes lit up.

What a coincidence!

"Take a shower...before bed, or right after showering when I'm not wearing anything!" Lu Ran's mind echoed with his previous idea...

Without further ado, he used all four paws, his small body moving swiftly like a gray shadow as he followed Afra upstairs.

He was already very familiar with the house. When he found the ornate bathroom door from memory, he could hear the sound of running water and the lighthearted conversation of the maids preparing water.

Lu Ran paused briefly, but instead of entering the steamy area, he turned and went into the luxurious dressing room next door.

The room was bathed in soft light. Afra was facing away from the doorway, her slender fingers deftly unbuttoning the single-breasted silver buttons of her velvet coat. The coat slipped silently down, revealing a tightly fitted petticoat underneath.

For the first time, Lu Ran didn't leave, but instead carefully observed Afra's outfit.

Afu smoothed her hair, her hand reaching behind her to feel for the back belt, the coiled ribbon quickly loosening at her fingertips. The belt fell to the ground with a soft thud, instantly relaxing the lines of her shoulders and neck.

"Whoo~"

Afra let out a relieved groan and stretched her shoulder joints comfortably. If aesthetics weren't a concern, not wearing a corset would definitely be the most comfortable.

Then she removed the pearl hair clip from her temple and gently placed it on the table. As she did so, her gaze inadvertently swept across the shadows in the corner, meeting a pair of unusually focused, unblinking black eyes in the corner.

Afra was taken aback, but didn't think much of it. Instead, she teased, "What's wrong? Are you going to take a bath together too?"

Lu Ran rolled her eyes and didn't respond, but she did figure out that the problem wasn't with the pearl hair clip.

Seeing that the mouse was ignoring her, Afra didn't care, then unfastened the bracelet and casually tossed it into the jewelry box.

Lu Ran blinked, "No, not exactly."

Then, as Afra loosened the ties of her petticoat, her fingertips hooked onto the silver chain that clung to her collarbone. A dark crystal was embedded in the chain. As soon as she put it down, Afra suddenly turned to look out the window and patted her chest with a hint of lingering fear.

"How did this bird almost fly in?"

At the same moment, the tension that had been building up inside Lu Ran finally eased.

It finally worked!

……

The warm steam from the bathroom, carrying the fragrance of rose essential oil, wafted out in wisps. Lu Ran listened intently and heard the sound of rushing water and Afra's comfortable sighs.

"Hela, heat the water up a little more." Afra's voice came through the steam, carrying a hint of languor.

"Yes, Miss," came the maid's reply.

The scene in the steamy bathroom was somewhat hazy, with a huge white porcelain bathtub dominating the center of the view.

Afra was soaking comfortably in the water, her long golden hair styled in an updo, revealing her smooth neck and shoulders. Pink rose petals floated on the surface, and the rising steam gave her cheeks a healthy blush.

She didn't know how much time had passed before she slowly stood up from the water, completely relaxed. Fine water droplets rolled down her smooth skin.

She casually grabbed a thick, soft bath towel from the side, hastily wrapped it around her shapely figure, and then used another towel to rub the water droplets from the ends of her hair. With steam rising from her body, she stepped out of the bathtub, completely satisfied.

Then, the instant she stepped out of the bathroom door—

Squeak! Squeak!

A series of urgent and sharp cries suddenly rang out from beneath my feet, accompanied by the sound of paw pads lightly slapping the ground.

The usually quiet Detective Mouse was now jumping around excitedly, waving its tiny paws and pointing frantically towards the corridor outside!
"Ok?"

Afra was startled, and subconsciously took a few steps, looking in the direction of the rat's paw—

A tall, slender silhouette gracefully emerged from the backlit area at the top of the stairs.

The wide-brimmed hat lowered his brows, casting a deep shadow on his face, but a pair of sharp eyes could be vaguely seen under the brim.

A classic camel-colored long trench coat, neatly fastened with a few brass buttons, accentuated his tall and straight figure. He casually leaned against the stair railing, his left hand resting comfortably on a dark cane with a brass tip, while his right hand held a curved pipe, wisps of gray smoke rising leisurely and spreading in the afternoon light.

"Good afternoon, Miss Afra."

The air seemed to freeze. The languid blush on Afra's face instantly froze, her eyes widened in astonishment, and she unconsciously tightened her grip on the towel in her arms.

She looked at the dashing detective in front of her, exactly like the one in her imagination, and then at herself, who had just finished showering and looked rather sloppy.

Her face flushed red, and she stomped her foot.

"That's not how you meet someone!"

……

(End of this chapter)