A sliver of sunlight slipped through the gap in the not-quite-closed curtains, stitching itself like a golden thread across Gelman's closed eyelids.
The discomfort woke him.
Once fully awake, he stared at the pale gray ceiling for a long while before noticing the heavy yet soft weight pressing down on his upper body.
Shizuku was sprawled across his chest, where the rune marks had faded to a dull gray.
The cumbersome Black-rimmed Glasses lay carelessly on the bedside table. Her sleeping face looked languid, relaxed, and utterly at ease.
Her cheek was pressed against Gelman's chest, making her mouth look slightly pursed. A few tiny teeth peeked out—she was sleeping like a baby.
Shizuku's bare, slick skin always made Gelman feel as though the slightest pressure from his fingers on her back might scrape it raw.
Whenever he held her, he couldn't help feeling an indescribable tenderness toward her.
He turned his head and glanced at the digital clock on the bedside table. It read 9:02 a.m.
It was time to get up.
Gelman knew he couldn't stay lost in the bliss of the moment, but he couldn't bear to wake Shizuku, either.
So he carefully shifted her aside, bit by bit, then slipped out of bed.
Fortunately, Shizuku was always quite unguarded when she slept beside Gelman.
Even when she sensed him moving, she only mumbled softly, reached out to hug the pillow beside her, rested her head on it, and went back to sleep without opening her eyes.
Gelman closed the frosted-glass door to the washroom. Standing before the wide mirror, he brushed his teeth and thought back to the previous night's wild celebrations throughout Rimuru Castle.
He, Shizuku, and Morel had been like victorious generals returning home, with the Manless Stone serving as the enemy king's head.