Bathing Ritual 1

Lilith again woke up in a strange dream, where she saw a woman, but she could not see the
face since the woman's appearance was vague. She tilted her head only to find Apollyon was
no longer on the bed.
Lilith sat upright when Apollyon's voice fell upon her ears. "Good morning, My Queen." She
promptly turned her head to gaze at him and found him on the sofa chair.
Apollyon found Lilith was a little lost and puzzled about something. "What happened?" he asked.
Lilith wondered if she should tell him and finally decided to not share her strange dream.
Perhaps, she was in a new place, so such dreams had begun.
Seeing her quietness, Apollyon said, "If something is bothering you, then tell me." His words
carried genuine concern for her.
"It was nothing," Lilith replied. "Why are you still here? Why didn't you bathe yet?" she inquired.
"My Queen, we have to participate in the bathing ritual," Apollyon informed her.
"Pardon me!?" Lilith exclaimed as she widened her eyes. The bathing ritual for newlywed
couples. She almost forgot about that. "We don't have to do that," she stated, avoiding eye
contact with him.
Lilith swallowed hard, realizing that Apollyon was now on the bed. Clutching the velvet sheet,
she averted her gaze as his hand gently rested on her nape. "You can't refuse it. We're already
lying about our consummation. How many more lies do you want to tell through me?" Apollyon
inquired, his eyebrow raised curiously.
"You can tell the truth to them," Lilith murmured, moving her eyes around.
"And will you bear the consequences of the losses then? If I find a single person talking about
your inability to please me on the bed, it is going to be the last day for that person," Apollyon
affirmed.
"Why do you talk about taking someone's life in the morning?" Lilith frowned at him. "I do not
enjoy bloodbath like the Devil Lord does," she proclaimed.
"I know. You're a sweet woman who spreads love to everyone except me," Apollyon huskily
remarked, his fingers lightly brushing against her nape.
Was that a taunt on her? Lilith wondered and yanked his hand off her nape. "I am sure yo-you
can l-lie about the consummation. It is not like I am asking you to kill someone," she stated,
keeping her gaze averted.
Lilith decided to get out of bed and moved the soft, velvet sheet away. Her bare legs
became visible to both of them when she hurriedly adjusted her gown to cover her legs.
Apollyon smiled a little, seeing her reaction, and held her wrist, causing her to stop.
Apollyon drew closer, resting his chin on her shoulder. "Lilith, one of us has to offer our blood to
stain the white sheet beneath us, as evidence of our consummation that never happened," he
whispered in her ear.
"You can do it since you're so concerned about this consummation," Lilith suggested.
"I'm afraid of knives," Apollyon remarked.
Lilith's jaw clenched at his statement, and she tilted her head to look at him. "Liar," she said,
moving away from him, which made him laugh.
"Give me the dagger from that drawer," Apollyon instructed, pointing to the bedside table. Lilith
hummed and retrieved the dagger. She handed it to Apollyon, who cut his palm without
flinching. Her eyes shut a little since she felt it might be painful.
The sheet was stained with the blood at the center while Lilith kept her focus on his face. Did he not
feel pain? She thought for a moment.
Apollyon cleaned the blood from the dagger and sheathed it. "Now, it is better," he said and
handed the dagger to Lilith before lifting his head to meet her gaze.
"It wasn't necessary though. Everyone knows how much I hate you. They will doubt if anything
even happens between us," Lilith proclaimed.
"In my imagination, it already happened," Apollyon said and smirked at her.
Lilith sharply glared at him. "Don't look at me with that lustful gaze," she muttered.
"I only have the gaze of love for you, Lilith," Apollyon asserted.
Lilith saw his hand was still bleeding. "You should stop the blood," she said, concern evident on
her face.
Apollyon looked down at the cut when he heard the sound of fabric tearing. Lilith quickly tore off
the bottom edge of her gown and tied it around his palm. "I know you are immortal, but you
need not harm yourself this way," she softly said before meeting his gaze.
Apollyon's temptations toward her grew stronger. A care that he never found, he got to feel it
because of Lilith. At that moment, he wanted to pull her down and kiss her, showing the
affection he carried toward her.
However, Apollyon restrained himself as he wasn't allowed to kiss her. He merely smiled at her,
grateful for her gentle care.
"It wasn't the care," Lilith murmured, and she turned to the drawer to keep the dagger inside. As
she closed it and turned, Apollyon carried her up in his arms.
"Put me down, Apollyon!" Lilith commanded him.
"I didn't carry you to put you down. Now, act like a lovely wife, who enjoyed her first night with
her husband," Apollyon affirmed, his eyes sparkled with an unexplained emotion.
"Where are you taking me to?" Lilith asked.
"To the washroom," Apollyon replied.
"I can go myself," Lilith said, attempting to get free of his hold. Before she could do so, the door
swung open, and Apollyon set her down on the floor. "You have fifteen minutes before we head
to the bathing house," he stated.
Lilith opened her mouth to speak, but the door shut from outside, leaving her in a state of
confusion.
Apollyon returned to the sitting area, contemplating how to sway Lilith's heart for him.
He looked at his palm and chuckled. It was unbelievable for him that he hurt himself for Lilith.
Indeed, his love strengthened in those ten years.
Apollyon came out of his thoughts as he heard a knock on the door. A maidservant walked in to
inform us that preparations were made.
"Hmm. You can leave," Apollyon dismissed the maidservant, his mind preoccupied with
thoughts of Lilith.