I Just Wanted to Nap, But They Built Me a Religion

Today....

Today... I will make a new vow for Oni-sama.

He needs me to be with him...

He may deny it, but I saw behind his wall...

He cherishes me...

Lysette whispered, standing before her mirror in the dim morning sunlight that entered through her window.

She already has her own room since she was 6, but she still likes to sleep with her brother.

But yesterday was different.

She found an old article that said separation can make another person long for you.

That's why she chose not to sleep with her brother yesterday.

One night of separation is enough....

Right.....

Onisama.

Huhuhuhuhu...

I know you must miss me already..

She will definitely regret her decision to take a break from Ezrel if she knew that he thanks all kinds of gods for this break.

She wore her red ribbon like always.

Her brush rested idle on the dresser.

"I vow to stay near him today. To follow his rhythm. To share what he does."

The candle flickered once.

The sigil at the back of her hand shimmered faintly.

She smiled.

----

The halls of House Dormir were always too quiet, but today, Ezrel could feel the silence pressing down heavier than usual.

It was the sort of hush that meant someone was planning something.

Well, it's most likely his sister.

Ezrel Dormir, age fourteen and spiritually exhausted, had spent most of the morning dodging responsibility.

He doesn't really have anything to do in this house.

Cooking???

That's what the maid is for.

Cleaning??

Well, they also have a maid to do the cleaning.

For now, his only job is to study.

But ...

He already learned all he needed to learn when he was young.

So now he doesn't have anything to do.

And naturally, Ezrel had gone looking for a bath to continue his lazy life.

Well.

He is not going to just any bath.

It was a private one.

Hidden.

Old.

Forgotten.

It all started when he was trying to find a hiding place from his sister.

After three false starts and a detour through the storage wing, he found it the perfect place.

An ancient guest bath carved in green stone and veined marble, tucked behind a half-collapsed stairwell.

There were no maids here.

It's just abandoned.

Just steam.

Blessed silence.

And peace.

Ezrel closed the door. Locked it. Undressed slowly, folded his clothes with uncharacteristic care, and stepped into the warm water.

It was perfect.

For about seven seconds.

Then a voice broke the silence.

"Itss... refreshing..."

Ezrel froze.

He turned his head slowly.

Lysette was already there.

Twelve years old.

Hair pinned up.

Naked.

Calm.

Not a hint of shame can be seen on her.

She sat opposite him in the bath, back straight, legs crossed like she was born to be president.

She didn't look at him.

She stared through him.

"Ly....sette," he said, voice flat.

"What are you doing?"

"Joining you," she answered serenely.

"Why?"

"To stay close. It's important."

Ezrel blinked.

Closed his eyes.

Took a breath so long the water rippled.

"There are many other baths in this house. Your room also has one," he said.

"All with functioning tubs."

"And importantly not abandoned".

"But this one has you."

He opened his eyes again.

"Lysette," he said slowly,

"You are twelve. I'm your brother. This is a bath."

"You're not a child anymore "..

She tilted her head.

"Yeah."

Ezrel pressed his palm to his face.

----

Later that night, with a shocked face, still too stunned to dry his hair properly, he sat in the living room with both of his parents.

"She was already in the bath," he explained, slowly, like someone offering evidence at a trial.

"Naked. Just sitting there. Like it was a sermon."

His mother didn't look up from her reading.

His father swirled a glass of wine.

"She's a girl," Lord Dormir said.

"They always do strange things."

"It's a little odd," his mother allowed, paused for a while, and continued her reading.

"But she's always been devoted."

Ezrel stared.

"That's not devotion," he said. "That's obsessed."

His father laughed.

His mother smiled. "She does admire you."

Ezrel stood up.

" You will regret it," he said.

They didn't stop him.

No one ever did.

---

Outside his door that night, a maid whispered to another.

"He's been sleeping less, haven't you noticed?"

"Maybe the gods are speaking again."

"Or maybe he's finally preparing."

---

In the bath within her room, Lysette sat alone, pouring warm water over her.

She traced a finger through the steam.

Then whispered...

"Huhuhuhuhu..."

"Looks like it's true"

"That article is true."

"By taking a break, Onisama misses me until he's too shocked when he sees me..."

"Huhuhuhuhu ".

She smiled at the water.

And let it rise to her neck.