Rin looked around, her eyes wide with disbelief. "But... but how? We were sleeping naked all night. The others must have returned to the cage and seen us. They must have felt uncomfortable and left."
Liam pondered for a moment before asking, "Rin, is it really as big of a deal as you're making it out to be? Do you not want others to find out about our relationship?"
Rin shook her head vigorously. "It's not like that, Lee. I thought you wouldn't want others to know about us. What will they think?"
"I don't care what others think, Rin. I'm not ashamed of our relationship." He responded with a shrug.
Rin looked at him, her eyes filled with worry. "But Lee, you're so young. You must be around ten years old. I slept with a ten-year-old. Others will think I seduced you."
Although Liam was 12 years old in the dream world, he had turned 16 in the real world. And of course, his mental age was 16 too, so Liam considered himself as a 16 year old even though he was 12 in the dream world.
Liam sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Rin, I'm not ten years old. I'm twelve."
Rin looked at him, her expression softening. "Really? You're twelve?"
"Yes." Liam nodded and asked with a curious look on his face. "And what about you, Rin? How old are you?"
Rin smiled, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "Guess."
'The fuck? Her expressions suddenly changed!'
Liam hesitated, knowing he was treading on dangerous ground. If his guess was off and he guessed an older age for Rin, she would get angry. And if he guessed younger, he wouldn't be able to avoid the allegations. But he had to answer, so he took a deep breath and said, "You look sixteen."
Rin's smile widened, and she corrected him, "I'm fifteen, Lee."
Liam sighed in relief. "Fifteen. So, I'm twelve, and you're fifteen. That's just a three-year age difference. It's okay, Rin. We're both young. There's nothing wrong with our relationship."
Liam reassured himself that a teen couple having sex with an age difference of just a year was okay, and that he shouldn't beat himself about it.
Rin looked at him, her eyes filled with gratitude and love. "Thank you, Lee. I guess I was overreacting. I just didn't want to cause any trouble for you."
Liam smiled, pulling her into a hug. "It's okay, Rin. We'll face whatever comes together. Now, let's go take a bath first."
The bathhouse, which was previously reserved for the guards, was now open to the hostages. It was a welcome change, a luxury they hadn't had before. As they walked, they passed by various facilities and training grounds, the air filled with the sounds of clashing metal and grunts of exertion.
Upon reaching the bathhouse, Liam paid no attention to the guards stationed outside. He walked confidently towards the entrance, Rin by his side. But they were abruptly stopped by a guard, his voice arrogant and unfiltered.
"Where the hell do you think you're going?" the guard sneered, his eyes narrowing as he looked Liam up and down.
Liam met the guard's gaze with a steely glare, his voice matching the guard's tone. "We're going to the bathhouse. Got a problem with that?"
The guard's expression darkened, and he tightened his grip on his weapon. "You can't enter the bathhouse. It's for guards only."
Liam's voice was cold and unyielding. "The commanders have already allowed it. You have no right to stop us."
The guard's face contorted with anger. "You little shit. You think you can talk to me like that?" He raised his weapon, ready to strike.
Liam didn't flinch, but his body was tense and ready to counter at any moment. Rin, sensing the escalating tension, tugged at Liam's arm. "Lee, let's go. The bath isn't necessary."
But the guard's attention had shifted to Rin, his eyes lingering on her chest. A lewd smirk spread across his face. "Leave the girl with us. Come back in a few hours if you want to have a bath. We will wash her up inside and outside, real good."
Liam's fury erupted like a volcano. His eyes blazed with a mix of rage and protectiveness. "You dare touch her, or even look at her, and I will rip you into shreds," he growled, his voice a low, but a dangerous rumble.
The guard laughed in a cruel and mocking tone. "I'll have my fun with the girl on your dead body!"
Liam was about to unleash an attack as his body vibrated with pent-up rage, when an elite guard approached, his presence commanding attention. "What's going on here?" he demanded an answer, his voice authoritative.
The elite guard looked at Liam and Rin, then nodded. "You two, go ahead to the bathhouse."
Liam didn't move, his eyes locked onto the guard who had insulted Rin, his glare promising retribution. Rin tugged at his arm and dragged him with her. "Lee, come on. Let's go."
Reluctantly, Liam allowed Rin to pull him into the bathhouse, his eyes never leaving the guard until they were inside.
The guard, still seething with anger, turned to the elite guard. "Why did you stop me? I was about to teach that brat a lesson."
The elite guard's response was swift and brutal. He punched the guard in the face, sending him crashing to the ground. "If I hadn't stepped in, you would already be dead."
The guard spat out a mouthful of blood, his eyes wide with shock and disbelief. "What are you talking about? I'm close to reaching the intermediate realm. I'm stronger than that bastard. Don't tell me he has reached the intermediate realm!"
The elite guard shook his head, his voice filled with a mix of warning and respect. "That kid is no ordinary hostage. He's about to have a breakthrough into the second stage of the lower realm. You mess with him, you mess with your own life."
The guard's confusion deepened. "But how could he kill me if he's weaker than me?"
The elite guard's eyes narrowed, his voice dropping to a low, ominous tone. "It's instinct. That kid is dangerous. You'd be wise to stay out of his way."
The guard fell silent as the weight of the elite guard's words sank in. The elite guard walked away, leaving the guard to ponder his close call with death.
Inside the bathhouse, Liam and Rin stood in silence, the tension slowly dissipating. Liam's breaths came in deep, steadying inhales as he calmed himself down. Rin looked at him and smiled with her eyes filled with a mix of gratitude and admiration.
"Thank you, Lee," she whispered in a soft and gentle voice. "You always protect me."
Liam looked at her, his expression softening. "Always, Rin. No one will ever hurt you as long as I'm here."
Rin looked into Liam's eyes and smiled even more. "Do you promise?"
"I promise."