"Selective amnesia?" Dave echoed, huping between his sniffles.


    Luke leaned in with a teasing grin. "Yeah, meaning we’ll just intentionally forget about you and erase you from our memories."


    That only made Dave wail even louder. He turned to Hera with wide, pitiful eyes, silently pleading for reassurance,pletely forgetting that it was Luke who had said it—not her.


    Meanwhile, Hera simply watched the scene unfold, amused by how easily they could make fun of Dave.


    "Why are you looking at me like that? I won’t be forgetting any of you," Hera said, ying along with their teasing. Then, with a smirk, she added, "Besides, what if <i>you</i> forget about <i>me</i> first?"


    She was simply riding the yful atmosphere, but deep down, the thought wasn’t entirely impossible. After all, they were living in a world shaped by a novel—where things that normal humans would dismiss as improbable were almost <i>guaranteed</i> to happen.


    The more absurd the scenario, the more likely it was to be reality. And the perfect proof? Everything Alice and the other woman had pulled justst night and this morning.


    "How could that be?! Even when I’m asleep, eating, working, and even when I’m <i>pooping</i>, I’m thinking of you! How could I ever forget you? Amnesia wouldn’t even work on me—I’m sure of it!" Dave dered with absolute certainty.


    For a moment, his sincerity almost made Hera feel a little emotional. He looked so serious, so genuine. But then—<i>that</i> line.


    The sheer absurdity of it hit her all at once, and before she could stop herself, she burst intoughter. <i>How</i> was she supposed to take him seriously when he was always like this?


    The other threeughed together as Luke scooped Hera out of the bathtub. Just like before, Zhane had already prepared an ointment to help soothe her soreness and speed up the healing process.


    Noticing the small container in Zhane’s hand, Luke set Hera down on top of the sink. She squirmed slightly, suddenly hyperaware of the fact that she was once again in full view of everyonepletely bare.


    As soon as she was seated, Luke gently helped spread her legs. "Stay still, baby. This won’t hurt, and it won’t take long," he coaxed, his voice soft and reassuring.


    He reached out, expecting Zhane to hand him the ointment, only to realize that Zhane had already knelt before Hera, smearing the cool gel onto his clean fingers, fully prepared to apply it himself.


    "Let me do it!" Dave eximed.


    "Let me do it!" Rafael chorused.


    "Let me do it!" Luke added at the same time, already reaching for the ointment, only for Zhane to dodge his hand smoothly.


    "I’ll do it. I’m the doctor here," Zhane stated firmly, his expression all business.


    "Does putting on ointment require a medical degree?" Dave scoffed.


    "Well, at least I can be serious when needed," Zhane shot back without missing a beat.


    That instantly shut Dave up.


    The others were still eager to fight for the chance to do it themselves, but Zhane gave them no opportunity. Without hesitation, yet with practiced gentleness, he spread the ointment over Hera’s folds. The cool sensation sent a shiver through her body.


    "Hmmm..." She winced slightly, ncing down at Zhane’s focused expression as he carefully applied the ointment. She exhaled shakily, thinking it would be over in a moment.


    But then—she felt it.


    A slow, deliberate circr motion against her clit.


    Her eyes snapped downward again, only to meet Zhane’s gaze as he looked up at her, unwavering. One hand continued rubbing the ointment over herbia, while his other—clean of ointment—found its way to her most sensitive spot.


    She was beginning to feel good as Zhane continued his movements, her body responding involuntarily to his touch. But before she could fully lose herself in the sensation, Dave—who had been watching from behind—couldn’t hold back any longer.


    Growing restless, he shifted where he stood, feeling as though an army of ants was crawling up from his feet to his navel, the heat pooling low in his stomach just from watching. His frustration finally spilled over.


    "Why do you even have to stimte her?" Dave asked, his voiceced with suspicion. "Or are you just taking advantage of her, hmm?" His interrogative tone was aimed squarely at Zhane, his eyes narrowing as he demanded an exnation.


    "Well, she winces every time I apply the ointment around herbia because she’s too sore—thanks to us, I suppose," Zhane exined in a calm, professional tone. "So the least I can do is help redirect the pain in a roundabout way and make her feel good."


    The logic in his words actually made sense to Hera. She had noticed that the difort had lessened, and she no longer winced each time Zhane spread the ointment. That is—if she ignored the way his eyes darkened with desire as he looked up at her.


    Without a word, Luke joined in, tilting Hera’s chin up to capture her lips in a kiss. At first, it was soft and teasing, his lips barely brushing against hers as he searched for a response.