Uchiha Puppet Master, Starting from One Piece.

Is that a kind of...anxiety?

wrong.

It was a kind of... discontent?

Not right either.

It was a feeling she didn't know how to describe, but she just felt that the scene was too much, too much!

She abruptly turned her head away, no longer looking in that direction, her hands clenched tightly together underwater.

She seemed to want to join them, but couldn't quite bring herself to say it.

Just then, footsteps came from the end of the corridor.

Artoria, as if grasping at a straw, abruptly turned her head to look in the direction from which the sound came.

Retsu Unohana is back.

She changed into a clean bathrobe, her hair was combed again and neatly draped over her shoulders, and she exuded a fresh scent as if she had just taken a bath.

She walked to the edge of the pool, her gaze sweeping across the hot spring water. When she saw Bai Yu surrounded by three people, a knowing smile flashed in her eyes.

Then, her gaze fell on Artoria.

Artoria was looking at her with an almost pleading look in her eyes.

Retsu Unohana smiled slightly, slowly walked into the pool, and sat down next to Artoria.

"what happened?"

Her voice was very soft; only two people could hear it.

"He doesn't seem to be in a good mood."

Artoria's lips moved, her expression shifting between embarrassment and anticipation.

"Sister Hua—"

Her voice was very low, as if she was afraid of being overheard by others.

"Look over there..."

She gestured with her lips towards Bai Yu.

“They…the three of them…surrounded Shiraha, especially Rangiku…she…she…”

Unohana Retsu followed her gaze, then looked away and turned to Artoria.

"Yes, I see. Bai Yujun is truly extraordinary. But this is a good thing for Bai Yujun. You don't know about Bai Yujun's family..."

"Don't you think...don't you think this is going too far?"

Artoria's voice trembled slightly.

“Three people…the three of them together…and their hands…”

She couldn't continue; her cheeks flushed red, as if they had been burned.

What happened to their hands?

Retsu Unohana spoke calmly, as if she were asking about something perfectly normal.

"Their hands...never stopped on Bai Yu's body..."

Artoria's voice grew softer and softer, and the last few words were almost squeezed out between her teeth.

"They are giving Bai Yu a massage—"

Unohana Retsu corrected, "How can this be called groping?"

"A massage doesn't need to be done by three people, right?"

Artoria argued her case forcefully.

"And they're standing so close... Bai Yu-jun must be under a lot of pressure..."

Retsu Unohana looked at her, her smile deepening.

"Artoria—"

Her voice remained soft, but carried a hint of profound meaning.

Are you standing up for Bai Yu, or for yourself?

Artoria was taken aback.

"I... of course I'm standing up for Bai Yu! He was surrounded by three people, how... how embarrassing!"

"Awkward?"

Ueno Hana tilted her head slightly.

"Does he look embarrassed?"

Artoria's gaze involuntarily drifted over there again.

Bai Yu's expression——

Lazy, relaxed, and content, with even a slight upturn at the corners of his mouth, carrying a barely perceptible smile.

That was clearly an expression of enjoyment.

Artoria felt that indescribable feeling welling up again, this time even stronger, as if something was churning in her chest, a sour, astringent feeling, and an inexplicable anxiety.

"He...he was bewitched!"

Artoria forced herself to speak.

"Yes! He must have been misled! He's not usually like this!"

Retsu Unohana chuckled softly, a sound so gentle it made Artoria's ears burn.

"Artoria—"

Unohana Retsu's voice was as gentle as if she were coaxing a child.

Have you ever thought that you could go there and join them?

Artoria's eyes widened suddenly.

"Me?! What would I be doing there?!"

“We used to soak in hot springs together, just like them, and do the same things to Shiraha-kun.”

Unohana Retsu's tone was very natural.

"I...I don't want to!"

Artoria's voice suddenly rose a little, then she quickly lowered it, as if afraid of being overheard by others.

"Why...why did I do something like Rangiku?"

Retsu Unohana looked at her without saying a word, but the smile in her eyes deepened.

That smile made Artoria feel like she had been seen through, as if all her secrets had been exposed to the light of day, leaving her nowhere to hide.

"You...you shouldn't look at me like that—"

Artoria's voice began to weaken.

"I'm telling the truth..."

I know you're telling the truth—

Unohana Retsu nodded gently.

"But there are other truths besides the truth."

"What do you mean?"

Artoria frowned.

"I mean--"

Retsu Unohana paused, her gaze falling on Artoria's face as she looked intently into her eyes.

"You don't like Bai Yu? You don't seem very frank, Knight King..."

Artoria's body suddenly stiffened.

Her lips opened and closed, then opened and closed again, but no sound came out.

Her cheeks went from pink to crimson, from crimson to deep red, and finally to a red that was almost dripping with blood.

"me……"

Her voice was intermittent, like a broken tape recorder.

Artoria took a deep breath, as if to bolster her courage.

"I like Bai Yu..."

"Yes--"

Unohana Retsu laughed.

"Since you like him, why don't you do what Rangiku and the others did, instead of deceiving your own heart?"

Artoria was speechless.

Logically, there's nothing wrong with it, but emotionally... she just felt something was off.

"I...I don't know how to give massages..."

She made up an excuse.

"I think Rangiku and the others have very good techniques, but I don't know anything..."

"If you don't know how, you can learn—"

"Unohana Retsu said slowly and deliberately."

No one is born knowing these skills.

Artoria remained silent.

Her gaze drifted towards Bai Yu's direction again, but this time she didn't immediately look away.