Free Web NovelChapter 87: Chapter 87 Back home
By the time Ivy returned back to her shelter, it was already extremely late.
The exhaustion weighing down her body was unbearable. Dried monster blood stained parts of her clothes, and the smell clung to her skin and hair. Every muscle in her body ached from the day’s battle yet the moment she stepped inside the shelter, her tired eyes instinctively searched for her children.
A soft warmth spread through her chest when she saw that the three of them had already fallen asleep.
Little Hope was fast asleep inside her cot, her tiny body bundled comfortably beneath the blanket. The feeding bottle she had most likely just finished drinking from rested on the small table beside the cot.
Ivy’s gaze then shifted toward Lila and Aria.
The two girls had also eaten already. The takeaway packs Ivy had stored earlier were sitting on top of the microwave.
Despite how badly Ivy wanted to rush over and pull all three children into her arms, kissing their foreheads and cheeks while apologizing for returning so late, she stopped herself.
Right now, her entire body reeked of blood, sweat, dirt, and monster carcasses.
The last thing she wanted was for that horrible scent to cling to her children.
Without wasting another second, Ivy quietly made her way toward the bathroom before shutting the door behind her.
Warm water soon poured over her exhausted body as she began scrubbing herself thoroughly. Darkened water mixed with blood flowed down the drain while she cleaned every inch of skin carefully. She washed her hair multiple times until the scent of monster blood finally faded away.
Only after making absolutely sure she was completely clean did Ivy finally step out of the bathroom.
Fresh clothes now covered her body.
Letting out a quiet breath, she walked back toward her children.
Carefully, she crouched down beside them.
First, she leaned toward Hope and pressed a warm kiss against the baby’s forehead.
"Goodnight, sweetheart..." she whispered lovingly.
Then she moved toward Lila and Aria, brushing strands of hair away from their faces before planting gentle kisses on each of their cheeks.
The girls stirred slightly in their sleep but didn’t wake up.
A tender smile appeared on Ivy’s face before she quietly stood back up.
However, her night still wasn’t over yet.
Picking up a bucket, soap, sponge, and towel, Ivy headed back outside.
The moment the door opened....
"Bark! Bark!"
Sunny immediately came running over excitedly.
Even beneath the dim light outside the shelter, Ivy could still see dried blood staining parts of the dog’s fur and paws from earlier.
She sighed helplessly before shaking her head with amusement.
"Yeah, yeah... it’s bath time, Sunny," she said softly while gently rubbing the dog’s head. "You’re filthy."
Sunny barked again, wagging her tail aggressively.
Unlike most dogs that hated bathing and would run away the moment they saw water, Sunny simply stood there obediently as Ivy began scrubbing her fur carefully with the sponge.
"You’re surprisingly well-behaved for a dog," Ivy muttered with a small chuckle.
Sunny let out a proud little huff as though she understood the compliment.
The warm water flowed down Sunny’s thick fur while Ivy carefully cleaned away every trace of blood and dirt stuck between the strands. She paid extra attention to the paws and underbelly where most of the grime had gathered.
Once Ivy finished washing her thoroughly, she grabbed the towel and carefully dried the dog’s fur.
Only after she finished did Sunny suddenly shake her entire body violently.
Water sprayed everywhere instantly.....Including directly into Ivy’s face.
"Sunny!" Ivy exclaimed in disbelief before laughing tiredly. "Easy, girl!"
Sunny barked happily, clearly pleased with herself.
Still chuckling softly, Ivy grabbed the comb and began brushing through Sunny’s fluffy fur carefully until it became soft and neat once more. Just like that, Sunny looked completely clean again, not a single trace of blood remaining on her fur or paws.
"There we go," Ivy said with satisfaction while patting Sunny affectionately. "Much better."
"Bark!"
"Alright, alright," Ivy laughed. "Time for dinner. You deserve a reward today after working so hard."
She then carried over the bucket containing the cooked meat she had specially prepared earlier using dog-safe ingredients.
The rich aroma filled the air almost immediately.
Sunny’s ears perked up instantly.
Without wasting time, Ivy scooped a generous portion into Sunny’s bowl before placing another bowl of clean water beside it.
The second the bowl touched the floor, Sunny rushed forward excitedly and immediately began devouring the food.
Ivy watched with a warm smile on her face and only after a while did she finally return back into the shelter, leaving Sunny outside to enjoy her dinner peacefully.
She was starving too afterall.
Without wasting time, she summoned a portion of crispy fried chicken and fries from the storage space inside her system. The food appeared instantly on the kitchen counter, still preserved perfectly from when she stored it earlier.
Ivy quickly placed the food into the microwave before leaning against the counter while waiting.
A few moments later, she pulled the food back out and plated everything properly before grabbing a chilled bottle of cola from her storage as well.
Cold droplets of water formed instantly around the bottle due to the temperature difference.
"Perfect," Ivy whispered with satisfaction.
After the long and exhausting day she had gone through, this honestly felt like heaven to her.
She deserved to relax tonight.
Carrying the food carefully, Ivy walked over to the couch before sitting down comfortably. She then turned on a movie she had downloaded previously and began eating while watching.
The crispy fries combined with the cold cola immediately soothed her exhaustion a little. freёwebnoѵel.com
However, Ivy hadn’t even watched the movie for up to ten minutes before a sudden thought struck her mind.
