I was all alone in the main bathing area’s changing room. It seemed like there really weren’t any other guests at the inn. It all felt very luxurious.
I hummed a tune to myself as I walked up to the lockers. Seasoned hunters never neglected thorough preparations. I knew that, even if I wasn’t among their ranks. I was weak, to put it nicely. Without my Relics, I was just a normal guy and so I rarely removed them unless I was in my own room. That didn’t change just because I was on vacation.
It didn’t feel good entering a hot spring with a bunch of jingling Relics but I didn’t have any other choice. Luke and Ansem would protect me if they were present and that would let me keep the number of Relics to a minimum. But I was by myself, so I couldn’t make any compromises.
“There might be thieves,” I said to myself in self-justification.
I removed the Relics I wore over my clothes and then removed my clothes. Having my Hounding Chain around my waist would be uncomfortable, so I activated it. It arranged itself into a doglike sitting position. I only had so much room on my fingers, so I kept my excess rings in a bag. I took those rings out and hung them on the Hounding Chain. Semiautomatic Relics were really convenient at times like these.
Bracelets, necklaces, pendants, circlets—they all went to the Hounding Chain in that order. Then went the key ring I kept at my waist. All those keys were also Relics. Key-type Relics were pretty popular.
As I searched my pockets, I found a golden key. It took me a moment to remember that it was for the collars on Black, White, and Gray. I considered taking it with me, but the key wasn’t made of mana material. Relics didn’t rust and were rarely affected by their surroundings. But a metal key might rust and I didn’t see any reason to bring it with me.
I put the key in the locker, grabbed a towel, and headed to the bathing area with my Hounding Chain. Most hot springs didn’t allow pets in the baths, but the Hounding Chain was more chain than hound so I figured it was fine. Then again, I wasn’t actually sure bringing a chain with me was okay.
I opened a frosted glass door and felt a rush of dense steam and the particular smell of hot springs. I took a good look around as I walked across the marble floor. My Hounding Chain wiggled its Relic-covered tail as it followed me.
The main bathing area was a work of art. It wasn’t exceptionally large but you could tell that attention was paid to every detail from the floor to the ceiling. The variety of facilities and their quality left no room for complaint, even from a hot spring maniac like myself. There was no space for washing off blood, but this wasn’t an inn for hunters so I guessed that was normal.
Even in the bathing area, I didn’t see any other guests. Not at the showers, nor at the tub itself. It was a Krai Andrey solo performance. If no one else, Black, White, and Gray should have been at the inn. Perhaps they were just resting in their room?
I lightly waved my hand as I aimlessly walked around the edge of the bath. Just the feeling of relinquishing the added weight from my shoulders revitalized me.
In the bath, hot water poured from the mouth of a statue shaped like a dragon. The walls were engraved with a relief which was entirely incomprehensible for someone like me who had no interest in art. Unfortunately, the bath wasn’t big enough to swim in but I didn’t mind. I was old enough that swimming around just because no one else was around felt childish.
“This is perfect. There’s even an open-air bath.”
I made up my mind. I would move to Suls once I retired. I walked up to a glass wall and aimlessly glanced into the open-air bath.
Soaking in the rock-carved open-air bath was a bright sky-blue dragon.
“Huh?”
I rubbed my eyes and looked again, but the dragon was still there.
Overall, it had a fancy, round outline. It had big, doe eyes. It was about three meters tall, but that was on the small side for a dragon. Hot water overflowed from the tub. Large droplets splashed against the glass wall as the dragon shook its wings and wagged its tail with pleasure.
My Hounding Chain ran in wild circles around me. It probably would’ve been barking if it was capable of it. I stood in a daze for a moment before I decided to pretend I hadn’t seen anything.
I went off to the showers and took my sweet time rinsing my body from head to toe. My heart was still pounding. It was a different sort of pounding than when Sitri pressed herself up against me.
Putting a dragon in a bath. There’s no understanding the tastes of the rich.
Once my body was squeaky clean, I fearfully glanced at the open-air bath from a safe distance. I saw the vague shape of something blue. Of course, it was still there.
I thought about what to do as I slowly sank into the water. It was fairly hot, but that was all the better. My body began to relax, like my fatigue was dissolving in the water. Covered in Relics, my Hounding Chain loyally sat nearby.
But all I could think about was the dragon. I had come all this way to a hot spring and I couldn’t even enjoy it. I had seen all kinds of dragons, but that one was new to me. It didn’t even make sense. No one would believe me if I told them about it. Even I wasn’t certain of my sanity.
I continued to soak in the warm water while giving occasional glances towards the open-air bath, but the dragon wasn’t going anywhere. It was frustrating. With the dragon in there, I couldn’t enjoy the open-air bath. Maybe I should’ve brought Killiam with me. But that would’ve been discomforting in its own way.
Then a thought occurred to me. Maybe I could join the dragon? When I really thought about it, it seemed like there was no way a dangerous creature could enter the open-air baths of a high-class inn. Hot water poured from the mouth of a dragon statue inside. Maybe dragons were a sort of signature of this place?
Dragon baths, is it? I think I prefer normal baths.
I saw the dragon’s neck sticking out of the water. It looked quite pleasant. I didn’t know anything about the facial expressions of dragons, but it looked relaxed. The dragon was a tad large, but there was still plenty of room; I could easily fit in if I wanted to. I had been through all sorts of experiences, but bathing with a dragon would be a first. Not that I had ever felt the desire to.
Maybe I should just give up on the open-air bath.
This was a dragon we were talking about and I had no mana material and couldn’t hurt a fly. Even if the dragon didn’t mean to hurt me, I could still get tossed across the room if it bumped into me by accident.
After sitting with warm water up to my neck, I began to feel dizzy. I had completely forgotten about my plans to give the sauna a visit. Now I didn’t have enough time for that.
Should I join the dragon or not? Can I? Is it safe? Is it dangerous? No. Let’s put ourselves in their shoes. I am a dragon. I’m relaxing in a hot spring and a human comes along to bathe. The human is weak. Unlike those monstrous hunters, this one has no particular powers. I am a dragon. There is next to no chance that I might be hurt.
Would I really bother to attack under those circumstances? No.
With my mind resolved, I stood up. Surely the dragon was a signature part of the inn. Like a pet. I had nothing to fear. Showing fear might only make things worse.
I opened the door to the open-air bath and stood before the dragon with my arms crossed in a bold, assertive pose. Then for no particular reason, the dragon hit me and sent me soaring. I crashed through the glass wall and stumbled into the main bath. My Safety Rings prevented me from taking any damage from the blow or from the broken shards of glass.
The sky-blue dragon glared at me, its doe-eyes glinting in a way that shouldn’t have been possible. My Hounding Chain stood in front of me, as though trying to protect me.
I was confused, but I still managed to let out a shrill cry.
“SITRIII! THERE’S A DRAGON! THERE’S A DRAGOOON!”
I was wrong. It seemed so content that I figured the dragon must be special, but it was just a wild beast.
***
She couldn’t help herself. With sparkling eyes, she gasped at the scenery before her. Tino Shade had only left the imperial capital a few times. She was always busy training and most quests she undertook didn’t require her to go beyond the capital’s walls.
Hunters spent more money on equipment than on lodgings and she had never stayed at an inn that catered to anyone but hunters. It was also her first time seeing such a large hot spring. She had been through a lot since leaving the capital, but what lay before her made her glad she came along on the vacation.
Even the warmly lit changing room made her feel a bit uncomfortable with it all. She turned towards Siddy and, with some hesitation, asked the question that had been on her mind.
“Um, Siddy, regarding the cost...”
“Oh, you don’t need to worry about that, T. Don’t be shy, we earn much more than you do. In fact, it would show a lack of faith in us if you felt the need to hold back on our part.”
Siddy’s words were nonchalant but projected a certain confidence that wouldn’t take no for an answer.
“Th-Thank you very much,” Tino said.
Siddy had a point. Tino was an intermediate hunter, but a famous party like Grieving Souls could easily have had an income hundreds of times greater than hers.
Lizzy had gone off to look for the hot spring dragon so it was just Siddy and Tino in the changing room. Tino was a bit hesitant. In some ways, she found Siddy to be even scarier than Lizzy. But Siddy seemed unconcerned as she undid the sash on her robe.
“I’m sure you’re quite tired, T. Be sure to rest well,” she said in a gentle voice. “You never know when something might happen.”
“O-Okay,” Tino said as she glanced at Siddy.
She undid her robe. Tino had undressed around Lizzy many times, but never around Siddy. A bit flustered, she undressed hastily, but Siddy showed no signs of trepidation. What she saw caused Tino’s eyes to widen, and she held her breath.
Siddy was very pretty.
Tino had seen Lizzy in the altogether before. Lizzy had a boisterous personality and a devil-may-care approach to life and would often bathe in mountain streams in her underwear. She had an excellent figure that carried not an ounce of excess fat. Her tanned skin had an untamed beauty.
But Siddy was different. Tino didn’t know quite what to expect because Siddy always wore a thick robe. But her figure still caught Tino by surprise. Her skin was white as snow and without a single wrinkle. She was slender but still had very feminine curves. One thing Tino had over Lizzy was bust size but Siddy surpassed them both in that regard. It was strange to think those two were sisters.
The work of a Thief required different talents than that of an Alchemist; it was only natural that the two would paint a different silhouette. Still, the small sense of superiority Tino held over Lizzy was crushed by Siddy’s figure.
“What’s the matter, T?”
“N-Nothing. Your gear really hides your figure, doesn’t it?”
Siddy suppressed a giggle and looked at Tino with a perceptive glance. Embarrassed, Tino wanted to dig a hole and hide in it. She was still growing, but she felt she could give up on ever getting ahead of Siddy. If only there was something she could do about that...
Briefly, the image of Evolve Greed, the mask she got from her master, flitted past her mind’s eye. She batted it away. Covering as much of herself as she could with a towel, she shut her locker. But then she noticed Siddy up to something.
“Um, is that for...”
She blinked as her voice trailed off.
Siddy was fastening belts carrying potions to her arms. Those vials secured to her contained multicolored liquids unlike those that Tino used in treasure vaults. She looked at Siddy’s odd pre-bath preparations with wide eyes.
“I don’t need to remind you how Lizzy always keeps Apex Roots on at all times,” Siddy said with a mellow smile. “Hunters need to be prepared for combat at all times.”
“Then, um, is something going to happen?”
“Maybe. Maybe not. Part of preparation is accepting both possibilities.”
“I-I see...”
Not sure if she actually understood or not, Tino forced herself to accept Siddy’s words as truth. Tino had never seen someone make such thorough preparations. But Siddy was leagues smarter than her, so surely she couldn’t be mistaken. This was probably normal among top-tier parties. Not to mention, Siddy was an Alchemist and Alchemists fought with items. So maybe she simply had to stay armed at all times?
Siddy pulled out one last item, a pink squirt gun.
“Thank you for waiting,” she said with a captivating smile. “Shall we go? I’d very much like to chat with you, T.”
Following Siddy, Tino timidly stepped through the door. A pleasant billow of steam fell over her. Just like the inn itself, the baths were unlike anything she had ever seen. The floor was made of smooth stones and felt nice to walk on with bare feet. A subdued yet intricate engraving adorned the walls and a tub large enough for multiple people was filled with transparent water.
Tino and Siddy were the only two present; the only noise in the area was the sound of flowing water echoing off the high ceiling. It gave Tino an odd sense of freedom. With Siddy’s words still on her mind, she strained her eyes and checked the open-air bath, but that was empty too.
Sanitation was a constant source of trouble for hunters on the move. Generally, their only options were to wipe oneself down with a wet towel or to bathe in a spring if there was one available. Mana material prevented hunters from getting too dirty, but that mana material didn’t prevent stress from accumulating. For someone who was still on edge after just recently crossing a mountain range, this hot spring was like a slice of heaven.
This is what luxury looks like, Tino thought. But I can’t let myself get accustomed to being indulged by Master.
She headed to the showers, where she found a wide selection of fine-smelling soaps. These were probably normal for noble girls and the daughters of rich merchants. With just a little bit of anticipation, she picked each one up and gave it a sniff. Her usual soap was the sort meant to mask a body’s scent, which was only a matter of course for a Thief. But she saw no harm in trying something fragrant once in a while.
She sat down, but just as she was about to start lathering she heard a voice from behind her. A slender arm was thrust out right before her eyes. Held by fingers thin and silver like tiny fish was a glass vial filled with something light-purple.
“Here, T, this soap will be far more...appealing to Krai than any regular variety.”
“Huh?”
Tino turned around. Siddy grinned as she looked down at her.
It was obvious that Siddy cared deeply for Krai. Maybe not like a lover would, but those two no doubt shared a deep bond. What could motivate her to lend a helping hand to a mere disciple?
“Care to give it a try? I’m always synthesizing more. But if you’re not interested, then I suppose that’s fine.”
What a devious temptation. Tino didn’t know why Siddy made something like that, but she didn’t go around lying without reason. And her potions were of a quality that anyone in First Steps could vouch for. But if she was always synthesizing more, didn’t that mean she was always using it?
Tino’s cheeks flushed and she shrunk back a bit. When it came down to it, she wanted it. She wanted to give the soap a try. She wanted the praise of her master more than that of anyone else. He might not spare much thought for her, but now a means to draw his attention was right in front of her eyes.
But she couldn’t get the words out of her mouth. With a burning sense of agitation, she cast her eyes downward. Siddy grinned and sat down behind Tino. It wasn’t like she was exposing her back to an enemy, but she still felt an odd shiver run down her spine.
“That’s right. You’re tired, aren’t you? Here, I’ll wash you,” Siddy said in a kind and soothing voice. “You can just relax and let your worries fade away. Rest assured, I’m quite good at massages. Just don’t take your mind off me.”
This was bad. Very bad. Alarm bells were blaring inside Tino’s head. She couldn’t help but let out a small yelp when Siddy’s fingertips brushed against her shoulder. Her heart was beating like a drum. She had to run, but her legs wouldn’t respond. Even if she did run, what good would it do her?
This was a danger unlike any she had ever dealt with. She realized she had made the wrong decision in coming here. Reflected in the mirror before her, Tino could see a smile on Siddy’s lips, but her eyes were cold like a surgeon’s.
Tino should have refused. She should have said she didn’t need any soap (soap that Siddy most likely made for her own purposes) and flatly refused while looking at Siddy like she was deranged.
Siddy’s clever maneuverings were far scarier than Lizzy’s bouts of violence. Tino tried to stand up, but a hand pressed down and kept her still. Using just her right hand, Siddy removed the lid on the glass vial. A thick purple liquid rocked back and forth. Siddy poured a dollop onto her hand and reached for Tino’s shaking back. Just as her fingers were about to make contact, they heard a screaming voice.
“SITRIII! THERE’S A DRAGON! THERE’S A DRAGOOON!”
“A dra...gon?”
Faced with certain peril, Tino’s anxiety was reaching extraordinary heights when she heard those words of rescue. They didn’t make any sense to her, but Siddy’s hands stopped and her smile disappeared as she let out a brief sigh. She quickly rinsed off her hands.
“My, what could be going on over there?” she said to a very relieved Tino. “That’s the men’s bath, but our aid’s been requested and that means we must go. As I recall, the quickest way is through the open-air baths.”
“Huh? Oh, okay. Huuuh?”
How could there possibly be a dragon? They were rumored to be the most powerful mythical beasts out there. Their strength varied, but even the weakest dragons could butcher a human with ease. There should have been a panic the moment a dragon even got close to the town.
Tino was still in a state of bewilderment, but just about anything seemed better than letting Siddy wash her, so she got up and followed after the Alchemist. The open-air baths were in the same direction as the men’s baths and cordoned off by a tall and sturdy wall.
Then something occurred to Tino.
“Siddy! We’re both naked!”
“And what of it? Does that hinder your strikes?”
“That’s—”
Tino paused at this unexpected yet perfectly sound objection. Siddy wasted no time removing a potion from a belt on her arm and hurled it against the wall.
***
It didn’t make any sense. Being attacked by a dragon in a hot spring definitely ranked among my life’s top ten most bizarre experiences. And it happened in a populated town. Just what was the inn’s security doing if a dragon managed to sneak in?
I wasn’t entirely surprised to see it wasn’t satisfied with just batting me away. The dragon rose out of the bath and came towards me, menacingly spreading its wings. I was reminded that a dragon was still a dragon, even if it was a small one. The sight of its spread wings was pretty intimidating.
When you really think about it, it was silly of me to imagine that a hot spring might adopt a dragon. I should’ve realized that before I tried to enter the open-air bath. I guess the allure of the hot spring did me in.
Walking on two legs, the dragon’s feet crunched the shards of broken glass on the floor and stepped into the indoor bath. It must’ve been a really extravagant dragon if it wanted to eat and bathe at the same time. I decided that if the inn staff asked me about my stay then I’d tell them they need sturdier glass panes in the bathing areas. If I got out alive, that is.
I forced my weary body to get up and just barely managed to put some distance between the dragon and myself. My Safety Rings, still close at hand, were useless unless someone came and fought off the monster. My Hounding Chain bravely stood in front of me, but unfortunately, it had next to no attack power.
The rational part of my brain was telling me to hurry up and run inside the inn. But then the hungry hungry dragon would follow after me. I didn’t want to see such a nice building get destroyed and as a hunter (even if in the most basic sense of the word) I wanted to prevent any civilians from getting hurt. Besides, a dragon wasn’t something you could easily escape no matter how much you tried.
I had called for Sitri and was certain she would come running. As the dragon slowly closed in on me, I held out the palms of my hands. I calmed myself and tried to buy some time.
“Relax, can’t you see? Look at all these Relics I’m wearing! If you eat me, they’ll definitely get stuck in your throat and you don’t want that.”
What a pathetic bargaining attempt it was. Definitely entered into my career’s “Top Ten Most Pathetic Negotiations.” While I began to lose my grip on reality, the dragon opened its jaw as though to let out a sort of “roar.” Its maw was lined with fangs sharp as daggers. This monster had been enjoying a nice soak in the hot spring yet it still had all the usual features of a dragon. What a cruel joke.
I looked around. We were in a hot spring so of course there wasn’t anything that could be used as a weapon. Even if there was, I wouldn’t have been able to do much with it. All I saw were warm baths that I hadn’t even been able to enjoy yet.
Without any better options, I got in the water. The dragon cocked its head as though it were looking at something very befuddling. The strangely humanlike gesture caused me to laugh out loud.
I was completely desperate. The dragon slowly stepped into the bath and began to corner me. It paid no mind to my Hounding Chain as it coiled around one of its wings. Scores and scores of people made their living as hunters, but I was fairly certain I was the only one who’d ever bathed with a dragon. I was definitely going to brag about it once I got back to the capital.
Then, my goofy train of thought was cut off by a sudden flash outside. For a moment, all I could see was white light. The remaining shards of glass were blown away and a noise shook me to my core. A wave formed in the bath and came crashing down on my head.
I wiped the water off my face and opened my eyes. The dragon twitched and turned around. The open-air bath was barely recognizable. Stepping over a destroyed wall were Sitri and Tino, both wearing towels. Sitri spotted me and gave me her usual grin. I nodded back like this was all perfectly normal.
Oh, come on. What kind of vacation is this?
***
After breaking into the men’s bath with Siddy, Tino failed to comprehend what she saw before her. Her master was bathing with a sky-blue dragon. She forgot that she was supposed to be on edge and simply rubbed her eyes while making sure not to drop her towel. It seemed she really wasn’t hallucinating.
Half submerged in the hot water, her master looked perfectly calm. He wore the smile of someone content with the world. The unfamiliar dragon growled when it saw Siddy and Tino.
He called us, but not because he wanted to be rescued? What’s he doing? Tino wondered.
When she really thought about it, it didn’t make any sense for the strong to ask for help from the weak. She also recalled her master’s words; he had cried out, but he hadn’t actually mentioned anything about rescuing. She had assumed that shouting about the presence of a dragon must be a call for help, but the Thousand Tricks was a Dragon Slayer.
She brushed aside her bashfulness and took a step back as she prepared for a potential dragon attack. Tino was almost completely unclothed, only a small towel was wrapped around her. She didn’t have her usual knives nor was she wearing shoes. A hot spring wasn’t a place you normally expected to find a dragon.
Even though she was largely defenseless, Tino was relatively calm. That was because Siddy was at her side. At first, Tino struggled to understand why Siddy had brought potions with her into the hot spring, but she shouldn’t have doubted a seasoned hunter.
The potion used to destroy the wall was far more deadly than any ordinary concoction. Alchemists were supposed to be ill-suited for combat, but apparently, that didn’t apply to the best of the lot. However, even such a seasoned hunter couldn’t have predicted this situation. Siddy blinked and asked the exact question that was on Tino’s mind.
“What are you doing?”
“Isn’t it obvious?” Krai said.
No, Master, it’s not, Tino thought.
Dragons tended to have strength proportional to their size. The sky-blue dragon was small for its kin, which meant it wasn’t one of the stronger varieties. Maybe this was one of those hot spring dragons that Lizzy had gone to look for.
But it was still a dragon. A weak dragon was still a dragon, a monster among monsters, king of the mythical beasts. In all lands and ages, the accolade of Dragon Slayer was a sign of might. But in the whole wide world, Tino’s master was probably the only person to casually bathe with a dragon. How do you even find yourself in such a position in the first place?
The dragon seemed to recognize Tino and Siddy as potential threats and spread its wings as it rose from the bath. Piping hot water splashed against the floor, blue wings shimmered, and scales sparkled. The Hounding Chain wrapped around the dragon’s body appeared to give up and stop fighting.
After some brief deliberations, Siddy clapped her hands.
“I’ve got it,” she said. “Well then, take it from here, T.”
“Huh?!”
The dragon lumbered forward on two legs. Siddy gripped Tino’s shoulders and hid behind the panicking Thief. In an instant, the dragon turned and swung its long, sleek tail like a whip.
“A dragon this big shouldn’t be too much for you, right, T?” Siddy whispered into Tino’s ear.
“Huh? Huh?”
Tino instinctively took a few steps back. Siddy was supposed to be using her as a shield, but the two didn’t collide. She must’ve anticipated Tino’s movements and dashed to the side. Tino caught a glimpse of Siddy in her peripheral vision. The Alchemist took advantage of the opening left by the dragon’s attack to dash past the creature and hop into the bath.
“Siddy?!” Tino yelled in protest.
“Good luck, T! I’m rooting for you!”
It seemed Tino’s protests fell on deaf ears. Siddy wrapped her arms around those of Tino’s master and grinned. Tino had been betrayed, but it was too late for her to do anything about it.
The dragon had been able to swing its tail with terrifying swiftness. Tino didn’t know if it could fly but she saw it had all the usual trademarks of a dragon such as wings, fangs, and claws. It moved slowly but it wasn’t going to be easy to fight while keeping her towel from slipping off. Kicking was off the table, but maybe that wasn’t a good way to attack a dragon in the first place.
Perhaps she could defeat the dragon if she had all her equipment and was in perfect condition. But her lack of gear gave her a serious handicap and this was her first time fighting a dragon.
“Master, wasn’t this supposed to be a vacation?!” she yelled while watching for an opening in the dragon.
“What do you mean, T? You got to bathe in the hot spring, didn’t you?” Sitri asked.
“No! Not yet!”
As Tino was being overwhelmed with tension, confusion, and a bit of embarrassment, the dragon swung its head upwards—a sign that it was about to attack with its breath. Tino swiftly rolled out of the way.
And then she saw the attack, she saw the dragon shoot hot water from its mouth. With immense power, the jet of water erupted and smashed into the spot where Tino had just been standing. Droplets splashed in every direction and a small gash was made in the floor. Carrying the momentum from her roll, Tino stood back up.
“What is this thing?!” she screamed despite herself. “Is this some kind of joke?!”
“Perhaps you should quit shrieking and hurry up? It’s just a hot spring dragon!”
Tino was shocked by Siddy’s cruelty, but she couldn’t let that hold her up.
The farcical dragon puffed out its chest as though trying to display its majesty. Even if this earned her the title Dragon Slayer, she’d be too embarrassed to use it.
Tino’s only lifeline was her master, but was still as a stone and looked as content as the Buddha. She accepted the reality: this was a Trial, just as Siddy had said. Probably. Most likely. Her master was doing this for her.
It’s too much, Master.
Tino fought back her tears and took a desperate step towards the farcical dragon.
***
The sky-blue dragon slid across the floor and rolled onto its back. Nearby, Tino was kneeling and covering herself with her hands.
“I can’t believe you, Master,” she moaned between ragged breaths.
Woooah, Tino, were you always this strong?
She wasn’t wearing the mask like she had during her fight with Arnold, but her movements had been perfect. The sight of someone small like Tino kicking about a stubby dragon was like something out of a comedy routine.
Tino’s shredded towel was discarded nearby. I couldn’t blame her for deciding it wasn’t worth the trouble. I didn’t know if that was related to the fact that her movements then became fast as lighting.
I intended to step in and say something if things got serious, but the battle ended without that being necessary. Don’t worry, I made sure to look away. I was a pro when it came to not seeing things.
Sitri, the war criminal of the hour, returned from the changing room with a towel. Tino blamed me for what had happened, but I had assumed Sitri would do something. I bore no fault. Well, maybe I shared some of the responsibility.
“Oh, you fought really well, Tino. Good job, good job,” I said consolingly.
“Hm?! Damn you, Master,” Tino said with a sniffle.
She wrapped her arms around herself but to little effect. Sitri draped the towel over Tino.
“Have you learned the importance of preparation?” Sitri asked.
With tears in her eyes, Tino didn’t say anything and simply nodded vigorously. Sitri stroked Tino’s hair, but was she really in any position to do that? I looked over the ruined bathing area and the twitching dragon on the floor before letting out a sigh.
“But most people don’t anticipate dragon encounters in a hot spring,” I said.
Tino looked at me incredulously. There was no need for that. I loved hot springs but even I wouldn’t enter one if I thought I might get attacked by a dragon.
Looks like my only option is the open-air bath in our room.
***
“Let’s get started,” Arnold said.
His party roared in response. Only faint traces of fear could be found in their determined expressions. Chloe watched them with uncertainty. After resting in a nearby village, Arnold made his decision: they would press forward.
This was no longer a matter of simple revenge. The hunters of Falling Fog all had a glint in their eyes. Standing next to them, Rhuda and the hunters of Scorching Whirlwind all wore stony expressions. This was hunters doing what they were born to do.
They knew there were smarter ways to go about this. However, the pride and mutual trust among the members of Falling Fog simply wouldn’t permit them to turn tail before a treasure vault that the Thousand Tricks had been able to fight his way into. For similar reasons, the much lower-level hunters of Scorching Whirlwind chose to come along.
All that was left for them was to put their might and mettle to the test. And if that was their decision, Chloe couldn’t turn around either. Not an iota of animus remained in Arnold’s eyes. Night Palace wasn’t so easy that it could be challenged by a mind weighed down by negative emotions.
The towering castle before them was just as imposing as it had been a few days prior. The churning thunderclouds, the eerie calm that pervaded the eye of the storm, it was all still there. That meant this gloomy state was normal for a Level 8 treasure vault.
Arnold gulped and simply said: “This will settle it.”
The meaning of this wasn’t lost on Chloe. These hunters had come to terms with the difficulty of the vault before them. They would gain firsthand experience of a treasure vault that the Thousand Tricks had likely delved into with only a small handful of allies. By doing so, they would both regain their respect for the hunter and allow them to move on from their dispute with him.
Eigh abruptly furrowed his brow as a doubtful look formed on his face.
“I don’t see a carriage,” he said. “Are they really in there?”
Everyone looked around. They had an unobstructed view of the surrounding plains and couldn’t spy a single monster, to say nothing of a carriage.
“They should be there,” Arnold said. “There were no signs they were bluffing. Not that it matters any longer.”
Eigh forced a smile to his lips and laughed.
“No need to tell me. We’ll follow you wherever you go.”
The massive gates opened, almost as though to welcome Arnold. A cold breeze rushed over the hunters.
And so the Crashing Lightning and Falling Fog began their endeavor.
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