Ch.264Chapter 264 – Hot Springs (2)

After the incident with Eve at the hot spring.

Perhaps because I had soaked in the hot spring for too long, by the time I managed to calm my heated body, evening had already approached.

‘Ugh, damn it.’

I reluctantly got up after finally calming down and headed to the dining hall, where several of my companions were already seated and eating.

I spotted Beatrice drinking with Asam and Sia, while nearby, Chris was laughing and eating meat dishes with Kara. When I arrived, Beatrice raised her bottle in greeting, and Chris stood up from her chair and approached me.

“Coming for dinner?”

“Yeah. Where’s everyone else?”

When I asked Chris, she scratched her cheek lightly and replied.

“Eina just went into the hot spring… and the others apparently ate earlier, before we arrived.”

“I see.”

I nodded quietly after hearing Chris’s explanation.

‘…She must be preparing herself before coming.’

Judging from Eve’s comment about coming at night, she might be performing some kind of ritual to steel herself beforehand.

While I was thinking that I should eat well and wait, Chris clung to my arm and said:

“Eat with me.”

“Is that okay?”

“Kara and I just started eating… and you can’t drink alcohol, right?”

I nodded at Chris’s words.

I wasn’t sure about Sia or Asam’s drinking capacity, but Beatrice was over there.

“Can’t Kei drink alcohol?”

“That’s right. He’s surprisingly weak with alcohol.”

Beatrice answered Sia’s question with a sly smile.

Then she took a big gulp of her drink and looked at me teasingly.

“Mmm, this is delicious, but the helmet can’t have any.”

“If I drink, I can’t handle the aftermath.”

At the very least, I’d probably get scolded by Eve.

I have no intention of drinking anyway, but it doesn’t hurt to be careful.

When I joined Chris and Kara’s table, Kara was looking at me with a somewhat displeased expression.

“Got a problem?”

“No.”

After saying that, Kara glanced at Chris once and then silently continued with her meal.

Just as I was about to speak to Kara, Chris cut a piece of large meat and offered it to me.

“Try this first while you’re waiting, Sir Kei.”

“No, I can manage on my own…”

“Please try it.”

I tried to decline, but Chris was insistent.

With no choice, I accepted and ate the meat that was already pushed right in front of me.

“Delicious, right?”

“Indeed.”

When I answered honestly about the well-cooked meat, Chris smiled.

Then she cut herself a rather large piece of meat and began eating as if it was her portion.

“Now that I think about it, you eat quite normally, surprisingly.”

“Pardon?”

Chris looked at me, not understanding what I meant.

After chewing for a while, she seemed to realize something, swallowed what she was eating, and spoke.

“Well, even though I became a god, I surprisingly still do all the normal things. Eating, sleeping, and…”

She stopped there and coughed lightly.

Then she continued.

“I did become a god, but in everyday life, there’s surprisingly little difference from when I was human. Maybe it’s because I’m not a proper god? Of course, there are things I can do now and things that have changed since becoming a god.”

After muttering that, she soon looked at me and said:

“…Whatever the case, I still need to eat meals and sleep like humans do.”

“That must be inconvenient.”

Though it would be natural as a human, I couldn’t help but comment when she said there wasn’t much difference in living as a god compared to living as a person. However, Chris smiled brightly and replied:

“Is it? I think it depends on how you look at it. If I didn’t need to eat at all, if I never felt hungry, I might not be able to enjoy delicious meat dishes like this or have meals together with Kara and you, Sir Kei.”

Chris continued as she cut and ate more meat.

“I don’t know if it’s because I’m lacking something… but I think I’d dislike being isolated just because I’m a god.”

“I see.”

Even as a god, Chris hasn’t changed.

Feeling a strange sense of relief at that fact, I smiled and said:

“Let’s eat together often from now on.”

“Yes! We’ll have plenty of opportunities since we’re traveling together anyway.”

After saying that, Chris twisted her fingers slightly and added:

“Often together in the future… and since I’m just like a human, all sorts of things are possible…”

Whatever fantasy was playing out in her head, Chris glanced at me with a slight smile forming on her lips.

Seeing Chris like that, Kara looked at me with disapproval.

“How nice for you. I guess there’s no room for me after all.”

“…Do you dislike that Chris seems taken with me?”

“Not at all. I’ve only known her for a few days, and you’ve been traveling together for a while, so if anything, I was the one taking her away.”

Despite saying that, Kara glanced at Chris and me again.

I casually remarked to Kara:

“…Do you like Chris that much?”

“I can tell exactly what you’re thinking from your tone. Let me make it clear that if I were to date, I’d prefer a normal relationship with a man.”

Kara glared at me as she spoke.

Then she looked at Chris, who was still lost in her fantasy, and me, sighed lightly, and turned to me.

“But… yes. I would like to say that I hope you take good care of Christina.”

“I will, even without you saying so.”

Because Chris is a precious companion.

Kara sighed and muttered quietly:

“She’s so obviously showing how much she likes you, but are you really oblivious? Or just pretending to be?”

I deliberately pretended not to hear Kara’s words and started eating the food that had been placed in front of me.

Soon, Chris returned from her daydream and tried to improve the atmosphere between Kara and me by making various conversations. Beatrice, Sia, and Asam, who had been drinking nearby, joined in, making it a lively dinner.

+

After the dinner that was more enjoyable than expected.

Upon returning to my room, I nodded quietly and said:

“Shall we begin?”

I slowly moved toward the bath in the room.

Similar to the lodgings in Albheim, each room here had its own bath, with a structure that allowed hot spring water to be drawn in.

After filling the tub to an appropriate depth, I took out a bottle from my pocket.

“She said to pour this in.”

When I poured the medicine that Sera had given me just before coming here into the water, a subtle green hue mixed with the hot spring water in the tub.

After carefully preparing and cautiously entering the bath, I placed the healing stone near my heart.

‘…This is comfortable.’

The warm water, now mixed with the medicine, seeped into my body.

And perhaps because of it, the power of the healing stone seemed to strengthen a bit.

Along with the relief from fatigue, my heart began to feel a little more at ease.

‘So this is recuperation.’

That was what Eve had mentioned as the reason for deciding on the hot spring trip.

Of course, it was also true that everyone had worked hard and needed a break.

But the main reason was probably me.

As much as she might have wanted to take action immediately, she probably thought we should stabilize my condition first before proceeding.

‘Let’s rest.’

They’ve shown consideration for me.

The best way to repay them is to accept it fully and get as healthy as possible.

With that thought, I surrendered to the rising warmth and the effects of the medicine.

I could feel my warmed body becoming somewhat more stable.

“It’s quiet.”

I surrendered to the drowsiness that was gradually rising. Fortunately, perhaps because the surroundings were quiet, my inner turmoil subsided quickly, and my body and mind began to regain vitality.

And memories of times with my companions began to surface one by one.

Eating together, talking together…

Finally, I recalled the enjoyable dinner we just had.

“…A little more.”

A little more—I wished I could spend more pleasant days with them.

I placed my hand on my heart, contemplating this honest desire.

In the end, I also remembered that there were still mountains to climb to make that happen.

Around that time, for some reason, the skin on my face felt a bit cold, and when I touched it, I noticed it was slightly sweaty.

The hot water I had drawn had also become lukewarm.

‘Time flies.’

It seemed that soaking in the bath while lost in various thoughts had consumed a lot of time.

I got up, dried myself, and lay down on the bed in light clothing.

And just as I was about to place the healing stone on my chest and think about the thoughts I had earlier and the things to come—

-Knock knock

Someone started knocking on the door.

And from behind the door, a small voice that seemed a bit hesitant was heard.

“…It’s me, Kei…”

“Sera?”

I recognized who it was from the familiar voice.

“Wait a moment.”

“Okay.”

After Sera’s response, I quickly got up from the bath and put on a robe.

Pushing aside the tub I had set up, I opened the door to find Sera waiting outside.

“You can come in.”

“Excuse me.”

Sera entered my room with slightly hurried steps.

After carefully closing the door, I saw that Sera had already sat down on my bed.

From there, she looked at the bath where I had just been soaking.

“It seems you just used the medicine?”

“That’s what it was given for.”

I said, lightly shaking Sera’s medicine bottle that I had placed on the table.

“So, what brings you here?”

“Ah, I wanted to give you another medicine.”

Sera said as she took out a bottle from her pocket and, pointing to the medicine I had used earlier, continued:

“From now on, use this together with that medicine.”

“Is this newly made?”

“I would have liked to, but… it’s a mixture of existing ones in the right proportions.”

Sera began to explain about the medicine in detail.

After listening attentively to her explanation and noting the precautions for the medicine, I nodded, and Sera smiled brightly.

“Then, please make sure to follow the precautions while you’re staying here, okay?”

“I will.”

I responded while looking at the brightly smiling Sera.

Then, looking around, I began to speak about something that had just occurred to me.

“It feels like it’s been a while. Just the two of us.”

“We’ve been together intermittently, haven’t we?”

“Well, that’s true. But it feels like it’s been a while since we’ve been comfortably alone together.”

It might not have been that long, but somehow it felt like a long time now.

Soon, Sera and I looked at each other and smiled.

“It reminds me of the Kingdom of Mikea.”

“You mean that cheap inn?”

Sera said with a laugh.

And soon, she gently sat down beside me.

For a while, we talked to each other.

“When we first met, I thought a backpack was walking around.”

“At first, I thought you were a suspicious person.”

Starting with our first meeting, we shared memories with each other.

“You used to wake me up every morning.”

“I still do.”

We laughed together as we talked about the past.

It felt like we had gone through so many different experiences.

With each story, Sera’s eyes grew brighter and her face lit up.

‘That’s right.’

A beautiful face should indeed be bright.

Looking at Sera’s brightened face, I too felt as if a heavy burden had been lifted.

Looking at her face, I quietly said:

“…It would be nice if we could stay together.”

The honest thought I had earlier.

I shared that thought with Sera.

Sera didn’t respond.

‘Oops.’

The atmosphere became a bit strange.

I immediately looked at Sera, intending to cover up my slip of the tongue.

And I was a bit surprised to see Sera’s face.

“Sera?”

Sera’s face had turned red.

She was placing her hand on her chest as if trying to calm herself down.

After giving her a moment to compose herself, she took a deep breath and said:

“What do you mean by that?”

Sera looked at me quietly as she spoke.

I could see a slight expectation in her eyes.

After pondering for a moment, I cautiously watched her reaction and said:

“…I meant that it’s enjoyable and happy to be with everyone.”

“Everyone…”

She seemed slightly disappointed.

I quickly added:

“Being here with you now is also enjoyable and happy.”

I said to Sera.

“I was thinking that I want to be with Sera in the future too.”

It was the truth.

Because I want to be with everyone a little longer.

If asked whether there was a special meaning behind it, honestly, I couldn’t deny it.

“With me…”

Sera muttered with a slightly flushed face.

And as if wanting to confirm again, she looked at me and said:

“…Really?”

“Yes.”

Sera and I exchanged glances for a moment.

Then Sera muttered something quietly.

“…The actual meaning is with everyone… but I already knew that, so… well, if I’m going to do it, might as well do it now…”

“Sera?”

Just as I was about to ask what she was thinking.

Sera’s face suddenly grew larger.

I felt the warmth of her lips on mine.

Having experienced this before, I accepted her lips without panic, and after a moment.

Sera pulled away from me.

“Kei.”

Sera looked up at me with a determined face.

“Before, when we were fighting Phobia… do you remember?”

“Yes, I remember.”

Phobia, Kara, Emiris who borrowed Kara’s body…

I remembered the series of formidable opponents that had appeared one after another.

“Do you remember what you promised me then?”

“Promise?”

I searched my memory for a moment.

What promise did I make back then?

As I continued to search my memory.

Soon, I remembered one thing.

“You asked for a reward.”

“Yes.”

Sera took a deep breath as if relieved.

“We’re resting now, right? So I thought it would be better to receive the reward quickly now…”

“I see.”

I nodded in understanding at Sera’s words.

And then, one thing struck me as odd.

‘…What is she going to ask for?’

This hot spring, while nice, honestly doesn’t offer much beyond the hot springs and meals.

If she wanted me to buy her something as a reward, I wouldn’t be able to do so here.

‘It would be more reasonable to ask at a market in our next destination.’

I don’t think Sera would be unaware of such a basic thing.

‘So she’s not asking me to buy her something.’

Then what is she trying to request, coming to see me at this hour?

“Um, you remember, right? You won’t refuse?”

“Yes.”

I smiled at the seemingly frightened Sera.

I was the one who promised to give her a reward.

Promises are meant to be kept.

‘Though I seem to break them quite often…’

Still, I think I try to keep them as much as possible.

After hesitating for a while, Sera took something out from her pocket as if gathering courage.

Sera drank a pink potion with a strange glow in one gulp, and quietly muttered:

“…Good thing I made it strawberry flavored.”

“Sera?”

Sera didn’t answer me and took several deep breaths.

Then, with determined eyes, she looked at me and said:

“Kei.”

“Yes.”

“Sleep with me tonight.”

“Huh?”

After saying that, Sera stood up from the bed.

Then she gently approached the door.

Looking straight at me, she said:

“…Because I can no longer control these feelings.”

Sera said as if entranced.

And with a click.

The lock on the room was secured.