Hot Springs

With a boisterous sound, Aria returned with someone.

“Long time no see, everyone.”

Kane said from behind. I turned my head, feeling sad as the hand that had been patting my head moved away. I expected only Kane, but Ricardo was next to him.

They probably met by chance at the station and came together.

Ricardo, meeting my gaze, waved with a smile.

“Department Head, haven’t you changed too much in just two months?”

Ricardo, saying that, also seemed to have trained hard during the vacation, as he had a more solid atmosphere. The expression ‘increased density’ suits him.

I got up from my seat and gave him a friendly hug. As I patted Ricardo and Kane on the back, Aria, feeling envious, quickly came and wrapped her arms around us.

“I missed you too!!!”

Everyone chuckled at Aria’s words. Luna also came and leaned against my back, hugging us with difficulty.

“I missed everyone too….”

Everyone nodded at Luna’s words. There wasn’t a single person here who didn’t miss each other.

Like small animals huddling together to share warmth against the cold wind, we rely on each other in the small society called the Academy. Grateful for being together.

“Everyone seems happy to see each other after a long time. I’ve prepared a delicious lunch, so please eat and catch up on all the conversations you’ve missed.”

At the words of Aria’s mother, Lisa-ssi, the members surrounding me stepped away. In the meantime, someone secretly pinched my back. I gave Aria, who was pretending not to know, a light flick on the forehead.

“It wasn’t me!”

Watching Aria shout as if she was wronged, I smiled slyly.

“I didn’t say it was you, though?”

Aria, rolling her eyes, smiled bashfully and shouted.

“…Let’s eat lunch!”

***

It was a pleasant meal. Perhaps because it was the first time we had met in two months, we continued talking for over an hour even after the meal was over.

As soon as someone finished telling one story about what happened during the vacation, another person would start a new story as if they had been waiting for it, so if it weren’t for Aria’s mother’s words, we would have stayed in our seats until evening.

Aria, at her mother’s words, took out the schedule she had forgotten and explained it to us.

The schedule, which she had diligently written in a notebook, was honestly a tight schedule that was no different from training, so after a meeting, we simplified it a bit.

As expected, when the schedule she had diligently written was changed, Aria puffed up her cheeks, expressing that she was sulking.

Thanks to Kane, who drew aggro by saying, ‘You look fatter when you do that,’ Aria’s anger was focused only on Kane.

With Aria’s words that we would have dinner at the hot springs, we left Aria’s house and headed to Mount Boldt.

As the name ‘Snow Mountain’ suggests, it was a snow-covered, pure white mountain, but with so many tourists, it felt like colorful paints were sprinkled on a pure white canvas when viewed from afar.

“There’s a hot spring run by our family in the middle of Mount Boldt! It’s huge!”

As Aria explained, a huge wooden building boasting its size from the entrance of the mountain came into view.

The size was impressive, but the craftsmanship felt in the small details showed that a lot of effort had been put into attracting tourists.

The building in the middle of the mountain was divided into two wings. The main building, ‘Boldt Hot Springs,’ with a huge hot spring, and the annex, ‘Boldt Hotel,’ where travelers can rest.

I prefer popular things that attract the satisfaction of many people. The word ‘popular’ means a stable choice that doesn’t require gambling.

Of course, it sometimes hits you in the back of the head. But it’s really rare.

Seeing that there are many users, it seems like I can look forward to the hot springs.

As soon as we entered the main building, an employee with a kind impression approached us.

“Welcome. Aria-agassi, I will take you to your reserved room right away.”

“Okay, thank you!”

I followed behind Aria, who was walking confidently. Perhaps because it was a wooden building, there was a creaking sound every time we walked down the hallway.

It wasn’t an annoying sound, but a sound that represented the unique atmosphere of a wooden building, so it sounded good.

It may be because the interior design, simply decorated with wood, is so cool that I think that way.

The place the employee guided us to was quite a spacious room. Judging from the five blankets in the corner, it seems Aria was thinking of a sleepover.

My passionate reunion with Luna was unfortunately postponed again.

“It’s a wooden building, but this building has as much magic as our club room. Noise prevention, space expansion, temperature control, heat resistance….”

Listening to Aria’s enthusiastic explanation, I looked around the room. As she explained, there was definitely something like a circuit diagram beautifully engraved on the pillars.

A magic kettle and cups to easily boil tea.

A magic refrigerator with cool drinks and a gray hot spring gown. It has almost everything you need.

We immediately changed into our gowns and headed to the hot springs. Fortunately, there was something like a mobile wall in the room, so Luna and Aria could change behind it.

“Then see you later!”

At the fork in the hallway, Aria waved to us and disappeared, arm in arm with Luna.

Unfortunately, there was no mixed bathing here. But I was quite satisfied just knowing that other men couldn’t see Luna’s hidden figure.

I was worried that it would be uncomfortable to enjoy the hot springs because there were so many users, but fortunately, that was an unfounded fear.

As befitting the huge size of the main building, there were several types of hot springs inside.

There’s even a cold bath with ice floating at the end, which is a must.

When I entered the locker room, there was a detailed guide to using the hot springs on the wall.

As I was settling in and taking off my clothes, I felt someone’s blatant gaze.

Turning my head without thinking, I met the eyes of a blue-eyed man hiding behind a display case.

Pretending it was a coincidence, I subtly avoided his gaze and thought.

Why the hell is that bastard here?

The person secretly stealing glances at my body with an observing gaze was the nameless man who had been fighting with me over Luna since the station.

Could it be that he’s not after Luna, but me…?

The man who was observing my naked body lowered his gaze and nodded his head as if he had passed something, which made my anxiety even greater.

I ran out of the locker room as if fleeing. Fortunately, he doesn’t seem to have any intention of following me this far.

With a sigh of relief, I washed my body briefly and entered a nearby bath.

I don’t know if it’s because of the space expansion magic or if it’s just naturally large, but it’s so big that it could be called a swimming pool.

Various stones were carved beautifully, and the water looked cloudy as if it had white powder in it. It was a typical hot spring water.

I closed my eyes for a moment and felt the heat of the hot springs. When I opened my eyes slightly at the sound of someone entering, I saw Kane, who had tied up her long hair, swimming away like a frog.

Belatedly, Ricardo lowered himself into the bath, immersing his body up to his chin in the hot spring.

Glancing at Ricardo, my eyes were drawn to the numerous scars on his forearms. They weren’t there before, so they stood out even more.

Ricardo, noticing my gaze, smiled and said.

“These are traces of training with my father. I want to show you the results of my vacation, but I’ll hold back today. But you can look forward to how strong I’ve become.”

“I’ll return those words to you. I’m not the same person you knew before.”

Ricardo smiled and, like me, deeply immersed himself in the bath. The ceiling was open, and the sunlight shining in the sky was warm.

The heat of the hot springs spread throughout my body, making me feel drowsy.

Just as I was thinking that I wanted to close my eyes and sleep, Kane approached with the sound of swimming beyond the steam.

“Your body got a lot better during the summer. Trying to look better for Luna?”

“Luna already takes good care of me.”

Luna finds even the advantages I don’t know about and praises me.

It was even better because it was praise that felt unadorned and sincere.

Luna is not only pretty, but she also speaks beautifully. Unlike me, she has so many advantages.

“You two are such a good-looking couple that I can’t even argue.”

Kane, who came to my side and immersed himself up to his chin like me, continued to speak while looking at the steam.

“…When I got home, I realized how good it was to be with you guys. Actually, from the first day, I was counting down the days until the vacation was over.”

At Kane’s nonchalant words, I put my mouth in the hot spring water and exhaled.

Bubble bubble, bubbles appeared and disappeared.

After organizing my thoughts for a moment, I took my mouth out of the hot spring water and said.

“Then stay at the Academy during the winter vacation. If you want, I’ll take care of the tuition.”

While receiving Lycan’s training, I experienced the penalty of continuing the battle several times.

The simple repetitive action of picking up beads is good for thinking about various things, so I thought about Kane in various ways like the other members.

“…That’s kind of you to say. But it’s okay. I have to go back to my family in the winter. I have something to do.”

Could the reason she has to return to her family be because Kane is an illegitimate child?

I was curious about what kind of life she had during the vacation, but it was a sensitive topic, so it wasn’t easy to bring it up without alcohol.

And she didn’t seem to want to talk about her family.

I thought for a moment and said in a cautious voice.

“Is that so? Still, I didn’t just say it. Tell me anytime if you change your mind. You don’t have to feel pressured. I’m a commoner, but my older brother’s girlfriend is a crown princess. Thanks to her, I got a lot of pocket money.”

To reduce Kane’s burden, I deliberately brought up Bella’s story as a joke.

“Or you can become the top of the Alchemy Department next year and get a scholarship.”

Kane, who had been looking into the distance for a moment at my words, smiled and turned to me.

“Yeah, next year too… please take care of me, Department Head.”

She said it while smiling next to me, but for some reason, I felt like Kane’s voice was coming from afar.