Urza-san invited me to a hot spring.
I wasn't familiar with hot springs, but apparently, they were just large outdoor baths. Since arriving in this village, I had taken many baths and found myself interested in the concept. I agreed to go.
I had let my guard down, though. It was a complete blunder.
Using Count Chrome’s teleportation magic, about a dozen of us, including Urza-san and me, were transported to the hot spring. I was surprised to find a rather substantial building there, but considering the scale of the Village Head's mansion, it wasn't something to make a scene over.
A woman named Yor-san came out to greet us, but I couldn't take my eyes off the massive wooden weapon that seemed to follow her every move. What in the world was that? She explained that she moved it with her magic. I see. She had even given it a name.
Wait—was Yor-san actually weeping? She was lamenting her separation from the wooden weapon just because she had to step inside the building for a moment. Honestly, looking at its size, I didn't think there was any way to bring that thing indoors anyway. The High Elf ladies told me not to worry about it, so I decided to put it out of my mind.
The hot spring itself was incredible, easily a hundred times more spacious than I had imagined. Was all of this really hot water? This entire vast area was just for the women’s bath? It was staggering. The temperature varied depending on the spot, and the depth changed as well.
Ten meters deep? Had they been building ships here? Oh, it was for dragons. I see. At any rate, it was a hot spring, and I was going in.
Until recently, I would have been embarrassed to let anyone see me naked, even other women, but I had grown used to it at the mansion. Baths were for nakedness. Hot springs were for nakedness. It was a matter of culture.
Or so I thought.
"Urza-san, what is that?"
She explained it was a bathing garment—clothes meant specifically for entering a hot spring. I see, I see. It was outdoors, after all. There was a chance one might be suddenly exposed to the opposite sex. Maintaining such caution was the mark of a refined lady.
"Please, give me a bathing garment as well."
Composing myself, I prepared to enter. First, I poured hot water over myself to wash my body. That was only natural. But as I was rinsing myself with the hot water, I felt a strange presence behind me. I wondered if it was someone’s idea of a prank.
It wasn't. It was a lion.
It was massive, at least three meters long. An adult lion... a lion magic beast. It had a mane, so it was a male. This was the women’s bath! Even as that thought crossed my mind, I was paralyzed with fear. The beast was clearly intimidating me.
Then the reality of my situation hit me. I didn't have any weapons. I had completely let my guard down. I had to create distance and escape. If I could get back to the building, I had knives. I doubted I could win even with them, but I wouldn't go down without a fight. Even if I lost, I was determined to take out an eye or a leg.
Just as I resolved to move, another adult lion magic beast appeared—this one without a mane. It seemed the first one had reinforcements. This was hardly fair. I abandoned all other thoughts and fled at full speed.
Magic beast or not, a lion was still a lion. They had incredible explosive power but lacked endurance. If I sprinted at full capacity, I might be able to outrun them. I desperately hoped that was true.
Then I saw them. The lion magic beasts were flying.
That was cheating.
Suddenly, I remembered the Chimera Project being researched at a facility back in the Gorunzen Kingdom. I had gone there once to observe. If I recalled correctly, they were trying to graft flight capabilities onto a lion base. Could these be the same lions from back then? Had they recognized me and decided to take out their frustrations?
I was just an observer; I hadn't done anything to them! Besides, that was seven or eight years ago. They were incredibly vindictive. No, wait—my figure had changed considerably since those days, so how could they have known it was me? Don't tell me I hadn't changed at all... No, my chest and hips had definitely grown. I was sure of it.
There was no use in escaping reality. I was cornered in the forest by two lion magic beasts. I really hadn't done anything to them!
Wait, I did give them food. That's right. Even though I was supposed to be there for an observation, they had put me to work doing menial labor. I was the one who cleaned their rooms. Didn't they remember? If they did, I hoped they would forgive me. I scanned the area for an opening to escape, but there was none.
Was this the end for me?
Fortunately, it wasn't. The lion magic beasts seemed to remember that I had looked after them. Seeing me trembling in terror, the two of them seemed satisfied and stopped their intimidation. They had always been like that, hadn't they? It was almost nostalgic.
"Ah, wait! Don't leave me alone in the forest! I’m only wearing a bathing garment!"
I returned to the hot spring accompanied by the two lion monsters. I thanked them for the guidance. Along the way, more memories surfaced. The male’s name was Lashal, and the female was Damarti. I was the one who had named them. Calling them No. 21 and No. 22 had felt too heartless. They might have different names here, but I was happy they remembered me. I wasn't in much of a position to say so, but I was glad they were doing well.
They even had children. If possible, I really wanted them to tell their children to stop intimidating me. We were complete strangers, after all.
Finally, I was ready to actually get into the water. The forest had been freezing, and I wanted to warm up as soon as possible. However, I had to apologize first to the people who had worried when I suddenly bolted into the woods.
"I'm so sorry. Urza-san, High Elf ladies, Yor-san, and..."
I had truly let my guard down. I was an assassin, but that profession came with a very specific personal weakness. I couldn't handle things that wouldn't stay dead—undead types.
I'm sorry. I lied. It wasn't because I was an assassin; I had personally been terrified of them since I was a child.
Undead!
The moment I laid eyes on the three Death Knights standing there, I lost consciousness.
In the end, I was taken back without ever entering the hot spring. I was shivering, but that was only because it was cold, not because of fear. I eventually warmed up in the bath back at the Village Head's mansion. Honestly, I was perfectly satisfied with the mansion's bath.
That wasn't sour grapes. Not at all.
Isree: "The Sun Castle? An airship? I've decided to pretend I didn't see them, because I feel like mentioning them would only lead to more suffering."