Chapter 16

Chapter 16

WE FOLLOWED THE AQUEDUCT, which seemed to stretch on forever. It proved to be a reliable guide, leading us straight to Axeholm.

After we saw that massive, hydro-powered dwarven landmark, I felt like nothing would surprise us…but once we got to the foot of the city, I quickly grew excited thinking about what other wonders we might see.

“Wow…” I craned my neck back.

Lade mirrored my gesture. “Remarkable…”

It was even grander than I expected.

Lade and I looked up at Axeholm, and it left us speechless.

We had seen a rocky mountain at a distance, but that impression wasn’t quite right. It would be more accurate to call it a mountain made from stone. As far as the design went… Well, let’s just say it reminded me of The Tower of Babel as painted by Pieter Bruegel the Elder. Overall, it was a solid trapezoidal shape divided into perhaps twenty layers.

The issue was the size.

When we got close, we couldn’t even see the top of the tower anymore. It seemed to reach the level of the clouds. It must have been at least a hundred meters tall…as big as a modern skyscraper.

The aqueduct went on beyond Axeholm and all the way to the mountain range in the distance.

Ted just stared. “It’s huuuge!”

“Whoa,” one of the recruits gasped.

“It’s just amazing,” said another.

They were trembling visibly, but all of us felt the same sense of awe.

Well, Pharaoh Khufu’s pyramid was over 140 meters tall, right? It wasn’t too strange that the dwarves could build something like this. In whatever fantasy novel you cared to read, dwarves tended to have an almost unfair edge as builders.

The soldiers were still going on. “Wow, it’s huge! Just absolutely massive!”

I scratched at my chin. “Hmmm…”

To put it bluntly: Men love huge stuff.

Here we all were, standing in awe, like a bunch of junior high students visiting Tokyo for the first time on a field trip. And right there next to everyone else was an abnormally huge man who just so happened to want me dead.

I felt like I was going crazy. “Ha ha…”

Whap! I smacked the back of the lad closest to me. It hurt my hand.

There was silence.

Lade looked down at me, irritated. He might have been giving me that look now, but just a few minutes ago he’d been looking up with shining eyes just like Ted, me, and the others.

I couldn’t resist poking fun. “You’re a pretty big guy, but not so big next to all this, huh?”

“Shut up…” His face, with its handsome, chiseled features, was stern as always, but I noticed his lips weren’t quite as pursed as they usually were.

But we wouldn’t become friends that easily, and I was sure he wouldn’t forget his mission. Still, I shouldn’t neglect opportunities to find a little bit of human connection.

***

The main gate of Axeholm was as massive as everything else, made completely of metal. It was nearly ten meters tall.

Dwarf merchants came and went, their wagons full of stone and finished goods. Soldiers moved along on patrol. Overall, the scene was a lively one. I don’t know if it was because of what I’d already heard from Ild, but their stiff expressions and rushed movements concerned me. Considering the size of the gate, the number of merchants seemed small to me.

There was a guard posted in front of the entrance, and when we spoke with him, another dwarf came over to help. He wound up being much friendlier than his intimidatingly heavy armor implied.

“Ahh, so you’re Laird Margilus, then! I heard about you from the architects of House Dauron.”

“News travels fast,” I observed. “Can you let us in?”

“Yes, please wait a minute. I’ll give you a certificate plate.”

Aside from the guard, a number of officers had also emerged from the station. Each one had some sort of strange tool about the size of a breadbox affixed to their belt.

Certificate plate?

I could sense that I was about to be introduced to another piece of dwarven technology.

“Hrmm, so you are Mister Margilus…and you would be Mister Ild… And you there? Mister Lade, Lady Clara, and a Miss Reyhanalka…”

Once the officers asked for everyone’s names, they started fiddling with those tools on their belts. Looking closer, I could see they were tapping at a section of the device that looked exactly like typewriter keys.

Click, click, clack!

Each time an officer tapped a key, there was a sound from inside their tools, like a hammer hitting something hard.

We stood silent at first.

“Just what are you doing?” a gruff voice cut in.

While I was trying to stand politely and contain my excitement about what might happen next, Lade was unable to control his own curiosity.

He sure has turned into a chatterbox since we got here.

“Please wait just a moment…There we are, all done.”

“Here you are, Mister Margilus.”

The officer in front of Lade pulled out a metal plate and handed it over. Everyone got their own plate soon after.

I examined mine closely. It was a silvery metallic plate, about the size of standard A5 card stock like we might have used at the office in my old life. Its surface sported bumps and indentations about five millimeters in size worked into some kind of design.

There was also a string run through them so we could put them around our necks.

“Did you use that device of yours to punch this out on a flat sheet?” I wondered.

The officer seemed pleased. “Why, yes, as a matter of fact.”

He explained to us that the markings formed a code that only dwarves could understand. Each of the certificate plates they issued had the name of a guest and their physical characteristics listed on its surface. In effect, they could be used as ID cards.

The list also included special characteristics that only dwarves could recognize (although they wouldn’t tell us what those were), so it would be immediately obvious if someone tried to use a certificate that wasn’t theirs.

Furthermore, it had a credit card-like function, and could be used for machine verification when entering and exiting important divisions of the city.

Probably these protruding marks were something akin to modern-day Braille or Morse code, and the machines that read their information contained a lock-like mechanism that used specific arrangements as a key. Or at least, that’s what I imagined, but I didn’t know exactly.

“Man…dwarves really are awesome…”

“Yeah…”

Lade and I were totally impressed. We exchanged our certificate plates to check them out while the officers were busy looking down at their tools.

“Ugh… This is what they mean when they say men never grow up,” Clara complained.

A certain dark elf actually smirked. “Hah, well…”

“Reyha, make sure you keep an eye on them so they don’t wander off or get lost.”

“Yes, madam.”

The girls didn’t seem to appreciate what I assure you was our purely intellectual enthusiasm.

***

“Well! Color me honored to finally meet the famous Master Margilus I’ve heard so very much about.”

A dwarf man approached us as we were walking toward the massive (are you tired of hearing that word yet?) arch that served as the entrance to Axeholm.

“The name’s Feivel. Feivel of the great trading house of Rimron. I have been assigned by the esteemed Governor Zamslon to be your guide.”

Feivel was thin and a bit flashily dressed for a dwarf. His glasses slipped down more than once as he introduced himself, obliging him to push them back up.

The Zamslons were the family who ran the politics of Axeholm. The governor was actually equivalent to a king in these parts.

Incidentally, it seemed what he had “heard” about me was that I’d destroyed a daemon nest and taken down daemonists in Relis. In addition, it seemed the dwarves back home had been told about the giants I’d shown Valbo back at Castle Getaeus. Judging by Feivel’s attitude, he didn’t seem to completely believe all of it.

“I’m sorry for the trouble,” I told him. “Thank you very much for the kind reception.”

“Will it be possible to actually meet the governor?” Ild wondered.

Feivel shook his head. “I’m sorry, he has a lot of meetings today… How about first thing tomorrow?”

“Of course,” I said. “That will do just fine.”

I wanted to stay and rest for at least one night anyway. After I agreed, Ild asked Feivel another question.

“Mister Feivel, would it perhaps be possible for me to speak with Sable and Casas tonight?”

“Hmm.” The dwarf considered it for a moment. “Well, we can’t exactly deny a request from Ild. We owe you. I will arrange it.”

Ild inclined his head gratefully. “I’d be much obliged.”

According to Ild, Sable and Casas were key figures in the Zamslon and Rimron families. He probably wanted to lay a foundation for negotiations with their top people. Top dwarves? Anyway, it figured that Ild would think of that… I really need to start thinking like that, too.

Ild added, “Oh, also, I would like to discuss something with Valbo’s brother Valse.”

“Of the architectural house, Dauron? Well, I will do my best to get in contact.”

So, Ild had even remembered my idea for instruction to expand the trade route to Filsand. He was probably angling to ask on my behalf if such a project was feasible or not.

Ild would be going out again later, but I decided to have us be shown to our guest rooms first.

“Well then,” said Feivel, “welcome to Axeholm.”

And that is how we passed through the gate of Axeholm, which sported a complex national emblem known as “the hatchet, hammer, protractor, ruler, and compass.”

***

“My goodness, this one looks amazing, too…”

“As you can see, ma’am, this pendant boasts a three-layer watermark design…”

A huge tunnel greeted us behind the main gate. The dwarves called it Main Street.

Though Axeholm was a dwarven settlement, high arched ceilings stretched out above us. There were thick, carved pillars lining the avenue and gorgeous shops set to either side. Countless lamps burned brightly, generating plenty of light. Apart from the fact that it was all carved from rock, the spectacle could easily have passed as a modern shopping mall. According to Feivel, the first level of Axeholm was used for interacting with humans, and so it had been built with ample vertical space. It seemed that the important divisions for the dwarves were all located underground. The scale of the entire Axeholm complex was several times larger than what we could see from the surface.

As Feivel had said, there were quite a few humans besides us coming and going. Most were merchants coming from Relis or Filsand.

“Ma’am, look at this hand mirror. Only the most transparent glass affords reflections like these.”

“Oh, you’re right. And the briar design is so detailed and beautiful.”

My first stop was the currency exchange next to the main gate, where I charged my certificate plate with money.

Of course, it wasn’t recorded electronically, but the amount of coins that I’d left at the exchange post got punched into my plate. Every time a purchase was made, either one of the currency exchange posts or the presiding merchant corrected the balance on the certificate plate. All bills were settled and charges made final when you left Axeholm.

However, I might already be at risk of using up my entire deposit…

“My, look at this necklace,” Clara said. “Every individual pearl is engraved with the symbol of one of the Eight Pillar Gods… All I can do is sigh.”

Reyha examined it closely. “How is it that dwarves can do such intricate work when they possess such stubby fingers?”

Main Street was wide enough that four horse carriages could run along its length side-by-side. There were countless products on display at the shops that lined both sides of the street. The biggest crowds of people were in front of the jewelry and accessory shops…and the most excited-looking customers of all were the two beauties from Castle Getaeus.

With everything on my plate—Epicenters, the allies we’d left behind at Castle Getaeus, the pending negotiations with the dwarves—there was something heartwarming about such a normal sight.

“Reyha,” Clara wondered, “do you think this hair ornament is a little too old-fashioned?”

“Not at all, madam. A classic, traditional design like that suits you perfectly.”

Things went on like this for almost a whole hour.

Lade had finally run out of patience. “Hey.” He nudged me with his enormous hand. “Don’t you think it’s high time for us to move on?”

“Well, my good friend.” I gestured magnanimously. “Since you’re so concerned about our schedule, I’ll leave this important task to you.”

Lade sneered. “Don’t screw around with me. They’re your women, aren’t they?”

“It’s not like that,” I said quickly. “If you keep talking like that, people will get the wrong idea.”

He nudged me again—even his gentle push was hard enough that I had to brace myself to stand my ground.

Lade might have acted tough, but just like me, he feared the wrath of a woman interrupted. You know…for some reason, ever since we got here, I’ve started to feel a little bit friendlier toward him.

Ild heard our little verbal skirmish and slipped over to whisper. “Master Margilus, I’ve spotted some humans with curious equipment. I’ve got a suspicion they’re Filsand knights or soldiers.”

I glanced over. “Eh?”

The men Ild had subtly pointed out sported white turbans and capes. They definitely looked different from the merchants we normally saw in Relis City or Yulei Village. Several of their number looked to be men-at-arms, and their shields and armor were engraved with a star-and-sword motif. According to Ild, this emblem was the Filsandian coat of arms.

While I spent a moment eyeing the Filsanders, Clara and the others returned. After all that fuss, they hadn’t even bought anything.

Clara was definitely in high spirits regardless. “It’s been far too long since I’ve been able to enjoy such luxury… Hey, what’s wrong?”

“It’s nothing,” I assured her. “I think it’s time for us to be off to our guest rooms.”

“Yes, follow me, then.” Feivel had been watching the girls calmly all the while, like this kind of delay was an everyday part of doing business. As soon as I made my request, he started walking ahead.

When I made to follow him, Reyha came up close and whispered in my ear. “My lord. At the next opportunity, why don’t you purchase a beautiful gift for the madam? I am quite certain we were both waiting for you to step in and do so.”

I keep telling everyone, it’s not like that…!

***

“Wow,” I said. “Look at all this…”

“As fine a sight as all the rest,” Ild agreed.

As we followed Feivel down the wide street, we couldn’t help but look around at everything in awe.

At the end of Main Street was a huge hall that reminded me of a baseball stadium in size. There were several light sources on the ceiling and the walls. Most striking were the towering pillars in the center of the hall. They looked to be about ten meters in diameter. The pillars glittered the green of emeralds, and elaborate branches extended out from the tops of the pillars, interweaving across the ceiling out toward the walls. It felt like walking underneath a bower made from stone.

The illumination of countless lights reflected off the gleaming pillars, bathing the hall in a dreamlike glow.

As Feivel calmly proceeded onward, it became apparent that the pillars were shaped from some kind of green, crystalline metal. Entrances had been hollowed into the bottoms of the pillars, and inside of them we could see clear boxes that looked like they were made of crystal or glass. They moved up and down the pillar’s entire length.

Clara peered upward. “What…is all this?”

“Perhaps some sort of art installation?” Reyha suggested.

The two of them seemed to have warmed up a bit toward dwarves, but I suddenly had a bad feeling. “Wait, are these elevators…? Er, they are elevators, aren’t they?”

“As perceptive as I’d heard,” Feivel said, pushing his glasses up his nose. “That’s exactly right,” he went on proudly. “They were just finished recently. All of your guestrooms are on the second level, so let’s travel by this novel method, shall we?

“The boxes inside those pillars move up and down via hydraulic power. They are set up to stop at the first and second level for twenty full seconds each, so please time your disembarkation accordingly.”

I moved on in. “Whoa…”

This machine wasn’t quite as complicated as modern-day Japanese elevators. It seemed like all they did was move up and down at intervals.

The Dauron dwarves had also used something similar to elevators in their construction work, but I was completely astonished at the hydraulic movement. I don’t know how many more times I can say it, but dwarves really are awesome.

Clara and Reyha were also in awe of this luxurious, high-tech mechanism.

“And what is this metal it’s made from?” the sorceress wondered.

“I’m glad you asked! This is the real secret of Axeholm: mirsdine!”

“Oho,” I said. “Is it a kind of mithril?”

“No, no,” Feivel insisted. “This is mirsdine. Entirely different.”

Mirsdine seemed to be a magical steel that only dwarves could wield. When the magical ore maleithrilin was mixed into an alloy, it could impart magical properties to any number of metals.

“Maleithrilin and mirsdine are important products of Axeholm,” Ild explained with a bitter smile. “They can also be used as magical materials, but humans aren’t easily able to make use of them. Just one of these pillars would be valuable enough to purchase an entire castle out in the realms of men.”

I immediately knew what he was getting at. If we could trade in maleithrilin and mirsdine, we’d make a pile of money.

The elevators fit no more than three humans at a time, so I stepped into one of the crystal lifts with Clara and Reyha.

There weren’t any buttons to be pushed, so after we stood waiting for a bit, the box started floating up with an inelegant thud.

“Eep!”

“Whoa.” Even though I’d been expecting some impact, it was more than I’d anticipated. I had to brace myself with my staff.

It had been a long time since I’d enjoyed the unique sensation of floating up into the air. Just at that moment, as I was wobbling on my foot, I bumped into something soft.

“Oops! Are you okay?” Clara had lost her balance, and now she was clinging to my arm for support. The sense of a large, supple mass touching my arm was enough to get even this old man a little excited.

Still, as I tried to keep my balance, I couldn’t help but notice Reyha approaching.

“My lord!” She reached out her arm to help hold me up—or at least, I thought that’s what she meant to do.

But instead, she pushed Clara from behind, causing the two of us to smoosh that little bit closer together. All just an accident. Supposedly.

“Gah!” Clara complained. “Wait a—”

“Ow!” With the growing pressure of all that softness pushed up against me, I couldn’t keep it together. I wound up teetering and falling right onto my backside.

And of course, Clara’s perfectly shaped body wound up following me all the way down.

“M-Margilus, I-I’m terribly sorry—”

Reyha spoke dutifully. “Please accept the humblest of apologies from your servant, my lord.”

Clara looked genuinely embarrassed, but I couldn’t help detecting a certain sly satisfaction on Reyha’s face. I’m not sure just what she thought she was doing, but…it wasn’t worth getting worked up about. I was sure even someone as stoic as Reyha had a mischievous side. If she’d had even an ounce of suspicion that danger might be at hand, she never would have done something like this.

And I’ll be honest. Speaking as a man: I didn’t mind one bit.

As I began to share a private grin with Reyha…

We all suddenly fell quiet.

There was a young girl standing at the entrance of the elevator. In a word, she was beautiful.

To be more specific, she sported rich golden pigtails and a short but gorgeous dress. Her eyes were an arresting shade of crimson. She looked like she might have been in junior high back on Earth, or maybe just barely old enough for high school. In one hand, she held an intricately designed staff that sparkled with a silvery gleam.

I’d just fallen flat on my butt—while gripping Clara with one arm—right in front of this girl. Nice. Really smooth move.

She stepped aside, looking down upon us with her angelic face. Her red eyes were totally unamused. Upon closer inspection, there were a number of people who looked like guards behind her, and they moved to the side as soon as she did. The unspoken hint was clear: Get the hell off.

“I’m terribly sorry about this,” Clara sputtered. She got up in an awful hurry.

“P-please excuse us,” I added, following suit.

“It is of no consequence,” said the girl.

We hustled out of the elevator double-time. I’m sure we looked like the kind of hopeless couple you might see at an amusement park.

The girl gave us a practiced smile, curtseying before she passed us to board the elevator.

As the lift departed, I noticed the emblem upon her staff: a familiar star and sword.

***

“Wow! You have hot springs?” I could hardly contain myself.

Feivel, meanwhile, remained perfectly composed. “Yes, we do indeed have our very own thermal bath.”

We’d been shown to the guest quarters on the second floor of Axeholm. Feivel had taken the opportunity to recommend a few of the city’s luxuries.

“There is an excellent public bath in the underground levels. Naturally, our human guests are also welcome to use it.”

“That’s great,” I said. “We definitely have to go.”

It was nice to soak alone in the tub on the rooftop of Castle Getaeus, but Japanese people absolutely need to get some time in a large, proper bath. And hot springs are even better. Coming in from the trail, I hadn’t had a chance to properly clean myself for days. I could really use a chance to refresh.

“How about it?” I pressed. “Why don’t you all go ahead and get ready?”

“I’m quite all right…”

I’d already taken a towel and a change of clothes out of my Infinity Bag, but my friends weren’t nearly so eager.

“In a communal bath, everyone gets in the tub together, right…?” Clara shook her head. “I’d be far too embarrassed…”

Ild likewise grimaced. “Immersing your whole body in hot water? Dangerous business.”

I was astonished to hear their words. These two are supposed to be the ones with common sense! They’re supposed to be cultured!

“What’s there to be embarrassed by?” I turned to Feivel. “Just to be sure, men and women bathe separately, correct?”

“Of course!”

A smile appeared involuntarily upon my face. “See?”

“See what, exactly?” Clara huffed. “It doesn’t make things any less troublesome just because I’d only be with other women.”

They weren’t getting it. What was the Sedian equivalent to “when in Rome”?

“Well,” Ted hedged, “one time, when I was completely exhausted, I used the public bath at Relis. I have to admit, it felt pretty good.”

“It’s not as if you’d be completely naked,” Feivel pointed out. “We have bathrobes sized for humans.”

All three of us joined forces to try and convince them, but it didn’t seem to be working.

Everyone in Sedia took the occasional cold shower, and regularly scrubbed their bodies with a washcloth, so it wasn’t like they were filthy. But I felt a deep-seated need to share the joy of a Japanese bath. Call me crazy, but I felt like it was a kind of mission for me.

“All right, I’ve got it!” I held up a finger. “If everyone here tries the bath and walks away unsatisfied, then I will grant them one favor, no questions asked! I swear it on my good name as a wizard!”

When I think about it now, it was awfully immature of me. What a pathetic thing to risk my wizardly reputation over. But I can’t deny it worked. My friends begrudgingly agreed to try the hot spring. Granted, the looks on their faces made it clear that it was more from me being relentless than because they were excited about maybe winning a favor.

***

Axeholm’s corridors stretched out deep underground, and the baths were a sight to behold.

The massive bathing hall boasted a number of tubs made of stone. Steam spewed forth from statues of dragons and other monsters that I didn’t really recognize, and the air was filled with hot, misty vapor. I could tell that sticks of incense were burning here and there, adding a subtly sweet smell to the air.

Though we were underground, the high ceilings sparkled and glimmered in a way that reminded me of a planetarium.

“Ahhh…”

I let out a deep, pleasant breath as I sank down into a huge bath. It must have been at least as large as the pool we’d had at my elementary school.

Before finally arriving at this tub, I’d already thoroughly enjoyed a steam bath and scrub-down. Relaxing in hot water, I felt like I was absorbing the energy of the hot spring straight into my pores. I put my head on the edge of the bath and let my body float, allowing the exhaustion in every corner of my body to melt away into the water.

This was the best. God bless every dwarf.

“Ahhh… I’m sorry, Geo!” Ild spoke loudly off to my right, mimicking the way I’d sunk into the bath. “I was more ignorant than I could have known!”

Told you so, I thought smugly.

Feeling better and better, I turned in the water.

We both fell silent.

In the center of the bath was a giant mass of muscle: Lade, sitting cross-legged. He was so big that the water only came up to his hips. Sweat dripped from his scarred, tattooed body; his eyes were tightly shut, and a grumpy frown lingered on his face.

“Try to relax,” I told him. “Even if I am a daemon, I promise not to do anything bad until we get out of the hot springs.”

He didn’t answer.

Well, I tried to be friendly, but Lade stayed dead silent. We’d started talking a little more freely since arriving at Axeholm, but it was hard to see this as anything other than getting the cold shoulder.

Sure, we both had roles to fill, but everybody here was unarmed and naked. He could maybe afford to let his guard down just a little bit.

“Lade, let me be honest with you. You warriors are really amazing.”

He didn’t speak, but he perked up a bit.

I’d heard a few more stories about the warriors since meeting them. Their entire clan lived to fulfill their mission. Everything they did was in the name of hunting daemons… I had to admire such a fierce way of life.

From their perspective, I was just some kid who had only recently taken up the cause.

Their methods involved staying apart from society in order to freely hunt daemonists—the complete opposite of my own style. But that was precisely why I respected them. They followed a path I never could have walked.

“Or at least, that’s what I think.” I exhaled wearily.

He still didn’t answer.

As much respect as I had for them, I was concerned about the fear everyone held for them. Perhaps because the possibility of someone finding daemonists in their midst hit too close to home.

So I decided to speak to him just a little bit more, while the two of us were here sharing the same experience.

“Hey, Lade. The warriors spend their whole lives fighting in order to destroy the daemons, but…there are a lot of humans whose lives were saved thanks to you, right? I bet those people feel really grateful to you.”

“Shut your mouth, wizard.”

When Lade spoke, I heard a splash up above me. Hot water pattered down over us. The big brute was washing his face. I resolved to try and teach him a bit about proper bathing etiquette the next time we found ourselves in this situation.

“Though…” he admitted begrudgingly, “I did hear from an elder once that hot springs are good for your health…”

He kept on grumbling away, but he was relaxing there in the water, same as me.

***

“To begin,” Reyha instructed, “we take a while to sweat it out in this sauna.”

“Right,” Clara said hesitantly.

Clara and Reyha were in the women’s baths. They both wore skimpy bathrobes and had elegantly tied up their lengthy hair.

Reyha had already thoroughly checked the baths to make sure there were no hidden assassins or traps. The smiling dwarf woman serving as their attendant put up with all their peculiarities, but even she balked for a moment at that inspection.

“Ah…do forgive us,” Clara said gently.

Truth be told, Clara was easily capable of using her sorcery a few times even without her staff, and Reyha could fight off about ten average combatants without any weapons.

While she was still a little taken aback by the foreignness of dwarven customs, Clara followed Reyha’s instructions and gracefully took her first step into the sauna. They were welcomed by a white wall of steam and all its accompanying warmth.

In the semi-cylindrical sauna, they found a line of beds made from ceramic tile. At the urging of their dwarf attendant, they both lay down inside.

“Oh…this really is…warm and comfortable.”

“Yes,” Reyha agreed. “It would seem the incense has a certain calming effect as well.”

Even the floor and beds were heated from underneath. The two women warmed their bodies and immersed themselves in the moisturizing steam. With every inward breath, the steam warmed their bodies that little bit more. With every exhalation, all the toxins and impurities of the body melted away.

The two of them literally breathed new life into their beautiful skin, one woman milk-white and the other brown. The scene would have caught the eye of any red-blooded human, be they man or woman. However, most of the baths’ patrons were dwarves, and while there were some elves present, there weren’t many humans.

One dwarf youth looked to the older dwarf beside her. “Those humans sure look like they’re enjoying themselves, don’t they, mom?”

“From what I’ve heard, the elven and human towns don’t have any hot springs of their own. I do hope they enjoy themselves while they’re here.”

As a people, dwarf women tended to be plump and stout. Although their standards for beauty were different from humans’, they gazed warmly at Clara and Reyha.

“Here is your tea,” the attendant told them. “This ought to help you sweat it all out.”

“Thank you,” Clara said. “Oh my, it’s delicious.”

“It’s lovely, isn’t it?” The dwarf attendant smiled. “This particular tea is brewed with a number of special herbs.”

The chilled herbal tea they were served refreshed their reddened bodies. The liquid circulated swiftly through their body, to be distributed again as sweat.

Clara sighed. “It’s like my exhaustion is melting away…”

“Just so, madam. I must say…I completely misunderstood what taking a bath could be.”

Clara and Reyha drowsily let their skin absorb the steam, half-asleep. Then, two female dwarves appeared with large towels.

“You have sweat well. Are you ready for your scrub?”

“Up we go now. Pardon me, pardon me…”

“Huh?!” Clara squawked.

Without waiting for permission, the well-built dwarves got on top of the women and pulled down their robes.

“Hey!” Clara’s eyes widened. “What’s this about?!”

Even Reyha lost her composure. “Ah…! Wait! What is this?!”

Both of them felt embarrassed by how easily women with no combat experience restrained them. But the real embarrassment was yet to come.

“I do love working on human backs,” the one attendant told the other. “They’re so broad.”

“Best we get started, eh? Heave-ho!”

“Bwuh?! Hey! Eep!”

No one in the world had ever made Clara Andell squeal like this before.

The dwarf woman was a master scrubber. She proceeded to scour every speck of dirt from Clara’s damp, white back, wielding her washcloth like a deadly weapon.

Clara was the daughter of a count, and having an attendant towel her down after a cold shower had been a daily occurrence for her. However, this was her first experience with getting scrubbed and exfoliated by a professional.

“What a lively reaction, Miss! Your skin’s lovely, but it’s awfully white, don’t you know. Any dirt would really stand out.”

“Dirt?” Clara’s eyes widened. “How rude—gwuh?!”

Let’s just leave out the details of how much grime Clara had built up on the road. For her sake.

“Guuuh… Reyha…”

Clara realized she was actually enjoying the sensation of being so thorough scrubbed. There was a certain pleasure in feeling all the dirt being scraped away from her back, shoulders, and sides. Finally, she turned her head and looked beside her.

“Oh, lord…”

Reyha was descended from the High Curvus, a name synonymous with fear in the underworld. This fearsome assassin, a woman who had inherited terrifying skill and power through her very blood, was now adrift in a cloud of pleasure.

I’ll say it nicely for Reyha’s sake, too, but if those attendants had possessed even an ounce of desire to kill, she would have been dead in a second. In that state, she looked like nothing more than a gelatinous mass draped across the platform. She had completely let her guard down.

“We definitely couldn’t do this if Lord Margilus was around,” she all but purred, laughing.

***

Clara spoke quietly. “We really were wrong about hot springs, weren’t we…?”

“Yes, madam… I had no idea.”

After being scrubbed clean, and feeling refreshed, they moved to the bathing chamber.

There were five baths, each a different color, and the bathhouse demanded that its guests use them in a specific order. Clara and Reyha eventually were soaking in a bath with floating rose petals.

“There’s no way we could go back and say we weren’t satisfied, is there?”

“I-I think you’re right.”

“Margilus really knew what he was talking about…” Clara muttered.

Each of the five baths was adorned with an impressive statue. For whatever reason, the rose bath featured a statue of some sort of insectoid creature pouring out a jug of liquor. Hot water poured continuously from the lip of the jug.

Sitting on a bench hidden under the water, Clara stretched out her long legs, crossing them at the knee.

“I’m sure the lord would listen to anything his lady has to say, madam.”

Clara rolled her eyes. “This again.” Objectively, Reyha wasn’t wrong, but Clara shook her head. “First of all, I am not his wife.”

“I can but observe the norms of human society as an outsider, and from my point of view, you clearly have a marriage relationship.”

Clara shook her head firmly. “Ugh! You’re always going on and on about this.” She let her body sink deeper, soaking up to her shoulders.

There was silence.

Clara surrendered her body to the bath and closed her eyes. She asked herself: What was Geo Margilus to her?

Well, I admit he is not entirely displeasing to look upon.

It looked like she was staring absentmindedly into space, but she imagined Margilus’s face. Black hair and dark eyes were rare in the Ryuse region, but by no means unheard of.

A gentle expression appeared on her face. His power as magic user and wizard…it’s unprecedented.

It wasn’t just his magic that set him apart. As far as such things were reckoned in Sedia, Clara was fairly distinguished as a combat sorcerer. She actually understood the uniqueness and danger of Margilus’s powers better than he did.

What’s most remarkable is that even with all that power, he’s never once used it for personal gain. It’s wonderfully noble of him.

What would she do if she had the same magical powers that Margilus had…? At first, she’d been jealous, but now she shuddered to recall that attitude.

Any time she set her eyes upon hard-headed nobles, obstinate council members, or even some savage drunkard, she wanted to shoot them dead with a flaming arrow. Realistically, Margilus had enough power to get everything he wanted, even if the entire world stood against him. She wasn’t sure how hard it was for him to balance temptation and responsibility, but it was frightening just to think about it.

He still has a long way to go before he could serve as any kind of mentor… But it’s admirable how he accepts people at their word without any hesitation.

Clara had seen one too many humans whose nobility or sorcery had made them arrogant. And she knew that arrogance was also her own personality flaw (to a certain extent, anyway).

Compared to all that conceit, the way Margilus trusted and valued the opinions of others seemed far nobler. However, it was a problem if he let that get in the way of making important decisions as a leader.

That he would take it upon himself to try and protect the entire world from daemons is surprising in and of itself. Of course, it was me who advised him to become a hero…

Clara frowned as she floated in the bath, staring at the beautiful lights and carvings on the ceiling.

No matter how iron an hand you could govern yourself with as a “magic user,” it seemed dangerous to try take responsibility for the entire world. She thought it would be better if he relaxed a bit.

Actually, Margilus had removed his wizardly accoutrements and was relaxing somewhere nearby right at that very moment. When Clara remembered that, she felt both relieved and stunned.

Overall…he is a person who deserves deep respect. But what do I think of him as a man…?

Clara frowned.

She wasn’t so young as to be naive in matters of love and romance. But as part of the Sedian elite, both socially and in ability, it wasn’t easy to find a man who was her equal.

In her opinion, Heridol of the Sorcerers’ Guild and their party leader Sedam were her equals, but they were both married already. She was especially friendly with Sedam, but the respect she felt for him was more the kind owed to a brother.

Her silence continued.

The fact was that Margilus had saved her life. When she wavered as a sorceress, he always had the right words to calm her down. Even when she screamed at him or pushed him around, he always just gave her a smile and a shrug. He was actually bringing a world that she had only dreamed about into reality, one step at a time.

“Madam,” Reyha spoke up. “I may not be human, but I do know that there is no logic in matters of love. Please, try to feel the truth with your heart instead of trying to reason it out with your mind.”

“With my heart, hmn…?”

Clara put both hands to her chest and closed her eyes. She thought about Margilus’s relaxed, unguarded face. He was annoying sometimes, but he was sweet to her.

The water started to bubble.

“M-ma’am?!”

It was like something inside her heart boiled. She sank deeper into the bath, as if in denial.

***

“Whatever are the two of them getting on about…? They really are noisy, aren’t they, Princess?”

Next to the rose bath was the scented wood bath, where sweet-smelling shavings floated in the water. Its occupants considered the two foreigners, Clara and Reyha.

“It’s probably their first time in a hot spring,” said the girl addressed as “Princess.” She smiled at her quite ordinary-looking companion. “I understand. It really does feel good.”

The princess’s skin was white. She had golden blonde hair. She looked delicate overall, but she had curves in all the right places. If Clara and Reyha had been paying attention through the steam, they would have realized that she was the same girl they’d crossed paths with in the elevator before.

“Yes, it really does feel amazing…”

The girl blinked her eyes as she floated in the water. What a curse it was: Even these relaxing waters could not warm her heart.

***

“I heard there’s an ice room at Axeholm where you can drink chilled beer,” I told everyone conspiratorially.

Ted and the recruits perked up immediately. “Ooh, amazing!”

“Man, I sure am glad I became a soldier…”

“Mmm…”

After soaking in the hot baths and absorbing the energy of the hot springs, we were waiting at the entrance to the largest bath.

When I’d told the others about some of the services that Feivel had recommended, Ted, the new recruits, and even Lade had nodded enthusiastically. Well, who wouldn’t have?

“Once the ladies join us, let’s stop by the bar, shall we?” I suggested.

Ild shook his head. “Unfortunately, I won’t be joining you. I need to go meet with those dwarves I mentioned.”

“Oh… Right, sorry,” I said. “We can always go to the bar together later.”

Ild looked a bit regretful that he’d miss out. We waited for Clara and Reyha in the path of a cool breeze (supposedly coming from a fan somewhere), which felt rather nice on our warm skin after the bath.

I was quiet.

They were quiet.

The girls really were taking a long time. What had started as a refreshing breeze started to feel pretty cold. Lade wore a bitter look on his face. Ted and the others were lying on the floor.

I was quiet.

They were quiet.

“What a strange experience!”

Just when we were getting hungry and losing patience, we finally heard two cheerful voices.

“Perhaps we might build something like this at the castle as well?”

I frowned. “Hey, you’re la—”

“Margilus!” Clara waved. “You were right! Hot springs really are wonderful!”

“I wonder if the legendary bed of the abyss of darkness is a place like that…”

I started to complain, but when I saw the refreshed and lustrously smooth Clara and Reyha, I stopped short.

Clara’s pure white skin was flushed, and her glossy hair was tied up high on her head. Her pajamas were partially unbuttoned down her chest. In a word, she looked sexy.

Reyha’s dark brown skin gleamed almost to a mirror sheen, and her eyes had softened from their usual militant, lupine sharpness. She looked just as appealing as Clara.

“Each bath had different medicinal effects, and we had to soak in them in order,” Clara was saying. “It was truly fascinating! It was so steamy—like being inside a cloud! And I’ve never had such a thorough and skillful massage in all my life!”

“Yes, apparently the dwarves make oils from tree roots and minerals,” said Reya. “The fragrances were wonderful. It was like they were absorbed right into our skin.”

I’d never seen these two so excited. And the women’s bath had aestheticians?

“See? Look. People already say my skin’s as white as snow, but now it’s even whiter!” Clara thrust the back of her hand toward me. She never smiled this much. But she really was beautiful. I’ve heard that white skin blemishes easily, but hers was smooth and fresh.

“Yeah, in my hometown, silky-smooth skin and…”

Normally I wouldn’t react this way, but since she was holding it out to show me, I moved my face closer.

“Look here, too!” she exclaimed. “Even my elbow is smooth as silk!”

“Wow,” I said, trying to sound suitably impressed. She’d thrust her round, shiny elbow in front of my face while I was still trying to get a good look at the back of her hand. For a second I thought she was going in for an elbow strike, but any fear I might have had in that regard melted away in the face of her gorgeous smile.

“Y-yes,” I stammered. “You’re right. Beautiful.”

She did her best to get a look at her own elbow. “I never would have imagined that they’d try and soften out my hardened skin with a file…”

It’s not like I’d studied what her elbow had looked like before, but even I knew enough to realize that Clara was looking for praise.

Her flushed skin slowly turned whiter and whiter as the effects of the heat receded. Damn. This was a problem.

Clara was oblivious to my distress. “Oh! I heard there’s a shop over there that does nails and hair. Let’s go, Reyha!”

“Madam? Oh my, do wait a moment!”

Clara darted off without a second thought, and Reyha rushed to keep up with her.

After the cheerful storm had passed, only the men remained, struck speechless by all the excitement.

“Well, well, wizard. Color me impressed. It seems your women could grow even more beautiful, after all. They’ve completely forgotten about the favor you promised…”

Lade only got chatty when he found something to make fun of me about.