Chapter 89

The next day, we left the town. We resumed our travel, heading toward the territory ruled by the Sorceress. If things went well, it looked like we’d arrive sometime today.

Fortunately, the weather was on our side. It seemed the heavy rain from the day before yesterday had just been a fluke.

Regardless, the local cuisine I’d eaten in town had been delicious. It was a hot pot using vegetables unique to the region, with a simple, rustic flavor similar to stew. If I get the chance, I’d like to eat it again. That kind of food is good for the soul.

If I didn’t have an objective, touring this world would probably be quite fun. It’s overflowing with a mountain of experiences one could never have in my original world. Life spent savoring them would certainly never be boring.

However, I currently have a purpose. In the short term, it’s killing Mihana. Even after that’s done, I have to go find the next Summoned Hero. Unfortunately, the current reality is that I don’t have the leisure to purely enjoy a vacation.

‘No matter what world I’m in, what I do doesn’t really change much…’

I let out a wry smile while driving the Golem Car. I used to make my living as a soldier and a mercenary, and my tools of the trade were usually just guns, knives, and bombs. Though the finer details of the situation differed, it was much the same as it is now. I suppose this is just who I am. It’s a habit that probably won’t be cured even if I die.

By the way, the interior of the car was currently draped in silence. I’m getting used to it by now, of course, but there was one part that felt a bit different from before. That was Mihana’s attitude. The aura she was giving off was even more prickly than usual—an atmosphere that practically screamed “don’t talk to me.”

“Hey, why are you in such a bad mood?”

“…”

“Good grief. Won’t even give me the time of day, huh?”

I let out a light sigh. She’d been like this ever since yesterday. I was impressed she could maintain this tense air for so long. Even if we stayed on bad terms, it wouldn’t really bother me, but it was ruining the vibe of the trip. Even if it was just a facade, this was a proper vacation. I might as well enjoy it.

As I was thinking that, Mihana finally spoke up.

“…You tried to kill me, didn’t you?”

She was likely referring to the tear gas and the sniping—the plan I’d attempted to execute in town. Ultimately, both ended as mere attempts, but Mihana was aware of their existence. I wasn’t so dense that I didn’t understand why at this point. Now that I had a vague grasp of her Skill, it wasn’t particularly mysterious.

Faced with Mihana’s sharp accusation, I responded with a feigned look of ignorance.

“No way. That’d be a breach of contract, wouldn’t it? If I did something like that, I’d be selling my soul to the Sage.”

“But you—”

“We haven’t done anything. Honestly. If you have a complaint, I’m listening. Don’t hold back.”

“Urgh…”

When I told her that in a clear, firm tone, Mihana bit her lip in frustration. Even if she wanted to condemn us, she had no evidence whatsoever. That was only natural, since in reality, nothing had actually happened.

That said, if she brought up the tear gas or the sniping, it would lead back to the question of how Mihana knew about them. For someone like her who wanted to hide her ability, that was an inconvenient topic. Therefore, Mihana couldn’t criticize us either way. Unless she caught us in the act or had undeniable proof, it was nothing more than a baseless accusation.

“Alice, should we just keep going along this road?”

Ignoring the brooding Mihana, I asked Alice in the back seat. She looked up from the map she was spreading out and gave a small nod.

“Yes, that’s right. We’ll be leaving the current territory soon.”

Alice seemed somewhat cheerful. It appeared she’d found yesterday’s verification experiment interesting. When the two of us were alone, she’d gone so far as to suggest the contents of the next experiment. As for me, having her be so reliable was a real help.

While we were at it, the Golem Car passed out of the Sage’s territory and entered the territory of the Sorceress. However, there was no notable change in the scenery. It was just a division on a map. Ahead of us, the peaceful road continued as always.

Then, toward evening, a mountain appeared in the distance. The entire thing was reddish-brown and emitting steam; it was a volcano. A town had been built right alongside it, as if nestling up to the mountain.

“Oh, I see it.”

“That town is today’s destination.”

According to the materials Alice was reading, tonight’s destination was famous as a hot spring town. It was certainly a spot you couldn’t miss if you were calling this a sightseeing trip. Apparently, the plan was to relax here for a while.

Upon arriving in town, we immediately secured a high-end inn. There were no issues regarding lodging expenses. I’d brought along enough pocket change to the point where I couldn’t possibly spend it all. I’d prepared an amount that would allow for a lavish spree for any number of days.

This time, Mihana took the same room as us. Even though she’d insisted on staying in a separate room in the previous town, I wondered what had caused this change of heart. At first, I thought she might be plotting something, but I soon realized that wasn’t it. Signs of fear and irritation were showing in the small details of Mihana’s behavior.

I suspect the lingering fear of the tear gas and the sniping was impossible to forget. Even though she had successfully evaded them, she had clearly recognized the threat. She must have decided that she couldn’t afford to take her eyes off us. And that was, quite frankly, a very correct judgment.

After dropping our luggage in the room, the three of us moved out with towels and loungewear in hand. Public hot springs were operated in various parts of the town. Apparently, the water was heated by volcanic activity. It was said to be blessed by earth spirits and possessed various medicinal properties. In my original world, I would have dismissed those as fraudulent sales pitches, but in this fantasy world, they carried a weight of truth.

On the first day, we decided to use the hot spring at our inn. Even back in my original world, I had never really used a hot spring; I usually just stuck to showers. When you think of hot springs, you think of Japan. I’d always thought I’d like to experience one someday, but I never imagined that wish would come true in another world. Life really is unpredictable.

The interior of the inn had an exotic flair—or to be more precise, it was what you’d call “Japanese-style.” It was close to the image of a traditional Japanese ryokan. I’d only ever seen them in photos, but it definitely felt like this.

“How should I put it…? is this what you call ‘refined’? Are Japanese people used to this kind of atmosphere?”

“…Not really. It’s not like we stay at ryokans that often.”

Mihana answered bluntly. She didn’t seem particularly interested in the hot springs either. She really had a wasteful personality.

Within minutes of leaving the room, we arrived at the attached hot spring facility. The entrance was divided into sections for men and women. I bid farewell to Alice and the other and entered the dressing room. I stripped off my clothes and stuffed them into an empty locker along with my change of clothes. After locking it and taking the key, I wrapped a towel around my waist.

I opened the sliding door and headed toward the bath. Along with the heat, a distinctive scent hit my nostrils. It smelled like rotten eggs. Sulfur, perhaps? The same smell lingered in the town, but it was several times more concentrated here. It was likely due to the proximity of the volcano.

There was one indoor bath. Beyond a frosted glass partition, there seemed to be another outdoor bath—an open-air hot spring. Surrounded by rocks, it was filled with milky-white water.

The other customers were sparse. Perhaps it was because of the evening hour, or perhaps because this was a high-end inn, there were simply fewer guests to begin with. After washing the grime off my body, I immediately sank into the water. A deep sigh escaped me at the same time.

I felt the fatigue of my entire body washing away. This hot water felt incredible. I could feel the stiffness in my muscles gradually melting. And so, I let my mind go blank and fully savored the experience.

Before I knew it, everyone else was gone. It was right around dinner time, so the others must have stepped out. I decided to soak for a bit longer. Alice and Mihana might have returned to the room, but they wouldn’t be in any trouble just because I wasn’t there.

I moved from the indoor bath to the outdoor one. Surrounded by a wall of plants, it had no ceiling, allowing a view of the twilight sky. If the sun dipped a little lower, I’d probably be able to enjoy a sky full of stars. It was quite magnificent. They had clearly put effort into making this a premium hot spring experience.

As I was soaking in the hot spring while gazing at the sky, I heard footsteps from behind. Probably another guest aiming for the quiet hours. I could relate; using this bath as if it were practically a private booking was a luxury. I closed my eyes without turning around.

“How is the water temperature?”

A woman’s voice spoke. Feeling suspicious, I reflexively looked back.

Standing there amidst the drifting steam was an alluring figure wrapped in a towel. Glossy, fair skin and soft, swaying chestnut hair. And then, there was the distinctive twitching of fox ears.

“Would you mind if I joined you?”

Approaching with an elegant smile was none other than the Sorceress herself, the ruler of this land.