Chapter 90

An unexpected person was standing right before my eyes.

Forcing a wry smile, the first thing I did was offer a gentle warning.

“This is the men’s bath. Did you go into the wrong one?”

“Oh my, it makes me quite sad to have you act so distant.”

“I don’t think you and I are on ‘naked-communion’ terms quite yet.”

“Between those involved in the future of Eurea, I believe it’s a fine thing to deepen our friendship. Also, please… call me Nerea.”

With an elegant smile, the Sorceress, Nerea, drew closer. Then, leading with her legs, she submerged herself in the water and sat down right next to me.

Nerea’s cheeks were tinged with a faint flush. A seductive line traced from her neck down to her collarbone. Even the sigh she let slip from time to time carried a certain allure. It was all likely calculated; every tiny movement was far too perfect. I couldn’t let myself be led astray.

Nerea turned toward me and tilted her head.

“Is there something on my face?”

“No. I just didn’t expect to run into you in a place like this. I was a little surprised, is all.”

That was the honest truth. According to the travel itinerary, we were scheduled to meet her—but that was supposed to be several days from now. We were the ones who were meant to visit her base city. And yet, for a reunion to happen at a time like this…

I recalled the job I’d received from the Assassin King. This woman was suspected of plotting something sinister. I had been ordered to investigate the truth and, depending on the situation, carry out an assassination.

The target was right in front of me. I wasn’t optimistic enough to believe her presence here was a mere coincidence. It had only been a few hours since we entered her territory; the likelihood that she had been lying in wait was high.

Had she caught wind of us? It wasn’t impossible. The Sorceress was one of the Representatives of Eurea. To some degree, that meant she possessed power on par with the others. In particular, she had apparently held her position the longest. That alone told me she wouldn’t be a simple opponent.

‘That Assassin King… he’s saddled me with a real pain of a job…’

I grumbled internally while letting out a sigh. Due to the terms of our contract, I couldn’t turn the work down. We’d settled on that during our duel. In other words, if you traced it back to the source, my own reckless actions were the cause. It was frustrating that I couldn’t complain too loudly about it.

While I groaned inwardly, Nerea laughed, placing a hand over her mouth.

“Ufufu, please don’t be so tense. This land is my domain. There is nothing strange about me soaking in the springs here, is there?”

“…Unless it’s the men’s bath.”

While making small talk, I let my thoughts race. Where exactly was I supposed to go from here? Right now, I was unarmed. I’d left everything in the locker. All I had in my hands were a key and a towel—hardly things I could rely on in a deathmatch.

I’d heard she dealt in sorcery. I’d been told it was a relative of magic, so it was a given that it would be troublesome. There was no telling what she might do. For now, observing was the best course of action. I had to determine Nerea’s objective for making contact. There was still a good chance my mission hadn’t been exposed yet. My priority was to act natural and avoid suspicion.

“Regardless, I am delighted to see you again, Lord Jack. I have wanted to have a proper, relaxed conversation with you. At the assembly, things were a bit too hectic for that.”

“I caused some trouble back then. I’ll be more careful in the future.”

When I apologized, Nerea shook her head gently.

“No, no. I have heard about the circumstances between you and Mihana. Grudges from the past are not so easily wiped away.”

“I’ll drink to that. I’ve failed at it more times than I can count.”

Conflict and discord exist in every world. Being able to resolve them peacefully is a stroke of true luck. In the kind of world a man like me inhabits, things are usually settled by someone’s death.

Rarely did a relationship ever return to normal with just a single handshake.

“Knowing that, I am truly honored that you chose my territory as the destination for your reconciliation trip.”

“The Sage recommended it to us. I heard that every town under your rule is perfect for sightseeing.”

“Yes, I put a great deal of effort into tourism. We cannot hope for development if our visitors aren’t enjoying themselves. Entertainment over warfare—that is my creed,” Nerea stated with a face full of confidence.

Her stance was likely entirely incompatible with the former Representative, Dorgu. That guy held blood and violence above all else. His cities lacked any real entertainment, and criminal organizations were left to run rampant. Before I arrived, I imagine the Representatives must have clashed quite a bit.

After that, Nerea and I indulged in small talk in the privacy of the hot spring. I mostly played the listener, punctuating her stories with brief responses. I could catch glimpses of interest and curiosity toward me in the things she said. There were times when she asked subtle questions, but I kept my answers vague to brush her off. I couldn’t afford to let something slip during casual conversation. It was better to engage her but avoid talking too much.

Then, just as the conversation hit a lull, Nerea suddenly grabbed my hand. Looking up at me with a quiet tone, she spoke.

“If you’re willing, why don’t we continue this conversation in my room? If we stay in here too long, the heat will go to our heads.”

Her gaze was feverish. Her tone was modest, yet it left no room for refusal. Of course, accepting the invitation here would be bad news. My intuition was whispering to me. This was a textbook honey trap; if I fell for it carelessly, I’d be in for a world of hurt.

However, it was also a chance to scout her out. I finally had the target, Nerea, talking to me. I could investigate whether she was actually plotting something. Depending on how it went, I might even find a weakness that would be advantageous for an assassination. While killing Mihana remained my top priority, I wasn’t going to slack off on my assigned job for no reason. I have my pride as a mercenary, after all.

I looked back into Nerea’s moist eyes and asked, “In that case, why don’t you come to our room? It’ll be more lively if we all talk together.”

“—That sounds wonderful. I’ve been wanting to speak with the others as well!”

Nerea nodded with a smile. However, there was a split-second hesitation. It seemed her goal really was to lure me away alone. Well, considering she went out of her way to enter the men’s bath, that much was obvious. She definitely wasn’t someone to let my guard down around.

After that, we left the hot spring together. We got dressed and headed for the room. When I opened the door, Alice and Mihana were there. The two of them, who had been relaxing after their bath, froze the moment they saw Nerea.

“Eh… Huh!?”

Mihana’s eyes went wide, her agitation plain to see. Come to think of it, she was always weak in the face of sudden developments. She was probably associating this with the mission the Assassin King had given us, but I wished she’d stop acting so panicked or she’d look suspicious.

“Jack, care to explain?”

In contrast, Alice remained calm. Receiving her questioning gaze, I gave a flat explanation of the situation.

“—And that’s why we’re having a get-together to deepen our friendship. Let’s all have a nice time together today.”

“I apologize for the sudden visit. In this place, I would be delighted if you treated me not as a Representative of Eurea, but simply as a friend—as Nerea. I hope I’m not being a nuisance, and I look forward to your company.”

Saying that, Nerea looked at the two of them and gave a polite, graceful bow.