To Be a Power in the Shadows!

I don't like or dislike much more. [M] That's because it separates most things into things that don't matter.

It just still comes out whether I like it or not. Even though it's not important or necessary, I like what I like and hate what I don't like. No matter how sensible you are, you can't even tell emotions apart.

I call it what I like and what I don't care about. [M]

I don't care about that. There's a hot spring among my favorite things.

I never took a bath at all in my previous life. [M] At the time, I couldn't help but waste time taking a bath. [M] Although I usually have a life as a mob, so I used to take three minutes of showers every day, but I wanted to eliminate the waste of time in the hot tub and train my free time.

Just then I was hitting my limits as a species called a person, and in short, I couldn't afford it. I was serious about the idea of starting back at the nucleus straight to the right.

After all this, I realized that I was crazy and went back to the habit of taking a bath, but the reason for this was the hot springs. The act of grabbing water creates room in the mind. The spare time was directly linked to the quality of training and gave rise to the flexible idea of looking for magic and aura.

So now I'm in the hot spring. [M]

Here in Lindblum is a famous place for hot springs, and I was secretly looking forward to it.

Early in the morning, I like hot springs in the morning. [M] Of course I go in at night, but I prefer it in the morning. The reason is because there aren't many people. Sometimes I rent it out by myself.

I came here today looking for a loaner, but apparently I had a like-minded client. Unfortunately, the client was just Alexia.

Alexia, with her long silver hair together, opened her red eyes and stared at me for a moment. And immediately deviated from either.

Then there's mutual non-interference, spending it as something we don't have with each other. This is water reserved for noble people, and in the early morning when there are few people, the partition is opened as a mixed bath. I took a bath in the water and the morning sun, thinking it would have been great to rent out a large hot tub, a cloud sea under my eyes, and sunrise.

Me and Alexia were immersed in the edges and ends of the open-air bath with the most views, watching the sun rise in a rather uncomfortable silence.

Alexia's white skin shakes at the edge of her sight and ripples spread in the hot tub.

It's a waste, but I thought I'd get out early. Alexia broke her silence when I was about to.

"Are you hurt enough?

It was a smaller voice for her.

"It's healed."

I said, "What kind of injury is an injury?"

"I was cut to pieces, but I'm glad I'm alive."

"Thank you."

I thought you were hurt. [M]

I, who dated her quite a bit, perceived this to be her own apology. I was wondering if anyone would have told you what an apology is, but this is the Alexian-style apology.

"I apologize for treating you as an indiscriminate street killer, too."

Bacha, and there was water on my side.

"You can't."

"What do you think? So why are you in Lindblum?"

"I'm a guest of the Goddess Trial. And you?"

"My friend asked me to have a fun event. I think you mean the trials of the goddess, you know what they do?

I heard Alexia sigh.

"You came without even knowing that. The Trial of the Goddess is a battle that takes place once a year on a day when the doors of the sanctuary are opened. Awaken the memory of an ancient warrior from the sanctuary, and the challenger fights the warrior of that memory. Any demon swordsman can join us if he applies in advance, but not necessarily an ancient warrior will respond to it. Hundreds of Demon Swordsmen participate every year, but there are actually about ten of them who can fight."

Sounds interesting. Maybe Alpha's going to be in on this, too.

"On what basis are you choosing?"

"I wonder if there's an ancient warrior worthy of a challenger. Since ancient warriors a little stronger than challengers are often chosen, it seems that they have come to be called the Trial of the Goddess. Venom, a wandering swordsman, summoned his hero Olivier about ten years ago."

"Heh, you won?

"I hear you've lost. I just don't know the truth because I didn't actually see it. Maybe it was really the hero Olivier who was called in."

"Hmm."

Could Alpha summon a hero? If I could call it in, I'd enjoy it.

"You're not joining. They've been getting stronger lately."

"I won't. I'm busy this year. The Archbishop here, there's a little black rumor, and there's an audit of it."

"Black rumors?

"I won't tell you. Join the Red Knights if you want to know."

"Stop."

"Come in when you graduate."

"Stop."

"I'll take care of the enlistment report."

"Stop."

"You're so strong."

That's where the conversation broke off.

We spent another few moments in silence. I wasn't so uncomfortable.

Alexia moved at the edge of her sight. Long legs floated in the hot tub and ripples spread over and over.

"I expected you to see me lick it around, but you're off."

Alexia didn't say exactly what.

That's a lot of confidence.

"Perfectly beautiful as I am, it's hard to be exposed to the drooling gaze of desire."

Open for it.

"I try not to see too many people in the hot springs. To make each other feel better."

"Nice try."

"So why don't you stop watching my Excalibur flicker"

"Pup."

Alexia snorted. Like I made a heartfelt fool of myself.

"That's Excalibur. It's not a blemish mistake."

"If you think you're a mite, that's fine. I don't care if it's mites or excalibur. Just one thing, let me give you some advice."

I got up. Zabah, and ripples spread in the hot tub.

"Don't just look at the surface and judge things. Maybe what you thought was a blemish is just still in the sheath."

And look back fully open and get out of the hot tub.

"Duh, what do you mean..."

Alexia says she dyed her cheeks light red.

"Drawn from the sheath, the Holy Sword will unleash the white blade and travel to the Garden of Chaos..."

I said it in a meaningful way, and I pushed the wet towel through my crotch and my buttocks rattled. [M]

I like it when my old man leaves the hot springs. There is no reason. I don't feel like I went into a hot spring if I don't do this when I leave. I rang Petin, Petin, three times in total and went into the stripper.

And when I finished dressing, the hot tub said, "Petin, petin, petin."