By the time they returned to the apartment on the griffin, it was already afternoon. Ryan folded his wings and landed in the clearing, his claws leaving deep grooves in the dirt. He lowered his head to rub against Chen Mian's shoulder before taking off again.
The three of them stood by the hot spring pool. It was a size larger than the public baths on the streets of Tangwu Town, spacious enough to easily accommodate more than ten people.
The edges were made of smooth, natural stones, warmed by the rising steam so they were pleasant to the touch without being scalding.
Smooth pebbles lined the bottom of the pool. Spring water bubbled up from the crevices between the stones, carrying tiny bubbles that popped gently upon reaching the surface with soft gurgling sounds.
Chen Mian squatted and reached out to test the water. The moment his palm dipped into the pool, a soothing warmth spread from his fingertips to his wrist. The temperature was perfect.
“We'll eat here tonight,” he said, standing up and shaking the water droplets from his hands. After a brief thought, he added, “A hot spring dinner gathering.”
It was an idea that had popped into his head on a whim. There were similar hot spring bathhouses in Tangwu Town that served food. Guests would soak in the steaming pools with wooden trays floating beside them, laden with side dishes and sake, eating as they bathed. It had been a long time since he had experienced something like that.
He had gone to one with his teammates back when he was still a novice adventurer. At the time, it had cost them several silver coins just to rent two separate hot spring rooms.
As for why they needed two rooms, the other was for Louise, the only female member of their team.
A long time had passed since then... He had never seen Betts again after he left due to his injuries.
Louise had gone missing inside a dungeon... and he hadn't been able to find her even after searching every corner of it.
“...A dinner gathering?” Flora's voice pulled him out of his thoughts.
“Yes. Flora will be in charge of the food.” Chen Mian looked at the two of them. “I'll build a shelter, and Loviki will help me.”
“What kind of dishes should I make?” Flora nodded with anticipation, already drawing up a menu in her head. “Light cold dishes, warm tea, and easy-to-hold snacks would go well next to a hot spring.”
“Alright, I'll leave it to you to decide.”
After the three of them went back to their rooms and changed into their daily clothes, Chen Mian pulled out several wooden beams and some tools from his storage space. “I'll build a fence and a simple shelter.”
“I'll help,” Loviki said, rolling up her sleeves and picking up a hammer from the ground.
“Are you sure?”
“I'm sure.”
Ten minutes later.
Chen Mian looked at the crooked wooden stakes and then at the hammer in Loviki's hand, falling silent.
“It's... a little crooked,” Loviki said, her tone remaining calm, though her fingers tightened slightly around the handle of the hammer.
“It's more than just a little.” Chen Mian squatted down, straightened the stake, took the hammer, and gave it two solid strikes.
Loviki pursed her lips, but the corners of her mouth twitched as she tried to suppress a smile.
Chen Mian stood up and glanced at her. “Just hand me the materials.”
“Alright,” Loviki agreed, which was a rare occurrence of her not arguing back.
For the next while, Chen Mian worked on building the fence while Loviki handed him tools and held the wooden stakes in place.
Their cooperation was surprisingly smooth.
“Hammer.”
Loviki handed him the hammer, handle first, pointing exactly in the direction of his grip.
“Nails.”
The nails were placed onto his open palm—exactly three of them, no more, no less.
“Water.”
“Didn't you just drink some?”
“I'm thirsty.”
“Saw.”
Loviki rummaged through the pile of tools, found the saw, and handed it over.
Chen Mian took it, lined it up, and began sawing the wood, the rhythmic rasp of the saw cutting through the lumber echoing softly.
Sawdust flew into the air, landing on his shoulders and hair.
Loviki looked at the sawdust, hesitated for a moment, and then reached out to gently brush it away.
Chen Mian's movements paused for a beat.
“It was getting on you,” Loviki said, pulling her hand back. Her tone was casual, and her eyes avoided his.
“Thanks,” Chen Mian said, continuing to saw.
The sound of sawing wood echoed through the evening air, blending with the bubbling water of the hot spring.
After a while, Loviki suddenly spoke up. “If you used magic, it would be much faster, wouldn't it?”
“Enjoy the process.” Chen Mian didn't look up, pushing and pulling the saw as sawdust fluttered in the air. “If you only chase the result, you'll find that once it's done, the result isn't actually that appealing. The meaning of life is life itself.”
Loviki fell silent for a few seconds, then let out a soft chuckle. “...True.”
Over an hour later, the fence was complete.
A white cloth was wrapped around, completely shielding the hot spring pool inside, leaving only a single entrance.
The simple shelter was also set up, with several wooden beams supporting a white tarp that blocked out the tree canopy above and any occasionally falling leaves.
Although a few of the wooden stakes were indeed slightly crooked, the structure as a whole looked sturdy enough. In fact, the crooked ones mixed with the straight ones gave it a rustic charm, making it look less rigid.
Loviki brushed the dirt off her hands and took two steps back to admire their work. “Not bad.”
Her tone was still as flat as ever, but the slight curve at the corner of her lips gave her away.
The two of them walked back to the apartment.
Even before they stepped inside, the aroma drifting from the kitchen slipped through the cracks of the door.
Fine beads of sweat dotted Flora's forehead, and a few stray hairs clung to her temples. Yet, she was completely immersed in the rhythm of her cooking, the corners of her mouth curled upward as she hummed an unfamiliar little tune.
The kitchen counter was covered with small dishes, each one arranged with meticulous neatness.
Cold-dressed Moonlight Grass shoots, magic tomato salad, sliced braised magical beast meat, steamed pumpkin cakes, a pot of steaming mushroom soup, and iced Moonlight Grass tea...
The rabbit was squatted in the corner of the stove, its front paws gripping the edge of the counter as its pink eyes stared unblinkingly at the food.
“You're back?” Flora asked without turning around. “Is the fence done?”
“Yes.” Chen Mian walked over to the stove and glanced at the spread of dishes. “You made this much?”
“Since it's a gathering, it should be a bit of a feast,” Flora said, the tips of her ears flushing slightly. “Besides, these are all small portions.”
Loviki had already walked over to the stove. Her gaze drifted over the plates, finally resting on the cold-dressed Moonlight Grass shoots. “What's this green one?”
“Cold-dressed Moonlight Grass shoots.” Flora pushed the dish toward her, a trace of expectant hope in her smile. “Want to try some?”
Loviki pinched a leaf with her fingertips, popped it into her mouth, and chewed a couple of times. “It's crispy... and a little sweet. Very delicious.”
“Moonlight Grass shoots have a very mild flavor to begin with, so I added some honey and fruit vinegar,” Flora explained, counting on her fingers. She was clearly delighted by the praise.
Chen Mian also pinched a leaf and put it in his mouth. It was indeed crispy.
The moment the tender leaf snapped between his teeth, its sweet juice melted together with the warmth of the honey and the slight acidity of the fruit vinegar. The rich, tea-like aroma unique to Moonlight Grass slowly rose from the back of his tongue. It was incredibly refreshing, a perfect match for a hot spring soak.
“It's good.”
The corners of Flora's mouth curved upward. She turned around to carry the other dishes, unconsciously humming a tune again.
The sky gradually darkened.
The magical lights around the hot spring flickered on.
A pale yellow halo diffused through the steam, bathing the entire hot spring in a hazy, dreamlike glow.
Under the light, the simple fence made of white cloth glowed softly. Occasionally, a gentle breeze would lift a corner, revealing the dense steam rising within.
The stones bordering the pool were warmed by the rising heat. Stepping on them barefoot didn't feel cold; instead, a soothing warmth radiated from the hot spring through the stone surface.
Flora carried the dishes out one by one, arranging them on a wooden tray by the side of the pool.
Cold-dressed Moonlight Grass shoots, tomato salad, sliced braised meat, pumpkin cakes, mushroom soup, iced Moonlight Grass tea, along with a small dish of pickled radishes and six skewers of grilled meat.
Each dish was served in a small portion, so they didn't look cluttered when placed together. Instead, they presented a beautifully abundant feast.
“I'm going to change,” Flora said as she arranged the final skewer. She then hurried back to the apartment, the clattering of her wooden clogs echoing merrily along the cobblestone path.
Loviki followed her. Halfway there, she looked back at Chen Mian, her red eyes shimmering through the steam. “Aren't you going to change?”
“I am.” Chen Mian stood up. Once the two of them had left, he retrieved his yukata from his storage space and changed into it.
Before long, the two women walked back, wearing the yukatas they had just bought.
Flora wore the pale pink yukata. Her hair was loosely pinned up with a hairpin, with a few stray strands hanging near her ears. The pink fabric accentuated her fair skin, making it seem to glow softly under the light of the lanterns.
Loviki walked ahead, her dark blue yukata appearing and disappearing through the thick mist. Her long black hair hung loose, the tips damp with steam and clinging to the sides of her face. Her eyes seemed even brighter through the mist, like a pair of rubies submerged in water.
The two of them walked to the edge of the pool and stood there without moving.
Flora looked at the steaming hot spring, then at Chen Mian. Her ears were flushed red, and her lips twitched as if she wanted to say something but then pressed them shut.
“The water is very clean,” Chen Mian said.
“I'm not worried about that...” Flora murmured in a tiny voice. Having said that, she slowly untied her sash.
Loviki, on the other hand, didn't hesitate.
She took off her clogs, stepping barefoot onto the stone slabs by the pool. Her toes curled slightly against the warm stone before relaxing. She then squatted down and reached out to test the water, her palm gently sweeping across the surface, creating a small ripple.
Then she stood up, untied her sash, and slipped off her yukata, hanging it on a nearby wooden rack.
Underneath the yukata, she wore a white undergarment that reached mid-thigh. The neckline wasn't particularly low, but the fabric, slightly dampened by the steam, clung to her body, perfectly accentuating Loviki's beautiful figure—slender where she should be, with curves in all the right places.
Stepping onto the stones at the edge of the pool, she slowly waded into the hot spring.
“It's so hot...” Halfway through her sentence, her voice softened as she slowly let herself sink into the water until it reached her shoulders. “No, it feels amazing.” She sat back against the pool wall, leaving only her collarbones and above exposed.
Her fair skin flushed a pale pink from the heat, and tiny droplets of condensation soon formed on her collarbones.
Loviki closed her eyes and rested her head against a smooth stone at the edge of the pool, her black hair spreading across the water like a flower in bloom.
Flora stood at the edge of the pool, hesitating for a long moment. Finally, she bit her lip and also took off her wooden clogs and yukata.
She wore the same style of white undergarment as Loviki, but the neckline was higher and the hem was longer, covering her down to just above her knees. The fabric was looser than Loviki's, but once the damp air clung to it, her slender waistline was still faintly visible.
She bent down to test the water, lightly touching the surface with her fingertips. Then, slowly, step by step, she walked into the pool and sat down not far from Loviki, the water rising exactly to her shoulders.
The heat flushed her face with a rosy glow, and the tips of her ears turned so red they looked as if they might bleed.
She curled her entire body under the water, leaving only her neck and head exposed, like a snail hiding inside its shell.
Chen Mian stood up and also took off his yukata. Underneath his dark gray yukata, he wore black shorts that reached his knees. He was completely bare-chested, revealing well-defined, lean muscles that were perfectly proportioned.
Stepping barefoot into the hot spring, he sat down opposite the two women. The water reached his chest, wrapping his entire body in warmth.
A deep warmth seeped from his skin into his body, and his muscles unconsciously began to relax.
Chen Mian let out a long breath.
The chime of a system notification sounded in his mind.
【Magic Hot Spring effect active: Mana recovery speed +20%, fatigue clearing, curse weakening effect active.】
He glanced at Flora.
She was looking down, cupping water in both hands and staring blankly at the surface.
White steam drifted slowly before her, obscuring her expression, but she looked far more relaxed than usual.
Loviki was already leaning against the pool wall with her eyes closed, her eyelashes beaded with fine droplets of water. Her chest rose and fell gently beneath the surface of the water. The corners of her mouth were slightly curved; it was hard to tell if she was having a pleasant dream or if she was simply feeling incredibly comfortable from the soak.
“Hey, don't fall asleep,” Chen Mian said.
“I'm not asleep,” Loviki said, opening one eye with a lazy smile. “I'm thinking.”
“About what?”
“I'm wondering who exactly you are.” She opened her other eye and tilted her head, her black hair sliding off her shoulder. “You can tame griffins, make friends with flame demon bears, live in the Forest of Death, and conjure a hot spring out of thin air.”
“A landlord.” Chen Mian picked up a bowl of mushroom soup from the wooden tray and took a sip. The warm soup slid down his throat, carrying the savory sweetness unique to mushrooms and a faint hint of cream.
“And besides being a landlord?”
“Nothing else.”
“Tch.” Loviki closed her eyes, leaning back against the pool wall again with a pout.
“It's delicious,” Chen Mian said, putting down his bowl.
Loviki also picked up a bowl and took a couple of sips, her eyes narrowing slightly like a lazy cat. “Is it cold?”
“It's warm,” Flora's voice sounded exceptionally soft through the steam. “It's been sitting for a bit, so it's at the perfect temperature to drink. If mushroom soup is too hot, it ruins the flavor.”
Chen Mian looked at Flora through the steam. After speaking, she was secretly stuffing a slice of braised meat into her mouth, her cheeks puffing out as she chewed with extreme caution, as if afraid of being caught eating.
The tips of her ears peeked above the water like small red triangles, flushed from the steam.
“Flora.”
“Hmm?” Startled by her name being called, she hastily swallowed the meat in her mouth and wiped the braised juice from the corner of her lips with the back of her hand.
Looking at her face, which was flushed from the steam, Chen Mian said softly, “Try to feel carefully. Is the curse on you weakening?”
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