#78 Awakening (6)
They decided to begin the training once they returned to Bellicordo Castle.
“It’s already dark, so I think we should head back into the city now,” Sasha said.
Andrei and Nikolai nodded.
“Yes. We never know when monsters might appear again. It’s best to return right away.”
“That’s true, and even if it’s a road we’ve taken before, it’s easy to get lost in the dark. I agree we should hurry back!”
Fortunately, the carriage they had used wasn’t badly damaged.
She had worried it might be smashed from the monster attack, but only the part connected to the driver’s seat was a little broken, and one door wobbled slightly. It was still fine for travel.
It seemed the only real problem was Nikolai, who looked half-dead.
“Are you sure this thing is really okay?”
“…”
“Ah, why does it rattle so much! My backside’s going to split in two.”
Andrei ignored Nikolai’s complaints and kept driving the horses.
By the time stars filled the night sky, the group had passed through the gates of Sullis.
“Thank you for today. It must have been hard on you,” Sasha said.
“It’s nothing,” Andrei replied.
“Well, it was a little hard,” Nikolai added.
Andrei shot him a glare.
Sasha gave a small smile.
“No, you both worked hard. You must have already been tired, and then this unexpected situation happened…”
Hearing her words, Andrei clenched his teeth.
When he remembered the endless waves of monsters earlier, a chill ran through him.
‘If the young master hadn’t helped us then…’
He tightened his fist, ashamed of his lack of skill despite all his training.
While he was deep in thought, Sasha continued speaking.
“By the way, is it common for monsters to come this far down?”
“No,” Nikolai replied immediately.
“Most stay beyond the frozen lands. If they come down to the border, the Black Wolf Knights capture them.”
The reason the Grand Duke of Volkov spent most of the year on the battlefield was because of these monsters.
The Black Wolf Knights devoted their lives to fighting them in the frozen lands where no human could live.
“Sometimes one or two slip past our patrols, but… for them to attack people in such a large group like today—that’s definitely unusual.”
Even cheerful Nikolai had a serious look now, frowning at the memory.
Andrei finally spoke up carefully.
“This should be reported to His Grace.”
“I agree,” Sasha said after a pause.
Originally, she had intended to keep their trip to Tabarishi’s secret vault a secret.
She didn’t mind if the other ruins she had excavated became property of the Volkov lands, but Tabarishi’s legacy—she wanted to keep that for herself.
It felt like the proper way to honor a friend who had cared for her.
That was why she had come without telling anyone. But…
“I’ll tell him,” she decided.
After something like this happened, she couldn’t just stay silent.
The sooner the strange phenomenon was known, the faster it could be dealt with if trouble arose later.
A small problem left alone could roll into a disaster like a snowball.
It was better to solve it now.
“Understood,” Andrei said.
“Yes, I’m sure you’ll handle it well,” Nikolai added in his own way.
Listening to their very different replies, Sasha smiled faintly.
“Then both of you, please rest well. I don’t think we’ll have much reason to go out for a while. You can enjoy the hot springs and spend time outside… and if you need anything, just let me know.”
She subtly opened a plain pouch hanging beside her subspace pouch.
Inside, some of the gold and jewels she had taken from the secret vault gleamed brightly.
Nikolai’s face lit up.
“Wow, our Madam! I knew you were generous and big-hearted. One of those could buy barrels of wine…!”
True to his nature, he was happiest when it came to eating and drinking.
“Nikolai,” Andrei warned in a low voice, but Nikolai’s wide grin didn’t fade.
Sasha chuckled softly and said they’d talk more tomorrow, then returned to her room.
“Ah, I’m so tired.”
Stretching, she called for a servant.
“I’d like to bathe.”
“I’ll take you to the grand bath.”
This large building housed only Sasha, Pavel, and their group.
That meant they could freely use the various hot springs inside.
The servant led her to a grand bath prepared only for members of the Volkov family.
It was far larger than Sasha had expected.
In the center was a huge pool-sized bath, surrounded by several smaller baths.
If she were with a group, it might make sense, but for one person, it was far too big.
“Maybe because I’m alone… if I just sit still, it feels too big and a little lonely—maybe even a bit scary.”
But when she changed in the dressing room and stepped inside…
The warm yellow lights on the walls gave the place a romantic, cozy atmosphere.
And that wasn’t the only good thing.
It was winter, so even inside the building there was a chill, but here the hot water steamed so much that the air was warm.
“It’s actually hot.”
Even wearing only a thin robe, she didn’t shiver—if anything, she began to sweat slightly.
“Haah, this is nice.”
Sinking into the hot water made her sigh in pleasure.
The smooth, hot spring water melted away her fatigue.
She soaked for a long while when—
Plop!
“Hm?”
Something fell to the floor.
Through the mist, she couldn’t see clearly.
“Who’s there?”
Had a maid come in to assist her?
But she had told them not to let anyone in—she wanted to be alone.
Frowning, she asked again.
“Whoever it is, I want to be alone, so please leav—Pavel?”
As the steam thinned slightly, the intruder’s face became visible—
Pavel, like her, wore only a thin robe, and he had frozen in place.
“Why are you… Ah.”
Sasha figured it out without him answering.
Earlier, she’d half-heard the servant’s explanation that this was a “family bath.”
‘And Pavel and I are family.’
That must be why he had been brought here too.
She instinctively looked down—
Her body was submerged up to her chin, and the water was cloudy enough that nothing could be clearly seen unless someone came right up to her.
And even if it could be seen, it wasn’t a problem.
‘We’re both wearing clothes anyway.’
Here, even in the bath, one wore a thin robe.
It had felt awkward before, but in this kind of situation, she was grateful for it.
‘It actually covers more than a swimsuit, so it’s fine.’
Calming herself, she looked at the still-frozen Pavel.
“Aren’t you cold standing there? Come in.”
“…!”
Her bold invitation made Pavel stiffen even more.
Of course, she just meant they could each enjoy the bath at a distance—
But even guessing her intent, Pavel couldn’t move right away.
Then, Nikolai’s voice echoed in his mind—
“But you can’t keep holding back too much. If you act like a boy, Madam—no, women—won’t see you as a man, only as a kid.”
Damn it.
Pavel admitted it—he was a kid.
But…
‘I know I can’t stay that way.’
He couldn’t let Sasha see him only as someone to take care of. This was a chance to show his charm as a man.
Yes, a chance.
“If you keep standing there, you’ll get cold. Hurry and come in.”
Her words came again, and this time, Pavel made up his mind.
He stepped forward slowly, Nikolai’s voice fading from his mind.
Squelch.
His wet footsteps echoed as he walked.
His heart pounded fast, but strangely, his head was calm.
Only his core, where the mana hole was, burned hot—
He’d heard that after gaining a fire-attribute mana hole, strong emotions could cause this reaction.
Right now, it was because he was so excited his brain felt numb.
Finally reaching the bath, he stepped into the steaming water.
It was hot against his feet, but he barely noticed—
All his attention was on Sasha through the mist.
The heat flushed his skin, clinging to the thin robe and outlining his muscles.
Pavel tried not to look at the curves revealed through her wet robe as he walked forward.
He could have stayed at the far edge, away from her.
Maybe that’s what she expected.
But if he stopped here, it would be over before it began.
Since he’d come this far, he needed to show her—
That he was no longer just a boy she had to protect.
Pavel moved through the water toward her.
Closer, and closer.
‘Huh?’
This time, Sasha was the one surprised.
‘He’s coming too close…’
She blinked as Pavel’s robe swayed with each step, revealing glimpses she hadn’t seen before—
Toned abs, thick muscular thighs.
Everything about him was the body of a man.
A strange tension wrapped around her.
She swallowed without thinking, her eyes trembling as she looked at him.
