The day after I got my revenge.

　I got up and washed my face.
　It seems that my exhaustion hasn't left me, and in the mirror I had a tired look on my face.

'Good morning, Iori.'
Yeah, good morning.

　When I went downstairs, Elfie was already awake.

'How do you feel? Have you calmed down?
...... How are you feeling?

　I'm not in a bad mood.
　What does Elfie say?

You seemed pretty tense yesterday. Are you feeling relaxed?
............, yeah.
So be it.

　After that conversation, we had breakfast and left the inn.

◆

　Then we came to the Adventurer's Guild.
　We were there to participate in the application process for the Maze Strike Force.

　You don't have to be an adventurer to join the team.
　It seems that this is a system for selfish and talented people who want to join the strike team but don't want to be an adventurer because of the hassle of being an adventurer.

　This is the only way left to enter the labyrinth legally.
　I couldn't become an adventurer because of Merwin's hand in it.
　I have the name of a guild staff member with a connection to that guy in my head, so I can threaten him if the situation arises.

　When I applied for the application to Miss Guild, I was told that today was the deadline.
　Apparently, it was pretty last minute.
　It seems that the exam will be held tomorrow, and then there will be a debate meeting soon afterwards, including the successful applicants.

　Anyway, I wrote my name on the application form and submitted it.
　Like when I registered as an adventurer, I filled in the names of 'Iori' and 'Elfi'.
　I suggested changing it to 'Aori' and 'Porphyry' just to be sure, but Elfi gave me a very uncomfortable look, so I ended up using those names.

'Humph: ......'

　Inside the guild, we passed a man in full armor.
　He glares at us with his sharp eyes through the gap in his helmet.

'............'

　...... We need to be vigilant.

　Then I finished my business and was about to leave the guild.

''Iori-san!　Elfi-san!

　Misha, who had been running or breathing heavily, called out to me.

''Thank you for .......''

　Then he bows his head deeply.

'...... What's up, Miss Misha?'

　I'll blurt it out since I did it anonymously.
　I made sure I didn't have to deal with any redemption or anything else that could be traced back to us, so it wouldn't be too much trouble, but just in case.
　Misha seemed to notice that we were blurting out, but he still thanked us repeatedly.

'Your old man's wounds have healed up perfectly now. He said he's only going to stay in the hospital for one more day just to be sure, and he can leave tomorrow. ......!　There's no aftereffects left, either!

　Misha said with tears in her eyes.

"But I can't have ...... even arranged for a sorcerer to come and pay for a shop to be rebuilt on top of that!
We're not exactly sure what you mean by money.

　He asks me to return it, but I blurt it out.
　It took quite a while to fold.

　In the end, it was decided to rebuild Zsoltz's shop.
　In the meantime, it seems that Zsoltz and Nyammer are working at another blacksmith's shop through an adventurer's connection.
　There's a blacksmith who has just injured his back, and he's going to take his place.

　Misha bowed to us until the end and said repeatedly that he would return the favor one day.

　That feeling must be true.
　At least for now.
　But for the sake of oneself, one can easily betray one's debt.

　That's why I've decided not to have any more expectations.

◆.

　After taking care of business at the guild, he bought something that looked good from a stall that was out and walked around town eating.

''The white flesh pulls and quivers, and the yolk melts into a soft, tender consistency. In addition to the strange texture, the sweet and salty sauce enhanced the taste of the egg. The egg was delicious.

　Elfi is eloquent in his thoughts.
　Apparently, it was on his tongue.
　Maybe he's a demon king, but he has a rather common tongue.

Iori. What kind of guy was that 'Beltranspired' you were talking about yesterday?　From your reaction, it sounds like another nasty guy.
He's one of Dionysus' men.

　"He was called the Flame Demon, a man who was skilled in the flame magic among the demon race.
　Although not as good as Dionis, he was still quite skilled.

''He was a guy who would flirt with the strongest guys and get really bossy with the lower-ranking ones.
That's also typical.
'When we first met, I got pretty tangled up in it too. I showed him my strength, though, and he rubbed up against me easily, palming me off.

　But there was a part of me that felt sorry for the demon tribe at the time.
　That's why I thought I was a jerk, but I accepted that I had no choice.
　Looking back, though, I can only call him an idiot.

　I walked with Elfi through the back alleys of the spa city.
　We spent more than an hour walking around, looking for the things we wanted.
　We talk to a one-eyed man standing outside the shop and go inside.

　I found some information about the city's 'underworld' in the materials I found in Merwin's study.
　We've come to a store that deals in dangerous drugs.

"Shitty ......

　The store was filled with a heady, sweet smell that made my head hurt.
　Elfi frowned and picked his nose.

'Welcome. ...... You're a pretty young customer.

　The strong owner of the store looks at me quizzically.
　When I showed him the money, he immediately gave me a sneaky look and asked me what I wanted to talk about.

''Do you have a potion called Demon's Claw?''

　The shopkeeper narrowed his eyes at the question.

...... demon's claws, it looks like you have a very nasty opponent.
　You are lucky. I just got it about three days ago.

　Rummaging through the shelves, the shopkeeper brought out a powder in a clear bag.
　It is a coarse white crystal and looks almost like sugar.
　It is a crystallized form of magical elements that can be obtained near the area where the demon tribe lives.

　I pay the shopkeeper and receive the ogre's claw.
　I sealed it up tightly and closed it in the back of my pouch.

Iori, isn't the claw of the demon poison?
''Yeah.''

　Onion claws are extremely poisonous.

　It is so called because it causes severe pain as if a small demon is running around inside the body.
　If ingested by an ordinary person, the pain would make them unable to move and would eventually lead to death.
　Moreover, if one uses magic while ingesting this poison, the magic organ will run amok and the body will explode.
　Because it's a crystallized version of the magical element, those who have a large amount of magical power and those who have strong magical power can suppress the effect to some extent.

I was made to drink such a poison by a fellow magician.

　In the memories I read from Ryusas, I also saw Beltranga.
　In the strategy meeting on how to kill me, he had said.

'I have a plan to ensure that I kill Amatsu.

　The plan was to make me drink a demon's claw.

............, were you okay?
I'm not sure if it's because of the brave man's power, but it only had a lazy effect on my body. I was fatigued, and it was as far as I could get away with being sick.
...... Right.

　I don't know if the Demon King's Army's minions coming to this city are the Beltoga I know.
　If they are, I'll kill them with this demon's claws.

...... Iori.

　As I was thinking about this, Elfi popped me on the shoulder.

'What's ......?'
'We're going to the spa.'
What ......?

　Why would that be the case with the way you're talking now?
　You don't understand, you don't understand," Elfi said with an expression on his face.

I'm not going to be able to get into a hot tub. I'm tired of the baths provided at the inn.
You know what? ......
I'm changing the inn to one with a hot spring.
Hey, hey, ......

　Elfi's stupidity is dragging me down.
　Really, you'll be slowed down with this guy. ......

◆

　There are many hot spring lodges in this city, even though it's called a hot spring city.
　I was brought to one of those hotels that Elfi had identified.
　I canceled my plans for the rest of the day and came here with my luggage.

　It's a large inn in its own right, and it's clean.
　When I entered, I was greeted by the landlady dressed like a maid.
　The inn has an image of a kimono, but in this world it is mostly western style.

　The landlady showed me to the front desk.
　I had to choose the room I was going to stay in and the menu for dinner, breakfast and the use of the hot spring.

'Two rooms for one, please.'
Two meals a day.

　It's like they're setting up a meal by accident.

"How would you like to use the spa?
Can I hire it out while I bathe?
You can rent it out to yourself at .......
There's nothing to be done. I'm not bathing with a complete stranger.

　Well, I don't know how you feel about that: .......

'I'm sorry, but we can't rent it out.
"Mmm.
But we offer a family bathing service, so you can use the hot springs in a way that's almost like renting them out for yourself.

　According to the landlady, there is an onsen that is available for two or more guests.
　Although the time is predetermined, you can take a bath with your family during this time.

...... Isn't it bad for two people to go in together?
I don't mind.
I don't give a shit, okay?

　You don't have to rent out the place, I said, but Elfi wouldn't budge.
　Then I told him I'd find another place to stay, but he said, "I want to be here! He's a bit of a jerk.
　We end up using the family bathroom.

　We went into our respective rooms.

　Since we have nothing to do today, we decided to relax in our rooms.
　While I was adjusting the power of my magic with one hand and "usurping" (spell-dibauer) with the other, there was a knock on the door and the landlady came in.

　I heard it was time for dinner.
　When I went to the dining room with Elfi, the food was already prepared.

'Oh ......'

　　What came out as dinner was a one-pot meal.
　Meat and vegetables were placed in a stone pot and cooked in a magma-red broth that was gooey and gooey.
　I heard it is called magma nabe.

''I can't get enough of this spiciness!''

　Hahaha letting out a breath, Elfi gobbles up the magma pot.
　I ate so much at lunch, can I still eat it?

''There's a reason I eat so much, you know?

　Sensing my gaze, Elfi said in protest.

''It takes a lot of energy to hold my massive amount of magical power.
So you're saying that every time you regain another part of your body, you eat more and more of it.

　How much do you want to eat when your body is all back?
　I mean, if all they have is their heads, where do they think they'll go with the food they ate?
　That's a bit of a mystery.

"When I get my body back, I'll be able to regulate the amount of energy it takes to hold it.

　I say this in an unexpected way, but it doesn't stop me from eating the magma pot.
　I'm worried about whether it's really okay.
　The time for bathing had just come when I had finished off even the unusual dessert of hot spring egg parfait after dinner.

◆

　The family bathing time is fixed.
Besides, we had to go to the reception desk in order to enter the bathhouse.

　After going through reception, we first came to the dressing room.
　It's not very spacious, since it's just for families.

"Elfi, what do you need to change into for now?
''Hmm?''

　At the same time as he turned towards Elfi, the clothes he was wearing disappeared in an instant.
　It must have been magically released from its clothe with magic power.

...... hide a little.
"I'm not ashamed of my alter ego?

　I don't want to sound like I'm not embarrassed because I'm not in my pants.

　I turn away from Elfie and take off my own clothes.
　I wrap a towel around my lower body and follow Elfie as he runs ahead of me.

　I open the door and go inside, and find myself in an open-air bath.
　It had a good view of the darkening sky, and it looked like it would be a great place to enjoy the night view.

　Elfi rinsed herself off and quickly went into the hot water.
　After rinsing my body with the hot water, I shampooed my hair, used the towel I brought in to remove the grime, and then soaked in the hot water.

'...... style,'

　How long has it been since I took a hot spring bath?
　I could feel my body warming up deep inside.
　It is said that the effect of the hot water is to improve the circulation of magic.

It's a pretty good one.

　Before I knew it, Elfie was behind me.
　Without looking back, he nodded, "Yeah," he said.
　We soaked in the hot water in silence, looking out at the night scene.

'A bit of a surprise,'

　After a moment, Elfie spoke up.

'You do some pretty extreme things too, don't you?
......?　Yeah.

　You mean yesterday.
　You mean the revenge you exacted on Merwin and the others.

"I don't like that sort of thing. I'm just trying to get back at them for what they did to me.

　The desperation, the killing, it was all done to me.
　So I vowed to do the same to the people who betrayed me.
　I'm going to make them sorry.

............

　Behind me, I heard Elfie exhale.

'At any rate, you should take a dip in the hot water today and relax. I don't know if you realize it yourself, but you look terrible today.

　Her words are different from the usual Elfi's, a kind and caring one.
　Could it be that the sudden suggestion to go to the hot springs was for me?

'...... Elfi.'

　I turned my head towards Elfie to thank him.

''Oh?!''

　I couldn't help but let out a shout when I saw what was behind me.
　The reason for this is because Elfie was floating on the surface of the boiling water.

　-- with only a raw neck.

　Startled, I involuntarily jumped back from the spot.

'Nah, what. You know, like a monster.

　Elfie's brow furrowed in frustration.
　Then, sooty and raw-necked, he slid across the water towards me.

'Oh, hey, stay away,'
"Mmm ...... I just disarmed my body for a minute, and your reaction is off-putting.

　When I said that sulkily, Elfi's head floated out of the water in a huff.
　Elfie, who had turned into a flying raw head, stared at me with zit eyes.

　I did know that this guy was only a neck, but this is the first time I've seen it in person.
　Even with Merwin, I hadn't seen that guy's raw head that much.
　I didn't expect it to be this shocking.

　As he involuntarily backed away from the wobbling raw neck, magic power was released from Elfie's neck.
　Then, in the next moment, it was building up from the neck down.
　In other words, a completely naked Elfie would appear in front of me.

''That's why I'm telling you to hide it!
''I showed my body because you didn't want to!''

　In the end, I couldn't thank Elfie for it.
　I mean, I doubt that he really cared about me.

　But ...... certainly helped me to get a little tired.