We changed into yukata-like bathing suits and headed to the open-air bath outside the guest room.

　There was a large bathtub in the center of the stone-paved floor.

(Heh, it's a nice bath.)

　It's a room bath, but it's big enough to fit about ten people.

　I was impressed.

Hmm, nice view.

　Kilt-san's voice came through.

　When we looked, we could see her silver hair in a ponytail, fluttering in the wind, and Ms. Quilt was squinting her golden eyes at the view from the open-air bath.

　We turn our gaze to her too.

　The town of Tupet, built on the slope of an active volcano.

　Beyond that, the snowy landscape of nature spreads out.

　We were able to take in a panoramic view of this beautiful landscape from one of the open-air baths.

Wow, what a view!
Yes, sir.
It's not so bad.

　We all fawn over it for a while.

　Eventually, they all decide to take a dip in the hot water and go into the hot spring.

''Hmmm........it's a strange sensation to go in with your clothes on.

　chopper

　As she says this, Illtimina dips her white bare feet into the hot water.

　The white hot water clothes also get wet.

　And as if to push up the fabric, her large breasts floated in the hot water.

(............)

　Oh, you shouldn't look at him too much.

　I was thrilled and quickly removed my gaze.

　From the corner of my eye, Quilt-san was putting the sake bottle and sake cup that the innkeeper had prepared for him on a tray and floating them in the hot spring.

A bath and a cup of sake? What a luxury!

　The look on his face is really fun.

(Hmmm, like a child.)

　Her innocent smile was very cute, though she was older than he was.

　And I suddenly met eyes with a girl who was also looking at Kirt-san.

''Well don't look at me, right?

　Solstice was just about to enter the hot spring, hiding her chest with her arms shyly, even though she was wearing a hot water suit.

(............)

　I mean, if you're aware of it, it's embarrassing for me too.

　Chapo.

　The girl's body, wrapped in a hot water suit, sinks into the hot water.

　.........Solstice's neck is so thin......no, no, I shouldn't look at it too much.

　I pulled myself together and decided to take a dip in the hot water too.

　Chapon.

(Whew ... that feels good)

　The heat of the hot spring spreads to the tips of my fingers and toes.

　The warmth in the baths was very comfortable, partly because of the cold outside air.

　The nostalgic scent of sulfur.

　A beautiful snowy landscape.

　Three beautiful girls and a beautiful girl beside me.

(Is this heaven?)

　I stretched out my arms and legs and involuntarily let out a huge breath.

　And then, Iltimina-san smiles at me with her crimson eyes, and

"Hmmm, nice hot springs, Merle.
Yes.

　I nodded broadly at her as she seemed to be enjoying herself.

　Kilt-san also tipped her cup of snow wine, "Really.

　Solstice, finally getting used to it, too, leaned against the edge of the hot tub and muttered as she gazed at the scenery outside, "Yeah~".

　Forgetting the days of battle, we enjoyed the hot springs of Tupet for a while--.


　◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇


　I enjoy the peace and quiet.

　Eventually I turned my blue eyes towards the guest room.



　On the bed in the guest room lies the woman who returned to human form that monster.

　Three days have passed since then.

　She still didn't seem to wake up.

　Noticing my gaze, Solstice says.

'There's no point in getting impatient. Physically, there is nothing wrong with you. He should be awake in due course, so we'll just have to wait and see.
Yes.

　I nodded.

　But I'm still curious.

　I'm sure she knows a lot of information about The Dark Child.

(So there's a lot to ask her when she wakes up.)

　Then I looked at the guest room.

　cha-pon

Hmm...

　Illtimina-san hugged me from behind.

　Through the thin hot water suit, her large breasts were pressed against me and crushed heavily on my back... hiyah?

Merle?　Don't worry too much about other women.
Yeah.
I'm going to make my own rice cakes, aren't I?

　So cute and angry, he kisses my neck lightly.

(Uh-oh?)

　Kuh, it tickles.

　Solstice looks dumbfounded, and Mr. Kilt chuckles.

　He gulps his cup.

Well, I know how Merle feels.

　I said.

　Somehow, all three of our eyes were drawn to Ms. Quilt.

　She spilled the liquor in the bottle into her drinking cup.

It seems to me that there was no lie in the words spoken by the 'dark child' at that time. But that's not the whole story.
..........
There may be something about that woman that she is not telling us. To make sure of that, I have a lot of questions for that woman.

　Yum! Yum!

　Then she fanned her cup again.

(Yes, she did.)

　Ceasefire and co-fighting.

　We're going to join forces, even if it's only temporary, but that doesn't mean we should let our guard down.

　I'm going to pull myself together again.

　And.

''But you know, I think I kind of know how the 'dark child' feels.

　Suddenly, Solstice said something like that.


　◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇


　We are surprised.

　Solstice says, running her fingers through her wet, haggard hair.

'I want the world to accept me... right?　But, you know, I think that's just a natural thing to do.

　The girl's red eyes were lightly downcast.

He wasn't born a Child of Darkness to be born, was he?
..........
'And yet they're shunned by everyone, targeted by us, and there's no one on their side anywhere in this big world... so they're desperately trying to make room for more people, even if it means using forbidden magic.

　poof!

　With my fingers away from my hair, I lightly flicked the surface of the water.

I'm also a 'People of Demon Blood'. I understand that feeling...

　Solstice smiled so sadly.

(.........Solstice)

　A girl who has been unreasonably disliked by the world for parts of her life that she can't control.

　Those words stung my heart.

　But I was still honest with her.

But I still can't forgive what the Child of Darkness did to me.

　He's turned a lot of innocent people into demons.

　He has ruined many lives.

　A lot of people have died as a result.

(I can't overlook that...)

"...Merle.

　Iltimina looks at me with concern as I bite my lip.

　Solstice chuckled.

I'm sure you're right. I'm sure you'll be able to find a great deal more than you think. It's only natural to feel that way.

　...........

The 'Son of Darkness' confessed that he had already killed seven 'Divine Attendants'.

(...............7 people.

　They've come down to this world to save humanity, and the Children of Darkness has already taken hold of them.

　Geez.

　I closed my eyes tightly at the thought of that regret.

　The divine arcane arcane heart inside me seemed to be crying for my companions too.

''But,''

　I heard Solstice's voice in his ears.

'Those seven could have been killed in reverse because they tried to kill you.

(...what?)

　He opened his eyes.

'If I hadn't tried to kill them, maybe the Children of Darkness wouldn't have put their hands on those seven.

　.... that.

　Solstice's red eyes stare at me.

'I remember Marle's reaction the last time I saw the Child of Darkness in the Kera Desert, I remember...'
..........
"He was going to attack the 'dark child' like he was losing himself. It wasn't about his actions, it was just the fact that he was a 'child of darkness' that made him an enemy.

　There was a little bit of sadness in those eyes.

''Maybe that's the instinct of the 'Divine Family'. And maybe it was the same for those seven.
..........
But that's just it.

　The girl let out a short breath.

'--It looks like people who hate us just because we're 'demon blood people'.

　He continued to do so.

(----)

　I was shocked by what Solstice said.

　My hands were shaking.

　I couldn't speak properly.

　But.

　But I'm trying desperately to say it.

I.........we......fought to protect the humans. The seven people who died and the other 'Divine Attendants' ... and yet you are told that by the humans you tried to protect?
Oh.

　Solstice huffs and puffs.

　We weren't all-powerful.

It's impossible to protect both the "humans" and the "demons".

　That's why we chose to protect the "humans" and extended our hands for their sake...and yet we have to be cursed to save them both?

　Solstice finds my face, which looks like it's about to cry, and removes her gaze as if it's a bummer.

''I'm sorry ... that was a bit much.''

　I muttered softly.

(............)

　I didn't answer right away.

　A heavy silence fell on the open-air bath.

　Chapot.

　Iltimina's hand, holding me, gently stroked my hair.

'I'm sorry, Marle.'
..........
''We 'Demon Blood People' have become accustomed to being hated by people, for better or worse. That's why we sympathize with the position of the 'Children of Darkness'. ........Please forgive us for that stupidity.

　A lonely voice.

　Perhaps there is that sympathetic heart in Illtimina-san.

　...............

　Kilt-san stares at the cup filled with alcohol.

''Well, I'm sure of it.''

　I suddenly muttered.

'If Warawa was in the position of the Child of Darkness, he might have done the same thing.
..........
But the same can be said of the Son of Darkness. Had he been in our shoes, he would have done the same thing as the Warriors do now as a result.

　squeak

　The alcohol was poured down her throat, all at once.

　With a hot breath, she says.

'I can understand, I can sympathize with you. --But we can't change our position now.

　In that voice was an iron will.

　It was an unwavering resolve.

'The Warawas have no choice but to follow the path they believe is right.

　He looks at the three of us and says.

(..............)

　Yeah, you may be right.

　I'm sure Solstice wasn't wrong about what she said either.

　But.

(Still, I have to ... do what I think is best for me.)

　No one knows what the real right answer is, because no one knows what the real right answer is.

..........

　Solstice looks at me as if she's looking into my profile.

　Noticing, I look back at her, too.

'....uh. ........Solstice......sorry, I'm, uh....
Okay.

(...what?)

　She puckered her lips.

You're going to do what you believe you're going to do. Merle is one of my people, and I know exactly what I'm doing, not some people who don't like me.
..........
I believe in you, too, because I believe in you.

　Blurting out, an embarrassed blush on his cheeks, he uttered.

'Uh-huh,'

　I was a bit surprised.

　And I was terribly happy.

　I couldn't help but stare at Solstice.

　And.

　splash

(Ugh?)

I told you not to look at me.

　Solstice finally laughed at me in surprise as she poured hot water on me.

　Haha.....

　I smile bitterly.

　Illtimina-san and Kilt-san were also laughing at us, seemingly relieved by such a state of affairs.


　◇ ◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇


Merle can change with me, okay?

　Ms. Illtimina complained.

　After that, we left the open-air baths and decided to go back to the guest room to change into our loungewear.

　But I am a man.

　By the way, I'm a gentleman.

　I couldn't change clothes with three ladies.

　Iltimina-san's words made Kilt-san laugh, and Soltis said, "No way! He objected to his sister.

(Haha....)

　To my hesitant me, Illtimina-san looks a little sad.

''Marle is still a child...''

　I can't hear them, I can't hear them.

　I can't even look at the girls as their skin is also lightly transparent through their wet bathing suits.

''Well, I'm going to change over here, okay?

　pattern

　With that said, I closed the door to the changing room and decided to change in the bedroom, alone.

(Phew, yikes.)

　Taking a breath, I quickly take off my hot water suit, wipe myself off with a bath towel, and put on my loungewear.

　Passa, shrill.

　The loungewear was like a samue in Japan in a previous life.

　Yes, it's nice and easy to move around in.

　I looked towards the changing room, but the three of them seemed to be still changing.

(They all have long hair, too.)

　It must take time and effort to dry it off.

　I sit on my own bed, rubbing my wet hair with a towel, too.

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

　In fact, I wasn't alone here.

　On the bed in front of me is a woman who has returned to human form that demon, sleeping.

　A woman about 20-25 years old with brown skin.

　Her hair is long, habitual red hair.

　The color of her eyes is still unknown as she has been sleeping all the time.

(............)

　My hands slowly stop moving the towel and my blue eyes stare at the sleeping face.

　There's no sign of it waking up.

　........when will it wake up?

　I feel somewhat restless.　　

　Looking at that sleeping face of the Sleeping Princess, I felt somewhat nostalgic.

　It reminded me of more than half a year ago, when I was waiting for Illtimina-san to wake up in the tower of the Great Forest of Aldoria, the deepest part of the forest, who was saved by the Bright Stone of Life.

(It's a bit of a similar situation.)

　I give a small laugh.

　I woke up that time when I was touching my hair to check the shape of my ears to make sure Illtimina-san wasn't an elf.

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

　I couldn't help but reach out my little fingers, just as I did then.

　I touched the red hair near my ear.

　The fine hair had a habit, softly tangled in my fingers.

　Sarah..........

(Yes, you're not an elf.)

　The ears were human, after all.

　I let go of my hand.

　The redhead's hair spills out, but her closed eyelids don't open.

　I knew it was a bad idea.
　No, I didn't expect it to be that easy to wake up.

　I chuckle and let out a breath.

　Then I sat back down on my bed and rubbed my hair with the towel again.

　That's when my vision was hidden by the towel for a few seconds.

　Gish.........

(Hmm...?)

　I heard the bed creak behind the hidden towel.
　Huh?

　Shifting the towel.

　The woman was up on the bed.

(.........what?)

　I froze at the unexpected event.

　A beautiful face with a downcast look.

　There were open eyelids and lapis lazuli eyes behind them.

"..........
..........

　In front of my stiffening eyes, the beautiful red hair spills out of her shoulders.

　-- Sleeping Beauty, who had returned from a demon to a man, was now finally waking up after three long days of sleep.