"So big, so expensive, so blinding!"
Watching Jaden's eyes sparkle in awe at the sight of the inn before them, Akasha mercilessly retorted,
"Your vocabulary is unexpectedly limited, huh."
"What's wrong with that? As long as it conveys my shock, it works! Times like this really make me feel glad I know Sensei. Otherwise, I probably would've never set foot in a place like this in my entire life!"
Hoshino put her hands on her hips. "Why does that comment sound so weird coming from you? Like if I didn't invite you, being acquainted with me would be a loss."
She handed the four accommodation vouchers to the kneeling proprietress at the front desk. The moment the lady saw the KaibaCorp emblem on the ticket, a flash of surprise crossed her refined face before she quickly returned to her respectful hostess demeanor.
"A total of four guests, correct? With four single-stay vouchers, I can prepare four separate rooms for you. May I—"
"(～￣▽￣)～ No need! I'm sharing a room with Hoshino-nee, so three rooms are enough!"
"Three rooms, I under—"
"W-Wait!" Alexis sucked in a deep breath and interrupted, stammering,
"T-Two… two rooms are fine! I want to sleep with you too, Senpai!"
"Huh? Alexis, you can't stay in a room alone?" Akasha side-eyed her suspiciously. If there was an extra lightbulb in the room, all the plans she had prepared for tonight would fall apart.
"T-That's not… I mean…" Alexis flailed awkwardly, trying to justify herself.
"Since we finally get to travel, it's more fun for everyone to stay together, right? We can chat all night… Isn't that nice, Senpai?"
"That's true. Then let's all share a room~" Hoshino agreed, ignoring Akasha puffing up her cheeks beside her.
She already lived alone at home (not counting the things under the bed…), so since it was a rare trip, sharing a room sounded more enjoyable.
Covering her mouth with a graceful smile, the proprietress replied,
"Very well. I will prepare one single-guest room and one triple-guest room. Please hand your luggage to the staff and wait in the lobby for a moment."
Since it was only a two-day, one-night trip, Hoshino didn't pack much—just a few changes of clothes and toiletries. Akasha, on the other hand, carried one huge mysterious bag full of… who knows what.
Lounging on the soft sofa in the lobby, Jaden sighed in admiration,
"Can't believe this hot spring inn is really built beside a volcano… That faint smell in the air is definitely hot springs!"
"You mean the sulfur smell?" Hoshino copied his posture and leaned back—only for the plush sofa to swallow her small frame whole.
"Because it's right next to an active volcano, the water's full of minerals and is great for the body! Since we're here, we need to soak as much as possible to get our money's worth!"
"Finally, I get to bathe with Hoshino-nee!" Akasha clenched her fists, full of determination.
"I've waited 16 years for this moment—tonight is the final battlefield where everything will be decided!"
…Akasha, you are only 16.
Since there were no other guests, the proprietress quickly finished arranging the rooms and had their luggage delivered.
The luxurious Japanese-style décor alone justified the ridiculous price. In particular, each room had a small hot-spring foot bath connected to a lush garden view, letting guests relax their feet while enjoying the scenery.
"This really is… a nice way to unwind."
Curious as ever, Hoshino immediately took off her socks to try the foot bath. The warm water flowed gently over her pale toes, instantly soothing both body and mind.
While Hoshino's back was turned, Akasha hurriedly stuffed all her "adult supplies" into the closet, whistling innocently as she sat beside Hoshino and admired her smooth legs from her bare feet upward.
"Don't settle for a foot bath, Hoshino-nee. Since we're here, we should enjoy a proper hot spring!"
"She's right," Alexis nodded. "I think the inn provides yukata in the closet. I'll grab them—we can wear them after we bathe."
"T-The closet?! I-I'll get them! I'll bring them to you, Hoshino-nee! You two should go find a good spot first!"
Drying her feet, Hoshino gave Akasha a puzzled look.
"What do you mean, find a good spot? Besides us, there aren't even other guests. But since you insist, we'll go ahead. Come on, Alexis."
"Alexis?"
"Ah—y-yes, Senpai." Ever since they entered the room, Alexis had looked distracted. Only after Hoshino called her several times did she snap back.
"What's wrong? You've seemed out of it."
Shaking her head, Alexis replied,
"Senpai, don't you notice a strange scent in here? It's making me feel a little light-headed."
Akasha: "!!!"
Hoshino sniffed lightly, thinking.
"A scent? Maybe the inn uses incense to help guests relax. After all, reducing stress is the main purpose here. Aroma therapy isn't strange."
"Maybe I'm overthinking." Alexis nodded.
"Then let's go to the hot spring first, Senpai. Akasha, please bring the yukata."
"Mhm… sure…" After the two left, Akasha finally exhaled in relief.
"Alexis is way too perceptive. I only took it out for a second and she already smelled it?!"
Love Incense – For a Seductive Night ♥
"(╯°Д°)╯ For my happiness, I must find a way to get rid of that third wheel tonight!"
Akasha sniffed the incense herself—but because it wasn't lit yet, she couldn't smell a thing.
How did she notice it?!
(***)
Women's Outdoor Hot Spring —
"A-A real open-air bath?! The scenery is so poetic—aaahhh~"
Soaking her body into the steaming water, Hoshino let out a satisfied old-man-like groan. Hoshino Alter's artificial bath at the Pyramid of Light couldn't compare to an authentic volcano hot spring.
Alexis giggled.
"Hehe, even though you're so tiny, Senpai, you sound like an old man."
"Tiny?" Hoshino narrowed her eyes at Alexis's chest—
that lively, bouncing pair of snowy rabbits.
"For someone so slim and graceful, you're surprisingly blessed in that department, huh."
She sighed again. In the future, she should be able to achieve that kind of figure too… or so she thought. Just when she believed she had accepted her fate, Alexis's overwhelming "twin towers" shattered her mental stability again.
Immortality or Boobs—which would you choose?
Surely this deserves to be listed among the world's top ten ultimate dilemmas, right next to the trolley problem.
"Mm…" Without warning, Alexis suddenly clutched her chest. Her expression tightened, breathing growing heavy.
"Alexis, are you feeling unwell? Don't tell me…"
Sensing something was wrong, Hoshino quickly asked.
"Senpai… my body feels so hot, like it's burning from the inside. It's probably the magical energy imbalance Mash mentioned before…"
Just as Hoshino feared, the problem had surfaced. Mash had estimated it would take two to three days for Asuka's magic to stabilize, but barely a full day had passed, and Alexis's body was already struggling to endure the build-up.
Fortunately, Hoshino had brought her to the hot springs precisely as a precaution. So now, she could treat her immediately.
Yes—treat her. Meaning… once again, through Mana Transfer, Hoshino would need to draw out Alexis's excess magic.
Unable to watch Alexis suffer, Hoshino swam over to her.
"I'm sorry, but… in this situation, we should resolve it quickly."
"No, Senpai… I'm the one who should apologize."
Cheeks flushed, Alexis closed her eyes, enduring the pain as magic surged through her body.
Even warmer than the first time—magic flowed between their lips, calm and sweet.
"It feels… so mysterious, Senpai…"
Touching her lips and seeing Alexis's expression, Hoshino herself felt a little embarrassed.
"T-This is treatment, okay? Treatment. Like artificial respiration. Don't go thinking weird things. More importantly, I don't want you to suffer any further."
She said it to reassure Alexis—and to warn herself. If she performed this "treatment" a few more times, even Hoshino wasn't sure she would be able to keep her composure.
Thud—
A heavy crash suddenly echoed from the changing room, as if someone had fallen hard.
"Hm? Someone there?"
Wrapping a towel around herself, Hoshino left the bath and followed the sound back to the changing room, but found no one. Only two neatly folded yukata on the table.
Staring at the yukata, Hoshino murmured, puzzled,
"Was that Akasha? Why didn't she come in to bathe with us?"
(***)
"Impossible… why did something like this happen…? I was supposed to be first…"
Having clearly seen the scene between Hoshino and Alexis in the bath, the shock was so overwhelming that Akasha's brain couldn't process it. She instinctively turned and ran, even tripping painfully on the way.
Back in the room, Akasha knelt on the floor, completely lost, her eyes vacant. She desperately prayed everything she saw had just been a hallucination.
"Why were Alexis and Hoshino-nee… What on earth happened?!"
("Well, it's only natural. Senpai is cute, strong in duels—how could anyone not fall for her?")
Akasha suddenly recalled that classroom conversation and finally connected the dots.
"So it started back then… Alexis was already eyeing Hoshino-nee that early!"
"No! I was the one who met Hoshino-nee first! I was the first to sleep beside her… the first to kiss her… I liked her way before… I absolutely won't let you beat me!"
The strong scent in the room clouded Akasha's thoughts, making it impossible for her to think calmly. Of course, it wasn't the box of romantic incense hidden in the closet—the scent filling the room was a different culprit.
"Looks like you're having some trouble, dear guest."
Without a sound, the beautiful inn proprietress was already seated behind Akasha, her crimson lips curved into a subtle, knowing smile.
"Who are you?"
"Hehe, no need to mind who I am. Our inn's specialty is helping guests resolve all their worries—and achieve complete relaxation, both physically and mentally."
"Physical… and mental relaxation? But I only wanted to spend time with Hoshino—"
With slender fingers, the seductive proprietress gently slid along Akasha's shoulder, slipping off her clothes to reveal her fair, delicate skin.
"Don't be tense. Worries only exist because something is getting in your way. All you need to do is erase that obstacle… and your troubles will disappear forever~"
(***)
"Senpai, you look so cute wearing a yukata! It really suits you!"
"Alexis, I can't shake the feeling that you're teasing me. Yukata only look good on people who have… y'know, something in the chest area."
"That's not true!" Perhaps from soaking too long, Alexis's cheeks were still flushed bright red. "You're the type who looks cute in a yukata, Senpai! And cuteness is the strongest attribute in the world!"
"You're surprisingly good at compliments." Hoshino scratched her cheek shyly. "But in the end, Akasha still didn't join us in the bath. Where did she run off to?"
After changing into yukata and leaving the hot springs, Hoshino and Alexis returned to their room, only to find no trace of Akasha.
Alexis guessed, "Could she have gone off somewhere with Jaden? Come to think of it, if all of us girls stay together the whole time, wouldn't Jaden, as the only boy, be bored out of his mind?"
"With Jaden? If so, it must be the restaurant. It is about time for lunch."
Hoshino slumped into a chair, tugging at her yukata collar to let out some heat. Her skin around the chest was flushed pink—oversensitive from being warmed too long in the hot spring.
"I am a little hungry, but I'm so hot I don't want to move… If you want lunch, you can go ahead without me."
Alexis stole a glance at Hoshino's faintly exposed chest and smiled. "I'll wait so we can eat together. Oh—there's a vending machine that sells cold milk just outside the bath. How about I buy us two bottles?"
"(✧◡✧) Yes! You can't NOT drink cold milk after a bath! Please, Alexis—buy one for me to cool down!"
"Hehe, then wait here for a bit, okay, my kawaii Senpai~?" Alexis happily pulled two coins from her bag and skipped out to run the errand.