The morning sun filtered through the leaves of the Whispering Forest, casting golden patterns over our ragged camp. Exhaustion hung in the air, thicker than the morning mist. Three days had passed since our confrontation with the corrupted tree, and the tension between us had the thick, uncomfortable quality of sour honey.
Elara kept a careful distance, her eyes avoiding mine with a precision that was almost skillful. Vespera, usually so outspoken, was quiet, her gaze studying us all with a calculating intensity that made the back of my neck prickle. Only Liriel seemed unchanged, though even she was unusually silent, her cup of wine swirling in slow, contemplative circles rather than being emptied with her usual lack of restraint.
It was in this charged atmosphere that a strange sound cut through the air—the rhythmic, powerful beating of great wings. We looked up as a majestic creature descended from the sky. It was a large eagle, but its feathers shimmered with a metallic copper sheen, and its eyes glowed with an uncommon intelligence. Clutched in its talons was a sealed wooden tube wrapped in velvet.
The eagle landed gracefully in the center of our camp, its gaze passing over each of us before it spat the tube at my feet. Then, without making a sound, it took off and vanished among the trees.
"What was that?" Vespera asked, her voice breaking the tense silence.
"A messenger," Liriel declared, her interest finally piqued. "Enchanted. A touch of class, if I may say so."
I picked up the tube. The velvet was soft beneath my fingers, and the wax seal was red, stamped with a symbol I didn't recognize—a stylized wolf's paw intertwined with a spiral of steam.
"It's from the Kingdom of Therasia," Elara said, her voice a whisper of surprise. She stepped closer, her scholarly curiosity momentarily overcoming her discomfort. "The land of the hot springs. Home of the demi-humans."
"Demi-what?" I asked, breaking the seal.
"People with animal traits," she explained, her eyes alight with academic fascination. "Fox ears, cat tails, that sort of thing. Their culture is said to be incredibly rich, and their hospitality, legendary."
Inside the tube was a single parchment of high-quality paper, written in elegant, flowing script.
To the group known as "Endless Misadventure" — Takumi, Elara, Vespera, and the Divinity Liriel,
Your fame has reached the ears of King Fenrir of Therasia. Your bravery in facing the darkness of the Eighth General and your recent intervention in elven affairs have not gone unnoticed. His Majesty is eager to meet the adventurers who, against all odds, repeatedly alter the course of fate.
We invite you to be our guests in the Kingdom of the Hot Springs. Rest your wounds in our sacred baths, savor our cuisine, and allow us to show our gratitude for your acts of valor—however... chaotic they may be.
Furthermore, a matter of some urgency has arisen on our borders. An infestation of corrupted beasts plagues our Whispering Woods. We suspect the hand of another servant of the Demon King. Your expertise would be invaluable. A generous reward and pardon for any... accidental damages will be guaranteed.
We await your arrival.
With sincere admiration,
Seneschal Valerius
Castle of Therasia
I read the letter aloud. When I finished, a different kind of silence settled over us. It was a silence of possibility—of escape.
"Hot springs?" Vespera said, her face lighting up with a genuine smile for the first time in days. "You mean actual hot baths? Real ones? Without slime or frog chases?"
"The pardon for accidental damages is a nice touch," Elara murmured, her fingers unconsciously brushing the charred wood around her.
"A king who recognizes my divinity from the start?" Liriel added, her nose tilting upward. "Finally, someone with the bare minimum of proper education. Though the part about 'corrupted beasts' sounds dreadfully mundane."
I looked at them—at Elara, with her dark circles and trembling hands; at Vespera, whose usual spark was visibly dimmed; at Liriel, who, despite her complaints, seemed just as weary of mortal drama as the rest of us. And at myself, carrying the weight of two unresolved kisses and the memory of a demon tree burned into my mind.
We were exhausted. Injured. And an emotional train wreck.
"Seems… inviting," I said cautiously.
"Is it a trap?" Vespera asked, but her voice was full of hope, not suspicion.
"Possibly," Liriel conceded. "But it's a trap with hot baths. And a king. And probably better wine than this." She swirled her magical goblet with disdain.
Elara looked at me, and for the first time in days, her eyes met mine directly. There was a silent plea in them. A desire to escape, even if only temporarily, from the mess we had created.
"We need to rest," she said softly. "And if there's another general out there… we can't face him like this."
She was right. We were at the end of our rope. The offer was too tempting to refuse: a place to recover, a clear mission, and the promise of hot baths. It was the perfect refuge—even if it came with the likelihood of us creating new disasters in an entirely new kingdom.
"All right," I said, folding the letter. "We're going to Therasia."
The decision brought an immediate change in the atmosphere. Vespera jumped, a laugh escaping her lips. "Yes! Hot baths! And demi-humans! I bet they're adorable!"
Elara allowed herself a small smile. "I'll need to study. Their magical culture must be fascinating."
Liriel stood, straightening her robes with renewed dignity. "Finally, a place that might be worthy of my presence. I hope their springs are heated by divine geothermal sources, and not some inferior mortal trick."
As we packed up our camp for the last time, a sense of relief washed over me. The confessions, the kisses, the tension—none of it was resolved. But it was being temporarily postponed. It was like putting a bandage on a wound that needed stitches. Not a solution, but it gave us time to breathe.
The road to Therasia, according to the map that came with the letter, would take several days. Days of quiet travel, without the immediate pressure of a mission or the threat of death. Days to process.
With a lighter pack and a simple goal—to reach a safe place—we took our first steps away from the Whispering Forest. The sun was warm on our backs, and for the first time in a long while, the future didn't seem filled only with danger, but also with the promise of hot water and a decent bed.
Of course, being us, I should've known nothing was ever that simple. But in that moment, walking the road toward the unknown Kingdom of the Demi-Humans, I allowed myself to believe—if only for a day—that maybe, just maybe, our misadventure could include a little peace.