Chapter 107: Hot Springs! (2)
Chapter 107: Hot Springs! (2)
The girls enjoyed a soothing evening in their indoor hot spring on the other side of the resort. The warm, mineral-rich waters bubbled gently, harmoniously blending with the thick steam that enveloped them, offering comfort on the chilly autumn night. Expansive glass windows enhanced the sense of space, allowing them to gaze out over the open valley and immerse themselves in the peaceful embrace of nature.
The girls gathered in a spacious, open room with smooth stone walls covered in a thin towel. They all submerged themselves in the sizzling pools, their faces calm and relaxed. Their hair, wet from the steam and water, was loosely tied into buns to prevent oversoaking.
Fortunately, the girls were the only ones in the hot springs, as their striking beauty and flawless physiques would have easily drawn attention. They were five young women in the prime—or near the prime—of their lives, with skin free of scars or imperfections. Their exceptional lineage endowed them with remarkable looks, making their beauty undeniably captivating.
Arya and Ellahan were the youngest of the bunch, reaching the tender age of sixteen. Most girls were still growing at sixteen, but puberty had come early for them. They both radiated youthful elegance, generating their unique charm that stood out in different ways yet were equally mesmerising.
And being the same age, it was easiest for them to bond.
"My god, Ella! You’ve been hiding some great assets underneath those baggy clothes!"
Arya yelped while staring right at Ellahan’s bosom. She knew the Saintess was well-endowed, but she didn’t expect it to be that massive, and it didn’t help that Ellahan was constantly in a cassock, making it impossible to estimate her size. Thankfully, the thin towels provided by the inn weren’t enough to hide those two massive melons.
"T-That, it’s embarrassing."
The Saintess flushed furiously while attempting to hide her chest. But no amount of hiding could obscure those biological weapons.
"H-Honestly, they’re a hassle. They keep growing, and I must change my sizes every few months. They are also heavy, which hurts my shoulders. I would prefer to have a slender body like yours."
Ellahan looked at Arya’s slim body enviously. Just like herself, Arya had blossomed into a flower that stood with effortless grace. Her figure was lithe and toned, reflecting that she was at the peak of her youth and vitality. Her supple chest was small, slightly larger than apples, but that didn’t deflect her charm. It made her body seem much more balanced and streamlined, like an elegant mermaid.
"Recently, it feels like I’m gaining weight. And not just on my chest but also on my other body parts. Your body shape is much more desirable!"
"Tch, is this the ignorance of the blessed? Whenever I look at those two weapons, I feel like you’re insulting me."
"T-That’s not the case."
The two girls continued bickering, much to the amusement of the others.
"Haha, look at the two of you. Both envious of the other." Adelia interjected with a teasing laugh. "Don’t worry, both of you are beauties! The number of guys that would line up just to see your faces are easily in the thousands!"
"Y-You’re exaggerating!"
Ellahan hurriedly retorted with a bashful yelp. As the Saintess, she was sheltered from the lascivious gazes of men from a tender age. So, it was no wonder she felt embarrassed about attracting men.
Though, if it were to attract Leon…
"Don’t be bashful; you are a beautiful woman; you should be more confident!"
Lydia let the mineral-rich water glide over her porcelain skin, laughing as she watched the two young ladies. As one of the renowned beauties of the Knight’s Academy, her flawless skin and perfect proportions were a testament to her status. Accustomed to the attention, she knew exactly how to use her captivating beauty to her advantage.
"Besides, isn’t that how you got my cousin to fall head over heels for you?"
"R-Really? You think Leon is crazy over me?"
"Of course! I’d never seen him so enamoured with a girl before. Come to think of it, you’ve known him much longer than I have. Must be nice, falling in love with your childhood sweetheart."
"Y-Yeah, it feels great…"
Ellahan was embarrassed but delighted to talk about Leon, particularly with Lydia, Leon’s good cousin. In the Holy Church, she wasn’t given much opportunity to befriend others. Girls her age were either her attendants or other Saintess candidates, vying for the same position that she was. So, to speak comfortably with the girls in the Solaris House was a breath of fresh air for the sheltered princess.
"The Saintess and the Hero… Is there a more perfect pairing in the world?"
Adelia whistled, somewhat in disbelief of the fairy tale she was living in. Many centuries ago, during the Great Demon War, the Saintess and the Hero roamed Hyades, slaughtering Demons in the name of the Goddess.
The Solaris House had the Solaris Saint, the most powerful human in history. And by her side, the Saintess, the woman sanctified by the Goddess herself. Those two women brought peace to the world and decimated the Demonic threat with their overwhelming powers.
Their partnership was still a popular bedtime story for young kids as it told a story of sisterhood and camaraderie. Though, many said it was a pity. If either of them were born the opposite gender, the Holy Church and the Solaris House could create a union through marriage, creating a sacred bloodline that surpassed the Draconic line they had.
Yet, in this era, that opportunity has now arisen.
"T-That’s, we’re not engaged yet!"
"It’s only a matter of time. Besides, don’t you two love each other? There’s no better combination!"
"Really? I can think of one."
A new voice disrupted the young girls’ conversation. A tall femme fatale exited the showers, her face barely changing colour from the heat. Her jet-black hair was let loose, and they spread like threads of a dress in dye. Rather than cover herself in the thin and loose towel, the woman was laid bare in her birthday suit, utterly unashamed of her naked self.
As she should be.
Despite her advanced age, the woman maintained an impeccably toned figure with minimal fat. The only exceptions were the prominent curves of her chest. The other women at the hot springs occasionally noticed a scar or burn mark on her skin. Rather than detracting from her beauty, these marks added to her allure. They were symbols of pride, testaments to the challenges she had overcome on her journey to becoming a Commander.
"Sir Carmen?"
"My foolish heir and his little lover." Carmen sat at the hot spring’s corner and sank her body into the water. She spread her body wide, allowing her hair to flow in all directions as she continued: "As much as it annoys me, don’t you think my heir and that Elune lass make a good couple?"
"..."
The girls remained silent, particularly Lydia. Her golden eyes were glistening with discomfort, but she didn’t dare to retort one of the Grand Commanders of the Solaris House.
"Sir Carmen, I didn’t think you were such a fan of the Fantasy Couple."
"Fantasy Couple? Ah, that’s what they call those brats on the outside?" Carmen broke into laughter.
"Well, I guess I opposed them mainly because that Elune lass kept dragging Amon away from his duties. But, now… I get it."
"What?"
"You guys came down early, so you didn’t see it yet. But, on the way in, I bumped into that lass."
Carmen threw her back onto the hot stone behind her and pointed her finger at the door. There, a silhouette of a woman changing could be seen. She was likely wiping her body after showering and preparing to enter the hot springs. Yet, just that shadow was enough to trigger the girls’ imaginations.
"If I were a man engaged to a girl of her calibre… Yeah, I would go AWOL, too."
Steam melded with Carmen’s laughter as all eyes were now on the sliding door and the silhouette of the woman opening it. The girls unknowingly gulped as the doors slid open, and sure enough—she appeared.
Time stood still as a vision of a divine beauty stepping gracefully onto the stones that bordered the hot springs. Her skin was flawlessly white, glowing softly in the misty light as if the heavens had blessed her with its colour. Long, white, flowing hair cascaded down her back in silken waves, slightly covering her sweet collarbone and swan-like neck.
Her movements into the indoor pool were just as graceful as it was ethereal. It seemed like the descent of a fairy from the high courts of heaven as each step she took carried grace and confidence. Her striking ruby eyes only disrupted her serene expression, which radiated with an otherworldly allure. Just as she carried herself with elegance, there was a specific regal authority behind her gaze, as if no one in the world could threaten her being.
The ethereal beauty paused before the hot springs, slowly dipping her feet into the pool to check the temperature. Once she was satisfied, the woman slid her entire legs in, leaving her upper torso seated on the edge as she glanced over at all the other girls.
Even though everyone was looking at her, Yue didn’t feel threatened or out of place. She gave a harmonious smile before slyly asking:
"What’s the matter?"
"N-Nothing!"
Ellahan was the first to respond. She quickly turned her head away, her movements hurried, as if afraid her gaze might offend the radiant beauty who had just entered. Though Ellahan was the revered Saintess—a legendary figure celebrated as the purest lady of Hyades—she couldn’t help but feel a pang of inadequacy as a woman compared to Yue’s unparalleled grace.
It was like comparing a butterfly to a moth. One was so superior to the other that there was no need to begin the conversation.
Though, that didn’t mean the butterfly and moth couldn’t interact. Delightedly, Yue scurried closer to Ellahan before prying:
"Saintess, you have such perfect skin! Do you use moisturiser?"
"N-No, I think it’s because of the Holy Power, so my skin naturally removes impurities."
"What?! That’s such a cheat! I have to use magic to clean myself constantly!"
Yue gasped in indignation, not knowing that her words caused the rest of the girls to curse in their minds. They had never seen a more perfect woman than Yue, yet she was here comparing skin conditions.
"That being said, you must have driven Leon wild with your flawless skin, right? He may appear prim and proper, but let me tell you—a dignified exterior often hides a lustful nature!"
"Wawawawawa!"
"Sister Yue. You really shouldn’t tease Ella too much! She’s pure, unlike you!"
Arya was swift to come to Ellahan’s defence. She pulled the Saintess away from Yue to save the pure soul from corruption.
"Hehe, my apologies. The Saintess is just so adorable; I can’t help myself," Yue giggled softly. Then, with a playful tone, she added, "My Amon is like a stoic robot—hardly any reactions from him. But the Saintess? Now, she’s a natural performer!"
"Just stop teasing her!"
As Yue playfully teased the Saintess, the other women in the hot springs couldn’t help but feel their image of the perfect Elune Princess shatter. Who could have guessed that the ethereal fairy they revered was, in truth, a bold woman who delighted in teasing with sly, suggestive humour?
But that was the enigma of Yue Elune.
Other than Amon and Arya, Yue barely interacted with the other women of Eldorin until now. Most of the time, she was preoccupied with Amon and didn’t spare a second glance to speak with the rest. But now that they were alone with her in a bath…
"Yue, if you don’t mind me asking… How did you fall in love with Amon?"
Adelia was the first to succumb to her curiosity. The tale of the Fantasy Couple is legendary, yet no one knows how the pair fell in love. If Adelia could unravel that mystery, a fortune could be made!
"Ah, love talk!" Yue clapped her hands in delight. "Hmmm, that’s a tough question. Well, do you believe in destiny?"
"That…"
"Haha, I’m sure it’s hard for secular Knights like yourselves to believe in that! However, as a mage from the Elune House, I have the ability to calculate my destiny. And well, my fate led me to Amon Solaris."
Yue continued on her bullshit story about how she was able to predict the future and how the world had destined Amon and her to become one. Naturally, it was just a front for their true identities as regressors and transmigrators, but it was a stimulating story for the young girls to listen to.
Well, all except one.
"Hmph, so you’re making decisions based on pseudo-science? How crude."
Lydia harrumphed, clearly unimpressed by Yue’s lack of a logical explanation. Her snide remark seemed to chill the air despite the hot water surrounding them. From that moment, like a tiger and a lion locked in a battle for dominance, the two girls exchanged intense stares, neither willing to yield an inch.
But there was always a clear winner in a head-to-head battle against Yue and Lydia.
"You know, Lydia… Jealousy is an ugly thing."