Shared Bathing

"I... can't move anymore..."

Kenneth muttered in a weak voice as he forced his legs to go to the hot spring. Kenneth's legs were already shaking because he kept forcing himself to walk. But at that moment, someone pushed his body hard enough that Kenneth fell to the ground pathetically.

"Kenneth!"

"Sigh... Didn't I tell you to never let your guard down, Kenneth?"

Unlike Fay, who immediately screamed in worry when Kenneth fell, Gaia, who was the mastermind behind Kenneth's fall, grumbled in a dissatisfied tone. Kenneth could only let out a long breath before he got up with difficulty. Although Gaia seemed like an annoying fairy most of the time, what had just happened was Kenneth's fault for not being vigilant so that Gaia could attack him again.

Ever since Kenneth started his training, he had been asked to act vigilant all the time. Gaia had deliberately often given random attacks like that. For her, it was the fastest way for Kenneth to immediately hone his reflexes as well as his ability to avoid enemy attacks.

If Kegan was the fairy who taught Kenneth how to strengthen his fire magic, then Gaia was the teacher who taught him how to hone his physical abilities. Kenneth was probably tired to the point that even breathing felt tiring. But when he was with Gaia, Kenneth was constantly being forced to go beyond his body's limits.

"I'm sorry. I won't forget to always be vigilant after this."

Fay looked at Kenneth, tears welling up in her eyes. Ever since Kenneth started his training, it felt like the prince had never returned with intact clothes and a clean body. Kegan never hesitated to hit Kenneth with his fire magic, while Gaia always suddenly attacked Kenneth with her earth magic.

"Kenneth, can I carry you using my wind magic?"

Kenneth laughed, then patted Fay's head lightly as she flew near him.

"I'm fine, Fay. You noticed it too, right? Kegan and Gaia's training has brought about many changes in me."

Fay felt like she couldn't deny that fact and finally fell silent again with a sour face. All the fairies also knew that Fay was always excessive when it came to Kenneth. The proof was that even though Fay was not the teacher who was supposed to teach Kenneth something, she still never missed Kenneth's training sessions to supervise the man.

Every time Kenneth got hurt, Fay would immediately urge Aqua to heal him. This was beneficial for Kenneth, who was trained by two equally cruel teachers. However, Kenneth would prefer it if Fay was not always sad every time he got hurt.

Kenneth liked it best when Fay laughed and was as enthusiastic as usual. Just by seeing Fay's smile, Kenneth felt he had the energy to continue his training again.

"Fay, are you going to follow Kenneth to the hot spring?"

"Of course not!"

Fay's face immediately turned red when the fairy finally realized that she had not stopped following Kenneth even though the man was about to reach the hot spring that Kenneth always used as a place to bathe and recover. Fay immediately backed away in panic and approached Gaia, who chuckled. Meanwhile, Kenneth also turned to look at Fay and Gaia.

"Then I'll leave here myself," said Kenneth.

Gaia nodded. "As usual, we will wait for you to finish at the exit," he replied. Kenneth nodded, then continued walking alone after that.

"Ah, it looks like there is..."

Gaia, who had originally turned around to leave, turned back to Kenneth when she felt the presence of another person in the place where Kenneth was going. The earth elf saw that Kenneth had already disappeared from her sight, then ended up swallowing the rest of the words she wanted to say.

"Gaia, what's wrong?"

Fay is a young wind fairy, so she cannot yet feel the existence of someone as powerful as Gaia or Kegan. Gaia turned to Fay and smiled. Her mischievous instincts emerged again, so she shook her head to answer Fay's question.

"It's nothing, Fay. I'm just wondering what Kenneth's expression will be when he comes back," she replied mysteriously.

***

Kenneth had just entered the area of ​​the hot springs rich in mana, and his body already felt lighter than before. The prince took a deep breath. After being forced to exhaust his mana every time he trained, resting in a place filled with pure mana with high concentration was the best.

Since Kenneth was already used to bathing and relaxing in that place, he did not hesitate to take off all his clothes there. The prince stretched his body first before he finally approached the hot springs covered in thick mist.

"Sigh... This place is the best."

"I'm glad you like it here."

"What-"

As soon as Kenneth heard another voice in the same place, he quickly got up from his sitting position. Even if Kenneth was tired, his energy and alertness immediately returned at that moment. Kenneth's eyes searched for someone amidst the thick steam that covered the place. However, as soon as Kenneth finally saw who had just replied to his words, his face immediately turned red.

On the side opposite him, Lelitia had already sat down comfortably in that place. Just like Kenneth, Lelitia didn't wear any clothes when she soaked in that place. However, unlike Kenneth, who immediately panicked because someone was bathing in the same place as him, Lelitia remained calm and stared at Kenneth as if he was the strange one among them.

"You, I-"

Even if Kenneth was the smartest prince in the Lucano Kingdom, he could still be overwhelmed when faced with a beautiful elf who was not wearing any clothes in front of him. Kenneth was so embarrassed that he had difficulty speaking. In the end, Kenneth preferred to avert his gaze from Lelitia and turned to cover the front of his own body.

"You can take a bath first. I'll be leaving soon."

After Kenneth calmed down, the man spoke and wanted to escape from that place as soon as possible.

"Why do you have to go? Stay here. You came to replenish your mana, right?"

Unfortunately, Kenneth had only taken a few steps when one of his hands was held by Lelitia, who also got up from her sitting position. Lelitia was unlike Kenneth, who had never been close to women other than his mother and Princess Abigail. In the same hot spring, the elves enjoyed bathing together in the past, regardless of whether they were male or female. The cultural differences made Lelitia not understand why Kenneth should be embarrassed, let alone leave the place since she had arrived there first.

"Stay."

Kenneth let out a long sigh as he heard Lelitia emphasize her words. After he saw that Lelitia was completely fine with her appearance, Kenneth finally calmed down even though his face was still red. Kenneth tried to shake off the image of Lelitia that he had accidentally seen earlier before he finally spoke to Lelitia again.

"Alright. You can let go of my hand. I won't go, Lelitia."

Kenneth let out a sigh of relief as Lelitia finally let go of his hand. Even though Kenneth said he would stay, the man ended up soaking with his back to Lelitia. The atmosphere around them turned awkward after that. Kenneth didn't know what to talk about with Lelitia, and Lelitia also stopped talking after she managed to get Kenneth to stay.

"Uh... Have you been busy lately?"

After Kenneth racked his brain for a while, he finally decided to break the awkwardness between them by asking Lelitia something.

"I improved the security of Audoran Forest and treated those who were injured. I also intentionally stayed in the outermost area to make those who lived there feel safer with my presence."

Kenneth was silent because he did not expect Lelitia to answer his question. They had only known each other during the princes' attack on Audoran Forest. However, Kenneth felt that Lelitia always spoke as if the elf had known him for a long time.

"You. Have you gotten used to living in this place?"

Kenneth did not say anything after Lelitia answered his question. So this time, it was Lelitia's turn to ask Kenneth. It felt like their conversation flowed so smoothly, thanks to Lelitia. Kenneth smiled, then answered Lelitia's question more casually after that.

"I can live well in this place thanks to everyone's help. Fay never gets tired of teaching me various things about how to live in this place. Gaia and Kegan are great teachers. Meanwhile, I'm grateful that Aqua is always willing to heal me when I'm injured."

"Ah, yes. I heard that the wooden house I'm using is yours. Thank you for letting me live in such a warm and comfortable place like that, Lelitia."

Because Kenneth was sitting with his back to Lelitia, the prince missed Lelitia's faint smile as the elf listened to Kenneth's explanation. Lelitia seemed satisfied with Kenneth's explanation. But in the next second, Lelitia's eyes read deep sadness as she replied to Kenneth's words.

"I only did what I was supposed to do. Please don't feel burdened by it. You are free to stay and use the house as you wish."

Again. Lelitia treated Kenneth so kindly that he was confused as to why the elf had been so friendly since their first meeting. Kenneth was pensive for a while. He was thinking about something in his mind. Then, once he was ready, Kenneth finally asked what had been on his mind all this time.

"Lelitia, may I know the reason why you and the others are so kind to me? I mean, I am a human like the people who have been attacking the Audoran Forest all this time, right?"