And so, the festival began.
I love festivals. Luke and Riz love having fun just as much. Citry doesn't mind them either, and since Anthem is a good big brother who always puts his sisters first, we've been used to causing a ruckus together for as long as I can remember.
And then Lucia would scold us.
It used to be a small, modest affair, but as our available funds and power grew, it evolved into something on a proper scale. Treasure Hunters tend to be the type who chase after fleeting pleasures, but I've never seen anyone throw a party on the scale that our Party does.
The sole entrance had been sealed off by a wall of earth, and the spacious interior was shrouded in thick steam. On nearby tables, a massive spread of food and alcohol sat alongside the scent of the hot spring, blending together into a scene of magnificent chaos.
The ground below was earth, but it had been hardened to a ceramic-like sheen—water couldn't seep in, and the soles of our feet stayed clean.
"Whoaaaaa, a hot spring! Krai, give me a dragon too!"
Luke let out a roar loud enough to disturb the neighbors and dove splendidly into the spring. A massive splash sent water arcing toward the food, only to bounce off an invisible wall. A nice assist from Lucia.
Seeing this, Riz pouted her lips, and without a moment's hesitation loosened her sash, letting her yukata slide smoothly off. Her well-tanned skin glistened seductively in the warm glow of the lanterns.
...It seemed she wasn't wearing anything underneath. She undressed with such unapologetic boldness, seemingly without a care in the world about being watched. She'd been shy about it back at the Galest Mountains, but apparently that was no longer the case.
Her Treasure Weapons were dispelled, and the legs she normally kept hidden were long and slender, lending her a touch of allure. The Origin of the Heavens, dangling from her ankle in its standby form, made for a rather nice accent.
"That's not fair! I was going to be the first one in!"
"B-Big sis!?! That's... in f-front of Mastaa, ha-how indecent!"
Tino, her face beet red, rushed at Riz in protest. But the earnest disciple only made Riz raise an eyebrow and shout right back.
"Shut up, Ti! It's too late to be embarrassed about being seen anyway! We're not the kind of relationship where showing skin is a problem! If you don't want to get in the spring, suit yourself!"
"That's—"
"Riz."
"!! Mastaa!"
Tino's face lit up as if divine help had arrived.
I looked at Riz—who was just as unclothed as Luke and then some—and tossed a soft sponge at her while wearing a puzzled expression.
"You have to wash before you get in."
"Okay~! You're the best, Krai-chan, you really get it!"
"Mastaa!?"
Riz's eyes sparkled, but Tino let out something between a wail and a scream. Unfortunately, as Riz had said, it was far too late for that.
Riz and I have a long history, and more importantly, she's not the type to be embarrassed about her body.
She didn't do it this time, but in truth she's the kind of girl who'll barge into the men's bath without hesitation, mixed or otherwise. Of course, she doesn't barge in when she doesn't want to, but when she does, she won't think twice. And she'll sweep aside any other inconvenient bathers with her trademark speed and toss them outside.
She always wears outfits that show quite a bit of skin, this isn't our first time sharing a hot spring, so to put it simply... I'm somewhat used to seeing her naked. As long as she doesn't cling to me, it's fine.
And while she's not the type to hold back on physical contact just because she's nude, whenever Lucia is around, Lucia uses magic to fend her off—so it's never been a problem. She even provides a visual filter.
Lucia lets out a deep sigh but doesn't go any further than that. Tino seemed to be suffering from culture shock, but the moment the hot spring had been prepared, that outcome was already baked in.
"Today... is a free-for-all. Let's eat and drink without standing on ceremony."
"Ti, normally I'd agree, but... you don't have to take anything off."
"You can wrap a towel around yourself, or wear a swimsuit. You can even stay in your clothes."
There were about two people present who weren't wearing swimsuits, didn't bother with towels, and had zero reservations about being seen, but there was absolutely no need to worry about that. They were like wild animals. Tino had nothing to worry about.
"Look! Krai! I'm fine even in the whirlpool! This is the result of my training! It's great for building core and leg strength!"
Luke shouted triumphantly as he treaded water in the middle of the great whirlpool.
Watching him, I suddenly felt the urge to join in. All my inhibitions faded away, and since the steam was making things rather warm, I undid my shirt buttons.
For now, just the top half. I removed my Treasure Weapon rings one by one, leaving only a single Barrier Ring. With companions around, I could finally take off most of the Treasure Weapons I normally kept on even while sleeping.
"M-Mastaa!? Mastaa, you're... taking yours off too?"
What a silly thing to say... I'm the last person who matters. Nobody cares if I take off a little clothing.
Besides, Tino had already broken through the wall and barged into the men's bath earlier... not that I'm bringing that up again.
Lucia, still in her yukata, snapped her fingers with a sharp click, and a glass floated over on its own, filled with alcohol and delivered right into her hand. A sweet, low-proof drink—something even I could enjoy.
I gratefully accepted the offering, narrowed my eyes, and raised my glass.
"Drinking and then immediately getting into a hot bath isn't good for you, you know."
"............Then why did you have it prepared?"
I didn't have it prepared. Riz and the others brought it themselves. That's just how we, the *Mourning Specter*, operated—haphazardly.
Well, whatever. Today was a free-for-all. No need to be the killjoy.
I brought the glass to my lips and downed the alcohol Lucia had chilled for me in one gulp.
Tino swallowed hard, then spoke with a look of determination.
"M-Mastaa... I... I'm going to go change."
"...Yeah, yeah, go ahead."
Tino hurried off to grab a towel from the stack, slipped off her shoes, and climbed onto the tatami. I watched with a gentle smile as my childhood friends revelled in their excitement, perfectly at ease.
§ "Lu-ciaaa! Currents! There are no currents! I can't train without them!"
"Luu-cia-chan~! Sauna! Build us a saunaaaa!"
"Quiet! Ugh, seriously, quiet! You don't even know how many spells I'm running in parallel..."
A giant wine barrel levitated into the air above the noisy pair and burst apart. Golden ale rained down over Luke and Riz, and a powerful wave of alcohol fumes spread through the air—yet somehow it didn't contaminate the food or the hot spring water. Impressive control, as expected.
Riz slicked back her drenched hair and let out a shriek.
"What are you doing!? That's horrible!"
"Is this... Drunken Sword training? This must be Drunken Sword training, right?"
Her skin glistened with alcohol. Tino, who had taken off her yukata and wrapped a towel around herself, looked at the big brother and big sister who were perfectly unfazed by being doused in booze and said with trembling fear.
"Mastaa... could this be what they call an ocean of wine and a forest of meat?"
I wondered exactly what meaning she was attaching to that phrase.
"Well, why don't you grab something to eat?"
"In this getup, I can't exactly relax, Mastaa."
Tino looked down at herself and shivered. She had wrapped her entire body in a long towel, secured tightly so it wouldn't fall off. She always wore outfits that exposed her shoulders, so in terms of bare skin it wasn't much different—but her fair complexion had turned a deep red, probably from the steam. She looked rather uncomfortable.
"Thanks for your hard work, big bro. Did you bring back that thing?"
"...Mm. I left it in the capital."
A little ways off, Citry—also wrapped in a towel like Tino—sat down with a soapy mop and began scrubbing Anthem's back. It looked like she was cleaning a massive wall, but she was giving him a proper back-wash.
Citry was all smiles and seemed to be having a wonderful time. She adored her brother. His back was so enormous that she even used a step stool to reach every part.
Anthem's back was rock-like in its enormity, the muscles bulging everywhere. The countless old scars that covered its surface were proof that he had always stood at the forefront, absorbing blow after blow for all of them.
Anthem was the Party's bulwark of defense—and at the same time, the *Mourning Specter's* **Healer**. His healing magic was so powerful that even high-ranking officials from the national government came requesting his services. But the thing about healing magic was that it had an unfortunate quirk—it worked poorly on the caster alone.
It wasn't that he was in pain, but looking at that back, I couldn't help but feel something, given that I'd never received so much as a single scratch—all thanks to them.
I stood up, picked up my swim ring, and went over to Anthem.
"Anthem, thanks for your hard work. It's been a while—let me scrub your back for you."
"Mm."
"Is that okay? Oh, then I'll wash Krai's back instead! That's fine, right, big bro?"
"...Mm."
What exactly was the substitution? I didn't understand, but I borrowed the mop from Citry and started scrubbing Anthem's back with vigorous strokes.
I was completely useless when it came to exploration, but I was confident I had above-average skill when it came to cleaning walls. His broad, bulging back was incredibly difficult to wash, but I put my whole effort into it. Hard work, but if I got tired, I could always hop into the hot spring.
I don't usually do any physical labor, so there was actually something a little enjoyable about it.
While I was working the mop, Tino—who had been following me around like a little duckling—hesitantly spoke up.
"Mastaa... um... would you please let me try? Anthem, big brother, is that alright?"
"...Mm."
He'd been with us for ages, and he was just as taciturn as ever. But there was something almost pleased in his voice, from being surrounded by so many companions who cared about him.
I handed the baton to Tino, but Riz and Luke, who had noticed what was going on, came rushing over with wide eyes and started fighting over the mop.
"Ahh, that's cheating! Is this training?! It's training, isn't it!? Let me do it too!"
"Huh!? It's Ti's turn next, which means it's MY turn! Luke-chan, just sit there and drink your booze! Here, take this! This counts as training too!"
Riz tried to shove her half-finished mug into Luke's hands, earning a grumpy shout.
"Like hell there's any training that involves just drinking! Are you making fun of me!?"
"Huh!? You'll listen to Krai-chan but you won't listen to me!?"
"Well, here's the thing, Riz! Your words lack—conviction!"
My words lack it too... if we were measuring by conviction content, I'm pretty sure I'd rank below Riz.
It was a familiar scene. They were the kind of friends who only argued because they were so close.
Behind Anthem, who sat completely still, the two of them glared and shouted at each other.
Ignoring them entirely, Citry beamed and spoke up. But her energy level was just a touch higher than usual.
"Krai, let's just leave them be. More importantly... let me wash your back. I haven't gotten to do it even once yet."
"!! Citry, big sis, you're too close—"
And just as she was about to press her chest against my back, her body went flying.
She corkscrewed through the air and plunged headfirst into the hot spring with a tremendous splash.
Tino, who had been about to call out a warning to the suddenly-blown-away big sister, stood there in stunned silence. Lucia, mug in hand, spoke with dead eyes.
"Citry, you're out. Honestly, this is what happens the moment I let my guard down."
"Sis Lucia... you just... used an offensive spell."
"You're the ones who keep pushing me to train my magic! Do you have any idea how much trouble I have when people ask me how I practice casting spells around others?!"
Incidentally, Lucia was stronger than I was, but she had a slight weakness for alcohol. If she consumed the same amount as Riz and the others, she'd get drunk and pass out almost immediately. Apparently, when she had a Mana Recovery Potion in her system, the hangover was especially vicious.
And yet, my little sister could cast magic perfectly fine even when drunk. Impressive. Terrifying.
Tino, cowering in fear as Lucia glared daggers while gnawing on a bone-in piece of meat, whispered.
"Mastaa! Mastaa! If I had taken that hit... I'd be dead."
"Ahaha, it's fine—she's holding back."
Well, as long as you didn't do anything careless, she wouldn't shoot you. I was careful about that, which was why I'd never been hit before.
Citry, who had plunged into the hot spring, climbed shakily back up and steadied herself against the edge of the tub. Her towel had been blown somewhere, and her faintly-tinted skin was now largely exposed.
"Ggh...! After all that effort! Not even one reward—! Besides, why should Lucia's permission be needed just to wash Krai's back!?"
Before the complaining Citry, Lucia stood with arms crossed, blocking her path. Her voltage had risen considerably.
"If you want to cling to him that badly, why don't you become a towel? Not sure you'd be able to change back, though."
"!?"
"Enough! *'Citry, become a towel!'*"
"Ahhhh!"
"Become a towel! Become a towel! Ugh, there's no such spell!"
Citry turned pale and started swimming away through the hot spring. Lucia turned an empty bone to charcoal, shed her yukata, and dove in after her. The cloud that had been producing a waterfall was now throwing down lightning.
The sisters' wild rampage left Tino's eyes spinning in her head.
"Cit... Citry's scream... I've never heard that before. And Lucia too..."
Lucia and Citry were actually extremely close.
"Anthem, are you done?"
"...Mm."
Unfazed by anything, Anthem rinsed off, ignored the still-bickering Luke and Riz, and slowly sank into the hot spring. The water overflowed from the enormous tub and streamed past our feet.
I gripped my swim ring tight and jumped in after him.
§ I used my swim ring to bob gently on the surface. Tino tied a rope to the ring and fastened the other end to a pillar on the tatami. I wasn't sure how much that helped.
Floating on my back, gazing up at the moon in the sky while listening to the joyful clamor of my companions—it felt wonderful.
Beside me, Tino sank to her chin in the water and murmured quietly.
"This is... the first time I've experienced anything this lively."
Luke and Riz were having a swimming race in the spring. Citry and Lucia appeared to be comparing drinks while soaking. Anthem had his eyes closed and was soaking silently in the deepest spot. I couldn't tell what he was thinking, but he looked content.
It had been called a vacation, but plenty had happened.
It had been rough at times, but looking back after it was all over... I had to admit it felt like good memories.
I'd put Tino through a lot too, but I hoped she'd at least enjoyed this vacation a little.
Being a Hunter was a dangerous line of work. But there was no shortage of fun to be had either. My talent was completely empty, so I'd given up on ever following in those footsteps—but for someone brimming with talent like Tino, the fun times would surely outnumber the bad.
"Tino... did you enjoy the vacation?"
"Huh!?"
The sudden question made Tino's eyes go wide, and she fell silent for a while.
Various colors flickered across those innocent eyes. She was probably recalling everything that had happened during this vacation.
I waited without saying anything, and eventually, Tino's cheeks flushed slightly. She sank into the water up to her nose and gave a small nod.
Apparently, there had been some good memories too.
Good, good. All's well that ends well. Now I'd just buy some souvenirs for Eva and the others and brag about this endlessly.
The capital had apparently been a mess, but that was their own fault for not coming along when they were invited. How about some hot spring dragon manjuu as souvenirs?
Once we were done with the bath, I'd head outside and drink some more. Then we'd set off fireworks and get back in the spring. By then, Riz and the others would have calmed down somewhat.
Lost in pleasant thoughts like these, Tino suddenly slammed into me.
My body rocked, and her smooth legs wrapped around mine.
I was momentarily at a loss for words. If it had been Riz, I wouldn't have been surprised, but Tino was generally modest and knew how to read the room.
But there was no embarrassment in Tino's expression. If anything, she looked like she couldn't believe what was happening herself.
"...What?"
"I—... what? N-no, it's not what you think! Mastaa, my body just... started drifting on its own—"
And then I noticed that a powerful current had formed in the hot spring.
A massive whirlpool had appeared at the center of the spacious tub, and water was being sucked into it with incredible force. It was as if a hole had opened up—the pull was tremendous.
Luke, sensing something was amiss, lit up with excitement and tried to tread water against the current, but he was swallowed up in an instant. Riz, who had grabbed his arm as he was swept away, disappeared with her eyes wide open.
Lucia and Citry were almost dragged in too, but Lucia's magic managed to keep them in place.
"..."
The legs wrapped around me loosened. Tino let out a small cry as she was sucked into the whirlpool and vanished.
The water level dropped in the blink of an eye, revealing the bottom of the tub.
At the center of the whirlpool was a massive hole roughly a meter wide. It certainly hadn't been there before the bath was filled.
All that remained were me—barely surviving thanks to my swim ring—Lucia, Citry, and Anthem, who was simply too large to be swept away.
With sharp, clicking sounds, dark, clawed fingertips gripped the rim of the hole one after another. They looked disturbingly familiar.
Still dazed, I heard Lucia speak with a tremor in her voice.
"Again... is it happening again, Leader?"
"Krai, didn't we all agree to watch the fireworks together!?"
Even Citry was giving me an accusatory look, but was this really my fault?
"Enough! Enough! Enough!"
Lucia blasted the edge of the hole with magic, tearing the clawed hands free, and then dove into the hole herself.
Anthem, who couldn't fit through the hole as things stood, rose to his feet and strode over with thunderous footsteps to retrieve his full-body Treasure Weapon armor.
Citry blinked, looking troubled.
"Shouldn't we just fill this in? Lucia will come back eventually anyway..."
I decided to test just how chaotic things could get.