Hot Springs of the Underworld (1)
Steam from the scalding hot spring water hung thick in the air, condensing into droplets that fell in a steady patter. The water poured from the mouths of clumsily carved dragon motifs, the noisy cascade making it unmistakably clear what this place was. Deep beneath Barkus Volcano, the residents of Under Barkus had discovered these underground springs while searching for underground water veins. It was a precious sanctuary that provided the survivors with cleanliness, recovery, and their few moments of leisure.
There was more than one spring. Quite a few existed, and the two women stepped into the largest and most beautifully constructed one. The bath had been cleared of other guests in advance and thoroughly cleaned, prepared solely for their private soak.
“Enjoying yourself that much?”
“Haa… This warmth… the moist steam… It’s been a thousand years? I love it so much I could just dive right in!”
The women who had entered the spring in their natural, unclothed state were none other than the Demon Lord Neromeltia and her secretary, Lusteria.
The interior of the steamy bath was quite spacious. Though the village cavern was covered in stalactites and limestone, the spring itself was lined entirely with granite and marble. The stone had clearly been quarried from the mines that supplied soil for the farmland, and the polished surfaces ensured that lime would never dissolve into the water. The spring water itself was drawn from a deeper aquifer beyond the limestone layer, filtered clean through the volcanic bedrock. After hearing that reassuring explanation and seeing how well-maintained the bath was, the gently rippling surface of the water looked even more inviting.
“My Lord! I’ll wash you!”
While Neromeltia was still lost in appreciation of the spring water, Lusteria stood ready with both hands covered in thick white lather, her face bright with anticipation. She looked like a tail-wagging puppy waiting for permission, and Neromeltia couldn’t help but smile. Lusteria clearly wanted to finish washing as quickly as possible so she could finally sink into the warm water. Since the Demon Lord had to bathe first, and they could only enter the spring once they were clean, she was eager to get it done efficiently.
Neromeltia lifted a wooden bucket, scooped up some spring water, and poured it over herself. The bucket gave off a sweet fragrance, suggesting it had been made from fruitwood or fragrant timber. The scent rising with the steam was pleasant. After several pours, her skin glistened, damp and luminous. Her flawless, pale complexion looked even smoother, and the water droplets tracing down her body sparkled like scattered jewels.
“Let’s see just how good my secretary is at bathing her master.”
“Ah… Yes! Of course! I’ll wash you nice and clean!”
Lusteria, who had been admiring Neromeltia’s water-slicked body, belatedly responded and began hurriedly spreading foam across her master’s skin. Until they had entered the bath, she had felt nothing unusual at the sight of her master’s naked form. Her mind had been entirely occupied with the thought of soaking in the warm, soothing water, so she had only wanted to finish washing quickly. But now that water had been poured over Neromeltia and her body was glistening wet, Lusteria felt a strange flutter in her chest and the rapid pounding of her heart. The flush rising to her cheeks was not caused by the bath’s heat alone.
Water droplets slid along Neromeltia’s smooth skin, tracing the elegant line of her collarbone and disappearing into the deep valley between her breasts. Clear water pooled between her full thighs, creating a tiny, skin-toned spring of its own. Though her hair was black, the damp strands shone with a bright luster, and her beautiful figure made Lusteria wonder if even the sea goddess Kalasia would look this divine.
Lusteria’s foam-covered hands stroked down Neromeltia’s back. The soft skin beneath her fingertips felt so pleasant it sent a shiver through her, and the supple resilience beneath that smoothness stirred a deeper, more carnal desire that left her thoughts hazy.
“Lusteria. At this rate we won’t make it into the spring today, will we?”
“Aah… Y-yes…! I-I’ll wash you right away!”
Lusteria had been lost in a trance, caressing and stroking her master’s skin rather than simply washing it. Neromeltia’s sudden words snapped her back to reality, and she focused once more on the task. Yet when her hands glided along Neromeltia’s slender neck, over her smooth shoulders, and came to rest at the graceful curve of her waist, Lusteria again found herself drifting into heated reverie, acutely aware of the beautiful body before her.
Her hands slid repeatedly over Neromeltia’s narrow waist, savoring its shape and firmness, then drifted lower to the taut, flawless abdomen. Neromeltia caught the wandering hand.
“Lusteria.”
“Aah…”
“Like this.”
Startled by the sudden action, Lusteria instinctively tried to pull away, but Neromeltia held her hand firmly and guided it across her own body. Using Lusteria’s hand as though it were a washcloth, she began to gently rub her own skin. Unable to resist, Lusteria surrendered completely to her master’s lead. Her obedient response was not born of weakness or fear of Neromeltia’s strength, but of the desire that had already begun to burn within her, leaving her powerless to refuse.
“We have to wash under the breasts too…”
“Hngh…!”
“Thoroughly, remember?”
Under Neromeltia’s guidance, Lusteria’s hand was made to knead the soft, full breasts. The sensation sent her desire surging wildly. When the hand passed between them and rubbed beneath, an irresistible craving grew stronger, and soon her own core grew slick with arousal. When the hand pressed firmly at the center, the breasts yielded around it, and the feel of the soft nipples against her palm threatened to shatter what little reason she had left.
“Hmm. You seem a bit clumsy. Shall I demonstrate?”
“Aah…!”
In the past, Lusteria had often assisted Neromeltia with her baths. Never once during those times had she been so helplessly consumed by lust. But after a thousand years without any intimate contact with another, she had only been able to soothe her own desires through solitary means whenever they arose. Then, after finally reuniting with her master, they had spent a passionate night together, sharing love so intense it left her mind reeling. Now, faced with Neromeltia’s alluring naked body, the vivid memories of that night resurfaced, making it impossible to resist the temptation. Long abstinence had left her without any immunity to desire, so even this ordinary contact overwhelmed her.
Neromeltia released Lusteria’s nearly paralyzed hand and moved behind her. With a splash, she poured the remaining lather over both their bodies. Then she embraced Lusteria from behind and began to wash every inch of her, using her own soft form to scrub her secretary clean. Lusteria’s head fell back, her mouth open as she gasped for breath, her body trembling.
Though her eyes were open, Lusteria saw nothing. The sensation of her master’s soft breasts, slippery with foam, sliding and rubbing along her spine was so intensely pleasurable that it stole her breath. The explicit, lewd contact made her pant, and the heat of Neromeltia’s breath against her ear sent fresh waves of ecstasy through her. When those foam-slick hands rubbed her own breasts, a small moan escaped her. When they caressed the curve of her waist, a pitiful surge of desire stirred within her. When the gentle touch finally descended to her lower body, excitement and near-ecstatic anticipation paralyzed her reason.
Yet Neromeltia’s hands deliberately avoided the place Lusteria most wanted them, merely stroking her thighs and leaving her burning need unfulfilled.
“M-Master……”
“We can’t skip this part either.”
“Hyaaah…!!”
Neromeltia’s hands slid between Lusteria’s buttocks, fingers boldly rubbing her most intimate place. Lusteria’s hips jerked reflexively, but Neromeltia’s other arm wrapped around her waist, holding her firmly in place. Even as she tried to escape in embarrassment, the relentless fingers continued their thorough torment. Because no one else had ever touched her there, the stimulation felt overwhelmingly intense, her senses sharpened to an almost painful degree. The insistent rubbing made her fear that a finger might actually slip inside, and Lusteria’s voice trembled as she spoke.
“…Th-that place… hngh… it’s dirty, Master…! It’s filthy… You shouldn’t… touch it…!”
“That’s exactly why we have to wash it properly. That’s what bathing is for, isn’t it?”
Even though the touch had nothing to do with actual intercourse, pleasure began to bloom there. The flush spreading across Lusteria’s body was not caused by shame alone. Her limbs grew increasingly numb, her resistance fading, until she found herself desperately hoping those hot fingers would finally reach her aching core and grant her release. But Neromeltia’s hands remained cruelly focused on her buttocks, thighs, and lower abdomen, deliberately avoiding the center and only stoking the flames of her desire higher.
Then, just as Lusteria’s body was about to burst with need, Neromeltia’s hands withdrew completely. She stepped back, leaving Lusteria trembling and disoriented. The succubus looked up at her master with a mixture of confusion and longing, but Neromeltia merely spoke in a calm, matter-of-fact tone, as though she had no idea what her secretary was silently begging for.
“We should get into the spring soon, so let’s finish washing on our own. I’m sure you’d prefer that too, Lusteria.”
With her desire still raging, the sudden cessation of all touch left Lusteria’s conflicted emotions plainly visible on her flushed face. She stared helplessly at Neromeltia, who had turned away and was calmly washing herself. What she did not see was the faint, knowing smile on her master’s lips.