Chapter 53
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 53
Chapter Title: Turtle Island (2)
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“Dwarves on the front mountain, elves on the back? Heh heh, hot springs are way better than that nonsense.”
Dominic couldn’t stop grinning to himself. It felt like one of those events straight out of the genre novels he’d read as a kid had finally happened to him.
Winter was coming soon, and he’d been racking his brain over what to do with the resort’s side facilities.
He’d even considered building a sledding hill if they got a ton of snow, but in the south, where it barely snowed once every decade, that was a pipe dream.
As a last resort, he’d been developing programs like inviting bards for winter nights around bonfires with barbecues, songs, and stargazing. But even that didn’t quite fill the gap.
‘Not bad, but it lacks punch.’
Those couldn’t be the main events, so he’d gone to bed every night agonizing over it. Turns out, the lamp casts no light right under it.
“Hot springs! Ugh—see, this is why you gotta live right! I’ve been good, so this is my reward!”
He dipped his hand into the trickling streamlet, and it was nicely toasty—warmer than expected.
‘The source must be close by. I wanna check it out a bit more...’
The decision didn’t take long.
Ian, whom he’d left at the beach, did worry him a little, but on an uninhabited island, what could go wrong? Dominic resolved to follow the stream upstream toward the source.
For low-cost hot spring development, higher temperatures and greater volume were ideal.
How far did he trek through the underbrush on a pathless forest trail?
Finally, Dominic’s eyes landed on a bubbling pool, steam rising in thick puffs as if announcing, This is the source you’ve been looking for.
“Whoa, hot, hot!”
He gingerly touched near the bubbling spot, and his fingertips turned red in an instant.
Perfect temperature!
Hot sources were best. That way, even after piping the water to the resort’s baths, it’d still be ready for guests—no boiling needed, which meant massive savings on upkeep.
“Slippery and slick—perfect.”
Dunking his hand in and rubbing his fingers together underwater, he felt the silky texture.
He’d heard that bathing in mineral-rich water left your skin feeling like you’d slathered on lotion.
A whirlwind of marketing ideas for this hot spring flashed through his mind.
“Yeah, this’ll work.”
He snapped off a stalk from a nearby bamboo-like tree and filled it with hot spring water.
No saltiness, so safe to drink. He tried it—quenched his thirst without making him thirstier. Fresh water, basically.
Back at the castaway spot.
“Knight! Knight!”
“...Gasp!”
Shaking him awake, Ian bolted upright like he’d snapped out of a deep sleep.
“Ugh... where the hell...?”
“Here, drink this first. It’s water.”
“...Thanks. Mmph!”
“Oops, sorry. I figured it’d cool off on the way back.”
“How’s the water still warm...?”
Dominic flashed a grin at Ian’s shock.
“Wanna wash up?”
“Pfft! W-what did you just say?”
Ian spat out the hot spring water he’d been gulping, stunned by the sudden offer.
“Heh heh, surprised you, huh? Get this—there’s a hot spring here. Thought that turtle was the messenger, but nope, it was a fairy. Dropped off my lottery winnings ‘cause I’ve been such a good boy.”
“A hot... spring?”
Ian’s eyes went wide.
“Yeah. Go soak. Follow the coast this way, you’ll see steam rising from a stream. Trace it into the woods a bit, and bam—source right there. I’ll prep us to leave while you’re gone.”
“No, I’ll help build the raft.”
“Raft? What raft?”
Dominic tilted his head, as if to say, What are you on about?
“Didn’t you say we’re getting ready to leave?”
“Yup. But why bother slaving over a raft?”
Dominic held up the ring on his finger, eyeing Ian like he was speaking nonsense.
“Fire!”
Whoosh!
He cast the starter spell on prepped dry bark. It was that trusty one-circle fire-starting ring doubling as a lighter—proving its worth again.
“I’ll keep the fire roaring with plenty of smoke, so hurry back before the rescue ship arrives.”
“...Right.”
By the time Dominic had a massive plume of smoke going—visible across the sea to the village shore—Ian reached the hot spring.
Slipping his hand into the warm water, he felt his stiff body melting from the fingertips up.
‘Feels damn good.’
Ian hesitated a moment, then stripped off his shirt and pants, slipping into the water.
Face barely above the surface, soaking in the heat, he sensed the mana surging wildly inside him lately picking up even more.
‘Like I can almost grasp it.’
The itching sensation had dragged on for ages with no progress. Still, his master kept encouraging him that it wasn’t bad—just be patient. All Ian could do was trust and wait.
‘Just a little more. Almost there.’
Fiddling with the small pendant on his ever-present necklace, Ian soothed himself.
“Knight! Looks like a ship’s coming! How much longer you gonna be?!”
“...Coming right now.”
“Head to the beach—I’m going first!”
Dominic’s grumbling voice carried from afar, then faded again.
He’d thought it was just a moment, but he’d soaked longer than expected.
‘Guess I was more beat than I realized.’
Dominic wiped himself down with his shirt, stared at the pendant, carefully cleaned the water droplets from the necklace, and slipped it back on swiftly.
Swish—
In that instant while polishing the necklace, had Ian’s beautiful golden hair seemed to grow just a tad longer before snapping back? A trick of the eye?
At the beach, the rescue ship was nearly there.
“Dominic! Knight!”
“Uncle! Over here, here!”
No pier on the uninhabited isle, so the ship dropped a raft—but Kallon Uncle and the Fishing Cooperative uncles dove straight into the surf, swimming ashore.
Splash-splash.
“You little punk! I oughta tan your hide! Tan it good!”
“Ow! I barely survived, why hit me?!”
“Who just notifies us and jumps in like that?! You brat—break one leg, and you won’t pull this crap again! Grab him!”
“Eeeeek!”
The uncles, swimming fiercer than the turtle, swarmed Dominic for a half-playful, half-serious beating.
He’d been playing Village Chief to a tee, even getting inaugurated as mayor recently, earning their respect—but not this time.
“Ow! Eek!”
Even as they wrenched his joints, Dominic’s heart warmed.
It was the kind of nagging only family could dish out.
“Knight! Get over here too, quick!”
“Didn’t you say you couldn’t swim?! And you pull a stunt like that? Know how our hearts dropped hearing the knight washed up in a beer bottle?!”
“Dominic’s always been a reckless idiot, fine—but you charging in headfirst too? What then?”
Dominic clicked his tongue. These guys are laying into a knight like that? Come on.
Ian wouldn’t demand satisfaction or duel over insults, but if he stiffened up and turned away, how to smooth that over? Dominic’s neck prickled.
“...My apologies.”
“...!”
But against Dominic’s worries, Ian bowed to the uncles.
He’d always used honorifics with Kallon Uncle and treated them as elders, but a full bow? From a knight to commoners?
“I didn’t realize you’d worry like this.”
“Ahem, hem. We, uh, well—”
Kallon Uncle hiccuped mid-scold, thrown by the unexpected response.
“...We worried, is all. You and Dominic are like our grandkids. Ahem.”
“Grandkids? More like sons. Uncle, your eldest is my age.”
“You punk!”
“Hahaha!”
Dominic’s quip melted the tension in a heartbeat.
“Oh yeah, there’s hot springs here! That way!”
“What? Hot springs?”
“Let’s go check ‘em out!”
The rescuers’ goal flipped to hot springs on a dime. The fishermen bolted toward where Dominic pointed.
“...Thank you. For worrying.”
Ian’s mumble, soft as a mouse, reached only Dominic’s ears.
‘Pretend I didn’t hear that, right?’
Everyone’s got a story. Dominic decided to play dumb.
“Heave-ho! Nice weather again today. Heh heh.”
The Old Lord’s routine hadn’t changed much.
Still no plans to return to the castle.
One of the resort’s suites served as his villa now, with an office and training ground set up on nearby empty land. He was thoroughly enjoying life’s second act.
“Breakfast, milord?”
“Sun’s perfect—terrace it is.”
“Right away.”
Winter’s peak had passed.
But southern winters weren’t harsh. Days below freezing were rare; on sunny ones, outdoor meals and tea had their charm.
Pour—
“Excellent.”
“Trending in the capital.”
“Heh. More merchants traveling far these days, eh?”
“Commercial district buzzes more each visit, milord.”
“Good news. Where’s Ian?”
“Morning training, I’d wager. Oh—the mayor sent this.”
“Dominic?”
Just come himself. Opening the letter, the Old Lord’s face lit up.
“Finally open for business!”
Inside: a polite invite to visit the new hot springs and point out any shortcomings.
Turtle Island’s discovery had reached phase one completion.
“Direct pier from the resort, they say. Shall I book it?”
“Perfect. Ah, shoot! Right—meeting the admins today about academy enrollment?”
“Checked ahead: they’re hitting Turtle Island post-lunch to inspect the springs.”
Valets who’d served great nobles weren’t to be underestimated.
“Heh, I’d have missed it without you. Alright—lunch on the island with them. They’ve got dining, right?”
“Of course.”
Bzzz—
Ignoring the Old Lord’s glee over what to wear—maybe that Yeti coat from the northern range?—the magic communicator buzzed.
“...Answer it?”
“Must be urgent from his lordship.”
“Tch. Timing...”
Pop!
His son’s voice came through.
- Father. Doing well?
“Cut to it. Busy.”
The current lord was busier, obviously—but the Old Lord was miffed anyway.
‘Bet Dominic’s already soaking in those springs by now, that lucky dog.’
Thinking of the world’s most enviable guy, using final checks as an excuse for luxury.
- Remember that centipede from this year’s monster sweep?
“Sentinel Seed? The one Dominic—our mayor—auctioned off?”
- Yes.
“So?”
- We sent it to the capital’s mage tower ‘cause its size was off.
“Right.”
- Results are in: desert breed, Father.
“...Desert?”
The Old Lord’s head throbbed at the unforeseen word.