Rischel Hot Springs (2)
We unpacked at the inn and decided to explore the place first.
"We still have plenty of time. Let's check out the inn before anything else!"
Tatiana, more excited than usual, stepped out of the room first, and I followed at a leisurely pace.
"This inn has stood here since the days Camelot Castle was built—a historic establishment. The Royal Inn, where even most honored guests can't gain entry, is operated exclusively for Rischel's heavyweights. It's the finest inn around, I assure you."
"Wow…!"
"I can confidently say it's the best in Rischel."
Tatiana, her cheeks faintly flushed and unable to hide her excitement, belatedly noticed me beside her and gave a wry smile.
"Sorry, I must've looked so undignified."
"It's fine. Isn't this your last break before leaving Rischel?"
She wasn't tagging along for work support in the first place.
The original plan was for her to enjoy some free time here until the Union's defensive weapons arrived.
She'd been busy with cleanup after the Four Heavenly Kings' attack, so she deserved to make some happy memories at the end.
She should enjoy herself to the fullest, leave without regrets, and head out with a light heart.
'Plus, meeting the Death Devil must've been tough on her mentally.'
How disappointed she'd been at not slaying her mortal enemy, the Death Devil.
The circumstances hadn't allowed it, so she didn't blame me for failing to kill him—but that only made me feel more indebted to her lately.
'That's part of why I came along with her.'
Otherwise, I wouldn't have moved so conspicuously.
Especially knowing Rischel's people were watching my every move.
"Might as well unwind and shake off all the fatigue while we're resting."
"…Yes!"
I naturally smiled at Tatiana, who nodded with a bright grin.
Meanwhile, at that very moment, in Camelot Castle's Round Table conference room.
The knights of the Round Table, gathered closely around the round table, listened intently to Tristan's words.
"The target has entered the destination."
The master archer, eyes closed as she surveyed the distant scene from above, slowly opened them once the target entered the building.
At her words, the Round Table knights began speaking up one by one.
"Awesome! Let's storm in right now!"
Kay, her bronze skin gleaming as she shot to her feet, voiced her fiery opinion with her usual hot-blooded fervor.
"No, it's not the right time yet. We need her guard to drop a bit more."
Agravain calmly countered Kay's proposal with a composed expression.
Percival followed right after.
"The staff bribes are solid, right?"
"Of course. He's already in the palm of our hands."
Percival flashed a satisfied smile at Bedivere's response.
"Then no need to wait, right? Like Kay said, let's barge in now."
She grinned, her beach sandals flapping as she spoke, and Kay nodded vigorously in agreement.
"No, that won't work."
But Lancelot shut it down immediately.
"Why not!"
"Want me to explain?"
"Serang wouldn't head there without a plan. He's definitely on guard against us intruding."
"True…"
Murmurs rippled through the Round Table at the infiltration expert's confident words.
But in that moment—
A heavy thud echoed, quelling the unrest.
"Hear me out to the end."
As all eyes turned to Lancelot, who had lightly rapped the table, she began outlining the plan with a blank expression.
"The key to this plan is to lower Serang's guard and successfully join him for a mixed bath."
"But how do we drop his guard?"
"Exactly. We can't even sneak into his bedroom normally, let alone a mixed bath…"
At Gawain's skeptical reaction, the silent Merlin let out a creepy chuckle.
"Heh heh heh. It's fine. Th-there's a way."
With that, Merlin pulled a pink potion from between her ample bosom.
The knights, offended by the cheeky use of her chest, clicked their tongues in unison.
In contrast, Gareth and others' eyes lit up at the sight of the potion.
"N-no way, a love potion?!"
"N-no. Love potions don't work on him."
"…Have you tried?"
"……."
Merlin averted her eyes without a word.
Gareth, eyeing her coolly, soon turned back to the pink potion with eager anticipation.
"Then what is it? An aphrodisiac? Sleeping pill? Or a powerful paralytic?!"
"N-none of those."
Oblivious to the knights' dubious stares, Gareth's eyes sparkled.
"Then what?!"
"Th-this is a disguise potion."
""……!!""
The knights' eyes widened in shock at the bombshell revelation.
"A disguise potion!"
Agravain, hailed as the brains of the Round Table, exclaimed in admiration.
"Brilliant! Why didn't I think of that?!"
"…Agravain?"
"We'll use it to disguise ourselves as staff and infiltrate the inn. Right, Merlin?"
"Y-yeah."
Lancelot took the potion from the nonchalant Merlin and continued.
"Just as Agravain said. We'll use this disguise potion to sneak into the inn as staff. Then, using bath service as an excuse, we'll slip into Serang's bath."
Gulp—
"Hold on. Will a disguise like that even fool him?"
He senses even nighttime stealth attempts like a ghost.
Reading presences is basic.
He picks up on the slightest air currents.
And he even detects gazes from afar with his monstrous senses.
Would a crude disguise work on such a superhuman?
"I-it's fine. I've optimized it so the stigmata won't react."
But Merlin nodded, defying expectations.
"…For real?"
"Y-yeah. No problem. Even he won't see through the disguise."
Was she really one of the continent's top archmages?
The knights, swayed by her oddly confident tone, began showing flickers of anticipation.
'Drink this, and we can mixed-bath with him.'
Naturally, without getting caught!
"…!"
Mordred hastily wiped drool she hadn't noticed flowing and turned to Lancelot.
"Merlin, distribute to everyone."
"O-okay."
At Lancelot's order, Merlin handed out potions to all. Bayrin, quietly rolling hers in her hand, spoke up.
"But what's the detailed plan?"
"Nothing specific."
"What do you mean…? You're going in without a concrete strategy?"
"……."
Her response was only a brief silence—neither affirmation nor denial.
As all eyes focused on Lancelot, she met Bayrin's gaze with her ice-blue eyes.
"Don't get the wrong idea, Bayrin."
"…?"
"We're just cooperating toward the same goal."
Once the mission starts, we're rivals.
The other knights flinched at the intense hostility peeking through her stoic facade.
But the intimidation lasted only a moment.
The Round Table knights ignited their own fierce auras, steeling their resolve.
"Fine by me. First come, first served, right?"
Kay flashed a feral grin, her red eyes gleaming.
"I like it. A race now and then isn't bad."
Tristan's green eyes sharpened beneath her gentle smile as she spoke with competitive zeal.
"Simple enough, I like it."
Percival stretched casually from her slouched position.
"Personal alliances are fine, right, sis?"
"Of course. Let's team up and claim him, Bayerun."
The Bayrin and Bayerun sisters began plotting secretly.
"H-ho, mixed bath? Such indecency… Ah, but honestly, I'm curious too…"
Gawain wrestled with inner conflict.
'Even he can't resist if we're naked together…!'
Bedivere clenched her fist, burning with determination.
"A bath with the Martial God! Gotta be some super rare shots! Heh heh heh!"
"Mixed bath… service… pregnancy… marriage… Fufufu."
And Gareth cackled pervertedly while Merlin chuckled sinisterly.
Each harboring their own thoughts, they all turned to Lancelot.
She met their unreadable gazes, then brushed back her blue hair and spoke.
"You've all seen it on the battlefield, right? Serang's furious form."
"This is our golden chance to ravish that body. No failures allowed."
They gulped at the dizzying mere thought of that scene.
A chilling aura poured over them.
"It's fine if others get ahead."
"But if."
"Anyone rats out to score points with Serang…"
I'll make sure they learn betrayal means death.
Lancelot swept her killing gaze over the Round Table, then continued in a flat tone.
"Let's begin."
"Operation Paradise in Rischel."
With that, starting with Lancelot, the knights vanished from the Round Table in an instant.
Meanwhile, in Camelot Castle's office.
Arthur was buried in paperwork as usual.
Sensing the workload was double the norm, she summoned the chamberlain.
And after asking the reason—
"…They all took leave?"
"Yes, that's correct."
Arthur pressed her temple, soothing a headache.
"…While the Martial God is resting?"
"…Yes, at this time."
"All together?"
"…Yes."
She could hear it.
Her instincts ringing alarm bells wildly.
She had no idea what they were scheming, but one thing was certain.
"They're up to no good again."
If they were the ones she knew, they were definitely plotting something foolish.
'No helping it.'
Correcting subordinates' flaws was a lord's duty.
For that, trivial paperwork could—
Thud—
"……."
"……."
"…Can't?"
"…No, you can't."
"…However."
"The backlog is massive, Your Majesty."
"……."
Hiiing.