Sauna Training
Wintervalt Ducal Castle, Duke's Office.
In the quiet room, only the quill pen scratched noisily against the paper. As Kailan's nerves frayed, the sound grew ever more violent.
"Haa..."
The man known as the empire's greatest sword master and the ghost of the battlefield, Kailan Wintervalt. Dark circles hung heavy under his eyes, making his title of Monster Duke seem laughable.
He hadn't even twitched an eyebrow facing down hundreds of enemy troops alone. But before a mountain of documents needing his seal, he was utterly helpless.
I'm going insane.
For the past few days, Kailan hadn't even glimpsed his bed. Deploying five thousand orcs for a massive construction project wasn't simple. Manpower allocation, food budget adjustments, hot spring resort settlements, and handling complaints from merchant guilds flooding in from across the continent—all this weight rested squarely on his shoulders as lord.
But more maddening than the physical exhaustion was something else.
I can't even remember the last time Eleanor and I had some intimate time...
With his beloved wife right there, stacks of approvals kept him from even seeing her face properly. By night, she was usually asleep from her own fatigue, so Kailan's pent-up frustration had hit its limit.
Today, I'm clocking out on time, no matter what.
That was the sole reason Kailan processed papers at light speed.
For the next three days starting today! He was going on vacation with his dear wife Eleanor at the hot spring inn!
The highest-grade private open-air bath awaited, promising uninterrupted time just for the two of them.
Finally... finally done!
Kailan stamped the last document and shoved it aside. His desk was finally clear. With trembling hands, he grabbed his overcoat.
Outside the window, the sun was setting—just as another sun rose.
Early clock-out after ages. Eleanor's waiting. Hot springs! Relaxation! Date! Cuddles!
As Kailan reached for the door handle, chest swelling with anticipation—
Bang!
"M-my lord!! Urgent additional documents needing your approval...!"
"Your Grace! The southern merchant alliance is here regarding the banana milk monopoly contract...!"
"Approval for extra training rations. Lately, orcs joining the adventurer guild have...!"
Knight Captain Sedric, Guild Master Walter Knight, and Trade Minister Lian Count. The three vassals burst in, arms laden with paper stacks. Their faces were as haggard and zombie-like as Kailan's, etched deep with exhaustion.
Kailan's steps halted abruptly. His hand, midway to donning his coat, froze stiff in midair. His gaze turned resentful toward them.
"M-my lord. It's so urgent we must process it by tonight...!"
As Sedric extended the papers—
Vrrrrm!!
The office temperature plummeted sharply. Kailan's patience had snapped.
The sword master's aura escaped his control, flooding the room. Frost crept over the windows, and even the solar soma stones for heating dimmed to silence.
"Urk...!?"
"M-my lord...?"
The vassals' breaths caught. Even these battle-hardened men felt this chill for the first time.
"Enough."
Cold air hissed from Kailan's lips.
"Anyone who so much as whispers the word 'document' in front of me right now gets tossed into the snow troll pens. Know that."
"Y-Your Grace! But if rations don't continue, training will be disrupted...!"
"Southern merchants are notoriously fickle. We must sign now...!"
The vassals spouted excuses, desperately trying to proffer their papers. They wouldn't yield even to a sword master's aura.
Kailan pressed a hand to his forehead at their zombie-like tenacity.
Hoo... what a pain. This won't do.
Looking closer, his vassals were in sorry shape too. Had he driven them too hard, addicted to the money? His workaholism had spread downward.
Vacation started tomorrow, yet they shoved papers at him oblivious. Those dark circles—Life Spring's amazing effects barely lasted a week.
If I want to rest, I need to force these guys to rest first.
Resolved, Kailan pointed at the door.
"You three. Head to the hot spring resort right now. The sauna room just finished, I hear. Don't step out of the inn until sunrise tomorrow. That's an order from your lord."
Documents after vacation. Today, even he was resting with Eleanor.
That was the intent behind his forced vacation decree. Leaving those words, Kailan strode out without a backward glance.
The three left behind stood alone in the frozen office.
"Wh-what in the world...?"
Lian Count muttered, shivering.
Walter Knight bowed his head gravely.
"Wasn't it our lord who pulled all-nighters despite our pleas?"
"The grueling schedule must have finally broken him..."
"I'd want to clock out early too. With the Duchess, their chemistry is legendary."
Silence fell briefly—until Kailan's confidant, First Knight Order Captain Sedric, snapped his head up.
"Look at these blockheads! Don't you grasp our lord's heart yet?!"
"Wh-what do you mean, Captain Sedric?"
Sedric clenched his fist, unleashing a tirade.
"Would our lord rage at us over a mere date interruption? He who sheds blood and tears day and night for his people?!"
Lian and Walter eyed him with fair enough expressions.
"Why did he order us into the sauna room specifically, forbidding us out till dawn? Think!"
Walter scratched his chin.
"Why...? Just boundless mercy, telling us to sweat out fatigue in the heat?"
"The jjimjilbang project our lord leads is key for territory folk and continental tourists! He wants us to test safety firsthand—does it strain northern constitutions? Probe its limits with our bodies!"
"Ah...!!"
Lian clapped a hand over his mouth.
"It... it makes sense! Not just rest—he entrusted us with safety inspection!"
"Exactly! On our lord's honor, we dig to the sauna's depths. Let's go!"
He'd just told them to rest. But these severe workaholics twisted even that into duty.
Wintervalt Hot Spring Resort's ambitious creation, the sauna room.
Before the massive earthen kiln heated by solar soma stones and a specially designed furnace stood three men.
Scarred veteran knight Sedric. One-eyed Guild Master Walter Knight. Gaunt bureaucrat Lian Count.
Even in the resort's ochre jjimjil suits, they exuded outsized presence. Too flashy, really.
Yang-mari towels—rolled rounds on both sides of their heads—sat primly atop. Kailan had strictly ordered, "Resort rules—must wear." Naturally, no such rule existed. His little prank.
Gulp.
Lian eyed the kiln's maw, swallowing dryly.
"I-is this really... what His Grace meant? Looks like a giant furnace to me... Safe for people?"
"Indeed. Flames roaring below—like hell's gate."
As Walter and Lian hesitated, southern merchants stumbled out, drenched in sweat.
"Aigoo~ Refreshing! Fatigue flies away!"
"Thought I'd freeze to death coming north—now I live! His Grace is a genius!"
Tomato-red faces, yet beaming like they'd conquered the world. The three rubbed their eyes.
"People do emerge alive..."
"L-let's go in. His Grace's command."
Sedric deep-breathed, parted the curtain, and led inside.
Whoosh—!!
"Gahk...!!"
Murderous heat engulfed them instantly. Inside hit over 80 degrees easily. For northern cold-dwellers, it choked lungs like burning lungs.
Like facing a red dragon's breath!
"Grk...! Th-this is...!!"
"Head... spinning..."
Lian staggered, dizzy. Sedric and Walter panted, sweat pouring like rain. No spot for comfy rest.
Then—sweaty Sedric's eyes widened. In delusions of his lord, he was Wintervalt's champion.
"Now I get it...!!"
"Sir Sedric? What now!?"
Sedric pointed shakily at his yang-mari towel.
"Why our lord sent us here! Why this ridiculous towel! I understand perfectly now!"
"Really? I thought just cute prank..."
Sedric leaped. "As if! Think! Our northern knights' auras are inherently cold! Endure this extreme heat emitting aura—what happens!?"
"Just nuisance...?"
"Control it—no steam! Just enough to last in here!"
Walter's one eye bulged.
"Br, brilliant...! Aura output rises naturally...! Precision control training too!!"
Sedric caressed the towel's rolled ends delicately.
"See this pretty shape! Blast aura recklessly in heat—it unravels!"
Put on nose, nose ring. On ear, earring. Sedric's lord-tinted glasses wouldn't shatter till Kailan devoured the north.
The three advanced to the kiln's heart. Instead of lounging, they sat cross-legged before the hottest furnace.
"We must honor His Grace's will! Begin!!"
"Ooooo!!"