Chapter 398 – A Night in the Desert City

The rooms designated as the VIP suite and guest rooms were adjacent to each other, and since each was quite spacious, there was considerable flexibility in deciding who would stay where.

While everyone would eventually need to return to their own rooms for bathing and sleeping… after finishing dinner at Fatima’s mansion, we naturally ended up gathering in one room to relax together.

“How is the breeze treating you?” asked Princess Stephania.

Marlene, who was sitting on the edge of the canopy bed being fanned by an Aqua Golem with a large feather fan, smiled brightly in response.

“Fufu. It’s most wonderful.”

“It certainly is,” said Princess Adriana as she combed and styled Marlene’s hair.

She must be treating the Aqua Golem like a personal attendant.

Whether this counts as playing pretend while doting on Marlene, I’m not sure, but she seems to be thoroughly enjoying the exotic atmosphere, which is what matters most.

Ashley was playing cards with Sheila, Irmhild, and Seraphina, having invited Fatima to join them.

Charlotte was also sitting on the carpet, stroking Caduceus on her lap—everyone was relaxing in their own way.

“Hmm… Theodore’s place is truly wonderful. This fur texture and feel. So soothing.”

“That’s right… The teacher’s home is a marvelous environment.”

Auria was lying face down on the carpet nearby, kicking her legs happily while petting Lavigne… Well, I’ll refrain from commenting further.

As for the other princess, Princess Elham… she seemed curious about the weapons and magic tools that Old Sigmund and Valentina were inspecting.

“Did something catch your interest?” I asked.

Princess Elham flustered slightly. “Ah, no. I was just thinking how many unusual weapons there are. My apologies.”

I see. Indeed, the weapons used by my Party include many unique varieties.

“Not at all. You’re welcome to take a closer look if you’d like.”

“That’s—thank you very much.”

Princess Elham’s expression brightened… then she suddenly blushed.

“Um… well… it’s not exactly a praiseworthy interest for a princess, but I’ve always been fascinated by weapons and armor in general…”

“Is that so?”

Princess Elham seemed to consider it an undesirable hobby… but given the company here, such an interest might actually be quite normal. Rosemary was covering her face with a feather fan and looking away… perhaps she was reading my thoughts and laughing.

Well, in Princess Elham’s case, is it more like appreciating swords and armor as artistic pieces?

“During the time when His Majesty Farid raised his army to fight the cult and Kahar’s forces, Her Highness Elham would mingle with the blacksmiths and use magic to create weapons,” said Fatima.

So it’s not just appreciation—she actually makes them. That is indeed surprising.

At Fatima’s words, Princess Elham spoke with embarrassment. “There was a time when weapons and armor became scarce. So I would use magic to melt down metal, have Golems reforge it, and imitate the work of blacksmiths to supplement the shortage. I kept thinking that if we had better weapons and armor, my father and his soldiers might avoid injuries… and as I delved into various texts and conducted experiments, I… well, I became engrossed. I started to feel drawn to the swords and armor themselves.”

“Ah. So that’s the background. I’m sure the officers and soldiers were grateful.”

“That’s right. Her Highness is being modest, but her reputation among the officers and soldiers was quite favorable. They said she brought good fortune and greatly boosted the soldiers’ morale,” added Fatima.

Princess Elham hastily shook her head. “I-It wasn’t anything that grand. Um… well then, I’ll take you up on your offer.”

Though she had taken up the weapons in a fluster, once she began examining them, her eyes immediately turned serious.

“As I thought… this axe, for example, is a true masterwork. The blacksmith who forged this must be quite renowned… This is… yes, it’s made by mixing another material with Valyus silver to increase its strength.”

…The fact that she can identify the materials and crafting method just by looking suggests this is more than just a casual interest. Since these items directly affect soldiers’ survival, it’s clear she studied them earnestly. She might have been the unsung hero supporting King Farid’s troops from behind the scenes.

Princess Elham said it wasn’t praiseworthy… but while it might not be princess-like, it could be considered fitting for royalty.

“The blacksmith who forged the axe is a Dwarf. She’s quite adorable, but she creates very solid, high-quality work,” said Grace.

“My! A Dwarf! That explains it…”

At Grace’s words, Princess Elham clasped her hands together, her eyes shining.

“The technique of mixing different materials to increase strength is known in Nahalbia and Baharzard as well. It’s fascinating to learn that such techniques exist in the north too.”

Well… if we’re talking specifically about Grace’s axe, the mixing ratios of Valyus silver and other materials are the result of trial and error by BFO’s production classes. That’s where the information came from, but…

“I’m curious about the weapons Her Highness Elham creates.”

“Yeah. Interested.”

Ashley and Sheila, who had been playing cards with Fatima earlier, joined the conversation.

“Um, well… I have one in my luggage. It’s just a self-defense dagger, though.”

Princess Elham produced a sheathed dagger from her belongings.

“Let’s see.”

When I accepted the dagger and drew it from its sheath, everyone gathered around, looking intrigued. Princess Elham’s dagger—had a complex, wavy pattern layered multiple times across the entire blade.

“Quite the masterwork,” said Sheila.

This is… what’s commonly called Damascus steel, isn’t it? I’ve heard it’s made by forging an ingot created by layering several types of metal… This is even more impressive than I imagined.

“It’s still a prototype. My father has asked me to forge a sword for his daily wear, but I haven’t achieved a result I’m satisfied with yet. I’m no match for a true swordsmith.”

I see… So there are aspects she’s not content with.

Since we have Teleportation Magic, it might be interesting to arrange a meeting with Viola if the opportunity arises. Their technical systems are likely different, so it could be a good stimulus for both.

“If you’re willing, shall I arrange an opportunity for you to meet the blacksmith we mentioned earlier?”

“That… yes. I would very much appreciate that.”

After returning the dagger to its sheath, Princess Elham’s face broke into a delighted smile. She then proceeded to carefully examine each item one by one—the Saucer, Sheila’s Pearl Sword, Irmhild’s Cursed Melody Bow, and so on.

As the night deepened, everyone gradually returned to their respective rooms.

The Demon-Slaying Knight Order also arrived at the mansion, and Mercedes joined as an escort in the adjacent room—where Princess Stephania and the other two were staying.

Auria, Valentina, Old Sigmund, and Charlotte went to the room opposite. Lavigne and Eclair each went to their own rooms to help maintain an environment where situational awareness would be easier.

The desert temperature drops steadily at night, but the rooms had fireplaces, making the VIP suite quite comfortable.

I headed to the bath, poured warm water over my shoulders from a bucket, and then took a moment to relax.

“As expected, bringing these was the right decision,” came Claudia’s voice from beyond the partition.

Bringing them being the right decision referred to the swimsuits and bath robes. Whether we anticipated swimming in the oasis or not, the bath robes certainly came in handy. Of course, I’d also brought Savona Tree shampoo.

Then, Marlene peeked her face around the edge of the partition.

Today’s bath would be with Marlene. Her small, slender body pattered over, and when our eyes met, she gave me a carefree smile.

“Marlene. Could you sit there for me?”

Marlene nodded cutely. I gently poured warm water over her back, washed her softly with a soapy washcloth, and rinsed off the suds. Next, I wet her hair, worked up a lather with the shampoo, and carefully massaged her scalp without damaging her hair, finally rinsing it all out.

Then Marlene turned to face me, grinning as she gestured toward her own chest. My turn now, she seemed to say.

“Well then, I’ll leave it to you.”

Saying this, Marlene gripped the washcloth with both hands and washed my back from top to bottom and bottom to top. Her pressure was just right—not too strong, not too weak.

She gently poured warm water over me… then proceeded to wash my hair too. Marlene’s delicate fingers moved ticklishly through my hair. From the way she moved her hands, it seemed she was trying to mimic how I had washed hers.

Her small hands massaged earnestly, which felt a bit ticklish yet endearing.

“Thank you.”

After rinsing the shampoo from my hair several times, I expressed my gratitude. She nodded repeatedly. Then we each washed the front of our bodies before stepping into the bathtub.

Marlene, sitting beside me, was petite and slender. I gently combed through her damp hair with my fingers, and she looked up at me, then grinned and softly touched my hair. Hmm.

In this manner, we soaked leisurely in the tub, performed Circulating Ki with Marlene, and then got out. I dried my hair and body with a towel placed near the tub and changed clothes quickly. Marlene dried herself with a towel and seemed to be changing on the other side of the partition.

After using Life Magic to dry my hair and taking a little time, I went to the other side of the partition… where everyone had changed into bath robes and was relaxing while waiting their turn.

Somehow… seeing everyone together in bath robes was quite visually intoxicating. Especially today, since Sheila and Irmhild were in the same room too. Seraphina was also flying around happily in a specially made bath robe… Yeah. With so much skin showing and the bath robes being rather thin, it was a somewhat dizzying sight.

“Shall we go next?”

“Yes, please.”

“We’ll be sleeping next to Theo tonight, so we can go last.”

“Then let’s finish our Circulating Ki while Grace and Ashley are still in the bath.”

“Understood.”

It seemed the bathing order would be Claudia and Rosemary next, followed by Sheila, Irmhild, and Seraphina.

Since we couldn’t have our usual relaxing time in the living room first, the order had gotten mixed up.

“Mmm… I used up a lot with Teleportation Magic, so I feel warmer than usual.”

As the three of us performed Circulating Ki on the carpet to replenish our magical power, Claudia closed her eyes and spoke.

“Circulating Ki… it helps you recover from fatigue too, doesn’t it, Theodore?”

“Well, yes. With more people, we can reinforce both magical power and life force accordingly.”

When I answered, Rosemary closed her eyes and nodded. She seemed somewhat satisfied with my response.

Claudia and Rosemary, fresh from the bath, had slightly flushed skin.

Since both had changed into nightwear, I could probably feel a bit more at ease than earlier. The scents tickling my nostrils and the moist texture of their hair and skin created a uniquely charming atmosphere.

We covered ourselves with blankets to avoid catching a chill and performed Circulating Ki leisurely. It was a truly comfortable time, as if warming from both inside and out.

Eventually, Grace and the others seemed to have finished their bath too, arriving while drying their hair with towels.

“Sorry to keep you waiting,” said Grace.

The two beside me paused for a moment before gently moving away.

“Thank you. Thanks to you, I’ve also replenished my magical power sufficiently.”

“Yes.”

When Claudia said this with a smile, Grace also smiled and nodded.

“Then let’s get under the covers before we catch a chill.”

“That’s a good idea. The night will likely get even colder.”

At my words, Ashley nodded too. We moved to the spacious canopy beds. Since this was the VIP suite, several beds were prepared to accommodate a reasonable number of people.

It seemed Sheila and Irmhild would also sleep together. Seraphina had no nighttime duties, so she would lie down next to Sheila.

Tonight… Grace and Ashley would be on either side of me. In terms of alleviating Grace’s bloodsucking urges, the timing was quite fortunate.

Marlene, sandwiched between Claudia and Rosemary, looked thoroughly pleased. She seemed to have grown sleepy already, yawning cutely.

I lay down between Grace and Ashley—and when I extinguished the magical lights floating in the room, the space took on a charming atmosphere, with shadows swaying gently in the fireplace’s glow.

“Somehow… with just the fireplace light, it feels quite lovely.”

“Yeah…”

I nodded at Grace’s words. The crackling of the firewood echoed softly. Left hand and right hand. Right hand and left hand. I joined them together, performing Circulating Ki with both Grace and Ashley.

A comfortable time before falling asleep. Ashley spoke in a soft, intermittent voice.

“When we’re like this… with Theodore-sama and Grace-sama… it reminds me of when we first came to Termwills.”

“That’s… right. Back then, it was just the three of us.”

“Theodore-sama, Grace-sama, everyone… I’m glad you’re all safe. Truly.”

“Yeah…”

For Grace, it was a fateful opponent. If she had become too emotional or overburdened, the outcome might have been different due to some twist of fate. So… I understand why Ashley would say that.

When I applied a little more pressure to our joined hands, both of them responded by squeezing back slightly. Grace tilted her head and rested her cheek against my shoulder.

That’s right. Everyone is here, like this. We’re spending this peaceful, warm time together until we fall asleep. Yeah… we’ll have to do our best in the Sacred Land exploration too.

Feeling the warmth and softness in my palms, I closed my eyes… and together with everyone, drifted into sleep within this tranquil time.