Black Iron Magician

「Alezel, is there any good resting place around here that’s good for exhausted people?」

「Ah, then, why don’t we soak in the hot spring? The other day, Zex-han developed a hot spring bath powder―― cough! He dug up a hot spring! We have a state-of-the-art place with spacious baths with spectacular views and delicious food!」

Did you just say a bath powder? Well, I don’t mind even if it’s not from the source, but claiming it to be one is against the rules, right?

「A hot spring!? Yes, I want to go there!」

「You’re so eager, huh, Haruna.」

「There’s a big bath in the mansion, but a hot spring has a different quality. Yes, I want to go too.」

「W-Well, me too!」

Whether they know my doubts or not, Haru and the others are completely interested in the hot spring.

「…… Zeta.」

「I-I don’t know anything. Um, maybe….」

「See? Zeta-han also says so! Deris was looking at her suspiciously, so she was being thoughtful! Deris, apologize!」

The good girl Zeta is very bad at lying. Well, I got one of Alezel’s weaknesses, so let’s stop here.

「Still, a casino, a vast botanical garden, a theme park-like labyrinth, and then a hot spring…. It’s somehow different from how I imagined the money city Damaya.」

「We used a lot of money, so that’s not entirely wrong. Y’see, my dream is to turn this city into the second elf resort! Money calls for money!」

「I-I see.」

Well, I wonder if other merchants also considered this as a business opportunity and worked hard. In a sense, it can be said that Sango was affected by this.

「A hot spring, huh…. I guess the last time I entered one was when I happened to find it when I was driving out Galdevalan.」

「In the continent of Jiba, even houses with baths are limited. Well then, let’s go there. Alezel, lead the way.」

「Got it! I’m so sweaty that it’s unpleasant~. I want to feel free like Touko-chan~.」

「O-Oi! It’s not like I wanted it!

On the way to the hot spring, Alezel was teasing Touko. It seems that Alezel took a liking to her in a different way from Haru.

「Unfortunately, it’s not a mixed bathing, Touko-chan. I’m really sorry.」

「Ugaaaaah!」

They’re so close, huh.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Deris and the others left the center of Damaya and followed the gentle mountain road for a few minutes. After they arrived at the hot springs, they pick up their towels, split into two groups, and head for their respective baths, one for men and one for women. If Lilyvia were here, she would have peeked into the men’s bath, but unfortunately, she’s not present. But well, there’s Alezel, the same Great Eight Demons, so she would have acted as the perfect Lily even if she were here. So, there’s no such possibility.

「Then, we’ll go this way.」

「Gobu!」

Gobuo, who belongs to the men group, is going to the men’s bath with Deris. He has a towel on his head, and he somehow looks like a plushie.

「Alezel-san, is it okay for Gobuo-kun to enter the hot spring?」

「It’s okay~. I reserved the place today anyway, and Haru-chan’s goblin looks clean.」

「Um, I’m using artificial arm and legs….」

「No problem~. Zex-han’s artificial limbs are perfectly waterproof and don’t leak oil, right?」

「That’s right! As expected of Alezel-sama, you have a good eye!」

Zeta started to explain the performance of her artificial limbs. Thinking that it would be long, Deris pointed to the men’s bath with a bitter smile.

「I’m sorry to interrupt your talk, but we’re going first. You guys probably will take a long bath, so we’ll just laze around while waiting.」

「Okay, see you later.」

「Yeah, later.」

After a light conversation with Nell, Deris and Gobuo disappeared into the curtain. Then, the remaining six people, Haruna, Chinatsu, Touko, Nell, Alezel, and Zeta, are going to the women’s bath excitedly.

「Ooh….」

「What’s with that look, Alezel?」

「Well~, I was just in deep emotion, thinking that Deris and Nell are really a married couple now.」

「Who are you, my mother? Stop fooling around. We’re going too.」

Nell quickly goes into the curtain of the women’s bath.

「Bath~ ♪」

「Phew, I want to quickly wash my sweat.」

「Hey, it’s really not a mixed bath, right? You won’t say that it’s a surprise, right?」

Following Nell, Haruna and the others also entered the women’s bath. While gazing at the back of the high school girls, Alezel muttered something.

「Nell is at the top, immovable. Touko-chan is the runner-up, and Chinacchan is balanced. Next is me, who still has a potential for growth, and Haru-chan is in the last place….. Well, I guess it’s still better that I’m not in the last place.」

「Alezel-sama, what are you talking about?」

「It’s about something very important. I have high hopes for you, Zeta-han!」

「……? Well, I’ll do my best to meet your expectations.」

Zeta wasn’t sure, but she showed motivation since Alezel has high hopes for her. Perhaps she will never know what is expected of her. By the way, the final evaluation of Zeta seems to have settled down at the same position as Chinacchan.

――――Splash.

「「「Fuu~….」」」

Three people, Haruna, Chinatsu, and Touko, squinted their eyes and let out a sloppy voice. It’s a paradise to get rid of the fatigue they have accumulated this day, and it’s inescapable karma as Japanese people, so they can’t help but be in that state.

「You look so happy.」

「It’s because the world is at peace. Well, it would be better if there was at least one war broke out to create a flow of money, but even I won’t do that~. I’m also keeping an eye on the World Commerce Union and making the world a better place. That’s my style. Whoa, I’m really an angel, or maybe a goddess!」

「The one who started a war with the Jiba continent just the other day was your colleague, you know? What do you think about that?」

「As for Hund-han, you see, it was his youthful ambition. He’s probably older than me, though.」

Alezel’s laugh echoed through the bathhouse. It was an irresponsible response.

「Um, I’ve been wondering about it…. Everyone in the Great Eight Demons, they are all the Great Demon Kings, but they look like good people, right? Are they really the Demon Kings among Demon Kings?」

「H-Hey, Haruna, you’re being rude.」

「But, yeah, Lily-shishō also isn’t a bad succubus. She’s super scary when she gets angry, though.」

「Pfft! They look like good people, huh~. Well, that ain’t wrong~」

Alezel’s happy laughter echoed again.

「There’s no doubt that they are the Demon Kings. It’s just that they change their attitudes depending on the other party. Even you won’t release your killing intent when you meet your friend, right? It’s similar to that. Even this laughing money-lover won’t treat her real enemies like when she was facing you.」

「That’s right~. Even a saint has other faces!」

「Hmm…. We were being undressed, but there was no attack-like attack.」

「For me, that was enough to be called an attack….」

Touko submerged half of her face in hot water and began to blow bubbles as if trying to forge something. Seeing Touko like that, Alezel happily burst into laughter.

「…… The serious attack of 『Awe』 is not something cute like that, though.」

Because of that laughter, no one could hear Nell’s muttering words.