The legend of the Crimson Demon clan started from Suqing

#336 - Hot springs are light, but respect

After a brief chat, they separated. Zun Zun was led away by the little girl. Perhaps it was the few candies that gave her a taste of sweetness, or perhaps it was his pleasant conversation. In any case, she had become attached to Zun Zun.

Without the 'beastman' Daqiyang Jie around, she reverted to her childish nature, chattering about many things related to the inn, like a lark chirping around him, but not in an annoying way.

See, compared to middle-aged uncles, little girls are more comforting. I really hope the innkeeper can improve on that.

"This is it. Please come in."

"Thank you."

Zun Zun patted her little head and received a bright smile in return.

The hot spring wasn't anything special.

Even though it was obvious at a glance that the scenery was carefully arranged, Zun Zun was already accustomed to the hot springs of Liben. Moreover, it had only been five months since he left "Konosuba," so he didn't feel any nostalgia.

However, the hot spring was still decent, at least above average. It might not be much to Zun Zun, but it would definitely be novel to people from another world, and they might even love it.

Also, this hot spring doesn't seem to have mixed bathing. Was it because the old gentleman named Zheng Erlang didn't establish it, or is it that people from another world can't accept mixed bathing? Oh well, that's not important.

Speaking of which, where did Daqiyang Jie go?

It's been so long and he hasn't come yet. Could it be that a romantic comedy scenario of accidentally entering the wrong bath is unfolding?

"Zun Zun, how's the water temperature?"

"It's good, makes one sleepy... Hmm!?"

The person asking wasn't Daqiyang Jie.

He abruptly turned his head. The steam from the hot spring gently diffused, like a veil, outlining the silhouette of a beautiful elf girl.

As she approached, it was apparent that her golden hair was styled high, a stark contrast to her usual stern and aloof image, making her appear more gentle and virtuous. A large bath towel completely covered her, but the slight bulge of her chest, along with her slender limbs and slightly flushed neck, symbolized her health.

"Cui!? What are you doing here!?"

Zun Zun subconsciously covered his chest.

A romantic comedy happened, but with himself.

"W-What's with the sudden startle?" The beautiful elf girl seemed to be frightened by Zun Zun, taking a step back and saying, "I-I don't know either... That little girl brought me here. Isn't this a hot spring?"

"It is a hot spring, but even though it's a hot spring, there's a big problem."

Zun Zun pinched the space between his eyebrows.

First of all, this hot spring inn doesn't have mixed bathing. Combining that with the little girl always calling himself 'sister,' and then Daqiyang Jie not being here... It's itchy, I'm going to have to use my brain.

In the end, Zun Zun chose to give up thinking.

In this kind of situation, as long as I'm not embarrassed, the others will be embarrassed.

"Ahh— it's wonderful!"

After the beautiful elf girl soaked in the hot spring, she groaned in enjoyment. This kind of bath that relaxes the whole body and mind can easily captivate people from another world.

"Speaking of which, Mabel, hurry up and come down!"

"Eh? T-That... I-I'm just... that..."

Hiding behind the door, Mabel timidly looked at Zun Zun, who was as still as a meditating monk, and said softly, "I-If Zun Zun is here, wouldn't it be..."

"What are you talking about? This is just how it is here."

"Really!?"

"That's right! This is the correct way to enjoy a hot spring! Besides, we're uninhibited adventurers, why be so shy? Hurry up and come down!"

The beautiful elf girl kept urging her.

He completely didn't understand why she wanted to pull Mabel into the water too, truly pulling her down together.

Mabel hesitated for a long time, and finally walked in from the changing room, shuffling her feet.

She was also wrapped in a thick bath towel, her long blue hair draped behind her head, her slender limbs looking slightly pale. It was probably because she rarely went out and was also an ice-type mage.

"Hurry up and come down!"

"Ouch!"

The beautiful elf girl pulled her down.

"When taking a bath, you should tie up your hair, otherwise it will become wet and difficult to manage. Don't you even know such a simple thing?"

"S-Sorry, I don't take baths often."

Mabel sat obediently on the edge of the hot spring, letting the beautiful elf girl manage her ice-blue hair.

Zun Zun didn't stare directly at her.

But even so, Mabel still felt uncomfortable, tightening the bath towel around her and saying softly, "Miss Elf, aren't you embarrassed?"

"What's there to be embarrassed about?"

"H-How amazing... Miss Elf is so mature."

"That's right!"

It's just that Mabel was facing away from the beautiful elf girl and didn't see her cheeks were flushed red. She seemed to have just realized what she had done in a moment of impulsiveness.

The three of them soaked in the small hot spring.

The small space fell into an eerie silence, and Zun Zun couldn't help but feel the oppressive atmosphere. He really wanted to get up and leave, but he couldn't, because he wasn't wearing a bath towel. Once he got up, he would be completely exposed.

And in this silence, the beautiful elf girl suddenly spoke.

"...I'm sorry."

"Huh?"

Mabel looked at her in surprise, not knowing why the beautiful elf girl suddenly apologized. After a brief silence, she spoke again, "I'm sorry, I hid my identity."

She was talking about being the Elf Princess.

Before this, when the merchant man came, she didn't have any intention of keeping it a secret, casually saying that the beautiful elf girl was the Elf Princess.

She probably felt like she had deceived Zun Zun and the others, so she apologized.

"Elf Princess?"

"...Mm."

"How amazing!"

"...Huh?"

Mabel suddenly shouted excitedly, her eyes sparkling as she looked at the beautiful elf girl. He couldn't understand why she was so excited.

"It's royalty, royalty! I didn't expect Miss Elf to have such a noble status!"

"Ah, ah..."

The beautiful elf girl's expression was awkward.

She actually hated it when people mentioned that she was the Elf Princess. Even though Mabel didn't have any malicious intent, it still made her feel very uncomfortable.

"Miss Elf, can I ask you for a favor!"

Mabel excitedly grabbed her hands, startling her and causing her to lean back slightly.

"W-What?"

"Please let me work for you!"

"What?"

"If I were to work for the Elf Princess, then my status would also rise, right? You see, when I was in the Royal Knight Order, even though I'm a descendant of the Ice Clan, I was just an ordinary knight. But if it's Miss Elf, then I'd be the Princess's guard, a position comparable to a commander! Please, let me work for you, Miss Elf!"

"Eh? Eh? Eh? Eh?"

The beautiful elf girl never expected that revealing her identity wouldn't make Mabel feel alienated or disgusted, but instead, she would ask her for a job.

"W-Working for me..."

"Besides, working for royalty is a secure job, right? The salary is high, not to mention the five social insurances and one housing fund, and there will definitely be no shortage of paid leave... Hehe, hehehe—"

Mabel's smile was dark and scary.

She was like some people who were extremely obsessed with landing ashore, and she also had a special obsession with secure jobs.

Indeed, a stable job can guarantee a person's bottom line in life, but Mabel's view of secure jobs was to loaf around and wait for death. Being the Elf Princess's guard would definitely not be a good job.

The beautiful elf girl saw through her little thoughts at once and decisively refused.

"I'm sorry, I don't need a guard. And I don't have any plans to return to the Elf Clan for the time being."

"How could this be—"

Mabel wailed, leaning against the edge of the hot spring, looking like a fledgling bird abandoned by the whole world.

Being disturbed by Mabel, who was like a husky, the beautiful elf girl's guilt about hiding her identity dissipated a lot, but in reality, it didn't matter how Mabel viewed herself. What mattered was the other person in the hot spring.

"I don't mind."

Zun Zun shook his head and said, "There's a saying in my hometown that when getting along with people, it's not about whether they have money, but whether they suit your taste."

Of course, there was also the second half of the sentence: 'Anyway, none of them are as rich as me.'

"Cui, who you are doesn't matter, neither does your status or position. You are you, a firework with a different color."

"Zun Zun..."

She smiled touchingly.

"But if we're comparing identities, I'm not to be outdone either."

"...What do you mean?"

"Could it be that you're also royalty or something!?"

Mabel excitedly moved closer. She grabbed Zun Zun's hands and said, "Please, hire me to work for you! No, it should be, please take care of me! Master!"

In order to get a good job, this guy could actually call someone else 'master' on the spot. Her shameless appearance was comparable to a certain despicable high priest.

The beautiful elf girl seemed to be very sensitive to the word 'master.'

"Mabel!?"

"N-No... that, just pretend I didn't say anything..."

The descendant of the Ice Clan shyly covered her cheeks. She still couldn't bring herself to sell her self-esteem for a stable job.

"But Zun Zun doesn't need to comfort me. I know your good intentions."

"Huh?"

Zun Zun tilted his head, looking confused. Seeing the beautiful elf girl's sad expression, he knew that she must have misunderstood.

"No, no, no, I really am someone with an unusual identity."

"Really?"

"Of course! Standing in front of you now is..."

Zun Zun suddenly stood up, water splashing on their faces.

"An otherworld reincarnator, the possessor of a god's body, the Red Demon Clan's once-in-a-millennium genius, one who has defeated upper-rank demons, repelled the Demon King's army executives, subjugated numerous monsters, contracted with six all-attribute fairy spirits, someone who can become the next king at any time, one who aspires to become the most benevolent, most virtuous, most supreme, most powerful Demon King, the one and only Zun Zun under the heavens and above!"

Saying so many impressive titles in one breath, they must be stunned, right?

Look, their mouths are wide open and they can't say a word!

...Wait, where are they looking?

When Zun Zun realized that the beautiful elf girl and Mabel's gazes weren't on his face but on his lower abdomen, a strong sense of unease arose in his heart. He slowly lowered his head and saw the heart-shaped pattern of mysterious code that wasn't covered by a bath towel.

"Eek! — — — — — —"

A scream that pierced the sky.

— — — —

No lewdness below the neck.