With Noah and the girls returning from the frontlines, they were quickly briefed on the escalating situation. In turn, Noah shared a detail that hadn't left his mind, the gaze he felt during the battle earlier, coming straight from below the lands of Nathan. It was strange and watchful.
Mavuika's smile froze slightly, her eyes narrowing in thought. The heroes standing beside her went stiff, their bodies instinctively bracing. However, the commanders around them exchanged doubtful glances, their expressions skeptical, bordering on dismissive.
Noah noticed it all but he said nothing. Not yet.
"Excuse us, Lord Archon, but… I feel like what Noah-dono has just said is a little difficult to believe," the grizzled old commander said, his tone polite but firm.
"It's not that we mean any disrespect," another commander added. "We are truly grateful for what Noah-dono and his team have done... but to claim he felt some... gaze from deep within the Night Kingdom?" He paused, skeptical. "That just sounds too vague. Too fantastical."
Kiana's eyes narrowed, her arms crossing instinctively.
Elysia's usually sweet smile turned blade-sharp.
Lumine's gaze hardened, her expression became unreadable. The sudden drop in temperature around her said enough.
Miss A still wore her usual smile, but her fingers absentmindedly fiddled with Dodoco bombs.
Despite the rising tension, Noah, the very subject of doubt, simply nodded at the commander's words. Completely Unbothered.
Everyone turned to look at him; Kiana and the girls, Mavuika and the heroes, even the commanders. Their expressions all hovered somewhere between disbelief and exasperation.
Noah blinked slowly. "...What? Why is everyone looking at me like that?"
"Captain," Kiana groaned, "you're the one they're doubting! Why are you agreeing with them?!"
He shrugged. "I mean, come on. If someone else told me they sensed some spooky underground gaze thing, I'd also ask if they were hit on the head recently."
In unison, Kiana, Miss A, Elysia, and Lumine facepalmed so hard. They all thought the same thing: Of course he'd say that…
The commanders who had questioned him exchanged confused glances. A few scratched their heads, others blinked like they weren't sure if this was a joke or not.
The heroes, meanwhile, wore a mixed set of expressions—some furrowed their brows, some gave small sighs, and a couple looked like they were barely holding back laughter.
"…Although what I felt was weird," Noah added, completely unfazed by the stares, "I think we can probably disregard it. I mean, yeah, it was creepy, but it didn't feel threatening. Just… intensely curious?"
Before Mavuika and the rest could respond, Miss A smoothly stepped forward.
"Excuse me, everyone. Before you consider and follow what our dearest Captain said…" She looked around, her expression unusually serious. "Please remember, just because that gaze didn't feel dangerous to him doesn't mean it's not dangerous to the rest of us. For all we know, it could be our end."
Kiana, Elysia, and Lumine all nodded firmly in support, the significance of Miss A's words settling in.
Noah turned toward them, looking completely betrayed. "...No… Ladies? Really? What kind of person do you think I am?"
"The person I entrusted with my heart… who defeats enemies with nothing but his chill," Kiana muttered with a tired but fond sigh.
"My wonderful disaster who doesn't know where normal people's limits begin," Elysia added, her smile gentle but weary.
"…My anchor," Lumine murmured, "who breaks every rule just because he can. And then acts like it's no big deal."
"My chosen partner," Miss A said with mock grace, waving her hand, "who throws obliviousness bombs that make his enemies question their entire existence."
Noah stared blankly at all of them… then sulked harder.
"Wow..... Betrayed by my own family," he mumbled, slouching dramatically.
"Don't worry, Captain," Kiana said sweetly, "we still love you."
"Even if you're a walking headache," Elysia chimed in.
"A charming, reckless headache," Lumine added.
Miss A gave a dainty shrug. "We're all already committed anyway. Might as well enjoy the chaos."
Noah groaned. "I feel so supported… in the most backhanded way possible."
Mavuika smiled wryly at Noah's group interaction, her gaze softening just a bit.
"...As the Pyro Archon and commander-in-chief of Natlan's forces," she began, her voice regaining its commanding tone, "it's my responsibility to consider every possibility—no matter how strange it may seem."
She glanced around the chamber, meeting the eyes of each tribal leader, each hero. "I will draw up countermeasures. Whether this mysterious gaze turns out to be harmless or not, we should not ignore it."
The room went even more silent.... if that was possible. Those who had worn doubtful expressions before now looked contemplative, uneasy.
"If it proves to be nothing, we lose nothing," Mavuika continued, her gaze firm. "But if whoever or whatever this entity becomes a threat to Natlan… I want our people to be ready to face it without hesitation."
There was a pause.
Then she added with a quiet edge, "We've lost too much before by underestimating the things that watch us from the dark."
"Like the saying goes, it's better to regret doing something than regret not doing it," Sanhaj said with a nod. "Better to be overprepared for nothing than caught helpless when disaster hits."
A wave of agreement passed through the chamber—heroes and commanders alike murmuring their approval.
Tupac clapped his hands together with a cheerful grin. "With that cleared up! You must all be exhausted from everything that's happened since arriving in Natlan."
"Well… yeah, that's true," Elysia admitted with a tired smile. "We've been in battle mode since day one."
"Knew it!" Tupac laughed. "Then how about this? On behalf of my tribe, the People of the Springs, I'd like to invite all of you to our pride and joy—our hot springs! Think of it as our thanks. You deserve a real break."
The girls' eyes widened in surprise at the sudden offer, but before any of them could respond, Noah shot up like lightning.
"Seriously?! Tupac-san, are you for real?" His eyes sparkled with pure, unfiltered excitement.
The commanders exchanged blank stares, completely thrown off by his reaction, while Mavuika and the heroes blinked—then chuckled knowingly.
Tupac with an understanding grin gave a confident nod. "Yes. And as a bonus, you'll all stay in a private cabin with your own exclusive spring. Total privacy."
Noah's eyes lit up like a child on festival day. He strode over and grabbed Tupac's hand with both of his. "Tupac-san… you've just given me—Ahem, the team—the greatest reward of our entire stay!"
Tupac laughed heartily. "Kakaka! You're welcome, Noah-dono. Enjoy it well."
Mavuika, the heroes, and the commanders exchanged amused glances or let out tired sighs at Noah's uncontainable joy. Most just smiled knowingly, already used to his unexpected outbursts.
Meanwhile, Kiana, Elysia, Lumine, and Miss A stood completely frozen.
Tupac's words repeated in their minds—private cabin… private hot spring… The realization struck like a lightning bolt.
Miss A's face flushed a deep red. "...El-chan… I think the mission log might need an adult-only appendix," she whispered, hugging herself close.
"W-what are you talking about?!" Elysia yelped, fidgeting as her imagination began to betray her. "I-I wasn't even thinking that far! That mission title was supposed to be a joke!!!"
"N-Noah must be really frustrated, huh…?" Lumine muttered, cheeks burning as she pressed both hands to her face. "The Abyss couldn't handle it, so now we're next on the fire line..."
"I-I'm not ready for this!" Elysia squeaked, flailing her hands in a small panic. "What should we do?! My heart is going to explode before we even reach the springs!"
Kiana stayed silent, head bowed low. Her entire face was flushed from ear to collar, steam practically rising off her. She didn't speak, but the tiny, nervous fidget of her fingers said more than enough.
The four girls slowly peeked at Noah, who was busy laughing his soul out with Tupac, arms slung around each other like long-lost brothers.
"TO THE PARADISE, TUPAC-SAN!!" Noah shouted with full-blown excitement.
"KAKAKAKA!! Anything for you, Noah-dono!!!" Tupac bellowed in return.
"Oh no…" Lumine hid her red face into her hands.
"This is how we die… with affection.." Elysia whimpered.
We're so doomed, Kiana thought silently, face buried in her palms.
Miss A? She was already halfway to writing a will(Names for future reference....).
All four girls simultaneously turned a shade redder.
—--
Teyvat, Natlan, People of the Springs tribe, inside the promised private cabin…
Noah eased into the private hot spring pool, steam curling around him under the silver light of the moon. Stars winked overhead, their reflections shone on the water's surface. He let out a slow, contented sigh.
"Fuu… this… is… truly… nice…" His eyes half‑closed, a relaxed hum escaping him as he waited for the four girls to join.
Moments later, after what sounded like muffled pep‑talks behind the sliding door, it opened. One by one, Kiana, Elysia, Lumine, and Miss A stepped out from their adjacent room. Noah's head snapped toward them instantly.
The four, cheeks flushed, seemed determined to look anywhere but directly at him. Each wore swimwear perfectly matching their own colors and personalities. Kiana sported an orange bikini with white linings and playful cat paw prints, her twin pigtails swaying as she bounced awkwardly in place.
Elysia, true to form, wore a frilly pink two‑piece adorned with delicate flower motifs. The cut emphasized her generous curves, and her smooth, shapely thighs seemed almost to glow under the moonlight. She clutched her head with both hands, cheeks burning, flustered beyond measure.
Lumine, to Noah's surprise, stepped out in a white and blue bikini that resembled the style of her usual adventurer's dress. She instinctively crossed her arms over her chest, cheeks tinged pink. The shy, almost flustered expression was a stark and endearing contrast to her usual composed, almost stoic demeanor.
And lastly, Miss A appeared in a red bikini top paired with a white bottom. Without her usual witch robes—(Miss A: it's a magical girl outfit!!!)—her well‑proportion figure was on full display. The ever‑present mischievous grin was replaced by a deep blush, making her vivid swimwear to shame by comparison. She fidgeted slightly, glancing away from Noah, which only made her look even more uncharacteristically shy.
Damn, such a win in life! Noah thought, keeping his expression calm as always, though inside his mind it was a full‑blown festival.
"Hmm? What are you girls waiting for? Come on, dip into the springs—it feels amazing," he said in his usual cool tone, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
The girls exchanged brief, hesitant glances before shuffling toward the edge of the pool. With a shared deep breath, they slid into the water together. The moment the warmth embraced them, their shoulders eased and they each let out soft, contented sighs.
"Mmm… this really is nice," Kiana murmured, closing her eyes.
"I could stay here forever…" Elysia admitted with a dreamy tone.
"Not bad," Lumine added, though the faint blush on her cheeks gave her away.
Miss A giggled in content.
In that moment, they forgot their wariness toward Noah, along with any embarrassment over what might happen tonight.
After letting the girls enjoy their bath for a few minutes, Noah's smile turned into pure mischief. With a subtle flick of his hand, the Force answered his call, pulling the certain "all‑attack, no‑guard" fairy right out of her spot. She didn't notice anything—none of them did—until Noah's arms suddenly wrapped around her waist.
A sharp yelp broke the peace. The others instantly opened their eyes, scanning for the source. Then Kiana, Lumine, and Miss A realized what was missing: Elysia, who'd been right beside them, was gone. Their heads turned mechanically in unison toward Noah… who was sitting his from his place there, cool as ever, however he is now hugging a completely stiff Elysia from behind.
"Hm, as expected… Ellie's really soft and squishy," Noah murmured, his tone unhurried as if this was the most natural thing in the world. His chin rested playfully on her shoulder. "Very comfortable to cuddle like this."
"N-Noah, just what are you planning to do to me?!" Elysia stammered, her face turning the same deep pink as her hair.
"Hmm, just cuddling my dear, beautiful pink fairy," Noah replied smoothly, a teasing smirk curling his lips before leaning in to whisper against her ear. "...For now."
"F-FOR NOW?!!" Elysia yelped, a shiver running straight down her spine.
From across the pool, Lumine, Kiana, and Miss A—who were used to Elysia being the one to tease and pounce on Noah—watched in stunned silence. This was a full reverse UNO card in action. They gulped as they saw Elysia's expressions change wildly—fluster, shock, reluctant enjoyment—before she bit her lip hard to hold a scream. Her eyes grew watery, and a tiny, sweet sound escaped her as Noah's lips brushed her nape.
The sound of a collective gulp escaped Kiana, Lumine, and Miss A as they watched the scene unfold and maybe with a hint of excitement sprouting in their hearts.
"N-No-Noah..." Elysia squeaked, tears pricking the corners of her eyes.
"Yes?" Noah's voice was calm, almost teasing, as if this was just casual conversation.
"C-Can you p-please… h-have mercy on me?" she stammered, gripping his arm.
Noah tilted his head as if considering it, then blinked once. "Nope."
Before she could react, the 'Captain' in him acted on instinct. He leaned forward and gently bit her elf ear.
"KYAA~!!!!" Elysia's voice cracked into a high-pitched sweet moan, her whole body trembling. In that instant, one thought flashed in her mind: I'm done for… I'll leave the rest to you, Kii, Lumi, Achan…