After the battle, everyone scattered to their own business.
Naira moved silently towards the guild, her steps heavy, her gaze lost in thought.
The dwarf introduced himself simply as Rüdgard, remembering that no one really knew his name yet, though they had been through so much together. Without another word, he turned and headed towards the nearest tavern. This time, it seemed, the beer wasn't for pleasure but for forgetting.
Lurk simply disappeared. No one even noticed, vanishing as quickly as he had appeared.
Kano remained sitting on the steps in front of the guild's entrance. He stretched his legs, leaned his back against the cold stone, and stared up at the sky. His head felt heavy, his thoughts tangled.
His hands still smelled of blood. His mind remembered, the memories still fresh as if he were seeing them before his very eyes. Everything that had happened in the cave left a bitter mark on his soul. His face was emotionless, but inside, something pressed on him like a heavy stone in his chest. He felt no sorrow, no anger, just a strange coldness.
The dusk slowly gathered around him. The city continued its life as if nothing had happened. The cheerful voices of adventurers drifted from the taverns, and somewhere a window flickered with warm light. But all of that seemed so far removed from the chaos raging inside his head.
"You've seen death before, and you'll see it again, boy," said Lenor's voice nearby. Kano looked up to see the elf sitting down next to him, comfortably positioning himself on the steps.
"Goblins… That was…" Kano couldn't find the words.
"It's just the beginning," Lenor sighed. "Goblins… they're pure evil, that much is certain. But they are what they are. They don't hide their nature. But the intelligent races…"
Kano remained silent.
"True evil doesn't live in caves. It wears crowns, sits in guilds, makes laws. And you will see, there are things worse than goblins," Lenor looked at him with a tired but firm gaze. "You don't understand it yet, but one day you will. Not today, not tomorrow, but you will see that there are things far more terrifying than monsters."
Kano felt a chill run down his spine. He didn't know if it was because of Lenor's tone or his own thoughts, which were beginning to take a different turn.
Lenor gave a faint smile, though his gaze remained heavy.
"But for now…"
He scrunched his nose and shifted slightly to the side.
"Go clean yourself up. You reek of goblins so badly, one could pass out just from the smell. The bath is in the guild—doors to the right. Don't mix it up, boy."
Kano nodded, not fully concentrating on the last part. His thoughts were still in the cave. In the silent gazes of the women. In the blood on his hands, which refused to wash away from his memory.
But he stood up and silently walked towards the guild, leaving Lenor behind on the steps, thoughtfully watching him as he walked away.
The guild was almost empty. Only a few registrars were checking reports near the bulletin board. The lights of the lanterns flickered, casting soft shadows on the stone walls. It was quiet—too quiet after everything that had happened.
Kano headed towards one of the registrars.
"Excuse me, where's the bath?"
Without lifting his eyes from the documents, the man waved a hand in the direction of the corridor.
Kano walked down it and stopped in front of two identical doors. Identical. Absolutely identical.
Left or right? He paused. What did Lenor say?
He furrowed his brow and raised his hand, but didn't touch the handle.
Why were there no signs here? Don't they know they should have signs? At least a label! A symbol! Damn it, an arrow!
Sighing, he opened the right door. Inside was a changing room. Quiet. Empty.
Well, it seemed alright...
But for some reason, the unease didn't go away.
He closed the door and glanced at the left one.
The same scene.
Identical benches, lockers, mirrors.
Kano sighed. This was becoming a mockery...
He looked forward, then back. Lenor had said right... or was it... left?
His mind nudged him to recall the elf's words once more… but he was already too exhausted for that.
I'm a reasonable person. There can't be much difference, he muttered and confidently took a step toward the left door.
Still lost in thought, Kano pushed the door open and stepped inside. The hot steam immediately hit his face. The moist air filled his lungs, and the fragrance of lavender, roses, and citrus oils struck his nostrils.
Mmm… Now this is what normal life is like... he thought, before his eyes had a chance to adjust to the lighting.
And then he saw it.
Paradise.
Horror.
The end of his peaceful existence.
Before him lay a scene he could never have imagined. Dozens of girls were immersed in water. Steam curled up, creating a near-mystical effect that accentuated the curves of their bodies. Their skin was wet and shining, droplets of water running down their collars and shoulders.
His gaze immediately fell on the mage sitting alone, apart from the rest. Her light hair cascaded down her back in waves, damp strands sticking to her neck, creating an illusion of even more delicacy in her features. Her breasts, rising and falling with each nervous breath, were perfectly proportioned, accentuated by a slender waist. She froze, her brown eyes widening in shock, and her delicate lips trembled slightly.
Kano swallowed the lump in his throat.
He turned his gaze to the left. And there was Naira.
A complete contrast between grace and strength. The water dripped off her light green skin, reminiscent of young leaves, highlighting the sculpted muscles interwoven with the elegant lines of her figure.
Her breasts—those breasts were another story. Huge, almost unbelievable in their proportions, they looked both powerful and massive, yet undeniably seductive. Water ran over their rounded shapes, creating a shimmering film that reflected the soft glow of the magical lamps. Kano couldn't take his eyes off them, even if he tried.
And her thighs…
They seemed monumental. Powerful, perfectly rounded, they connected seamlessly to her slender waist, creating the effect of a true goddess of strength and beauty. Naira embodied the absolute idea of femininity in its most dangerous form—threatening, magnetic, destructive.
Kano barely had time to fully process what he saw before his eyes subconsciously began searching for more details.
To the right, he noticed the elf—her long silver hair cascading down her back, her skin pale and almost glowing in the dim light of the steam bath. She was the epitome of grace; her hips smoothly transitioned into long, toned legs, and while her breasts were not as large as Naira's, they had a perfect round form.
A half-elf, with the features of a wild predator but strikingly feminine in appearance, sat a little further away. Her short, dark-golden hair, slightly tousled, gave her a wild charm, and her fluffy, leopard-like ears twitched in alertness. Her muscular but toned body accentuated a predatory flexibility, and her massive tail gently swayed in the water. She covered herself with her arms, but it only emphasized the roundness of her hips and her taut little belly.
Kano froze, unable to process what he was seeing.
The water splashed.
The girls slowly turned their heads.
Silence.
As if the world held its breath.
One second.
Two.
Kano blinked.
A scream.
A loud, frenzied, multivoiced scream echoed. It was as if everyone had decided to deafen him all at once. Towels, basins, wooden buckets of water – everything was flying toward him.
Naira stood by the entrance, her eyes locked on him. They radiated pure fury.
Kano understood. His life was over.
She raised her foot, and he didn't even manage to close his mouth.
The impact.
His body shot through the air. The door. It shattered. Landing. Darkness.
Before losing consciousness, his last thought was, Well, at least I managed to see...
Lenor approached the site of the catastrophe—the door that Kano had heroically smashed through with his body. He cleared his throat and tentatively knocked on the wooden panel.
"Uhm... I hope everything's alright?" he asked, trying to make his voice sound confident.
From the other side of the door came an annoyed hiss.
"Lenor!" Naira's voice rang out harshly, as if she was about to smash the door down herself. "What the hell are you doing here?!"
Lenor sighed and ran a hand over his face. Great. Now I'm involved in this.
"I'm just checking the situation…" he began, but was immediately interrupted.
"Checking if your plan worked?" Naira snorted. "If you wanted to peek so badly, you should've had the guts to do it yourself! Not set up the rookie to get hit first, so if he doesn't die immediately, he can tell you everything later!"
Lenor froze.
"What?! That's nonsense! Absurd!" he slammed his fist on the door. "I would never do such a thing!"
Laughter came from inside, and it seemed Naira was enjoying the situation.
"Oh, don't yell, Lenor," her voice softened dangerously. "If you sent poor Kano in, you might as well confess your dark desires. Or are you just waiting for him to wake up and tell you everything in detail? Huh? Oh, you could even take notes so you don't forget later," her tone dripped with blatant sarcasm.
Lenor opened his mouth to respond, but…
"Hm. You know, Naira… that's not a bad idea. Thanks for the hint."
His thoughts instantly turned to a thirst for information. Kano had seen dozens of beauties in the magical lighting. He would definitely remember the details…
He immediately shook his head. No, this is beneath me!
"You're talking nonsense," he said coldly. "It was important for our fighter… uh… not to get sick after the battle! A bath was necessary! What happened after… well, that's his problem."
"His problem?" Naira laughed. "I think his broken ribs might not agree with you right now."
"That… uh… those are minor details," Lenor cleared his throat. "If he survived, then it's not so bad. But still... maybe he saw something…?"
There was silence behind the door. Then a heavy step approached, and the wooden panel almost cracked from a punch.
"Lenor, get lost before you end up in his place."
Lenor immediately stepped back. Alright, alright. I'm going.
"Okay, I see you've got everything under control. I… uh… I'll leave you to it!" he muttered quickly, and, while his pride was still intact, retreated, leaving the girls in the bath.
Behind the door, new bursts of laughter echoed. However, Lenor had already made up his mind – he would definitely ask Kano about everything when he regained consciousness.
Darkness.
At first, he felt nothing. His consciousness was somewhere far away, lost in the thick fog that enveloped his body. But then… pain. A dull, spreading pain in his chest, as if reminding him. Hello, friend, you're still alive. The question is—why?
Kano opened his eyes.
The ceiling. Wooden beams. The soft magical light of lamps flickering calmly on the walls. He was lying on the floor. On the cold, stone floor.
He inhaled deeply—and immediately let out a groan, like a broken instrument. Oh, yeah, his ribs… It definitely hurt worse than ever before.
What happened?
Memory slowly began to rewind. The forest. The fight. Blood. The guild. The door. The bath. The bath. THE BATH.
Kano's eyes snapped open wide, and he sprang up so quickly that he immediately banged his head on the edge of the nearest bench. He fell again, this time with a groan and an internal curse.
Yes. This was definitely not a dream.
Kano cautiously lifted his hand and touched his chest. It hurt. He touched his head. That hurt too. He touched his face… At least it wasn't broken; that was something.
He slowly rose onto his elbows and looked around. The room was almost empty, just a few wardrobes, the stone floor, and… his scattered clothes.
Oh, wonderful, Kano thought. If they found me in this state, my reputation is now below the baseboards.
At that exact moment, the door suddenly swung open.
"Well, hero, revived at last?" A familiar, too cheerful voice belonged to Lenor, who stood in the doorway, arms crossed over his chest, wearing a faint smile. A smile that promised nothing good.
Kano flinched.
"Uh… Yeah… I'm still alive, I think," he muttered, although he wasn't completely sure about it.
Lenor took a few steps forward, scanned him from head to toe, and then sat down on the bench, tilting his head to the side.
"So, so… How do you like our... uh... service?"
Kano swallowed the lump in his throat. This was a trap. This was definitely a trap.
"I… I accidentally…" he began cautiously.
Lenor raised his hand, silencing him.
"Yeah, yeah, we all know. Pure coincidence. Fate. A fateful choice."
Kano nervously nodded.
Lenor leaned in closer, his eyes gleaming.
"But you saw something, right?"
Kano felt a cold sweat run down his spine.
Don't fall for it. This is a provocation, he thought to himself.
"Uh…" He looked around as if searching for an escape.
"What exactly did you notice?" Lenor narrowed his eyes shrewdly. "Tell me. In every detail."
Kano cleared his throat.
"I… I don't remember…"
"Ah, of course," Lenor squinted at him slyly. "But really, why did you even go in there? I said—right."
Kano sharply raised himself onto his elbows, forgetting the pain, and exploded. "YOU DIDN'T SAY IT CLEARLY! YOU JUST THREW OUT THE WORD 'RIGHT' AND THAT'S IT! WHERE ARE THE SIGNS? WHERE IS ANY LABEL?! AN ARROW, DAMN IT!"
Lenor stopped, blinked in surprise, and calmly responded,
"Uh… Well, everyone knows. The women's bath is on the left, the men's is on the right. It's always been like that."
Kano held his breath.
Then he screamed. "AAAAAAAAAH!"
His inner voice was sobbing. How many more idiotic moments will there be because I practically know nothing about this world?!
Lenor theatrically shook his head.
"Well, well. I thought you were an honest guy. A bath. Magical lighting. Steam. Dozens of girls. And you want to tell me you don't remember anything?"
Kano chuckled bitterly.
"Honestly, after the hit… everything went dark in front of my eyes."
Lenor pretended to believe him, but the skepticism in his eyes was obvious.
"Alright, let it be. He sighed and stood up. "But if the memories come back, I'm here. Ready to hear… let's say... an eyewitness account."
Kano cringed even more. This wasn't an interrogation. This was a deal with the devil.
Lenor was about to leave, but stopped in the doorway and turned back.
"By the way, Naira sent her regards."
Kano froze.
"And... what exactly did she say?"
Lenor grinned slyly.
"She said that if she ever sees you in the women's bath again, the next hit will be the final one."
Kano instantly turned pale.
"I... I swear I'll never set foot there again!"
"Oh, I don't doubt it," Lenor hummed and shut the door behind him, leaving Kano alone with his thoughts.
Kano leaned back with a heavy sigh and groaned,
"Well, what a day..."
And he knew—this day would be one he'd never forget.
Still reeling from the events of the last hour, Kano slowly got up from the stone floor of the men's changing room. His body ached painfully, but he was alive. At least, for now.
He carefully rose, ran a hand over his face, and sighed. "Just take a bath. It's not that hard. The key is not to mess up again."
Kano peeled off the remnants of his clothes, which still smelled of battle, blood, and, unfortunately, goblins, and sighed with relief as he sank into the hot water. His body immediately relaxed, and the warm waves began to gradually wash away the tension.
But instead of simply enjoying the moment, his mind decided to hit him hardest—with memories.
The bath. The magical light. The steam.
Kano shut his eyes, and once again the image that would forever be etched in his memory unfolded before him.
First—Naira.
Her light green skin looked even brighter under the shimmering ripples of the water. Her enormous breasts, seemingly so heavy they could break any man's will, rose and fell with her breathing. Water ran between them, creating an illusion of sparkle, and her wide, powerful hips tensed slightly as she moved closer to him. The perfect balance between lethal strength and hypnotic femininity.
Kano clenched his fists under the water. Stop. Don't think about it!
But his brain refused to listen.
Next—the mage.
Her long light hair was slightly damp, creating enticing waves around her face. Her shy gaze, the slight tremor of her lips, the round breasts barely hidden beneath the foam… She looked like the very embodiment of tenderness—and it was this contrast with the situation that made her even more alluring.
Kano instinctively gritted his teeth.
I'm definitely losing my mind.
But…
The elf.
Her silver hair cascaded down her slender neck, softly brushing her shoulders. Her graceful, slender waist and rounded forms looked like a work of art. Beauty beyond human comprehension, perfection in every movement.
Kano sharply dove into the water, trying to drown his thoughts.
But the worst was yet to come.
The half-elf.
Her short, dark-golden hair slightly disheveled, her wild cat-like eyes gleaming with yellow light. Her back arched perfectly, and her smooth, round hips were the perfect harmony of strength and grace. Her tail, twitching threateningly, only added a dangerous, predatory charm to her image.
Kano felt his face burn. He wiped his eyes with his palms and quietly groaned. "That's it. I'm done…"
The hot water gently enveloped his body, but inside, a hurricane of discomfort, temptation, and utter chaos raged.
He threw his head back and closed his eyes, letting the water take away all the fatigue. "I'm definitely starting to get used to this. And you know what?... It's not that bad."
His lips involuntarily curled into a faint smile.