Claude and I decided to share a room, since I'm the only one who earned a free reward in the mansion.
I was lying down in my bed.
Earlier, after finishing our dinner, Claude and I had made a secret deal.
We agreed to wait until midnight, when everyone else had left the hot spring, so the two of us could have it all to ourselves.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
Someone was knocking on the door. That had to be him.
I got up and opened it. The door clicked softly as it closed behind me. We had been told before that our room had a strange ability to lock themselves. Whenever the person assigned to the room stepped outside, the door would lock automatically. It was almost as if the room could sense who belonged there.
Claude was standing just outside, leaning casually against the wall.
I brought out extra clothes and a towel from my wardrobe, and so did Claude.
"I checked the hot spring," he whispered. "There's no sign of anyone."
The bathing areas were separate for men and women. Each had its own outdoor hot spring.
We moved carefully, tiptoeing down the dormitory hallway. We could tell our fellow Beast Masters were fast asleep. Every step had to be quiet; we didn't want anyone to catch us sneaking out.
As we walked, Claude broke the silence. "So, what's the name of your Beast?"
"Raya," I replied.
"That's a strong name," he said with a grin. "I named mine Manta. Pretty unique, right?"
I chuckled softly. "Haha, yes—it is very unique. And very cool."
We kept talking along the way until we finally reached the right corner of the Mansion. Right in the middle were two steaming hot springs. I figured the one in the back was for the ladies.
"We should change our clothes in the bathing room before going into the hot spring," Claude said with a small smile. "It will be more comfortable that way."
The entrance to our men's bathing room stood before us. Claude glanced at me, then pushed the door open just enough for us to slip inside.
The room was larger than I expected. At the far end were rows of showers, neat and lined up. To the right were private rooms for toilets, tucked discreetly behind steel partitions.
We took off our shirts in the bathing room and slipped into the thin linen clothes meant for the hot spring. After that, we headed back outside, the steam rising up to meet us.
We both paused, letting our eyes take it all in. Then, slowly, we stepped closer to the water, ready to enjoy the hot spring all to ourselves.
"Nothing beats a hot spring when you have it all to yourself," Claude said, leaning back and resting his head on the edge above the water. His eyes closed as he let out a long, satisfied sigh.
"Sure is," I replied, sinking a little deeper into the warmth. The steam rose around us, soft and comforting, while the sound of the water gently lapping against the stone filled the air. I leaned back too, resting my head like him. For a while, we both stayed quiet, simply enjoying the peace.
Then Claude opened one eye and turned his head toward me. A sly smile tugged at his lips. "So… tell me, who caught your eye earlier?" His voice carried a playful edge.
"What?" I blinked, startled, and sat up straighter in the water.
Claude chuckled at my reaction. He reached out and patted my shoulder, his grin widening. "You know what I mean. Who's the lucky lady that made you stop and stare?"
My face grew hot—not from the spring, but from embarrassment. I shook my head quickly. "N-nothing!" I stammered, wishing the steam could hide me.
Claude leaned back again, laughing softly to himself. "Oh, I don't believe that for a second," he teased. "There has to be someone. You just don't want to admit it yet."
Claude leaned closer, lowering his voice as if he had just thought of something mischievous.
"Oh, perhaps… are you into men?" he teased, raising his eyebrows dramatically.
I froze. "What?!"
Claude immediately gasped and threw his arms over his chest as if to shield himself.
"Malachi, you pervert!" he cried, putting on a ridiculously high-pitched, lady-like voice.
"No!" I shouted, my face burning. "It's not like that!"
Claude dropped the act and leaned back with a grin that said he wasn't finished yet. "Then maybe… you like Dahlia?"
He smirked knowingly. "I mean, who wouldn't? She's pretty, kind, and smart. Even a prince would fall for her."
I rubbed the back of my neck, my cheeks growing hotter by the second. "N-no, it's not like that," I muttered. "She's just… very kind, that's all."
I slid lower into the water until only my eyes peeked out above the surface. I blew bubbles into the spring to avoid meeting his gaze, hoping the steam would cover how red my face had become.
Claude burst out laughing. "Ha! I knew it. You can't even deny it!"
Before I could say a word to defend myself, a new voice echoed across the hot spring. It was deep, serious, and heavy enough to make my chest tighten.
"What kind of fool falls in love with someone they only just met?"
Claude and I both gasped and shot up out of the water, splashing everywhere in shock.
Standing at the edge of the hot spring with his hands crossed was none other than Clifton.
"Well, if it isn't the Serpent Master!" Claude said.
Clifton raised a single brow, his sharp gaze locked on us. The silence pressed down on my shoulders like a weight. We slowly sat back down, this time sitting perfectly straight.
The playful mood had vanished in an instant.
"Yoo! Clifton, when did you get here?" I blurted out, splashing the water with my hands.
Clifton's expression didn't change. His voice was flat and cold. "I got here first. I was listening beneath the water… to your useless nonsense conversation."
Claude rubbed the back of his head, looking completely unfazed. "Oh, come on. It's normal for lads to talk about ladies." He leaned forward with a sly grin. "Unless, of course… you prefer men? Don't worry—we won't tell anybody. The steam has already erased it."
My jaw dropped. I slapped a hand over my mouth to stop myself from laughing.
Clifton's eye twitched slightly.
Then Claude leaned closer to me, whispering loudly enough for us to hear. "Don't worry, we won't judge. Malachi here is very open-minded."
Clifton finally sighed, pinching his nose. "Why am I surrounded by idiots?" he muttered under his breath.
"You stupid idio—" Clifton began to speak, but before he could finish, Claude suddenly shoved his head into the hot spring with a loud splash!
"Bwaaahhh—!" Clifton's words turned into a mess of bubbles under the water.
"Habbubjhah—blub-blub-blub!"
I slapped a hand over my mouth to keep from bursting out laughing. The sight of Clifton, flailing and blubbing like a fish, was almost too much.
Claude kept Clifton's head under the water just long enough for him to flail around.
"Guess serpents need swimming lessons too," Claude joked, holding Clifton's head playfully under the water.
"Blub-blub! blub!" was Clifton's only reply from beneath the hot spring.