After the initial rush of excitement from finally learning Requip magic settled a little, Shane belatedly felt a wave of exhaustion.
More than a month of being tightly wound suddenly snapping loose left him almost dazed.
He did love reading, that was true.
But what he loved were travelogues and history books—those wide, vivid worlds—not dry, tooth-breaking magic theory.
He couldn't help glancing at Levy, who had already dropped back into her focused state. Shane honestly admired how she could read anything with genuine enjoyment.
She's a real book addict… Shane thought, feeling a bit of respect.
His eyes landed on the glasses he'd given her, perched on her nose bridge, and he made a mental note to replace them with the newest "Gale-Force Reading Glasses" model when he had time.
He'd heard the top-tier version could increase reading speed to a ridiculous 32×—perfect for Levy.
That thought barely passed through his mind before Shane snapped his own book shut.
Now that he didn't have to suffer through studying, he didn't want to spend even one extra second in a place that smelled like ink.
He shoved the spellbook back onto the shelf and strode out of the library, eager to breathe real air.
The moment he stepped into the guild hall, lively noise crashed over him, a sharp contrast to the library's stillness.
He immediately spotted Gray and Cana huddled in a corner playing cards.
Lately, those two had apparently been taking more jobs because of "wallet issues," so it was rare to see them hanging around.
What Shane found odd was that it wasn't just Erza—Cana and Gray also seemed to prefer working solo instead of teaming up.
Gray's eyes were sharp; he noticed Shane right away.
Maybe he hadn't been "disciplined" for a while, because that cocky streak of his was creeping back. He lifted his chin and greeted him loudly, "Yo, Shane. Finally learned Requip magic? Must've been tough for you. When I learned ice—"
He didn't finish.
The temperature around them seemed to rise. A few faint orange sparks danced around Shane's body.
Gray's words got stuck in his throat. He immediately backed down, lowered his head, and pretended to study his cards.
"…Ahem. Anyway. Congrats."
Only then did Shane relax his narrowed eyes, and the sparks and heat quietly vanished.
"This idiot…" Cana muttered, rolling her eyes at Gray as she shuffled the deck with practiced ease. He knew perfectly well he couldn't win in a fistfight, yet he still tried to provoke Shane every time they met.
She turned to Shane and asked casually, "By the way, Lunar New Year's in a couple days. Erza still not back?"
"Lunar New Year? They have that here too?" Shane froze—then suddenly it made sense why Cana and Gray were even back at the guild right now.
"Of course they do," Cana snorted. "You've been living so hard you forgot what day it is?"
Shane frowned and thought. "Not sure. Erza went out a couple days ago. No idea if she'll be back in time."
"Huh." Cana looked a little disappointed. "I wanted to get you and Levy together—just us around the same age. Not partying with those old uncles this year."
"It's fine," Shane waved it off. He estimated the timing—Erza should probably be back within a day or two anyway. "I'll go home and check. Maybe she's already there."
He didn't linger and left the guild.
Back at the little house he shared with Erza, the thin winter afternoon sunlight filtered through the windows, smearing lazy golden streaks across the floor.
Shane threw himself onto the couch.
But the idle comfort lasted less than five minutes.
Switching from intense grinding to "standby mode" made him feel weirdly restless.
He paced the living room twice. His gaze drifted out the back window to the open yard, and he remembered the grand plan he'd made when he bought the place.
"The hot spring…"
Perfect. Since I've got time, I'll just finish it.
He got to work immediately.
He rolled up his sleeves and went to the backyard, clearing dead branches and stones into a corner.
Then he went into town, bought a stack of evenly cut green bamboo, drove stakes along the yard's edge, and quickly raised a dense bamboo fence that provided real privacy.
Next came choosing the spot. Since he could always use magic later to bring water in and heat it, he didn't bother with plumbing plans or pipes.
He simply manifested a shovel and dug out a pit about five meters square.
Thanks to Senji Muramasa's precise feel for "material" and "structure," leveling the ground and laying down appropriately sized river stones flowed smoothly, almost like choreography.
He even carved two large boulders with smooth surfaces—one higher, one lower—to serve as a platform and a seat by the pool.
By the time night fell and stars began dotting the sky, a real-looking hot spring pool basin was finished.
"Done! Tomorrow I'll bring in water, heat it up, and we can finally soak—" Shane stood at the edge, clapped mud off his hands, and smiled with genuine anticipation.
A goal he'd casually thrown out months ago was finally about to happen, and the satisfaction honestly rivaled learning Requip.
Stretching contentedly, he turned to head inside and wash up—when the front door creaked open.
Then came Erza's bright, surprised voice: "Huh? Shane? Why are you back so early today?"
Shane looked over and saw Erza dragging a handcart into the house. The cart was bigger than she was, piled with luggage like a small mountain.
Then her eyes snapped to him and lit up with pure excitement. "You learned Requip magic?!"
"Yeah… sort of. Just the basics," Shane nodded.
He knew she was genuinely happy for him, but hearing that from someone who'd mastered it in a matter of days still made him feel oddly conflicted. He rubbed his ear and quickly changed the subject, looking at the overloaded cart.
"Why did you bring so much stuff out again…?"
During the weeks he'd been stuck in the library, Erza had been running around alone, and she'd developed a… unique habit.
Every time she went out on a job, she seemed determined to move half the house with her.
Chairs, lamps—he'd even seen the random stick he'd picked up from the roadside because it looked like a good "staff" show up on her "packing list."
"These things are useful!" Erza insisted, totally serious, as she started untying the rope on the cart.
Shane shook his head, deciding not to ask what possible use it was to take their kitchen pot lid outside—a question that had already bitten him when he tried to stew soup and had to use a plate as a makeshift cover.
Still, he didn't argue. He had his own quirks too—like needing to be the first one to bathe, or else he'd feel wrong all over.
"Fine," he surrendered. "If you say it's useful, it's useful."
He tried to slip away toward the bathroom. "I'm sweaty. I'm taking a shower first."
"Wait!" Erza stopped him, eyes sparkling like she'd discovered a new continent. "I saw the backyard on the way in! Did you really turn it into a hot spring?"
As long as the topic wasn't Requip, Shane's patience was endless. He perked up immediately, grabbed her wrist, and tugged her along. "Come on, I'll show you. It's basically finished."
He led her into the backyard.
Moonlight poured down over the newly fenced bamboo enclosure.
In the center was the stone-lined pool, with smooth, hand-polished rocks at the edge. There was no water yet, but it was easy to imagine the steam and comfort once it was filled.
"See? Mostly done. Just needs water. When we want to use it, I can heat it directly with my heart-flame. Super convenient," Shane said, openly proud.
Erza hadn't soaked in a hot spring for ages; her eyes shone. "So… we can soak tomorrow?"
~~~
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