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It was now 6:14 p.m. Everyone was staying in a luxurious suite at the most extravagant hot spring inn in the city. Inside the room, Grace was lying unconscious on the bed while Ethefelis sat by the fireplace, carefully maintaining her assassination tools.
Jacob had fallen asleep in another room, mentally exhausted. Meanwhile, Alice, Christina, and Mira were enjoying the suite's private hot spring bath.
As for why Jacob's group of four was staying at such an expensive inn—far beyond what they would normally consider affordable—it all started like this.
When Alice, Christina, and Mira returned, they found the three of them sitting on the ground. Jacob wore a vacant expression, Grace was unconscious, and Ethefelis was quietly holding Grace's sword.
Sensing that something was terribly wrong from their expressions, Alice immediately rushed over.
"Mr. Jacob, Miss Ethe... what's wrong? Why is Miss Grace asleep? And... both of you look strange."
The moment Ethefelis heard Alice's voice, she stood up and simply said,
"Inn."
Ethefelis often communicated in just a few words. After spending two months together, Alice immediately understood what she meant.
"You need to find an inn? I'll go right away!"
Alice hurriedly turned to leave, but Christina stopped her.
"There's no need. Come to the inn I'm staying at instead. Mira, carry Miss Somart back."
"Yes, milady."
Mira lifted Grace onto her back, while Alice and Ethefelis supported the emotionally withdrawn Jacob as they followed Christina to the hot spring inn where she was staying.
Christina paid for all four of them to stay in a luxurious suite complete with a private hot spring.
Jacob was given his own room, while Grace, Ethefelis, and Alice shared a double room. Afterward, Christina invited Alice to enjoy the hot spring together to get to know each other better.
That brought them to the present.
Grace finally woke up.
It took her more than ten seconds to figure out where she was, then another few minutes to remember what had happened before she lost consciousness.
The instant everything came back to her, she shot upright in panic.
"Mr. Jacob!"
She frantically searched the room for Jacob, but the only person she saw was the familiar girl with short lavender hair sitting on the sofa.
Ethefelis.
Using the polished surface of the dagger in her hand as a mirror, Ethefelis had been secretly watching Grace's every move.
Ever since Grace had drawn her sword against Jacob, Ethefelis now considered her a dangerous person.
Left with no other choice, Grace spoke to her.
"...Ms. Eis, where are we?"
"An inn."
"Why are we at an inn? Where's Mr. Jacob?"
As she asked, Grace threw back the blanket and prepared to get out of bed.
The moment Ethefelis heard her asking about Jacob, she vaulted over the sofa in one swift motion and appeared directly in front of Grace, pressing the dull side of her dagger against Grace's neck.
"Don't move."
"W-What?! M-Miss Ethe, what's wrong? Why are you doing this? D-Don't tell me... I really killed Mr. Jacob?!"
The dagger at her throat and Ethefelis's unusually cold expression terrified Grace, immediately making her fear the worst.
"No."
"I-I didn't...? Thank goodness..."
The relief in Grace's voice was so overwhelming that it sounded as though an enormous burden had been lifted from her shoulders.
Ethefelis didn't care about that.
She only wanted an explanation.
"Explain."
"I'm so glad I didn't lose control and kill Mr. Jacob... Does that mean I'm the clingy type? But Mr. Jacob must hate me now... He's probably completely disappointed in me... What am I supposed to do...? I don't think I can keep living like this..."
Grace had completely sunk into her own thoughts, talking to herself without even hearing Ethefelis.
She smiled one moment and looked devastated the next.
It began to irritate Ethefelis.
"Explain."
"I-I will... Just let me see whether Mr. Jacob is okay first. Please?"
Grace had finally calmed down and was now consumed by guilt.
She believed she had nearly committed murder. Surely Jacob would avoid her now.
If that was the case, she'd simply watch over him from somewhere he couldn't see her.
"No."
"Just one look. Only one."
"No."
"Then... at least put the knife away. I won't do anything."
"No."
"Ms. Eis, you're so stubborn."
"Explain."
"...Fine."
Grace explained everything from beginning to end.
She smiled at certain memories, regretted others, and ultimately ended her story in sorrow.
After listening, Ethefelis lowered her dagger before pointing toward the large bath beyond the glass door.
"Go."
Her tone made it sound less like a suggestion and more like an order to leave.
Ethefelis had a lot to say, and bath time was when she truly relaxed enough to talk.
Grace turned toward the bath.
"...The bath? Do I smell that bad?"
"Go!"
This time Ethefelis raised her voice.
What she really meant was: Stop asking questions and just go.
Frightened, Grace obediently undressed and went to wash herself.
Ethefelis did the same.
After cleaning themselves, the two stepped into the hot spring together.
The moment Ethefelis sank into the steaming water, she looked almost drunk.
Her cheeks turned rosy, her eyes closed, and her entire body relaxed.
Besides good food and her work as an assassin, soaking in hot springs was one of her greatest pleasures.
The Travel house didn't have a bathtub, which had always disappointed her.
Grace, on the other hand, couldn't relax at all.
She sat uneasily in the bath, constantly worrying about Jacob and wanting to see him with her own eyes.
Finally, she cautiously asked,
"Ms. Eis... may I see Mr. Jacob afterward?"
"Bro Ja is very fragile right now. Promise me that no matter what he says or does, you won't hurt him. And since you already know you like each other, just be honest, clear up the misunderstanding, then go explode together."
"Explode?! Ms. Eis, what are you talking about?! Did the hot spring make you delirious already?!"
"Eis doesn't get dizzy. Promise."
"I-I promise! I'll never have any thoughts of hurting Mr. Jacob again!"
"Good. Bro Ja says teammates don't hold grudges overnight. Ethe doesn't like watching you two obviously wanting to talk but staying silent. And Eis doesn't want Bro Ren getting mad. If he gets mad, everyone will starve."
"...I understand."
Hearing that Ethefelis would allow her to see Jacob afterward finally eased Grace's mind.
Then she suddenly realized something.
"Ms. Eis... you're talking a lot more than usual."
"Eis always has a lot to say. But the assassins of House Sugeud only use the shortest possible words while on missions so the target won't notice them. Eis was trained as an assassin since childhood, so speaking briefly became second nature. Eis think Eis trained too seriously. Now Eis only become talkative while soaking in a bath because Eis love baths. Baths take a long time, so they make me feel like the mission is finally over."
For easy missions, Ethefelis could finish within several hours.
Difficult ones sometimes took days.
During all that time, she couldn't bathe.
In a world where nearly everyone could wash themselves daily as long as they weren't sleeping out in the wilderness, going several days without bathing made Ethefelis treasure hot springs more than anyone.
Then Grace suddenly remembered something.
"But... I remember the first time I heard you talk so much, we weren't in a bath."
"What?! Impossible! Eis would never talk this much outside a bath! Eis may be small, but Eis isn't an idiot like Sis Li. You remembered wrong. Eis would never be this talkative anywhere except a bath. You must've dreamed it."
That had been the day Karen had suddenly appeared like a ghost and frightened Ethefelis half to death.
She'd been so startled that she'd completely forgotten everything she'd said afterward.
"You're surprisingly blunt."
Grace giggled.
"I don't really remember what happened that day anymore. I'll ask Mr. Karen next time."
"Bro Ren will definitely tell you that you dreamed it."
Seeing this unusually expressive side of Ethefelis gave Grace an irresistible urge to tease her.
"You finally feel like someone your own age now, Ms.Eis. Come here. Let your big sister give you a hug."
Grace spread her arms wide and deliberately puffed out the chest that countless women envied, speaking in the tone of an older sister teasing a younger sibling.
Ethefelis hated being treated like a child by anyone outside her family.
She immediately stood up and climbed out of the bath.
"Eis's leaving."
"Don't be shy."
"You're the shy one."
"Ugh...!"
As always, Ethefelis never forgot to retaliate with a sharp comeback.
After changing into their pajamas, Grace and Ethefelis headed toward Jacob's room.