At the entrance of the Bath-house - Orsted sat on the bench with his usual expressionless face, sipping on the special edition milk sold outside it.
'It's been an hour already...Did she get attacked? Drowned to death?' Orsted was losing patience at this point, slightly regretting coming along with her.
The only reason stopping Orsted from rushing inside was his connection with Zarestia, as a contractor. He didn't sense anything wrong with her through it.
Before he could make his mind to sneak in, with his shadow dragon slayer magic - a middle aged beastwomen walked towards him with hesitation.
"Did something happen?" Orsted asked her directly, wondering if Zarestia caused some problem inside.
The beastwomen looked away from his eyes and replied stiffly: "That...is the case. Miss Zarestia stayed in the hot water for too long and appeared unable to move. We have moved her into the lounge at the entrance for now."
"....Sorry for the inconvenience." Orsted's eyes twitched visibly.
The beastwomen went away quickly after informing him.
Walking into the entrance hall of the Bath-house, which was usually used as a lounge or a room for people patiently waiting for their partner to return. Orsted spotted Zarestia almost immediately, laid down on a wide bench.
"....."
It was as if she was just thrown there randomly and abandoned after.
Just to be sure, Orsted's activated [Tear stigma] partially and analysed her condition carefully.
'Exhaustion and dizziness....what exactly was she doing for an hour straight in the bath-house to get exhausted?'
Orsted found his answer soon, as the caretaker of the bath-house approached him in a few seconds.
As it turns out, Zarestia had gone too far in excitement, trying to swim all the way around the pond or trying to climb the long walls separating the women and men bath. If she wasn't stopped by the beastwomen, who informed Orsted a moment ago, it might have been a disaster.
Zarestia destroyed some of the monuments there too, which was the reason the caretaker approached Orsted.
Without a change in his expression, Orsted gazed at the caretaker with a serious face.
'Even if you look at me like that, I'm not going to take responsibility and pay for her mess.' Orsted waited patiently for the caretaker to leave, hoping his curse would do its trick as usual.
He wouldn't dare to ask one of the four great spirits to pay up, not like she could - so the caretaker approached Orsted, only to be met with two apathetic eyes.
"...Umm, Mister Orsted can borrow a hand fan from the reception. Please be sure to return it before leaving." The caretaker gave up in the end and walked away with a advice.
'...He turned out to be a good person. Well, he could be grateful to me for saving the city a week ago.'
Ignoring the caretaker's advice, Orsted decided to use magic instead.
As he approached, Orsted saw Zarestia, who was lying down while moaning "Oooh" and "Ahhh", appearing drunk. Her white skin glowed so much that at first glance you could tell she had a head rush. Had she been standing up with a serious face right now, she would've certainly looked charming.
Although, by lying down in such a sad, stupid state, men lose interest in hitting on her.
Cold air formed before Orsted's hand, covering Zarestia in a gentle chilling wind.
"Ooooooh....That feels so gooood."
Watching her condition alleviate after a few minutes, he stopped.
"Come ooon, can't you cool me more?" Zarestia appeared so comfortable that Orsted wouldn't be surprised if she fell asleep any moment.
"Don't act so spoiled and get up before I freeze you into an ice brick." If she wasn't his spirit, Orsted would have done just that.
Zarestia grimaced while getting up silently.
"Was it fun?" Orsted offered her a sealed milk cup too.
Zarestia smiled immediately: "It's like nothing I have experienced before! Though I didn't like those statues, so I destroyed a few of them and was scolded by a scary female...."
"..."
It would take a lot of courage to scold a great spirit like Zarestia, but Orsted wasn't surprised.
'With her pushover-like attitude, she must have not appeared like a threat. I still have to teach her a lot of things....' Orsted hoped Zarestia would learn quickly.
"... It's good."
Leading the Zarestia, who was sipping on the milk he offered, Orsted's keen eye picked up her thoughtful gaze. He watched her subtly, as her snow white yukata shook in the early night's wind.
"I have been remembering things for the past few days, I think it's because you are acting as my anchor right now." Zarestia kept smiling forwards, a dark and heavy emotion stuck to her eyes.
'So she has already recovered most of her memories.' Orsted concluded internally sensing slight killing intent and thought about what she might be thinking by bringing it up now.
Zarestia stopped in her tracks, the moon glowed softly right above her.
"Before I didn't feel it, but I have been getting the urge to kill again. Even you...even when I don't want to hurt you, I have the urge to kill you." Zarestia spoke as her golden eyes gazed at Orsted with intensity like none before.
'Just an urge? I was ready for her to turn into a compulsory murderer again, after regaining her memories. This is better than expected.' Orsted was ready for changes in Zarestia, as she recovered her memories.
In the sloth if route, Zarestia was able to get over her full blown compulsory murderous disorder. So this simple killing urge appeared insignificant in Orsted's eyes.
Orsted still acted along externally: "You have been feeling this urge against everyone?"
Seeing Orsted frown, Zarestia pursed her lips: "That's right....It started two days ago."
Orsted gazed into her eyes seriously: "Then, from today, stay close to me at all times."
"Arrr....?" A weird voice left Zarestia's mouth as she heard his words.
"Did you forget about our contract? If you hurt anyone in this city, you will most likely die immediately. I can stop you, if you really try to do something stupid." Orsted explained calmly.
"That isn't what I meant....! I wanted to attack you even today! When I was watching you kill those disgusting bears!" Zarestia's face grew slightly agitated.
"Then, do you really want to kill me?"
"What...?"
A single question stumped Zarestia, though she wanted to answer with affirmation - it didn't leave her mouth.
"No...." She answered weakly.
Orsted shook his head at her: "Then I will help you keep it that way."
Even if he tried softening his voice, it was dry as usual, so Orsted could only continue coldly, "I think you are fine the way you are right now."
"The way I am right now?" Zarestia frowned.
"Yeah. I have heard rumors about you, the spirit of killing or the slasher. If you really turn into someone like your rumoured self, I think it would be quite problematic." Orsted felt his throat grow slightly dry with all the talking.
Zarestia was starved from loneliness and the only reason she showed intention of adding distance with Orsted was because she was worried about him.
"The way I am right now...." Some kind of special effect seems to have occurred with those words, Zarestia's worried expression melted into a smile.
Seeing Orsted signal her to follow along already, it made Zarestia quickly walk beside him. Her hand reached out to his claw-like hand, holding it with confidence as if it were natural.
Orsted's eyes found her happy expression and faced forward again. It was creepy how he could see and feel everything in full detail with his enhanced senses. He could sense the emotion brewing in Zarestia's eyes too.
'Its developing into a romantic feeling?....Well, it is also a kind of familial relationship too...'
Orsted wanted a family-like relationship with Zarestia, but a romantic one appeared fine too in his eyes.