Following the Xenos incident, Akumo was forced to visit the Dian Cecht Familia clinic regularly for treatment.
"Ow, ow, ow...!"
"I told you! Why did you recklessly tank such a barbaric attack!?"
Smack—!
"Gyah!?"
"Honestly... you and [Little Rookie] both certainly know how to pick a fight."
Amid, clearly annoyed by Akumo's nonchalant attitude, slapped his back in reprimand.
The wounds he bore were no ordinary injuries. Whether it was the influence of the red moon that had hung in the sky that day or the countless spikes that had pierced him, his lacerations refused to close easily.
"Lie down!"
"No... I can handle this mys—"
"Lie. Down."
"Yes, ma'am..."
Unable to resist Amid's overwhelming pressure, Akumo was forced to strip off his shirt and lay face-down on the treatment bed.
Drip—!
"Hmph... you've managed to get hurt quite thoroughly, haven't you?"
'I suppose I'll have to apply this thoroughly then, won't I?'
"....."
Staring at his scar-riddled torso, Amid poured a curse-breaking potion into her palms. For some reason, a predatory glint flickered in her eyes as she stared intensely at his back.
Slide—!
"W-Wait...! Amid!"
"Shut it!"
Press—!!
Sensing a familiar, chilling sensation from the gaze behind him, a panicked Akumo tried to protest, but Amid immediately pinned him down by pressing firmly into his back.
"Owaaaaagh!!!!?"
'I-It's freezing...!!'
Her touch was less like a physician concerned for a patient and more like a lioness that had finally cornered its prey. Amid's hands roamed across every inch of Akumo's physique.
Knead, knead—!
"Hey, there aren't even any wounds there—"
Press—!!
"Fine...!! I get it!! Just stop pressing there!?"
Rub, rub—!
'Fine... do whatever you want....'
After an indeterminate amount of time being handled—no, treated—Akumo sat up, looking utterly soul-drained.
"Wow..."
"H-Hehe...."
"Are you actually a doctor?"
"I am!"
"Right..."
Looking satisfied for some reason, Amid handed him a slip of paper.
Flutter—!
"A natural hot spring?"
'...Wait, this?'
The paper was a coupon for a natural hot spring that the Dian Cecht Familia was opening.
However, the mention of a hot spring triggered a sharp sense of deja vu in Akumo.
"Yes, we built it recently!"
"Hmm.... This...."
"What is it?"
—'We shall build a hot spring! We can make money and promote ourselves at the same time!'
"Isn't this Lord Miach's idea?"
It was suspiciously similar to the hot spring plan he had heard from Naaza a week ago.
"....."
"Amid...?"
Grin—!
"Isn't it always better for the more capable party to handle things?"
"You stole it...."
As Akumo stared at her with disbelief, Amid—smiling like a true villain—began to make excuses as if her conscience had finally pricked her.
"I took it in lieu of interest!"
"They should have enough money for interest thanks to the Dual Potions, though?"
"...."
Cornered by Akumo's interrogation, Amid fell silent and eventually pushed him toward the hot spring as if to get rid of him.
**
Crack—!
Pop—!
"Business seems to be booming, huh?"
"".....""
"If even you guys heard the rumors and came here."
Inside the dressing room, Akumo was loosening his muscles as he undressed.
"Well.... it's been popular lately...."
"Did you come because of the rumors too, Akumo-san?"
"Me? No, Amid told me to check it out."
Standing beside him were two boys staring at him with wide eyes: Bell and Welf.
They were stunned by Akumo's physique. Setting aside the muscles that radiated a power impossible to achieve through ordinary training, the sheer number of scars etched into his skin commanded their attention.
"I expected as much, but you really are covered in wounds...."
"That's how it goes. I'm an adventurer."
Brush—!
"Though, most of these scars were earned when I was just a kid."
""What!?""
Bell and Welf gasped, horrified at the thought of the brutal life he must have led since childhood.
"W-Wait!? Whatever you're thinking, it's not like that!!"
"T-Then...."
"I mean, I was definitely fighting like hell since I was young!"
"I knew it!!"
Ultimately, Akumo had to grab the two boys, who were looking at him with pitying eyes, and explain everything step by step.
"Look, this one? I got this while hunting a certain dragon back in the day."
""Ooh....""
"And this? This was from taking down some general of a certain kingdom."
Brush—!
'Why am I even explaining this?'
"I was only two or three years younger than you guys are now when I started all that!"
Since arriving in Orario, the superior medical techniques and potions ensured that wounds rarely left scars. Conversely, the injuries sustained during his adventures outside Orario, where such treatment was unavailable, had remained as permanent marks of his history.
"We started our adventures in Orario, after all...."
"You're different, Akumo-san. You fought monsters and men alike out there...."
"Heh, look at these two."
Grip—!!!
""Aack!!?""
Slightly miffed by Welf and Bell's persistent pity, Akumo grabbed their shoulders and squeezed with a fraction of his strength.
"You're Level 4, aren't you? You should be able to handle this."
"You're Level 8, damn it!!?"
"I'm only Level 2, Akumo-san!!!"
The commotion drew the attention of everyone in the dressing room.
"Isn't that [Little Rookie]?"
"And next to him... i-is that the [Pioneer]!!!?"
"I heard they were close, but...."
"Welf Crozzo is there too. Did they all come to relax together?"
Step—!
The reaction of the crowd made it clear that Bell's reputation had fully recovered following his spectacular performance in the recent incident. As for Akumo, his display of god-like combat had earned him gazes of pure awe and envy from the other adventurers.
"Enough. Let's get in."
""Ow, ow, ow....""
"Stop exaggerating!"
Leaving the murmuring adventurers behind, Akumo, Bell, and Welf finally entered the hot spring.
**
"Whoa~ this is great!"
"You can say that again~"
"I can feel the fatigue just melting away~"
Akumo, Bell, and Welf soaked in the warm water, savoring the pleasant heat. The hot spring was the perfect remedy for the exhaustion that had accumulated during their recent trials.
Crack—!
Pop—!
"Man~ there really is something special about this water~"
'I see why Amid recommended it~'
Splash—!
Whether it was the medicinal properties of the spring or simply the luxury of a deep soak, Akumo felt his muscles loosen. He stood up, rotating his arms and neck to stretch out his frame.
""""...""""
Stare—
"Hmm?"
Whish—!
"What is it?"
Akumo turned his head, sensing eyes on him, but the other bathers quickly averted their gazes.
Glance—!
"What's wrong with them?"
'I know I'm famous, but this feels a bit weird....'
"".....""
Akumo remained oblivious, but even Bell and Welf beside him turned away, unable to meet his eyes for some reason.
"Hmph...."
'Probably nothing, right?'
As Akumo sat back down in the water, he remained blissfully unaware.
"Phew...."
"..."
He didn't realize that every man who had caught a glimpse below the water's surface was struck with a mix of horror and admiration at the sheer, imposing weight he carried. Even his "younger brothers" were left speechless by the overwhelming physical disparity.
Step—!
Clatter—!
"They say this is the highlight of the visit!"
"Since we're here, let's have a bottle!"
After finishing their soak, Akumo and the boys arrived at the lounge. They popped the caps off some chilled milk and took a long drink.
Gulp, gulp—!
"""Pwah!"""
"That's delicious...!"
"The cold milk hitting a body that was just in hot water... it's refreshing~"
The sensation of the cold milk seeping into their systems was a revelation. Completely satisfied with the experience, they shared their thoughts.
"That really was excellent water, wasn't it?"
"Yeah~ I feel like a new man!"
"We should definitely come here more often~"
As Bell, Welf, and Akumo were relaxing in high spirits...
"I AM—!"
"""?"""
Turn—
They turned toward a familiar voice and saw a certain God holding a massive bottle of milk, shouting his signature line as usual.
"—GANESHA!!!!"
Chug, chug—!!
"Pwah!!"
Grin—!
"IT IS DELICIOUS~!!!!!"
Watching Ganesha finish the giant milk in one go and command the crowd's attention with his usual grin was, for them, just another part of daily life in Orario.
"He's as energetic as ever.... Lord Ganesha."
"Truly the Master of the Masses...."
"He's damnably positive~"
**
While the Dian Cecht Familia's hot spring was receiving rave reviews from everyone...
"'God of the Hot Springs' my foot...!!"
Not everyone was looking at it favorably. In fact, someone was currently swallowing their rage while staring at the massive building.
"What do they mean, 'natural hot spring'...!!"
Grip—!
"That absolute fraud!!"
The person hiding behind a pillar near the entrance, her face partially concealed by a cloth, was none other than Naaza.
"I mean, I understand how you feel, but...."
"Everyone seems so happy."
"That's exactly why it makes me even angrier...!"
Daphne and Cassandra, who were accompanying her but looking quite troubled, were investigating the hot spring with expressions that asked if they should really be doing this.
"If only I could find some evidence of their fraud...."
As Naaza gnawed on her fingernails, trying to vent her frustration...
"Man~ having a hot spring in Orario is the best!"
"You're right about that~"
"Yeah, let's come again!"
Akumo, Bell, and Welf appeared in her line of sight, looking refreshed after their bath and milk.
'Akumo-san and Bell too....'
Smile—!
Just as Naaza smiled, having thought of something, and was about to approach them...
"By the way, I didn't know there were discount coupons. Where did you get those, Akumo-san?"
"Hmm? Those?"
"I hadn't heard anything about coupons being issued."
"Really...? Amid gave them to me, so I just took them."
Twitch—!
Naaza's ears twitched as her entire focus narrowed onto that single sentence.
'Amid Teasanare.' A high-ranking member of the [Dian Cecht Familia] and Orario's greatest healer, known as the [Dea Saint].
However, to Naaza, she was remembered as something else entirely.
Grind—!
"Amid...."
'Love Rival.' That was the only way Naaza could describe Amid.
Seven years ago, during the Great Feud, they had both fallen for the same men. Their targets were the God of Medicine, 'Miach,' and the hero of the Great Feud, 'Akumo.'
Whish—!
"Should we grab a bite before heading back?"
"The sun is still up, so maybe something light... or since Akumo-san is here, maybe something lavish...."
Turn—
"Huh? Bell? Akumo-san?"
Sensing something was wrong when he received no reply, Welf turned around, but Akumo and Bell were already gone.