Chapter 3

Spring was floating on air.

The stone he had acquired by chance turned out to be surprisingly useful.

He filled the bathtub with water and tossed in the stone he had received from the pot-bellied man named Theo Key. Within just a few dozen seconds, the water turned to a perfect temperature, and it stayed warm. No matter how long it took, it always remained at the ideal temperature. Since it eliminated the need for gas, for Spring, who loved baths, this stone was far more valuable than the ear ornament he couldn’t take out of the bathroom.

It was only natural for him to feel elated, thinking he had hit the jackpot.

Today, Spring was enjoying his bath.

In his right hand, he held a bottle of ice-cold sake, and in his left, a small cup. This was his reward, allowed only on nights when the next day’s schedule was completely blank.

Suddenly, he noticed the firestone at his feet, which had sunk into the water. If there was a firestone to heat the water, perhaps there was also a stone to cool it. If such a stone existed, he could enjoy his cold sake in the bath at its best state at any time.

While indulging in this convenient fantasy, Spring took a sip from his cup.

"Ah~. Delicious."

The cold sake slid down his heated body, soothing his tired mind and body. They say that sake is the king of medicines, and they weren’t wrong.

As he exhaled, the cooled esophagus suddenly felt hot. It was a moment of freedom, a time when he could truly feel that tomorrow was his own.

This blissful moment was shattered by a sudden sound.

A cold wind, even colder than the bottle in his right hand, blew into the bathroom.

"...No way."

Spring turned to the window and was speechless.

On the other side of the window, a Yeti was staring at him with a surprised look.

"Who are you? A sorcerer?"

The Yeti spoke fluently.

"No, not really. And you? Are you a Yeti? Bigfoot? Sasquatch? Or the Snowman?"

"What are those?"

The Yeti growled. Spring, holding the sake bottle as a makeshift guard, braced himself.

While observing Spring’s feeble resistance, the Yeti placed his hand on his head and slipped off his fur.

Spring’s eyes widened at the sight. What he had thought was natural turned out to be a wig. The fur that covered everything except his eyes, nose, and mouth, and the scruffy beard of the same color, made the visitor look like a Yeti or a similar creature. However, he was actually a fine human male. His face was chiseled, but unlike the stranded man or Theo Key, his skin was similar to Spring’s, a Japanese person.

"My name is Setsken. What is the sorcerer’s name?"

"No, I’m not a sorcerer," Spring mumbled and looked at the man who called himself Setsken. The beard made him look older, but his voice and casual gestures were youthful.

Setsken was looking around the bathroom with interest. After observing the light bulb curiously, he turned back to Spring and frowned.

"Were you in the middle of a purification ritual...?"

Explaining the situation to Setsken would require a tremendous effort, so Spring decided to give up quickly.

"My name is Spring. So, are you... um, in trouble? For example, are you stranded or looking for someone?"

Recently, whenever he had free time, Spring had been thinking about the mysterious events that had occurred in the bathroom. He concluded that he might have been tasked with helping the stranded man and introducing him to Theo Key.

Spring was an atheist. He didn’t believe in gods or Buddhas, but he would visit a shrine during New Year’s, listen to the priest’s chanting during memorial services, and vaguely thought about having a church wedding in the future. Since he didn’t believe in gods or Buddhas, these were matters of personal sentiment. His thoughts hadn’t changed. Yet, he still wondered if he had been given a task, which he found contradictory. He thought that once they met safely, his task would be over, and he would part ways with the mysterious world. He believed the bathroom window wouldn’t lead to the mysterious world anymore...

But this happened.

Setsken tilted his head.

"I’m not stranded, and I’m not looking for anyone."

"Oh, I see." Spring also tilted his head. Then, he noticed white snowflakes drifting in through the gap in the door behind Setsken.

Looking around, it seemed that Setsken was in a small, makeshift hut. The thin walls were being battered by the wind, and it was so cold inside that he had to wrap himself in fur, yet there was no fire in the hearth in the center.

"Maybe you need firewood...?"

Setsken tilted his head again.

"No, I was just about to leave."

This was unexpected. The man didn’t seem to be in any particular trouble.

Perhaps there was no reason for this window to lead to a mysterious world.

"Where are you going?"

Feeling a bit let down, Spring asked out of curiosity.

After a moment of silence, the man answered in a low voice, "To Zaharia."

"Got it!"

Spring couldn’t help but stand up from the bathtub.

"You’re going to meet Theo Key, right?"

The man’s face stiffened at Spring’s words.

"Are you from York Zai?"

"Wh-what? No, no, I’m not."

Spring panicked at the man’s sudden display of suspicion and hostility.

He had assumed the man was an acquaintance of Theo Key. He thought the man might be searching for the blue-eared man, just like Theo Key.

"I just happened to meet a man named Theo Key once, but we’re not really acquaintances, and I have nothing to do with York Zai."

"Met by chance?"

Setsken’s eyebrows raised.

"Right. I gave water to a stranded man at the edge of the desert, and the next day, Theo Key appeared. When I told him about the stranded man, he was very happy... It seemed he was looking for him. He must have been important to Theo Key."

"Theo Key was looking for him?... Looking for him... Looking for him..."

The man repeated Spring’s words as if pondering them.

"Um..."

Spring hesitantly spoke up.

"Is there a problem?"

"Did Theo Key meet that man?"

Spring shook her head at Setsken’s stern face.

"I don’t know. I haven’t seen the stranded man or Theo Key since then."

But... Spring continued.

"He mentioned something about the eastern oasis cities, so I think he’s alive and well."

Spring’s words also contained a hope that the man he had met and spoken to, and given water to, had survived.

The man looked up at the sky and closed his eyes.

His clenched mouth trembled slightly.

Spring felt uncomfortable.

It seemed that York Zai was not a favorable entity for Setsken. While the relationship between Setsken and York Zai was unclear, his painful endurance was heart-wrenching.

After a long moment of silence, the man exhaled deeply and lowered his head.

"I see. Theo Key found him, then."

"I’m not sure, but I’m sorry."

Spring bowed her head.

"Why apologize?"

"Because, for you, it might not be good for Theo Key to meet the person I helped."

The man laughed, a laugh that seemed to resign to something.

"You don’t need to worry, sorcerer. You just helped someone."

Spring was speechless. She might have meddled, but it was hard to ignore someone in need when she had the means to help.

"Well, I have no more business in Zaharia. I’m going back to my country."

Standing up, Setsken put on his fur.

"By the way—"

While tying the strings of his backpack, Setsken avoided Spring’s gaze and spoke hesitantly.

"You’ve been completely exposed, you know."

"Ah!?"

Spring quickly covered her body with her hands and squatted back into the bathtub. Being pointed out in such a way made her feel embarrassed.

The sound of water splashing mixed with the clinking of something hard rolling on the floor.

She managed to hold onto the sake bottle with her right hand, but the small cup in her left hand was gone.

—It was brand new!

Spring tried to get up to find the cup.

"Ah!? Ow!"

Suddenly, she was startled by the heat on the soles of her feet and jumped out of the bathtub.

She quickly turned on the shower to cool her feet.

"Are you okay? What happened?"

Setsken, who was trying to cool his feet, looked pitiful.

"Yeah, I’m fine. I forgot about the firestone and stepped on it..."

Spring answered in a pitiful voice.

"Firestone?"

Setsken looked puzzled and leaned forward to peek into the bathtub.

"Is this the red stone?"

"Yes. When you put it in water, it turns into hot water in no time. Oh, I got it from Theo Key when I asked for a stone lying around."

"…A stone lying around turns water into hot water!?"

Setsken seemed shocked. Yeah, it’s shocking. I was shocked too. Spring nodded.

"Firestone. What a wonderful thing Zaharia has."

Setsken gazed at the firestone with shining eyes.

Spring had a bad feeling and tried to close the bathtub lid, saying, "Well, I think I’ve had enough. I’m getting out."

Setsken’s large hand pressed down on the lid.

"Wait, sorcerer. Can you give me this!?"

Ah, as expected. Spring sighed.

"Sure... What will you give me in exchange?"

"Exchange? That’s right, I can’t just take such a wonderful thing for free. But I don’t have much on me right now."

Setsken sighed after looking into his backpack. It seemed he had nothing to offer in exchange. If he could just give up cleanly...

His greedy gaze at the firestone was annoying.

After a deep sigh, Spring reluctantly suggested to Setsken.

"Hey, isn’t it cold where you’re from? Do you have an ice stone or something?"

"Ice stone?"

"Right, something to keep my cold sake cold."

"Do you like sake?"

Setsken thought for a moment and then snapped his fingers.

"Wait here."

He hurried to the door of the hut.

As soon as he opened it, a gust of wind and snow blew in.

Spring couldn’t help but dive back into the bathtub.

Setsken returned quickly, holding a smooth, glossy green leaf.

From the roots, it seemed he had pulled it out of the ground.

"This is the ice snow grass. It’s said to have originated from the tears of the god of strength and sake, Sauna, when his wife hid his secret stash of sake and he wept in sorrow."

Crying over hidden sake, what a pitiful god of strength. It might sound human, but having too much of it can be a problem, right?

"It grows on the tops of snow-covered mountains..."

Setsken cut a leaf from the stem.

"Put this leaf in your sake bottle. It will turn any bad sake into a fine wine overnight."

Is that true? Spring couldn’t help but doubt Setsken’s words. Realizing her skepticism, she felt a bit of self-loathing. This firestone was originally just water. Even if Setsken’s story was a lie to get the firestone, it was fine.

"Then, I’ll take it."

When Spring agreed, Setsken was overjoyed, almost dancing.

"I’m in your debt! With this, Treet might be saved."

Spring was taken aback. It seemed she had gotten involved in something big again. Wrapping the firestone in a towel and handing it over, she quickly reached for the window.

"Then, I’ll be going. Be careful on your way back."

"Yes, don’t catch a cold, sorcerer."

Waving at the man, who had put on his fur and was smiling broadly, Spring closed the window. She sneezed immediately.