Ch11 - [Invitation to a shared bath] We shouldn’t be clashing like this.

As the evening fell, the beauty of LuoRi volcano rose.

This should have been the best time to appreciate LuoRi volcano’s wonderful scenery. It’s also the soul of the entire scenery point. However, at this moment, Nalun was not in the mood to admire.

He speed-walked the entire way, followed by a small squad of people, and arrived at the onsen clubhouse in the setting sun.

There were a group of guards outside of the clubhouse currently cleaning up the scene. Here and there, they could see some remnants of battle. Meanwhile, the young men and women who were gathered at the gates originally had been settled in a temporarily rigged up resting area. Each of them still had somewhat shaken expressions on their faces.

Nalun withdrew his gaze and entered the clubhouse.

The design of the clubhouse interior was filled with an ancient traditional taste. The corridors were permeated with a refreshing, faint woody fragrance. Vice-admiral Andrew has been standing in waiting already. Seeing their arrival, he expressionlessly led the way.

Arriving outside of the innermost room, Andrew stopped.

“Mister Sirius, in a bit, you really must protect me.” Ilia’s soft sticky voice traveled out from within, the tail end of her voice carrying a childish pampered tone belonging specifically to girls of her age.

After Nalun heard it, his expression turned cold.

Protect?

Little brat, what heartless words.

Everytime she got into trouble, when did he truly act viciously? No matter what, it shouldn’t have been to the point where she needed ‘protection”?

Just where did she learn this habit of acting pitiful before one’s idol?

The annoyed Honored Prince-daren pushed open the door and entered. Seeing the scene inside, he froze.

In a dark colored bathrobe, Sirius sat in front of the table, collar wide open. A small area of skin could be seen. Little short arms outstretched, Ilia hugged him from the back, a pair of big innocent eyes narrowed lecherously as she glanced down into her idol’s open collar.

Nalun very quickly recovered after being hit by his niece’s questionable ‘public action of obscenity’ and used an unaffected tone to call out her name.

“Ilia.”

The peeping little lolita was so scared she hiccuped and fell off of Sirius’s back, sliding down.

“……”

He could practically see Sirius let out a breath of relief.

“Little uncle……” After seeing her guardian arrive, the troublemaking expert finally felt somewhat afraid.

With a calm face, Nalun walked in front of Sirius. Like an old adult picking up their kid from school, he picked up his family’s disappointing little niece.

“Take a moment to explain yourself, while I’m still willing to listen.”

Ilia realized that, this time, she was really in big trouble and explained everything obediently, including how she had obtained the invitation card and how she had managed to sneak into the clubhouse. Meanwhile, that huge bug, really did exist and was about the size of an adult human. However, it actually didn’t hurt her.

Sirius: “It’s a Metal-devouring Bug.”

Nalun looked towards him.

Sirius: “This kind of bug doesn’t have much offensive power. They really love to eat metals. Some of the rooms with metallic items have all been damaged.”

Nalun really didn’t have too much interest in the breed of this criminal bug.

“Sorry for the inconvenience.” Polite words of etiquette were still needed here.

Sirius saved Ilia. This was equivalent to owning Sirius a favor. Yet Nalun has never liked owing people anything, much less that the other person was Sirius.

Therefore Nalun said: “The public safety of the onsen clubhouse really makes people worry. For this kind of incident to actually occur in the Imperial Admiral’s party, I really have to question the #1 Legion’s abilities.”

The sun finally set. Nightfall arrived. The lighting inside the room unknowingly dimmed. The two important figures stared at each other from opposite sides. An extremely tense and worrying atmosphere hung in the air.

Sirius: “I was indeed very careless. To express my apologies, why not join me in the onsen for a soak?”

Nalun: “……”

Sirius stood up and turned to walk towards the wall. Casually pressing a certain button, the originally seamlessly closed wall slowly split open down the middle. Sliding to the two sides, it revealed a spacious outdoors courtyard.

In the middle of the courtyard was a hot spring.

Next to the hot spring was even a clothes rack. There was another bathrobe hanging on it. Sirius took it off and handed it over to Nalun: “Come, your highness.”

Nalun: “???”

When did he agree?

Sirius’s attitude could be considered friendly: “The onsen gathering will continue until noon tomorrow. If the guests halfway up the mountain want to stop for a rest, they can also come over anytime.”

Ilia became excited: “Alright alright, onsen bath!”

Sirius: “Ladies have an area to themselves. Andrew will bring you over.”

The expression on Ilia’s face froze. A few seconds later, she hung her head, very pouty: “But I’m only a kid……” Bathing with adults was completely fine.

Unfortunately, none of the two adult men present felt this.

With a cold face, Nalun interrupted: “For the sake of safety, we can forget about the onsen. I definitely don’t want to be soaking halfway and then finding another huge bug beside me.”

His words were filled with ridicule, inside and out. His head already created countless ways to pin the blame of the party’s incident on Sirius.

He gave a resounding and powerful request: “What happened today, Charvey must receive an explanation.”

Sirius was not surprised by his refusal. Seeing Nalun’s resolute manner, he didn’t push. However, there was a profound look in the depth of his eyes: “Your highness, We shouldn’t be clashing like this.”

Nalun looked abruptly towards him.

Sirius said seriously: “We’re both citizens of the Asha Empire, working for the same nation. You and I, we should be partners with a unified front.”