Popsicle

The group finished their meal at the restaurant.

Stepping outside, the crisp, cool air hit me, carrying the unique chill of a northern city night, but also dispelling the lingering warmth of the food left inside. In the distance, towards the hotel, warm lights cast a hazy glow at the end of the street.

"Let's go," Lowell rubbed his hands together, exhaling a small puff of white breath, "Let's go soak in the hot springs. The hot springs in Havis, I've heard the water is very good."

As soon as he finished speaking, a figure emerged from the shadows in the direction of the hotel.

It's Liletta.

She was still wearing that simple black outfit, her light blonde hair shimmering under the streetlights, her face expressionless. As she approached, she stopped, her golden eyes looking at Lowell.

"It's solved," she said.

Lowell glanced at her.

"How was it resolved?"

"Found them. Kill them."

Liletta's answer was brief, without any unnecessary words.

Lowell showed a hint of satisfaction, nodded, and gave her a thumbs up.

"Excellent. After Solitär, my new black gloves have appeared!"

Fern stood to the side, turned his head slightly upon hearing this, his pale purple eyes looking at Liletta, his fingertips lightly tapping his chin.

"Miss Liletta is Demons," she began, her voice steady, tinged with a hint of contemplation, "Killing your own kind... don't you feel any remorse?"

Liletta turned her face to look at her, her golden eyes calm and still.

"No."

Fern blinked.

"... Hmm."

Lowell smiled and reached out to ruffle Fern's hair.

"You're overthinking it, Fern. You're also a bit trapped by common sense." He said casually, "Just like humans, bandits, robbers, or on the battlefield, don't they often kill each other? And at least humans have some so-called empathy."

His gaze swept over Liletta's expressionless face.

"Most Demons don't have these emotions. They act primarily based on their own whims. Even if there's some hierarchy, it's almost entirely based on suppressing others with strength or dominating them with fear. The concept of 'fellow Demons' is very faint for most, so naturally they don't feel any burden from it."

He withdrew his gaze, a hint of emotion in his voice.

"If it weren't for Solitär's excessive interest in studying humans, making her the most suitable person for the academy, and the one she's most satisfied with, I'd actually like to keep her by my side. That way, dealing with some people who truly deserve to die would be much easier."

He shook his head.

"As for Sam... tsk, he's too much of a bot, and too stubborn. Too much loyalty isn't always a good thing. Having him around means he'll be ready to draw his sword if anyone shows me even the slightest disrespect. Liletta is much better in that regard; she's not particularly loyal to me, which makes her more useful and less troublesome."

Fern listened quietly, then softly hummed in agreement.

"That does make some sense." She looked at Liletta, her pale purple eyes clear. "However, it feels a bit like Miss Liletta is being used as a tool."

Lowell shrugged.

"How could that be? Isn't this a way to atone for one's crimes? That's how labor reform works; prisoners redeem themselves through labor."

He turned to Liletta.

"And, Liletta, do you mind?"

Liletta met his gaze, her expression remaining unchanged.

"I don't mind," she replied, then added in a still flat tone, "It would be even better if you could give me some human food."

Lowell's lips twitched.

"... Tsk. Let's talk about that when there really are truly heinous and irredeemable villains. For normal petty villains, just give them a quick death. Cannibalism and such are generally considered unethical."

He waved his hand and turned to walk towards the hotel.

"Let's go soak in the hot springs."

The hot spring is located in the backyard of the hotel, divided into two sections by a rugged rockery and a dense bamboo fence. The steam, carrying a faint sulfurous smell, rises in large plumes of white mist on cold nights, blurring the starry sky.

Lowell went into the men's bath alone.

The women's bath has a smaller pool, but it feels more private. The warm spring water washes over your shoulders, dispelling the chill from a long day of walking in the north.

Frieren let out a satisfied sigh, sinking completely into the water, leaving only her small face above the surface. Her three braids hung firmly in the water. She didn't seem to care, only squinting her eyes, her emerald green pupils reflecting the shimmering light.

Ah... that feels so good...

Fern sat beside her, the warm water enveloping her body, causing her to unconsciously relax her shoulders. The usual seriousness on her face faded, and the corners of her mouth curved slightly, revealing a rare ease that belonged to her age.

Liletta sat in a slightly further corner, her back straight, her golden eyes gazing at the rising steam, her face still expressionless. The illusory clothing she wore clung to her skin, looking somewhat strange in the hot spring.

"Miss Liletta," Fern said after watching for a while, her voice slightly soft from the steam, "If you're soaking in the hot spring... taking off your clothes would be more comfortable, wouldn't it?"

Frieren also popped a little out of the water, blinking at her.

"Indeed, although they're essentially the same, it looks a bit strange to see people dressed up while soaking in a hot spring."

Liletta turned her head, looked at them, then looked down at herself. After a moment of silence, the texture of her black clothing began to flow and fade, eventually Melt away into the water, revealing smooth skin beneath that was indistinguishable from human skin.

Then she sat up straight again, resuming her previous posture, as if she had just done something perfectly ordinary.

The pool returned to silence, with only the soft ripples of water and the faint sounds of Lowell splashing water in the distance.

The warmth enveloped my limbs and made me drowsy.

After a while, Frieren suddenly murmured, her voice carrying the languid satisfaction unique to soaking in a hot spring.

"Hmm... if only I could be eating popsicles while soaking in a hot spring right now... that would be even better..."

Upon hearing this, Fern didn't even open his eyes, habitually refuting it in a soft voice.

"No, Lady Frieren. Alternating between hot and cold is bad for your health..."

Before she could finish speaking...

There was a loud splash of water nearby.

Liletta stood up.

Hot spring water slid down her body, outlining her clearly in the rising steam. Her face was expressionless as she turned and walked towards the edge of the pool, seemingly intending to leave immediately.

Fern was startled by her sudden movement and widened his eyes, then stood up as well.

"Wait a minute, Miss Liletta! Where are you going?"

Water droplets slid down Fern's hair and cheeks. She watched Liletta's undisguised figure as she prepared to leave, her cheeks flushing slightly, her voice tinged with embarrassment and urgency.

Liletta stopped at the poolside, turned halfway around, her golden eyes looking at Fern, and stated in a calm tone:

I help anyone who asks me for help.

She pointed in Frieren's direction.

"She wants an ice pop. I'll go get it."

Fern: "..."

She was momentarily speechless, looking at Liletta's matter-of-fact, even preparatory, expression, and felt a bit amused and exasperated. She quickly stepped out of the pool, took a few steps forward, and without caring about anything else, lowered her voice and said quickly:

First of all! You are not allowed to go out without clothes! If you do go out, please put on clothes!

"Then," she paused, trying to make her tone more convincing, "You can't eat popsicles while soaking in a hot spring. You have to wait until you're done soaking, warm up, and rest for a while."

Liletta looked at her, her golden eyes blinking as if processing information.

After two seconds, she nodded.

"... oh."

Then, she turned around decisively, stepped back into the pool, sat back in her original spot, and resumed her quiet, as if nothing had happened while soaking in the hot spring.

Fern breathed a sigh of relief and slowly sat back in the water, her cheeks still a little red, whether from the heat of the hot spring or from her earlier anxiety, she couldn't tell.

Frieren, standing to the side, peeked out from the water and watched this scene. Her emerald eyes curved into a smile as she secretly chuckled. Without saying a word, she lowered her head a little further and comfortably blew a few bubbles.

After soaking in the hot spring, my whole body felt warm and my skin had a healthy pinkish glow.

Frieren wrapped her long, wet, silvery-white hair in a large towel, rolling it into a high, slightly loose bun on top of her head. Holding a popsicle that emitted wisps of cold air, she squinted contentedly, licking it with the tip of her tongue, taking small sips. The cool, sweet taste melted in her mouth, mingling with the lingering warmth in her body, making her tilt her head back in blissful contentment.

Smack... Smack... Ooh...

She licked it a few times, then took a big bite of the popsicle.

The poor popsicle was missing a section, giving off an o(╥╥)o expression.

Fern also held one, eating more politely, but beneath the usual calm in his expression, a faint hint of pleasure lingered.

The three of them, dressed in yukatas provided by the hotel, walked along the wooden corridor leading to their rooms. The floor was gleaming, reflecting the warm light of the wall lamps.

At the corner of the corridor, I ran into Lowell, who was coming out of the men's bathhouse on the other side.

His hair was still wet, casually draped over his forehead, and his yukata was loosely worn, indicating that he had enjoyed a relaxing soak.

"Hey, finished soaking?" He greeted her, his gaze lingering on Frieren's high curls and the popsicle in her hand. He smiled. "Let's go back to our room..."

Before he could finish speaking...

A waitress dressed in a hotel uniform walked briskly over, a professional yet slightly apologetic smile on her face, and stopped in front of the group.

"Um... I apologize for disturbing you guests." She bowed slightly, her gaze carefully sweeping over Lowell, then at the popsicles in Frieren and Fern's hands, before finally looking at Lowell, her voice soft but clear.

"This lady just took two popsicles from the freezer at the front desk, and hasn't paid yet..."

Her finger pointed clearly at Liletta, who stood half a step behind Frieren and Fern, her expression as indifferent as ever.

The corridor fell silent for a moment.

Only the faint sounds of other guests chatting and laughing in the distance could be heard.

Lowell's smile vanished.

He slowly turned his head and looked at Liletta.

Liletta looked at him, her golden eyes filled with composure, as if she had simply done something perfectly natural.

Lowell was silent for two seconds.

Then, he raised his hand, wiped his face, and let out a long, silent sigh.

"... I'll give it to you."

He pulled out a dozen or so copper coins from the sleeve of his bathrobe and handed them to the waitress, his voice filled with a resigned helplessness.

The waitress quickly accepted the gift, thanked her, bowed, and hurried away.

Lowell then looked at Liletta again, his expression complex.

Liletta returned his gaze expressionlessly, as if she didn't understand why he was looking at her like that.

The soft light from the corridor cast the shadows of the group onto the gleaming wooden floor.

Frieren paused for a moment while licking her popsicle, her emerald eyes darting between Lowell and Liletta, before she continued as if nothing had happened.

Fern took a small bite of the popsicle, her pale purple eyes lowered, the corners of her mouth curved upwards slightly, then quickly closed again.

The hotel corridor returned to silence at night.

Only faint, satisfied swallowing sounds and intermittent, indistinct human voices could be heard in the distance.