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When Kiralika entered the bar, the other Adventurers immediately looked tense. But he ignored them. While he seemed cheerful enough, I doubted he was in the mood for any further complications. He looked like he just wanted to take Nanaya and leave…

“Hello, Daniela.”

“Aye. I leave the rest to you.”

Daniela had been holding Nanaya under her arm, but she now handed her to the small Guild Master. Kiralika seemed unsure at first, and initially attempted to drag her, before giving up. 

“I cannot. You must carry her to the room.”

“This is why I hate children…”

“What? As Guild Master, I have the authority to…”

“Tsk… Very well. Asagi, you go on ahead.”

Daniela clicked her tongue and did not bother to hide her annoyance. And with that, she headed towards the Guild Master’s room without waiting for my reply.

“He-hey, wait a minute. Uh, good luck, Asagi. Pay me a visit when you’re next in town!”

“Yeah..”

He waved goodbye. Well, it wouldn’t happen for many years… I thought. And I could only hope he would have matured a little by then.

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I walked out of the guild into the night air and waited for Daniela. It got cold really quickly, and so I had to pull up the collar of my snow Arachne cape and cover my neck.

The cold wind felt nice after the warmth of all the alcohol, but I didn’t want to get chilled to the bone either. I wanted to take a hot bath once we got back, but then again, I also wanted to go straight to bed. I guess I could take a quick shower and then go to sleep…

It was as I was making such plans for the rest of my night, that the door opened and Daniela stepped out.

“Sorry. You should not have waited for me.”

“It’s damn cold out here…”

“Yes, yes. We should hurry then.”

“Yeah…”

No one should stay out on a night like this…

Both of us wore white winter clothes as we walked side by side down the streets of Yukka. It started to snow on the way, which was a little romantic. Of course, thoughts of having to trudge through the snow tomorrow blew all such sentiments away.

I bathed as soon as we got back to the inn. It was great that even the more affordable rooms had baths! It meant we didn’t have to wander around with a change of clothes.

“Phew…ah…I’m so tired.”

“Move over.”

“Arghhh…bbb…”

Daniela invaded the tub and nearly drowned me.

“You could have waited!”

“And you could have taken less time.”

“Tsk…”

She was right. I had definitely been in it for too long by her standards. But we had talked about who would go first…

“In the first place, I do not see why we need to take turns. If we are lovers, then it hardly matters.”

“I guess… But you know, it’s been a while since I last saw you naked. You got me all flustered.”

“How childish of you. Now, moved back more.”

Daniela said as she allowed herself to sink into the water. Asagi was not strong enough to fight her, and so he obediently retreated to the back. Damn, he was powerless.

“Ahhhh…how relaxing…”

“I don’t feel so relaxed.”

“Well, maybe you should get out and we can let off some steam?”

“We have to go to sleep… What are you going to do if we can’t get up tomorrow?”

“Hmph. Maybe you are not so weak after all, eh? Seeing as you can reject such an invitation.”

Daniela said with a sulky expression and a purposeful heave of her chest. I quickly looked up at the ceiling.

“Is there something up there that you fancy more?”

“I’m getting out! Screw you!”

“Ah, hey!”

Red-faced, I left Daniela and got out of the tub. There was no way I could stay there. I needed to get some sleep!

I didn’t care what she said. I swore this in my heart as I got changed. Then I collapsed into the bed and pulled the blankets up to my head. The cold sheets felt nice under my warm body.

“Damn that man…”

Daniela grumbled to herself in the bathtub, but there was no one to hear her. In the meantime, sleepiness descended over me. By the time I could hear vague, wet footsteps approaching me, I was just a breath away from falling asleep.

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