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The two Inklings were walking on the grass, surrounded by the fog.
"Nnnggh…!" Mirii's eyes squeezed a bit, as her teeth gritted slightly. "I don't have the patience to deal with such obnoxious obstacle…!"
"At least, we are lucky enough to not have encountered a single Demon Squid…" Hun sighed silently.
"… correct…" The girl mumbled something. "… ah?" Her eyes grew back, while blinking. "Is that a…?"
"The Shrine!" Hun jumped, while smiling, as he turned to his left and stared at Mirii. "We did it! We truly did!"
"Yes, yes." Mirii nodded, as her head turned to her right and smiled back at the boy. "This is not the time to celebrate, though…" Her head rose. "We still have to learn the past events and catch up with the current times."
"… aaah, you are right!" Sweat jumped out from Hun's head, as his mouth downturned. "I-I'm sorry!"
"You haven't acted wrongly, Hunley…" Her eyes closed, as her head tilted to her right. "In fact, I wanted to add how your reaction was… natural! Natural and kind!" Her eyes opened back, as her eyebrows went up.
"Oh… do you really think that?" The boy blushed.
"Of course I do!" Some sweat covered Mirii's forehead, as she giggled for a brief moment. "But now, we have to focus on the last stretch of land… because we might encounter a Demon Squid!"
"Ah, that's true!" His eyes closed, while smiling. "You are always so wise, Mirii!"
Her face went full red, as her head and hands lowered, while her eyes grew.
"Th… thank you, Hunley…" Her heart was beating faster.
The Shrine was gradually popping out from the fog, showing traces of the entrance. An Inkling man wearing a red Samurai Gear, was standing on the main door's right side. His head twisted towards the two Inklings, as his left hand went on his katana handle.
"… could it be…?!" His eyes grew.
Mirii stepped on the floor below the ceiling, before expanding her eyes.
"You?!" She tilted slightly backwards.
"Good morning!" Hun's right hand rose, as his eyes closed. "Could you please let us"
"The Master returned!" The man jumped in front of the main door, opening it widely. "THE MASTER RETURNED!"
Chie was standing behind the reception counter, as she immediately went around it, rushing towards the man. A few Inklings wearing kimonos, were coming from the sides while running in the same direction. Chie passed the guardian, stopping in front of the boy and bowing down.
The man and the other citizens bowed down as well. Hun turned his head around, as his arms, hands and mouth opened.
"Welcome back, Master Hun." She rose back, while smiling and putting her hands down. "Your return is truly the gift of the year…" Her eyes closed. "But please, enter inside: you must take a hot bath for"
"Mirii should take one as well!" The boy frowned a bit.
The girl's head tilted to her right, as her mind was seeing herself wearing a towel on her head, while her shoulders were immersed inside a hot, clear-like water. Her imaginary head turned to her left, seeing Hun with a towel on his forehead, while his shoulders were immer-
Ink flew out of Mirii's nose, as her hands covered the lower half of her red-covered face, while her irises shrunk.
"She even got hurt." The boy turned over the girl. "EH?!"
His head lowered, seeing the ink droplets on the floor. His face went paler, as he dashed towards Mirii and grabbed her shoulder with his hands.
"Mirii! Say something to me, please!" Hun's eyebrows were up.
"… odd…" Chie's eyebrows lowered a bit. "I couldn't capture any of her thoughts…"
"What are you doing?!" The boy's head turned to his right, while frowning. "Help her! Quick!"
Let her use the hot baths too!
I will call the staff!
The other citizens entered back inside the Shrine, while leaving a giant puff of dust, which disappeared in a matter of seconds.
"… nnnngghh…" Mirii's hands went down, as her head rose and her eyes watched Hun. "I-I'm fine… I"
Hun's right hand went on her forehead: Mirii's hands returned on her nose, as more ink went off it and her irises disappeared.
"… yeouch!" Hun's right hand whipped away, while shaking repeatedly, as his face grimaces. "Your head is boiling like mad!"
"Perhaps, she might need a bed than a hot bath…" A sweat drop appears on Chie's left side of her head.
Hun's right thumb and forefinger snapped, while turning over the woman, as his forefinger kept pointing at her and his head nodded slowly.
"Exactly! I will bring her back in her room!" He returned in front of the girl, as his left hand went behind her shoulders and his right hand behind her knees.
His cheeks puffed, as he lifted the girl from the floor. He took three quick steps towards the entrance, before-
"Ah, shoot! SHOOT!" His eyes squeezed, as his right foot stomped the floor. "We can't return back home!"
Chie's face went paler.
"Master…" Her irises shrunk.
"What?!" He frowned, while turning behind and looking back at the woman.
"I… believe you need to take a hot bath…" She walked in front of him.
"Not now! I have to save Mirii!" The boy growled.
"W-we will take her to a magical room, Master Hun." Her eyebrows went up, as her hands clasped and went in front of her chest. "It's… filled with pure, healing energy which cures even the most intense fever!"
"Huh?" His mouth opened. "… I haven't heard of a room like"
"It's called Healing Room and its bed allows Squids to recover all their energy!" She nodded many times, while sweat was jumping out from her head. "Now, let Mirii"
"Can I carry Mirii over there?!" Hun bended forward, while frowning.
"Hunley... I'm fine..." The girl shook a bit around.
"But your head is literally burning!" His head lowered, as his eyebrows went up and his mouth downturned. "I can't let you"
"I do not have a fever, Hunley..." Her eyelids were lowered to the middle, as her eyebrows were a bit down. "Don't treat me, as if I'm unable to look for myself..."
"Uhm..." His mouth flattened. "... as you wish, Mirii."
His hands tilted the girl vertically, with her feet down. Chie took one long step backwards. She stepped back on the floor, as Mirii took one step away from the boy and turned behind.
"If I would ever need of something, that would be a quick hot bath..." Mirii's arms folded, as her head rose. "Quick enough to regain all the lost energy and find out the events that happened during our absence."
"Alright..." His shoulders lowered, as he sighed silently.
"Then please follow me." Chie smiled, as she turned behind. "I will bring you in front of the Hot Baths."
The woman began walking forward, towards the opened main door. Mirii turned behind.
"Let's go Hunley." Her feet were stepping forward.
"You do not give commands to our Master!" The man's left hand went on his katana handle. "For that matter, no sweeter waters Squid is allowed to"
"Mirii wasn't giving me orders!" Hun frowned, while slightly tilting his head to his left. "Don't attack her, please!"
"... she even affected your behavior with her sweeter waters aura..." The man grimaces. "Masters are kind! How could she"
"Guy!"
The man's mouth sealed, as Chie was pointing her shoulders and face towards him.
"Your behavior is going to be judged by the High Council..." Her eyes squeezed a bit. "Expect news from this."
Guy's eyes closed.
"W-wait!" Hun's eyebrows went up, as his hands went in front of his chest and his hand palms were pointing at the woman. "Even though he was saying mean words, I don't think"
"Master Hun, I'm highly suggesting you to take a hot bath... before you are forced to take the Bath of Liberation." Slowly, the woman turned over the boy, as her eyebrows went up. "I... I'm worried about your behavior too..."
Hun's downturned mouth sealed. Mirii snorted, as her head shook.
"He reacted just like any normal being." Her head lowered, as her eyes closed. "Even my perfect patience has its"
"Don't justify it, Mirii!" Chie frowned. "And never compare Master Hun like a sweeter water Squid in front of us!"
"Hey, she said nothing wrong!" Hun's fists clenched.
"Hunley, no!" The girl turned behind, while opening her eyes and frowning. "This is not the time to complicate such problem." Her head pointed at the woman. "Instead, let's follow Chie."
Mirii began walking forward, as the boy did the same almost immediately. Slowly, Chie turned behind and-
"Are you going to report how the kid was giving orders to our Master?" Guy's arms folded, as his eyes were still closer. "… and you did absolutely nothing about it?"
The woman inhaled loudly with her nose, as her eyebrows lowered.
"… the exact answer I expected from you…" He grins a bit.
Chie's feet were moving rapidly, as she entered inside the Shrine. Mirii resumed her walk, as her head was pointed at the man… while frowning and snorting faintly.