The first time I get in a hot spring, and there's not a single gawker in a one mile radius. Mephisto said she made sure of that, and she never lies. She certainly hides some truths, but never lies.

I don't know if I should be disappointed or actually able to relax at the idea that there won't be anyone to try jumping me for once. It's not that I hate the attention. It's just that I'm getting tired from it.

And at least I can safely bond with the other guys for once.

…Not all of them though. Thank the gods those perverts aren't here.

Still, I wonder why Mephisto and Sonya offered us a vacation day? I should be happy to see them get along better, but… It's worrying me.

"Are you all right, Luka? You look concerned."

Hakunen's warm voice brought Luka back to earth. The young monk was looking at him from across the bath with a warm, almost reassuring concern. Luka gave out a small smile and answered back.

"Don't worry about me. My imagination is running wild as to why my… friends decided to book us the Yamatai Hot Spring resort the day of its reopening."

"I understand why." On his side, Kazuya was far from looking relaxed as he kept sporadically shifting around. "At first, I imagined it was yet another of Daji's ploys…"

"I can only imagine why… sorry, that came out harsher than I intended." Luka leaned back in a small splash of water and let himself relax. "Besides, we know where she currently is for once… Far from us, in another fox's grasp." When he finished his sentence, Luka didn't sound half as confident as he wanted.

Luka felt frustrated at the silence that followed. In his imagination, sharing bath in a hot spring with the other heroes of the seven worlds and his old friends would have been the perfect occasion to socialize. The famous hot spring itself was the perfect relaxing spot with its lush nature, and yet… everyone remained oddly silent.

Granted, three of the legendary heroes were silent themselves, and the other men accompanying Luka were visibly intimidated: Pilate was awkwardly shuffling around, while John and Samson were keeping their mouth shut. Both the commander of San Ilia and Sabasa were looking completely exhausted, almost wallowed in the spring.

A creaking noise made Kazuya nervously turn around as he glared at the tree line. Luka himself took a peek, but it was clear there was nothing.

"You can relax… they reinforced the security around the spring following the recent incidents anyway."

"Sorry." Kazuya looked away in shame. "I thought Lampas had managed to slip through… By the way, what are those incidents everyone keep talking about?"

"A gawker and some thieves got caught and punished." Luka's body immersed slightly more in visible shame. "They all came from the Pocket Castle. I swear, that Panty-sensei guy is going to get killed one day…"

"Panty-what?"

"Panty-sensei." Luka awkwardly scratched the back of his neck. "He's… a pervert I recruited out of pity. He's a self-professed panties expert, and made it his life goal to gather the panties of everyone in the castle. He's… not quite well considered." Luka looked in the direction of the guards in hope that they would further elaborate in his place.

"He's been banned from Sabasa after being found passed out in the queen's bedroom with a pair over his face." Samson's expression was a raging grimace. "She didn't even want to touch him."

Everyone else was mortified in silence. Luka sighed. "This is why he's never invited… Not even monsters want to do anything with him, and everyone else got hit on at least several times in the Pocket Castle since they joined. Even that Scat Captain and Kockyoin got some dates. I hesitated to invite them, but the former is away on a mission and the latter is depressed for an unknown reason."

"And the others didn't want to come? Nobody missed an occasion to spend a day in a hot spring back home…"

Luka leaned back and closed his eyes as he answered Hakunen's question. "The Grangold King no longer feels human enough, the pope is worried that it would damage his mechanical body, and Lazarus and Merlin are busy with their commercial business."

Kazuya raised a surprised eyebrow. "Huh. I heard about the shop managed by that little vampire, but I never heard anything about business done by those two…"

Luka shrugged. "The one closest to them is Sonya, and she's ashamed that her uncle is the don of the mafia."

Kazuya jumped up suddenly, surprising everyone with a splash of water.

"W-w-w-WHAT? There's a mafia and the don lives in the castle?! You should have told us!"

"What's a mafia?"

Kazuya's expression became somber as he reassumed a more dignified posture.

"You see Hakunen… the mafia is the organization of crimes. They're not merely bandits or plunderers with short-term goals, but they are instead a sprawling society made by people whose goal is to infiltrate the existing institutions to subvert them for the sole aim of making more profit than what can be made through legal means. They resort to threats, drugs, murder, prostitution, extortion and other illegal means to get more money and power."

At the end of the speech, Hakunen was sweating in fear. "T-that's terrible! How are they allowed to exist?"

"Lazarus told me they don't sell drugs because it would attract the government's attention, and prefer to make sure their protection targets thrive. As to prostitution… That one is currently failing. I've always wondered how he thought that would be a good idea given the number of monsters just begging to get their hands on men and women alike. Also, they helped us take down Grangold when the latter threatened the world. Uncle Lazarus is mostly managing the Pocket Castle Casino and doing black market trade now."

"Even then, I'm… shocked!" Kazuya was looking at Luka with a newfound respect born of fear. "You're family with the head of an organization that would send most people running in fear in our world!"

Luka shrugged again. "I wouldn't place them in the top ten most dangerous residents of the Pocket Castle."

"That's…" Kazuya remembered who else he saw back in the Pocket Castle. From that bratty but powerful evil succubus clone of Hatsune Miku to the terrifying but noble Queen Vampire without forgetting that obviously evil disguised Monster Lord, two men whose organization could be slaughtered by any of the former looked slightly ridiculous. And that wasn't considering the recent influx of terrifying demons from Est's Alliance which included one of his own nemesis. Even then, he felt afraid of them as memories of his old life resurfaced. "…Understandable. Still, it's a strange new to hear about… I got as surprised as when I realized that Hakunen was married to Magatsu."

"Huuuh…" The young monk blushed. "…Sorry Kazuya, but Magatsu is my master. My wife is the bride fox."

Kazuya looked at Hakunen with a blank expression. "But you two did…" He not-so-subtly made a few lewd gestures. The monk boy answered with a single positive nod. "And yet you…"

"We have a very open relationship. She'll accept everything I do for the sake of training."

"Ah, so Magatsu gets a pass because she's your teacher." Kazuya exhaled in relief. "For a moment, I was worried it was something way worse like you being used as a communal husband."

Hakunen's blush intensified. The young monk further submerged himself into waters that were too clear to hide his shame. Kazuya was aghast at the revelation.

"So that book job was right?! Does anybody have a normal relation with only one girl?!"

Lest proudly stood up in the spring. "My heart stands only for the princess Litia."

"Didn't you tell us that you sold your body for a mere hundred gold back then?!"

Lest shamefully sat down in the spring. Kazuya moved on to the three mute heroes who were looking at him in confusion.

"You each have your own companion, but you use sex as a weapon in battle… I understand why for Lauratt and Lars since you can't beat Nightmares otherwise, but… Novissa?"

The tall blond man answered with a shrug. Different world, different rules.

"…Is this a hero thing?" Still in disbelief, Kazuya moved on to the human commanders and guards. "What about you?"

"I am loyal to my queen, and only my queen Sara." Samson punched himself in the chest in a manly display of loyalty.

Kazuya smiled. Finally, it looked like he found someone physically and mentally loyal to only one person… Then he remembered rumors about the princess' promiscuity and how the latter accepted them when she didn't almost revel in them. She was a succubus through and thorough.

"Please get some self-respect. What about you? Y-you're a man from a religion who used to despise monsters!"

John sighed. "I'll cut any pretense and directly say that the recruited angels repeatedly rewarded my loyalty to the faith in Ilias in the same way monsters would mark their lovers. I'm not too comfortable with it myself if only because Uranus is one of them. And yes, I already heard that joke."

Kazuya was aghast from the jaded answer. Then again, the man's leader was a cyborg, and if he had accompanied Luka on his adventures, who knew what other reality-wrecking spectacle he also witnessed. It was a miracle his faith was still intact. Now, only two men remained.

Pilate meekly gave his piece. "I'm in a relationship with Izuna."

A few minutes passed with only the wind bristling as Kazuya waited for the seeming inevitable conclusion, but Pilate didn't say anything more.

"…That's it? No more-than-just-friend involved, no weird hang up or open relation?"

Pilate shook his head negatively. Luka humorlessly chuckled. "Congratulations, you have the most normal relationship of any of us. The only monsters I can approach without the fear to trigger a battle royal are the more powerful ones who would kill me should they get carried away." Luka massaged the top of his head. "And you? I can't imagine hearing that you have only one girlfriend considering how Lampas and Mukuro always try to get on top of you, and then there's Daji… She has the same libido as Alma Elma. I can't imagine her not trying to sneak into your bed at night."

"..." Kazuya hesitated a minute before properly formulating his answer. He looked down in shame as he finally let the cat out of the bag. "I had been with my then-girlfriend for several years, and…" He awkwardly scratched the back of his head. "It's a complicated story. And you're right about Lampas and Mukuro... they did whisk me away after that succubus maid offered me additional service because they couldn't bear the idea of more competition. You can thank your friends for finding me in that forest, I don't know if I would have escaped them otherwise."

An assured but hoarse voice echoed from the entrance of the hot spring. "And this is why we stay away from all those monsters. Everybody is free to do the same."

The group turned around to see Lazarus and Merlin at the entrance. While the dons were only covered with towels, Lazarus had kept his sunglasses.

"Man, why can't we smoke here? To keep the air pure? This is some bull-headed idea that will never take on."

Luka nodded in welcome. "Uncle Lazarus. Merlin."

The old mage smiled back. "Young men… Now, would you please make a place for those frail old bones?"

"Can it, Merlin... We can still fight, and they know it."

Luka casually continued talking, ignoring several of the shocked gazes in his direction. "I'm happy to see you, but I thought you were busy with business?"

"I delegated it. They can manage the society in my absence. Now, will you make us a spot?"

"Immediately mister Lazarus, sorry mister Lazarus!"

Under Kazuya's impulse and the don's bemusement, the group shuffled around to make more place. The two older men sat themselves between Luka and Kazuya. The spring became deadly silent as if saying a single word would spell one's doom. Lazarus chuckled as he removed his fog-covered glasses.

"I can't see shit with those… come on, don't tell me I'm scaring you…" He looked at Kazuya who barely kept his composure. "You dealt with a trio of succubi that sucked dry a village and are casually handling a monster that could and would rape a whole country for fun like it's nothing, and you're scared of two old men?"

Lazarus laughed, and slapped Luka's shoulder, the latter not even reacting. "You should be like my nephew! He's on a first name basis with humans and monster queens alike to create his own harem." His hand slid off while his smile disappeared. "…Just, actually maybe not fully like him… Get yourself one nice human girl and stick to her."

Luka sighed. "…Can you not embarrass me uncle? I didn't choose to be the tastiest fucking morsel around as they say."

"Hey! Watch your tongue! That brat's a bad influence for you! Your mother would agree! And Sonya actually does! Keep away from her!"

"Sorry." Luka looked down before slightly shifting away. "I guess you're right. I'll steer clear from toxic people like her."

On the opposite end of the bath, Lest and Hakunen whispered to each other.

"This is awkward… Should we stay there?"

"I don't know, my parents died when I was young… I have no idea how to handle family issues… Maybe the others do?"

Lazarus groaned, then magisterially slapped Kazuya's shoulder in the same familiar way, making the young man jump up in surprise. "You're my nephew now… At least, you keep your guard up around dangerous girls, even if they have huge assets."

The demon hunter was at loss for word, until Merlin cleared his throat.

"I apologize for bringing this matter up, but I am quite curious about that ring of your… You can keep it, I'm just interested as to how it works?"

"Oh that?" Kazuya showed the black ring at his hand. "It's a gift from a… benefactor back from my world. It allows me to summons all the demons I built a bond with during my adventure. Each summon lasts barely a few seconds, but it's enough for them to cast a few attacks and pull me out of most trouble." The red-haired hero slightly smiled as he dreamily looked at the trinket. "Although it takes a lot of energy and I can't overuse it, I'm happy to know I can keep in contact with them."

"Huh, funny that. I wish I had a ring that allowed me to summon any of those partners in the blink of an eye… Heeey, wait a minute there!"

Kazuya felt his blood freeze as Luka closed his eyes in exasperation.

I already know where this is going.

"How exactly did you bond with those demons? Over here, the only way to get them to listen is to beat 'em, then to feed 'em one way or the other if you catch my drift. Don't tell me it's the same over there?! At least tell me you're a good cook!"

Kazuya remained deadly silent as he felt him sweating bullets.

"Oh come on, some demon hunter you are… Hey you!" He pointed at Lest, who interrogatively pointed a finger to confirm he was the one addressed. "Yeah! I heard that you only had eyes for an human princess! Get over here!"

As Kazuya and Lest exchanged spots, Luka threw the biggest sympathy-filled look he could give at the demon hunter. To his relief, the latter answered with a shrug, apparently not more disturbed than that while Lest was now the one suffering the unwelcome attention from the don.

"Say, uncle, didn't you accept to be paid in nature by a succubus a few times in the past?"

"Hey! That succubus whore had hypnotized me! That has nothing to do with your dicking around! Besides, what kind of pervert thinks making friend with the Succubus Queen is a good idea?"

"…I was talking about Natasha, not Alma Elma. If you really got involved with her, it's a miracle that you're still alive."

Lazarus fell silent. The don attempted to reposition his glasses with as much dignity as he could muster, somehow failing to notice that he had removed them. When he looked up again, everyone was looking in a different direction, unnerving him: the don couldn't tell if they were silently judging him, if they were all feeling ashamed for playing with monsters, or if it was simply a lack of respect toward him.

"Alright, I guess I'm not one to talk…" He leaned back and brought back his arm, freeing Lest's shoulder from its burden. "Sorry, I'm just a little cranky since business has been doing a little poorly lately. That little vampire has an iron grip on her business, and… Which one of you is the one that deal with that little brat that took over the real estate business in Grangold?! She completely sunk my concessions with her plans! And I can't use any sort of threat which... is on me I guess. Forget that last bit."

"…He's dead uncle. He didn't stand a chance against any of the succubi and got sucked dry by Myusca." Kazuya and Hakunen nodded in confirmation.

"Figures… You'll end up like him if you're not careful. Fuckin' monster lover…"

I already did. They sucked me dry so fast I couldn't even really enjoy it. Right now I just want a girl that would cuddle with me afterward, without killing me, and I don't even need to get a taste of Daji to guess that a relation with her is going to be fatal. It's a shame. Her shapes almost put Alma Elma to shape, and she has a comfortable mass of fuzz on her backside.

"I won't even consider asking our oh so royal guards… What about you three?" He addressed the mute heroes. "Nevermind… You turned monster-fucking into an art that succubi wouldn't deny."

"…" The three heroes remained indifferent, enjoying the hot bath as much as everyone else, which didn't mean much considering the two men's behavior. Lazarus cleared his throat barely a minute later.

"Right… Sorry to leave early, but we actually still have business to deal with." He cleared his throat. "Let's go Merlin."

"Oh right…" Merlin got up and respectfully bowed toward the bath before leaving. "Gentlemen, it's been a pleasure."

Even after the group saw the two men leave, the only sound that could be heard in the spring was the bristling of the wind and the occasional small water splash. Eventually, Kazuya found the courage to voice his concern.

"Can they actually make people… disappear?"

"I'm not sure myself." Luka leaned back, exasperated by his godfather's antics. "I'm going to ask Mephisto to make sure they don't try anything funny on the long term." Luka muttered under his breath afterward. "…and Sonya as well to make sure they behave on the short term. Hell, I'll maybe even ask Morrigan and Spider Princess just to make sure…"

Hakunen sympathetically put his hand on Kazuya's shoulder, making the latter jump a bit in the process before he reassuringly smiled.

"Sorry Hakunen…" He chuckled. "Everybody's right. I guess it's a bit silly of me to be scared of a pair of thugs when I dealt with the likes of Daji and Myusca, but… in a way, you are naturally on your guards because you know what monsters have in mind for you… with fellow humans, you're never sure."

"I second that." Hakunen raised his hand, jaded. "Daimyokai keep switching around between wanting to rape me like a yokai and kill me for being friends with them. I'm not even sure she's aware of how hypocritical she looks."

"Are you sure she isn't actually a yokai pretending to be a human?"

"We checked. Trust me."

Luka closed his eyes and looked down: while not all monsters in his group were good examples of the unity and friendship he always hoped for, too many humans were testimonies to the worst of what humanity had to offer. As he wallowed in again, a strange item appeared in his field of vision.

"Hey, Lazarus forgot his sunglasses." Luka lifted the small item delicately. "Someone want them?"

"Won't he get angry? I mean, even more than how he was before leaving."

Luka shook his head negatively. "Sonya told me he has two full drawers of those."

And she told me that after she smashed one herself because she got mad about those stupid glasses.

"I'll try them first I guess." Lest accepted those and tried them. "Wow, it's darker now… How do I look?"

"That's what they're useful for. And…" Luka bit his lower lip to suppress his laugh. "I won't comment, I'm not one for fashion. Pilate?"

"My apologies but… a mere guard would never be able to judge the appearance of the legendary heroes."

"You're on the same level as to any of us, but… Okay, anyone else?"

Lauratt raised his hand. A small rune appeared in the air, before a mirror appeared in his hand. The new item got passed around until it eventually reached Lest. The Almighty Swordsman started blushing as soon as he looked at himself.

"…I look completely ridiculous with these."

"It's true that you're not made for it… Let me give it a try, maybe they're better on me." Kazuya put on the glasses and took the mirror. "Nevermind, they make me look like an off-brand rock star."

"What's that?"

"Something ugly." He handed the pair of items to Hakunen, who only took the shortest moment to look at himself with the mirror before awkwardly passing them over to John.

"I look like a blind old man!"

The glasses kept being passed around until they were eventually handed to Novissa. The man checked them with utmost caution before putting them on. As everyone was expectantly looking at him, he put them on, almost expecting to be smitten from the sky at any moment.

"They look… actually pretty good on you."

"Yeah, they make you look like a surfer somehow." As soon as Kazuya nodded in agreement, compliments started fusing.

"You look good like that. You should keep them."

"That gives you a mysterious air, perfect for a wandering hero."

"You look so sexy I could eat you whole!"

The indubitably feminine voice echoing instantly put everyone on the edge. All the men rose up while turned outward, frenetically checking their surroundings while covering themselves.

"Who was that?!"

"That sounded familiar, but I couldn't tell among the mess, sorry." Lest was desperately looking down in search of a weapon. Luka felt a bit of sympathy as he was just as worried and felt utterly naked.

"Mephisto told me that she would make sure that not a single monster from the Pocket Castle would be anywhere in a one mile radius for today… I guess the joke's on me for letting so many possible loopholes open."

Several runes appeared around Lauratt's hand. Luka quickly understood that the magus was using his skills to scan the surrounding areas, which was more reliable and way less dangerous than stumbling around half-nude with no weapon. As the rune disappeared, the young man pointed at a space in the sky, then joined his hands in front of him before separating them, palms forward.

"So someone was watching us from afar, and they cut the communication…" Kazuya sighed. "Damn it, until I'm a hundred percent sure that Daji's currently busy, I won't stop thinking that she was the one responsible for this trick."

"…I can't say I don't imagine Daimyokai watching."

"…" Lars closed his eyes and nodded negatively. If it was Est, she would have come personally. She wasn't content with just watching, and preferred experiencing the sensation by herself.

Luka sighed. "An exhaustive list of everybody interested in seeing us naked would include pretty much the whole Pocket Castle… I don't know about you, but I'm going to call it a day and make myself something in Yamatai. Everybody who wants is free to come."

"You cook Luka? I'm getting hungry too actually…"

"Third!"

"Wait for me!"

As Luka got up, every one of his companions soon followed. The men rapidly dressed up themselves, still nervous after that unwelcome surprise. As they hurriedly moved away in an awkward silence, they didn't spare a second to turn around toward the still bubbling pool of water.

"Mmmh…" Kazuya enthusiastically chewed on yakisoba bread. "This is amazing! You're a godly cook Luka!"

Most of the gang had gathered around a single table in one of Yamatai's restaurant, happily eating every plates of food in front of them. Luka silently appreciated the arrangements with Mephisto as said deal was basically allowing him to take over a restaurant temporarily while she would fill any administrative task afterward without a word. He could fully dedicate himself to the several meals he was preparing at the same time with dexterity, handling simultaneously a pan full of fried dangos while seasoning a few bowls of tempura.

"Thanks. I started practicing early, and I really picked up after escaping Sabasa's Tartarus." He nostalgically sighed. "Uncle Lazarus has a point when he says that you have to feed them one way or another… Forget about that, let me finish the fried rice and I'll join you."

Luka spent several more minutes cooking to make sure the various planned desserts would be ready by the end of the meal when he could finally join the other, sitting himself near Lest. As he looked around, he felt a sudden surge of sympathy for the Almighty Swordsman.

"I have to ask… How have you been holding up?"

"Huh?" Lest finished swallowing a takoyiaki before turning toward Luka in surprise.

"I mean…" Luka awkwardly scratched the back of his head. He felt more uncomfortable talking about that than he expected. "The only other people that come from your world are your arch-enemies while everyone else got close ones with them and made peace with their enemies in a given measure, which isn't quite your case… Sorry, that might be a bit personal. I was just hoping you weren't feeling too lonely."

"Ah, no it's okay!" Lest melancholically looked down. "Although I'm missing princess Litia and I'm worried for her… As I know she's worried for me as well. My best consolation is that since I know Musette is here, she at least won't cause any trouble back home."

"Good… If you need help for anything, don't hesitate to ask around."

"Thanks you… But you've already welcomed all of us in your Pocket Castle, and… just, thank you."

"Yeah, thanks, Luka. Without you, we would be homeless."

"Thank you!"

Luka kept shifting around, uncomfortable with the unusual positive attention. "Thanks, but… the castle more or less belongs to Alice in the first place. And while I lead the team, Sonya is the one making sure everyone gets along, Mephisto's managing the resources, and the different queens and lords are making sure things run smoothly between everyone."

Hakunen chuckled. "This is like a giant family! Sonya is the big sister, Mephisto's the great aunt, and all the queens are like mothers!"

"I would say we're more like a corporation." Kazuya pushed back an empty plate of almond tofu. "Sonya and Mephisto are human resources, the various queens are managers, the human lords are public relations." He muttered under his breath. "We even have some shady stuff with the mafia."

"Where that would place Spider Princess though?" Luka groaned as he stretched himself. "She's technically the spider queen, but I certainly donn't see her as my mother. She's more of an unwanted suitor."

Kazuya looked up for a moment as he tried remembering the figure of Spider Pricess. An always grinning woman dressed in oriental clothes filled his mind, her face always showing a familiar sadistic, salacious grin on par with Daji.

"…A recruitment mistake. Every company has some."

"… That hits a little too close to home, but it's the truth. At least, I don't have to call her dear or mommy." The hero shivered. "There's already enough competition in that regard, I could live without it."

"Mmh." Kazuya dejectedly took another bite from his meal. Even if he always had good friends and something of a guardian angel watching over him, he sometimes wondered what growing up with a motherly touch would have been like.

Maybe I can ask to be pampered… No, this would be so wrong to ask that of any monster. And it would quickly devolve into sex, and this is really something that should never be associated with family.

The different men continued their analysis and sharing metaphors about the other residents of the Pocket Castle, trying to avoid going on any rant should one of them suddenly decide to show up or observe their party. You could never being too careful when you were one bad word away from being turned in a monster's meal.

As they kept discussing, Kazuya noticed a young looking angel waiting at the entrance. She looked relatively young, with short brown hair, eyes as blue as the sky, and only a white ribbon covering her while her arms were crossed in front of her chest. She was pouting, her cheeks puffed like a hamster's.

"Huuuh, are you looking for someone?"

The table gradually fell silent as everyone turned toward her. When the small angel talked, Kazuya was surprised by the sheer authority her childish voice was carrying.

"Luka, I heard that you made your friend Sonya sad!" In a heartbeat, she was by Luka's side pulling on his cheek. "You've been a bad boy!"

"Oww, oww, OWWW!" Luka tried to stay on his chair even as the small angel kept pulling harder. "Mom, stop it! It was a choice between Sonya and Alice! One of them would have been sad whatever I did!"

Kazuya froze in confusion. He looked around him to see if everyone was reacting the same way. The other heroes were just as dumbfounded as him. Even the usually stoic silent heroes were shocked, their mouth agape. Only the three more experienced companions had a more measured reaction, carefully looking at their own plate to not get involved in that scuffle.

Is this for real? I knew that he had an angelic heritage but… she looks even younger than him! And that ribbon… that scene is wrong on so many level!

…I don't feel so bad right now.

"Then you better apologize to her, or I will get really, really, angry!" She released Luka who almost fell back as he tried to stabilize himself on his chair.

"I got it, I'll apologize this evening."

"Good. And be back before six o'clock!" The small angel started walking away, still vexed, before stopping midway to turn back toward Luka. "And don't eat too many sweets or you'll get sick!" She started walking toward the exit again to stop once more at the entrance before finally disappearing. "And stop wrestling with monsters! I didn't raise a horny boy!"

"Technically, you didn't actually raise me."

For a moment, Kazuya didn't dare look at Luka, although the hero looked more jaded than downright embarrassed.

"Sorry guys, she's the reincarnation of my mother. I know it sounds insane, but it's the truth. It's a complicated story."

Kazuya rapidly tried thinking about a way to steer the conversation in a more comfortable direction.

"I'm more surprised to learn that angels can have children… Actually, I wanted to learn more about angels in this world since they're apparently quite different from the ones back home and I never managed to get an… unbiased account."

"There are quite a few books in the library of San Ilia, but… Nevermind, they're quite on the side of Ilias, and you wouldn't want to go there on your own, trust me."

Kazuya held back his grimace. It was already too late for that. Fortunately, Luka was apparently more willing to share what he knew.

"I don't know much about ancient angel practices, but I know that Ilias created the three seraph, who themselves created more angels in turn."

"So it means Ilias indirectly created all angels and that they actually are one big family?"

"I'm not sure it's how it works, Lest." Kazuya ignored Luka's reaction as the latter dropped his spoon. "I mean, in most stories I know, they're magically created, so there's no genetic relation. It's the case here too, isn't it?"

Luka's hand was slightly trembling when he answered. "I think so… Promestein told me all angels would look the same otherwise."

"They would. And besides, while all those angels look quite close to one another, they don't seem to think of their bond as familial. It's more of an unconditional one."

"Right, so they're not family." The purple-haired hero was starting to sweat profusely.

"However…" Pilate swallowed a large bite, not realizing this single word had startled Luka. "There are those three seraphs that keep calling each other sister."

"Oh, right, including that one who's always nude for a reason." Lest awkwardly blushed and turned away, but this only pushed Samson to further tease the young-looking swordsman.

"Mmmh… I wonder if she reciprocates it when people hit on her. She's quite the looker, after all. Granted, not as great as my queen Sara, but... she may compare. Why don't you ask her for more information, young man?"

"Maybe I should actually…" Kazuya pushed back another empty plate on a table now crowded with empty plates. "There's still some dessert?"

The large group finished their meals with different ice creams accompanied by toasted sweets to their delight. As they relaxed around the table while sporadically emitting the occasional disgraceful swallowing noise, Kazuya noticed that Luka was relatively tense.

It's probably all the weight he has on his shoulders returning as he realizes he'll have to deal with troubles down the road… He's the one destined to save the world, after all. The most I had to do was escape a demon-filled city. The stakes simply can't be compared.

Eventually, the group slowly scattered as the different people returned to their own duties and jobs. After a while, only Kazuya, Luka and Hakunen remained as the sun was slowly starting to set.

"I missed those lazy days more than I admit… I wish we could do that more often." Kazuya stretched himself. "Although I guess we were lucky that nobody actually attacked us."

Hakunen groaned. "I expected one of those succubi trio to show up and mess with us." He shivered. "I'm now associating the word mommy with purple-haired succubi who want to suck me dry…"

Kazuya nodded in agreement. If he hadn't been sure Daji was busy away, he would never have considered accepting that day. And he had no doubt he was feeling that sharing with the other heroes.

"Well." Luka nervously slapped his knees. "I already paid them for cleanup. I'll check on… a friend, and get back to the Pocket Castle right afterward."

"You need some support just in case?"

Luka stiffly got up and quickly left. "No, thank you, I'll be back soon, don't worry. See you tomorrow!"

As the sounds of the hero's steps disappeared into the night, Kazuya and Hakunen remained still, staring at the entrance for a while.

"He looked nervous."

Kazuya sympathetically shook his head. "I can only imagine the pressure he's enduring with his world at risk… Let's get back to the castle, he needs some space."

An unusual mermaid-shaped blue slime appeared near Yamatai's hot spring as Undine made her way to her current job. While the Water Spirit had initially found the idea to get a job ridiculous, she eventually accepted the idea that she was simply putting her unique skills at use to help other people for the sake of a regular compensation.

It certainly had nothing to do with Salamander teasing her for being a freeloader while the Fire Spirit was both a popular martial art and blacksmith teacher. Nothing at all.

The hot spring owner himself had been more than honored that one of the legendary Four Spirits would so gallantly offer their help to keep the water of the highest quality and rewarded her with a salary and other gifts that Undine found almost awkward. Even Salamander had looked impressed for once.

She also felt a bit guilty for using her job as an easy way to gather information and to sometimes fulfill other... personal purposes. As a powerful slime and even moreso the Spirit of Water, she could make herself invisible in any pool with the smallest effort, and anyone's tongue naturally loosened itself as they relaxed in the steaming pools while she carefully listened, sometimes uncomfortably close to everyone. Or very comfortably depending on their build. She enjoyed the moments hunks showed up, even if she had to assist to the sorry spectacle of a disgracious whale all too often. She had even wanted to do it when she heard that the heroes had bought off the spring for a day, but Mephisto had told her that she promised no uninvited guest from the Pocket Castle would show up to ruin their day. Undine had quickly found a loophole, and if the yoma's small smirk had been any indication, the latter had guessed her plan and didn't care.

"Sooo… How was it?"

The towering feminine form of Erubetie rose from the largest bath. To Undine's amusement, the head of her friend was almost red.

"It was actually more frustrating than I expected. They talked more about their personal issues than about all those recent events, and between their number and that idiot who interrupted them, I was worried they would catch on my presence."

"My apologies about the incursion." Undine sighed. "A few of those otherworlders companions wanted to watch, and I did trust Witch when she told us that we wouldn't get noticed with her orb. Of course, someone just had to open their trap." Her smile returned. "But you actually enjoyed it, no?"

Erubetie haughtily huffed and turned away before answering. "I won't say I didn't. That monk boy looks as cute as Luka."

"And he's just as submissive. Trust me on that one." Undine grinned. "Maybe I should invite him in the spring for a training session?"

"Do you really think he would be so candid as to fall for that?"

"You'd be surprised… You got to see him today, you'll get to touch him tomorrow."

"…This is surprisingly perverted from you. Did living with Alma Elma and so many succubi alter your mind?"

Undine shrugged. "I just come to appreciate those opportunities. There's no harm done, and everyone enjoy it, right?"

"You really sound like Alma Elma right now."

Undine giggled. "What if I do? Wait what's that sound?"

The sound of footsteps crushing leaves and the metallic ringing of a belt buckle opening echoed through the spring. Undine jumped in the spring and disappeared, soon followed by Erubetie.

As she carefully examined her surroundings, Undine eventually recognized Luka's panicking presence. The boyish hero was repeatedly ranting even as he stumbled toward the spring while he was not so much removing than tearing off his own clothing. He also was permeated with an unusual feeling of disgust aimed toward him.

"…I feel dirty simply thinking that I could be actually related to angels after everything I did with Eden… Why did I never think of that earlier? I need a bath right no. A long bath. Far from anything and anyone that could be family. Why did they even wonder if angels could be a family?! And why did I hit on Eden? When it comes to bed, she's just a haughty succubus with feather wings!"

Undine felt Luka stop barely a foot away from the bath. The suspicion of the hero was palpable through the flow. In their hurry, the two slimes had forgotten to stop the rippling effect of the water. A simple mistake that even a dense hero would notice. The Water Spirit decided to emerge. She could feel the trouble in Luka's heart when he saw her rise from the spring. Before she could say anything, Erubetie revealed herself as well.

To her surprise, she did feel neither fear nor anger in Luka's heart. The hero was silently looking at them. A small spark of illumination in his eye dashed away Undine's hope as even he realized that Erubetie had been in the spring all along. No excuse would work. After a while, the only emotion she could perceive was a mix of relief and arousal. She had no idea what he would do next, which only further surprised her when Luka talked again.

"…You take care of me for tonight, and I won't tell anyone about you."

Undine simply froze. She simply couldn't accept the idea that Luka would simply let them slide like that. Erubetie, however, was quicker to react.

"Deal."

Luka slipped into the spring to find himself surrounded by copies of Erubetie even as Undine was too dumbfounded by what was happening in front of her. Eventually, she let herself join the flow and joined in.

As the night fell, nobody remarked the hand that grabbed away Luka's lying undergarments.