Published at 1st of September 2023 11:58:09 AM

Slowly, very slowly, Kalias eyes began to widen.

The frozen mind has become aware of the situation

Oh.

Startled, she took a deep breath and glanced at Simon without realizing it.

Uh, I, huh.

Kalia.

Simon, who seemed to have come to his senses, called out to her while wiping his face with dry hands. With a sigh of meaningless pain.

Oh? Yeah?

Meanwhile, the carriage, which had stopped after getting caught in a pothole, started again.

The two looked at each other, feeling their bodies jostling.

A complex light shone in the golden eyes that were fixed on Kalia. It seemed mischievous and unfair at the same time

As Kalia looked at the mysterious expression that was neither crying nor laughing, Simon finally lowered his head slightly towards her ear.

The barely audible whispered voice sounded like a secret conversation.

I might misunderstand if you keep holding onto me like this.

Huh?

Only then did Kalia quickly pull her hand away and move away from him in a hurry.

Ah, no! Even if I lost my mind, why am I still holding onto him!

It couldnt have been a very good hand.

Kalia quickly coughed and blushed bright red.

Uh, huh, um, cough! Cough! Sorry! Cough, cough!

She couldnt tell whether it was fake coughing or real coughing, and it wouldnt stop.

Kalia, who had been fanning herself because of the heat, finally opened the window of the carriage and stuck her head out.

Ahem! It feels good!

As Simon watched Kalia flail about with her arm on the window sill, he snickered.

Well, it was a bit embarrassing, but thanks to that, it seemed like it was enough to snap Kalia out of her thoughts.

It was not his intention, but he was satisfied because he achieved his goal with a small sacrifice (?).

Then suddenly, he felt a stinging gaze.

The four spirits and the baby, who had been playing around, had been staring at him without him realizing it.

These guys?

Simon raised an eyebrow and muttered in a gloomy voice.

What are you looking at?

-Kyuuu??-

Just play.

-Kyuuung!-

Tierra quickly turned her head and wagged her short tail, as if to signal that the show was over.

Fuego followed Tierra around, chasing her tail.

Kyaou!

Sasha quickly chased Fuegos tail and reached out his hand.

Around sunset, the carriage carrying the group arrived at a small town called Ferret.

It wasnt very big, but it was a city known for its hot springs and was well-known in the surrounding areas.

Simon, who had looked at all the cities on the map to find Kalia, had an exceptional memory that shone.

Im sorry, all the private hot spring rooms are fully booked. We have a limited number of rooms, and theyve been fully booked for months.

But there was a problem. The room they wanted was not available.

Since it was a small town, this was the only decent hotel they could stay at.

Normally, it wouldnt matter if they went to any inn, but Simon still wanted Kalia, who came with the baby, to stay somewhere nice.

Should we go to the lords castle in this area? Who was the lord again?

But since they had come all the way to a place famous for its hot springs, it would be a shame to just pass by.

As he pondered, he found the manager of the hotel.

Soon after, a middle-aged woman in a smart suit came out to greet him, her hair tightly tied back so not a strand was out of place.

What can I do for you?

I have a question. Does this hotel have a separate building for VIPs?

The manager looked at Simon as if she was in trouble and said.

We do have one, but were not currently accepting VIP applications. We operate on a membership basis, so we dont open it to non-members. Im sorry.

Of course.

Although it is a hotel in a small town, it was a traditional hotel with a history of 200 years.

The proud manager looked just as strict as she sounded.

Simon hesitated for a moment before presenting his identification, which he had hardly used before.

Although he was a noble, he usually stayed in accommodation provided by the Ministry of Magic, where he traveled with mostly wizards. And in places where there was no Ministry of Magic, his subordinates would take care of trivial matters like accommodation.

But now, his subordinate Derek was almost unconscious, so he had to take care of it himself.

This, this is

The startled manager opened her eyes wide and spoke.

The badge decorated with transparent crystal and sapphire could only be possessed by one person in this Empire.

The general manager, who alternately looked at the badge with disbelief, bowed deeply and expressed her respect.

Meet the Empires Duke of Magic. Please forgive me for not recognizing you earlier.

There is no need for formalities. I just want you to answer my question. Am I able to use the VIP villa? I dont care how much it costs.

Everything is allowed for the hero of our nation. I will guide you there immediately!

He was not just a nobleman but the Duke of Magic, Simon Terroan.

Oh, what a fool I am!

The beautiful silver hair that represented him only now caught the attention of the manager. Didnt they say that there was no one else in this empire with that mysterious hair color? It was pathetic that she couldnt recognize him despite his outstanding beauty.

She immediately called for Bellboy and her employees.

There is a villa about 10 kilometers away from here with a small river and hot springs. Shall we take your companions there too?

Simon turned around and looked at the pale Hemmie, Allen, and the terrified Derek.

His shook his head instantly.

Provide suitable rooms for my party here. Only my wife and I will go to the villa.

At that moment, the manager knew that it was rude, but she couldnt answer immediately and opened her mouth.

Wife? Did I mishear? Did the Duke of Magic get married?

How could she not know such a national issue?

Even if it was a small town, the stories of the aristocrats and nobles spread quickly.

While her mind was confused, Simon returned to the quiet lobby and walked across it again.

Kalia, who was watching the angels spouting water from a small fountain, turned around to see Simon approaching.

Her embarrassment from the carriage seemed to have subsided, and her expression was as relaxed as usual.

It took a long time. Whats the matter?

No, its nothing. You and I requested a separate villa. Its about 10 kilometers away from here, and there are both a river and hot springs.

Kalia paused for a moment at Simons words, then turned her head to look at Simon, then asked again in a serious tone.

Just you and me?

Yeah. The others will be here.

Kalias ears turned red as she stared intently at his face, which showed a hint of understanding.

So thats why earlier tonight

Kalia mumbled words that Simon couldnt understand, and then blew air out of her mouth as if she had a fever, lifting her loose bangs.

Why are you looking at me like that?

Simon smirked and asked, as if wondering why she was making that face, but Kalia shook her head and muttered, Ah, never mind.

Kalia had been side-eyeing Simon, but suddenly she poked his well-toned abs with her elbow and said.

Oof.

He wanted to ask what that meant, but her attack left him speechless. Kalias elbow poke wasnt exactly gentle, but was more like a regular elbow.

Heeh!

Simon walked quickly, trying not to show any signs of pain as he forced a pale smile.

He didnt know why, but Kalia seemed slightly excited.

So much so that she might not even know what kind of punch she had just thrown.

Okay, I got it. I understand.

Hmm?

You said not to overdo it geez, youre really something.

But what are you talking about, Kalia?

I just cant help myself.

Kalia, who had been laughing a lot, lifted Sasha up and down high in the sky as if she suddenly felt better.

The sound of a laughing babys pierced the sky, and at the same time, Simons dulled brain belatedly caught the intent of the words.

Wait, no. Kalia might be misunderstanding something right now

But it seemed like Kalia had completely misconstrued things and was happily playing with the baby, her laughter saying it all.

Which food is good for stamina?

For some reason, a sense of pressure washed over him that they couldnt let the night end without doing anything.

Simon unconsciously clenched his fists and made up his mind.

After roughly entrusting their luggage and Sasha, Kalia and Simon headed straight to the annex.

If you know how to ride a horse, youd better go on a horse. The path where the forest and the river harmonize is very good for horseback riding.

At the managers words, Kalia widened her eyes.

When was the last time she rode a horse?

During her pregnancy, she couldnt ride, and after giving birth, she was confined to the castle for almost 100 days without moving. Despite all kinds of effective medicine, her own recovery power like a monster, and Simons dedicated healing magic, her body fully recovered, but people around her were still worried about her.

Kalia was even barely allowed to exercise Hemmie as an excuse, let alone riding a horse.

Lets ride. I want to run again after a long time.

Are you sure its okay?

To be honest I feel healthier now than before giving birth to Sasha. Im not as unhealthy as I used to be.

Kalia glanced at Simon as she spoke, hoping to give herself more confidence in her own words.

Well, Im glad youre healthier now.

But why did Simon suddenly feel uneasy about Kalias words?

Research. I have to do research. Research

Simon shuddered and made a strong determination to study the state magic that enhances physical strength and stamina once more.