"Amazing." Remarked Lyrica.
"This rain cloud can last for as long as you pour mana in it." The old lady added. "And, this magic tool is made so that it doesn't burn your feet and only causes water evaporation."
"I see..."
"Now then, I'll go ahead and fix the tapis for you." Uttered the old lady as she walks across the bathroom to the door. "I'll hand them over to you once it's done. Until then, take your time and wash thoroughly."
"Right. Thank you very much."
The old lady opens the door and steps out of the bathroom before closing it shut.
Lyrica who watches the old lady do so, let out a long sigh of relief.
"Finally, I'm all alone."
She shifts her eyes towards the rain cloud. A few minutes later, the red lines on the floor dim until eventually, it dies out. Shortly after, the rain cloud begins to dissipate as well.
"Six minutes, huh?" Lyrica uttered while watching the rain cloud disappear completely. "So 1 MP equates to 1 minute."
Lyrica starts taking her clothes off one by one, putting them in a hanger beside another hanger where the dry towel is hanging.
"I'll go relax in the bathtub first."
She tries to put her left foot on the bathtub, but as her finger touches the water surface...
"Cold!"
An ice-cold feeling crawls from one foot to her entire body. She tries to enter one more time, frowning her eyebrows. This time, she has her feet dive through the bathtub until she reaches the very bottom.
"Hm?"
Right at that moment, the same red lines she saw on the shower floor earlier manifests on the bottom of the bathtub. And then, the chilling-cold water starts emitting steam.
The cold water turns warm—almost like a hot spring.
"So it's a hot tub, huh?"
Lyrica enters the bathtub turned hot tub and dips her body in it. She sighed deeply, letting out a sound of deep relief as the warm feeling envelops her exhausted body.
"What a long, troublesome day..." She said in a relaxed tone. "But I learned quite a lot."
First of all, she came to witness some of the magic tools used in Alteria, the spell scrolls which seem to have lost their relevance due to the number of elemental magic users that are born as time goes on. And, the most mind-boggling of them all—The four heroes.
Lyrica has concluded that the four heroes are the same first four people that were sent in Alteria before her thanks to Riko and the others. However, after learning from Nela that the rumor originated from a random crazy woman living in the capital of Kruule, Lyrica was put back in the gray area.
'Can it really just be a coincidence?'
If the woman who spread the rumor is an abnormal person, why would the Hari himself bother making a decree that stops the rumor from spreading further?
Perhaps because the name "The Four Heroes" makes it seem like something big and threatening is coming. If you think about it, why else would heroes be summoned in Alteria when there is nothing that calls for their need? It just doesn't make sense, it's absurd.
But thinking about it from a different perspective, what if the reason behind the Hari's decree is because it's true? What if the crazy woman saw something in some kind of a dream—that there's a threat on its way to Alteria, and the arrival of the four heroes who are destined to confront that threat?
And the Hari did it so that it doesn't stir up panic in his country avoiding chaos.
Again, this is Alteria. A world where a gadget from Earth can become a physical manifestation of one's magic ability. No way there's not a single person in Alteria that does not possess the ability to foresee the future.
'But, the Guardian Snake, who is known as one of the creatures who can sense worldwide threats was disturbed by Riko and the others. Not by some premonition or something.'
If the crazy woman can see the future where the four heroes were summoned to defeat the threat that's threatening the world, then the Guardian Snake should be able to sense that same threat, too. But it didn't.
It was very clear that it was mad because of the unwanted visitors, not because of a danger that threatens the world.
'And to top it all, Riko's family doesn't seem to be worried by anything at all.'
Even if it's a just rumor, it would still leave you asking, "What if the rumors are true?" Just the thought of that is enough to make someone feel concerned.
But again, they are not. While tears did gush out of the corner of their eyes, their emotions made a full 360-degree turn as soon as they head home. Even the old lady did not react that much after hearing her son's death through her granddaughter.
Unlike Lyrica's parents and Erika whose emotions are easily understood by her, Lyrica could not read Nela and the others' emotions at all.
'Honestly... They're strange... Strange..."
"Or maybe it's because they have no choice but to accept it whether they like it or not?"
Just then, as the words of the old lady replay in her head, Lyrica's eyes lits up.
"Maybe they are..."
Amidst what she learned today, there are still a lot more mysteries that are yet to be unveiled. However, as she was unable to take her time and relax in the hot tub, Lyrica managed to get a grasp on something. Something mysterious about the people of Takkot.
Time flies towards the middle of the day, as the radiant sun in its full glory dyes the land bright, inside a certain throne room where a throne seat was seemingly thrown down in the corner lies a man sitting on the lone throne seat at the end of the carpet.
"Is that true?"
Asked the man in the throne seat with his deep, intimidating voice.
"Yes, Mahal na Hari!" The knight in the same black armor as Riko and the others replied while keeping his head down. "The girl herself confirmed that she came from another world. However, she also stated that she's not one of the heroes."
"Very well, tell the high commander to bring her to me. Dead or alive."
"Masusunod!"
The black-armored knight takes his leave soon after receiving his order. The Hari is who is now alone grits his teeth in anger.
"They said they'd only summon four. If that's the case, then this must be the work of someone else." Said the Hari as he gets up from his throne seat. "Whatever the case, I can't let my plans be ruined anymore."