"Tell me. Don't hold back. Why did you save me?"
"..."
After a long silence in response to Lilly's inquiry, Godhand let out a quiet sigh.
"May I be frank with you?"
"Of course. I won't forgive you if you're not honest."
"..."
After hesitating for a long while, Godhand opened his mouth.
"There's no great reason. It's just that when the Gargoyle Chieftain was charging towards you, I was reminded of my mother."
It was an unexpected answer. Lilly furrowed her brows.
"Your mother?"
"My mother... was like you, unable to use both her legs."
Lilly's body trembled slightly.
"She was crippled when she was captured by slave hunters. She spent her whole life sitting."
Godhand's eyes scanned the empty space in front of him.
"Even when she couldn't stand, every time the human master tried to beat me, she would hold me and shield me with her body."
"..."
"For some reason, I was reminded of that. In your figure standing in front of the Gargoyle Chieftain, I saw my mother."
Lilly, who had her mouth slightly open, pointed to her legs in irritation.
"So because of these legs, you saw me overlap with your mother. Is that your story?"
"Are you upset?"
"I'm not thrilled."
"But Lilly, you were the one who asked me to speak honestly."
"That's one thing, this is another."
Lilly let out a deep sigh.
"So you lost both your arms for such a reason?"
"There's the strategic reason I mentioned earlier from a logical point of view. And then there's the emotional side, where I was reminded of my mother. I think these are enough to explain why I protected you."
"..."
Resting her head in her hands, Lilly shook her head slowly.
"I thought you were a more rational type."
"I thought Lilly was a more emotional type."
Who would have guessed that she would doubt the motive behind someone risking their life to save her?
Lilly was more rational than he thought.
"Lilly."
Godhand spoke in a low voice.
"We cannot understand each other. The wounds each of our races has inflicted on the other are undeniably... too deep to heal."
"..."
"But even though we may not understand each other..."
Godhand offered a faint smile, gesturing out the window.
"Can't we at least celebrate our survival together?"
Loud, boisterous singing came from outside.
The drunken soldiers from the victory celebration were probably arm-in-arm, singing together.
The slurred military song filled the air around them. 'Comrades, together we will break through the enemy's waves...'
"..."
"..."
Following an awkward silence, Lilly blurted out.
"I dislike you."
There was deep sincerity in her voice.
"I'm annoyed by your scheming to impose a debt on me at your own whim."
"Isn't that a bit too cold to say to someone who lost both arms defending you...?"
"Enough, try to sit up."
Lilly, who brought the food tray back, shrugged her shoulders.
"Why don't you eat something? It's a feast for others, and it's sad if you starve alone."
"I just feel like resting. I don't have an appetite..."
"That's why you're so thin. Wouldn't you recover faster if you ate? Come on, I'll help you sit up."
Groaning, Lilly caught hold of Godhand's upper body and lifted him up.
After placing the food tray on the bed table, she set down two cups and poured different liquids into each.
Godhand, watching the clear liquid being poured into his cup, frowned.
"Is this just plain water?"
"Do you think the person who just lost his arm today would try to drink alcohol?"
"Isn't it okay to have at least a drink on the day I lose an arm?"
"You unexpectedly know how to joke around, don't you?"
Lilly, who poured water into Godhand's cup, filled her own cup with alcohol.
"Well... shall we at least toast?"
"I can't lift a cup because I don't have arms."
"I'll take care of that for you."
Holding a cup in each hand, Lilly clinked them together on behalf of Godhand.
She then brought the cup of water to Godhand's lips.
Godhand emptied his cup with a clean gulp. Chuckling, Lilly downed her glass of alcohol.
"It's a pitiful sight. A human woman who can't use her legs and an elf man who can't use his arms, can't even join the feast, and we're moping in the hospital room."
"But it will be memorable."
Godhand looked up at the window.
"If it was an ordinary feast, it would be easily forgotten, but today's scene will remain for a long time."
"..."
The moonlight poured in from the window. The sky was so clear that it felt like the past few cloudy days were a lie.
Godhand's voice reached Lilly, who was idly gazing at the moon and sipping her alcohol.
"I know it's ridiculous to say this now."
"...?"
"Can I ask you to take good care of me from now on, Lilly?"
Lilly stared at Godhand quietly, then,
"You better recover quickly, Godhand. And get a prosthetic arm as soon as possible."
With a snort, she turned her gaze back out the window.
"Because if you're okay, I can comfortably doubt you, hate you, and treat you roughly."
Godhand chuckled softly.
"Then I'll have to stay unwell for a while."
"No, I mean, don't say stupid things with that face..."
After that, the two didn't have any more conversation.
Lilly fed Godhand cold vegetable dishes one by one. Godhand ate quietly without complaint.
In the distance, the continued singing of drunken soldiers could be heard.
The night of victory... was deepening.
***
Chirp, chirp.
...The cliched sound of birds announcing the morning is heard.
"Ugh, ooooh."
A ghastly groan like that of a zombie escaped my lips.
My head was heavy and spinning. My stomach churned. Classic symptoms of a hangover.
"Ugh, my poor head..."
I must have really drunk a lot. Ugh, I feel like I'm going to die.
As I painfully lifted my heavy eyelids, something... fleshy came into my blurry view.
Someone was lying next to me, their top discarded.
'What the heck?!'
Was this going to be some clichéd scenario where I drank too much and woke up next to a woman I'd never seen before?!
In a state of half-worry and half-anticipation(?), I rubbed my eyes and looked at the other person. Who is it!
And next to me... an old man with a protruding belly was nodding off.
The old man, upon catching my eye, yawned lazily.
"Ah. You're awake, Prince."
"Who are you?!"
Surprised, I quickly sat up and scanned the room.
It was a spacious room filled with middle-aged men and grandfathers exuding a hefty aura, all laying around topless. What on earth was this?!
"We're the Twilight Brigade."
On the opposite side, a sprawled out old man yawned lazily and spoke to me.
Looking closely, it was the leader of the Twilight Brigade.
"Are you feeling a bit better, Your Highness? You had quite a lot to drink last night."
"Well, yeah, I'm okay. But can I ask one thing?"
With a shaky voice, I tossed out a fundamental question about the situation.
"Why are you all topless and taking a nap...?"
"You ordered it, Your Highness. You said, let's have a real drink, man to man, without any pretenses. You shouted for everyone to take off their clothes and they all agreed."
I did that?! Do I have a terrible habit of ordering people to strip when I'm drunk?!
Feeling startled, I touched my body and realized I too was shirtless.
What the heck are you doing, Ash! You drunk lunatic!
Trying my best to restore my lost memory, the soldiers of the Twilight Brigade who surrounded me threw in their two cents.
"Prince, last night was really... incredible."
"I've never been to such a party in my life."
"I'll never forget it... the precious memory of last night..."
"Hey, stop using such ambiguous language, it's making me uncomfortable!"
These muscle-bound old men with bushy beards aren't supposed to have lines like that! What exactly happened?! When did my memory blackout?
"Ah, you're awake. My lord."
Just then, a refreshing voice came to my rescue.
"Lucas!"
The protagonist of this game and my bodyguard! As always, you're the only one who can save me! I looked at him with a smile on my face.
Lucas walked into the room, not only shirtless but also pantless, wearing only boxer shorts.
"Why are you stripped down to your underwear toooo!"
As I screamed while pulling my hair out, Lucas scratched the back of his head awkwardly.
"But, Lord, it was you who asked the main party members to remove their pants..."
"I did what?!"
In surprise, I stumbled and realized I too was missing my pants.
I was in my underwear. This crazy Ash, always messing things up, damn it!
"Brrr, it's cold..."
From a corner of the room, a faint groan echoed, and there I saw Damien, huddled and shivering in nothing but his underwear...
"...I'm sorry. I'm not sure what happened, but regardless, I apologize."
What kind of wild party took place last night?
The more I tried to remember, the more unpleasant it felt, so I gave up trying to restore the lost memory.
Sitting on the floor, I covered my face with my hands and muttered.
"Isn't seeing naked men in the bathhouse enough..."
"I was just about to say the same."
Lucas gestured towards the door.
"Let's go, my Lord."
"Huh? Go where?"
"Didn't you just say something, my Lord?"
Lucas offered a refreshing smile. Dressed only in underwear and smiling so brightly, he looked outright perverted.
"It's a public bathhouse. It's right next door."
My eyes widened.
"A public bathhouse?"
***
The place I stayed was the Empire's barracks.
Originally, it was a facility used by the Empire's soldiers, but currently, it's almost deserted.
Instead, it also served as accommodations for mercenaries.
"Soldiers get drenched in monster blood almost every day, wouldn't they need facilities to clean up?"
Lucas said as he led me to the public bathhouse. Thankfully, he was wearing something now.
"So there's a public bathhouse in Crossroad. It was initially meant for soldiers only."
"As the city expanded, it became accessible to the citizens as well. Is that so?"
"Exactly, my Lord. As the city grew, the public bathhouse expanded its facilities and now it's quite large."
Nodding, I looked back.
Damien, shivering and following me. He must have caught a cold.
"Let's get you into some warm water soon, Damien. It'll make you feel better."
"Yes, Your Highness..."
Damien responded in a feeble voice, sniffling. What did I do to him yesterday...?
The public bathhouse was a short walk from the barracks. As we arrived at the entrance, I exclaimed.
"It's quite big?!"
"Indeed. It's designed to accommodate as many soldiers as possible."
The entrance to the bathhouse was large, suggesting the interior would be spacious as well.
"I didn't know such a facility existed. I've never been here before."
Now that I think about it, I used to upgrade the bathhouse in the game to maintain the city's hygiene.
I never thought I would actually use it.
"According to history, our emperors often visited the public bathhouse on the Imperial Road. They used it as a means to interact with the citizens and gauge the mood of the nation," Lucas informed calmly.
"As the lord of this place, your Highness, you might find it beneficial to follow in the footsteps of your predecessors. Regular visits to the public bathhouse would help you grasp the current issues of the city."
That sounds like solid advice.
"But won't it be hard for the guards if the emperor visits the bathhouse often? You should be careful, being my guard and all."
"I am already struggling..."
"What was that?!"
"No, nothing at all."
Lucas, turning his head away, coughed. Does this kid's tongue grow longer when he drinks?
Upon entering the public bathhouse, there were separate sections for men and women right from the entrance.
It's interesting that the bathhouse feels the same, even in a different world.
'Or is it that the bathhouse culture is universally common among humans?'
Bathhouse culture has been prevalent on Earth since ancient times, in Rome or Islamic civilizations for example.
In a world with such advanced magical civilization, it isn't strange to have such sophisticated bathhouses.
Wait.
I stopped at the entrance which led to separate sections for men and women.
Lucas and Damien, who were headed towards the men's bathhouse, looked at me in confusion.
"My Lord?"
"Your Highness? What's wrong?"
"Well..."
After a moment's hesitation, I confessed honestly.
"Isn't there usually, you know... an event or something with... female characters when we visit a bathhouse?!"
Honestly, it seems like something to look forward to, right?!