The men's and women's hot springs were only separated by a thin layer of fine bamboo wood. Riku's voice, clear and calm, echoed through the natural barrier, catching the attention of Fiya Hatsuse, who was bathing on the other side.
"This was discovered by me by chance," Fiya's voice carried over, sounding proud as she soaked in the steamy water, her petite body relaxed in the comforting warmth. She continued, "It's a well-hidden spot. I've been using it for years, and no other races have ever found it. How is it that you seem to know so much about this place?"
Fiya, always sharp and inquisitive, tilted her head, waiting for his response.
Riku chuckled, leaning back, his eyes half-closed as he enjoyed the calm night air. "Let's just say I have a special ability. Think of it as... one of my secrets," he replied, his tone playful.
"Such a vague answer isn't satisfying at all," Fiya pouted slightly, though her voice had a teasing edge. If Riku had been able to see her face, he would've caught her signature expression—lips pushed forward, eyes narrowed slightly. Her cute face and small frame made her look even more like the "little princess" she was known to be, a far cry from the fierce warrior she showed to others.
Riku could easily imagine her face even without seeing it, and it almost made him chuckle aloud. "Fiya, can I ask you something?"
There was a brief pause before she responded, her curiosity piqued, "What is it?"
Riku turned his gaze towards the dark, star-filled sky. "How old are you?" His question came out casually, but there was a layer of genuine curiosity in his voice.
Fiya hesitated for a moment. "Why do you want to know?" she asked cautiously. But after a short silence, she answered, "I'm twelve years old."
As the words left her mouth, a certain complexity shone in her red eyes. She wasn't just a typical twelve-year-old. At the tender age of five, she had already begun to exhibit talents that others would call monstrous. Her physical abilities had reached near superhuman levels, and she could wield the dangerous BloodBreak ability, a power even adults struggled to master. These talents were what had led her to be crowned the princess of the WereBeast race—the hope for their future, someone who needed to be protected at all costs. But that title also came with a burden, one so heavy it sometimes felt suffocating.
The fight with Riku earlier had been a release, a rare chance for her to let loose without the weight of expectations pressing down on her.
Riku, on the other hand, blinked in surprise. "Twelve? A baby-toothed, beast-eared loli? I thought you were older, like a legal loli or something..." He trailed off, genuinely taken aback.
Fiya didn't entirely grasp the specifics of his words, but she instinctively sensed something off. "Are you underestimating me?" she shot back, her voice rising slightly in indignation.
"No, no, not at all!" Riku waved his hand, as if she could see the gesture. "It's just… you're so mature for your age, both in how you act and how you speak. I really thought you were much older."
Fiya's face reddened slightly. "Well... I read somewhere that speaking like this makes me sound more majestic," she mumbled, embarrassed to admit it. It was something she had gotten used to—her formal speech patterns made her sound authoritative, but it was starting to feel awkward, especially around Riku.
"Is it strange?" she asked after a moment, her voice softer now.
"Hahaha, not at all," Riku reassured her with an easy laugh. "In fact, I think it's adorable. Don't change it. It suits you."
Fiya blinked, not entirely sure how to respond. "You're... a strange person," she finally muttered, shaking her head, though there was a small smile playing on her lips.
"Maybe I am," Riku mused, his gaze drifting back to the blood-black sky. In moments like these, he felt disconnected from reality, as if the entire world was just a dream—a far cry from the harsh, three-dimensional world he had once known. This place, Disboard, sometimes felt like an escape, an alternate reality where he could just... exist without the crushing weight of his former life.
"You should stay and relax," Fiya's voice interrupted his thoughts. "I need to discuss our alliance with my people." With that, the sound of water splashing gently followed as she stood up, her small but perfectly proportioned frame dripping with water.
"Mm-hmm," Riku nodded, not bothering to open his eyes as she left. He could hear her footsteps receding into the distance, leaving him alone with his thoughts.
Later, Fiya stepped into the grand meeting room of her palace, now dressed in a fresh, traditional kimono. The room was filled with the highest-ranking members of the WereBeast race, their faces solemn and tense. These leaders, elders of various ages, carried the weight of their entire race on their shoulders.
When Fiya entered, the Beast tribe leader, an older man with a grizzled face, gave her a tired smile. "Fiya, you're here."
The others greeted her similarly, nodding with respect as she took her place at the head of the table.
"Fiya," the tribe leader began once everyone had settled, his tone serious, "is that human really as strong as you say? How could you lose so easily to him?"
All eyes turned toward Fiya, the room thick with anticipation. They had seen the beginning of her battle with Riku, but as the fight intensified, they could only listen from a distance, unable to comprehend the full scale of his power.
Fiya's red eyes swept across the room before she spoke, her voice calm but firm. "He's far stronger than any of you realize. If he had been hostile from the start, our entire tribe would have been wiped out. All of us—including me—would have been killed, and he would've only sustained a minor injury at best."
A collective gasp spread across the room. The elders exchanged uneasy glances, disbelief clear on their faces. They had known Riku was strong, but the idea that he could single-handedly obliterate their entire race with ease was a harsh revelation.
"Then... what should we do?" one of the younger elders asked, his voice trembling slightly.
Fiya's gaze hardened. "We form an alliance with him. He's our only chance."