-In the bathhouse-
Sorry to disappoint you if you are someone who is reading this right now and expect a peeping scene of some sort, but those sorts of things don't really exist here as I'm not really one in the business of getting arrested for the sake of comedy or lust. One should never take a peak at things they haven't earned yet anyways. Not to mention, the innkeepers seemed to very much take these things into consideration as the mens' and womens' bathhouses were on the opposite sides of the building. Like most outdoor bathhouses, there was a large wooden fence, but it was to separate an entirely different area, not the bath house of the other gender as you may find in other stories.
The moon and stars were out and bright already when I went into the bathhouse area, and the aroma of the flower gardens planted around the bath filled my nostrils comfortably. In this day and age, most established Inns had these sorts of gardens, and I had stayed at a number of them in my lifetime. Even so, every time I went felt like a paradise here on earth as I felt the hot water healing the sore spots on my feet.
There was only one problem, however. Public bathhouses, as the name of course tells you, are public. You never know who was going to come in, and who was going to come out.
"Hello again."
"Hmmm?"
I had nearly fallen asleep in the bath being the only one there for a good 30 minutes now when I heard the familiar voice. I turned to my right to notice…
"Riki?"
Indeed, the same tall slender middle aged man as the one on the ship, had made his appearance again.
"Oh, so you do remember my name," he replied getting into the same bath, "merchants are notoriously bad at remembering names, did I leave that big of an impression?"
"Well, the variety of seafood you gave my companion certainly was something. But beyond that, people who understand the business game respect others that understand the game. It would be the least I could do to remember your name so that you receive your commission for the coupons that brought us here, no?"
He smiled, "You're a man of honor I see. A rarity these days."
"I try to be when it's practical to do so at least. Still, I can't imagine the commission covered the cost of the various island exclusive foods you fed my companion. You were no doubt charmed by her cuteness I assume?"
"Of course!" he chuckled, "true beauty can only remain so hidden. Especially…"
He looked at me deadpan.
"For a princess."
"... I'm sorry?"
I had just washed off the previous sweat as more dripped down my neck.
"I think you are mistaken, she is simply…"
"Princess Riko, from the kingdom of Riguo?"
Shivers were sent down my spine as I just stayed there, unable to speak.
"And the theater mask," he said, suddenly changing his voice, "it looked nice, didn't it?."
I gulped.
"Who… who are you?"
"Oh, don't be alarmed, I'm no one important. Just someone with the same objective as you."
He looked at me smirking.
"You heard what the islanders said earlier, right? Word about things spread fast, you know, 5,000,000 Cives is a lot of money."
I raised an eyebrow.
"It certainly is, such an amount would be enough for almost any humble man to live a good life without ever having to work again."
"True, even half of that would be enough to do so, no?"
"Mmm…you may still have to do some work in the way of investments but given the interest rates banks are offering these days, I would certainly think so as well."
I squinted my eyes at him.
"What are you suggesting?"
"Oh, I'm just saying, that's the amount my companions are willing to pay you up front."
"... sorry?"
"Oh come now, don't play dumb, you know exactly what I'm suggesting," he said, "you can just flee the country with half the money up front, no? Leave the Princess, her problems, and the kingdom behind and just be free without having to work again for the rest of your life."
I pondered this for a moment before replying.
"Hardly anyone has that sort of capital simply on hand with them, Riki. So before I say anything further, I must ask, how did you acquire such an amount to be able to make such an offer?"
"Oh come on, surely you do not expect me to reveal tha…"
"Not that it matters really."
Riki raised an eyebrow.
"Oh?"
"I was just curious is all,"
I glared at him sternly.
"You'll have to fight me before you lay a finger on her."
"..."
"..."
We stared at each other in silence for a moment as tension filled the air. Only broken when…
"Bwhahahahahahaha" he started laughing out loud suddenly. As if a completely different person, he continued to laugh even holding his stomach when he did, causing me only confusion.
"Good sir, what is so funny about what I just said, I'm serious,"
"Of course you are, and that's why it's so funny, Hu, hahahahahahahaha,"
I looked at him still puzzled as he calmed himself.
"You know, if you ever want to give the merchant thing a rest, do consider joining my theater."
"Your…?"
"Nevermind," he said, holding a hand out, "forget what I just said, I'm no one, absolutely no one. Just someone here to make a coin. Just like you."
He stared back at me with a smirk.
"Or so I thought."
"What? I mean yes, I do wish to make a coin but…"
"You're in love with her, no?"
"What?"
I was taken aback by his statement.
"The Princess, you're in love with her, right? That's why you won't even think about taking the deal?"
"Well, I don't know about that, I wouldn't sell out a friend either for that amount of money."
"Oh really?"
He smirked, "Not for a lifetime of financial freedom? It's not like I'm asking you to kill the Princess or anything violent like that. No no, the princess will simply return to the kingdom where I'm sure the king will perhaps confine her to higher security. But it won't be too different compared to her life before she met you though, so you have nothing to worry about. In fact, you'll be like someone she never met at all. Her family's probably worried sick at this point too. Surmise to say, you're even being greedy keeping her to yourself when more people would rather her return home. And like I said, we'd both receive a large sum of money to set us up for life, something the Princess was already privileged to have. She's the only one that loses really if you think about it. But who really cares when she still lives a life almost anyone would kill to have. Logically, I see no reason you shouldn't take the deal, right?"
"I…"
"Except!" he said standing up and getting out of the bath, "you won't do it simply because it means you'll never see her again. Am I right?"
"..."
I tried to think of a response to deny his claims as one never likes feeling they are selfish. But when things made sense, it's hard to pretend they didn't.
"It's fine, you don't have to answer, it's none of my business. I'll simply tell you then, as thanks for earning me commission, that others will be on the lookout for you."
"I thank you for the warning, but your words are still suspicious, Riki. There's no way your commission would come close to the bounty sum of 5,000,000 Cive. What is your objective? By now, surely with the connections to this Inn, you could have surrounded us and easily captured the Princess."
And indeed, near the wooden fence, I could hear some footsteps. I stood up to get out of the bath before walking to grab my towel.
"Is that one of your companions? Perhaps you have betrayed him. Or perhaps you too still have a soft spot for the Princess and feel she is one that needs protection. It's like you said, true beauty can't be hidden."
"You've got the wrong idea."
He went to grab his own towel.
"It is not the Princess I care about. Or rather, it's not her that's the problem in this situation."
"Then?"
He sighed.
"We used to have a saying among those of us in the theater. A man who is struggling to survive is dangerous because he has not much to lose, and therefore will not be held back by fear. But it makes his actions random and therefore inefficient. A paranoid man is dangerous because he will take 100 precautions so that most enemies cannot get near him. But in the face of the ones that do, he will oftentimes be too frightened to act correctly in the moment, or at all even."
He paused for a moment as I reached for something I had taken with me.
"But a man in love is the most dangerous, because he both takes the 100 precautions of the paranoid man, and in the heat of the moment, is every bit willing to move his body as well."
I could hear heavy breathing from the other side of the wooden fence of the bathhouse for some reason as Riki continued to stare directly at me.
"Which is why you brought, with you, a gun, correct? To prepare for these exact moments of danger? If so, that should answer your question of why you haven't been caught yet. Because I fear for my own safety."
"Close…" I said reaching into my towel to take out…
He gasped.
"It's…"
I made sure to make my voice loud and clear.
"So big right?"
"Yeah, and thick too."
"You want to put your lips on it now?"
As expected, I heard a giggle from the other side of the wooden fence. Something felt familiar about the heavy breathing earlier. Like the heavy breathing of perhaps a feudal age BL enthusiast. Being as discreet as possible, I picked up a rock from the ground. Did I say there wouldn't be any peeping in this chapter? Sorry, let me rephrase that, "I" wouldn't be doing any peeping in this chapter. Swiftly, I threw the rock towards the direction I heard the giggle.
"Eeeeekkkkk"
It was the shriek of a royal fujoshi as the rock appeared to have pinpointed her exact location.
"How long have you been there Riko?" I yelled at the wall.
"About 15 minutes!"
"You pervert, how did you even get to that side of the wall?"
"..."
She didn't reply.
"Did you get lost on your way back?"
"I'm not very good with directions, okay! Especially on Kush."
"...there was only one path…""
I sighed as Riki just stood there laughing at the conversation.
"You two really are close."
I blushed, realizing that if she had been there 15 minutes…
"We're about average I'd say for the amount of time spent together," I replied meekly.
"Anyways, yeah just so you know, I didn't actually want to fight you. I take my no physical violence rule very seriously. Worst case scenario, I would have just ran with the Princess far away or turned myself in so that she would be safe. But of course…"
I held now in front of him, the golden blunt.
"It won't need to come to that, will it? Not when we can talk it out over a few smokes, no?"
"What?!?! That's what you two were talking about?"
"Yeah pervert, get your dirty mind out of the gutter and you can join us."
I sighed, turning back to Riki.
"Women have such dirty minds I swear."
"Well… I wouldn't say more than the average man, but certainly it is easier for them to get away with one."
"That's not true!" the Princess shouted, "My parents actually banned certain books from our library that I couldn't read. You think I just lived an easy life where I could just read whatever dirty fantasy erotic BL I wanted? You couldn't be more wrong! I had to sneak around, find the secret areas where only my sister kept hers around. It's not easy being a royal fujoshi, I tell you what! We are an oppressed class of people."
"..."
"..."
I sighed again, going to put my clothes back on.
"Just ignore her. On a more important matter I do very much mean what I said Riki. Money is one thing, but there is no need for us to engage in physical violence when words will do. Let us get dressed then and meet the Princess outside the inn to smoke."
"Thanks, but I think I'll pass on this one," Riki said, getting dressed as well. He looked back at me with a soft smile.
"Save it for when you really need it. And plus…"
He put on his last article of clothes.
"I don't really feel like 3rd wheeling. And despite everything I said, you already know not to trust anyone fully when coins are involved. But for now though, I don't really want to ruin your trance. So go have fun with your girl."
"I…"
He began to walk away.
"Hu, what are you doing! Chase after him and tell him you love him!"
"I fucking swear Riko, I will take away your candies."
I turned to the fence again, grabbed a bar of soap from the bath, and chucked it over the wall.
"Owwww…"
Nice, still got it.
"Hu, what the heck, that actually hurt."
"Let this be a lesson to not be so horny," I replied, "anyways, if you were here for 15 minutes, then surely you heard the rest of the conversation where I, and our new friend Riki here… Riki?"
When I turned to face him, it seemed the mysterious man had vanished. I sighed. That was a nice break, but it was time now to return to real life.
"Wait there Riko, I'll come to you," I shouted before quickly getting fully dressed and walking out of the bathhouse around to where the Princess was.
"So, just to be clear, you heard our entire conversation, right?"
"Uhhh, yeah I think so,"
Her eyes and cheeks were as red as the roses of the garden.
"You said something along the lines of how that guy, Riki, was also the guy who wore the theater mask. right?"
"Yep."
"I don't get it, why did he have to wear a mask the first time?"
"I don't either, but if I had to guess, it's probably related to getting into character."
She tilted her head.
"Getting into character? Like a book character?"
"Well, if you recall, he did say he was part of a theater once, no? Or maybe he still is. But in any case, the palace surely had private theater performances at times, no?"
"Mmmm… sometimes, but I didn't really enjoy going to them. Mostly because it meant that other people would also be with me in the crowd. I liked books more because it's something you could do alone and freely enjoy as your own."
I nodded.
"I see, that's pretty aligned with my thoughts and opinions of it as well. From the few people I met who were ever a part of one though, they told me how most people could never act while in their everyday clothes. They say something changes also when one is faceless. That hiding behind a mask unlocks the true spirit within them. Something like that. In fact the guy that sold me Kush candies, Ahmed, I think he told about being a part of a theater once as well saying something similar. In any case, that's not really our concern at the moment.
I looked at her with a gentle smile as I could feel she was ready to fly.
"You heard what Riki said, right? He was nice enough to warn us, but it is hard to trust his emotions about this situation won't be flimsy given how much life changing money is at stake. What do you think, Riko? What should we do?"
"Umm…"
She looked like she was going into panic mode as her eyes continued to glow.
"I…"
Tears began to form in her eyes.
"I don't know Hu! It's such a tough spot!"
"Shhh Shhh… it's okay it's okay."
I put my hand on her shoulder.
"That's why there are two of us, right? So we can make it up as we go together. Now let's just think through our options."
She nodded and grabbed my sleeve.
"Option 1: we leave now."
"Now, but…"
" "Our stuff is in the room, right?"
She nodded.
"It's fine, we can grab it at a later time or rather…"
I paused.
"Or rather?"
"Or rather, I can go alone to retrieve it."
I looked into her eyes.
"Probably nothing will happen, if it's just me, it's not like they have any grounds of getting me specifically in trouble. We're just going to be separate for a bit like just now. You'll be fine on your own, right?"
She shook her head.
"I'm coming with you."
"No…" I said, holding out my hand.
"You'll be fine, despite your demeanor you're a strong girl just for being here. Even if something happens to me."
"No!" She pleaded, "You have to promise nothing will happen to you, Hu."
She tugged on my sleeve.
"Promise, or I'm coming with!"
I smiled. Of course I couldn't guarantee that. There weren't many things in the world that were absolute guarantees after all. But it wasn't a time to not at least pretend to feel confident. So I nodded my head.
"I promise."