The next morning, Valerius was greeted by the sound of birds chirping and the soft glow of sunlight slipping through the thick canopy, striking his face. He blinked, groaning slightly before sitting up and stretching with a yawn.
"Oh, you finally woke up. Good morning," Draven greeted from where he was crouched beside the fire, stirring a pot. "You're the third one up."
Valerius rubbed his eyes. "Good morning." He glanced around, noticing Coleen was missing. "So, Coleen's awake too, huh?"
"That's right. She went to the marked river to freshen up before we set out," Draven replied, still tending to the stew they had brought from the inn.
"I see." Valerius stood up, rolling his shoulders. "I'll go find her and wash up myself."
Draven looked up at him and frowned. "Comb your hair it's a mess. And honestly, why don't you cut it? Isn't it getting too long?"
Valerius absentmindedly ran a hand through his dark, unkempt locks. "Well, yeah, it's a little annoying sometimes… but I've been growing it for years. At this point, it'd feel weird cutting it off."
Draven sighed. "Suit yourself. Just don't take too long. Heat up your stew when you get back."
"I will," Valerius replied before heading toward the river, following the faint sound of running water.
After a few minutes of walking, he pushed past the trees and found the river. The water shimmered under the morning sun, reflecting the sky above. As he stepped closer, something caught his eye.
Coleen.
She was partially submerged in the water, her long, damp hair slicked back, her head tilted slightly as she rubbed her arms. The sight made Valerius freeze. His eyes flicked to the riverbank, where her neatly folded clothes and undergarments rested on a rock.
Oh.
His body reacted instantly. Without making a sound, he turned on his heel and walked away immediately, his movements swift and silent.
Back at the campsite, Draven raised an eyebrow as Valerius reappeared.
"Oh, you're back already? You got lost or something?"
Valerius nodded without hesitation. "Yes. I thought I'd just wait for Coleen to come back and have her lead me instead."
Draven gave him a suspicious look but didn't question it further.
A few minutes later, Coleen returned to the campsite, her hair damp but neatly tied back, looking refreshed. By now, the rest of the group was awake, rubbing sleep from their eyes.
"Good morning, everyone," she greeted with a smile. "I found a river nearby, but I have to warn you the water's cold."
"Oh? Then I'll pass on washing up," Serephina groaned, hugging her blanket.
Coleen chuckled before turning to Valerius. "Do you still want me to show you the way?"
"Yes, please," Valerius replied.
"What about you two?" Coleen asked, looking at Grimwald and Draven.
"We'll come," Draven said. "It's too uncomfortable to travel without washing up. Cold water isn't a big deal."
"Unlike someone who prefers comfort," he added, smirking at Serephina.
"Yeah, yeah, leave already," she grumbled before flinging a small rock at Draven.
With that, the group set off toward the river.
Upon arriving, Coleen gestured toward the water. "This is it. Take your time and freshen up. We have a long journey ahead."
"Got it. Thanks," Grimwald said, waving as Coleen turned back toward camp.
The three men stood at the riverbank.
"Alright," Draven sighed, already pulling his shirt off. "Time to see how cold this water really is."
He kicked off his boots and stripped down to his underwear, visibly shivering before even stepping in.
"That won't be necessary," Valerius said, stopping him.
Draven paused mid-step. "What do you mean?"
"Stand back and watch," Valerius said simply.
With a flick of his wrist, he placed his hand on the ground, channeling earth magic. The soil shifted, rising into a circular stone basin with a deep, wide center.
Then, with another wave of his hand, fire mana erupted beneath the basin, heating the bottom. A thin layer of earth covered the flame, allowing controlled heat to seep into the stone. Finally, Valerius stretched out his palm, and water mana flowed from his fingertips, filling the basin to the brim.
Within moments, the water began to sizzle.
"Ah, damn… that's too hot," Valerius muttered. He adjusted the earth layer, creating a buffer that reduced the heat's intensity.
Draven and Grimwald stood there, mouths agape, their half-undressed bodies completely forgotten.
"…Are you serious?" Draven finally managed to say.
They had mentally prepared themselves for a freezing morning dip, only for Valerius to casually create a hot bath big enough to fit ten people.
"It's ready," Valerius said, stripping off his shirt. "You can hop in."
Draven let out a breath of disbelief. "You really are full of surprises."
"Isn't he?!" Grimwald grinned. "Brother, you're amazing. Thank you for this!"
One by one, they got into the steaming water.
"Haa… ohhh… hmmph…" Both Draven and Grimwald groaned in unison, sinking into the warmth.
Valerius smirked. "Good?"
"This is perfect," Grimwald practically melted into the bath. "I've never had a hot soak like this in my life. I feel like I could sleep here."
Draven let out a relaxed sigh. "I take back every complaint I had about you. You can grow your damn hair out as much as you want. Ah… This must be what heaven feels like. All the aches from sleeping on the forest floor with that flimsy mattress are just melting away"
They stayed there for several minutes, completely absorbed in the comfort.
Valerius, however, was growing restless. "Shouldn't we head back already?"
"Just a few more minutes," Draven murmured, eyes still closed.
"They're going to be mad if we take too long," Valerius warned.
"That's fine. They'll get over it." Draven waved him off.
Meanwhile, back at the camp, Serephina and Coleen had finished packing up their things and were waiting for the men to return so they could eat.
Serephina frowned, tapping her fingers against her thigh. "What are they doing? Is the river really that enjoyable?"
Coleen, who had been adjusting her boots, glanced up. "It is odd. They should've been back by now."
Serephina let out an exasperated sigh and lay back on her arms, looking up at the sky only to spot something unusual in the distance.
"…Hey, Coleen."
"Hmm?"
"Is it just me, or is there white smoke coming from the direction of the river?"
Coleen immediately stood up and followed Serephina's gaze. Sure enough, wisps of faint white smoke rose above the treetops.
"You're right," Coleen said, narrowing her eyes. "What are they doing? Did they light a fire to warm themselves after getting out of the river?"
Serephina smirked. "Let's check it out."
Coleen's expression stiffened. "No, we shouldn't, Serephina. That's not right."
"Oh, don't be so uptight," Serephina said, waving off her concerns. "Draven and Grimwald won't care. And I'm sure Valerius won't either."
Coleen frowned as Serephina grabbed her hand. "It's still not right Serephina, wait "
"If you don't want to come, I'll go myself," Serephina declared.
Coleen groaned. "Ah, damn it… Fine, let's go together."
"See? That's the spirit." Serephina grinned mischievously. "Now shh, don't make any noise. Valerius is way too perceptive."
The two carefully made their way toward the river, sneaking through the trees with hushed footsteps.
When they reached the tree line, they crouched down and peered through the leaves.
They expected to see the guys shivering on the riverbank, struggling to warm themselves after bathing in the freezing water.
What they actually saw stunned them beyond belief.
The men weren't just warming up.
They were soaking relaxing in a steaming hot bath.
Draven and Grimwald looked like they were melting, their bodies half-submerged in the luxurious warmth.
Serephina's mouth slowly fell open.
"…Those bastards are enjoying a hot water bath," she muttered, her voice hollow, her expression devoid of life.
Coleen, who had been watching Serephina's reaction, turned her attention to the scene and her face immediately mirrored Serephina's.
"…They are, aren't they?" Coleen whispered, stunned.
They both rose from their crouch and stepped out of the trees, no longer bothering with secrecy.
Back in the bath, Valerius who had been too comfortable to maintain full awareness suddenly sensed them.
His head snapped up, and he saw them standing at the edge of the clearing, their deadpan expressions staring straight at him.
"…Um. Guys," Valerius whispered.
No response.
He glanced at Draven and Grimwald, still blissfully unaware.
"Guys, wake up," he hissed. "We've been caught."
Draven and Grimwald cracked their eyes open, only to be met with the sight of Serephina and Coleen staring at them like ghosts.
"…Ah. Damn it," Grimwald muttered. "Did we take too long?"
"We did," Valerius sighed. "That's why I said we should leave."
As Serephina and Coleen approached, Draven leaned toward the others and whispered, "Let me handle this."
He straightened up, putting on a casual smile. "Oh, Serephina! Perfect timing. We were actually waiting for you."
Serephina's eyes narrowed.
"You see," Draven continued, "Valerius just made this hot bath, and we were about to come back to call you both "
Before he could finish, Serephina dipped her hand into the water. She took a deep breath.
And then
"YOU SELFISH BASTARDS!"
Her scream was so loud that the birds in the trees flew away.
Valerius winced, his enhanced senses taking the full force of the sound.
"How dare you keep this a secret from me?!" Serephina fumed. "Do you know how much I was shivering last night?!"
Valerius sighed, rubbing his temple. "I can make another one if you want."
"How long will it take?"
"Maybe ten minutes?"
"That's too long I'm joining this one."
Before Valerius could react, Serephina stripped down to her underwear and jumped in.
"Hey!" Valerius splashed water in her direction. "What do you think you're doing?! This is a men's bath!"
"Oh, come on," Serephina said, rolling her eyes. "We're all adults here, and we're in underwear. What's the problem?"
Coleen, still standing at the edge, visibly hesitated.
Serephina leaned back against the stone edge, sighing in pure satisfaction. "Ohhh, this is perfect." Then, with a teasing look, she turned to Coleen. "What about you? You took a cold bath earlier wouldn't you love to warm up in here?"
Coleen bit her lip. "I… I don't know. It still feels embarrassing."
"Too bad!" Serephina sang, stretching her arms lazily. "You'll be missing out~."
Coleen hesitated for another moment. But as she watched them sink into the heavenly warmth, her resolve crumbled.
"…I'll join."
She quickly stripped down to her underwear and slid into the bath.
Valerius, who had seen her almost naked earlier, turned his head instantly, feeling an unfamiliar heat rise to his face.
An hour passed before the group finally got out of the bath.
Valerius used his earth magic to bury the basin, covering any trace of their secret luxury. After drying off and getting dressed, they returned to camp, where they enjoyed a hot meal while chatting.
Before they knew it, the sun had risen high, its golden rays shining brightly.
Packing up their campsite, they mounted their horses.
With fresh energy and full stomachs, they set off riding toward Vulan, unaware of what awaited them ahead.