91 91 – Different Views
“You know what I like about my body now, Elise?” Yua took off the last garment on her body. “My boobs don’t bother me anymore when I move around without a sports bra. I’ve thought many times about surgery to make them smaller.”
Raymund cleared his throat. “Surgery? Come on. They’re perfect.”
“You’re looking at us, sir?” The kunoichi looked up while giving a mischievous look, then sighed as she put her finger to her lips. “Aah…. What should I do with this mischief of my master?”
“Don’t worry. I can’t see the forbidden parts.” Raymund spouted the big lie without hesitation.
“Really?” Yua sneered but didn’t look serious.
Elise, also wearing only a towel, approached the kunoichi. “And we won’t get periods either.”
“Really?” The kunoichi nodded. “That’s great. One troublesome thing is gone.”
“Great?” Elise raised an eyebrow.
“At least for me.” Yua looked up again and asked her master. “Is it okay to leave our clothes here? Should one of us stay to look after them?”
“If you do that, it will make people suspicious.” Raymund didn’t sound concerned at all. “I’m with Erbau, the god of buildings. He helps me carry out surveillance of the buildings near you. If someone steals your outfit, the culprit will be locked inside, and you can confront them.”
“Ah, convey my gratitude to him, sir.”
The two servants came out of the changing area and immediately saw the incredible sight of the giant hot spring. The place was made of a mixture of ordinary natural stone and marble, forming an enormous warm water pool. Almost all the women who will participate in tomorrow’s competition are already in the pool, emitting light smoke.
“Bath in the open, huh?” Displaying a faint smile, Yua looked up at the night sky.
The two then walked to the pond, and Yua’s eyes scanned the surroundings. Inside that hot spring with high walls, she looked for a target. Someone who can provide important information.
Finally, the kunoichi found a thin woman with yellow hair and a face full of freckles. She was alone on one side of the pool. The woman occasionally looked at the other adventurers who gathered in groups and chatted.
Yua signaled to Elise with a wink. And then, they changed course to come to that woman.
“Hello.” Yua entered the pool, displaying her signature friendly smile. “I hope I’m not bothering you. My name is Yua, and this is my friend Elise. Nice to meet you.”
“Ah, no problem at all.” The woman’s lips formed a stiff smile. “I’m just glad I’m not alone…. Ah, my name is Tracy. Nice to meet you all.”
“So, where are you from, Tracy?” Yua slightly brought her body closer to the woman.
“I’m from the town next door. It didn’t take me long to get here because I used river transportation.” Tracy studied Yua’s face. “How about you? I rarely see people from the east like you in this country. Or could it be that you came from the east on purpose? Just to take part in this contest?”
Raymund commented. “Seems like that woman really wants to chat. She asks a lot of questions right away. Good job in choosing a target, Yua.”
“Well, let’s just say I’m from far away,” Yua answered.
“Your way of speaking but very nice, by the way.”
“However, the information I get from this part of the world is limited. I don’t know who the Algernons are. I’m only interested in the gifts they will give. However, after seeing this place, I became curious about them.”
Tracy’s brow furrowed. “So, you don’t know that the Algernons are one of the most influential families in the country?”
Yua shrugged. What else makes them famous?”
“Their collection of unique items. People say they have many different effects, from the strange to the terrifying.”
***
The two servants were sitting on the bed in a luxurious room. Yua listened to Raymund’s instructions with a relaxed gesture, but Elise looked down with a tense body. The female warrior also squeezed the bedsheet.
“So, any more questions?” Raymund finished his sentence. “Anyway, tonight, you have to make sure that the information from Tracy is true, Yua.”
“First, I just need to ask if Lilian’s husband has that thing, right?” Yua just wanted to confirm her master’s orders.
“Sir, I’m sorry if I speak like this.” Elise let out a low, slightly hoarse voice. “But, you know that this way might scar the boy’s feelings, right?”
“So, you want to go against my orders, Elise?” Raymund used a cold tone of voice. “Are you ready for the consequences?”
The female warrior looked up. Her face showed more anxiety than anger. “What if that thing really exists? You guys are going to use it to make that child….”
“Well, the boy should get a little harsh treatment.” Yua got off the bed and approached the female warrior. “He already has a dream. The problem is that he doesn’t want to do what it takes to achieve it. He has to get a little taste of reality.”
Elise also stood up. The muscles on her face began to stiffen. “Sorry, Yua. But, do you understand the point of what I just said?”
A small chuckle came out of the kunoichi’s mouth. “I used to be a spoiled child too. My parents are not very rich, but they always try to fulfill my request. And one day, I made a request that shocked my parents. I wanted to become a race driver just because I saw the news of a successful female race driver.”
“So, after that, your parents raised you tougher, Yua?” Raymund became interested in Yua’s story.
“Being a race driver costs a lot, Sir Raymund. At the beginning of your career, you have to pay for your karting car, spare parts, transportation costs, and the like. Nobody wants to sponsor a no-name race driver.” Yua continued her words. “We had no money because almost everything was invested in my career. However, I didn’t want to understand and kept requesting all kinds of things. I also kept complaining about my strenuous training.”
“Let me guess. Your parents couldn’t stand it anymore and finally scolded you.” Raymund came to a conclusion.
Yua was silent for a moment. Her lips formed a little smile. “When I wanted to stop, they became more enraged. I was forced to keep fighting for that dream, which was actually just a whimper… And look at me now. I’m a world champion in the women’s single-seater series category.”
Several minutes passed. Never getting a response from Elise, Yua walked away from her partner.
“I’m going to see Lilian Algernon.” The kunoichi grabbed the door handle. “Good night, Elise.”
The female warrior could only remain silent while clenching her fists.