The Eclipsed Order

Chapter 96: Chapter 95: Hotspring

The villagers had already finished preparing the food by the time we were ready to leave.

Several wooden boxes had been packed neatly and placed together, each one filled with enough cooked food for the three of us to eat comfortably during our stay in the mountains.

"We’re having a feast tonight to celebrate the giant boar you brought us," Mr. Gareth said. "We wanted the three of you to join us, but it seems you already have somewhere to be."

Ares laughed lightly.

"We’ll join you another time. Besides, we’ll probably be eating quite well with everything you’ve prepared for us."

"That’s true."

Gareth smiled before his expression became slightly more concerned.

"Still, are you certain you’ll be alright? The mountain can be dangerous at night."

"Don’t worry, Mr. Gareth. If anything goes wrong, we’ll just run back."

Ares said it so casually that Gareth could only sigh.

"Just be careful."

"We will."

After saying their goodbyes, the three of us left the village and continued along the mountain path.

The village lights gradually disappeared behind us, leaving only the moonlight to illuminate the road ahead.

After walking for a while, Draven suddenly spoke.

"Master is surprisingly good at talking with ordinary people."

Ares glanced at him.

"What do you mean?"

"You spoke with them as naturally as if you had known them for years. You even knew exactly what to say to make them comfortable around you."

"Oh, that."

Ares thought about it for a moment.

"That was part of my old profession. There were missions where I had to approach a target under another identity, become acquainted with them, and gather information before killing them. Sometimes I had to spend quite a long time pretending to be their friend."

Draven stared at him.

"You’re frightening even when you’re explaining it so casually."

"Well, I was a professional assassin."

Cedric, who had been quietly walking beside them, nodded.

"Hearing Master say that so calmly is rather impressive."

"Is that so?"

"Yes."

Ares smiled faintly.

"Alright. We’re almost there."

He raised his hand and casually flicked his finger.

The surrounding space distorted for an instant.

Before either of them could say anything, the scenery around them changed.

Draven immediately looked around.

"Teleportation magic?"

He stared at Ares in disbelief.

"Even I need an incantation to perform something like that."

"As expected of Master."

Cedric suddenly pointed ahead.

"Master, look."

Ares turned.

The sight before them made him stop.

Hidden deep within the mountains was a natural hot spring, surrounded by smooth stone and tall trees. Small magical lamps had been placed around the area, their warm light illuminating the darkness without overwhelming the natural scenery.

A thin layer of steam drifted across the surface of the water, catching the light and giving the entire spring a quiet, almost dreamlike appearance.

The water was exceptionally clear. Even beneath the gentle ripples, the pale stones at the bottom could still be seen, while the surrounding rocks had been naturally shaped by years of flowing water.

There was no sound except for the faint movement of the spring and the wind passing through the trees.

"This is..."

Ares stared at the scenery.

"I’ve never seen anything like this in my entire life."

Draven stood beside him without saying anything.

Then, after several seconds, he finally spoke.

"So beautiful..."

Even Cedric, who rarely showed much emotion, remained completely captivated by the sight.

For a moment, the three of us simply stood there.

"I don’t regret coming here," Draven finally said. "To think a place like this was hidden in these mountains."

"That’s exactly why I brought you here."

Ares smiled.

"Alright, let’s get everything ready."

The three of us placed the boxes beneath a nearby shelter of rock and arranged our belongings so that nothing would be damaged by the moisture from the spring.

The food from the village was placed safely to the side, while the rest of our things were kept together where they would remain dry.

Once everything was prepared, we changed and finally stepped into the water.

The warmth immediately spread through our bodies.

Ares lowered himself into the spring and slowly released the tension in his shoulders.

"...Ah."

Draven sank into the water beside him.

"Ahhhhh..."

Cedric closed his eyes.

"This is..."

He paused, apparently searching for the right words.

"Comfortable."

Ares couldn’t help laughing.

"That’s quite an understatement."

The heat was gentle rather than overwhelming, gradually loosening the muscles and easing the fatigue that had accumulated throughout the journey.

It felt almost as if the water itself was washing away the exhaustion from their bodies.

Draven leaned against the smooth stone behind him.

"I understand now why people enjoy bathing in hot springs."

Ares closed his eyes.

"Yeah. This was definitely worth the walk."

For a while, everything was peaceful.

Then Draven opened his eyes.

"Although this place is beautiful, we shouldn’t become careless."

He raised his hand and flicked his finger.

A warm light spread outward from his body before forming a transparent barrier around the entire spring.

Cedric looked toward it.

"A barrier?"

"Not an ordinary defensive barrier."

Draven examined the surrounding mountains.

"The water here isn’t completely natural. There’s a concentration of magical energy within the spring that interacts with the minerals in the water. That’s why the effect is so relaxing."

He paused.

"But prolonged exposure can eventually make the body excessively relaxed. Your senses become dull, your muscles lose their tension, and if you remain here long enough, you may fall asleep without realizing it."

Ares opened one eye.

"You mean someone could actually fall asleep in here?"

"Exactly."

Draven pointed toward the barrier.

"This spell is designed to prevent that from becoming dangerous. It monitors the surroundings while we’re inside the spring and will immediately alert us if it detects anything approaching the area. It can also stimulate our senses if one of us becomes unconscious or remains unresponsive for too long."

Ares looked at the barrier.

"I see."

He scratched his cheek.

"I never thought about that."

Draven smiled.

"That’s why you have me."

"You’re becoming rather confident lately."

"I’m merely doing my duty."

Cedric nodded seriously.

"Draven is correct."

Ares looked between them.

"Both of you are getting too comfortable."

The peaceful atmosphere lasted for perhaps another few minutes.

Then Draven splashed water toward Ares.

Ares slowly turned his head.

"...Did you just splash me?"

Draven looked away.

"I don’t know what you’re talking about."

Ares smiled.

"Is that so?"

He flicked his finger.

A small wave rose from the spring and splashed directly into Draven’s face.

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Cedric covered his mouth.

But it was too late.

A faint laugh escaped him.

Draven immediately looked toward him.

"I apologize."

Ares laughed.

Before long, the quiet hot spring had become considerably livelier.

What was supposed to be a peaceful bath gradually turned into a completely unnecessary water fight, with Draven complaining every time Ares used magic and Cedric eventually being dragged into the chaos despite his initial attempt to remain uninvolved.

The food prepared by the villagers was eventually brought closer to the spring, and the three of us ate while continuing our meaningless arguments.

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