As Shiomi sank deeper into the bathtub, the hot water rising above his shoulders, he let out a contented sigh.
He had prepared himself for a tough battle without logistical support, but to his surprise, the houses arranged for the villagers were fully equipped. Thanks to a barrier keeping out the cold, the village also had a custom of bathing in tubs.
However, the wooden tubs were rather small. Given Shiomi's size, he couldn't fully stretch his legs while seated inside. He guessed they were mainly designed for villagers under fifteen—children like Gerda.
Before Gerda moved in, the house had likely been used by countless previous occupants, all around her age, or maybe those who had reached twenty-five and were forced to leave the village to face death.
Thinking about this made Shiomi feel uneasy. He tilted his head back against the tub, reflecting on what had happened during dinner.
He had originally intended to casually chat with Gerda to gather information, but he had unintentionally overheard a piece of information that caught his attention, causing him to momentarily lose his composure and startle the little girl.
Squeak—
The bathroom door creaked as it opened. Shiomi turned his gaze and saw Artoria enter, a thick, clean towel barely covering her body.
"Hey... this isn't really appropriate. This is someone else's home," Shiomi quickly reminded her.
"It's fine. Miss Gerda had too much to handle today and is already in bed," Artoria replied, walking toward Shiomi with a faint pink hue on her cheeks. "Can I join you in the bath?"
"If you don't mind the tight space," Shiomi said, trying to make room, but there wasn't enough space to move.
Without hesitation, Artoria stepped over the edge of the tub and settled in, almost lying against Shiomi's chest in the cramped space. The hot water overflowed from the tub and splashed onto the stone floor.
"By the way, what made you come over?" Shiomi asked.
He wasn't upset by her presence, but it felt as if it was the result of a previous discussion.
"I won rock-paper-scissors," Artoria said simply.
Unlike the situation in the Britannia Lostbelt, this time it was due to limited conditions. They had simply decided to use this method to determine who would bathe together.
"Well, that explains it," Shiomi muttered.
He watched as Artoria, now slightly more accustomed to the tight space, sat up a little and placed her hands on his shoulders. He then asked slowly:
"You came all the way here without any concern—was there something you wanted to ask me, or something you wanted to talk about?"
"It was because of your reaction at dinner," Artoria said, her gaze tinged with concern. "But you should understand... what you're thinking, we've already thought about."
"After all, once we've met, it's impossible not to think of it." Shiomi raised his hand, lightly brushing Artoria's lips. "To be honest, after facing the crisis of Earth's Bleached World, there's a certain issue I've been avoiding myself."
Uncertain whether the Incineration of Humanity was exactly the same as the situation they were facing, Shiomi could only approach the matter from that angle.
Even if the entire world vanished again under this crisis, he believed they would all meet again once it was resolved.
"Logically, Ms. Touko Aozaki should have been caught up in Humanity's Bleaching like everyone else, since she wasn't in Antarctica or places like the Wandering Sea," Artoria said. "But for Tenkei, the importance of the world and the importance of a single person are not the same."
This was exactly why Shiomi had so recklessly sided with Morgan.
And it was also why, deep down, he had always been worried about Touko's safety.
After investigating the remnants of human civilization on the Bleached Earth, his unease only deepened.
The ruins told a grim story: people had been left behind on the Bleached Earth, surviving for months before finally disappearing.
Even if the probability was one in billions, Shiomi couldn't afford to ignore that small chance.
"Orange-haired, female, skilled in the use of the Primordial Runes." Shiomi lifted Artoria, positioning her higher, and buried his face in her embrace. "If it were a Servant we didn't know, it wouldn't matter. But if it's Orange…"
The reasons behind Orange's sudden appearance in this Lostbelt could wait until they met in person. Just receiving this small, concrete piece of information had already sparked a strange unease within Shiomi.
"You said she's one of the top-tier mages in the human world. While her combat ability may not match yours, she's not someone an ordinary Servant could kill." Artoria held Shiomi gently, stroking his hair to calm his worries. "Besides, Gerda mentioned that the woman who resembled Miss Touko was simply taken away."
"You're right," Shiomi took a deep breath. "First, those Envoys must belong to the Queen of the Lostbelt, Skadi's subordinates. Second, based on Skadi's past behavior, she probably wouldn't casually execute someone capable of using Magecraft, especially Rune Magecraft."
Moreover, if it really was Touko, Ophelia—despite not having met Touko personally but having heard of the Grand Puppeteer title—would certainly advise Skadi against hastily executing her.
Even the mere fact of Touko and Shiomi's master-apprentice relationship would make Ophelia cautious about how to handle her.
"And with you appearing in the Lostbelt, that Caster—who might be Miss Touko—will likely be kept under even stricter watch," Artoria added. "In any case, please stay calm. Once we're inside Skadi's castle, we'll find a way to uncover the truth."
"How exactly?" Shiomi asked, half-joking. "Should we stand before Skadi and ask, 'Is there a woman named Touko Aozaki imprisoned in your dungeon?'"
"Not entirely out of the question," Artoria replied seriously, nodding.
Shiomi fell silent, then wrapped his arms around her possessively, pressing his forehead against hers.
"When did Her Majesty the King of Knights become so focused on bravery and forget about strategy?"
He cupped her face, grinning as he teased her, then leaned in to kiss her, his words almost a whisper against her lips.
"Thank you for coming all the way to comfort me. This is all my problem, yet I've made you all worry."
"I just wanted to bathe with Tenkei…" Artoria responded to his kiss, her words muffled. "Besides, your problems are my problems."
"If you truly want to show your gratitude, then please express it through your actions—mmph."
Her unfinished words were completely swallowed up, leaving only the silent yet passionate air between them.