The following days passed by surprisingly peacefully.
After spending so much time living through battles, dangerous missions, and wars, it still felt strange to wake up without immediately worrying about some new threat. The continent remained on alert because of the Demon King, but since Vaelthor's defeat, no significant movements had been reported.
The information sent by the kingdoms always pointed to the same conclusion.
The demonic forces remained strangely quiet.
No one knew exactly why.
Some believed the Demon King was reorganizing his armies.
Others said he was preparing something much greater.
There were also those who believed the defeat of the First General had weakened his forces.
I didn't believe that last theory.
Someone capable of commanding so many armies for such a long time certainly had other plans.
Even so, there was nothing I could do at that moment.
All that remained was to make the most of the time we had.
That evening, everyone was gathered for dinner.
The table was full of food, and the atmosphere was quite pleasant.
Conversations flowed naturally.
Scarlett and Rai'kanna were arguing over which of them would win if they fought again.
Elara was trying to convince them that mealtime wasn't the ideal place to talk about combat.
Vespera watched everything in silence.
Lyannis seemed entertained by a story Liriel was telling.
Meanwhile, Liriel's assistant simply observed everything with curiosity.
It was still obvious that she was thoroughly enjoying those days.
For the first time in a very long while, she could simply rest.
I picked up one of the glasses on the table and took a sip of water.
That was when I realized something.
It had been a long time since our last trip purely for fun.
Practically every recent journey had served an important purpose.
Fighting demons.
Investigating threats.
Resolving political issues.
Taking part in wars.
There was always some responsibility involved.
Perhaps that was why an idea began to form in my mind.
I looked at the girls gathered around the table.
Then I spoke.
"I think we should take a trip."
The conversations immediately died down.
Several pairs of eyes turned toward me.
Scarlett was the first to react.
"A trip?"
"Yes."
"To fight something?"
"No."
She looked surprised.
"Then what's the purpose?"
"To relax."
For a few seconds, no one said anything.
Then Elara smiled.
"Actually, that sounds like a wonderful idea."
Lyannis agreed right afterward.
"It's been a long time since we did something like that."
Liriel supported the idea almost immediately.
Vespera also seemed interested.
Even Rai'kanna, who usually preferred more exciting activities, didn't object.
I watched their reactions and realized everyone seemed to like the idea.
Then I began thinking about possible destinations.
That was when a memory came to mind.
A town I hadn't visited in quite some time.
The famous hot springs near the border between the humans and the elves.
A peaceful place.
Beautiful.
Far removed from the worries of the world.
"What about the hot springs town?"
As soon as I mentioned it, some of the girls looked interested.
Elara was the first to respond.
"I like that idea."
Lyannis nodded.
"It sounds interesting to me as well."
Liriel smiled.
"The hot springs really are wonderful."
Scarlett crossed her arms.
"As long as there's something fun to do."
"You can turn any place into something dangerous."
"That's a talent."
"I'm not sure that's a talent."
A few laughs spread around the table.
As the conversation continued, I noticed that Liriel's assistant remained silent.
She seemed thoughtful.
I turned my attention to her.
"And you?"
She blinked a few times.
"Me?"
"Yes."
"About what?"
"The hot springs."
She seemed to think for a few seconds.
Then she answered.
"Actually... I've never been to one."
That surprised me.
"You've never been to a hot spring?"
She shook her head.
"No."
Scarlett seemed just as surprised as I was.
"How is that possible?"
The assistant shrugged.
"I was busy."
"For centuries?"
"You'd be surprised by how much work there is."
This time, even Liriel laughed.
Apparently, she knew exactly what her assistant was talking about.
"Then that settles it."
I looked back at her.
"You're coming with us."
She pointed at herself.
"Me?"
"Of course."
"But..."
"No buts."
She spent a few seconds not knowing what to say.
Then she finally smiled.
"All right."
That answer made the other girls quietly celebrate.
The trip seemed to have been approved unanimously.
From that point on, the conversation revolved around the preparations.
What to bring.
How long we would stay.
Which places we would visit.
What kinds of activities the town offered.
It was a much lighter conversation than the ones we usually had.
No one talked about war.
No one talked about demon generals.
No one talked about battles.
It was simply a group planning a trip.
And it felt strangely pleasant.
When dinner ended, I remained seated for a while, watching the girls chat.
Their excitement was obvious.
Even Vespera seemed a little more engaged than usual.
The assistant also looked curious.
She was probably imagining what her first experience in a hot springs town would be like.
After some time, we began to disperse.
Some returned to their rooms.
Others remained talking throughout the mansion.
I walked over to one of the windows in the main hall.
The night was calm.
The lights of Vailor could be seen in the distance.
I crossed my arms as I gazed at the scenery.
Perhaps that trip was exactly what we needed.
Not only to rest.
But also to enjoy something we had earned through great effort.
Peace.
Even if it was temporary.
Even if it was fragile.
It was still peace.
A short while later, I heard footsteps behind me.
It was Liriel.
She quietly approached.
"Thinking?"
"Maybe."
She stood beside me.
"About the trip?"
"A little."
"You seem worried."
I let out a quiet laugh.
"You know me too well."
Liriel looked out at the city's lights.
"The Demon King?"
I nodded.
There was no point in hiding it.
She already knew exactly what was on my mind.
"Even during these peaceful days, I keep thinking about him."
"That's only natural."
"Maybe."
We stood in silence for a few moments.
Then she spoke again.
"But you need to rest too."
I looked at her.
"I know."
"Do you really?"
That made me smile.
Because it was a fair question.
Many times, I struggled to slow myself down.
There was always something to do.
Some concern.
Some plan.
Some responsibility.
Liriel continued.
"You won't be able to protect anyone if you wear yourself out."
This time, I didn't answer immediately.
Because she was right.
After a few moments, I simply nodded.
"I'll try."
She smiled.
"That's already a start."
We continued watching the city for a while longer.
The silence was comforting.
There was no need to fill every moment with words.
When we finally said goodnight and headed to our rooms, I felt that deciding on the trip had been the right choice.
We would leave the following morning.
Not as heroes.
Not as soldiers.
Nor as leaders of war.
Just as a group of friends enjoying a few days of rest.
Before going to bed, I packed the few things I intended to bring.
Nothing excessive.
The trip would be relatively short.
When I finished, I sat by the bedroom window.
The moon softly illuminated the mansion's gardens.
I watched the scenery for a few moments.
Then I finally stood up.
Tomorrow would be a new day.
And for the first time in a very long while, I was genuinely looking forward to a journey that didn't involve fighting monsters, demons, or saving someone.
The hot springs were waiting for us.