Inside the hot spring chamber, Sharkai Bai hid behind a rockery, eavesdropping on Xuelian and Xia Feina’s conversation while scanning the surroundings for an escape route.
Of course, he’d already cursed the culprit—Sharkai Manwei—a thousand times in his heart.
Tall walls enclosed the area, the entrance separated by the entire hot spring pool. Given the situation, escape seemed nearly impossible.
Unaware of his presence, Xuelian in the pool removed the towel wrapped around her chest and sank into the warm water.
“This really is comfortable… though you selfishly took darling’s ticket.”
“No, *you* stole perverted Bai-kun’s ticket.”
“Seriously, how did your flat-chested frame ever grow into *that*?”
“Compared to my normal teenage bust, yours is overgrown, giant-titted hag.”
“WHAT. DID. YOU. SAY?!”
Even in this relaxing setting—and even with the boy they fought over absent (or so they thought)—Xuelian and Xia Feina still bickered relentlessly.
*(If you’re this easy to provoke, don’t start fights… idiot Xuelian!)*
Bai sighed helplessly behind the rocks, listening to their familiar squabble. Every clash between the two girls seemed to end with Xia Feina’s victory.
Having successfully enraged Xuelian, Xia Feina smirked. She submerged herself completely, eyes closed, savoring the warmth enveloping her body. Beside her, Xuelian muttered endless, pointless complaints. Even Bai felt sorry for her.
*Whoosh—*
The chamber door slid open.
Elucia entered, clad in a yukata with her long hair pinned up.
*(Pfft! What’s SHE doing here?!)*
Cold sweat beaded on Bai’s back behind the rockery. His escape plan just got infinitely harder.
“What? You got hot spring tickets too?” Elucia’s hopeful expression dimmed slightly at the sight of Xuelian and Xia Feina in the pool.
“I’m more curious how *you* got one.”
“Bai-kun invited me. Speaking of which… where is he?” Elucia scanned the room but found no sign of Sharkai Bai.
*(WHAT?!)*
*(BAI-KUN?!?)*
Xuelian and Xia Feina instantly tensed.
“You were invited by Bai-kun too?” Elucia asked, eyeing the two in the water.
“Ahahaha! Of course! Darling invited me!”
“Yes, perverted Bai-kun called me here too.”
On this point, they were oddly united.
Muttering “Honestly…” under her breath, Elucia shed her yukata and stepped into the spring.
“How strange. If we were all invited, where’s Bai-kun?”
While Elucia relaxed calmly, Cecilia Xuelian and Xia Feina were already plotting how to punish Sharkai Bai. The white-haired boy behind the rocks shivered—a wave of despair crashing over him.
*(HEY! I came here to unwind! Why am I hiding behind this freezing rockery?!)*
Xuelian and Xia Feina’s arguing didn’t stop with Elucia’s arrival. Hearing she’d been invited by Bai, their bickering intensified—as if venting frustration.
“Seriously, are you two children? I admire Bai-kun for putting up with both of you.” Elucia sighed. Even paradise became unbearable with constant squabbling.
“SHUT! UP!” The girls snapped in unison at their shared rival.
“Ugh, so noisy…” To escape the racket, Elucia moved to the far left corner.
*“Psst…”*
A faint whisper reached Elucia’s ears—from behind the rockery.
*“?”*
Confident in her S-rank hearing, Elucia stood, wrapped her yukata back on, and approached the rocks.
“Ah—”
*“SHHHHHHHHH—!”*
Sharkai Bai frantically silenced her before she could scream. Seeing his desperate, trapped expression, Elucia instinctively held back her shout.
*“Help… me…?”*
She read the words from his lips. Though confused why her inviter was hiding here, she whispered:
“Got it. Get in the water. Hide behind me.”
A splash drew Xuelian and Xia Feina’s attention.
“What’s wrong? Why are you standing in the spring fully dressed?”
*“Stare——. That face screams trouble.”*
“N-nothing! Ah—!”
Bai’s lips, flailing underwater, accidentally brushed Elucia’s upper thigh. Her face flushed crimson. Forced to face the girls’ stares, she ducked her head.
*(What the hell…)*
The oblivious Bai still didn’t grasp how his accidental touch had flustered her.
“SUSPICIOUS!” Xia Feina strode toward Elucia, who refused to show her face.
*(I’m doomed!!)* Bai’s heart wailed even as he prayed.
*Whoosh—*
The door slid open again.
“Sharkai Bai, I need to discuss something…” Situ Sheng stood frozen at the entrance, staring blankly at the three girls.
“SCREEEEAM—!!!!”
“YOU BASTARD—!!!!!!”
Roaring, Xuelian and Xia Feina unleashed magical arrays aimed at Situ Sheng.
*BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!*
“Damn it! No magic in the hot spring!”
“Elucia! Now!”
“Got it!”
While Situ Sheng distracted Cecilia Xuelian and Xia Feina under magical bombardment, Elucia grabbed Bai’s collar and hurled him into the adjacent chamber.
*(Saved!)*
Relief flooded Sharkai Bai as he escaped.
This absurd hot spring trip ended with Bai’s getaway. Dressed and heading for the exit, he was stopped by familiar voices.
“Darling-kun!”
“Perverted Bai-kun!”
Bai turned listlessly to face the girls, already preparing to return to the academy.
“Darling, were you hiding somewhere to peek? Well… I wouldn’t mind if it was you.”
“If we’re talking peeping, a normally developed girl like me has more to offer than a giant-titted hag.”
Trapped between their arms, Bai endured their endless bickering.
*(Ah—right! I haven’t thanked her yet.)*
Remembering, Bai looked up at Elucia riding her dragon in the sky.
“Elucia! Thanks!”
Hearing his shout, Elucia glanced down and smiled.
“Mhm!”
Even if peaceful days were gone.
Even if their dorm echoed with never-ending arguments.
Even if unknown challenges lay ahead.
The white-haired boy, trouble written plainly on his face, would always stay by their side.
Letting the two girls squabble on, Bai watched a crimson leaf drift slowly from a branch by the path to the ground.
“Ah… autumn’s here.”
