Chapter 16: Sauna Time, and A Towel Down…

LEVI ELBRUS’S POINT OF VIEW

“I smell horrible,” I complained, sniffing at my blood-drenched stomach and arms.

“You do,” Tiala agreed quietly, leaning against the wall and tilting her head upwards to catch the rays of sun on her face, “but there’s no bath area around.”

I sighed, my legs crossed as I sat on an empty barrel at the back of the Guild Hall. We had decided to hand in the heads of the beasts and get our reward before going to our next quest; the extermination of an Iceopus in Ravenport. I had no idea what either of those things were, but apparently we needed money for the journey.

“There is a bathhouse on the way there, though,” she added, looking at me from the side of her eye, “and I want to bathe this wound in saltwater.” She seemed to wince simply at the thought of it. 

“How is your wound anyway?” I inquired, slinking off of the barrel and waddling towards her.

“It’s fine,” she replied, lying through her teeth as she rubbed it, “thanks for your makeshift tourniquet,” she smiled, exhaling laughter from her nose.

“Alright you two!” Asmode boomed, his presence now known to all of those nearby. “Where to now, Missy?” He asked, chucking a jingling bag of coins at me, and lightly placing another one in Tiala’s hands.

“Ravenport,” she informed him for the fifth time, “but we’re stopping at the sauna on the way the-“

“Sauna!” Asmode beamed, all too happy at today’s new plan. “Then what are we waiting for? No time like the present!” He announced, throwing his arms up as he began walking in a northern direction.

“It’s to the west,” Tiala smirked, watching as the large man chuckled awkwardly, correcting himself by following Tiala.

We followed Tiala for a while. A while was an understatement: we followed Tiala for several hours. Towns, villages, woodlands, swamplands, lakes, ponds, we passed by all of them on our journey. I, somehow, managed to keep up conversation about all things to do with the Guild.

Factions were the main focus, and I assumed that Asmode realised just how much trouble we would be in if he claimed to be Wrath in public again. 

“So Trafalgar took on a new pupil?” I asked, already knowing the answer. I kicked a stone, bored of the walking, talking, and the lack of action and watched as it plopped into the lake beside us.

“Yeah. He took on a D-Rank, which is odd, but apparently his skills with weapons is top notch,” she pondered. Tiala seemed to be like an encyclopaedia on anything related to the capital despite her nature-bound species.

“What’s the other guilds?” I asked, only now piecing together that there must have been more than the single Hunters’ Guild. Not that any of them interested me, but I would like to know what the other people in the Academy would’ve been doing beforehand.

“There’s the National Guild, the Descenders Guild, the Magical Research Guild, and…” Tiala let out an audible grumble as she continued, “the Duelling Guild.”

“What’s so bad about them?” I inquired, but didn’t get an answer. Instead, I got the smell of something too potent to be anything other than-

“The sauna!” Asmode finished my thoughts for me, although with a lot more excitement. He ran, like a little kid on Christmas, to the entrance and swung the door open with a loud hurrah.

Tiala and I followed behind him, although much calmer. The closer we got, the stronger the scent became.

“Hello sirs, madam,” the clerk at the desk bowed her head slightly. “Welcome to Hogwash Sauna,” she finished. “What can I do for you today?” She inquired with a practiced politeness, putting her pen to a piece of paper pre-emptively.

“Three for a sauna.” I ordered, remembering how one of my carers had requested to go to the swimming pool in the past, and seeing it as the most concise way of requesting a service. Efficiency over kindness, really.

“Okay,” she complied, writing it down, “is there a name for that?” She inquired, making a slightly uncomfortable eye-contact with me, the fact she was lower than me reminded me of how Trafalgar regarded me. Like shit on his shoe.

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“Asmode,” I stated, and slammed a handful of coins onto the desk, “and how long will this let us in for?”

She counted the coins or a moment and bit her lips to focus on doing the mental arithmetic. “Five hours,” she answered, sweeping the coins from the desk. “The sauna is mixed, so men and women are beside each other. To ease the possible uncomfortableness of this, we provide towels to everyone. They can be found in your locker.”

I raised an eyebrow at the locker comment, but the expression of surprise on her face showed she had just mixed up the order of doing things. She slid three circles toward me, with different symbols on them.

“Thank you,” I nodded to her, picking the keys up. I followed behind Asmode and Tiala, handing them two keys at random. We didn’t have to search for the lockers, as the symbols were painted boldly on the doors of them, and were quite near the entrance.

“Guys…” Tiala spoke up hesitantly as I was taking my boots off, “there’s no towel in here.” She turned to see Asmode and I, but Asmode simply tied his towel around his waist and sauntered away. A look of worry, practically pleading, came over her face as she silently requested my towel.

“Here,” I sighed, chucking the fluffy white cover over my shoulder, “not like I need it.” I muttered, hoping she didn’t hear it. I waited for Tiala to leave for the sauna before I finished undressing.

I headed, naked and unarmed, to the sauna. I had my hands cupped over my privates as I waddled to the small pool of water, where Asmode was empathetically pointing and laughing, whilst Tiala averted her gaze with a light blush.

Ignoring Asmode’s laughter, which was now getting high in pitch, I entered the pool with thanks for the thick layer of soap that blanketed the top of the sauna. I was finally able to relax in the still water, and Asmode also managed to gain control over his screeching, now wiping tears from his eyes as he got the last of it out.

“Had your fun?” I glared, watching as he nodded his head in affirmation.

“I’m so glad,” Tiala muttered, “I never knew there was a sauna this far out.”

“It’s perfect, right?” A voice spoke, hidden behind a plume of smoke in the corner.

“It helps to relax after a hard day’s work,” Asmode agreed with a huff. “We never thought anyone else would be here.”

“I was just popping in on my way to a meeting,” the voice informed us, his silhouette standing and coming closer. “I’ll leave and let you guys enjoy some time alone.”

The man emerged from behind the smoke, plastered in sweat and hunched. He was at least six feet- maybe taller- with brown hair that seemed to have been cut by a sword into a bob. He smiled widely and waved as he past, which seemed to cause something to click in Tiala’s brain.

“Paima?” She squealed, gaining the attention of the man who was at the door to leave.

“Busted,” he chuckled nervously.

[Name: Envy (Levi Elbrus)

Species: Leviathan.     

Level: 21

Magic Skills: Devour, Electric Discharge, Electricity Resistance, Water Manipulation (+5), Web Secretion, Vine Control, Wind Manipulation.

Physical Skills: Transform, Night-Vision, Thick Skin, Metal Teeth.

Innate Skills: Mountain-Splitter Style Swordsmanship (Advanced), Ancient Blood (Not Awakened)]

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