DanMachi: The Epic of the Heroic Spirits of Emiya Shirou

"However, for this hot spring city, the existence of Behemoth was an unexpected blessing. It is said that the volcano was on the verge of eruption, with lava blocked underground. It was Behemoth who dug a channel through the volcano's lava, thus preventing a major eruption and mitigating the disaster here."

"Moreover, Behemoth's activities caused hot springs to gush forth from the earth, ultimately leading to the prosperity of the hot spring capital."

Emiya gazed at the not-too-tall volcano in the distance and nodded slightly: "Senior Riveria, you are truly learned."

Riveria chuckled and casually pulled a history book from her bag: "I'm just learning on the spot. These books were all placed in the carriage by Lord Hermes."

Upon seeing this, Emiya couldn't help but exclaim, "As expected of the god of travelers, Hermes seems to have put more effort into making our travels enjoyable than he did when he was on a mission to save the world."

For Hermes, carrying out missions assigned by the Adventurers' Guild was just routine, but recommending travel destinations to the adventurers he favored was what truly made him happy from the bottom of his heart.

Looking at Rivera's profile, Emiya asked with a hint of curiosity, "Rivia-senpai, do you enjoy traveling?"

Riveria didn't shy away from the question, frankly admitting, "Yes, my biggest dream is to travel all over the world and explore. However, it's been a long time since I last left Orario."

Orario's dungeons are known as the world's largest "unknown" place. Riveria's original plan was to explore the mysteries of the dungeons before traveling around the world.

However, she hadn't expected that the depth and mystery of the dungeon would far exceed her expectations. Even now, the area explored by the Loki Familia was probably only the tip of the iceberg of this vast labyrinth.

Moreover, as the Loki Familia continued to grow, the responsibilities on her shoulders as vice-commander also increased daily. From commanding battles and organizing operations to managing the internal affairs of the Familia, these duties gradually bound her to her duties.

Sometimes, she realizes that she has somewhat forgotten her original motivation for becoming an adventurer—that pure freedom and thirst for knowledge.

The dream of exploring every unknown corner of the world seems to have been gradually blurred by heavy responsibilities and endless tasks.

Riveria was softly expressing her feelings when her gaze inadvertently fell on the ring on Emiya's left hand. Her expression instantly changed, and an unnatural blush appeared on her face.

At the time, she couldn't get the ring off no matter what she did. So, Rilangville simply said that the ring was a gift from her to Emiya.

Emiya wanted to repay her with something of equal value, but Riveria refused his offer without hesitation.

Of course, she didn't tell Emiya the story behind the ring—a royal treasure, an ancient legend, the blessings of fairies, or anything like that.

Riveria chose to keep these hidden memories to herself and never mentioned them.

"The partnership with the Sword King is a crucial matter that could significantly impact the future development of the Loki Familia."

Riveria was deep in thought.

Her resolve was firm: "Everything I've done is for the Loki Familia!"

"what?"

At that moment, Riveria suddenly noticed that Emiya's way of addressing her had changed from the affectionate "older sister" to the more formal "senpai".

She frowned slightly, then asked, "Shirou, why did you suddenly change how you address me?"

Emiya explained, "Ryu told me that your seniority and status among the elves are extremely high, so calling you 'older sister' is not quite appropriate. Therefore, I think it would be more suitable to call you 'senpai'."

Riveria nodded slightly after hearing this: "Is that so..."

As evening fell, Riveria found Ryu and, with a smile, handed her a thick book. Ryu looked down and was instantly struck dumb.

"What's this……"

A hint of fear crept into Liu's voice.

"This is a set of assignments that Professor Freya specially prepared for you before she left."

The elven princess smiled, her tone gentle but brooking no argument: "Liu, your combat abilities are indeed outstanding, but your weakness in academic subjects is too great and must be addressed."

Riveria: "I will personally supervise you in completing these tasks."

158

Chapter 158 An Unexpected Incident at the Hot Spring.

"Excuse me for interrupting, but seeing your emerald hair and eyes, I simply can't help but notice... May I ask, are you perhaps a member of the noble royal family?"

As soon as the adventurers entered the city, several elven men and women appeared before them. They immediately recognized Riveria's unique qualities and approached her with excited yet awe-inspiring eyes to inquire.

"Princess Riveria, are you Princess Riveria?!"

One of the young elf men almost blurted it out, his voice filled with undisguised surprise and admiration.

Emiya and his companions were already used to this; in the past few days, they had encountered similar scenes whenever they met elves.

Adoring gazes, excited inquiries, respectful attitudes... the elves generally have an extremely high degree of loyalty to the royal family.

Riveria is the only member of the elven royal family of Alfson to leave her homeland and become an adventurer. Wherever she goes, she is the center of attention among the elves.

The elves bowed and scraped before Riveria, praising her noble royal status and her achievements in vanquishing ancient monsters.

"Princess Rivera of Alfred Khan, inheriting the spirit of the great saintess 'Celtia' from history, steps forward to vanquish the vengeful spirit of the lower realm—the [Ancient Monster]."

Many elves outside the region viewed Riveria in this way, seeing her as a symbol of courage, sacrifice, and fearlessness.

However, the reality was quite different. This princess had simply chosen to run away from home, escape the constraints of royalty, and seek her own path of adventure. The glorious legends held by the elves were entirely different from her true motives.

However, this time, Riveria did participate in the battle against an [Ancient Monster].

She did not deliberately try to meet the elves' expectations, but unintentionally, she truly fulfilled the hopes that were placed on her.

Riveria would initially patiently explain to these elven subjects who worshipped her, "I have already withdrawn from the royal family."

But gradually, she realized that the elves didn't care about her explanations at all, and instead continued to treat her with awe.

Over time, Riveria became numb. When faced with the elves who came to visit, she could only manage a stiff smile.

This time, however, things seemed different. The elf who led the way to pay homage to Riveria was none other than the president of the largest local merchant guild.

Compared to the ordinary worshippers of the past, this guild master was of distinguished status and had made meticulous preparations to welcome Riveria.

"Your Highness the Queen."

He said respectfully, his tone full of admiration, "We have reserved the best hot spring hotel in the area for you, and we look forward to welcoming you at any time!"

He bowed slightly, awaiting Princess Riveria's response, as if her arrival were an unparalleled honor.

Riveria was quite exasperated by the elven merchant guild leader's enthusiasm and firmly rejected his overly extravagant arrangements.

However, the elf did not back down. Instead, she said sincerely, "Your Highness, our respect for you is not only because of your royal status, but more importantly, because you vanquished the [monster] of the Great Tree Sea."

Although the guild leader didn't even know the exact name of the scorpion in the Great Tree Sea, he knew that in the past few months, the number of monsters near the Great Tree Sea had increased frequently, and they had even begun to threaten the villages around [Sprint]. The residents were very worried about this, and he had witnessed all of this firsthand.

Now, the number of monsters has obviously decreased, and Princess Riveria and her party left the Great Tree Sea during this period.

In comparison, there is no doubt that it was Riveria and others who saved the people of this region.

Hearing these words, Riveria was slightly moved. As a princess, she was used to being noticed because of her status, but to receive such sincere respect because of her actual achievements was a rare experience.

She hesitated for a moment, but ultimately decided to accept the offer.

Emiya, Riveria, and the others arrived at the hot spring inn arranged by the Chamber of Commerce. As soon as they entered the inn, they were struck by its extreme luxury and exquisite craftsmanship.

This hotel truly lived up to its reputation as the most luxurious accommodation in Sprint. The rooms were elegantly decorated with exquisite carvings, the walls were adorned with exotic artworks, and the floors were covered with thick carpets that made it almost impossible to hear footsteps.

The courtyard is a hidden gem, with meticulously maintained flowerbeds and flowing streams complementing each other, showcasing the perfect fusion of nature and architecture.

Furthermore, each luxury suite features a private hot spring area in its courtyard, with the hot spring pool surrounded by exquisite wooden screens to ensure guests enjoy tranquility and privacy.

Emiya looked around and couldn't help but tease, "This suite where Princess Riveria stayed will probably increase in price several times over in the future, right?"

Upon hearing this, Riveria smiled slightly, her tone tinged with helplessness: "If that's really the case, then let's hope they can make good use of this 'gimmick,' so that their hospitality won't be in vain."

She hesitated for a moment, her gaze lingering on Emiya for a brief instant, as if pondering how to begin.

Finally, Riveria said softly, "Shirou, I have a small request."

Emiya looked up at her with some confusion: "What request, Riveria-senpai?"

Riveria frowned slightly, then said with a barely perceptible smile, "Could you just call me 'Rivilia'? 'Senior' sounds too formal."

Emiya paused for a moment, then smiled and said, "Okay, Riveria."

Hearing this, Riveria nodded, feeling relieved.

"Speaking of which, what about Hedin, Hegny, and Ryu?"

Emiya asked.

Riveria chuckled and replied, "As for the Black and White Knights, they went back to their suites first. As for Ryu, she realized her grades were too bad, so she stayed in her room to study."

"Hot springs...they're so comfortable."

Riveria stretched lazily in the hot spring, leaning back slightly, her emerald hair swaying gently on the water's surface with her movements.

The hot spring water gently enveloped Riveria's skin, and warm ripples glided over her body, as if a gentle hand were soothing her tense body.

Steam rose in the air, and tiny bubbles in the water danced gently between her arms and legs, bringing waves of subtle, tingling sensations.

Elves generally prefer showers and are not very keen on baths, especially since they have low tolerance for hot water. However, they do enjoy a soak in a hot spring occasionally.

"You've soaked long enough, it's time to get out."

Riveria stood up, preparing to leave the hot spring.

However, at that moment, someone suddenly walked into the hot spring pool surrounded by screens.

Riveria paused for a moment, then quickly retreated back into the water.

At the same time, Emiya pushed aside the laurel branches at the entrance, revealing a wooden sign that had been hidden, which read: "Mixed bathing, please wash your body beforehand and wear a swimsuit before entering."

When I checked in, the staff who helped clean my room specifically reminded me that the several hot spring pools in the courtyard were mixed-gender baths, and the hotel provided swimsuits.

If you want to soak in the hot spring on your own, you can use the large bathtub in the suite. Just turn on the tap and the hot spring water will come out.

As expected of a top-tier hotel, the amenities are truly comprehensive.

After confirming the nature of the hot spring pool, the boy entered the area surrounded by screens.

"Wow, wow..."

Having washed himself beforehand, he stepped into the hot spring pool, feeling the warmth of the hot water permeate his entire body.

In his past life, taking baths was one of Emiya's hobbies. Although the [Abundant Mistress] tavern recently added a bath to cater to Haruhime, hot springs are indeed quite different from ordinary hot water baths.

Just as he was immersed in the warmth, a somewhat flustered voice suddenly came to his ear: "Shirou?"

Emiya was slightly taken aback. Through the thick mist, he noticed the other person's blurry figure.

Without hesitation, he greeted her naturally: "Good evening, Riveria."

"Shirou, what are you doing here?"

Riveria shrank back a few feet, her voice filled with obvious tension and unease, even somewhat incoherent.

"This, isn't this my yard? Wait a minute, does this mean that because Shirou and I share a suite, the yard is also shared?"

Riveria thought nervously.

The hotel has a suite with three rooms. Riveria, Ryu, and Emiya each have their own room, but they all share a courtyard with three different hot spring pools.

“But even so, I’m here now, how can Shirou be so calm…”

Emiya replied naturally, "I came here because I saw a bathhouse with a Far Eastern style and wanted to experience it."

Actually, he was also interested in another hot spring pool in the style of "Land of the Sea", but Ryu said she wanted to try the "Far East style", so he came with Ryu.

Emiya entered the hot spring first, while Ryu was still washing herself.

Riveria's heart skipped a beat, and she was instantly thrown into a state of confusion.

Does this mean that it is normal for men and women to bathe together in Far Eastern cultures?

Or perhaps, Shirou... just wants to soak in the hot spring with me?

This made her extremely nervous, but she dared not show it easily.

"Shirou, are you there?"

Just as the atmosphere became tense, Ryu's voice suddenly came from outside.

Upon hearing Ryu's voice, Emiya replied, "I'm here."

A few seconds later, Ryu, wrapped in a towel, walked into the bathhouse. Riveria felt even more panicked, a flicker of anxiety crossing her mind: Isn't it enough that I'm here? Now they're even inviting Ryu in?!

Just as she was feeling at a loss, Ryu stood confidently by the hot spring and easily took off the towel wrapped around her body.

Riveria's heart raced instantly—however, the next moment, she saw Ryu's neatly dressed swimsuit.

Liu stepped into the bath without a care in the world, her movements natural and unhurried. She sat down in the water, enjoying the hot spring while looking around.

Riveria saw this scene through the mist, or more precisely, looking at Ryu's swimsuit, and only two words flashed through her mind: "It's over."

The hotel had also prepared a beautiful new swimsuit for Riveria, but the elven waiter who was in charge of receiving her was too excited and only thought about getting an autograph, so he forgot to remind her of this.