***

Arthur and his group arrived at the hotel in the evening, and they were getting ready to sit in the sauna together. Amelia, Myrtle, Persephone, and Sophia were disrobing themselves in a locker room, while Arthur assisted Kit in another room, the little girl being too young to undress herself.

“I just can’t wait to go into the sauna!” Amelia exclaimed, “It was so freezing outside!”

“Yeah,” Myrtle concurred. “Just so very cold.”

“Well, we wouldn’t have been so cold if we had some nicer clothes to wear, right?” Persephone said.

“I don’t see any problem,” Sophia responded.

“Well, you have tons of layers on!” Persephone retorted, gesturing toward the elegant gown Sophia was wearing. “While I’m just wearing,” Persephone pointed to the revealing outfit that she wore. “This…” she sighed.

“Why not just change into some other clothes?” Amelia asked.

“What other clothes?” Persephone responded, “A swimsuit? Pajamas? Neither of those are great for the cold. And do any of you even know where in town a clothing store is?”

There was a pause.

“Yeah,” Persephone grumbled. “That's what I thought.”

“Persephone, it would be nice if you could look on the bright side of things every once in a while, you know?” Amelia revealed. “We’re in a new place, and we’re going to have another fun and amazing experience. What is there to even be upset about?”

“I could name a few things,” Persephone responded. “And to be honest, I’m just hoping to get this over with.”

“Why would you want such a thing?” Amelia asked.
“Amelia,” Persephone responded, “I’m glad you can find so much to enjoy in any situation. But I…” Persephone gestured toward her breasts. “Do not have such a luxury.”

Amelia frowned.

“Persephone, Are you okay? If there's something you want to talk about, you can always talk to—”

“It's nothing!” Persephone blurted out. “It's nothing. I’m fine. You don't have to be worried about me.”

“Are you sure?” Amelia asked.

Persephone looked towards Sophia, who seemed to be watching the two, with a slight frown on her face. Sophia quickly turned away and resumed taking off her gown.

“Yeah,” Persephone answered, facing back towards Amelia. “I’m sure.”

Their conversation was interrupted when Sophia sighed loudly.

“It would be nice if we had somewhere more private where we could change our clothes,” Sophia stated. “Just for once.”

“I don’t think that was ever going to be the case,” Persephone responded.
“What makes you say that?” Amelia asked.
“Well, for starters,” Persephone explained, “this room doesn’t have a door. At any moment, someone could just walk in on us while we’re in the middle of getting undressed.”

“Like who?”

Suddenly, the sound of footsteps could be heard, and they were getting louder by the second.

Persephone sighed. “Like them,” she answered just as Kit entered the locker room.

“Hey! Kit!” Arthur shouted, from not far behind, “Get back here! The girls are ch–!”

Arthur stopped as he reached the opening and got a firsthand look at the girls’ naked bodies. He stood, at a loss for words, while blood began to drip from his nose.

“Eek!” Amelia shrieked as she covered herself with a nearby towel. Sophia covered herself as well, though in a far more dramatic fashion, recoiling violently as her mouth dropped open. Myrtle, on the other hand, didn’t even seem to notice him as she continued to wriggle out of her dress. And Persephone just turned her head towards Arthur and stared at him blankly, without even the slightest hint of surprise on her face.

“Um… Sorry girls,” Arthur eventually said after regaining his composure.

“It’s ok,” Persephone said solemnly. “Accidents happen.”

“But hey! Now that we’re all here, is everyone ready to go into the sauna?” Amelia asked.

“Sephie-san’s still wearing clothes!” Kit blurted out.

“Kit…” Persephone groaned.

“Persephone-chan, are you doing okay?” Amelia asked.

“I’m fine,” Persephone responded. “I’m sorry for holding everyone up; I’ll be ready in a moment.” She added as she began to pull the straps of her dress.

“Hold on a second!” Sophia declared.

Everyone turned toward Sophia.

“Is there something you wanted to say, Sophia-chan?” Arthur asked.

“Well,” Sophia began to speak, “Persephone has been an absolute pain today. She’ll just make everyone just as pathetic as her if she accompanies us. So wouldn’t it be far better for us to just go to the sauna without her?”

Amelia gasped. “That's so mean, Sophia! I can’t believe you would say something like that!”

“Am I wrong?” Sophia shrugged.

“Then you know what! If you’re going to be like that, then I’ll just stay with Persephone!”

There was a pause.

“Are you sure, Amelia?” Arthur asked.

“Yes, I am!” Amelia nodded. “I mean, I would love to go to the sauna and all, but not if it means I have to leave my friend behind to do so.”
“Amelia,” Persephone interjected. “I’m fine; you don’t have to—”

“Besides,” Amelia continued, “if Persephone is feeling bad for some reason, I want to be there to help her feel better.”

“Seriously, Amelia,” Persephone responded. “I’m fine.”
“Because that’s what friends are for!” Amelia looked at Persephone with a warm smile on her face.

“You know,” Myrtle interjected. “I think I want to join them. Being in the sauna might mess up my hair anyway.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you take care of your hair, Myrtle-chan,” Amelia inquired.
“Too much effort,” Myrtle answered.

“Kit wants to help too!” Kit blurted out.

“So do you girls want to go to the sauna?” Arthur asked, “Or no?”

Suddenly, the room began to tremble.

“Hey Arthur-san,” Sophia said to Arthur as her eyes darted rapidly. “It’s been a little while since we’ve had some alone time together, you know.”

“I guess you’re right,” Arthur responded.

“Then what are you waiting for, Arthur-san? Let's spend some quality time together!” Sophia exclaimed as she pushed Arthur out of the room. “Just the two of us.” And as the two left the locker room, the trembling began to cease.

“Why is Sophia so mean?” Amelia fumed after a bit.

“I don't know Amelia,” Persephone responded. “But at least she's gone now, right?”

“I guess so," Amelia replied. "Anyways, what do we do now, Persephone?”

“Hmmm.” Persephone paused for a moment. “I think we have to babysit Kit now, or, well, Kit-sit.” After this remark, Amelia let out a little chuckle.

The two girls looked at Kit, who was staring back at them with sparkling eyes and a wide smile on her face.

“Onee-chans!” Kit shouted as she ran towards the two. But before Kit could reach them, a locker door opened right into her face. Myrtle took her clothes out of the locker before shutting the door again. Kit teetered for a moment, with spirals in her eyes, before she fell back onto the floor and fainted.

Myrtle looked towards Kit.

“Oh, sorry, my bad,” she said monotonously.

Meanwhile, Arthur and Sophia began to sit together in the sauna. As they soaked in the heat, their pores started to burst with sweat. Arthur was wearing a towel from the waist down, while Sophia wrapped a towel around her body, revealing a hint of her cleavage, which Arthur seemed to be glancing at.

“I know you’re looking at them, Arthur-san!” Sophia declared, sweat dripping down her face. “Take a good look! Opportunities like these don’t happen often!”

But unbeknownst to the two of them, someone was observing them from afar. A shadowy figure, watching the two from some sort of screen, grinned, and suddenly the sauna began to warm up dramatically.

“Uh Sophia? Is it just me, or is it getting warmer here?” Arthur asked drowsily as sweat burst from his pores.

“Well, it is a sauna, Arthur-san. It's supposed to be warm here.” Sophia replied. “What makes you ask?”

“Well… I feel… I feel…”

Arthur began to collapse, falling back towards the wall. But suddenly, as if guided by an invisible touch, his fainting body swerved in a different direction, and he landed face first into Sophia’s cleavage.

Sophia remained still, seemingly frozen in shock. She looked down at Arthur’s head.

“Uh… ah… Arthur-san, could you please get off? Your head is on my—Arthur-san!” She stammered.

And from behind the screen, the sound of heavy breathing could be heard. There were hearts inside the shadowy figure’s eyes, and saliva was dripping from its mouth.

“Kit fainted!” Amelia cried out. “Somebody get a doctor! Or a nurse! Or something!”

“I don’t think that's going to be necessary”. Persephone calmly replied.

“Why not?”

“Just look at her eyes.” Persephone gestured towards Kit’s eyes, which had turned into Xs.

“And?” Amelia questioned.

“They wouldn’t look like that if anything serious had really happened.” Persephone responded.
“How are you so sure about that?”

“I, um, I just know that! Okay?” Persephone stammered, her cheeks turning red. “But still, I guess it wouldn’t hurt to get some ice.”

“But where can we get some?” Amelia asked.

“Outside,” Persephone responded flatly.

“Oh right. Oopsies!” Amelia giggled, playfully knocking herself on the head and sticking out her tongue with a cheeky smile. Persephone rolled her eyes.

“I’ll just get the ice myself!” Persephone declared. “Amelia, tuck Kit into bed; I’ll meet you both back in the bedroom with some ice.”

“What about Myrtle?” Amelia asked.

“Oh, right.” Persephone glanced at Myrtle, who by now had finished getting dressed and was now leaning on a locker.

“Myrtle?” Persephone called out.
“Yes?” Myrtle replied, looking at Persephone with a detached expression on her face.
“Please watch our stuff while we’re taking care of Kit.” Persephone requested. “You can do that, right?”
“Sure, why not?” Myrtle responded.

“Ok! Now let's go save Kit!” Amelia exclaimed, running out of the room while holding Kit in her arms.

“You know she’s going to be—urgh, never mind!” Persephone grumbled as she followed after Amelia.

Now alone in the locker room, Myrtle let out a sigh.

“Ahhh,” she said to herself. “Finally, some peace and quiet.”

“Um- Arthur-san? Arthur-san! Could you please wake up?” Sophia asked while poking Arthur’s head.

“Wha-what ha—Oh! Sorry Sophia!” Arthur shouted, quickly pulling back from Sophia.

“It’s alright,” Sophia shuddered wearily. “Just please don’t do that again.”

“Ok," Arthur responded, "I’ll try my best.”

“You better!" Sophia demanded.

“So," Arthur asked, "are you ready to head back to the others?”

Sophia sighed “I suppose,”

After Arthur opened the door, the two exited the sauna, ready to reunite with their companions.

The shadowy figure watched the scene conclude from behind its screen, which it was gripping with its golden nails.

“Hero-kun,” the figure whispered in a feminine voice.

She gazed intently at the screen with her golden eyes, while a golden blush graced her cheeks. Seated on her throne, her body emitted an ethereal glow, which served as the only source of light in any direction.

“Oh, Hero-kun, you never fail to delight me!” the woman cooed as she let go of the screen. “I hope you’ll continue to entertain me forever.”

With a flick of her finger, the screen disappeared, leaving the woman alone in the dark void.

“And I’ll make sure you always do,” she continued. “I have so many more adventures planned for you, after all.”

***

VOLUME GALLERY

Hello readers, this is Animal508. Thank you for reading this story thus far. Below is a gallery containing character art for the volume. I confess that my art skills are not the best, so please bear with me.

***

END OF VOLUME 1