Curse of Lysertis

It was obvious that their conversation had hit a dead end.

"Damn, what do I do now? I definitely said too much," Adam thought to himself.

He noticed how Hanabi's smile instantly faded.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Adam dropped to his knees and bowed his head. "I didn't mean to say anything that could hurt you."

Hanabi stepped in front of him and said, "Stand up, Adam."

Adam slowly raised his head before standing back up. He was taller than Hanabi, so now he was looking down at her.

"I'm expecting anything at this point," Adam thought as he closed his eyes, trembling slightly in fear.

However, instead of a slap or a spell, he felt warmth. Hanabi hugged him. She looked completely at ease, a faint blush appearing on her face.

Adam froze, unsure of how to react. He didn't hug her back, but Hanabi pressed against him so tightly that he could feel every curve of her body.

"Shit, I can feel them!" Adam's face turned even redder.

Hanabi pulled away slightly and said, "Thank you, Adam. You helped me realize something very important. I won't give up on my dream of becoming a knight, but I also won't turn my back on my parents. I'll convince them that I can become strong, that I can earn the title of Valkyrie, and I'll prove to them that magic is my true calling."

"Uh-huh, sure… no problem. Happy to help." Adam wasn't even listening. He was still in shock from the hug.

"You're a really good friend. Anyway, I should go. If my parents find out I'm not home, I'll be in trouble." Hanabi laughed at her own words. "See you in school next week. Good night!"

"Night." Adam mumbled.

He sat back down on the bench, leaned his head against the backrest, and placed a hand on his forehead.

"What the hell just happened?" he thought to himself.

He remained seated, unmoving. The fresh night air slowly helped clear his thoughts. But when he finally snapped back to reality, he panicked.

"How long have I been sitting here?!" He looked up at the sky and saw that dawn had already broken. "Damn it! I got so lost in my thoughts that I didn't even notice time flying by."

He got up and headed home. The streetlights had already gone out with the sunrise. The wind had died down, the crickets were silent, and the only sound was that of a small bird chirping on a tree branch.

Archoville was breathtaking at night, but in the early morning, it took on an entirely different kind of majesty.

Adam walked through the empty streets, admiring the scenery. There was barely anyone around—just the occasional drunkard or homeless person staggering about. Some wandered, some fell, some got back up, and others collapsed and didn't bother trying again. It was, in a way, harmony—everything in its rightful place.

He entered his apartment, undressed, and collapsed onto his bed.

"I need some sleep. Tomorrow, I'll visit the hot springs," he thought, a small smile appearing on his face before he immediately drifted off.

Adam slept for a long time and only woke up closer to the evening. But that wasn't going to stop him from going to the hot springs.

He sat up in bed, the blanket still covering his legs. Stretching, he yawned and let out a tired groan before rubbing his eyes with his fist.

Getting up, he slid on his house slippers and went to the bathroom to freshen up. Then, he grabbed a bag and packed everything he needed for the hot springs: fresh clothes, a towel, sandals, and a soft bathrobe.

Outside, the weather was unusually warm for the end of summer. Normally, it would be unbearably hot around this time, and water mages would have to cool down the city with regular showers.

Adam stepped out of his home and made his way toward the hot springs.

As always, he felt the piercing stares of the townsfolk. It gave him the feeling of being an outcast—which, honestly, might have been the case. But Adam's face remained blank, completely indifferent to the judgment around him.

As soon as he entered the forest, though, he felt a wave of relief wash over him. Here, there were no prying eyes. He walked through the trees, savoring the tranquility, the crisp fresh air filling his lungs, the cheerful birdsong, and the sheer beauty of the forest.

Despite his usual disinterest in most things (besides Hanabi), Adam genuinely admired nature. There was something calming, almost hypnotic, about it.

Eventually, he reached the stone staircase leading up a tall hill. He climbed it at a slow but steady pace, already anticipating the warmth of the water and the relaxation it would bring.

Suddenly, the sharp sound of a branch snapping made him stop.

He turned around but saw nothing at first. Then, he noticed leaves falling from a tree. Looking up, he spotted a familiar-looking owl perched on a branch, staring at him with its intense, unblinking gaze.

Adam narrowed his eyes, trying to remember where he had seen it before. But after a moment, he simply shrugged it off and continued walking.

At the top of the hill stood a small building, with thick white steam rising behind it. The building served as a kind of mini-hotel, where guests could stay while visiting the hot springs.

Adam slid open the door and peeked inside. A single person stood at the reception desk.

"Huh, not many people here today," Adam thought, surprised by the empty lobby.

He approached the receptionist, but before he could say anything, the man spoke first.

"Good day! Welcome to my 'Hot Water Inn.' My name is Albert, and I am the new owner of this establishment." Albert placed one hand on his chest, the other resting behind his back, and bowed slightly.

"New owner? What happened to the old one?"

"Master Heinrich decided to sell the place. I was surprised when I heard the hot springs were up for sale—after all, they were his life's work. But then I found out he was leaving Archoville. So I didn't hesitate to buy the land."

"That sucks. He was one of the few people who didn't look at me like I was a disease," Adam muttered under his breath.

"Pardon me?" Albert asked politely, not quite catching what Adam had said.

"Nothing, just talking to myself. So, not a single customer? Everyone's already in the water?"

"You're correct—there aren't many visitors right now. Master Heinrich was well-loved by the town, so with his departure, people seem hesitant to come back. But I believe that will change soon."

Albert adjusted his glasses and picked up his registry book.

"Will you be staying overnight?"

"No, I just want to relax in the springs."

"Understood. Let me register you. May I have your name?"

"Adam. Adam Lancer."

Albert's eyes slowly shifted from the registry to Adam.

"The Lancer? Your father…"

"Yes, my father, the one who tried to unleash the greatest evil upon this world. What now? You won't let me in? Scared I'll destroy the place? Going to call me a monster or an outcast?" Adam's voice was laced with bitterness.

"Is that what people call you? That's awful. I'm truly sorry if I offended you—it wasn't my intention."

Albert bowed his head slightly in apology before continuing.

"You see, I'm not from Archoville. I came from a distant country. I've only heard that, eleven years ago, someone attempted to unleash some terrible creature. But I don't know the details—just your father's name. That's all."

He paused, then added, "Besides, I believe children shouldn't have to pay for the sins of their parents. You'll always be welcome here."

Adam relaxed slightly, caught off guard by Albert's calm and reasonable response.

"Huh. You're a decent guy after all. Sorry for snapping at you. I shouldn't have."

"It's alright. You deal with insults every day—it's only natural to be on edge. Go on, soak in the springs. It'll help you relax." Albert gestured toward the changing rooms.

Adam nodded and walked inside, closing the door behind him. Stripping down completely, he wrapped a towel around his waist.

Stepping outside toward the spring, he removed the towel and slowly submerged himself into the water. As the warmth enveloped him, he let out a deep, satisfied sigh—almost a quiet moan of relief.

All of the hot springs in Lardoria were enchanted. They contained the power of "Living Water"—a magical technique that healed wounds, restored vitality, and replenished mana. It was considered the best form of healing magic, second only to Instant Regeneration Magic. However, mastering Instant Regeneration was nearly impossible—only mages whose power rivaled that of an Archmage could wield it.

These springs had such properties because the first king of Lardoria had ordered his court wizards to imbue them with healing magic.

Adam recalled some of Professor Berendor's history lessons—mainly because the professor demanded absolute knowledge from his students. Since Adam was already a known slacker, Berendor had made it his personal mission to drill knowledge into him more than anyone else. Whether Adam wanted to or not, he had been forced to listen, which was why history was the only subject he knew better than the rest.

Sitting in the warm water, he felt all his stress melt away, his energy slowly returning.

"Could these springs really heal even mental exhaustion?"

His face showed pure bliss as he sat motionless in the water, completely unwilling to move. The temperature was perfect, lulling him into a state of absolute relaxation.

It seemed like nothing could ruin this perfect moment.

But fate had other plans.

The door suddenly slid open. Through the thick steam, Adam saw a familiar silhouette. As the fog cleared, his heart stopped.

A woman entered the men's side of the spring—Professor Charlotte.

And she was completely naked.

The look on her face made it painfully obvious that this wasn't a mistake—she had come here deliberately, as if she knew Adam was alone.

To be fair, despite being in her forties, Charlotte was an exceptionally attractive woman. Tall, curvy, and effortlessly elegant. Nearly every male student at the academy drooled over her.

This was also one of the many reasons why Adam wasn't well-liked among his classmates. Charlotte was cold and distant with everyone—except him. And because of that, rumors spread that they had some sort of secret romance.

Of course, that couldn't be further from the truth.

In reality, Charlotte loved teasing Adam—far too much. She was well aware of how much it annoyed him, which only made her enjoy it more.

Adam's face turned bright red. Then, as if the situation wasn't bad enough—his nose started bleeding.

Panicking, he quickly balled up his towel and threw it at her.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE, YOU OLD HAG?!"

His hand instinctively shot downward, covering himself.

"Oh, why are you yelling so much? And you know how hurtful it is when you call me an old hag. I'm still young, you know."

"Yeah, maybe young compared to seventy-year-old grandpas! But not to a sixteen-year-old! You're ancient! And have you completely lost your mind?! You walked onto the men's side, completely naked!"

"And? What's the big deal? It's not like you haven't seen me naked before."

Charlotte spoke with a sly smirk as she slowly stepped into the water. Her body sank into the warmth, and with an expression of pure delight, she sighed:

"Ahhh, now this is heaven."

"You're acting like this is normal!" Adam shouted, his face still bright red. "I saw everything I wasn't supposed to!"

"Relax, I'm not looking. Not looking at all. Just sit down already."

"You might not be looking, but I just saw everything!"

Grumbling under his breath, Adam hesitantly sat back down in the water, his face still red, a small trickle of blood dripping from his nose.

Charlotte leaned back, resting her arms behind her head, and smirked.

"So? Did you like what you saw?"

"Shut up..."

"I can show you more if you want. Go on, take another look."

Adam immediately turned away.

"You're such a grump." Charlotte pouted, puffing out her cheeks.