Scenario:A Sweltering Eternal Getaway - Chapter 4: In the Dark of Night - Episode 2

A Sweltering Eternal Getaway - Chapter 4: In the Dark of Night - Episode 2

Late at night, Seox is at the public bath by himself when he notices a strange light coming from the rooftop of a building. He goes out into town to look into it when he comes across Albert and Yurius. Seox helps Yurius snuff out the light. Just when they notice a skyskimmer flying overhead, Albert comes back to tell them that the airship is scattering dark essence, attracting monsters to the town. Seox tells the two to leave the monsters to the Eternals before taking his leave.

---

Seox: ...

When the others finally drifted off to sleep, Seox had slowly gotten up from his bed and made his way to the public bath by himself.

Seox: (A bath so big you can swim in it while gazing up at the sky. It's nice, but I'm not sure it's as great as they made it out to be.)

Lyria: We had some time to talk while in the bath, and we helped wash each other's backs too. It was really fun!

Vyrn: Somehow, soakin' in the same bath helps you open up to other people, doesn't it? It's pretty nice.

Seox: (But maybe... it's different when everyone's here.)

Seox: (I've never taken the time to soak in a hot spring with someone else before... Though, I guess there was that one time when (Captain)'s father put me in a cold-water bath.)

Seox: (He'd catch me and put me back in the bath if I tried to escape before I finished washing...)

Seox: Hm?

As Seox thinks to himself, he notices something flickering in the night sky above.

Seox: (What is that? It wasn't there when I got here.)

Inn Staff: Excuse me, but we're about to close up for the night...

Seox: Ack! Okay... I'll be... right out...

Seox waits until the employee has gone to retrieve the cleaning supplies before slipping out of the bath.

Seox: (If I remember correctly, it was around here... Huh?)

Albert: It looks like they're waving a torch. Do you think it's a signal?

Yurius: Most likely.

Seox: (Those are the people I met earlier in the day...)

When Seox goes out to look for the light he saw, he discovers Albert and Yurius keeping a close watch on the roof of a closed shop.

Albert: Should we intervene?

Yurius: Yes, but only me. Can you search the area for the person on the receiving end of the signal just now?

Albert: You plan to go up there alone? I'm coming with you.

Yurius: Judging from the size of the roof, there should only be two to three people. Just one of us should be more than enough.

Albert: Then I'll go and—

Yurius: The side receiving the signal may have monsters with them. Are you saying I should go there instead?

Albert: ...
Fine. Just don't be reckless.

Albert: I was against you coming out with me to patrol in the first place, so be extra careful.

With that, Albert turns and slips into a dark alley.

Tentacles: ...

Seox: (Is something coming out of his back?)

Yurius: Heh. I suppose I better take care of these people fast so Albert's anxiety won't kill him.

Yurius strokes the tentacle protruding from his back. The tentacle bends as if to nod and stretches out toward the rooftop.

Seox: (He flew!)

The tentacle wraps itself around the railing on the roof and pulls Yurius up with it.

Seox: ...

Torch-Holder: Should be any time now.

Lackey: Yaaawn. Waiting around here's pretty boring.

Torch-Holder: Who's there!

Yurius: This voice...

Galia's Captain: Yurius... I have a proposal of my own. Leave now, and we'll pretend we never saw you, hmm?

Yurius: (It's Galia and his men...)

Galia's Captain: Yurius? How did you get up here!

Yurius: It matters not. What are you doing so late into the night?

Galia's Captain: Heh. A criminal through and through!

Galia's Trooper: We know that you're threatening His Majesty and pulling the strings from behind!

Yurius: What?

Galia's Captain: It's no use pretending. You're trying to use His Majesty for your own gains just like Mallow, aren't you?

Galia's Trooper: Everyone is saying that His Highness Prince Victor should've been the one to ascend the throne.

Yurius: ...

Galia's Trooper: There can only be one reason to choose that stupid weakling of a king over a more worthy and superior heir like Prince Victor.

Yurius: There is no one who has studied our history and cares more about this country than His Majesty.

Yurius: I do not care for how you speak of me. But I will not allow you to mock His Majesty—

Tentacles: ...!

Yurius: ...?

At the nudge of his tentacle, Yurius returns to his senses.

Yurius: (I can't lose my temper and let myself go on a rampage again!)

Galia's Trooper: Nothing more to say, eh? Proof enough that you're the one controlling the king.

Galia's Captain: Murdering the previous king—your own father—wasn't enough for you, was it? I guess this kind of savagery is only to be expected from an unwanted child like you.

Yurius: (His unpleasant voice brings back memories I'd rather forget...)

A memory of when he first met Galia and his men during one of his excursions comes to Yurius's mind.

It was then that, upon losing his temper over the selfishness of Galia's captain, Yurius failed to hold back the power of the primal beast dwelling within him and unleashed its power.

Yurius: (Luckily, it was only heat waves that I let out back then. But in my current state, things may play out differently.)

Yurius: (Should I run? But having found out their identity, it would be wise to stop their signals immediately...)

Galia's Captain: What's your problem? Rare of you to stay so quiet.

Yurius: (Now's not the time to feel intimidated. For the sake of His Majesty, I must...)

Yurius: Destructio!

Tentacles: ...!

Galia's Captain: Get down!

Galia's Captain: Gwah!

Yurius: (Who's that? I couldn't sense his presence at all.)

Seox leaps out from his hiding place and swiftly knocks the two men unconscious. He grabs a nearby bucket and snuffs out the flame on the torch.

Seox: Will that do?

Yurius: Yes... Who are you?

Seox: Seox. I came with (Captain).

Yurius: Seox... Thank you. You saved me there.

Tentacles: ...!

Seox: ...!

Yurius: Apologies—they don't mean any harm. I'll retract them.

Yurius relaxes his body. The tentacles slide smoothly back into his body, shrinking until they are out of sight.

Seox: ...

Galia's Captain: Murdering the previous king—your own father—wasn't enough for you, was it? I guess this kind of savagery is only to be expected from an unwanted child like you.

Seox: (This man's... murdered someone before too?)

Yurius: I don't believe I've introduced myself yet. My name is Yurius, and I belong to the Sky Knights of—

Seox: An airship?

At the sound of propellers from above, the two look up to see a skyskimmer passing by.

Yurius: What is a skyskimmer doing in the middle of town at night?

Albert: This is bad, Yurius! That skyskimmer is sprinkling dark essence all over the district!

Yurius: What? Dark essence?

Albert: Yes, the ship's scattering it everywhere—onto the roofs of buildings, private properties... This is bad. Dark essence attracts monsters, right?

Albert: It'll be nearly impossible to clear it all out before an attack... If that's the case, the hot spring district is in danger!

Yurius: Ergh... How cowardly of them to destroy the very town that is supporting the development of our country...

Seox: You can leave the monsters to us.

Yurius: To you?

Seox: We are the crew known as the Eternals. We'll make sure not even a single monster gets into this town.

Without a moment's delay, Seox jumps over the railing of the roof and makes his way down from the balcony.