Reincarnated as a Princess's Pet: With Trash Stats, but SSS-Rank Skill-Chapter 60: Hot Springs with the Catgirl

The group crossed the inn’s door.

Tired.

No one spoke at first.

They just walked.

Heavy.

Max stretched his neck.

"...I need a bed."

Neros muttered,

"Me too."

Varis was hanging over his shoulder.

The dwarf barely had his eyes open.

Unconscious.

Moonlight yawned.

No shame at all.

"I’m going to sleep..."

She rubbed one eye.

"...a lot."

And without waiting for a response, she left.

Dragging her feet.

Sophie looked around.

Then at the succubus at the front desk.

"Excuse me."

The woman looked up.

Sophie crossed her arms.

"Is it true about the hot springs?"

The succubus smiled.

"Of course. We have the best in the kingdom."

She pointed toward the back.

"Open until midnight."

Sophie nodded.

Interested.

"Perfect."

Max wasn’t listening anymore.

He had already left.

Straight to his room.

Firm steps.

No energy for anything else.

He turned into the hallway.

Dark.

Silent.

Then—

He stopped.

Dorian’s door.

Open.

Lights off.

Max frowned.

"...Why did he leave it open?"

He stepped closer.

Pushed the door slightly.

Darkness.

"Dorian...?"

Silence.

Max sighed.

And reached out to close it.

But then—

Something.

On the floor.

His gaze dropped.

And froze.

Dorian.

Lying there.

Almost naked.

Barely covered by white sheets.

Marks.

Wounds on his back.

Broken bottles all around.

Glass.

Liquor.

A mess.

Max reacted instantly.

He dropped to his knees.

"Dorian!"

He shook him.

Nothing.

Checked his pulse.

Steady.

Breathing.

Max exhaled.

"...He’s alive."

He shook him again.

Harder.

"Wake up!"

Dorian opened his eyes.

Confused.

"...Mm?"

He blinked.

Then suddenly grabbed Max.

Hugged him.

"Max!"

Max tensed.

"What are you doing...?"

Dorian looked at him.

"What are you doing here?"

Max pulled away.

Annoyed.

"You were attacked."

Dorian stared for a second.

Then burst out laughing.

"Attacked?"

He stood up as best as he could.

"That’s nothing."

He extended his hand.

Grabbed his staff.

Soft light.

The wounds began to close.

Max frowned.

"...What do you mean nothing?"

He stood up.

"We need to find whoever—"

"It was the girls."

Silence.

Max blinked.

"...What?"

Dorian scratched his head.

Calm.

"They charge a lot."

He smiled.

"But it was worth it."

Max stared at him.

In disbelief.

Then got angry.

"You’re a pervert!"

He covered his face.

"I thought you were attacked."

Dorian laughed again.

Reached out.

Grabbed a half-full bottle.

Lifted it.

Drank it in one go.

Max shook his head.

"...At least get dressed."

Dorian sighed.

Satisfied.

"It was really worth it."

Brief silence.

Then he looked at him.

"Well?"

He rested his elbow on the bed.

"Did you talk to the smugglers?"

Max crossed his arms.

Still annoyed.

"Yes."

Dry.

"Tomorrow at noon."

Pause.

"At the tavern."

Dorian raised an eyebrow.

"Already?"

Max nodded.

"They’re going to sneak us into the castle."

He leaned against the wall.

Tired.

"The boss is a succubus."

Dorian smiled.

Interested.

Max continued.

"The tavern keeper’s wife."

Silence.

"She calls herself..."

He looked up.

"...The Ghost. Does it ring a bell?"

Dorian thought for a second.

Shook his head.

"No idea."

Max sighed.

"...It sounds familiar to me."

But he didn’t say more.

He turned.

Toward the door.

"I’m going to rest for a bit."

Dorian raised a hand.

"See you later."

Max didn’t reply.

He left.

The door closed.

Click.

Silence.

Dorian looked at the ceiling.

Smiled.

"...What a great day."

***

Max closed his room door.

Stood there for a second.

Looking at the bed.

"...Finally."

He dropped onto it.

The wood creaked like it would break.

The mattress didn’t.

Hard.

Very hard.

Max stayed still.

Looking at the ceiling.

Blink.

"...This is a rock."

He turned.

Tried another position.

Worse.

He sighed.

"I miss my bed..."

Closed his eyes.

"...giant..."

Pause.

"...soft..."

Another pause.

"...in the castle..."

Silence.

He tried to sleep.

Until—

Knock knock.

Max opened one eye.

Annoyed.

"..."

Knock knock.

He sat up.

"What?"

"It’s me."

Moon.

Max sighed.

Got up.

Opened the door.

Moonlight was there.

Energy restored.

As if she hadn’t been dying of sleep earlier.

"Do you want to go to the hot springs?"

She smiled.

"Sophie and Neros are already there."

Max hesitated for a second.

Looked at the bed.

Then at Moon.

"...Yeah."

He stretched a bit.

"I could use that."

Moon nodded.

"They say it’s fun."

Max raised an eyebrow.

"Fun?"

Moon shrugged.

"No idea."

She turned around.

"Let’s go."

Max closed the door.

And followed her.

Hallway.

Silence.

Until—

A door opened.

A succubus came out.

Fixing her hair.

Clothes messy.

Satisfied smile.

She closed the door behind her.

Varis’ room.

Max watched her leave.

Blink.

"...This group really doesn’t waste time."

Moon tilted her head.

"I didn’t understand. Did something happen to the dwarf?"

Max shook his head.

"Nothing, don’t worry."

They kept walking.

Crossed the inn.

Went out to the courtyard.

And there it was.

Steam.

Hot water.

Stone.

A calm atmosphere.

Relaxing.

Max stopped.

"...Oh."

Moon opened her eyes wide.

"It looks amazing!"

And then—

A voice.

"Hey!"

They both looked.

Neros.

In the water.

No helmet.

First time.

Cat ears.

Cut.

Scars on his face.

Old.

Deep.

But—

Smiling.

With excitement.

"Come on!"

He raised an arm.

"Get in!"

Max observed him.

Taking it all in.

Neros continued.

"I usually hate bathing."

He sank a bit into the water.

"But this place..."

He smiled.

"...is mandatory."

Moon leaned forward.

Curious.

"You’ll have to tell me how you got those scars later."

Neros laughed.

"Another campfire."

Max looked around.

"Sophie?"

He pointed at the water.

"Wasn’t she with you?"

Neros shook his head.

"She’s changing."

He pointed to a small room.

At the side of the courtyard.

"There."

Moon didn’t wait.

She jumped into the water.

With clothes.

Without thinking.

"It’s amazing!"

She sank up to her shoulders.

Happy.

Max looked at her.

"...I’m going to change into a swimsuit."

Neros nodded.

"Right for men."

He pointed.

"Left for women."

Max raised a hand.

"Thanks."

And walked.

Straight.

Confident.

Opened the door.

Went in.

Silence.

Light steam.

And then—

Sophie.

From behind.

Naked.

Cleaning herself.

Like a cat.

Licking her arm.

She turned.

Saw him.

Froze.

One second.

Then exploded.

"PERVERT!"

She grabbed a wooden stool.

Threw it.

Max reacted.

Duck.

The stool flew past him.

Hit the wall with a loud thud.

"Sorry!"

He raised his hands.

"I didn’t mean to!"

Sophie was red.

Up to her ears.

"Can’t you read the signs?!"

Max blinked.

Turned his head.

The door.

Carved in wood.

"Women’s room."

Silence.

"...Ah."

Pause.

"...Neros..."

He stepped back.

Opened the door.

"Sorry!"

Again.

And again.

"Sorry!"

He stepped out.

Closed it.

On the other side—

Laughter.

Neros.

Uncontrollable.

"Looks like I got it wrong."

Max looked at him.

Serious.

Very serious.

"...I see."

***

Neros kept laughing, holding his stomach.

"You walked right in without knocking!"

Max didn’t reply.

He covered his face.

"...I’m going to drown."

And without another word, he entered the water.

Suddenly.

Sank to the bottom.

Silence.

Bubbles.

Momentary darkness.

"..."

He stayed there for a few seconds.

Avoiding everything.

The embarrassment.

The looks.

Existence.

Above, Neros kept laughing.

Moon splashed around.

Hitting the water against the stones.

"Look at this!"

She splashed with both hands.

Light laughter.

Carefree.

Footsteps.

From the changing room.

Sophie came out.

Already in a swimsuit.

Wet hair.

Ears tense.

Her gaze... dangerous.

She walked.

Straight.

Without looking at anyone.

Sat at the edge.

Put one foot in.

Then the other.

And entered the water.

At the opposite end.

Far.

Very far.

Max came up right then.

Took a breath.

And saw her.

Awkward silence.

"...Sophie."

She didn’t respond.

Eyes forward.

Max swallowed.

"...Sorry."

Again.

Sophie turned her head slightly.

Looked at him.

Cold.

Annoyed.

And ignored him again.

Neros burst out laughing.

"Leave him."

He got comfortable in the water.

"He’s dyslexic."

Max looked at him.

"...I’m not—"

He sank again.

Disappeared.

Moon tilted her head.

"What’s dyslexic?"

Neros smiled.

"Someone who mixes things up and goes where they shouldn’t."

Moon nodded.

Convinced.

"Ah."

Max came back up.

Only his eyes above water.

Watching.

Sophie moved.

Came a bit closer.

Just enough to talk.

"...The only thing that matters..."

Her voice was lower.

Serious.

"...is that tomorrow we enter the castle."

Silence.

The mood shifted.

The relaxation... gone.

"...We’re going to rescue Abby."

Her fists clenched slightly under the water.

"...I hope it’s not too late."

Max looked at her.

This time, no jokes.

"We’ll find out tomorrow."

Pause.

"Either way..."

He sighed.

"...we also have to wait for Dante to show up."

Neros tilted his head.

Interested.

Max continued.

"To help Lamia."

Brief silence.

Neros smiled.

Relaxed.

"If things go wrong..."

He raised a hand.

"...I’ll cut the castle in half."

Moon’s eyes lit up.

"Yessss!"

She moved closer.

Excited.

"I want to see that!"

Max reacted instantly.

"No!"

He came out of the water completely.

"Don’t even think about it."

He looked at Neros.

Serious.

"We don’t want to start a war."

Pause.

"The king would kill us."

Silence.

The water kept moving.

But now there was tension.

Everything starts tomorrow.