"A bathhouse... and a feast? Is it the kind of feast I'm imagining?"
Following behind the maid, the members of the Assassination Society all wore strange expressions, though they suppressed their ominous thoughts.
While there were certainly some very terrible "bathhouses" in the Empire, it wasn't necessarily the case in the Northern Country. After all, the Assassins had done their homework on Cerydra's character.
Empress Cerydra didn't like those dirty things at all, which was why they accepted the invitation. Although they came as part of the Confederation, there were watchful eyes everywhere...
"Teacher, what are you looking at?"
Chelsea and Taeko were chatting in the back, while young Meela looked at her teacher, Barbara, who was walking in the front.
"...This place has changed; I don't even recognize it anymore."
Barbara's expression was very serious. Her gaze constantly scanned the surrounding walls, and the gravity in her expression alarmed Meela.
"When you were taken hostage last time, I and the other high-ranking members of the resistance came here, so I was somewhat familiar with the layout."
"But how long has it been? The changes here are so vast that I don't even remember it. It seems there are quite a few talented people in this cold North!"
"Eh, is that so..."
Meela narrowed her eyes slightly, then looked at the maid leading them to the bathhouse and trotted over to grab her arm.
"Beautiful big sister, I see this place is so magnificent, is it an ancient building with a long history?"
A skilled Assassin knows how to make full use of their advantages.
Meela had also learned many assassination techniques and naturally knew how to use her identity to inquire.
"A long history? Of course not. All of this was newly built by Her Majesty the Empress! Even the Cloud Stone Palace and the Golden Bathhouse are the same!"
Hearing Meela's question, the leading maid was puzzled at first, then displayed an expression of admiration.
Cloud Stone Palace?
Golden Bathhouse?
These two suddenly popped-up terms were clearly in Meela's intelligence blind spot, but since they were newly built, it was understandable that she didn't know them.
"Big sister, can you tell us what these two places are like?" Meela's expression was a bit embarrassed, looking like a shy little girl. "We were just invited to the bathhouse right after arriving, and we don't know the rules there. If we accidentally do something wrong, will we be punished?"
"Hmm... as long as you don't deliberately damage the surrounding environment, Her Majesty the Empress won't impose any punishment. But please pay close attention to a few points!"
Speaking of this, the maid's expression became somewhat serious.
"Although Her Majesty is noble, she hates those tedious formalities. Do not perform hand-kissing or foot-kissing etiquette, do not kneel or bow, and do not deliberately lower your head below Her Majesty's crown."
"Although some people once opposed these rules, they were severely taught a lesson by Her Majesty, and since then, no one has dared to oppose them."
"Other than these things, there doesn't seem to be anything else."
"Mm-hmm, thank you, big sister!"
After hearing these words, Meela showed a grateful smile while simultaneously using this information to analyze Cerydra.
Looking at it this way, Cerydra didn't seem to have changed much since she captured them?
That's really fortunate!
Meela had already prepared to use the Empire's set of etiquette; she hadn't expected Her Majesty to be so casual... She's unexpectedly a wise ruler!
Coupled with the scenery the Assassination Society members saw on the way to the Northern Country, many people had smiles on their faces, which showed that Cerydra was really working hard for everyone...
"If only our resistance could be like this too, sigh!"
Although Meela was young, she knew about the ugly things among adults. Whether it was the Empire or the resistance, this situation existed, and she had thought all adults were like that.
She didn't expect Cerydra not to be!
Er, that's not quite right either.
After all, Cerydra's petite appearance didn't look like that of a mature adult; even Meela was taller than her.
"We have arrived. This is the Cloud Stone Palace's Golden Bathhouse. Please enjoy your time!"
As the maid's footsteps stopped, the four arrived in front of a huge stone door, but strangely, the stone door did not open immediately.
Instead, the blue circle on the door began to rotate, and only after it turned gold did the door open...
What kind of door is this?
The Assassination Society members had only been away from the North for a while, yet such huge changes had occurred. If more time passed... would the Northern Territory Empire have to build a fortress in the sky?
Meela forcibly suppressed the thoughts deep in her heart, intending to calm her excited mood, but after the door opened, she ultimately couldn't suppress her surprised expression.
Is this the Golden Bathhouse?
The venue wasn't particularly large, but it could easily accommodate hundreds or even thousands of people. It was easy to see from one end to the other, and the route wasn't complicated.
The golden, translucent spring water flowed down from the high platform in the distance, emitting a very obvious heat. But this heat didn't make one feel hot and bothered; it only felt warm and comforting.
Just looking at the dazzling bathhouse and the people celebrating inside, Meela could feel her mind relaxing, not to mention the others.
However, although it was called a bathhouse... it was actually more similar to a swimming pool?
There were no overly revealing outfits; one could enter here to soak even while dressed modestly... It was at this moment that the thought of "joining the Northern Country" unexpectedly popped into Meela's mind.
But that was just a thought. After all, they had already joined the resistance, and under normal circumstances, it was impossible to join a second faction unless something happened to the resistance.
"Yo, you're here!"
Just as the four were stunned looking at the Golden Bathhouse, a blue figure walked over from the distance. Although her pace was slow, her speed was exceptionally fast.
"Lord Caesar has been waiting for a long time. The four from the resistance, come with me!"
Esdeath held a camera in her hand, her smile very dignified, but when she saw Meela, this kind smile seemed to crack slightly.
But for now, Her Majesty's order was more important.
They walked past the Golden Descendants warriors who were in the midst of merrymaking and arrived directly below the high platform they had seen earlier. Countless streams of golden water fell from high above, causing their bodies to glow with a dazzling light.
"So comfortable... How did the Northern Territory Empire find such a great hot spring?"
With no one else around, Meela became bold, but Esdeath's expression was slightly disdainful.
"There are no such great hot springs in nature, because they are made from Her Majesty's blood... Anyone who dares to pollute this hot spring is bound to be hunted down by all the Golden Descendantss."
"To defile the hot spring is to defile Her Highness Cerydra!"
------------------------
I've posted 70+ chapters in advance on Patreon.
Webnovel updates will still be daily, as usual.
It might not seem tempting right now but who knows what the future holds?
[email protected]/SolyuraMT
"And If you're enjoying it, drop a Power Stone for me!"