The two of us arrived at the hot spring beneath the party training hall. Though, calling it a hot spring was generous. The water here wasn’t natural spring water; it was simply heated water with a touch of sulfur fragrance added for atmosphere.

But really, who cares whether it is real or fake? I thought.

I sank into the steaming water, letting out a relaxed breath. The heat, just hot enough to sting slightly, soothed my muscles, and the faint sulfur scent tickled my nose. Since this spring was built underground, there was no scenic view here like the ones I had seen back in the Termal region; however, having a place like this inside the academy was luxurious enough.

Of course, something was far more luxurious than the hot spring itself. The sound of the door opening rang out, along with a voice that said, “I’m coming in.”

Hearing the splashing of soft footsteps, I turned my head with a gulp and witnessed a scenic view in front of me.

Professor Baldwin, wrapped in nothing but a towel, lightly shook a bottle of liquor in her hand. “Heh! I brought some alcohol. Care to drink?”

I was speechless. Her bare, porcelain shoulders were in plain view above the towel. Even through the thick fabric, the shape and weight of her breast were unmistakable. Her waist and legs were slim enough that one would never expect her to be carrying such a pair. And with her height towering over most men, the sight almost made me question whether I was looking at a person or a sculpted masterpiece carved by a master artisan.

Noticing my gaze, she smirked. “Hehe. Your eyes look awfully heated.”

She stepped into the water with careful movements, sending gentle ripples across the surface. “Phew! This is nice.”

“C-couldn’t agree more.”

She drifted closer, an amused smile tugging at her lips. “Seeing you so flustered is quite satisfying, Dale.”

Handing me a cup, she said, “Care for a drink?”

“Sure.”

I took the cup and downed it in one gulp. The sharp burn of alcohol heated my already warm head even more.

“What do you think of the party training hall?” she asked.

“It’s so good that I feel kind of awkward that it’s reserved just for our party.”

“That’s how important your role is to the academy. Take the compliment.”

“Important role, huh.”

Honestly, it still didn’t feel real. In my previous life, I wasn’t important; rather, I was treated like a troublemaker. And the situation was not much better even now.

I remembered the cadets whispering about me in the central plaza and let out a small laugh.

Professor Baldwin extended her cup toward me. “Well, people who don’t know you might think that way. But I know. You’ve already done so much, and you’ll do even more.”

We clinked our glasses, and a clear ringing echoed.

She continued, “Let’s be blunt. Haven’t you killed three Archbishops already?”

“Well... That’s right.”

The Archbishop of Dreams and Fantasies, the Archbishop of Desire, and the Archbishop of Beasts—half of the six Archbishops at the peak of the demons had died at my hands. Furthermore, all this happened within less than a year since my regression.

“You just haven’t publicized it. If word got out, you’d already be listed as one of the Masters.”

Indeed, killing half the Archbishops would easily qualify someone for that title.

“To recruit a hero like that with nothing but a training hall? The academy’s making a deal that’s overwhelmingly in its favor.”

“Haha! When you put it that way, I can’t disagree,” I replied.

I had never been treated this well in my life, so it still felt surreal. But if I looked logically, using one building to keep me as a “Special Operations Cadet” was indeed a bargain for the academy.

It was a win-win. With or without the title, I would’ve done the same work anyway, just with less support. And from the Hero Academy’s perspective, they got a highly capable problem-solver they could trust with solving their sensitive issues secretly. Both the academy and I had benefited.

Professor Baldwin leaned in so close that our shoulders touched. Warmth seeped through my skin, and a faint hint of her scent pierced through the sulfur.

She said, “One more thing. Since we’re both in special assigned roles, we’ll be together even more from now on.”

“But don’t our missions differ quite a bit?”

She winked. “That’s only on the surface. Plus, the mission is nothing more than a justification. What matters is that we now have the authority to act freely outside the academy’s usual regulations.”

She had a point; our roles did overlap often. We would definitely be working together more.

Suddenly, she looked at me with an unexpectedly anxious expression. “Or... Do you dislike being with me?”

It was a sharp contrast to her usual confidence. Seeing that side of her made me smile.

“Not at all.”

“Hehe. Good.” She stood, holding the towel at her chest. “Follow me.”

“Hm? You’re leaving already?”

“Of course not. Since we came to the hot spring together, I intend to wash you myself.”

“Ah! N-no, that’s really not necessary.”

With a stern expression, she grabbed my hand and tugged. “Shh. Just follow.”

I had no choice but to climb out and move to the washing area.

Professor Baldwin stepped behind me. “Sit. I’ll start with your hair.”

She squeezed a generous amount of shampoo into her hand and gently washed my hair. The soft touch on my scalp spread a relaxing warmth through my entire body, and a helpless groan escaped me.

“Does it feel good?” she asked.

“Yeah.”

Why was it that having someone else wash your hair felt so much better than doing it yourself? A simple, everyday action suddenly felt addictive. On top of that, the exquisite sensation pressing softly against my back, barely hidden by a single towel, sent shivers crawling up my spine and gnawing at my reason.

However, something felt off. In the midst of my struggle to keep control of my reason, a fleeting thought crossed my mind. Something definitely felt a little off about the sensation pressing against my back.

But Professor Baldwin’s voice quickly swept that doubt away. “Next, I’ll wash your body.”

She took a towel thick with suds and gently scrubbed me down. Her fingertips brushed across my skin.

“Hoo. Up close like this, you’re surprisingly muscular, Dale,” she muttered.

“Ahem.”

Her playful voice tickled my ear. “Hm? What’s wrong? Feeling shy?”

She shook with suppressed laughter, like teasing me was pure joy for her. “When I look at you like this, it’s hard for me to believe you’re actually older than me, you know.”

“Are you saying I’m unreliable?”

She pinched my cheek lightly, smiling. “No, I mean that you’re cute. Very, very cute.”

I didn’t know why, but even though I knew she meant no harm, something still stirred uncomfortably inside my chest.

Finally, she said, “All right, all done.”

I turned toward her with a grin. “No. We’re not done yet. It’s my turn now.”

“Oh? You want to wash me?”

“Yes.”

I wasn’t going to just sit here and get teased forever.

Professor Baldwin looked at me lazily, then slowly stood up. “Then I should take off the towel first.”

“A-ah, no! You don’t have to do that right now—”

Before I could finish, she loosened the towel wrapped around her body. As the cloth fell, something completely unexpected appeared before my eyes.

“Huh?”

Beneath the towel was a strapless black swimsuit.

“A swimsuit?” I muttered.

“Hahaha! Did you really think I walked in here naked with just a towel?”

No wonder something had felt slightly off earlier when her chest pressed against my back. She had been wearing a swimsuit under the towel the whole time.

She laughed, shoulders shaking at my stunned expression. “Hehe. Your reactions really are adorable, Dale. So? If you don’t like the swimsuit, how about taking it off yourself?”

“You want me to... take it off?”

“Yes.” She laced her fingers behind her head, striking a pose straight out of a swimsuit magazine, and said in a teasing voice, “It’s simple. There’s only a tie on the back. If you undo it, the swimsuit comes right off. Go on, untie it yourself.”

Her pose was downright provocative. I swallowed hard, hesitating over whether to actually fall for it.

However, Professor Baldwin lowered her arms and burst into laughter. “Pfft! I’m joking.”

“Joking?”

“Yes. With your personality, there’s no way you’d actually try to take it off—”

Without waiting for her to finish speaking, I took a step toward her.

“Hm?” she muttered.

I kept walking toward her without a word.

“W-why? Why are you looking at me like that? Your eyes are a little scary,” she said.

I continued keeping silent as I reached her.

“D-don’t come any closer! W-what do you think you’re doing?” she asked.

“What do you mean? You told me to take it off myself.”

The moment the swimsuit string came undone, she yelped, scrambling to cover her chest with both arms and jumping back. “Kyaaah!”

It was the first time I had ever heard that kind of scream from her.

She hurriedly said, “W-wait! It was, it was a joke! A joke!”

I narrowed my eyes at her. “A joke? You teased me all you wanted, and now you say it was a joke?”

“Ugh, I-I’m sorry. I went too far.”

She was trembling so pitifully that the sight almost broke my brain.

“Are you sure you’re not teasing me right now?” I asked.

“What?”

“The Professor Baldwin I know wouldn’t act like this.”

This was the same woman who never missed a chance for bold physical affection. Obviously, this had to be another part of her joke.

“I’m not falling for it this time,” I added.

She bit her lip, then threw a towel straight at my face. “What, w-what do you take me for? I do get embarrassed, you know!”

The moment I saw her bright red face, red as an apple, I realized something clearly. This wasn’t a joke. She was genuinely embarrassed.

“Ahh, so that’s it,” I muttered.

High offense but terrible defense, that was what this was.

I stared at her. “Don’t tell me... The reason you drank as soon as you got here was because of this? To hide your nerves?”

She didn’t say anything.

“I see. Today I’ve discovered a whole new side of you, Professor Baldwin.”

“Kugh!”

“That’s cute.”

“Dale, you dare...!” Biting her lip, she spun around and stormed toward the exit. “I-I’ll remember this humiliation forever!”

With the dramatic line of a defeated villain, she fled at top speed out of the hot spring. I finally burst out laughing as I watched her retreat.

That made me recall what I had once heard about spiders. While they looked like fearsome predators on the outside to many, in truth, spiders were timid and surprisingly cute creatures.