"A bathhouse... and they're holding a banquet? Is it the kind of banquet I'm imagining?"
Following behind the maid, the members of the Assassination Clan revealed strange expressions, though they managed to suppress their unsavory thoughts.
While The Empire definitely had those terrible kinds of "bathhouses," the Northern Country was a different story. After all, the Assassins had done their homework on Cerydra's character.
Empress Cerydra didn't like those filthy things at all, which was why they had accepted the invitation. Even though they came as allies, there were watchful eyes everywhere...
"Teacher, what are you looking at?"
Chelsea and Taeko were chatting in the back, while the young girl Merraid looked up at their Teacher, Barbara, who was walking at the forefront.
"...This place has changed. Even I don't recognize it anymore."
Barbara's expression was incredibly serious, her gaze constantly scanning the surrounding walls. The gravity in her eyes made Merraid tremble slightly.
"The last time you were held as hostages, I and the other higher-ups of the Revolutionary Army came here, so I was fairly familiar with the layout."
"But how long has it been? The changes here are so massive that I can't even remember the old layout. It seems there are quite a few capable people in this cold North!"
"Eh, so something like that happened..."
Merraid narrowed her eyes slightly. She then looked at the maid leading them to the bathhouse, jogging over to grab the woman's arm.
"Pretty big sister, I see this place is so magnificent. Is it an ancient building with a long history?"
A formidable Assassin knows how to fully utilize their advantages.
Merraid had also learned many assassination techniques, so she naturally knew how to use her appearance and status to fish for information.
"A long history? Of course not. These were all newly built by the orders of Her Majesty the Empress! Even the Marmoreal Palace and the Golden Bathhouse are the same!"
Hearing Merraid's question, the guide maid was confused for a moment before her face shifted into a look of pure adoration.
Marmoreal Palace
Golden Bathhouse?
These two suddenly-dropped proper nouns clearly hit Merraid's intelligence blind spot. However, since they were newly built, it was excusable that she didn't know about them.
"Big sister, could you tell us what these two places are like?" Merraid's expression was a little embarrassed, making her look like a shy little girl. "We were invited to the bathhouse right after arriving, and we don't really know the rules here. If we accidentally do something wrong, will we be punished?"
"Hmm... as long as you don't intentionally damage the surroundings, Her Majesty the Empress won't hand down any punishment. But please pay close attention to a few things!"
At this point, the maid's expression turned somewhat serious.
"Although Her Majesty the Empress is noble, she despises excessive red tape. Absolutely do not perform hand-kissing or foot-kissing etiquette, do not kneel and bow, and above all, do not deliberately lower your head beneath Her Majesty's crown."
"Although someone once objected to this lack of etiquette, they were severely taught a lesson by Her Majesty, and after that, no one dared to object."
"Other than those things, there doesn't seem to be anything else."
"Mhm, thank you so much, big sister!"
After hearing this, Merraid showed a grateful smile while simultaneously using the intel to analyze Cerydra.
Looking at it this way, Cerydra didn't seem to have changed much since the time she captured them?
What a stroke of luck!
Merraid had already been prepared to use The Empire's strict set of etiquette. She didn't expect Her Majesty the Empress to be so casual... Surprisingly, she was a wise ruler!
Coupled with the scenery the Assassination Clan members had seen on the roads of the Northern Country, with smiles hanging on so many people's faces, it was evident that Cerydra was truly working hard for everyone...
If only it were like this inside the Revolutionary Army, sigh!
Although Merraid was young, she knew about the ugly deeds of adults. This was the case in both The Empire and the Revolutionary Army; she used to think all adults were just like that.
To think Cerydra actually wasn't?
Uh, putting it that way wasn't quite right either.
After all, Cerydra's petite appearance didn't look like a mature adult at all. Even Merraid was taller than her.
"We've arrived. This is the Golden Bathhouse of the Marmoreal Palace. Please enjoy a joyous time!"
As the maid's footsteps stopped, the four arrived before a giant stone door. Curiously, the stone door didn't open immediately.
Instead, a blue circle on the door began to spin, only sliding open after it finally turned golden...
What kind of door was this?
The Assassination Clan had only been away from the North for a short while, yet such massive changes had taken place here. Give it a bit more time... would the Northern Empire build a fortress in the sky?
Merraid forcibly suppressed her inner thoughts, intending to calm her racing heart. But when the large doors opened, she ultimately couldn't hold back her astonished expression.
This was the Golden Bathhouse?
The venue wasn't exceptionally huge, but accommodating hundreds or even a thousand people would be no problem at all. Moreover, one could see the end at a glance; the layout wasn't complicated.
Translucent spring water, gleaming like liquid gold, flowed down from a high platform in the distance, emitting obvious steam. But this heat didn't make one feel stifled; it only felt warm and soothing.
Just looking at the dazzling bathhouse and the people celebrating within it, Merraid could feel her mind relaxing, let alone the others.
However, although it was called a bathhouse... wasn't it actually more like a swimming pool?
There was no overly revealing attire; even those dressed more modestly could enter for a soak... And in this exact moment, an unexpected thought actually popped into Merraid's mind: Joining the Northern Country.
But she could only think about it. After all, they had already joined the Revolutionary Army. Under normal circumstances, it was impossible to join a second faction unless something happened to the Revolutionary Army.
"Yo, you're here!"
While the four of them were staring blankly at the Golden Bathhouse, a blue figure approached from a distance. Although her steps were slow, her speed was unnervingly fast.
"Lady Imperator has been waiting for quite some time. You four from the Revolutionary Army, come with me!"
Esdeath held a Camera in her hand, the smile on her face incredibly elegant. But upon seeing Merraid, a slight crack seemed to appear in that amiable smile.
However, right now, Her Majesty the Empress's orders were more important.
The group walked past the joyous Chrysos Heir warriors and arrived directly beneath the high platform they had seen earlier. Countless streams of golden water fell from above, casting a dazzling glow over their bodies.
"So comfortable... How did the Northern Empire find such an amazing hot spring?"
With no one else nearby, Merraid grew bolder and asked aloud, but Esdeath's expression showed a hint of disdain.
"There are no hot springs this wonderful in nature, because this is created from Her Majesty the Empress's blood... Anyone who dares pollute this spring will inevitably be hunted down by all the Chrysos Heirs."
"To defile the hot spring is to defile Lady Cerydra's blood!"