Summit at our Sacred Spa!

The dawn after the fait accompli smelled of cedar towels and impending politics.

Our Sacred Spa glittered like a festival ground. If the first interspecies peace conference in history was going to happen in my living room, I wanted it to be spotless.

“Are we sure this isn’t a trap?” Rin asked, smoothing her new diplomatic apron. “All the world leaders in one bath…”

“It is a trap,” Sharlotte said, powering on her halo. “For me. I’m about to nap through the loudest political meeting of all time.”

“It’s called hospitality. Besides, who the hell slaughters their hosts while wearing complimentary slippers?”

“Do you remember the order?” Rin murmured, finger still tracing hidden runes.

“I remember enough. If the Demon Lord wants to scam us and blow up this place, I’ll fold it into myself and absorb his Abilities. Either I steal his magic, or it shreds me.”

“High stakes. You do like a dramatic end. You always think of the most spectacular scenarios, don’t you? You’ve calculated every risk. Maybe that’s why our Spa is so successful.”

“We’ll do it clean. No careless slips.”

“So fragile. So stupidly brave. What a dangerous combination.” Her fingers brushed my Core. I wanted to reach for her hand. Instead, I watched her work as she made the talismans invisible along the rim. “I’m happy you didn’t lie, you know,” she said suddenly.

“About what?” I asked, though I knew.

“That you’re concerned.” She tapped the crystal between us. “Everyone’s afraid. Even Demon-kin bait like you.” Rin’s smile was complicated for a second: indulgent, sharp, and unexpectedly soft. “It’s good. I let you use me a lot, so I know you know how to use that caution too.”

The first horns belonged to the sea.

A tide of turquoise surged up the ravine as the Mermen delegation arrived, fins sparkling with salt quartzes. Their captain opened a scroll the size of a ship’s mast, hailing their Merman-Prime Minister. “The Abyssal Trident Council observes,” he intoned. “Neutral waters, neutral hearts.”

Seconds later, the Human convoy clattered in: King Gremy himself, crown catching the morning sun. Behind him marched a retinue of nobles already sweating through brocade coats.

Then the air chilled. Shadows folded like wings, and the Demon Lord strode from the forest path, black hair damp with dew, white horns gleaming like moonlight.

Then the sky parted. The Angels and Sky-kin hovered as observers and mediators from above.

For one perfect moment, the four powers, Sea, Land, Heaven, and Underworld, stared at each other across my steaming pools.

“Welcome! What are you waiting for, the 30-day log-in Gem bundle to activate?” I bubbled, letting a misty arc between them. “Please rinse before entering!”

Protocols dissolved faster than bath salts.

Mermen dove into the deep pool with practiced flips.

Human generals removed armor piece by piece, grumbling but secretly relieved.

The Demon Lord shrugged off a velvet cloak to reveal a perfectly ordinary linen towel slung over one shoulder. “It’s only a bath,” he said, lowering himself into the mineral springs. “And yet… I feel restless.”

King Gremy dipped a tentative foot, like a man gradually abandoning a lifelong grudge and turning a new leaf for the better. “The water is… acceptable.”

Steam rose. Conversations followed.

It was more intense than a local gacha summoning party on a new banner.

“There comes political challenges and philosophical challenges.” The Demon Lord held the largest aura of all of us. “The Dungeon Core says there’s going to be a peace treaty. But the Church split off, and the Supremacist Faction is certain to cause trouble. And on our side, these new changes have affected some of our diets. When interspecies violence arises, who shall take responsibility, and how shall the consequences be dished out? Who is going to police the judgment?”

I don’t care, I don’t care! You’re the twisted bureaucrats! I just want my body back! …Is what I wanted to shout. But I couldn’t throw it all away now. I restrained and pushed myself, seeing the finish line near.

Rin managed the paperwork while Sharlotte drifted on an oversized float, occasionally offering helpful insights to Heaven’s contributions.

I laid out the simple truth. “Your armies already drink together. Your merchants are already sharing routes. The war is over, whether you sign the parchment or not. The only question is whether you want to profit from the peace.”

The Demon Lord’s eyes glimmered like dark glass. “Profit, I understand. But power remains. Your Spa grows stronger each week. Some have claimed that you’re a city-state unto yourself.”

King Gremy nodded. “If this Sacred Spa were to turn hostile, it’d be troublesome for any throne to contain it.”

“Then make it impossible for me to turn hostile.” I reasoned. “Recognize our Spa as neutral ground, protected by all of you. No armies or claims. Just eternal open baths.”

The Mer-Prime Minister slapped his tail in support. “The tide agrees.”

King Gremy exhaled a sigh of relaxation as my waters began taking effect. “A treaty of hot springs. Stranger things have kept kingdoms alive.”

“Indeed. This one is by far the strangest. I see that your proposal requires me to grant you a Human body?” The Demon Lord leaned back, steam wreathing his horns. “One condition. If you regain it, you cease using your Abilities.”

“What?!” I finally crumbled. “I can’t accept that!! Our Spa is dependent on it!”

“Granted, you did fulfill all three Labors, but all I promised was a visit to this Spa. I never promised to give you a Human body back, and least of all, the right to retain your Abilities.”

“That… That’s…!”

“And you completely failed your first Labor! I only gave you the other two on a whim, and was surprised by your turnaround results!”

I thought the worst-case scenario would be not having my body back, not something like this!! This was so unfair!

“Such a foolish Dungeon Core. I am the great Lord of Darkness, sworn enemy of Mankind.”

“And sworn customer of our Sacred Spa now! Look, if the world’s greatest evil can sit in my springs without hurting anyone, then peace has already won, hasn’t it? I get that these things may take longer than a day. That's why we dream of tomorrow. Striving for a better world shouldn’t be looked down on. So, can’t we please compromise? Isn’t that why we’ve gathered?! How about I cease absorbing new Abilities?”

“That’s the bare minimum I’m willing to enforce, Dungeon Core.” King Gremy conveyed sternly in agreement with the Demon Lord. “We shall not watch a resurrected magus grow endlessly stronger.”

A low murmur rippled through the gathered factions.

It was a reasonable restriction, and we all knew it. But that didn’t mean I had to be content with it. I wanted as many Abilities as I could possibly get. New Abilities meant that our Spa’s expansions came more easily.

On the flip side, it wouldn’t be a complete shutdown of our Spa. It wasn’t retirement. Instead, it meant being stuck with the current massive arsenal of my Ability toolset. I had nearly all the Abilities I needed. And my gacha marketing genius and unholy charisma would remain.

Also, they didn’t know about the magic circle that was my guarantee.

I pushed back, bargaining to lock the agreement in place and not give any further ground. And soon, I glowed firm. “As long as you can promise that my Human body will have control over the Dungeon Core and retain all Abilities, I accept. If our Spa stays free, the peace holds, I’ll retire from Ability-absorbing once I’m in my Human body. Deal? Are we all in agreement?”

The Demon Lord extended a clawed hand, King Gremy a calloused one. With the sky and sea as witnesses, extremely powerful binding vows were made. Steam curled around their clasp, sealing the first four-realm accord in history.

Sharlotte winked in trust toward us. “See? Told you I could nap through diplomacy.”

Business concluded, the Demon Lord turned to me, shining his fangs. “Then it’s time. Three Labors complete. A bargain kept. Shall we attempt your resurrection, Core Kazuki?”

My crystal heart thrummed like a festival drum. “Yes,” I said, waters flowing with anticipation. “Let’s see your ultimate Ability!”

King Gremy raised his cup in salute. “May this bathhouse be the proof that peace is more intoxicating than war.”

Our Spa filled with cheers, splashes, and the quiet certainty that the world had just changed for interspecies recognition.