Elysia blushed and covered her mouth deftly. She just moaned?
"Fufu, what a cute moan, Ely. I feel satisfied, thank you." Elena smiled teasingly.
"You are so naughty, please soak in serenity and help me to absorb magic energy for Rhea's recovery." Elysia grabbed Elena's arm and pulled the naughty girl to sit next to her. A favor was much appreciated more than mischief.
"O-oh, alright." Elena couldn't refuse when it was asked. Thus, she just soaked in the calm and assisted Elysia to help Rhea absorb the surrounding magic energy.
Meanwhile, Nell just took out a small wooden box and put it into the hot spring. She let the water in, then sat there and floated on the surface of the water. At first glance, it was like using the bathtub as a boat.
Due to her tiny size, she didn't want to drown in the hot spring, but she also wanted to relax without using magic.
What she had just seen made her think a little. Regarding Elena, who obeyed Elysia's request and instantly became a good girl.
Not far away, the beasts had just plunged themselves into the hot spring. Some of them chose to lean on the shore to relax, but one chose to swim to and fro.
"Wohoo! I can swim like a fish. Look at me and be surprised." Jimmy swam and leaped in the water like a dolphin.
"Grr, please, why can't you just relax and enjoy this moment even for a moment. Uoh, this is life, I just feel warm here and it's not bad." Zach opened his eyes slightly to peek at the silly black cat, then closed his eyes again.
"You can feel the warmth from the hot springs, father? Did you mention that you and Jimmy can't feel any pain in this temporary body?" Vanessa glanced sideways to ask.
"Yeah, somehow I can feel the warmth. Maybe it's because of the heat from this hot spring and this amazing energy seeping into my body all the way to my Energy Core." Zach leaned against the rock to enjoy the pleasures of life.
"Nee, father, may I know, what happened at that time? Aunt Leila forbade me to ask that before, but I want to know from you. Please tell me." Vanessa asked with a wish and pitiful gaze.
She got a worried look from Leila, but all eyes were on Zach the next moment. Jimmy was also intrigued and immediately stopped swimming just to get closer to listen.
"You want to know, or really want to know, my daughter? That might sound a little unkind for the children to hear." Zach opened one eye in slight surprise.
"Hum-hum!" Vanessa nodded repeatedly. Jimmy did the same.
"Well, if one thing you mean is the day of my death, then let me tell you. On that day, it was a scorching hot day in the high-level battle between my fire and that lion's fire. I was surrounded, the brave winged tigers were slaughtered one by one. After I slaughtered anyone. who was about to take my life, I ended up falling into a siege of six high-level fire lions, including that Ernest and his son." Zach looked up at the bluish ceiling that was glistening with the light of the aurora.
"Is it alright just to castrate and cripple them, father? I thought you would also pluck their wings and also pluck out their fangs of pride? Don't you hold a grudge against them?" Vanessa was a little confused by the relaxed tone of her father. Shouldn't it be filled with angry or emotional undertones?
"That's one of the worst punishments for a male beast. If something worse than death is put on the table, then I think that's enough. I'll give him some mercy as the strength of a Beast Emperor is still needed to take on a world-class battle in a few months away. I'll be waiting for him in the realm of the dead, keke..." Zach smiled widely and gave a rather sinister chuckle.
Then, he looked at his daughter with one eyebrow raised. "Wait a minute, why would you think I would do something like that? I gave that punishment not because of my vengeance, okay? But also for the winged tigers they ruthlessly slaughtered."
"Mm, I see, thanks for letting me know, father." Vanessa lowered her gaze slightly and nodded in understanding.
"Hmm... But, why is your Energy Core kept in the palace, father? What did the fire lions want to do with your Energy Core? Wait a minute, then, where is our mother's Energy Core?" Jimmy wondered and stroked his chin.
"My wife entrusted her Energy Core to me. Our cores have merged together and become one. One thing that I really regret is that I couldn't find my wife even though I've been exploring the realm of the dead for eleven years. I can only assume and hope that my wife have reincarnated and already have a better life." Zach heaved a sad sigh.
Then, he looked at his son. Maybe, he just needed to let his wife go and accept his turn to be reincarnated? With his son? Would he still have memories of his past life?
Zach shook his head at his ignorance of divine laws and knowledge. Perhaps, he could ask the Goddesses, but he knew that divine secrets would not be told to anyone, especially to the mortal and the weak.
"Then why did those fire lions keep your Energy Core, father? If it wasn't for the glorious Goddess, I believe we would have a hard time finding your Energy Core." Jimmy was still curious about the answer to his question.
"Who knows, why are you asking me? But, it's possible, that Ernest wanted to absorb the rest of my power because I am also the master of the fire element. However, fate said otherwise and it seems he failed." Zach snorted to insult the one fire lion in mind.
After that, he glanced at his daughter with some thoughts and ideas. He just smiled at that.
Vanessa and Jimmy didn't bring up the grim issue of past tragedies again. It was a massive relief to Theo and Leila.
For the next, they just enjoyed their time in the hot spring.
At that moment, a golden-eyed snow fox suddenly entered the cave. That fox had no difference from a small and cute fox in general other than the number of tails. This one had seven tails that seemed to dance and sway to the rhythm.
The fox's arrival was not noticed by anyone. The fox was also not aware of anything out of the ordinary. The little fox only knew that the cave was empty, and the hot springs were still exclusive to her and anyone with her permission.
By the time the fox entered the hot springs chamber, she didn't feel anything was wrong. She couldn't even see anyone because of the steam. The little fox jumped nimbly to get to the hot spring pool at the highest level without waiting for anything else.
Meanwhile, Elysia and the others were enjoying their time. Elysia asked Rhea several times in a certain period to make sure that all went well or not.
"It's fifteen minutes, Rhea. I saw the progress of your Energy Point, can you feel your improvement? It's pretty fast, about forty points per second. How are you feeling now? Do you feel better?" Elysia leaned against the rock and asked to be sure.
It was the third question asked, but Rhea smiled and nodded to answer with pleasure. "En, I can feel my improvement. This flow of energy makes me comfortable and a little sleepy. Fwaah..." Rhea yawned once again.
Elysia closed Rhea's mouth in reflex. "But don't fall asleep here for your own good. If you can't stand it anymore, we'll get out of the hot spring. Do you still want to continue?"
"En! Perhaps, I can continue for another hour or two at maximum." Rhea nodded in agreement while looking into Elysia's eyes.
"An hour or two..." Elysia muttered softly. She just hoped that her skin wouldn't wrinkle from soaking in the hot bath for that long. Also, she didn't want to faint from it either.
She was aware that her skin was already flushed red, like the blush on her face. It was happened because of her blood pressure. It might still be fine for a while, but what would happen in the next two hours?
Elysia glanced to the side. Elena was playing with Nell, or rather, treating Nell as a leisure pastime.
"Hora, hora, there's a wave coming crashing in. Our sailor is having a bit of trouble surviving the vast ocean." Elena made small waves to shake Nell's box ship.
"Hey, I was just relaxing." Nell gripped the wooden box so she wouldn't drown. She went up, down, and moved erratically because her wooden box followed the crashing waves.
"Whoo, one bigger wave is coming. The vast ocean is cruel enough for our little sailor. Can she survive in this ocean?" Elena smiled in amusement and moved her hands to make a more enormous wave.
*Splash*
The wave hit the wooden box, and Nell sank with it.
*Blup* *Blurp*
Air bubbles could be seen, and Elena immediately came to the aid of the drowning victim.
"Too bad, it's a good effort but the wave is too big for our sailor. She drowned helplessly." Elena put Nell back into the wooden box. She also didn't forget to put a tiny towel on Nell's head like Nell never drowned.