Transmigrated to a Dark Fantasy World of SSS-Rank: King of the Void-Chapter 17: A Bath Under the Moonlight

He returned to camp pretending everything was fine. Though the uncomfortable expression on his face betrayed him, he sat down by the campfire. Keeping his distance from Ellegaard and Jeanne, he stared silently into the flames. The blonde soon approached him with a bowl full of soup and a piece of dry, hardened bread.

"If you don’t eat, you’ll stay that skinny forever," she said.

Mitsuki glanced at her chest unintentionally, then quickly lowered his gaze shyly as he accepted the food.

"Thanks."

"Enjoy."

As he brought the bread to his mouth, he stole a sideways glance at Ellegaard. Ever since what happened in the forest a few minutes ago, he hadn’t been able to stop paying attention to the elf.

A knot tightened in his throat every time he remembered that moment.

’I need to ask her what she saw. I’m sure she already knows where I come from, but that doesn’t seem to bother her. And if she doesn’t know, then she must’ve seen something else to not consider me a threat.’

There were many things he never wanted anyone to see. Even if they were buried in the past, that didn’t mean they weren’t still connected to his present.

Stirring the firewood with the tip of her sword, Jeanne said,

"We’ll be passing near the Lamos River tonight. We’ll take the chance to have a bath."

"Let the tick bathe first. I’m tired of smelling his blood all the time," Ellegaard said, making a disgusted face.

"Well, she’s right. You do smell like blood."

’It’s not like I hadn’t noticed before,’ Mitsuki thought as he finished the bread.

After drinking a glass of water, he replied,

"I know. I also want to try on the clothes I found in my Spatial Storage. I don’t want to keep looking like a zombie."

"Then it’s decided. Mitsuki goes first. Then Ellegaard and I. Aslan will go last."

’Aslan? Is that the old man’s name? First time I’ve heard it in days.’

"Do you agree?" Jeanne asked, looking at the coachman.

Aslan raised his thumb in approval without saying a word.

Bonk.

Suddenly, Ellegaard tapped the tip of her staff against Mitsuki’s head—but this time gently.

"If you’re done eating, it’s time to move. We can’t waste too much time resting."

Removing the staff from his head, Mitsuki sighed with a frown.

’I’m starting to think she’s the suspicious one.’

This had turned into a game of finding the killer—only without a killer.

Meanwhile, Jeanne extinguished the campfire and drank all the soup in her bowl in one gulp.

"I’m ready. Let’s go. Ah—and Mitsuki, hurry up or we’ll leave you behind."

"I’m on it," he said, imitating Jeanne and downing his soup in one go.

After that, the journey resumed.

The following hours were relatively calm. Ellegaard studied while reading a book, Jeanne slept, and old Aslan drove the carriage peacefully. Mitsuki watched them from the corner of his eye, the thorn of doubt still lodged in his brain. From time to time, he sat at the edge of the carriage to feel the wind brush against his face.

In those moments, he closed his eyes to relax.

’I’ve got so many things in my head that I didn’t even stop for a second to think about how fresh and good the forest air is. It’s been years since I traveled like this...’

After so many years locked in his room, this kind of thing felt strange.

"Hm?"

With Mitsuki sitting in front of her, Ellegaard glanced at him from the corner of her eye, momentarily looking away from her book. Her gaze was complicated, yet calm—like someone who expected a great deal from this young man.

***

Hours passed, night fell, and the group stopped where the road ended. Before them, the great Lamos River—about forty meters wide—stretched out between trees that dug their roots deep into its banks. 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

The waters were relatively calm, crystal clear, and mysterious. It wasn’t very deep either. If Mitsuki were to walk into the river, the water would reach slightly above his waist.

The camp was set up beside the road. With the carriage nearby, the campfire lit, and dinner boiling in the cauldron, everything was ready—except for one thing.

"Here. It’s a piece of soap. You’ll need it," Jeanne said.

Mitsuki accepted the bar of soap, which looked exactly like something from the medieval era.

’It looks like a brown rock, but it’ll be enough to clean myself.’

"If you need anything else, just shout and we’ll help."

"Okay... Thanks," Mitsuki said, slightly thoughtful at Jeanne’s unusually kind smile.

He didn’t want to be paranoid again, but unlike other times, this girl looked suspicious.

"You know where to go. Good luck."

With those final words, Mitsuki headed toward the side of the road, where the forest grew denser. He passed between shadowy trees and strange sounds that forced him to stay on guard, but eventually he reached his destination.

’She said they made a small lake around here. Considering how insanely powerful they are, I don’t doubt it.’

It was a lake of crystal-clear water, with a path connecting it to the river, surrounded by trees in a perfect circle. The soft moonlight struck the center of the clearing.

’This reminds me of a lot of similar scenes from certain eroges.’

Not wanting to waste the opportunity, he undressed, tossing his clothes aside, and approached the water, touching it with the tip of his toe.

’Come on, I’m not a cat. I can do this!’

He stepped forward, finally entering the lake. His slender, pale body—with that androgynous figure capable of causing misunderstandings—shivered violently.

’Damn it! It’s freezing!’

He grabbed the soap and brought it to his head.

’The faster I finish, the less I’ll freeze.’

He began bathing like any normal person. However, suddenly, someone spoke.

"Do you like the lake I made?"

The instant he heard the voice, Mitsuki submerged himself up to his neck and looked at the culprit.

’Jeanne?’

Crouching at the edge of the lake, the armored girl looked at him with a beautiful smile on her pink lips. The moonlight made her look like a true princess—but Mitsuki had no idea what the hell was going on.