Alyse frowns disapprovingly.
'Why do the gods hate me?'
Alto, who just finished inquiring about any available jacuzzi, turns to face her and shrugs apologetically.
"Sorry, Alyse...it looks like they're all occupied at the moment. The jacuzzi are the only private spots here, and I don't think either of us wants to go into the communal section nude. If you really want to enjoy a hot soak, though, we can return to the mansion and you can make use of our large bath?" (Alto)
Alyse smiles nervously at Alto.
'Fuck! What am I supposed to say to that? No thanks, I was only interested when I thought you'd be joining me? Even I'm not that shameless!'
Just as she's preparing an excuse, an enthusiastic voice cuts off their conversation.
"Hey Alto, over here!" (Alara)
The two of them snap their gazes towards the sound, and Alyse quickly spots a familiar, silver-haired woman sticking her face out of one of the black-domed jacuzzi. She registers a hint of surprise on Alto's face.
"Alara? What are you doing here?" (Alto)
Alara coughs and briefly averts her eyes.
"Ehem...oh, me? Err, just performing a routine inspection of Eden's greatest natural resource. Never mind that, though – did you two want to try the hot springs? Why don't you just join me in this jacuzzi, and Alyse and I can do our meeting here!" (Alara)
Alto briefly raises her eyebrows at the comment before turning to Alyse with an inquisitive expression.
"Do you want to?" (Alto)
Alyse freezes.
On one hand, she can clearly see how small the jacuzzi is, and the thought of sharing it with Alto is beyond enticing. On the other hand...
Her eyes drift towards Alara, growing a bit colder in the process.
She doesn't have the best impression of Alara, and they've had their fair share of run-ins in the past. Though she can recognize that she's been...bristly, with others in recent centuries, she doesn't think her unpleasant feelings towards Alara are unfounded. In fact, she was initially inclined to like the former Princess.
It's important to remember that Alara's mother, Queen Elira, was her first crush...a woman whose beauty and poise she still finds peerlessly enchanting. Naturally, Alara took after her mother in the looks department, and when Alyse first met her, she couldn't help but develop some interest in the Princess. She even took it as far as some light flirting.
Unfortunately, Alara proved to be nothing like her mother, outside of her physical appearance. The Princess was prideful to a fault, elitist to the point of prejudice, and never missed an opportunity to make derogatory comments about others if she found them lacking compared to herself...which was most people. As the black sheep of the Egris family, and someone who deigned to show any interest in Alara, Alyse was not spared from the Princess's venomous personality. If anything, she might have butted heads with her more than most.
In short, she finds Alara insufferable. And while Alara certainly seemed a little bit more docile at the last nobles' meeting, Alyse still considers her the same person at her core.
Truthfully, she has no inclination to become Alara's personal guard, like Mizuki suggested. She was hoping there'd be some other job that'd catch her eye...something less annoying.
And now, while having to sit through a meeting alone with Alara was going to be bad enough, doing so in such an intimate setting only strikes her as a recipe for an especially unpleasant experience. She can only imagine all the comments Alara would make about her being a lesbian while they sit in a jacuzzi together naked.
Then again...
'Maybe it won't be any worse than a normal meeting later, when we're alone. Alto will be here as an emotional buffer...and eye candy...and maybe Alara will be more easygoing while soaking in a hot spring. Plus, we're both nobles now, so I don't have to be quite as tolerant of her if she's a bitch.'
Feeling a bit more relaxed by those thoughts, Alyse takes a deep breath and nods at Alto.
"Sure, let's join her." (Alyse)
Alto nods nonchalantly, oblivious to Alyse's inner thoughts, then turns back towards Alara.
"We'll be right over." (Alto)
Alara gives a small smile and nods, then her head disappears behind the jacuzzi's privacy barrier.
Alto quickly confirms with the staff, who were watching the exchange, then Alyse follows her to a small, wooden building nearby. According to the staff, her and Alto are supposed to quickly rinse off here and grab any towels they want before heading to the hot springs. To Alyse's great dismay, the building has small stalls to do this with some privacy, and by the time she sees Alto again, they're both wrapped in towels.
Soon after, the pair makes their way out of the building and over to Alara's jacuzzi. As they approach the edge of the privacy barrier, they hear Alara's chipper voice from inside the black, imposing dome.
"I'm on the opposite side. Step in whenever you're ready!" (Alara)
Alto nods and glances at Alyse.
"I'll go first. Just make sure you only take a small, careful step though the barrier – there's a slight drop. After your head has passed inside, you should be fine." (Alto)
Without another word, Alto steps into the jacuzzi, disappearing behind the privacy barrier. Alyse waits a few seconds, then follows her inside. When she passes through, the jacuzzi's contents suddenly becoming visible, she throws a curious glance behind her. However, she doesn't notice any signs of a barrier – it's as though there is nothing separating them from the outside world.
'Alto and the staff mentioned how this works but...how strange...'
Shaking her head in wonder, she returns her attention to the jacuzzi. She's disappointed but not surprised to see that Alto has already shed her towel – wrapping her hair into it – and is fully submerged in the water up to her neck. By contrast, and thanks to her taller stature, Alara is leaned against the back rest of the jacuzzi, one arm thrown over its side while the other nurses a cup of tea, such that the water line barely covers the bottom half of her chest.
Despite her better judgement, she can't help but run a cursory glance over Alara's body, trying not to let her gaze linger on the beads of water trickling down from her collarbone. Insufferable or not, Alyse can't deny that Alara is incredibly attractive. Her silvery hair and sharp facial features, her toned body but relatively ample breasts, her confident gaze and posture – Alyse's heart quickens at the sight of it all.
Tearing her gaze away, Alyse quickly strips off her own towel and begins sliding into the water. She makes sure to position herself apart from Alara, and relatively close to Alto. Being rather tall herself, her chest is barely covered by the water, and she doesn't bother tying up her hair with her towel like Alto.
As she settles into the water, she's surprised to see Alara studying her curiously, her expression one of mild surprise. Alyse raises an eyebrow, and Alara gives a small smile and waves dismissively.
"Don't mind me, Lady Alyse, I just didn't know you had such an enviable figure. I found myself pitying the men in your life." (Alara)
Alyse purses her lips, her eyes narrowing ever so slightly.
Though Alara's tone is friendly enough, and another person may have interpreted her comment as an attempt at flattery, to Alyse it sounds like the snide comments Alara has made in the past about her sexuality. She's also bothered by Alara's use of the honorific 'Lady', which she's rarely heard before, and only while Alara is mocking someone. But as she's preparing a quippy retort...
"I agree...your dedication to physical training is apparent. I'm somewhat jealous..." (Alto)
Alyse's words die on her lips as she casts a flustered gaze at Alto, who is just staring back at her nonchalantly, her eyes full of detached curiosity. She can tell that Alto's words were far from flirtatious, but...between how unabashedly she shared them, and the thought of Alto looking at her body positively, her face still heats up in embarrassment. She quickly averts her eyes.
"Oh, uhm...th-thanks..." (Alyse)
Not wanting to linger on the exchange, and potentially act more awkward, she quickly moves to change the subject. She directs a now less irritated look at Alara.
"Err, anyway...congratulations, Princess Alara. I've never seen a city become so populated so quickly. Eden seems just as impressive as I've heard from Cara and the people of Wellick. " (Alyse)
A beautiful, satisfied smile spreads across Alara's face, and her voice is prideful as she responds.
"Thanks, Lady Alyse! Obviously, Eden owes most of its success to Mizuki – people wouldn't even be able to get here without the train – but I'd like to think I've done a good job managing and improving the city. Honestly, I work harder now than I did as Princess, but I think I enjoy it more, too. Oh, that reminds me, just call me Alara – obviously I'm not a Princess anymore, and I don't see any reason for you to be so formal with me." (Alara)
Alyse's eyes nearly pop out of her head hearing Alara's response, and if she wasn't already sitting, she'd almost certainly have fallen on her ass.
She honestly didn't mean anything by calling Alara 'Princess', it's just that this is the first time she's directly addressed her in over a century. And before that, she spent the past two millennia referring to her as Princess, because Alara would lose her shit if she didn't. Which is why, even though she said it on accident, she's shocked that Alara didn't respond more aggressively to a reminder about her fall from grace.
'Come to think of it...giving others more credit than herself, unironically using my honorific, telling me to address her like we're friends...there's no way this is Alara Ophelle.'
After a couple moments of her silently staring at Alara like she's grown a third head, Alara gives her a puzzled expression.
"What?" (Alara)
The question snaps Alyse out of her stupor, and she quickly clears her throat.
"Ehem...err, nothing, sorry. So, I don't know how much you and Mizuki have talked about my presence here, but he mentioned that there might be a place for me in Eden. Can you tell me where my skills could be put to good use?" (Alyse)
Alara nods, taking a sip of her tea with a thoughtful expression.
"Well, Mizuki himself may have grander opportunities for you, but I can only speak for what Eden and I need. Of course, it's possible for you to take a job in Eden and still help Mizuki with other things, depending on specifics. Regardless, right now, Eden is actively recruiting train operators for the new northern and western railways, teachers for the local school, aides for the library that's about to open, and lots of guards to help with city security.
"As a noble with sword skills and abundant magic power, I'd say you're capable of performing any of those jobs. But I honestly consider you overqualified...it'd be a waste. However, as Mizuki may have mentioned, I'm currently looking for a personal guard of sorts, and I think you'd be a good fit for the job.
"Any chance you're interested?" (Alara)