Chapter 87 Hotel Owner, Please Don't Be Like This

 Innkeeper, Don't Be Like That!

This open-air hot spring was of a very high standard and excellent quality, making it the best hot spring in Snow Village.

It was known for the unique spectacle of steam rising from the spring while snow lay outside.

The indigo door curtain was pulled aside, and from within the misty white vapor, a graceful and enchanting figure appeared vaguely.

Though her true face was obscured by the steam's outline, it sparked imagination and made her even more alluring.

Naruto's eyelids twitched, and he composed himself, saying, "This is a private spring. Please leave. I want to enjoy the hot spring alone."

"Heheheh—"

A series of pleasant, bell-like laughter echoed from the white mist.

Just her voice alone was like five soft fingers caressing the strings of one's heart.

"Little hero, why are you so distant and cold? I'm just here to help you scrub your back and bathe, to thank you for your contributions to our Hot Spring Snow Village."

The graceful and enchanting figure drew closer and closer, finally emerging from the white mist and arriving at the edge of the hot spring pool, which was made of natural rock.

"Innkeeper?!"

Naruto exclaimed in surprise.

Before him stood a charming young woman, dignified yet alluring, with golden hair styled in a 'dangerous' manner. Her voluptuous figure was wrapped in a pure white bath towel, one hand covering her ample bosom, and the other holding a basket.

She chuckled, covering her mouth.

She lifted a pale, plump leg, stepped into the hot spring, and walked towards Naruto, creating ripples in the water.

"Of course, it's me. Who else could it be besides me?"

The Innkeeper's voice was soft and enchanting.

Naruto looked up at the Innkeeper's head, remaining silent.

The Innkeeper said, "Don't be afraid, I won't eat you. I'm just here to scrub your back."

"At my age, I could be your mother, what are you thinking?"

The Innkeeper gently patted Naruto's shoulder, signaling him to turn around.

Naruto cooperatively turned around, resting his hands on the warm rocks, and asked casually, "Are you going to scrub my back?"

"Yes."

"Then could you also wash my hair?"

"Alright, alright, you're our hero of Snow Village. I'll agree to any request you have~"

The Innkeeper, whether intentionally or not, emphasized the words "any request" more than the others, seemingly hinting at something.

Naruto smiled, unconcerned.

The Innkeeper squeezed a shampoo-like liquid from her basket, rubbed it between her hands, and then began to massage Naruto's short golden hair.

Soon after.

Naruto's spiky hair became wet and covered in thick, white foam.

He was quite satisfied with the Innkeeper's hair-washing technique, and he narrowed his eyes.

"Innkeeper, your technique is really good. You could actually add a hair-washing service to the inn."

"Hahahaha, such sweet talk. But I am the Innkeeper, I wouldn't wash the hair of other smelly men; I only wash it for our little hero."

The Innkeeper massaged Naruto's hair and then rubbed his earlobes, making Naruto feel a little ticklish.

"Oh right, I heard a lot about your achievements at the banquet."

"Such as being a one-man army, fighting against a thousand, or just standing there and scaring off all the Goblins, and even being able to blow up a snow mountain!"

"Are these all true?"

The Innkeeper described it vividly, her tone filled with a girl-like admiration.

Naruto felt a bit inflated, chuckling twice, secretly pleased.

A man remains a youth until death.

Who doesn't enjoy this feeling of admiration, whether the other person is a young girl or a married woman.

"It's true."

"And—destroying a mountain is not my limit." Naruto boasted a little.

"!!"

Upon hearing this, the Innkeeper's hands, which were washing Naruto's hair, clearly stiffened and paused.

"Ha—hahahahah—"

"Is it that amazing?"

"Destroying a mountain is not your limit; this is not something an ordinary human can do."

"Even those few Gold-Grade Adventurers of the Adventurers' Guild can't do it."

"Little hero, could it be that you are the legendary hero, also the tenth hero recorded in history?"

"That's right, you've discovered me."

Naruto nodded.

Actually, the tenth hero of the Goblin Slayer World appears ten years later.

There is no hero in the current timeline.

The strongest combat power in the human faction are the several Gold-Grade Adventurers of the Adventurers' Guild.

"Heheheh, I didn't expect our little hero to truly be the legendary Hero-sama~"

"I feel greatly honored to be able to wash the hair of the legendary Hero-sama."

The Innkeeper's tone was filled with immense surprise and admiration.

She took a ladle from her basket, slowly pouring water to rinse Naruto's hair, her movements gentle and careful, serving him very attentively.

"Hmm, that's strange, little hero, Hero-sama, where is your holy sword? I don't see your holy sword?"

The Innkeeper began to scrub Naruto's back, asking with doubt.

"Holy sword..."

Naruto's mind was quick, and he immediately said, "Naturally, I've hidden it. The holy sword is my trump card against the Demon God King, it cannot be discovered and stolen by the Unprayed Ones."

"So that's how it is—"

The Innkeeper used a loofah-like scrubbing tool to wipe Naruto's back, asking, "Can you tell me~ I'm a bit curious, I might not be able to sleep tonight."

"No."

"It's a secret!"

Naruto refused without a second thought.

Are you kidding? He didn't have a holy sword at all.

The Innkeeper's expression stiffened, and her palm gently patted Naruto's back.

"Stingy man, I'm not scrubbing your back anymore."

"Really? That's a bit of a shame. You can go, I'll continue soaking."

Naruto yawned.

After soaking in the bath and having his back scrubbed, a wave of fatigue and drowsiness washed over him.

Seeing this, the Innkeeper gave an alluring smile and continued, "You little narrow-minded man, I was just joking."

"Don't move, your bath isn't finished yet."

The Innkeeper gently pushed Naruto's shoulder, making him lie down on the rocks by the pool, then rubbed Naruto's back with her hands, slowly moving towards the back of his head. Her fingernails also slowly grew longer and sharper.

"Oh, right, Innkeeper!"

Just as the Innkeeper was about to stab Naruto's head fiercely, intending to kill him, Naruto suddenly spoke, causing the Innkeeper to pause.

"Wh-what's wrong?"

The Innkeeper's originally charming face became distorted and terrifying, but her voice remained sweet and enchanting, and her hand still slowly moved towards the back of Naruto's head.

Naruto seemed oblivious, continuing to speak, "Have you heard of the Dark People?"

"Dark People!?"

The Innkeeper's spear-like, knife-like hand suddenly froze.

At this moment.

Naruto slowly turned around, and the Innkeeper quickly lowered her arm, her spike-like fingernails retracting.

"The Dark People, also known as Dark Elves, are like the Forest People, also part of the Elf race. However, the Dark People are the Unprayed Ones, and they claim to be the true Elves. They are often used as pawns by Chaos and operate in the shadows."

"They are skilled in stealth, assassination, disguise, sacrifice, and plotting various schemes."

Naruto said casually.

The Innkeeper gave an awkward laugh, her mouth twitching, and asked, "Why are you suddenly talking about these things?"

"Oh dear, my head feels a bit dizzy. I wonder if it's because I've been in the hot spring for too long."

"No, I need to go out and get some fresh air, take a break, and then I'll come back in and scrub your back properly. Maybe I can even wash other places too~"

The Innkeeper rubbed her temples with one hand, forced a smile at Naruto, and then slowly backed away, preparing to leave the hot spring pool.

"Wait a moment, Innkeeper, I haven't finished yet!"

Naruto stood up, picked up the bath towel folded nearby, wrapped it around himself, and said with a smile, "Do you know,

Witches possess a unique magic called [Appraisal], which can appraise items but not people."

"The Priestess who believes in the supreme god possesses a miracle called [Discernment], which can discern whether someone is lying but cannot appraise items."

"After the banquet, I found a staff member of the Adventurers' Guild in Snow Village and learned the [Discernment] miracle. Then I combined [Discernment] and [Appraisal]. Can you guess what amazing skill I obtained?"

The Innkeeper's heart raced, and she said with a dry laugh, "I—I'm just an ordinary Innkeeper, how would I... know about these things..."

"I'm going out first. Hero-sama, you can take your time soaking—"

A golden electric light flashed in Naruto's eyes as he looked at the top of the Innkeeper's head.

Above her head, a pop-up window appeared.

[Greaves]

[Race: Dark People]

"Greaves?"

The Innkeeper was struck by lightning, her body stiffened, and goosebumps instantly appeared all over her.

"How does he know my real name?"

A huge wave of shock surged in the Innkeeper's heart.

The next moment.

She no longer pretended. Her originally fair skin, white as snow, turned a color similar to brown earth, and the outline of her human ears gradually became pointed and long.

Dark People!

Or rather, Dark Elves.

The Innkeeper shrieked, turned around, and lunged at Naruto, claws bared.

With a "thump."

Large white waves splashed in the hot spring pool. When the water settled, the Innkeeper was already suppressed by two Shadow Clones, her hands and feet held down, unable to resist at all.

"Let me go, let me go, you despicable human!" The Innkeeper screamed and cursed desperately.

"Despicable?"

"Compared to your assassination, how am I despicable?"

Naruto came before the Innkeeper, casually took out a goblin dagger from his item bar, held it against the Innkeeper's neck, and asked coldly, "Speak, what is your purpose for lurking in Snow Village?"

"Hmph!"

The Innkeeper turned her head away, looking as if she would die before speaking.

"Oh? Stubborn, are we—"

"Let me guess. You, the Dark People, disguise yourselves as humans and lurk in the largest and most prosperous village in the Great Snow Mountain, nothing more than to collude with the Goblin King, treating humans as livestock for grazing and breeding, to facilitate the cultivation of the Goblin army, right?"

In the eyes of the Innkeeper, who had turned her head away, a look of shock appeared.

"On one hand, accumulating strength, and on the other hand, sacrificing humans, believing in the god of awareness, to gain the power and bestowals of the god of awareness, while also preparing for the resurrection of the Demon God King."

As Naruto further revealed, the shock in the Innkeeper's eyes turned into horror and confusion.

"You—how do you know?"

"I already said, I guessed."