“Ahh… this feels incredible…”
I had wasted no time heading straight for the inn’s hot spring.
Just as Yaiba had said, this was the men’s bath, and aside from me, there was no one else here. I sank deeper into the water and let out a slow breath, the tension draining from my body almost immediately.
Come to think of it, I realized I had never actually figured out whether Yaiba was male or female. Both their voice and appearance were strikingly androgynous, making it genuinely impossible to tell. In the end, I had assumed Yaiba was a man, but even now, I still wasn’t sure.
Well, it wasn’t really that important anyway. Whether someone was a man or a woman, the only thing that mattered when talking to them was not saying anything that made them uncomfortable. As long as I kept that in mind, there was nothing to worry about.
“Man… this really is nice…”
Just like I had been told, the water quality here was outstanding. My skin already felt smooth and silky, as if it were being gently polished with every passing second.
The scenery was just as impressive. At the Black-tailed Gull Inn, the jacuzzi had offered a sweeping view of the ocean, but this hot spring was built to overlook the mountains instead. I did not know much about this country’s climate, but the forested slopes were lush and vividly green, filling the view with a refreshing sense of life.
If this place had proper seasons like autumn and winter, then soaking while watching the leaves turn red or enjoying a snow-viewing bath would be unbeatable. Seriously, that would be paradise.
“I’m still not old enough to drink, so I can’t really do that,” I muttered to myself, sinking my shoulders deeper into the water. “But adults probably enjoy alcohol in situations like this.”
Of course, I had heard that drinking in the bath was dangerous, and even back on Earth, it had fallen out of fashion. Still, it was hard not to feel a little admiration for the idea.
“When all this is over, I should bring Dad here. Mom too. I want them to enjoy a place like this.”
I had been given the chance to spend time with my parents again in this other world. If I could, I wanted to show them even a little gratitude. I had hardly ever bathed together with my father before, and strangely enough, the thought of doing so now felt kind of nice.
“Though I guess this isn’t really a situation where I can relax that much…”
The truth was, enjoying myself too freely right now carried its own risks. Lady Muu possessed genuinely godlike power, and there were people out there who were after her because of it.
“Honestly… how tasteless.”
Compared to all that nonsense, quietly soaking in a bath like this was infinitely better. After hearing Lady Muu’s story, I could not help but think that power on the level of a god was nothing but trouble.
Of course, being able to do anything was impressive, but compared to that, I was far more drawn to the small, immediate happiness right in front of me. Well, that kind of happiness wasn’t exactly easy to come by either, but still, cherishing it suited my nature far better. I was a small-time guy at heart, after all.
As I soaked leisurely in the hot spring, a voice drifted over from the neighboring bath. In other words, the women’s side.
“Seiichi! Can you hear me?”
“Hm? Is that you, Saria?”
“Yeah! This hot spring on our side is really big! How’s it over there?”
“It’s big over here, too. And I’ve got it all to myself!”
“Oh, really? Then I’m coming over there!”
“Yeah, sure… Wait, hold on just a second! That’s not okay! This isn’t a mixed bath, you know?!”
“Huh? But we couldn’t bathe together at the Black-tailed Gull Inn either. I kinda want to bathe together this time.”
“Guh…”
W-What a terrifyingly tempting suggestion!
But this was not a mixed bath. It was clearly separated into men’s and women’s sides. Family baths or proper mixed baths were one thing, but breaking the inn’s rules was not acceptable.
This was where I had to be a man and clearly refuse her.
“N-No, no, no way, S-S-Saria!”
“You need to show a little more self-control!”
“I’m sorry?!”
Al’s sharp rebuke rang out from across the way. Yeah… I couldn’t argue with her. Given how sensitive that age was, I really had no excuse.
Somehow managing to survive Saria’s dangerously appealing proposal, I went back to enjoying the bath on my own. Then, from the women’s side, I heard voices filled with unmistakable cheer.
“Al, I’ll wash your back!”
“Huh? No, I’m fine—”
“Come on, come on!”
“Hey, hey… sheesh. Fine, then I’ll wash your back later too, Saria.”
“Yay!”
“Wow.”
“Huh? What’s going on? Origa-chan.”
“Altria-oneechan’s got a big chest.”
“Where are you looking?!”
“B-But, Altria-san’s chest is really big…”
“Oooh, totally! Al’s chest is amazinggg.”
“Wait… S-Saria?! Why are you grabbing…”
“Saria-oneechan’s also got big ones. Nice.”
“Really? Origa-chan will grow big too!”
“Can’t wait.”
“So, it’s… No! Stop it… Don’t grope my chest…”
“Eeeh? But it feels good.”
“But, but… Stop it…!”
“Speaking of which, Lulune-san’s chest is big too, right?”
“Yeah. She’s a glutton and yet so bold.”
“What?! What’s so good about that?”
“Bold.”
“Hey?! O-Origa! My chest… Wait!”
✦ ✦ ✦
