Chapter 219: Hot Springs, an article of supreme bliss

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We have an actual hot spring chapter!!! :OOO!

One large hot spring resort.

This is a demonic mountain, try visiting it once~.

No wait, that’s not it.

I accidentally escaped reality.

“This is way too amazing. What’s with this hyper compilation of outdoor hot springs?” (Makoto)

I arrived at the demonic mountain via Asora’s Mist gate.

And what I saw there, was a giant hot spring resort like the ones unfolding at towns in development.

A big gate demarcated the inside and the outside, and at that other side, there’s a rampaging blizzard that whites-out the landscape.

What an unrealistic place.

Even if I were to walk around lightly dressed, the temperature is adjusted to one similar to an open air bath which is not a problem.

There was no wind, and snow was falling quiet and moderately, giving it a sense of elegance.

“This is impressive. As expected of Tomoe-dono.”

Shiki is also moved.

The spectacle of this many baths of different varieties lined up was kind of…worth seeing, so it is the obvious reaction.

There were things like rock based baths, footbaths, *Goemon baths*.

I feel like it is on a level I haven’t seen even in j.a.pan.

The most I have seen of a view like this, is in TV.

“Right, right?! This is a prided work of mine you know! I name it Oedo hot sprin—” (Tomoe)

“Well, the name is rejected, so…how about leaving it as Demonic Mountain’s hot-spring village for now? Yeah.” (Makoto)

“There’s no mention of Edo in it, Waka!” (Tomoe)

“If it’s hot springs with names related to Edo, you can leave that to when they are created in Asora. The experience of creating something like this will definitely prove useful at that time after all.” (Makoto)

“Mu-muuu. Since it is our long-awaited hot springs, it is certainly true that there’s nothing better than having Waka name it himself, but…Fumu, let’s leave the Edo name for the Asora hot spring. That’s an option as well.” (Tomoe)

The characteristic smell of sulfur drifts about in the whole hot spring.

And within that, there’s also a nice scent of Hinoki cypress.

I heard that aside from rock baths, there’s also baths made from things like cypress and wood, so I am actually looking forward to it.

Tomoe who had joined the conversation between Shiki and I, was already wearing a yukata.

There was no need to say it, but it was clear from her smiling face that she felt proud of how it turned out.

“Now then…let’s enter. It seems like if we don’t enter first, the others can’t join.” (Makoto)

It seems like it is necessary for me to be the first one in using it, so no one has used this place yet.

The plan was to finish it in two days, and in that time, Tomoe and Mio realized most of the functions of the hot springs and made it possible to bathe in it, but in the end, the motivation of Tomoe and the Dwarfs involved in this exploded, and the plan of improving the hot springs began. A work that took three more days had taken place.

And so, it has come to this day.

The plan of drawing the hot springs to Kaleneon is also progressing smoothly, but in those three days, the only thing that sped up was the hot springs, and the plumbing part had advanced at a regular pace.

I heard that the work will take from 3 weeks to a month, and the work will advance by shifts.

In the rotation of the security, there were unexpectedly a lot of shifts with Neptunes and Levi.

Maybe it was quite a shock for Levi that she was unable to come with me and Serwhale-san.

“Well then, the changing room is over there.” (Tomoe)

At the place that Tomoe pointed out, there’s a building for changing.

Mixed bath huh.

Well, Shiki is also coming along, so no choice but to prepare myself huh.

“Understood. Then Shiki, let’s go!” (Makoto)

“Waka-sama?!”

“Buh!! Mio?!!” (Makoto)

For some reason, in the changing room, there’s Mio who only has a towel equipped!

Yukata!

What happened to her yukata?!

“You haven’t changed yet? Shiki neither? You can just undress here.” (Mio)

“No well, that’s a bit…I will change quickly so…” (Shiki)

“M-Mio, you had a y-yukata, right? Where is it?” (Makoto)

“Don’t need it. It is troublesome to put it on since I will be taking it off anyways, so I settled it by only using the towel.” (Mio)

Don’t need it? Wait a sec there lady.

There’s a limit to being straight.

“A-At least wrap it around. You are only covering it with your arm.” (Makoto)

I could see exposed parts from the glimpses I could get.

It was truly an excuse of a towel.

What a high destructive power -no, what a lack of defensive stat.

“…But isn’t it manners to not bring towels and hand towels inside the hot springs? I heard that from Tomoe-san.” (Mio)

“Umu! Mio, that’s the right way.” (Tomoe)

What a thing.

It has become a top priority to eliminate this troublesome misunderstanding.

If this continues, it might turn into a situation where the men came in with only a leaf covering them.

In a place like this, and a mixed bath on top of that, I feel like it would be better if men and women were to enter in swimsuits.

“Right? I have learned from the hot springs. Now then, Waka-sama. Let’s hurry.” (Mio)

“Ah, yeah…” (Makoto)

This is bad.

I felt like Tomoe with a yukata was pretty defenseless, but Mio has already surpa.s.sed the terrain of defenselessness.

Doing something like this with that figure and looks, I honestly am troubled in where to place my eyes.

Maybe I should just go blindfolded.

It wouldn’t trouble me since I have [Sakai] after all.

Things like chilling after taking a bath or getting dizzy for overstaying in it, honestly, I don’t have the confidence of avoiding those.

While thinking that, I enter the pretty big changing room with Shiki.

“This is also…quite wide.” (Makoto)

“I heard that it was made like this so that even the Highland Orcs and the Neptunes don’t find it inconvenient. But it is indeed wide.” (Shiki)

The ceiling is also incredibly high. So s.p.a.cious.

Right as I entered, there was a bucket that was letting out cold at my left side for some reason. When I peek to see what it is, there were a lot of bottles with yellow liquid inside.

…Fruit milk!

I don’t understand.

I seriously don’t understand what period of time Tomoe was aiming for when she made these facilities.

At the very least, it is certain that it is not only aimed at the Edo hot springs.

Aside from it being a mixed bath, where else is it Edo-like?

No well, with only this wideness, I can feel it is old-style though.

“Well, let’s find a free place anywhere.” (Makoto)

A place around the entrance would be easier.

“No, Waka-sama. That.” (Shiki)

“Hm?” (Makoto)

I use my eyes to follow the place where Shiki points at.

…

Hey hey.

“There a sign that says Waka and Shiki… Are they telling us to use those?” (Makoto)

“Must be. Let’s go.” (Shiki)

Why do they have to divide the changing rooms too?

While having a wry smile, I approach the place with the sign and take off my coat.

When I loosen my belt and enter inside…

“So when inside, it is divided again between Shiki and I huh. Seriously, what a strange set up. With how things are here, could it be that Tomoe and Mio also have their own private rooms in the changing room?” (Makoto)

“Anyways, let’s change fast. It is heartrending to have those two wait in that appearance after all.” (Shiki)

“Got it.” (Makoto)

Shiki and I separate.

Even so, I was amazed while my lower half was nude.

Instead of calling it a changing room, it was literally a room.

The air conditioning was managed in a better way than the outside, and it was luxury itself.

There’s even a table, bed, and sofa.

There’s several types of drinks placed there.

This is kind of impressive.

With this much s.p.a.ce, forget about changing room, I could even live here.

Men don’t take much time in changing, so I obviously finished preparing without taking much time.

The only thing I needed to do was take off my clothes and wrap a towel around after all.

I place an extra towel on my shoulder and exit the room.

“Shiki, you okay there?” (Makoto)

I tried calling Shiki who was still not here.

“Yes, I am back.” (Shiki)

“…Shiki, what is that?” (Makoto)

“What do you mean? Is there anything strange?” (Shiki)

The towel that was supposed to be wrapped around his waist, was being used to wrap his long hair up.

It was like a model in a shampoo commercial.

And his lower half was completely exposed.

How shameless.

“…Bring another towel and wrap it around your waist.” (Makoto)

“Oh~, I thought the towels were to avoid having the hair inside the hot springs. So wrapping it around your waist is also the hot spring style huh. Well then…” (Shiki)

I see.

I didn’t need to worry about letting my hair inside the bath since I have never had my hair so long, so I didn’t notice.

I think that the consideration of Shiki was not wrong.

And since we are within family, there’s not really any need to hide the bottom…

But there’s no problem in having it on, right?

No matter the case, embarra.s.sing things will stay embarra.s.sing.

I leave outside with Shiki who had returned.

We regrouped with Tomoe and Mio who were waiting in the same place.

“Sorry for the wait.” (Makoto)

“Waka-sama, the first one should be the cypress bath, right? Waka-sama, you said before that you liked baths with the smell of cypress after all.” (Mio)

“Right. If there’s a cypress bath, I would like to try it first.” (Makoto)

“Then it is over here!” (Tomoe)

It still hasn’t begun, and yet, I was already having troubles with where to look.

My first experience of a hot spring in a parallel world has begun.

◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆

“This is splendid. It feels like the exhaustion in my body and mind are melting inside the hot water; and in exchange, a gentle sensation enters to replace it~. It is truly~~ nice.” (Shiki)

Shiki was submerged to his neck in the water and was enjoying the hot spring.

His eyes were relaxed and his mouth was bringing out a natural smile.

He was stretching his body and looked like he was truly feeling good.

Not too hot, and not too lukewarm.

Maybe it is around 40°?

“Healing exhaustion, works for stiff shoulders, and it also blows away stress. It is truly the bath that promotes good health-ja na!” (Tomoe)

“I thought that it was simply bathing in hot water, but to think it was like this. I tip my hat, Tomoe-dono. This tree, it is called a hinoki cypress, right? This is also nice. A truly relaxing scent.” (Shiki)

“Umu! I heard about this from Waka, but after actually placing it at a hot spring and entering it, I can really tell the good in it. The flaw is that it slips easy when wet, but I also dealt with it properly.” (Tomoe)

Tomoe responds to Shiki with full confidence as she enjoys the bath.

It is certainly true that the Hinoki bath is nice.

It was such a nice thing huh. Once again I feel this way.

I was actually worried about the footing being slippery, but it seems that was unnecessary worry.

Maybe the inside of the hot spring has something done to it as well, there’s practically no rough sensation at all and was simply comfortable.

“…”

Just that…

Having Tomoe and Mio at both of my sides is pretty uncomfortable.

What’s personal s.p.a.ce? That’s how close those two are.

Shiki is right in front of me in true bliss.

And Tomoe and Mio were laid-back at both of my sides.

Honestly, even trying to move is making me nervous.

There’s a lot of things I want to say, but it doesn’t turn into words properly.

“…The hot spring here is truly transparent.” (Makoto)

When speaking of hot springs, there’s quite a lot of them that have color.

When I dug it up, I didn’t confirm it that much, but this one seems to be transparent and colorless.

“No, it is slightly milky white, but it is a weak color that only shows a bit. In the other places with standing hot springs, there’s some with a bit more color you know.” (Tomoe)

Tomoe answered me.

I have not heard of standing hot springs though…it is probably a bath you have to enter while standing.

Maybe it is like a deep pool?

“I see.” (Makoto)

“Waka, a lot has happened in these two years, but times like this where we just pa.s.s it in a relaxed manner…are truly blissful huh.” (Tomoe)

With a gentle smile and kind eyes that are normally not seen on her, Tomoe says this.

When I hear other people say two years, it feels like a long time, but when I look back at it, it feels incredibly short.

“Yeah. These kind of days are not bad every once in awhile. Thanks for everything, Tomoe, Shiki, Mio.” (Makoto)

“What are you saying? I stated that I was happy. That’s why there’s no need to say thanks, Waka.” (Tomoe)

Being looked straight into my face is, as expected, embarra.s.sing.

It is a distance where our skin touches after all.

Also…it is floating.

I obviously have not entered with my older and younger sister after they matured, so I didn’t know but…

b.r.e.a.s.t.s float when they are big huh…

I could feel blood rushing up my head.

It is no use trying to move, so it is probably a sealed deal that I will end up dizzy.

“That’s right. We are the ones who want to tell you our grat.i.tude all the time. Since the time I met Waka-sama, I have come across many hard to get experiences. Delicious things, fun moments; everything. That’s why, please let me be the one saying: thank you very much, Waka-sama.” (Mio)

The head of Mio was placed on my shoulder.

By the way, I thought that I would get dizzy quicker if I were to submerge till my neck, so I wasn’t that deep in.

The shoulder that was outside the hot spring water had Mio’s head on.

Ooooh.

At this rate, it will be terrible in a lot of ways!

“Y-Yeah. Well then, I will go wash my hair. I forgot to wash it after all. Take your time you two…” (Makoto)

“Then maybe I should wash your back again. As a follower of yours, please let me do so.” (Tomoe)

“T-Then! I will clean your front!” (Mio)

Using my last card I left to escape, I somehow manage to stand up.

But Tomoe and Mio didn’t spare any room for me.

Tomoe played the card of washing my back.

Nothing worked on Mio to begin with.

What are you talking about the front?

“Ah.”

The figure of Mio holding her towel as she leaves the hot spring was projected in my eyes.

I unconsciously let out a dumbfounded voice.

Because I was. .h.i.t directly by it, it can’t be helped.

The body of Mio that was wet by the hot spring water…

There’s no day where I have cursed my eyesight -that had recovered when I arrived in this parallel world- as much as today.

Thinking this was bad, my retreating back felt a soft sensation.

“Are you okay, Waka?”

It was Tomoe.

Ah, I can’t anymore…

“…Fuh…”

A mysterious weak voice that even I haven’t let out before, was now released.

Strength left my whole body, and at the same time, my consciousness flew somewhere far away.

Shiki, why are you able to enjoy the bath normally?

◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆

“It seems we went too far messing around with him huh. Fufu, what an innocent one-ja.” (Tomoe)

“…I was not messing around at all though. I really had a lot of fun-desu.” (Mio)

“Right. I also had fun-ja. Everything I told Waka was the truth after all. The messing around was only on the part about washing his back-ja. But Mio, it is slightly surprising that there was no wickedness when you said you would be cleaning his front-ja zo.” (Tomoe)

“Uh…that’s because…” (Mio)

“However, I didn’t think Waka-sama was so conscious about the mixed bath. Isn’t it the normal custom in that other world?” (Shiki)

Shiki shifts for Mio who was stuck in her words, and asked Tomoe.

“…In an era long before Waka was born, that is. It seems like men and women don’t really bath together much in hot springs-ja.” (Tomoe)

“I see… But even so, it was unexpected for me. Seeing Waka-sama in such a state.” (Shiki)

In a room called private changing room, there were three followers surrounding Makoto who is sleeping on a bed with a red face.

But it was not really surrounding, as Mio was sitting on a seat beside the bed and fanning Makoto.

Tomoe and Shiki were standing at the sides of Mio and talking.

“Hoh~, why do you think that, Shiki?” (Tomoe)

“…If Waka-sama really sees us as comrades and family like he always says, he wouldn’t get so agitated, and wouldn’t get dizzy in this manner.” (Shiki)

“…Fumu.” (Tomoe)

“Of course, there’s no lies in Waka-sama’s words. Just that, regarding Tomoe-dono and Mio-dono, Waka-sama is…” (Shiki)

Shiki stopped his words there.

He was troubled in whether he should say it or not.

“What is it, Shiki? If you are going to say something, say it till the end. That would just leave a bad aftertaste-desu wa.” (Mio)

“Yeah, you are right.” (Shiki)

Maybe he resolved himself with Mio’s words, Shiki nods.

“Waka-sama is probably properly looking at Tomoe-dono and Mio-dono as members of the opposite s.e.x. That’s how I thought.” (Shiki)

“…Hoh.” (Tomoe)

“…Eh?” (Mio)

“The view of being a family is deep, but at the same time, the fact that you are from the opposite s.e.x as well. Waka-sama was probably pretty bewildered there.” (Shiki)

Shiki makes a wry smile.

A perception that shouldn’t be able to coexist existed in him. Just imagining it was troublesome, and when thinking of Makoto, Shiki could only make a wry smile.

“If that’s true, that’s something to be happy about-ja na.” (Tomoe)

“Waka-sama is…at me?” (Mio)

On the other hand, the two who heard of the hypothesis of Shiki, showed a reaction of their own.

Tomoe was aloof, Mio was bright red and muttering.

“Now then, when Waka wakes up, please tell him this, Mio. ‘I will go open the hot springs for the other people to use’. There’s a lot of people that are waiting expectantly for it after all. If it is a popular one, a free pa.s.s for a year will cost two Ryo -no, I am feeling good, so maybe I should leave it at one Ryo~.” (Tomoe)

Ryo is a currency that is circulated only in Asora. While speaking about the Ryo, Tomoe began moving.

“Ah, Tomoe-dono. Aren’t you going to tell Waka-sama about the matter found in the books of Waterfall?” (Shiki)

“I will after dinner. In the first place, it wouldn’t be good to do something that might dirty you, right after leaving a bath, right?” (Tomoe)

“…Right. Then, later.” (Shiki)

“Umu.” (Tomoe)

“Waka-sama is? …Really……?” (Mio)

Tomoe left, but even with that, Mio was still in her own world and hadn’t returned.

In the same fanning position, she was happily looking at Makoto.

In this day, the residents of Asora learned of hot springs, and it gained high popularity.

But the ones who tasted the most happiness were probably Mio…and Tomoe.