Looking at it from a distance, it really is a beautiful sight.
From the dressing room, stepping onto the gravel-paved stones, steam rises from the hot spring surrounded by rocks.
The sound of water flowing quietly into the bath enclosed by bamboo fencing.
This is it! A true Japanese hot spring!
Haa… all the effort was worth it.
Now, the long-awaited first bath!
I’ll enjoy it to the fullest!
With the guys!
…Wait, no. How did it come to this?
Wasn’t I working hard for the sake of a mixed bath?
Well… I can’t exactly say, “I’ll go to the mixed bath, so wait here for a while.”
Guess I’ll just have to save it for later and indulge plenty another day.
「Haa… this water feels so good…」
「Yeah, it really does…」
It really is good.
Deep enough to cover the shoulders, with a comfortable seat that doesn’t hurt my back even when I lean against it.
It feels so relaxing that I could just melt into it.
「Aniki, aniki! Aren’t you gonna peek!?」
「Sheesh, you know they can hear you, right…」
「Ma-kun?」
「Hie…」
There’s only a wooden partition between us, so of course they can tell…
Peeking… sure, I get that it’s a kind of “man’s romance”. But today there are other guests here too. So I’ll switch gears and settle for a more refined, grown-up kind of romance.
「Oi, Makoto, stop moving around so much. Don’t make waves」
「Yes, sir!」
His replies are always good, but sure enough, he splashed into the water with too much force and sent waves everywhere.
Ah well. Anyway, time to pull out what I got after negotiating with the landlady.
First, a wooden bucket. Then, a sake flask and two small cups.
Naturally, the contents are already decided!
Yes. Hot sake.
The landladies had rice wine, nigori sake, which I stored away in my magic space. Then, using alchemy, I broke it down, filtered it through reconstruction, and made this clear sake!
I don’t dislike nigori, but it has a strong taste and isn’t really suited for hot sake.
Hot sake at a hot spring, that’s true adult romance.
I’ve seen it countless times in images, but I doubt many people have actually done it.
「Ah, I saw this in a hot spring special once!」
「I’ve always wanted to try it. Hot sake in a hot spring! Freed, drinking alone isn’t much fun, so will you join me?」
「Me? I don’t mind…」
Hayato and Makoto are still underage.
I don’t know what the legal drinking age is in this world, but ethically speaking, Freed is the only one I can ask.
Maybe they understand that, since neither of the two raised any complaints.
「Then allow me to pour」
「Thanks. Here, let me pour one for you too」
「Oh, well well… this is quite a clear sake」
「In a way, this is the drink most closely tied to us drifters, you know?」
The name of the country is in the name of the sake, after all.
「Well then, cheers」
「Yes. Cheers indeed」
Instead of clinking, we simply raised our cups in a toast.
The tiny ochoko looked even smaller in Freed’s hand.
Maybe a bowl would have been a better choice…
I slowly brought the cup to my lips and let a small sip of the piping hot sake slide down my throat.
The sweetness and fragrance unique to Japanese sake filled my nose, followed by a dizzying wave of alcohol washing through me.
「This is… quite a strong drink…」
「It is. That’s why only a little」
Drinking hot sake in a hot spring would get you drunk quickly.
Even so, it was delicious. My body was getting warmer and warmer when someone suddenly called out.
「Customer-san! Share some with us too!」
Guide-san was leaning over the partition, stretching out as if begging for a share.
「…Isn’t this backwards?」
Why are you the one peeking?
You’ve got it the wrong way around!
What’s so fun about looking at naked men…
That posture of hers, though, balancing with her stomach like that, I’d kind of like to see it from the other side.
「Well, whatever… Makoto, sorry, but can you hand it over to her?」
「…Not right now」
「Hm? …Ah, I see」
Even with a towel wrapped around her, her shoulders, collarbone, and cleavage were clearly visible…
Ah, adolescence!
「Here. Don’t drink too much. It’s strong, you’ll end up collapsing」
I walked closer to Guide-san, who was desperately reaching out, and handed her another set with flask and cup placed in a separate bucket. She took it carefully, keeping it level so it wouldn’t tip.
「I know that already. This is our local sake, after all! Look, as thanks you even got to see some bouncing up close!」
Yeah, yeah. Thanks for the treat.
Still, so Guide-san is from Amatsukuni.
Come to think of it, she does look a little like Ayame-san.
Their personalities, though, couldn’t be more different.
「Heave-ho!」
She tried to push herself up with a bit of momentum, but…
「…Um, if you’re holding my leg like that, I can’t get up…」
Along with Guide-san’s voice, splashing sounds came from the women’s side.
「Hmm」
「No, not ‘hmm’! Ah, wait, you can’t! Not the towel! Please don’t touch the towel!」
「It’s dangerous, so I’ll keep this safe for you」
「Ah, thank y…no, wait, that’s not the point!」
An arm suddenly stretched out, snatched away the bucket Guide-san was holding, and left her flustered and panicking.
「Pulll, puullll」
「Kyaaaa! Stop it! Don’t tug on my towel!」
「Didn’t you promise not to try seducing our lord?」
「I did! But that just slipped out naturally, so, kyaaa!」
The towel gradually loosened, and Guide-san was forced to press it down with her arms, leaving her in a helpless state.
Makoto stared intently, while Hayato deliberately turned his eyes away, trying not to look.
「It’s about time you let her go. Wouldn’t want the partition breaking. And Makoto’s eyes are dangerous」
「Hmm」
「Don’t just let go all of a sudden! My balance, gwaaaahhh!」
Guide-san trembled as her back muscles strained, trying to hold herself steady. I reached out, caught her shoulder, and slowly pushed her back to the other side.
「Ah, thank you very much! Someday… someday I’ll get you back for this, ah, no, just kidding, just kidding!」
「Don’t get too carried away」
「「「Yeees!」」」
They say when three women(女) gather it becomes noisy(姦), but with Guide-san joining in it was even more so.
How should I put it… guilty until proven innocent, maybe? Well, I’ll just assume they were only playing around.
「Oh… has it cooled down already?」
「I poured the hot water into a bucket to keep it from cooling」
Saying that, Freed lifted the flask and poured me another cup of sake.
From the women’s side, the splashing and lively chatter of girls still continued, but I had already gotten used to it, it had become like background music.
Makoto, meanwhile, was pressing his ear against the partition, trying to eavesdrop. If he’s going that far, he might as well try peeking.
Not that I’d let him get away with it, I’d drag him down immediately.
Well then, time to get to the main point.
「So, what is it…?」
「What do you mean?」
「I mean, for Freed to personally come along this time, there has to be some reason, right?」
When I went to call Hayato, I assumed the usual group would come, but Freed had joined as well.
It could be for combat support… but it was odd for the head butler to personally show up only at a time like this.
I also considered it might be to stop Hayato, who seemed on the verge of losing control earlier… but Freed hadn’t made any move to restrain him.
Which meant the business was probably with me.
「…Itsuki-san. I have a request—」
「No, Hayato-sama. I should be the one to say it. That would be proper」
Just as Hayato turned to speak to me with a serious expression, Freed cut him off and turned to face me directly.
He straightened his posture into formal seiza, his face grave.
「Forgive my forwardness, but I have come with a request」
「Alright. I still owe you, Freed, so I can accept within reason. What is it?」
「…Would you be willing to purchase a slave?」
「A slave…? You mean you want me to buy one and give them to you?」
「No. I wish for you, guest-sama, to purchase a certain slave… and keep them under your care」
…Huh?
「A certain slave… You know them? If that’s the case, wouldn’t Hayato be the better choice?」
「No, it isn’t that I know her. I heard about the matter at the previous auction from Hayato-sama…」
The previous auction… that means…
「…the half-elf?」
「Yes…」
「Hmm… Can I ask why? She’s not an acquaintance, right?」
「That is true, but…」
「…Because she’s a half?」
「Yes… I was saved by Hayato-sama. But she is still young, and I believe she must bear deep hatred for this world. Yet, if someone would extend a hand to her, I believe her world could change completely」
In this world, half-bloods, those born between humans and other races, are subjected to extreme discrimination.
Half-elves especially… they face the harshest prejudice of all.
So, perhaps he couldn’t stand the thought of leaving a young half-elf girl in the same situation he had once been in.
「If she fails to sell at the next auction, she will be sent to the black slave market… And if that happens…」
「I see… That makes sense. Though at first I thought Hayato could handle this, but… yeah, a half-elf slave under him would be bad news…」
「I personally wouldn’t mind, though…」
Even so, he was engaged to Chevalier, the current king’s daughter. Doing something that would unnecessarily provoke the people’s emotions would be reckless.
Not to mention, Hayato was away from home often.
If problems arose during his absence, just that alone could jeopardize his standing as a noble…
「Alright. I’ll do it」
「Truly?」
「Yeah. But there are conditions」
「Conditions…?」
Even if I owed a favor, I couldn’t simply agree without safeguards. Naturally, I had to set terms first.
「Yeah, the first one. If she ever harms Wendy or the others, I’ll put her up for sale in the very next auction. And if no buyer appears then, I’ll send her to the black slave market myself」
Even with a debt to Freed, that was something I couldn’t compromise on.
If that half-elf turned dangerous, I’d cut ties immediately.
「Next… I hear she’s a habitual runaway. If she runs, I won’t chase her. I’ll give her the chance, but whether she takes it or not is up to her. Naturally, I’ll do what I can. And if she does choose to take my hand, then I’ll take responsibility and protect her」
Opportunities in life are not something that come often.
Even if we extend a hand, if she refuses to take it, then I have no intention of involving myself further.
「One last thing… everyone must agree first」
「Understood. Those conditions are acceptable. If she becomes a burden to you, please cast her off without hesitation」
「Good. That settles it. You all heard, right?」
The women’s bath had fallen into utter silence, so our conversation had no doubt reached them as well.
This wasn’t a matter I could decide alone.
Since she would be living with us, I had to hear the opinions of those who would also be living alongside her.
「…I think it’s fine. Even at the last auction, Master seemed to be concerned」
「Shiro too. If lord says it’s fine, then it’s fine」
「I don’t mind either. I myself… no, I’ll follow my liege’s judgment」
「Hey, is that girl a beauty?」
「Yes. Master even called her a beautiful onee-chan…」
「Ugh… I mean, I’m not thrilled about even more pretty girls being added, but it’s helping someone, so I guess it can’t be helped…」
「Yeahssu, I think it’s fine too. You set conditions anywayssu」
It seemed I had everyone’s agreement.
…Truly, the girls in my household are all such kind people.
「Then it’s settled」
「In that case…!」
「Yeah. We’ll participate in the next auction and buy that half-elf」
「Thank you… truly!」
「Don’t thank me yet. Everything depends on her. I can’t promise how it’ll turn out」
「Yes. Even so… thank you…」
Freed bowed again and again, lowering his head almost to the water’s surface as he expressed his gratitude.
「Itsuki-san. Thank you…」
「It’s fine. …Ah, right. On another note, I also had a favor to ask of Hayato」
It wasn’t that I was embarrassed and wanted to change the subject.
I really did have a favor to ask Hayato.
And truth be told, it was quite a big one.
「What is it? If it’s a request from you, Itsuki-san, I can accept most things!」
「I see… Well, actually, the truth is….」
What I asked of him was…
A request for Hayato’s cooperation so that I would never again have to go through the pain of just waiting.
When he heard my words, Freed’s eyes lit up as he nodded, while Hayato, Makoto, and the women in the bath all raised voices of surprise.
And then… Hayato readily agreed, saying he would do it for my sake.
-0-
AN: With that, Volume 6 comes to a close.
It ended up becoming quite long again…
Next time, I’d like to keep the story a little shorter…
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