Book 4: Chapter 13
Book 4: Chapter 13
The next morning. Still feeling sleepy, I got out of bed, rubbing my eyes. I stayed up until quite late at night, so honestly I’m a little sleep deprived… But I still have to go see the Lev Magic Empire military airship.
I got dressed and went out into the corridor. Kimidori Papa, who was looking out the window in the corridor, turned to me with a surprised look on his face.
「O-Oi, Reiji-kuuuuun!」
「Good morning.」
「Ah, good mornin– that’s not important! What is that thing!?」
The reason I was sleep deprived is simple–
「I got permission to do as I wish in the backyard of the mansion, so I built a “large communal bath”. The approval was given by the Elder Society.」
「Large communal bath!? Overnight!?」
To be exact, it was from evening to late night, though.
Kimidori Papa and I stepped out to the backyard. The people of the mansion had already gathered there.
Two 25-meter pools. I really wanted to get the shape right, but time constraints didn’t allow that.
I dug up and shaped the holes with【Earth Magic】. It was then baked to an ultra-high temperature with Asha’s【Fire Magic】, giving off a glass-like shine. The white flames which baked the ground, born of Asha’s refined mana, looked mystical in the dark of the night.
There is one staircase of 60 cm depth. The bathhouses to the left and right were surrounded by mud walls made with【Earth Magic】, but there wasn’t enough time to make a roof so it is completely visible from above. I used【Water Magic】to fill up the pools with a large amount of water and left it until dawn to check for water leaks and discoloration.
「Good morning, Reiji-san. How is the water?」Asha called out from behind, as Kimidori Papa and I joined the people gathered by the pool.
「It’s perfect. There seems to be no water leaks or discoloration.」
A drainage ditch has also been prepared. The water flows directly into the ditch that runs through the town.
「Wow! This is amazing, nuro!」
「So this is a “large communal bath”, huh? But the water is cold, nuro.」
The seven elders had already arrived before I noticed, and were touching the water. …It’s still before sunrise, though? Are the elders all early risers?
And even though the elders, who seem to be the authority of the dragonewt tribe, arrived, no one moved to welcome them warmly or treat them special. The dragonewts were all laid-back.
「S-So… this is the power of magic!」
Kimidori Gorn-san seems to have woken up due to the commotion.
「Not yet. We are just about to begin.」I said.
「What do you mean?」Kimidori Gorn-san asked.
「Asha, I have to leave soon. So please give it a shot.」
「Okay.」
The dragonewts opened a path as Asha walked forward. Perhaps due to Asha’s royal blood, her movement and conduct boasted a certain intensity.
「Right now, it is just a normal pool. Though, I suppose it’s good for bathing in cold water. To complete it, we need Asha’s magic.」
Asha stuck out both hands in front of the left pool. She does not need formal magic chants or to amass mana to exercise【Fire Magic】. She just needs to think and speak it.
「O’ Flame.」
The orange flames that appeared at the tip of her fingers were the same color as the morning sun. The flames danced as if rejoicing their birth into this world. It drew an arc in the air and landed in the center of the pool—the surrounding water boiled, evaporated, and exploded in an instant.
「Eekk!」
The splash of water from the explosion hit several dragonewt. I touched the pool and activated【Water Magic】to stir the water.
「One shot doesn’t warm it up, after all. I think it needs about three more.」I said.
「Understood.」
Asha shot 3 more【Fire Magic】. The dragonewts were wary of more splashes, but this time I used【Water Magic】to envelop the fireball with the pool water. So there were no more splashes.
「Hmm, it’s a little hot, but this will work.」
Steam rose from the surface of the pool slightly.
「R-Reiji, is this all hot water, nu!?」Kimidori Gorn-san asked, sticking his hand into the pool.
「Yes. I’ve heard that you don’t have a custom of hot bath, so I hope you will enjoy it.」
「Uhyoho! This is the best, nuro!」
「Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!」
「Geezer, you’re noisy, nuro.」
「Huh, who are you calling geezer, nuro?」
「The yellow and purple elders are starting a fight!」
「Take your fight outside.」
「Booya!」
「Booya!」
「Booya!」
Before I noticed, the elders had already gotten naked and jumped into the pool. Well, they were wearing loincloth-like underwear, at least.
The female servants of the mansion screamed “kya”. No, I think it was more like “gyaaaaa”. And turned away.
「Reiji. Does it really feel that good?」
「Yes, I love hot baths. Just give it a try, Kimidori Gorn-san. We can prepare the pool right away while we’re still staying in the city, so if it gathers popularity, we can continue it.」
It seems that there was indeed a custom of taking hot baths. However, such a thing would be a luxury in the current state of the world, and it also seems that the dragonewt people did not want much temperature change due to their reptilian nature.
However, to my knowledge, some people recommended hot baths for pet lizards. It is said that the hot bath promotes shedding, and the skin becomes soggy and easy to remove.
「Ooooh! It’s peeling. My scales are peeling off!」
「Red! Don’t do dirty stuff! The hot water will get dirty!」
Along with the elders who were in high spirits, Kimidori Gorn-san, Kimidori Papa, and the people of the mansion also entered the bath and tried it out. This day started with a bang.
And–
「Excuse me, Reiji-san. I don’t mean to press you, but you see… you made a pool for the men, so you won’t say you didn’t make one for us, the women, will you now, nuro?」
Kimidori Mama approached me with a “Ufufufufu” laugh, accompanied by women with curious looks behind her.
「O-Of course not. The other pool is for women.」
Asha and I hurriedly warmed up the pool next door and opened it to the women.
There is no doubt that they liked it a lot.
**
After that, I joined the reconnaissance team and headed to the place where the airship was found.
I entrusted the large communal bath to Asha.
I suspect that the hot water will probably turn black by the end of the day. We can add more water from a well or a nearby stream.
The biggest problem, “heating”, can be taken care of by Asha. She was quite motivated to work this job.
If Asha and I opened a public bath in the Dragonewt city, I think we could make a lot of money. We can prepare coffee milk and fruit milk for after the bath. Though, I, personally, am a cola person.
「Man, those elders went to enjoy the “large communal bath” and did not even come to see us off.」
The leader of the reconnaissance team said in a dissatisfied tone.
The team and I were running through the forest at a considerable speed.
「I’m curious now. I want to go there when we return, nu!」
「Me too!」
The two other members of the team also sounded interested.
I might have to add more water to the pool when we get back…….
「By the way, didn’t you say you come from a different world, nu?」the leader asked, while running.
「Yes… I realize it does sound like a crazy story.」
「No. After looking at such a huge ship stranded in the middle of the forest, it seems quite possible, nu.」
The leader confirmed the position of the airship from a distance. As well as the Forest Eater.
「I remembered a story I heard when I was a kid, nu. About an odd guy who was sick of living in this world leaving for another world…」
「There is a story like that?」
「Yes. It’s called “La-Fisa’s Journey”. Apparently he is our ancestor, nu.」
「!?」
I lost my footing and almost fell.
「Are you okay, nu?」
「T-That story!」
La-Fisa.
It was the man who created the “Labyrinth of 9 Emotions” in the Lev Magic Empire.
「Please tell me that story in detail!!」I exclaimed, almost jumping at the leader.