「Haー, it’s pleasantly warmー」


  We have our fill of the open-air bath, changed into Kagura-style clothes, and relaxing on the ryokan’s sofa in the lobby.

  The feeling of being able to relax and enjoy the sense of freedom from the bath is the best, and it seems that it also eased the fatigue from our travel all at once. My languid body currently feels light for some reason.

  And the feeling of the heat escaping from your hot body is pleasant. You would be able to feel it since the yukata’s breathability is good.

  Incidentally, the clothes that I’m wearing right now is a relax wear yukata, something that people often wear at a ryokan.

  It’s a grey yukata with motifs on it, and a common, subdued, deep blue haori.

  I wore it while being taught how to wear the yukata by Tori and the ryokan’s employee.

  Oh well, it’s a yukata for men, so it’s not that hard to wear it. I know how to do it from my previous life’s experience, I can wear it by myself.

  But I certainly never expect to wear a yukata in a different world. However, I think it's fine since a yukata is easy to wear. It’s a perfect souvenir for when I return to Koryatt village. If it’s a yukata, then Elna-kaasan would be pleased and easily accept it, and I think it will definitely look good on a beautiful woman with black hair like Sara.

  I don’t know whether it’s from the hot water of the bath or something else, but I feel that my skin feels like a mochi (soft), even more so than the usual. The bath might have a beautifying skin effect.

  「Sighー, that was such a nice bathー」


  「Yeahー」


  Irvine and Mort - who were also sitting on the sofa - said comfortably.

  Their cheeks are slightly flushed perhaps it’s because their blood rushed to their heads, not because of being dizzy or something, but it seems that it’s because of the sake they drank.

  If it’s them, I’m sure they just got carried away and asked for more of those Kagura’s sake.

  If you drink that Kagura sake with an empty stomach, you would naturally get drunk.

  I, I’m not particularly envious or anything, alright?

  Liquor is not everything in this world, and besides, it’s bad for the body of a seven years old kid. But still, it’s frustrating.

  「Sure enough, I want a cold drink after a bath」


  Roomba muttered randomly as he entered the hall while wearing the yukata.

  It’s probably because of his wild appearance, and strong physique, but I think it looks too good on him. Hmm, how should I put it, he looks like a wandering samurai in a historical drama, or the leader of a yakuza group who managed the back alley or something, yeah he’s suited to that role.

  You will unconsciously call him ‘Aniki’.

  But putting that aside, I agree with drinking something cold after taking a bath. The feeling of moistening your parched throat after taking a bath is the best after all.

  「Yeah, they have ‘em. If you ask the proprietress or the ryokan employee, they will bring it to you, I’ll ask them.」


  Saying that, Tori quickly went to find an employee *patapata*.

  Hence, the employee went to the back, and a few minutes later the proprietress came with a large basket in her hands.

  Apparently, the proprietress is responsible for us. Well, Tori is a merchant with a breadth of connection, and I’m also a noble.

  You would reasonably pay attention to our needs as often as not.

  「I brought your cold drinks. The cold drinks that are available are water, milk, fruit juice, green tea, and we also have Kagura sake, which one will you have, dear guest?」


  The proprietress lined up the bottles on the table as a slight amount of cold air drifted from them. I guess they cooled them down with Ice Magic Tool.

  Speaking of drink after a bath for me, it will be fruit juice, coffee, or cow’s milk, but even if there is none of that then it can’t be helped. Let’s just have milk just like usual.

  I think this is also one of the simple approaches.

  「I’ll have milk」


  「Then, I will also have milk」


  「I’ll take water」


  「Understood. We will also prepare some water for the guests who are intoxicated.」


  「Ah, thank you very much.」


  I’ve completely forgotten about the two drunk customers.

  I receive the milk bottle with the size for one person, and immediately put my hand on my waist and drink it.

  The rich taste of the chilled milk spreads inside my mouth and pervades my entire body.

  It seems to immediately snatch the heat from inside my flushed body, but it feels very comfortable instead.

  「Puhaaー!」


  Indeed, drinking this after a bath is really great.

  「Dohaaー!」


  When I realized it, Roomba - who was beside me - also raised a similar voice.

  Roomba also loves to have a drink after taking a bath, after all. He often did it back in My Home.

  「Oi, Al. You have a white beard.」


  「You too」


  We finished our bottled milk in one go and left a white milk mustache on the area near our lips.

  Then we pointed that out and laughed.

  「Ahー, the water permeates my body」


  「I don’t know whether it’s because I’m drunk or my body is hot」


  Mort and Irvine are drinking water while sitting there listlessly. And Tori is delightfully drinking the water near them.

  Just with the fact that Kagura sake is good, Kagura’s water might also taste good.

  And perhaps the proprietress notices our state, she offered us a bottle of water.

  「Would Roomba-sama and Alfried-sama like some? It's fresh water collected from deep in Kagura’s mountain, so it tastes great, how about it? 」


  「「Of course!」」


  We immediately received the bottles offered to us.

  Perhaps she thought that our honest response was strange, the proprietress politely smiles.

  Japanese-type beauty is nice, really. Or rather, they’re well-mannered, feminine, and considerate. I wish that the women’s group in my family and the village girls of Koryatt village followed their example.

  But of course I can’t say that in front of them.

  「Ara, it looks like you drink something good. Could we have some of that too?」


  「I also want that!」


  When Roomba and I received the water from the proprietress, Aleutia and Ilya - dressed in Kagura clothes - came from the inner hallway. They are wearing red haori, which has a slightly different design from the one worn by men. Aleutia tied her long blue hair in a ponytail, while Ilya let down her pink, long hair.

  And perhaps it’s because they just got out of the bath, their white cheeks are slightly tinged with pink color.

  Their glossy skin and hair coupled with the yukata after a bath look so lovely.

  「「………………」」


  Irvine and Mort are probably fascinated by Aleutia and Ilya’s appearance in yukata, it’s as if they’re engrossed in staring at them ―― no, that’s not it. They have an expression like they’re trying to ascertain something.

  「Ara, what’s wrong, I wonder? Did you guys got captivated by our looks in yukata?」


  Aleutia said as if to tease Irvine and Mort - who was staring at them silently.

  「「……………」」


  However, Irvine and Mort don't say anything in response.

  They only turn their cold gaze to Aleutia and Ilya’s breast.

  Just by that action alone made me understand what they are trying to make sure of.

  「Wha, what is it? Is there something wrong? We only had the employees dressed us, though?」


  「Ye, yes. There should be nothing wrong with this」


  Being targeted by such an unreserved gaze by Irvine and Mort, Aleutia and Ilya looked uncomfortable.

  「Hmm, I can only saw Kagura clothes as some terrible clothing that will deceive men.」


  「Yeah, that’s right. Those clothes are wicked.」


  「You think so, hm? If anything, it gives them the feeling of them being neat and clean since there is no skin exposure, though?」


  Tori - who doesn’t quite grasp what Irvine and Mort’s words meant - wrongly guess.

  「That’s not it, Toriela-san」


  「What d’you mean?」


  Tori, Roomba, and the women’s group tilted their heads, not understanding what that meant.

  Seeing that, Irvine and Mort shrugged their shoulders, as if saying 「Good grief」.

  「……Kagura’s clothes can falsify a woman’s breast size. That’s why even that flat-chested Aleutia can walk confident――gufuu!?」


  「Die!」


  Irvine didn’t have the chance to finish what he said, as Aleutia drove her fist into his stomach.

  And perhaps it struck the pit of his stomach, Irvine's upper body bent forward as his body twitched and trembled.

  Aah, he won’t be able to move for a while. That was such a solid punch that it was too wasteful for that coming from a magician.

  「Aah, so that’s what you mean, huh ―― no, it’s nothing!」


  Tori - who realized Irvine’s words - let those slip out of his mouth, but then it was as if he was silenced when Aleutia glared at him.

  「……umm, what would you like to drink?」


  As if to change the murderous atmosphere in the air, the proprietress nervously asks.

  「……water for me」


  「I’ll take milk!」


  The moment Ilya said that there was a certain air of understanding among us men.

  「……I also want milk!」


  Aleutia’s desperate cries reverberated in the lobby.

  Author note :

  What’s in your cup, everyone? Is it coffee milk?