“Wow!”
“Yeah, Charlotte slept well. Can you give my phone to grandma?”
“Sure!”
After saying goodbye to Charlotte, the phone returned to the boss.
Anyway, it’s clear that our Charlotte looks much prettier in person.
The camera couldn’t fully capture how beautiful our Charlotte really was.
“Are you happy talking to your daughter after such a long time?”
“Of course.”
“Tsk… I told you to go travel, and yet you keep calling. Aren’t you being a bother?”
“Well, since you keep rejecting my calls while having fun with Charlotte, I had no choice.”
“Tsk…”
Seriously, every time I called the boss to see Charlotte, my calls were always rejected…
In all sorts of ways, it was quite unbelievable, but it was true.
Corbin and I would send messages while we were surprised, take a picture of Charlotte, and tell each other not to call…
This had been our situation since we boarded the plane.
So, what I just did was my first conversation with Charlotte in several days.
“Are you doing well?”
“Yeah, thanks to whom, I’m having too much fun.”
“That’s a relief. Charlotte seems really happy too.”
“Hmph.”
Well, I’m glad to see that the boss seems to be enjoying time with her granddaughter Charlotte.
The boss used to really love Charlotte, even when she was younger.
It was nice to see the boss spending quality time with Charlotte again after a long time… really great.
Honestly, it’s been over two years of pregnancy, childbirth, and parenting… I was a bit tired, but getting to rest like this was nice.
I completely understood why the boss sent Corbin and me on this impromptu trip.
Of course, it might have been more fun if Charlotte had come along too.
“Thank you.”
“That’s all you need to know. More importantly, what is that guy doing that he hasn’t shown up on screen yet?”
“Oh, Corbin? Uhm…”
The boss suddenly brought up Corbin, so I slightly turned my head to look at the bedroom.
He was still… lying down.
His hangover had improved from the morning, but he still looked pretty bad.
So we had decided to just relax at the hotel today.
“He’s just resting. It’s been a while since he saw you, so he seems really happy.”
“Is that so? That’s good to hear.”
“Hehe, indeed.”
I figured if I told the truth to the boss, Corbin would get into serious trouble, so I just brushed it off.
Plus, the expression on the boss’s face during the video call looked really happy.
After chatting with the boss, we eventually hung up.
I wanted to talk more, but Charlotte said she wanted to play, so I just hung up.
I felt like now I was actually less favored than Charlotte by the boss.
“Hehe…”
I really didn’t expect the person who fainted when I first told her I was pregnant to end up loving Charlotte this much.
“Corbin.”
“Yeah…”
“How about going to a hot spring?”
“…Should we?”
Our original plan was to visit the hot spring today, but we got delayed because of someone’s hangover.
We had some issues as we drank last night, but a lot of time had passed since then.
It should be fine to go now.
“Shall we head out?”
“Yes, I heard there’s a couple’s place near here. Let’s go there, relax a bit, and take a walk before heading back.”
“Sounds good… but I’m absolutely not drinking when we come back.”
“I won’t serve any to you either.”
“…….”
*
More time passed than expected, but we finally made it to the hot spring.
It was already dark, and the sun had set, but it wasn’t a big problem.
“Please give us a double room.”
“Yes, for a double room… Please go to room B3. You can pick up towels and slippers once you go inside.”
“Okay, understood.”
The hot springs were open even late, and since it was just 5 PM, there wasn’t any rush.
Anyway, after receiving our items, Corbin and I slowly made our way inside and arrived at our assigned room.
“Oh.”
“Looks good.”
“It’s smaller than the one we visited before, but it still looks nice.”
“True. A bit more… natural scenery?”
The moment we entered, we got that feeling.
It really did feel that way.
The changing area was a little small, but the hot spring area itself was so much prettier.
It was purely a place to enjoy hot springs, not a hotel for accommodations.
There really wasn’t a need for a room to change or store luggage.
“By the way… Lindera.”
“What’s up?”
“The hot springs are positioned outdoors, right?”
“…Yes?”
“…So if we open this door and go outside, it’s literally -3 degrees, right?”
“Yep.”
That only made sense.
The area we were in was indoors, and the hot springs were naturally located outside.
“So if we take our clothes off here and step outside… we’d have to endure the cold in our birthday suits before getting into the hot spring, right?”
“Ah.”
“……..”
“That’s… definitely a problem.”
Just as Corbin said, it was a valid concern.
Right now, the sliding door was closed, but the moment it opened even a crack, a really cold breeze would come in.
While living in Zone 16, I had felt less cold than expected, but that was all thanks to the clothes I wore.
The fabrics and styles were so different from everyday clothes, I was able to walk around without feeling too chilly.
The temperature in Zone 16 itself was still the same.
“…….”
“…Should we just go back to the hotel?”
“…No.”
Yeah.
It was a bit daunting, but honestly, I felt like I’d freeze as soon as I stepped outside.
But even so, I had no intention of turning back.
Even if I caught a cold.
“Lindera?”
Rustle…
“Are you really going in?”
“…Yes.”
Rustle…
Slowly taking off my clothes.
I glanced at Corbin while slowly removing my stockings and skirt.
“…Are you going to take off your clothes or just let me go in first?”
“…Aren’t you freezing?”
“If we were really freezing to death, there wouldn’t be such a hot spring, right?”
“……..”
This was a first for me too, but maybe they managed to operate in winter because people could endure the cold?
There were definitely more guests around than I expected.
So… it should be fine, right?
Eventually, I took off all my clothes completely.
Even my underwear, standing completely bare.
Corbin had also stripped, but he still looked hesitant.
But… I had no intention of stopping here.
Though I’m not a guy, if you draw the sword, you’ve got to slice some flesh, right?
“I’ll open it.”
With that said, I gently slid open the door.
Just a tiny bit.
Whoosh!!!
“Yikes.”
Thump!!!
…Uh.
“…Uh.”
“…….”
“…….”
I promptly shut the door.
Yes, right away.
I could confidently say that I reacted quicker than I ever have in my life.
I doubt I could ever be that fast again.
I was completely startled by the cold wind that rushed in the moment I opened the door.
“Lindera, should we run?”
“……..”
“It was so chilly.”
“…Corbin.”
In our state of undress, we began to deliberate in the room.
Whether to brave the cold and step into the hot spring or not.
In all seriousness.
Seeing the steam rising from the hot spring, I thought once inside, it wouldn’t be a problem.
But the challenge lay before that.
It wasn’t just cold; it was snowing outside.
There was an actual pile of snow outside…
“Let’s at least put on our slippers.”
It wouldn’t do to just tread on the snow.
Those slippers were given to us for that very purpose.
I was shocked by the freezing wind hitting me bare, but I wasn’t thinking of giving up.
After all, we had already paid.
While we were doing okay financially, wasting money still felt like such a waste.
Just the price of spending time in this hot spring could buy about ten servings of baby food!
“Corbin. I’m heading out first.”
“Lindera…”
“…Can you keep up with me?”
“If you collapse… I’ll definitely call for help.”
Nod.
I said that to Corbin with a serious look while standing there in nothing but slippers.
“I’m going.”
With that, I opened the door once more.
For the second time.
Whoosh!!!
“Phew…”
As soon as I opened the door, the cold wind greeted me, but this time, I didn’t close the door.
After all, there was the hot spring waiting there.
I had made up my mind…
Crunch…
I edged out into the cold, walking straight through the bitter wind in my natural state.
Slowly.
But surely.
Crunch…
“Phew…”
It was freezing like crazy.
Truly, it felt as if I’d start swearing any moment now.
But just a few more steps, and the hot spring was right in front of me.
The cold wind was striking my skin, yet I started to feel the warm energy of the hot spring.
“Phew…!”
I pushed through the chilling wind and braved the cold until I reached the edge of the hot spring.
Bare-skinned.
Walking in freezing temps without clothes wasn’t exactly pleasant.
Still, I could do it if it was for the hot spring.
“Finally… Hah… Hah…….”
Standing in front of the hot spring, I took a moment to gaze at the water.
All for this moment that saw me endure the cold for about thirty seconds.
It felt like a full minute, though.
“…I’ll start with my feet.”
Slowly, I dipped my feet into the hot spring water.
It was hot, but after the freezing cold wind, it felt so unbelievably warm.
Too warm that I couldn’t help but smile brighter and brighter.
“…Wow.”
As I submerged more into the water, leaving only my head and shoulders above, it felt absolutely heavenly.
I couldn’t help but turn to Corbin, flashing him a bright smile.
The hot spring water felt delightful, and the view of the snow-clad scenery was incredible.
“Kyaaaa!!!”
Seeing me like that, Corbin thought it was okay to come out and instantly screamed before slamming the door shut again.
But honestly, this hot spring felt like the best of all the ones I’d been in before.
Sure, I might have been a little dizzy from the cold I endured when coming in, but it sure felt good… right?
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